In His Hands

By Timothy Paul Neller

After stunning the sports arena with his incredible running ability, the entire world is even more shocked when Paul escapes from a horrendous car explosion unharmed. The adoration and speculation that follow leave Paul with a swarm of admirers, and soon after, he begins a worldwide campaign of evangelistic revivals. He has remarkable success in his efforts, while at the same time the man who attempted his assassination collaborates with a band of conspirators in an elaborate plot to end the life of Paul, whom Paul sees as the epitome of evil. The lives of the two men repeatedly clash as one effort after another to kill Paul repeatedly fails, and Paul's ministry becomes increasingly more powerful. Those closest to Paul too are dramatically affected during that struggle, but it is only after each one of them submits to the power of God and they place themselves completely in his hands that their lives are forever changed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9798886167696

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In His Hands

Timothy Paul Neller

ISBN 979-8-88616-768-9 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88616-770-2 (hardcover)

ISBN 979-8-88616-769-6 (digital)

Copyright © 2022 by Timothy Paul Neller

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

All characters and events in this story are completely fictional, and any similarity between actual persons or incidents is purely coincidental.

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

His Holiness

A New Arrival

Unrequited Love

The Offer

The Interloper

The Crucifixion

Lighting the Path

The Roar of the Crowd

The Inquisition

The Impostor

Déjà vu

Tipsy Turvy

Shadows and Dust

On Top of the Mountain

The Encounter

The Rendezvous

A Surprise Announcement

Bandit's Rescue

The Reckoning

The Ruse

Epilogue

About the Author

Chapter 1

His Holiness

Over and over, Pope Francis ruminated on what had happened the previous week and what he could do to end the perversity of Monsignor Philippe. After conferring with him, Phillipe had taken it upon himself to attempt to end the life of Paul Cooper by planting a car bomb in the limousine in which Paul was to ride when being taken back to the basilica. Because of his ruthless act, an innocent man had died, but more importantly, Paul had not only survived, he had exited the explosion unharmed and had aggressively hurled a challenge at the pope and his entourage before whirling about and disappearing in the dark wall of black smoke and flames. In spite of his repeated attempts to locate Paul and to advise him that his intentions had never been less than honorable and that the attempted assassination was an act contrary to his wishes, he was unsuccessful in finding him.

In the meantime, he had done all possible to placate all who were aware of the tragic calamity and to assure them that the act was masterminded by a terrorist group intent on sabotaging and defiling the Roman Catholic Church. Pope Francis did all he could to fabricate how they had been plotting for weeks to harm him and end his life, creating an elaborate panorama of those involved in the plot by assigning each one of the terrorist group a name and a country as well as a history of their past events. So thorough and complete was the scenario he constructed that all newspapers worldwide printed extensive descriptions of the group the pope had labeled as The Cosa Sardinia, named after the island on which their headquarters were located.

His more difficult task, however, was to explain to the people who witnessed the explosion how Paul had survived. He chose to describe the saving of his life by describing it as a miracle bestowed upon him by God and that it was a sign of the creation of a new order that would be established once Paul was back in the fold. Pope Francis explained to the press that God had sent Paul to the Catholic church primarily because it was the largest Christian entity in the entire world, and through their combined efforts, they would be able to revitalize the Christian community and create a resurgence in growth and prosperity that would be unprecedented.

The past week had been one of furious activity and commotion, and not a minute had been wasted in attempting to ameliorate the masses as well as to construct a suitable and credible plan for what was to occur for the church and its people in the days to come. Pope Francis had been so busy he had made little thought on how he would address the heinous act that Monsignor Philippe had committed nor did he hesitate on the severity for which his crime should be punished. Not only should he be excommunicated from the church, but he should be banished to the penal colony located on Malta where he would be condemned to stay for the remainder of his life.

All these thoughts had meandered through his mind as he awaited the arrival of Philippe, who had been summoned shortly after the morning mass. Although he had not been given any summary of the man or what he had done since the accident, he was sure that Philippe had continued to contrive a scheme that was counterproductive to not only the Catholic church but to world peace as well. It was for this reason more than any other that he wished to meet with him in order to counteract any possible manipulations or actions Philippe may have already taken in his diabolical scheme to control the church and ultimately the world.

