Story 7 – Walking Only by Faith
It’s been a day since my father and I came across this weird homeless man while coming back from town. He was walking by himself and appeared to be on edge of dying so we took him in and gave him water to drink and food to eat. He’s been praying ever since then to thank God and bless our house. There’s something weird about him. He doesn’t have eyes, it doesn’t look like he’s bathed in months, and he’s always smiling. There’s a kind of monk that I heard about that he’s supposed to be, but I don’t know what they’re called. It looks like he might be done praying, so I go into the room we’ve let him rest in to ask him some questions.
“Excuse me, sir?”
“Yes? Is there something you’d like to ask me?”
“Kind of. Am I bothering you now?”
“No, not at all. What is it that you’d like to know?”
“Who are you and where are you from?”
“My name is Lazarus and I’m from Augustus.”
“Augustus? That was one of the first habitable planets discovered outside of the Milky Way Galaxy.”
“It’s named after St. Helena Augustus, who is the patron saint of discoveries since she discovered the cross that Jesus was crucified on.”
“Oh yeah! I remember learning that in school. What kind of monk are you? I know I’ve seen monks with your kind of appearance before.”
“I am a Monk of Mortification. I pay for the sins of everyone in the universe with my constant prayers and sacrifice.”
“What are you doing here on this desert world?”
“God brought me here. I walk by faith and faith alone. I let God guide my steps to wherever He wants me to be.”
“Is that why you don’t have any eyes?”
“Yes. The removal of my eyes shows to God that I’m ready to walk blindly with Him guiding my every step.”
“What about your cybernetic arms?”
“And if thy right hand scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body be cast into hell.”
“Matthew five-thirty, except you apply it to your entire body?”
“Yes.”
“You also wrote Jesus’ name on your chest and you have a Celtic cross on your stomach.”
“It’s to bless it. I’ve also heard of a saint that carved Jesus’ name on his skin, but his name eludes me, right now. Sorry.”
“Do you know what God wants you to do here?”
“No, but I typically get an idea later.”
“Let me get this straight. You blindly walk all over the universe with barely anything on you to do God’s Will that you don’t have a good idea of?”
“That’s right.”
“That sounds really tough.”
“It is and it isn’t for everyone, but do you see me being sad about it?”
“I haven’t seen you without a smile on your face yet. Why are you always smiling?”
“Because of God’s love for us. He sacrificed His only Son so that we can be reconciled with Him, do His Will, enter Heaven, and no matter how many times we fall, He gives us a second chance as long as we’re willing to take it. Isn’t that great?”
“It is.”
“So why aren’t you always smiling then?”
“I don’t know. It’s just hard living on this planet without my mom.”
“What happened to her?”
“A group of bandits took her and ransacked our house nine years ago.”
“That’s terrible.”
“They do let her visit us every now and then though for some months she’s fatter and other months she’s skinner. I don’t know what they’re doing to her, but she seems fine when she’s here.”
“How old are you?”
“Thirteen.”
“Hmm. I think I’ve found the reason for me being here. Oh, and you didn’t tell me your name yet.”
“It’s Ezra.”
“I’m going to find your mother and free her, Ezra. That is why I’m here.”
“You will? How? I don’t even know where to tell you to start.”
“What if I start in town?”
“I guess. I do see shady people there sometimes.”
“Then I’ll go there first.”
“Let me come with you.”
“No, it’s too dangerous.”
“It’s already dangerous since I’m home by myself. My dad is in town, so it’s better if I go.”
“Since you put it that way…okay. You can come.”
“Thank you so much!”
“Before we go, I have to sing the prayer of the Monks of Mortification. It helps me do God’s Will.”
“Okay.”
Lazarus sings the Apostles' Creed, Our Father, Three Hail Marys, and a Glory Be, as an introduction before singing the song of the Monks of Mortification.
“Let us pray. Oh God, who endured pain and death for our sins, we pray,
Help us to suffer as you did to pay the debts of our sins and the sins of others.
Let us be your instruments to pay for the wages of sin and help those who are afflicted.
