Farewell Darkness!

By Norbert Mercado

Book II of "In The Shadow Of The Roman Empire" explores the story behind the villain captured by Marcus Aurelius.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Norbert Mercado
• Release date: Apr 5, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301813209

Norbert Mercado

"In this age of revolution, the contemporary writer should utilize the pen for the preservation of peace," Norbert Mercado, a Filipino author, stressed. The books he has written and published, including his anthologies, unapologetically assert the indispensability of peace in a nation’s progress. The author has written more novels than any Asian writer had in just a brief period of time. In fact, he has surpassed the number of novels written by world-renowned novelists like Russian author Alexander Solzhenitsyn (winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, 1970) and American authors Ernest Hemingway (winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, 1954). Solzhenitsyn has four novels to his credit, while Hemingway has eight. His style of writing is simple and succinct, but poignant and colorful like Hemingway’s THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA, and Solzhenitsyn’s ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF IVAN DESONOVICH. "The simpler the novel, the better," he said. In line with Japanese Yasunari Kabawata’s writings about the Japanese way of life, most of Norbert’s novels focus mostly on the current situation in his country. Kabawata is the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1968. His books present hope to the Filipino, especially to the "economic exiles" in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan whom he has spent most of his time with, in their daily struggles. But most of all, his novels lucidly show the futility of war and violence in the resolution of political-economic-class conflicts in the Philippines. "War should not be used as an instrument in resolving political conflicts. Writers who abet wars and revolutions must think of the widows and the fatherless, the chaos, destruction, and suffering of the people whom they claim to be concerned about," he said. What if, like Solzhenitsyn, Hemingway, and Kabawata, he eventually wins the Nobel Prize? What will he do with the US$1,000,000 award? "I will use the prize for establishing a Peace Foundation that will assist in the formulation of policies which will resolve the current shooting conflicts in the country and help alleviate the continuing poverty of our countrymen." He will take charge of the foundation and personally campaign for a peaceful settlement of the conflicts in the Philippines. "The insurgency and the secessionist rebellion have foreign support. A Nobel title will give me the personality to approach the leaders involved in the conflicts," he explained. Born on March 25, 1955, he is the youngest among the children of Mr. and Mrs. Aurelio Mercado, Sr. of San Manuel, Tarlac. He graduated from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, with two degrees, Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Communication. Voted Outstanding Campus Journalist in 1974, he was a columnist and associate editor of the Philippine Collegian, the campus publication of the University of the Philippines. He has also written articles for various newspapers and magazines in the Philippines, as well as abroad. He also won the 1981 National Essay Writing Contest sponsored by SIDESTREETS Magazine. Norbert is a graduate of the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP), the topmost armed forces school in the country, where he was conferred a Master’s degree in National Security Administration (MNSA) and the rank of Lt. Colonel in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). He graduated from the NDCP at the age of 32, the youngest in Class 21 which had already produced several generals in the Armed Forces, and the youngest graduate in the history of the National Defense College of the Philippines. He was elected one of the fifteen directors of Class 21. He was conferred the degree of Doctor of Divinity (Applied Servanthood), Honoris Causa, for his almost 30 years work in Christian literature. His batch mates include Senator Robert Barbers, Undersecretary of Trade and Industry and Bulletin Columnist Nelly Villafuerte, Actor and Producer Fred Galang, Rev. Peter Vasaya, and the His Royal Highness Sultan of Sulu and Sabah Ishmael Kiram. A sports lover, he was a rifle marksman in his UP ROTC days, and a winner of the 1988 and 1989 5,000 meter-run sponsored by the National Defense College Alumni Association. His sports include swimming, basketball, volleyball, boxing, karate, cycling, and marathon among others. A traveler, he has attended various international conferences and trainings in Asia and Europe. His travels have widened his insight not only of places, but also of people he has constantly observed and empathized with. He is the youngest graduate of the Singapore Haggai Institute for Third World Leaders in 1980 at the age of 24. "Let us work for peace in our country, in any way we can," Norbert stressed. Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers." Ria M. Mercado