So it was with a bit of trepidation that Pope Francis rose up from his seat and responded to the knock on the door. It was exactly 8:00, and a slight smile crossed the face of Pope Francis as he reflected on how punctual Philippe had always been. From the very first days in the monastery, Philippe had demonstrated that he was a perfectionist and idealist with very little tolerance for those who did not share his ideals. He was slow to forgive and quick to condemn. His habitual dogmatic manner did not sit well with the rest of the clergy, who had repeatedly dogged the pope to address his attitude of superiority and intolerance.

With a heavy hand, Pope Francis slowly opened the door and looked upon the face of Monsignor Philippe, who stood there smugly as he leered at the pope, then bowed formally and sank to his knees in a mock semblance of respect for the elite office of the pope.

Your Holiness, murmured Philippe in a voice barely audible. To what do I owe this great honor that you have called me into your presence? How may I serve you best, Your Worship?

You may rise, Philippe, and do away with your affected pretense of adoration toward me. You and I both know it is nothing but a shallow preface that hides a black heart that is intent on doing nothing but to serve your greed and your arrogant ambition. Nothing more.

Philippe rose quickly and stepped back as he studied the pope and replied with a look of hurt and shock on his face as he replied in a quiet, plaintive voice, But, Your Eminence, whatever do you mean? Black heart? Greed and ambition? From where do you get these twisted and horrible accusations? As you know, I have never been anything but noble and true to the church and to God, and it is only with a pure and humble heart that I have served you and our Lord since we first met so many long years ago.

Enough of that and your lingering insistence that you are a man of God! You are anything but that! Oh yes, you may wear the garments of the clergy, but beneath that cloth lies a soul so dark that no light may ever enter it again. As long as you are in this church, or in this world for that matter, I fear for the safety of mankind. You have no conscience and are guided by nothing more than your ruthless desire to rule the world and all about you!

Philippe bowed reverently to Pope Francis as he chided him in a sarcastic tone, My, my, my, how upset the dear pope seems to be. And how unwilling to listen to one who so fervently worships both God and him and the church he represents. You wrong me, Your Eminence! I am nothing more than your humble servant, who will do only that which you ask and nothing more. It is my humble request that you see me in this way and in no other, I implore you!

So you say you serve the church and nothing more? Then why in heaven's name did you take it upon yourself to commit that heinous crime of destruction in an attempt to end the life of Paul Cooper? I gave you no such order! I told you not to kill him! I only asked that you do whatever you thought would be necessary to bring the man back to our way of thinking, and that was all. Why would you conceive of such a plot as to kill him? And in such a horrible fashion? Have you completely lost your mind? Did you never conceive of the ramifications such a dastardly deed would have on the image of our church and how it would affect those who are ever watching us?

But, Your Holiness, you made it very clear to me that whatever move I made was to be in the best interest of you and of our church, and that is why I resorted to take such a severe action. It was quite obvious to me that this man Paul Cooper could never be swayed or persuaded to join us in a collaborative effort to bring others into our church. His independence from us was quite evident, and his ambivalence toward us could be perceived as nothing more than a hostile threat to our faith and to the very existence of the church, and it is for that very reason that I chose to end his life rather than attempt to reason with him. It was a shrewd plan and would have succeeded if Paul were a mortal man. Unfortunately, it appears that he is not. At any rate, it is obvious that he is under some type of divine protection, and his ability to survive that explosion was a greater surprise to me than to anyone else watching. It was absolutely incredible and caused me to wonder upon what might happen to us next with such a man as an adversary.

Indeed! shouted Pope Francis. Do you not realize that Paul is an anointed servant of God and has been uniquely blessed to bring millions to the church to be saved? Do you not know that he has a special gift that is unlike any other and that you have brought a stain upon our church and on our mission? You have indeed brought upon us the very wrath of God, and who knows in what way we will be punished for attempting to kill one of God's anointed servants. I fear for the safety of all those in our church and for the world as well. You have committed a most damnable act, and for it, I have no doubt that God will be harsh in his judgment upon you, and the punishment will be most severe!