So that thy will shall be done as it is in Heaven.
Help us to mortify the flesh.
So that we can master our control over ourselves.
For the wisdom of the flesh is death; but the wisdom of the spirit is life and peace.
Because the wisdom of the flesh is an enemy to God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither can it be.
And they who are in the flesh, cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die: but if by the Spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live.
For whosoever are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
But before all things have a constant mutual charity among yourselves: for charity covereth a multitude of sins.
The virtue that is the cement that binds communities to God and persons to one another.
If I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity
It profiteth me nothing.
Charity never falleth away: whether prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease, or knowledge shall be destroyed.
For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
Always be in our hearts, Oh Lord, who is truth and love itself.
Always and forever we shall love you.
St. Padre Pio, blessed with stigmata.
Pray for us.
St. Teresa of Calcutta, caretaker of the poor.
Pray for us.
St. Catherine of Siena, who subsisted solely with the Eucharist.
Pray for us.
Our Lady of Victory.
Pray for us.
Jesus Christ, Savior of all.
Pray for us.
Jesus Christ, Ruler of the Universe.
Pray for us.
Jesus Christ, Conqueror of Death.
Pray for us.
Use our sacrifices so that the souls of sinners can be saved.
Amen.”
Lazarus and I go to the nearby town. He’s looking around despite not having any eyes and appears to look like he knows where he’s going.
“Is God giving you an idea of where to go?” I ask him.
“Kind of. I’m just going where I think is right.”
I keep following Lazarus until we go to a trading hub that my dad goes to for his job.
“We’re going to where my dad should be.”
“Maybe this is God telling me to drop you off to him, so you can be kept out of danger.”
If this is what God wants, then I’ll have no choice but to stay with my dad while Lazarus searches for my mom. I can see my dad in the crowd now. He’s walking away with the usual people he does business with. It looks like I’m meant to find my mother with Lazarus for now. Lazarus stops by one of the trading stores.
“Hello. Are you looking for something, sir? Perhaps a job?” the shopkeeper says.
Lazarus walks to the man while going around the tables in the store as if he had eyes. He says, “No, thank you, sir. I’m already working a job despite what my appearance may say of me.”
“Oh? And what job is that?”
“Serving God.”
“We all try to do that in our own way, but what job are you serving God through?”
“I’m looking for this boy’s mother. Apparently, she was taken by bandits and…”
I see Lazarus whispering something to him. The shopkeeper looks at me then they continue whispering to each other.
“Check out the nearby bar. The bandits make their prost-those they capture work there.”
“Great. We’ll check there. Thank you for your help.”
“Sir, do you need medicine for your scars or body? What about your eyes? They look like they’re bleeding.”
“No, thank you, sir. I don’t have any eyes.”
“What?”
“It’s true,” I tell the shopkeeper before we leave the store. “Wow! God really does guide you to the right people.”
“That’s right. I’m going to need you to stay outside for this. It may get violent and I don’t trust these bandits one bit.”
“Okay.”
“And don’t watch from the windows.”
“Aw! Can’t I watch the bandits who kidnapped my mom receive their justice?”
“Justice doesn’t always look pretty.”
“I’ve seen pictures of Hell before.”
“But you haven’t seen Hell in person.”
“I can handle it. A little blood won’t scare me.”
“If you say so. I can’t make you not look. I’m just telling you what I think you should do.”
We get to the bar, which I think is actually one of the places my dad delivers to. I wonder if he knows if mom works here. Watching from the window near the door, I see Lazarus catch the attention of everyone in the bar. I don’t see my mom in there. These people are dressed weirdly. Can you degenerates not show so much of your skin? I’m assuming they didn’t come in dressed like that because you would get arrested for dressing like that in public. He’s talking to them, but I can’t barely hear what they’re saying. Something about being ashamed of yourself and having to give back my mom. These bandits are simpletons because of how they use the same curse words over and over again.