Book preview

"Now, at the feast, the governor was accustomed to release for the multitude, any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they were holding at that time, a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas." (Matthew 27:15-16)

"And Pilate was questioning Him again, saying, ‘Do you make no answer? See how many charges they bring against you?’ But Jesus made no further answer; so that Pilate was amazed. Now, at the feast, he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. And the man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection." (Mark 15:4-7)

"Now, he was obliged to release to them at the feast, one prisoner. But they cried out all together, saying, ‘Away with this man, and release for us Barabbas!’ He was one who had been thrown into prison for a certain insurrection made in the city, and for murder." (Luke 23:17-19)

"And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he delivered Jesus to their will." (Luke 23:25)

"And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, ‘I find no guilt in Him. But you have a custom, that I should release someone for you at the Passover. Do you wish then that I release for you the King of the Jews?’ Therefore they cried out again, saying, ‘Not this Man, but Barabbas.’ Now, Barabbas was a robber." (John 18:38-40)

Back to Table of Contents

CHAPTER I

THE INSURRECTIONISTS

"FREE BARABBAS!!! FREE BARABBAS!!! FREE BARABBAS!!!

The notorious prisoner heard the loud cries of the people gathered in front of a building called the Praetorium, a place where the military governor of Judaea heard complaints from the people and rendered judgement. The criminal was listening from his prison cell which was about one hundred meters away from the Praetorium.

The governor of Judaea was a Roman military officer personally chosen by the emperor of Rome to rule Judaea, located in Israel, which had been occupied by the Roman army since the time of conqueror Pompei in 63 B.C.

Pontius Pilate was the military governor of Judaea at that time. He was a protégé of the Roman Emperor Tiberius, who succeeded Emperor Augustus upon his death in 14 B.C.

FREE BARABBAS!!! FREE BARABBAS!!! FREE BARABBAS!!!

More and more people joined the chanting and shouting for his freedom from prison. He wondered why this was happening.

The people want to see you released! But why just you? What about us? one of the fifteen prisoners, named Uri, who had languished with him in the small crowded cell, asked him.

Barabbas is their darling! another prisoner named Saul teased his fellow inmates.

Sssshhh!! Listen! They are chanting again! another prisoner named Ariel said.

CRUCIFY HIM!!! CRUCIFY HIM!!! CRUCIFY HIM!!!

Saul laughed when he heard the mob chant, CRUCIFY HIM! He laughed, telling his inmates that perhaps, the people wanted to see Barabbas released so they could crucify him!

Barabbas wryly smiled at the yarn of Saul.

But David, another prisoner, asked them, But what if it’s true? Suppose the people wanted to see Barabbas freed so they could crucify him?

Barabbas sternly looked at David. The latter fell silent when Barabbas turned to him with a dagger-look.

Don’t scare Barabbas. He won’t die yet, Boaz, another prisoner, said.

Boaz, why don’t you see how big the crowd is, David requested him.

I’ll need help to see through that small opening. I’m not that tall, Boaz replied.

Alright! I’ll help you, Ariel, the biggest man among the prisoners, said.

And he told Boaz to ride on his shoulders and peep through the small hole which was about 3 meters above the floor of the cell.

Are there many people? Ariel asked Boaz.

Boaz was stunned at the crowd gathered in front of the Praetorium.

How many are there? Ariel impatiently asked Boaz again.

A lot! Boaz replied.

How many? Can you give us a rough estimate?" David asked Boaz.

Maybe one hundred thousand, Boaz gave his rough estimate of the number of people gathered in front of the Praetorium.

What! That many! Ariel asked.

Yes! Perhaps more! Boaz replied.

The prisoners looked at Barabbas, and wondered why the huge crowd wanted him released and crucified.

I see a man in white clothing. He looks like a Roman official. There are Roman soldiers surrounding him.

CRUCIFY HIM!!! CRUCIFY HIM!!! CRUCIFY HIM!!! the crowd, which was turning to a mob, started chanting again.

All the prisoners heard the chanting of the crowd once more.

It doesn’t make sense that they want Barabbas released, only to have him crucified. Who do they want to crucify? David asked Boaz.

I don’t know, Boaz