In Search Of Elysium

Chapter 5

A New Sunday

Richard stood at the bottom of the staircase and yelled, "Kevin, you have to get up for Mass."

"OK. I'll be down in a few minutes," Kevin said. Remembering he needed to talk like the old Kevin, he added, "Know what? I like church, Dad, and I want pancakes."

Sitting at the table, Kevin considered how delicious the pancakes were. His dad made the best blueberry and fresh peach pancakes ever, but he didn't remember the maple syrup ever tasting this good. He grabbed orange juice and asked if he could have coffee.

"Since when did you drink coffee?" Richard asked with a little suspicion in his voice.

"Mom let me once," Kevin replied, realizing he must watch what he says. Soon his dad would know everything soon. But now there were many preparations to make..

Kevin considered his decision to visit the planet where the spaceship came from. He needed five pilots to fly the ship, and he also would like to help his classmates become blessed with knowledge. But was he acting from his need to have four other people to fly the ship, or from his genuine love for his friends? He laughed to himself, recalling that in the past he never thought about his motives. This spaceship, however, might help fix his friends disabilities, and he was the one to make it happen, no matter the motivation.

Kevin dressed in his only suit, which now seemed wrong for him. Why had he ever asked for a bright plaid suit? Other than blue jeans, there were only cartoon tee-shirts. Even his underwear had cartoons on them. I must get some new clothing to reflect the new me, he thought.

His dad drove in the pickup to church. