"Como se llamo?" he said.
The man looked quizzically at them, as if he understood that even less than he understood their English.
Cassidy repeated the question. Again, no indication of understanding was forthcoming from the stranger. Cassidy looked at Angelino and shrugged his shoulders. “I don't think Spanish is his language."
Angelino was undeterred. “What is your name?” he said slowly to the young man, who stared back at him.
Angelino pointed to himself and said, “I am Angelino.” Then, pointing to Cassidy and Billy, he said, “This is Monsignor Cassidy and Billy Red Deer."
The man's eyes lit up in understanding. They were telling him who they were. He began speaking rapidly in a foreign tongue.
"What language is that?” Cassidy whispered to Angelino.
Angelino shook his head. “I don't know. I've never heard it before."
"It's ancient Aztec,” Billy stepped in.
"Now how do you know that?” Cassidy asked with a mixture of admiration and annoyance.
"I was taught it as a child,” Billy answered. “Sioux shamans are trained in the languages of all the cultures their tribe has encountered in their history. Somewhere along the line, my tribe and the Aztecs crossed paths."
Angelino said, “Your tribe went quite a bit afield, it seems. Well, you have the honors. See what you can find out."
Billy raised his hand in friendship and said something in Aztec that sounded to Cassidy like a greeting. The man responded in kind. Billy moved toward the stranger and the two of them engaged in a quiet conversation neither Cassidy nor Angelino could hear.
Cassidy whispered to Angelino, “For some reason the question, ‘What do you mean we, Kimosabee?’ is coming to mind."
"What do you mean?"
Cassidy shook his head. “Never mind. It's an old joke. I'll tell it to you some time."
He noticed the stranger was allowing Billy to examine the gold medallion that hung from his necklace. He said something to the man, who blinked in surprise for just a beat. His face was then filled with a broad smile and he chattered something rapidly and excitedly to Billy.
"Father Angelino,” Billy said. “You'd better take a look at this."
Angelino and Cassidy walked over. Billy said, “Check out this medallion. Look familiar to you?"
Angelino smiled as he saw the familiar flying eagle and the Latin inscription, Libertus Kristos est, Kristos Libertus est. “Well I'll be...” He grinned.
"You mean you're actually surprised?” Cassidy smiled facetiously.
"Actually, I am,” Angelino laughed.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Imahoptec,” he said, extending his hand. Imahoptec accepted it, clasping Angelino's wrist, which Angelino did in return. “Please come and sit with us for a spell,” Angelino gestured toward the tree, which was somewhat shaded.
With Billy acting as their interpreter, they learned Imahoptec was in the jungle following a vision he'd had in which three strangers had come to take him to his destiny. A voice had told him to go into the jungle and go where his instincts ... he had used the Aztec word for “heart” ... led him. The vision had told him the time of Unoga—the Gathering—had come.
The others listened with great interest to Imahoptec's story. Cassidy finally sighed, “Well, thank goodness we don't have to finish that last ten miles."
Billy smiled. “Well, Monsignor, I'm afraid that's not exactly true."
Cassidy groaned. “What?"
Through a chuckle, Billy explained, “We have been invited back to his village for a...” He searched for the translation, and failing to find one, used the Aztec word, “Zugana."
"Zugana?” Cassidy repeated.
"It is a ceremony to ask for the blessings of the gods at the outset of a vision quest,” Billy explained. “It would be a grave insult to refuse I'm afraid, Monsignor."
"I was afraid you were going to say that,” Cassidy frowned. He rose to his feet and said, “Well, let's get started, then. Lead on, Imahoptec. I'm right behind you."
Imahoptec smiled broadly and chattered something, which Billy translated. “He says you are a goahti."
"A goat-what?” Cassidy said, wondering if he had just been insulted.
"It means you have the heart of a warrior,” Billy laughed.
This took Cassidy by surprise. He looked at Imahoptec, who was grinning widely, and said, “Thank you.” Imahoptec nodded.