Tsk, tsk, tsk, countered Philippe, you exaggerate the seriousness of what transpired and are wrong in assuming that what I did was against the will of God. Did God not ask that only the faithful be allowed to serve the church? And in what way was Paul Cooper being faithful? Did he not say that all those who go to the church should disavow their sacraments and turn to him and God for guidance and direction rather than you and other men of the cloth? Did he not attempt to break down all that we have built up for the last two thousand years? Was this man not our enemy and one who should be destroyed before he could incur any additional harm to all that we believe in? What I did was an act of love, and because of it, I should be praised rather than condemned.

Pope Francis gaped at Philippe in absolute wonder. How this man thought was beyond his comprehension, and he was mortified to think that someday he might be voted in as the next pope of the Catholic church. Such a move would be not only inexcusable but dangerous as well. It was for that reason that he sternly approached Philippe as he said, Your twisted thinking is not only repugnant, it is frightening as well, and it is for that reason that today I will commence to enact the articles of excommunication against you as well as an act of impeachment that will have you sent to the island of Malta, where you will be destined to remain for the remainder of your days.

A dark cloud seemed to pass over the face of Philippe, and his visage adopted an air of hatred and rage that blazed through his eyes with such ferocity that Pope Francis felt obligated to turn away from him rather stare into his face. You would do that to me? I, who have served you and this church steadfastly for my entire life? You would perform such an act? Then with a sneer followed by a contemptuous laugh, Philippe growled, I think not. I think no such deed will occur, for if you should in fact attempt to do so, there are certain authorities who will be informed of the reasons behind the suicide of a young student named Robert Drake many years ago and the relationship he had with a fellow brother during their first year at the seminary. Philippe's eyes gleamed with an intense fierceness that seemed to cut right into Pope Francis's heart and caused the pope to stumble backward as he heard the name that Philippe sounded.

Robert Drake. He had not heard that name in over forty years, and yet the sound of that name recalled within him images and voices that rang so vividly it was as if they had occurred only yesterday. Robert Drake. The name resounded within his very soul, and the memory of him flooded him with emotions that he had thought were long gone. Pope Francis had met him the first year they were in seminary together, and although he attempted to ward off the attraction he felt for him, it was of little use, and within a month after attempting to deny his compulsion, the two seminarians became an inextricable couple. The affection they felt for each other was greater than any passion that Francis had ever known, and in spite of his desire to deny his feelings, he knew in his heart that there would never be another human being that he could ever love with so great an intensity. Soon they began plotting scenarios in which the two could meet secretly in various vacated spots of the seminary and beyond, and so their relation grew deeper and more binding as each day went by. But as the months passed, Pope Francis grew increasingly tense and fearful that their union might be discovered, and in spite of his unrelenting love for Robert, his love and devotion toward God was even stronger.

He could still remember the day that he met with Robert and told him that they could no longer be together. They had met at the top of the old bell tower, where they had often come to share some intimate time together. Robert had no idea that Francis was planning to end the relationship, and when Francis told him that it was over, Robert grew hysterical, screaming and crying like a wounded animal. Francis attempted to subdue him, explaining to him that it was all for the best, but Robert would have none of it. He repeatedly pleaded with Francis to not walk out of his life, telling him that if he were to go and to leave him alone, he would have nothing to live for. Francis knew that Robert was earnest, and the temptation to rescind on all that he had just told him was so strong that he began to reconsider, feeling that it mattered not if he be condemned by God and the church, as long as they were together. But just as he was about to speak and to renounce all that had been said, the church bell rang, and with the ringing came the clear realization that he had done the right thing, in spite of the great pain the decision was causing both of them. The clear chime of the bell was still reverberating within the tower when Francis looked at Robert for one last time, then swiftly turned about and shuffled down the ladder that had led up to the loft. What happened after that he knew not. He could only remember the haunting look of anguish in Robert's face and eyes when he turned away from him and the faltering voice that repeatedly sobbed his name, and before he had reached the bottom of the ladder, he heard a shrieking cry that bellowed in the tower and echoed through the hallway. Fearing the worst, Pope Francis ran to the front door of the old cathedral, and there on the front steps he found the crumpled body of Robert, his face and hands brutally smashed against the hard, cold pavement of the sidewalk.

