Fishing with Paps

“Jesus!” Ethan bounced back in his chair and took a deep breath.  At the foot of Paps’ bed stood a tall, tan, skinny man with oversized ears and a white robe.  He didn’t hold a Bible but the fact that he wore all white was enough for Ethan to realize who he was. 
        “Sorry, I didn’t hear you come in,” Ethan finally said, rubbing his eyes but fully awake after the startle he just received.  “You must be Father Brown.”  Father Brown didn’t answer and when he raised his head, Ethan saw what he had been doing and felt rude for having interrupted a prayer. 
        “Sorry,” Ethan was already getting tired of apologizing.  “My mom told me you were coming today; I didn’t think it’d be so soon, though.  Paps should be awake before too long.  Here, take my seat. I’ll go across the street and get something to eat.”  
        “He’s a good man.” Father Brown finally spoke and his voice was lower than Ethan had expected it would be, causing him to jump again.  Jesus, keep it down Darth Vader or you’ll wake him, Ethan thought.  He looked at Father Brown, who continued looking at the sleeping old man.  It was apparent from his face that he knew Paps and that he was fond of him.
        “He’s had quite the life,” Ethan pointed out, excited at the chance to talk about the man he had only recently learned Paps was.  “It’s funny, but when you’re young sometimes you forget that your elders were young once.  I never took the time to realize that he was once my age, and what’s incredible is by the time he reached it he had already experienced more than I probably ever will.  Until recently, he was always old to me.  He was a great old man but I never knew anything about his life before he was 'Paps.'  Now I know.  He was such an incredible man-- is an incredible man.”  He felt silly for so openly telling this stranger his thoughts, but hearing something nice was probably a good break from the confessions Father Brown sat through all too often.
        Ethan looked affectionately at his sleeping grandfather.  “I’m glad I got the chance to hear his story before he… you know.  I would have never known he was so amazing.” 
        “That’s because a great man doesn’t go around telling people he’s great.” The priest’s voice was booming, again startling Ethan.  “A truly great man lives in such a way that others can’t help but say those things about him.”  Seeing that Ethan had taken his words to heart, the holy man continued.
        “Your grandfather found something he believed was truly good and based his life around it.  It sounds simple but that is why your grandfather has been happy all these years.  People always struggle to understand life and its true gifts.”  His eyes sparkled as he spoke.  “When people fall in love, they are amazed how suddenly everything is good, as long as that love exists.  People don’t always understand this, yet the Bible is full of different stories about that same repeated idea.  ‘A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.’ 
        “Today, people ignore the simple message of the Bible, but once they fall in love, they understand what Jesus has been telling everyone all along, clear as day, that this is God’s greatest blessing.  A complete love is as close as you can get to heaven on earth.  And that gift transcends beyond this world. 
        “Your grandfather found that love and in the process, he saw God.  When Elizabeth passed away, he could have cursed God for taking away his blessing, but he understood the love.  He knew that their love had not died with her, and it never would.  And when his body is finished, he knows the company his soul will keep.”