Imahoptec pointed to the sun and spoke. “He advises us we should get started in order to make it before nightfall."
"Let's go,” Angelino said, grabbing his backpack and trailing behind Imahoptec who started off down the trail.
* * * *
THE CEREMONY WAS simple, but impressive. The Air Force band played Ave Maria quietly as the Pope walked slowly up the red carpet leading to where Jesus stood. There had been no protocol for such a meeting, either within the Catholic Church or the White House. But then, there had never been a meeting like this in the history of the Christian world.
Timothy walked slowly until he stood before Jesus, then he bowed and dropped to one knee in a symbol of subservience to the One True Lord. Jesus offered his hand, which Timothy kissed, as his hand had been kissed so many times by those offering supplicance. At that gesture, the assembled crowd cheered loudly.
Timothy rose to his feet and embraced Jesus. Again, the crowd responded. This was followed by Timothy kissing Jesus on each cheek in succession.
Next, Crowley joined them, taking each of them by the hand and raising them above their heads. The crowd cheered wildly, while flashbulbs went off all over the place. That picture would appear in every newspaper in the country the following day, and on the cover of all the leading news magazines. This image was being beamed all over the world via CNN and NBS. It was an image that conveyed the greatest hope for mankind anyone living could remember. Perhaps a world of peace and prosperity for all was possible after all.
As the crowd continued to roar its approval, Crowley, Timothy, and Jesus walked over to a microphone that had been set up just off to the side of the red carpet. Crowley approached the mike and gestured for silence. The gesture itself brought a loud cheer from the crowd, which made him smile broadly. He looked off toward Harvey Thatcher, who was also smiling, and shrugged his shoulders playfully. This evoked some laughter from the crowd and chuckles from the commentators covering the event.
At long last the crowd grew as quiet as it was going to, and Crowley spoke.
"People of the world. I direct my comments to the entire planet today, as this event stands unique among all events in the recorded history of Western civilization. Today, history comes full circle as the founder of Christianity meets the leader whose calling it is to keep that faith alive and flourishing.
"As we contemplate the far-reaching influence of the Holy Roman Catholic church, we can see it has fulfilled its duty beyond anything that could have been asked of it. Because of the church, Jesus has been able to return to a world which sees a great part of his work already accomplished."
This brought loud cheers from the crowd.
Crowley continued.
"To say the appearance of Jesus as it occurred was a surprise would be an understatement. Many among us had lost faith he had ever lived at all. When it became known Jesus was once again among us, the world reacted with stunned disbelief. It has taken all of us a while to adjust to his arrival. I am proud to say Jesus has been a friend to this administration and his advice has been invaluable to me and my staff. In the coming months, you will see a broad series of legislative initiatives from this administration to reflect the outcome of this advice.
"It is no accident Jesus has appeared in the greatest country the world has ever seen, America. With our tradition of liberty and democracy, what better place could there be for God to come down to save mankind from the destructive course it has been traveling for so many centuries? What better place for the seeds of a brave new world of peace and harmony to be sown t
han here?"
Again a roar from the crowd, which continued for several minutes before Crowley could resume.
"If there had ever been any doubt, we can say now with certainty America is ‘one nation, under God.'” Crowley said that last with great dramatic flair, in his best campaign speech form. The crowd responded as he intended, with wild and frenzied cheering.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the world, allow me to turn over the microphone now to the honorable Bishop of Rome, Pope Timothy II."
Timothy walked up to the microphone with his best regal stride. He shook Crowley's hand warmly and then waved to the crowd as it greeted him with loud approval.
Although he was American born and raised, MacArthur had found it useful to affect a slight accent of unknown origin. He felt it made him sound more papal.
"Children of God ... children of the world,” he began. “Allow me to reiterate the thoughts of President Crowley. It is a great day for Mankind."
Cheers.
"It has been the great and humble honor of the Holy Catholic Church to maintain an unbroken succession of lineage from Jesus, in the form of his chosen disciple, Peter, through the ages and finally down to this humble servant who stands before you today.
"Our church has withstood the ravages of many who would destroy it over the centuries, but always it has emerged stronger and more vibrant than ever with each challenge with which it has been confronted. All of that has been for one purpose—to keep God's word alive on earth—to keep the teachings of His only son pure and true. This, I am pleased to say, we have done, by the grace of God.
"As we stand at the advent of a new millennium, we are blessed to live in the time foreseen since the days of the earliest prophets of Israel—the day when God Himself would return and preside over an era of peace and plenty. The generation which lives today will see Mankind shed the remaining chains that bind it in darkness and move into a time in which all will know God's blessings and joy."
The crowd erupted once again with unrestrained excitement and happiness.
"The Holy Catholic Church renews its covenant with Jesus and will serve at his pleasure. I ask all Catholics and all citizens of the world to join with us in this glorious cause, as we build God's Kingdom here on earth."
Five minutes of wild cheers followed.
Over the cheers, Timothy finally said, “I present to you all, Jesus!"
Jesus was swarmed by Crowley and his staff, save Susan, who remained back, simply watching as she had all afternoon. The others shook his hand and patted him on the back. He accepted it all with a dignified smile. At last he broke from the crowd around him and stood before the microphone. His pure white robe glistened in the afternoon sunlight. His brown hair flowed thick and full over his shoulders. He was the embodiment of every portrait ever painted of him.
He raised his hands and allowed his robe to drape like angel wings at his sides, to the pleasure of the crowd. They had seen this gesture many times before during Mathias’ televised programs, and they loved it.
At last the crowd settled down and Jesus spoke to them.
"There once was a man who sought riches."
The crowd grew eerily silent. It was going to be a parable, the first one he had told since his return.
"He was a miner by trade and he had found what appeared to be a rich vein of gold. He began digging and after a time came upon the gold he knew would be there. However, the amount of gold he found was small—not nearly enough to bring him the riches he sought. He dug deeper and deeper still until, at last exhausted and defeated, he abandoned his unfruitful work.
"One day, another young man came upon the mine the first man had toiled so hard to dig. The young man took up a shovel and dug down another foot and behold, he struck the richest deposit of diamonds ever discovered. And he became rich beyond his wildest dreams."
Jesus paused to allow his words to register.
"This is how it is in the Kingdom of my Father. When you dig as far as you can go and you are certain you are defeated, it is then you must dig yet further. For just beyond the point at which you believe you have done all you can do, lie the riches your heart desires.
"As Pope Timothy and President Crowley have already said, this is the dawn of a Golden age. Mankind is on the precipice of achieving a paradise on earth.” He paused for a moment and grew more serious. “I know you have been taught you should not seek your riches here on earth ... that you should seek your riches in the kingdom that follows this life. I am here to tell you now much of what has been taught to you of my original teachings has been twisted by the passage of time. It was many years before any of the words attributed to me were written down. By then, much of the meaning of my teachings had been filtered through the beliefs and prejudices of those who heard them.
"Many in power, seeking to exert their control over the masses, created a message in my words calculated to keep the masses subservient to their power. This was done by creating a series of monarchies built upon teachings claimed to be mine. But that is a discussion for another time. What is important to understand is there is no inconsistency between seeking a life of comfort on earth and seeking a life of spiritual riches after this life has passed. For what is the purpose of a ‘kingdom on earth’ if it is not to create prosperity and peace? And how is peace of the spirit to be nurtured when the body struggles to survive?
"No, I say to you today that riches in heaven and on earth can be achieved. America has stood as a model of how that can be accomplished. It is why I have aligned myself so closely with this great land ... so together we can lead the world into the Golden Age for which it has yearned for over two thousand years."
