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"Paramount" (by Nathan Ludwick; copyright 2/8/2015)
“Thus says the prophecy,” the elder
proclaimed as he shut the book. As his hooded disciples solemnly nodded in
silent agreement, a single young voice pierced the quiet in the darkness of the
night. “Wait! How can this be?” new would-be member Turner asked. “Could you
please paraphrase the message so I might better understand it? If I could hear
it in your own words, Sir, then I could know its meaning better.” There was a
murmur arising at this outcry, but the elder quickly quieted everyone.
“You are young yet, but there are still some who remember how our planet used to be in the days of old. There was peace at one time when our people lived in harmony with each other and The Design. But the time came when we sought to better ourselves and go beyond our limitations- and beyond The Design. We thought we would make ourselves and our world greater- but we became fools instead. And when we no longer followed The Design and lost that delicate balance of peace and harmony with each other, it was then that the invaders came. The alien parasites turned us into a parody of what we once were. We became but hollow shells- a mockery of our former selves with empty chests where our lifeblood once beat. Yet many stayed blinded to these changes and even thought them to be improvements. The invaders fooled many of us, even those who claimed to still follow the old ways."
“You are young yet, but there are still some who remember how our planet used to be in the days of old. There was peace at one time when our people lived in harmony with each other and The Design. But the time came when we sought to better ourselves and go beyond our limitations- and beyond The Design. We thought we would make ourselves and our world greater- but we became fools instead. And when we no longer followed The Design and lost that delicate balance of peace and harmony with each other, it was then that the invaders came. The alien parasites turned us into a parody of what we once were. We became but hollow shells- a mockery of our former selves with empty chests where our lifeblood once beat. Yet many stayed blinded to these changes and even thought them to be improvements. The invaders fooled many of us, even those who claimed to still follow the old ways."
The elder looked gravely around the
gathering for a moment and then continued.
“We are the few left that still resist. We choose to fight against these forces in the hopes of seeing peace and harmony restored. While the paranoia of the others increases, we remain calm and hopeful because of the prophecy. When the invaders convinced the people of the planet to seek only their good and no one else’s, their fears continued to mount as they worried that everyone else was out to get them and their belongings.”
“We are the few left that still resist. We choose to fight against these forces in the hopes of seeing peace and harmony restored. While the paranoia of the others increases, we remain calm and hopeful because of the prophecy. When the invaders convinced the people of the planet to seek only their good and no one else’s, their fears continued to mount as they worried that everyone else was out to get them and their belongings.”
Turner excitedly implored the
elder. “What does the prophecy say we can do to escape?”
The elder smiled knowingly as he gave the answer.
“Therein lies the paradox, my son. The prophecy says there is nothing we can do to escape.”
In despair, Turner replied, “Then how can we be saved from the invaders? How can we be saved from ourselves?” The elder lifted his head and hands to the sky reverently as he answered.
“It doesn’t seem to make sense but it’s the truest thing in the universe and in the end, it’s the only thing that does make sense. The prophecy says The Paragon will come. He will be the truest, most pure of all, uninfected by the invaders- the best of what we used to be. He will bear The Design in fullness once more.”
The elder smiled knowingly as he gave the answer.
“Therein lies the paradox, my son. The prophecy says there is nothing we can do to escape.”
In despair, Turner replied, “Then how can we be saved from the invaders? How can we be saved from ourselves?” The elder lifted his head and hands to the sky reverently as he answered.
“It doesn’t seem to make sense but it’s the truest thing in the universe and in the end, it’s the only thing that does make sense. The prophecy says The Paragon will come. He will be the truest, most pure of all, uninfected by the invaders- the best of what we used to be. He will bear The Design in fullness once more.”
“And The Paragon will lead us back
to peace and harmony by destroying the invaders?” Turner happily interjected.
“Yes,” the elder answered. “But all of the invaders will attack The Paragon first and will seem to defeat and destroy him- but it won’t be true. Only by sacrificing himself to the invaders can they be destroyed. And he will arise in power once more and free all of us who have followed him and believed the prophecy. Peace and harmony will be restored and we will be transformed to The Design once more. Thus says the prophecy.”
“Yes,” the elder answered. “But all of the invaders will attack The Paragon first and will seem to defeat and destroy him- but it won’t be true. Only by sacrificing himself to the invaders can they be destroyed. And he will arise in power once more and free all of us who have followed him and believed the prophecy. Peace and harmony will be restored and we will be transformed to The Design once more. Thus says the prophecy.”
The disciples all cheered as the
first few golden rays of sunlight started to emerge. As the group began to
disperse, Turner called to the elder once more. “What do I do as I trust the
prophecy and resist the invaders?”
With a glance to the skies, the elder smiled and said, “Wait and watch and work in hope.”
With a glance to the skies, the elder smiled and said, “Wait and watch and work in hope.”
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ReplyDeletePretty cool short story (with a nice, thinly veiling allegory). :)
ReplyDeleteThanks. Yeah- I thought the deeper meaning might be fairly evident to those who know The Paragon. :-) As 2 Corinthians 3 and 4:1-6 talk about, the Gospel is veiled to those who are perishing and only through Christ is it taken away. As Jesus Himself practiced (according to Matthew 13:34-35), parables and stories can be used by God to poke some holes in that veil and help open people's eyes to Christ as the Holy Spirit works. I certainly pray all my writings would be used for that purpose. (And by the way- I have something forthcoming that will talk more on these points and passages soon too. :-))
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