From that day on, Pope Francis's life had never been the same. Robert's death was deemed to be a suicide, and although inquiries were made, and Pope Francis himself was questioned numerous times, the reason for his desire to end his life was never determined nor was the existence of their romance ever discovered. The shock of losing him, and the awareness of what had caused him to take his own life, transformed Francis in such a way that it was almost as if he had become a different person. He became increasingly devoted to serving the church in every way possible, and every thought that he had and every word that he expressed seemed to be an act of repentance in the hope that someday he might receive the forgiveness of God. There was not one student more devout in his efforts, and by the time he was ordained as a priest, his behavior and acts of kindness were so exemplary that he was sent to the Vatican to serve as an aide for the pope himself. Francis had immersed himself in the realm of the Catholic faith, shutting all else from the outside world and placing himself in a kind of vacuum. For him, all that existed was of the church and of Christ, and nothing else really mattered.

And so he had lived for the past forty years, fortifying himself against all personal desires as he strictly focused on God and pleasing him. And he had done well. Through his efforts as he studied and served as a priest, he had become renowned throughout the Catholic world and beyond. He was famous for his extensive knowledge of the Bible, and his gift as a speaker caused him to travel extensively so he would share his faith and love for God with millions of listeners around the world. His impact on both Catholics and non-Catholics was so profound that he became a symbol to many of what it meant to live a chaste and holy life, and the adoration for him blossomed throughout his lifetime so that by the time he became the pope, he was looked upon by many as a living saint.

But now, with Philippe's reference to Robert, all of that could change in the blink of an eye. How Philippe knew of him, or to what extent he knew of their relationship, he knew not. He only knew that such a revelation to the general public would utterly destroy their credence and faith in him as well as the Catholic church. With an absolute fear that he had never experienced before he looked at Philippe and asked in a low, shuddering voice, What do you know about Robert Drake, and why do you bring up his name to me?

Sedately stooping toward him and peering at him with an insidious smile and black eyes that glared with an intensity that seemed to pierce Francis to the very soul, Philippe answered, You know very well why I mention his name. All that you have done and all that you appear to represent could be shattered in an instant if I were to announce to the church and to the world the abominable association between you and him many years ago when you both were in the seminary together.

Shocked by that statement but unsure of exactly how much Philippe actually knew, Francis feigned his innocence by adopting a more confident air as he replied, I don't know what you are talking about. We were friends and nothing more. For you to imply that there was anything more than that is preposterous.

Philippe chortled, Preposterous is it? Is that why your lover threw himself from the bell tower because you told him that the two of you could no longer be together? Or have you forgotten that day and the horrible way in which your lover jumped to his death when you left him all alone that day?

The pope's face grew pale, and he could feel his hands trembling as he heard those words and flashed back to that day long ago when he last saw the face he had tried so hard to wash out of his memory. But try as he might, he could not avoid seeing those tear-stained eyes that looked upon him in anguish as he walked away nor could he ever wipe out the vision of his limp, lifeless body sprawled upon the pavement. It was a scene that had tried vainly to erase from his mind, and the mention of it only rekindled the agony and sorrow that had dwelled in him for so long. In a soft, almost inaudible voice, Francis asked, How do you know?

His sordid face almost beaming with a sense of triumph, Philippe sneered, Unknown to you, on that very day, I had been assigned to clean the bells in the towers and had been up there only a very short time when I heard the two of you approaching from below. Rather than letting you know of my presence, I chose to hide in the shadows of the enclosure, curious as to see what type of mischief the two of you might unfold. With a mocking laugh, Philippe continued, And I was not disappointed. Ha! Such a spectacle! The two lovers meeting for the last time, as you, proud Francis, announce to your paramour that never again can you two be together. Ha! That it is over! And the poor, dissolute Robert, crying, like a little baby. Such a sight! And you. So strong and resolute, determined to please God in spite of the pain it was causing you. How pathetic! And so dramatic, the two of you. Almost like in a play! And the final coup de repos, it ended with such panache: you stoically walking away while lover boy leaps to his death. It was quite a sight, really, and one that I have kept to myself all these many years, ever waiting for the time that I might bring it out into the open. And never would there be a more opportune time if you do not concede to my wishes, Your Holiness.