Oh no. That one shouldn’t have taken the Lord’s name in vain. Lazarus punches the man through the throat and instantly kills him. He makes a fighting stance and shoots lasers out of his fingers! Wow, he’s amazing! Every one of his punches is a blow that seriously hurts the bandits that comes after him. I can hear the breaking of bones from here. It’s both scary and satisfying to listen to. Lazarus uses his lasers, punches, kicks, and chairs in the bar to beat up everyone then punches the last person so hard he flies out the door.
“You! You’re one of the worst!” Lazarus says as he takes the masked and hooded man by the shirt, “Now, tell me where Ezra’s mother is!” He then takes off the man’s disguise to reveal that it’s my dad!
“Dad?!”
“This is your father?”
“I’m sorry that you have to see me this way son, but I had to go back to the life of a bandit to try to rescue mom from it.”
“Wait, those stories that you told me about mom and you being bandits were real?”
“Yes, you didn’t believe us when we told you they were true?”
“No, I thought they were just stories like the ones my friends were told by their parents. I thought you two were too good to be bandits before.”
“We quit that life so long ago and it’s coming back to haunt us. I’ve been trying to get to your mother, but they haven’t been let to me get to her. They’re holding me like a horse with a carrot in front of him. I’m so close yet so far in getting to her.”
“Dad…”
“Ezra…I’m sorry.”
I can’t help but cry a bit because of how my family is torn apart and my dad forcing himself to be a slave of the bandits.
“Committing sins to try to make something right doesn’t help anyone,” Lazarus tells my dad.
“I know, but I didn’t know what to do.”
“You knew not to go back into the life of a bandit, and you did it anyway. I should punch a hole through you, but God is holding back my arm, so you should be grateful. Find a priest, do your confession and penance, then quit being a bandit. I’ll get your wife back to you.”
“Thank you.”
Lazarus lets go of my dad who runs away with his hands on his face. I just noticed that the crowd around us was staring at us.
“Go back to your daily business,” Lazarus says to them and they do it.
He then starts walking away from the bar.
“Did…did you find out where to find my mom?”
“Not yet, but I’m getting close. They told me about a small settlement not too far from here that they’ve built near a small mountain. I have a feeling that’s where we’ll find your mother. I’m sorry that you had to see your father like that.”
I don’t even know what to say about it.
“Yeah. I guess it’s better if we don’t talk about it too. Do you want to know how I’m able to shoot lasers from my fingers?”
“Sure.”
“I can shoot lasers from my fingers because of a small heat generator within me. It lets me stay warm on colder planets.”
“I bet you’re wanting an internal air condition on this planet.”
“Kind of. Hahaha, I do think that they’ve thought about that before, but I don’t think they have the right tech to implement it yet.”
“If you’re supposed to be mortifying yourself, why do you have it?”
“To help defend myself and, as I mentioned already, stay relatively warm on colder planets. I think it’s extremely useful especially on planets like this. That seems to be filled with crime.”
“This planet was only recently taken over by the Church, so they’re still trying to set up.”
“They’re still trying to set up? That must mean I’m on a planet on the furthest edge of the known universe. Heh, God sent me a far distance from where I started.”
“Do you ever get to go back home to see your family and friends?”
“Only if God wants me to. Besides, I don’t have many people I’m close to anyway, so it doesn’t bother me.”
“That’s kind of sad.”
“Yeah, but it’s not as sad as your situation.”
“I’m not going to let it bother me. Once mom is back home, things will get back to normal.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Lazarus walks to an outpost that the Church has set up for its law enforcement. He talks to them and tells them who he is, and they give him a robotic horse to ride with an escort of officers. Apparently, the Monks of Mortification have special permission to command whatever forces of the Church they want at any given time because the Church trusts that God is commanding the monks. Since I’m by myself, the outpost takes me in while Lazarus and the officers go off to the bandit settlement. I want to go, but Lazarus and the officers think it’s too dangerous. Fortunately, I convince one of the officers to let me watch the live cameras on the officers to see what’s going on.
