The church was quite that evening. The congregation had their celebration and had gone home after a long service.
"The resurrection of Christ was always a long sermon." Bishop Nicholas thought to himself as he approached the chapel for his evening prayer. "A long sermon, but a meaningful one"
As he entered the great cathedral, he could sense he wasn't alone. He looked around the great hall and saw an elderly gentleman kneeling in front of the cross. He noticed that was the same spot he used for his prayers and mediation. He also took note of the unusual red outfit the man wore. It didn't look anything like the traditional garbs of his home town. He looked like he was about to climb one of great mountains in the north.
As the Bishop was about to walk a little closer to see this strange looking man, The old timer got up and briskly walked over to the confessionals in the corner. He quickly disappeared into the little room. The Bishop took the hint and followed the man and entered the adjoining room to listen in on the private confession.
Bishop Nicholas sat down and waited for the visitor to start. Several moments of silence passed before Nicholas broke the silence and spoke up.
"Why have you come here, my son?"
Several more moments passed. The Bishop was wondering if he was talking to himself with all the silence.
"I have called so many men that over the years. Never had I thought it would be done to me." The response came quietly from the mesh window between the two preventing them from seeing each other.
The silence, now broken. Nicholas marveled at how familiar he sounded. He couldn't place the voice. But, knew it well.
"My friend, Tell me what brings you here."
Again, more silence. It's as if the stranger was fighting to come up with the right words. "I'm not sure why I'm here. I've no sins to confess to that I'm aware of. Even though I've probably made them."
"Then just speak of whatever's on your mind. You'll be amazed at how quickly the troubles and the truth present themselves."
Nicholas heard the old man clear his voice." I've always been known as a gift giver and a guardian for children."
Nicolas listened contently as the old man continued. "Many years ago, I made a living telling the story of Jesus and his resurrection. But, I was eventually forced into hiding."
"Why is that?" Nicholas asked.
"It was believed my teachings would overshadow that of Jesus and I was forced out of the church. Even locked away for my beliefs"
"You were a man of the cloth?"
"I was appointed Bishop at childhood." The old man sounded nervous as he finished the statement.
Nicolas was stunned by the statement. For he too was appointed Bishop as a child. He contained his surprise and urged the old man to continue.
"I went into hiding. Only coming out at night when it was safe. I would deliver my gifts to all the good children and disappear before anyone awoke. "
"Just the good children?" Nicolas asked?
"It's never been wise to reward the naughty. Children should work hard to get their special treats."
Nicholas marveled at how similar this old man sounded just like himself in every way. "Have you ever thought about coming back to the church?"
"No. I would be out of place. I still believe in the teachings. But, believe its best to stay where I am. I have a wife, hundreds of friends who help me with gifts and millions of children that look for me every Christmas Eve."
Nicholas thought it sounded unusual to have so many followers for a man who was in hiding. “I’m still curious about why you're here if you've nothing to confess to."
The old man thought for a moment as Nicholas watched his movements thru the mesh window." I guess I've come home to listen to your sermon on the resurrection of Christ."
Nicholas saddened by this spoke apologetically "I'm afraid you missed it."
" I know." The old timer replied." Considering the difficulties in getting here. I'm lucky to have arrived on Easter Day.
"Easter Day?" Nicolas repeated, unfamiliar with the phrase.
"That's the name for this day where I come from."
"Where is that?" Nicolas asked. “I’ve never heard of this "Easter?"
"It's of no concern to you." The old man answered, clearly unwilling to speak of his home." Please, tell me the story."
Nicholas didn't want to go through the whole sermon again. Before he could utter a word, the old man spoke. “No need for the whole sermon, just the highlights will do?"
Stunned by the statement, Nicolas wondered if the man could read minds too. Nicholas knew he was sharp at figuring out others. But, nothing like what just happened. He suppressed his surprise and started telling the condensed version of his yearly sermon.
As he near the ending of it, a voice was heard outside the confessional. Someone was calling for Nicholas. He told the old man he'd be back. He went out to talk to the man looking for him.
A few moments later he returned and found the confessional door open and three small bags sitting there. He also found a note.
“Bishop Nicholas:
These three bags are for the daughters of the man you just talked about. Please deliver them in secret. Wouldn't want you getting captured.”
It was signed" A friend".
He opened up each bag to see they were full of gold. “How did the old timer know? He was too far away to hear the conversation." He wondered to himself. He just found out the three girls needed a dowry to get married. He took the three bags and hid them until later when he could deliver them.
As he took his spot in front of the cross for his evening prayer, he was momentarily distracted by the sound of bells coming from the sky. He went outside to look. But, only saw a strange red light fading off into the distance.
He went back inside to pray. At his spot, he found a note on the floor. It simply said.
"Someday, you'll know all, my friend. Just keep taking care of the children and you'll live forever."
As Nicholas studied the note, he came to the shocking conclusion that it was in his own writing style. If his suspicions were correct, he knew the only way to find the mysterious old man was to look in the mirror. Only a miracle brought him here. For what reason, only God knows. He kneeled before the cross and gave thanks for the mysterious visitor and his gifts.
