Through the Window

Song filled her ears as she walked down the street that early Sunday morning. A chill wind blew around her, opening her coat a little. She turned her back to the gust and pulled the thin fabric of her coat around herself, wishing for the thousandth time that she had the money to buy a new one – thicker, if she could. Even the fabric, pattern, notions, and equipment with which to make one would be very welcome right about now.

As she did so, she heard the song again – louder this time. She walked up the street and found a cathedral. It was gigantic – never had she ever seen such a grand space.

The doors were open, and it was from them the music came through.

All of a sudden, a voice entered her head, gentle, sweet, and yet so, so full of sheer power and authority. "You hear that, Sorano?" it whispered. "That song praises and worships the very thing you have been looking for your whole life. Go on, go inside."

Sorano stood there, outside looking in. The sun was still out, so she decided to go around and look inside through a window. She didn't want to go interrupting what was clearly a special moment, as all the people inside were kneeling down reverently before a large altar.

She found a suitable window, which was rather difficult, as most of them were stained glass, and therefore impossible to see through. This window was broken. Some kid had done this, she reasoned. Either that, or someone had wanted these people gone. "I wonder why..." she whispered.

As she watched, the man at the altar, who was dressed in a simple, grass green robe, picked up a gilt cup and bowl. She was sure that he was called a priest. He raised them up above his head and he sang, "Through Him and with Him and in Him... in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honour is Yours, forever and ever."

The people sang in response, "Amen, amen, amen. Amen, amen, amen."

Never had Sorano felt so at peace before. Sure, she had felt peaceful just before she fell asleep, but never had she felt this peace before. It was almost as if it had come from an outside source, yet was still somehow from within.

Sorano was so calm at this moment that she didn't notice some people standing up to go to the altar. One woman caught her eye and smiled. Sorano was so shocked she ducked underneath. She was never caught out like that. She thought about leaving right away. "No, I'm here now, and besides, she's seen me," she said to herself. "If I leave, she's bound to bring the cops on me. I mean, sure I get a warm meal, a bed and a shower, but I won't want to come back to the streets. I might as well stay out here."

She braved the windowsill again and saw that a wafer-like thing was held up in front of the congregation. This time the people sang something about a Lamb of God as the priest broke the wafer, and then distributed it among the men and women around him, giving them either a bowl or a cup. The woman who saw her was given one of these cups. Sorano watched as the men and women on the altar, including the priest, distributed themselves around the cathedral. Slowly, row by row, the people rose and formed a line, first going to those distributing the wafer, then to those with a cup. The people were all given a small wafer, which they ate, and many chose to go to the cup-bearers to sip some whatever-it-was that was in there.

There were some children there as well, and they crossed their arms over their chests to receive a blessing of some kind rather than the wafer or the drink.

Sorano felt a strong sense of longing for that wafer and that drink. It was stronger than anything she had ever felt before. It was strange that she felt this. All of a sudden, she wanted to burst in through the window and join the line. But she knew she had to stay hidden. She could talk to the priest or to that lady afterward.

As the line trickled and everyone either sat or knelt back down to pray, the woman from earlier came outside with the cup, bringing the priest with her. "Hello, Sorano," the priest said. "Welcome to St Francis Xavier Cathedral in Kagoshima. We are glad to have you."

Sorano stared at the priest in shock. "How do you know my name...?" she whispered.

"The Lord told me, Sorano," the woman said. "My name is Mine Yuuki, and this is Archbishop Shin'ichi Aizato."

"Hello, Mine-san, Archbishop Shin'ichi-sama," Sorano answered, bowing.

"The Lord also told me to give you this." The Archbishop took a small, circular wafer from the bowl he carried and held it up to her.

Sorano held up her hands the way the people in the congregation did and Shin'ichi said, "The Body of Christ." He placed it on her waiting palm.

"Amen," Sorano whispered, placing it on her tongue, feeling it dissolve. It felt like cardboard as it melted.

Then Mine stepped forward and held up the cup up to Sorano. "The Blood of Christ."

"Amen," Sorano whispered again, taking a sip from the cup. It tasted like the red wine her Dad had her drink to get used to it when she was younger.

Sorano again felt an overwhelming peace

"Now then, Sorano, we need to get inside. You can sit with Mine if you wish. I hope we may be able to talk again after Mass, if that is alright."

"I don't know... can't you see I'm a street girl, Archbishop? I belong out here, not in there."

"Why might that be?" Archbishop Shin'ichi asked.

"I can never allow myself to stay in a house with someone. I stole something once, and in gaol I could have a hot shower, a hot meal, and a warm bed, as well as new clothes. Do you know how hard it was for me to leave? They had to force me out. I never want to intrude upon people like that again. Do you understand me?"

The two adults thought awhile. They looked at each other and nodded. They turned back to Sorano, and Archbishop Shin'ichi said, "If you come with us, you won't have to leave."

Again, Sorano felt that same, strong longing. And the voice came back. "Go on with them, Sorano," it said, pushing her gently. "Go inside. It is safe for you inside. They will care for you."

Mine held out her hand to Sorano, smiling. A goofy grin lit up Sorano's face as she took it.

"You're so beautiful when you smile. Your whole face just lights up."

A snowflake landed on Sorano's hand. She shook herself out of her dazed grin. "It'll be a blizzard out here soon," she said.

The two adults nodded. "Let's go inside."

The instant Sorano stepped inside the grand building, all fears and worries melted away. Outside, she had felt that she could trust these people. Now, she knew to trust them. They were going to help her, get her off the street. The New Year was already over, and this was the first Mass of Ordinary Time; the Christmas decorations were already gone. If she didn't hurry, she would be left behind. She would join them on their quest, and no matter how hard the road, the climb, or the descent, she would be strong.
"Thanks be to God," whispered Sorano, and her face lit up with the most beautiful smile, and her heart soared to become a part of the sky.