An awed hush fell over the crowd. Susan watched with concern from her vantage point of relative obscurity. Could Angelino have been so mistaken in unleashing this ... person upon an unsuspecting world? How could he have allowed this to happen? Or was Angelino a victim of misguided hopes himself? Had Angelino miscalculated? Jesus was corrupting the nation right before her eyes. Heaven knows she had not been a beacon of spiritual enlightenment, but she knew enough to be aware of the pitfalls and consequences of unbridled greed. But here was Jesus proclaiming the virtue of materialism before the entire world. The eerie silence of the crowd was unsettling. Just moments before, the crowd had been whipped to a fevered frenzy of raw emotion. Set up thus, they were being fed the words of the trusted Jesus as a new truth. It was masterful mass manipulation on a global scale. Susan felt a cold terror surge up within her. Who was there to stop it? Who would dare oppose Jesus? And what would the ultimate outcome of such power in the hands of Jesus lead to? Dammit, Angelino! Where are you?
Jesus continued. “It has been a joy to my heart, however, to see how widespread my teachings have flourished. It establishes a common foundation upon which we can build a new world together. My Father promises to bestow, upon all who follow him, great prosperity.
"However, as history has demonstrated, both since my death and before it, without unity there is no power. Therefore, I am urging the nations of the world, led by this great country, to unite in one world government. Only by dissolving all illusory national boundaries can we move in unison toward our common destiny.
"I hereby officially request the United Nations allow me to address it at its earliest convenience so I might put forth my plan for this new world order of peace and harmony. There is a role to be played by all countries, all peoples. With the blessing of my Father, a world of true equality can be yours. Let us, together, dig deeper than we thought possible to find the diamonds which lie within our grasp.
"Thank you."
A thunderous roar of joyful approval spread like a wave through the crowd, until nothing could be heard over it. Jesus smiled and waved to the crowd as he disappeared behind the line of security guards spread across the lawn.
* * * *
HAROLD BENNETT AIMED the remote control at the television in his office and turned it off, frowning.
"Stuart, now do you see wh
y I need your help?"
Stuart stared down at his scotch on the rocks thoughtfully, swirling the ice in the glass. Harold was right. This was serious. It would also be dangerous to oppose Jesus, for even the most noble of reasons. The most fanatic of his followers would come at any opposition with the zeal of a Jihad warrior.
He sighed resignedly. “I don't know. Maybe its not such a bad thing he wants to do."
"I'm surprised at you,” Harold said sharply. “What's happened to you? You used to have a fire in your belly for the little guy."
"That's what I mean. Jesus’ plan will benefit the little guy ... give him his shot at a piece of the pie, you know?"
"You don't really believe that, do you?"
Stuart avoided eye contact with his old friend for a moment, then looked at him and said quietly, “No, I guess I don't. I wish I did, but I don't."
"What's bothering you? I know you, Stuart, and whatever is eating at you is more than just that speech."
The Massachusetts senator took a slow sip of his scotch before answering. “You know, of course, I grew up a Catholic,” he continued. Harold nodded.
"Well, whatever my family's shortcomings may have been ... and they were considerable ... my father was a devout man and he made sure we were all brought up with a close tie to the church. We were taught all our lives the Pope was the emissary of God Himself ... the direct successor of the apostle Peter. We were taught one day Jesus would return and usher in a new era of peace and good will."
Stuart continued. “Don't you see, Harold? What has kept our faith going is the anticipation of a better world ... the expectation that someday, someway, we would live in a better world."
"I'm not seeing your point,” Harold confessed. “Isn't that exactly what Jesus is offering us?"
"Jesus is offering to hand it to us,” Stuart said loudly. “Suddenly, we are to believe in one fell swoop, we have advanced to a stage where we can simply wish a world of peace and prosperity into existence? We haven't earned it.” He repeated it in almost a whisper. “We haven't earned it. Jesus has taken from us the greatest gift which mankind could have achieved ... the achievement of our own salvation. And it will ultimately destroy us."
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