I’m given the live feed just in time for the fighting to start. The officers take cover in the scraps of tanks and ships while Lazarus is fighting in the open. Oh! He just punched a guy’s head off! With his cybernetic arms, he blocks whoever shoots him and his arms are fine. His laser fingers shoot people in the distance. It’s not like he needs them since he’s so fast on his feet to close the distance between him and the bandits. He could’ve totally handled this on his own. I look around at the other officers who are either watching or praying for Lazarus and the other officers. Maybe I should’ve been praying too. Once the fighting settles, Lazarus searches the makeshift houses with the officers behind him.
He grabs a cowering bandit and asks him, “We have a lot of questions for you, but I need to know one in particular. I’m looking for a woman who is the mother of a boy named Ezra.”
“I-I know who you’re talking about. Just take it easy, okay? Wait. I remember your face. You’re Lazarus. You used to be one of us. You were a notorious criminal with so much blood on your hands that you could fill a planet with it.”
“That Lazarus is dead and buried. Jesus made it so.”
“Lazarus used to be a criminal?” I say aloud.
“Yes,” one of the officers near me answers, “The Monks of Mortification are all ex-criminals who are paying for their sins and the sins of everyone. These ex-criminals are usually the worst criminals, but the worst sinners make the best saints.”
Hmm. I guess that’s right since they know what they shouldn’t do and know the cost of committing evil deeds. Lazarus gets the location of my mother and gives the bandit to the officers. He comes back alone on a robotic horse while the officers stay behind to secure the bandit’s settlement and whatever they have.
“You ready to go see your mother?” he asks me with his hand out.
“Am I allowed to go with you?”
“Yeah. I can handle whatever we face.”
“Okay. Let’s go!”
This is it. My mom is finally going to be freed from the bandits! Thank you, God, so much for answering my prayers! I never doubted you for a second. I don’t even know what to I want to say to her even though I’ve been thinking about it for years. I’ll just tell her I miss and love her and go from there. Yeah, that’s what I’ll do.
Lazarus and I stop by a house on the edge of town. He opens the door and kills the few guards in it with his laser fingers. Come on. Where is she? We go upstairs and Lazarus opens the bedroom doors to free the people the bandits have captured here.
“Have you seen your mother yet?” Lazarus asks me.
“No, not yet.”
“She may not be here then, but don’t give up hope.”
“I won’t!”
In the next bedroom we open-!
“Mom!”
“Ezra! What are you doing here-!”
Lazarus…Lazarus just went up to my mom and punches a hole through her chest!
“Lazarus! Why did you do that for?!”
“What? I felt that there was an enemy in front of me and follow God’s Will to kill him.”
“That was my mom!”
“It was?! I’m so sorry, but it had to be done. I’ll get the officers to investigate the house to see why God wanted me to kill your mother.”
I don’t know what to say. I don’t even know what to think. All I do is just sit by my mom’s body and cry. When the officers come, they find out that my mom was having children for the bandits that they would sell off to heathens for child sacrifices. She willingly gave herself to the bandits because she was tired of her simple life and missed her life of sin that she escaped, so…she never wanted to come back home. Her coming back every now and then was just part of the deal the bandits made with my dad. Meanwhile, my dad gives himself up to the Church to pay for his sins in jail, and now…I’m alone.
Lazarus sits with me and says, “You’re not alone, Lazarus. God is always with you along with everyone else in Heaven.”
“Why did you say that?”
“Because I thought that you needed to hear that. I talked to the officers and they’re willing to take you in.”
“That’s good because I want to be one.”
“You’ll have to wait until you get older to become an officer.”
“I’m okay with that. I want to be a servant of God like you. Will you train me?”
“Since I don’t feel the Will of God moving my feet, then sure. I’ll help you become a servant of God. Maybe you’ll even become one that’s better than me.”
“I’d like that, but I doubt I will.”
“Well, we’ll see. God turned me into His humble servant despite the fact that I was one of the worst people in the universe. He may turn you into a great saint.”
I’ll do whatever it takes to be a great saint so I can help people like how Lazarus helped me and so what happened to me doesn’t happen to anyone else. Thank you, God, for bringing me to where I’m meant to be.
The End
The Ballad of St. Augustine by Disciple is a pretty good Christian rock song. The band is great, in my opinion.
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