Garand's Help

Priest Therin stood at the pulpit looking at the four people in the cathedral. He glanced over the few people. He sighed as he opened his Bible to speak a sermon.

“To you, the few but faithful-I thank you,” he said. “Nevertheless, there should be more piety in our kingdom.” He looked down. “Let us pray.”

Therin led the four individuals in a short but earnest prayer to God. He ended with a heartfelt encouragement.

“Remember, the Word says the true believers are few. Despite the reaction, we most preach the gospel. I bid you farewell.”

The four-person congregation rose exited the building.

Therin took his Bible and scrolls then went down the middle aisle towards the door. As he exited, a man stood in front of in front of Therin. He was startled.

“Sorry to jolt you, but you seem to need help.”

Therin frowned and shook his head. “Who do you think you are!”

“I am Gerand. I have come to help your desperate situation.”

“What do you mean?”

Gerand smiled. “You need to put more excitement and intrigue to your sermons.”

“And how would I do that?”

“Let’s sit down, Priest Therin.”

Therin turned his head and eyed the man. “Something bothers me about this.”

“Just hear me out.”

“After you, Gerand.”

Gerand sat on a pew and Therin sat beside him.

“You need to learn from fiction. Put in more description and action!”

“But it is not fiction, it is the Bible.”

“What if more people filed your cathedral?”

Therin ran a palm down his face and liked his lips. “If I were to agree with this, how would it work?”

“Take John chapter one, verse one-‘In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.’ Change it to-‘So it began, when there was a dark ominous void. The extreme vacuum of space was yet to be formed. The darkness could be felt. Yet despite the formless void, there was a presence-a light in the darkness lived. It was the amazing Word. So high and omnipotent was this force, it aligned itself with the creator himself. Moreover, the glorious, beautiful entity was just as the Word was.’”

“That sounds amazing. But to replace God’s Word as a piece of art-I don’t know.”

Gerand smiled. “Was not the Word translated, changed by men?”

“Yes but, by the hand of God.”

“Does not God dwell within you?”

Therin stood and paced. “I don’t know.”

“Well, I will be in the kingdom for a while. If you accept my offer, I will be at the Gallop Inn. Good day, sir priest.” Gerand exited the cathedral.

That night, on his bed, he wrestled with his feelings about what Gerand spoke of. Therin could just picture his cathedral full of attentive people, hanging on every word. But was it truly teaching? Sleep came late. Therin woke up at about eleven O ‘clock.

The Gallop Inn was on the way to the cathedral. He almost passed up the inn, then stopped. “It won’t hurt to go inside for a meager lunch.”

Therin entered and sat down.

“How does a lunch of poached eggs, bacon and sausage sound, sir?” asked a small blond-haired woman.

“That sounds great.”

The woman nodded and walked off.

“I wonder where Gerand is.” Therin looked across the room and did not see him. “He must be in his room.”

Therin finished his meal and it was time for him to go to the cathedral. “What will it hurt if I relax here a while?”

He felt an anxious knot in his stomach. In truth he knew he was waiting for Gerand.

Gerand walked into the tavern area and saw Therin.

Gerand smiled as he neared Therin. “Have you decided?”

The question stuck Therin like a knife in his stomach. “Would you come with me to the cathedral?”

“Certainly!”

In ten minutes, they arrived.

Therin approached the pulpit and looked. “As a special occasion, a friend of mine will be doing an explication of John 1:1.”

Gerand took Therin’s spot and spoke his “recreation” of the passage. When he finished, the faithful four stood and applauded. Gerand bowed and walked off the pulpit.

“Amazing!” said a person. “Come next time!”

Therin neared Gerand just as he was headed for the exit.

“Where are you going?”

“Why, to compose your next sermon. But you will speak from now on. I will return next service.”

The man walked off. But in the ensuing days, word of the magnificent sermon spread from the four attendees.

Therin was overjoyed as thirty people filled the pews!

Therin spoke the “revised” version of the scriptures given by Gerand. It continued like this every service and in a month the cathedral was full!

One day after another splendid sermon, he went home happy as always. But that night he had a terrifying dream. He was in a bright place with a man in shining white robed with fiery eyes spoke to the priest.

“I am the angel, Diotrephes. You have committed a terrible sin! You have removed the Word of God and have taught satire and entertainment! I warn you, turn back and God will repent of the judgment He has pronounced upon you.”

“I will do as you say great angel!”

Therin awoke and burst into tears. What did he do!

The next service, he took the “message” and tore it up. “I will no longer teach you words. Now leave!”

Gerand smiled deviously. “I almost had you Therin. You of course must have gotten a strong spiritual warning. I will enjoy it when people leave the cathedral by the dozens.” He heckled. “Goodbye, human.”

Gerand’s eyes glowed scarlet and he vanished in a plume of smoke.

“A spiritual servant of evil! He had to be!”

Therin promptly announced his cessation of his former ways of teaching and over time most of the congregation left but nevertheless, several more souls, remained. And for that, Therin was grateful.