"The resurrection of Christ was always a long sermon." Bishop Nicholas thought to himself as he approached the chapel for his evening prayer. "A long sermon, but a meaningful one"
As he entered the great cathedral, he could sense he wasn't alone. He looked around the great hall and saw an elderly gentleman kneeling in front of the cross. He noticed that was the same spot he used for his prayers and mediation. He also took note of the unusual red outfit the man wore. It didn't look anything like the traditional garbs of his home town. He looked like he was about to climb one of great mountains in the north.
As the Bishop was about to walk a little closer to see this strange looking man, The old timer got up and briskly walked over to the confessionals in the corner. He quickly disappeared into the little room. The Bishop took the hint and followed the man and entered the adjoining room to listen in on the private confession.
Bishop Nicholas sat down and waited for the visitor to start. Several moments of silence passed before Nicholas broke the silence and spoke up.
"Why have you come here, my son?"
Several more moments passed. The Bishop was wondering if he was talking to himself with all the silence.
"I have called so many men that over the years. Never had I thought it would be done to me." The response came quietly from the mesh window between the two preventing them from seeing each other.
The silence, now broken. Nicholas marveled at how familiar he sounded. He couldn't place the voice. But, knew it well.
"My friend, Tell me what brings you here."
Again, more silence. It's as if the stranger was fighting to come up with the right words. "I'm not sure why I'm here. I've no sins to confess to that I'm aware of. Even though I've probably made them."
"Then just speak of whatever's on your mind. You'll be amazed at how quickly the troubles and the truth present themselves."
Nicholas heard the old man clear his voice." I've always been known as a gift giver and a guardian for children."
Nicolas listened contently as the old man continued. "Many years ago, I made a living telling the story of Jesus and his resurrection. But, I was eventually forced into hiding."
"Why is that?" Nicholas asked.
"It was believed my teachings would overshadow that of Jesus and I was forced out of the church. Even locked away for my beliefs"
"You were a man of the cloth?"
"I was appointed Bishop at childhood." The old man sounded nervous as he finished the statement.
Nicolas was stunned by the statement. For he too was appointed Bishop as a child. He contained his surprise and urged the old man to continue.
"I went into hiding. Only coming out at night when it was safe. I would deliver my gifts to all the good children and disappear before anyone awoke. "
"Just the good children?" Nicolas asked?
"It's never been wise to reward the naughty. Children should work hard to get their special treats."
Nicholas marveled at how similar this old man sounded just like himself in every way. "Have you ever thought about coming back to the church?"
"No. I would be out of place. I still believe in the teachings. But, believe its best to stay where I am. I have a wife, hundreds of friends who help me with gifts and millions of children that look for me every Christmas Eve."
Nicholas thought it sounded unusual to have so many followers for a man who was in hiding. “I’m still curious about why you're here if you've nothing to confess to."
The old man thought for a moment as Nicholas watched his movements thru the mesh window." I guess I've come home to listen to your sermon on the resurrection of Christ."
Nicholas saddened by this spoke apologetically "I'm afraid you missed it."
" I know." The old timer replied." Considering the difficulties in getting here. I'm lucky to have arrived on Easter Day.
"Easter Day?" Nicolas repeated, unfamiliar with the phrase.
"That's the name for this day where I come from."
"Where is that?" Nicolas asked. “I’ve never heard of this "Easter?"
"It's of no concern to you." The old man answered, clearly unwilling to speak of his home." Please, tell me the story."
Nicholas didn't want to go through the whole sermon again. Before he could utter a word, the old man spoke. “No need for the whole sermon, just the highlights will do?"
Stunned by the statement, Nicolas wondered if the man could read minds too. Nicholas knew he was sharp at figuring out others. But, nothing like what just happened. He suppressed his surprise and started telling the condensed version of his yearly sermon.
As he near the ending of it, a voice was heard outside the confessional. Someone was calling for Nicholas. He told the old man he'd be back. He went out to talk to the man looking for him.
A few moments later he returned and found the confessional door open and three small bags sitting there. He also found a note.
“Bishop Nicholas:
These three bags are for the daughters of the man you just talked about. Please deliver them in secret. Wouldn't want you getting captured.”
It was signed" A friend".
He opened up each bag to see they were full of gold. “How did the old timer know? He was too far away to hear the conversation." He wondered to himself. He just found out the three girls needed a dowry to get married. He took the three bags and hid them until later when he could deliver them.
As he took his spot in front of the cross for his evening prayer, he was momentarily distracted by the sound of bells coming from the sky. He went outside to look. But, only saw a strange red light fading off into the distance.
He went back inside to pray. At his spot, he found a note on the floor. It simply said.
"Someday, you'll know all, my friend. Just keep taking care of the children and you'll live forever."
As Nicholas studied the note, he came to the shocking conclusion that it was in his own writing style. If his suspicions were correct, he knew the only way to find the mysterious old man was to look in the mirror. Only a miracle brought him here. For what reason, only God knows. He kneeled before the cross and gave thanks for the mysterious visitor and his gifts.