The Angel and the Rowboat
by
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The mountains leapt like rams Then Jesus snapped his fingers and they both levitated six inches above the ground, and then they were dropped and they landed on their feet. They were back on the shoreline from a few moments before. Jesus looked at Peter sadly. "How little faith you have. Why did you falter? But the sad truth is, compared to all of your friends and most of humanity, you have more faith than most. "Peter, you are the rock and upon this rock of living water, I shall build my church. But the lesson you have learned here today is also for all others throughout the ages. "Stay in the boat. He turned again, and there was little boy Jesus. Little Boy Jesus didn’t say a word; he put his finger to his lips, indicating to Daniel that he should do the same. Then he put his fingers on Daniel’s chest, waited a moment, and then allowed the tips of his fingers to stray into his flesh. His fingers brushed up against Daniel’s spinal cord, and then he grasped his heart. He pulled it out of his body and held it out for them both to see. It was made of crystal and looked like one of those balls that, when you turned it upside-down, churned up a snowy Christmas scene. But inside Daniel’s heart was the Garden of Eden, and the cherubim still protected the entrance with it’s flaming sword. Little Boy Jesus turned to Daniel. "All that is required for my kingdom to return to glory is for our hearts to be merged as one." Daniel understood. He reached inside Christ’s chest and drew out his holy heart. It looked like a tongue of fire; the flame was in the palm of his hand, and yet it did not burn. They tipped their palms towards each other and let the two hearts merge. The crystal melted, died and returned. But when they looked inside this time, the cherubim was still at the Garden’s Gate, but now he was a doorman, admitting some and turning others away. And then Daniel and Little Boy Jesus stepped inside.
and the hills like yearling sheep
Tremble O earth, before the Lord
who turns the rock into a pool
and flint into a spring of water
Stay in the boat.
Unless you can walk on water . . .
. . . stay in the boat."
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About the Book
The Angel and the Rowboat is about how God picks up a teenage boy and his rowboat and puts him in different stories of the Bible. But he can also see behind the scenes: the angels and the demons who influence those events; the animosity between St. Michael and Lucifer; the war between Heaven and Hell. He witnesses the creation of the world, the salvation of the world and key events in between. In the story’s climax, we witness the Crucifixion and Resurrection from Hell’s perspective. For three days, they think they’ve won but then, of course, we witness the Harrowing of Hell ~ the Catholic term for when Christ plunged down deep into Hades and rescued the souls who had been held captive there since the beginning of time, and then leads them in a triumphal procession back up into Heaven. It is the ultimate tale of redemption.
About the Author
BROTHER TOM is Thomas Paonessa. He is a third order discalced Carmelite Monk, hence the moniker. He has worked as a designer, both in the automotive and civil engineering fields. He has also worked as a professor at Focus: HOPE, teaching AutoCAD. In addition to “The Angel and the Rowboat,” he has also written two children’s books, a book of poetry, a book of essays, two textbooks, a teleplay, three screenplays and a documentary. He is also an active member of the Catholic Community of St. Paul, where he works as a Minister to the Sick, a Prison Minister and a volunteer camera operator. An adrenaline junkie, he is a martial artist, a white-water rafter, a mountain climber, a skydiver and a spelunker.