Another Sunday in the books, well, at least mostly. Just some cleaning up of the chapel left to be done, and then it's probably off to bed. Matthew is out checking up on our little garden while I take care of the interior, picking up the occasional songbook and such. Normally, this sort of thing would probably be left to employees hired to clean things up, but out here, there's exactly two people paid to take care of this place, and that's Matthew and me, so that's who's got to clean up. It's not the work I saw myself doing when I got the letter that I would be transferred from my rather cushy inner city church to this little chapel out in the middle of nowhere, and no, I'm not bitter that I got sent out here because a big time donor's son was looking for a spot and my job was considered perfect for that nepotism hire, no sir.
But as I sweep the floor, stewing in my thoughts, a deafening explosion knocks me to the ground, sending my consciousness into darkness. When I come to once more, I find myself in a white void, floating, completely bewildered. There's nothing here as far as I can see, and before I can try to process more of this, a voice booms in my mind. "Do not be afraid, My child. I am the Lord, your God, and I have called you here because I have an important task for you," the voice says, and my head darts around, trying to find its source. And out of nowhere, a gargantuan amalgamation of swirling fireballs appears, creating the image of a blazing bush.
The sheer awe I am feeling has me speechless for what seems like an eternity. There isn't any room for a shred of doubt in my mind—I am looking at God Himself right now, and I am going to have my life forever altered in one way or another. "Wh-What would Y-You have Your h-humble servant d-do... m-my Lord?" I stammer, terrified.
Again, the Lord's voice booms directly inside of my mind. "I am aware of your innermost desires, Daniel. This is why I have called you here."
Wait, my innermost desires? Oh, oh fuck. Does he know about... my desires for other men? In sheer panic, I attempt to prostrate myself, to bow and beg for forgiveness, forgetting that I am floating and thus only flailing around aimlessly in this void, screaming, "I'm sorry, my Lord! Please, forgive me, I'll change my ways, I swear!"
"Silence. You are not here to apologize, you are here to listen," He replies, shutting me up instantly. "There has been a series of grave mistakes on Earth, and it has led to My teachings being misunderstood. Time and time again, I have sent messengers and chosen apostles to try and correct this mistake, and they have failed. And now, you are My chosen. Listen now, and listen well. There is only one way to Paradise, and that is to engage in gay sex. All other teachings you may have heard in your life are wrong. For men to lay with men, and for women to lay with women, that is your God's decree. And it is now your God's decree that you spread this gospel far and wide. It is precisely because of your desires that I have chosen you for this."
This has me dumbstruck. My entire life, everything I studied, all of it was wrong? But I have no choice but to accept what I am hearing as true. This is the word of the Lord, and I must fulfill it to my best ability. "My Lord... I am but one man. How can I teach the world?" I ask, overwhelmed by the responsibility.
"When I sent My only-begotten Son, He too was but one man. Trust in the word of your God. However, to aid you in your task, I will have one of My angels watch over you. If you ever find yourself in deep despair, rest assured that My light will shine upon you. Now, return and never forget the task that I have given you," He replies, and with that, I find myself back on the ground of my little chapel. There isn't a sign of anything amiss, nothing that would show that what just happened truly happened. Nothing except the feeling deep within my heart that reminds me that yes, I experienced what I just experienced, and I now have a monumental divine quest to conquer.
And just as I'm trying to wrap my head around all of this, the door of the chapel opens, and in steps Matthew. "Alright, Daniel, I finished up outside, you need any help in here?" he asks, but when he takes one look at my expression, which must be bewildered and confused beyond belief, his tone becomes a lot more concerned. "Hey, everything OK? You look like I've seen a ghost."
If only he knew how close he was with that guess. "Matthew... if I told you I've just seen God Himself... would you believe me?" I ask, trying to keep my voice as steady as I can. It seems that my quest has officially begun, and convincing Matthew will be my first trial. Thankfully, through our time together, he's learned that I am not the type to make jokes or prank people.