Pope Francis backed off. Never did he imagine that anyone had ever known of the love the two young seminarians in that time long ago. Nor did he ever suspect that anyone was aware of their last tragic meeting, where Francis's parting words had been answered by his lover's fatal leap from the tower. In spite of his attempts to immerse himself in a life that was dedicated to serving God, the horror of that day forever haunted him. The joy that he received from sharing his faith with others and bringing them closer to the church and to God was ever overshadowed by a sin that it seemed he could not wash away from his mind. In his heart, he knew that Christ had died for all his iniquities, yet in spite of that realization, the guilt and remorse he felt was ever present, like a thorn in his side that could never be removed. It seemed to be a permanent reminder of his weakness and of his frail human nature, and for that reason, he had turned his eyes ever toward God, knowing that without him, there was no hope.

The silence in the chamber emanated like a stifling cloud that made it difficult for the pope to breathe, and he moved over to stained glass window and slowly opened it, peering out onto the courtyard as he took in several deep breaths. Amused by his action, Philippe sidled over to him and shared the view below them as he inquired, Need some fresh air, Your Eminence? I should think so. I imagine it is quite a shock to you to know that your secret of dear Robert has been known by another during all these years since his death. Quite a revelation, I must say. Then, leaning his shoulder closely against his, he added, But you have nothing to worry about, Your Grace. It is a secret that I have kept during all this time. It is an item that only the two of us do share, and so it shall remain as long as you comply with my vision and my plans for the future.

Pope Francis did not look at the face of Philippe as he moved away from him and sat down at his desk. He knew of Philippe's ambition to attain the office of the pope, and in a slow, calm voice, he answered, I know of your desires, Philippe, and I know that you are ruthless enough to do whatever is necessary to gain the power that you seek. As you are well aware, if it were possible, I would do everything possible to have you expulsed from the church and from this life, but now that you have spoken and revealed to me what you know, I am powerless to prevent you from attaining your wishes. Then, looking up at him, he asked, What do you want of me?

Smiling smugly as he began to saunter about the room as he answered, In time, I will tell you all that I wish you to do. In the meantime, you may continue to play your role as pope. The office fits you well, and we wish for the Catholic church to remain strong and to appear pure and holy to the public. It is for that reason and that reason alone that I do not divulge your history to the public. It is not in the best interest of the church nor of mine. But if you ever fail to comply with my requests or demands, you may be sure that the truth of who you are and what you have done will become a spectacle set forth before the entire world to see. And any harm that comes to the church because of that disclosure you may place squarely on your shoulders and on no other. Swiftly turning, he crossed to the door, and without raising his head, he added, Oh, and don't worry about Paul. Regardless of what you may believe, he is no more than an ordinary man, and his escape from the car bomb was nothing more than mere chance. We will keep our eye on him, and when the time is right, I will take care of him. Then, making a half bow and kneeling, he muttered, God bless you, Your Holiness, as he left the room, casting one more glance at the pope before he was gone.

Chapter 2

A New Arrival

R owi, have you seen the morning paper? yelled Paul. I looked all over for it on the front lawn and driveway, and it was nowhere to be seen. Did you pick it up?" Paul scooted back into the kitchen, still dressed in his pajamas and scratching his head as he rambled closer to the dinette and sat himself in the old maple captain's chair that rested at the foot of the table.

No, honey, I haven't. You might want to go back outside and look on the roof, if you know what I mean. Sometimes the carrier gets overly energetic, and it lands up there. He's done it before, so you might want to check that out. Paul nodded in affirmation as he slowly rose from his chair, then stopped in midstep as he stared down at his feet as he looked upon Bandit, a border collie that Rowi had given him for his birthday the previous month. The pup was only four months old and unusually large for his age. His black and white coat was typical of his breed, but Bandit had two distinctive black rings around both his eyes that made it look as if he were perpetually wearing a mask. It was that unique feature that caused Rowi to pick him out at the shelter, and it was also for that reason that she assigned to him his deprecating name. Paul was both surprised and delighted to receive the gift, for he knew that Rowi had grown up with the notion that animals did not belong in a house, not should they ever be seen as anything more than senseless creatures that were incapable of being nothing more than a burden on a household. The idea that a dog should be a pet was strange to her, so Paul was especially amazed to find a frisky pup wagging his tail and bouncing eagerly toward him on that day last month when he arrived home from work. That day she brought him home now flashed in his mind as if it had been yesterday:

I knew you wanted a dog so badly, Rowi told him, so I went to the shelter looking for a dog that needed a good home, and I found this one. I named him Bandit because of his face, but you can give him any name you want. I hope it was all right.

All right? Are you kidding? I love it. What a wonderful gift! Paul went straight over to the dog, who stretched up his front paws and began to lick Paul's face furiously as Paul scratched him on the back and rubbed his belly while he said to Rowi, But are you sure it's okay with you, I mean, having a dog and all? After all, I know how you feel about pets, and I don't want you to get upset with having an animal in the house.

Rowi stepped over close to Paul and squatted down beside him as he continued to pet him as she answered, "It is something that I thought about for a long time, Paul, and I decided that it was about time I got rid of some of my old-fashioned notions. I need to learn how to live in this country. After all, we are not in Copper Canyon anymore but are living in America, and I know that I need to change my ways. Yes, I am still a Raramuri, but I am also your wife, and that means that I have to learn to think as you do, and not try to live in the old ways."

Rowi's unselfish act and her desire to please touched Paul's heart and drew her even closer to him. He felt that she was truly a treasure sent to him from heaven and felt he was indeed blessed by God. And now, as he looked down upon Bandit and thought of that day, he was not only amused but amazed when he saw the dog sitting there on his haunches with the newspaper clamped loosely in his mouth. The dog peered at Paul with his large bright eyes, then slowly inched his way toward Paul, placing the newspaper daintily at his feet, and then rearing back as he continued to gaze at him with a look of supplication.

Paul looked at the dog in absolute wonder, then diverted his attention toward Rowi as he asked, "My gosh, Rowi, did you see that? How did he learn how to do that? Have you been giving him secret lessons behind my back to try to surprise me?

Not looking at the dog, she responded to Paul as she retreated from the stove and brought Paul a steaming bowl of steel-cut oats, What are you talking about, Paul, secret lessons? What do you mean by that? What did Bandit do? Paul pointed toward the dog, and Rowi was perplexed as she looked upon the dog and saw the newspaper resting at Paul's feet. Sitting next to Paul, she asked, Well, my goodness, there is the newspaper, Paul. How did it get there on the floor?

Bandit put it there. He had it in his mouth, and he just put it at my feet. That's why I asked you that question. Did you teach him to do that?

Oh my heavens no, I wouldn't even begin to know how to do such a thing. Are you kidding? I have enough trouble teaching myself how to live in this country, let alone knowing how to teach a dog to do tricks. That's something I would never even try, believe me.

Paul shook his head in amazement. Then how did he figure out how to do that? It's as if he knew I wanted the newspaper, and so he got it off the driveway and brought it to me. How did he know how to do that?

Well, my honey, he is a really smart dog, you know. I think he just saw you go outside every day getting the newspaper, and today he must have decided that he was going to get it for you so you wouldn't have to go through all that trouble. He really loves you, you know, and I think that's his way of telling you that.

Paul picked up the newspaper and placed it on the table, then scooted over to Bandit and embraced him with a big hug. Rubbing his hands briskly through his fur, Paul exclaimed, "Bandit, you are about the smartest dog I think I have ever known. Who would ever believe that a dog could figure something like that on his own, without anyone even telling him to? It is absolutely incredible! I think you must be the smartest and best dog in the whole world! Really! And I thank you so much for bringing me the newspaper this morning. What a wonderful surprise! Paul then roughly rubbed Bandit on the head, then stretched his arm over the table to grab a piece of bacon from a plate Rowi had just placed there and offered it to Bandit. The dog eagerly accepted it, gingerly pulling it from Paul's hand, then wolfing it down his throat in three short snaps of his mouth. He then looked anxiously at Paul, hoping for a second helping of the unexpected treat.

Paul looked at the plate of bacon and then at Rowi who frowned disapprovingly at him as she said, I know he is your dog, and you may do with him as you like, but that food was made for people, not for animals, and I would ask you that you not share with him the food that I have made for you. It is not proper. She then turned coquettishly back to the stove with her back toward Paul as he sat there both bemused by her statement but embarrassed by his action.

Getting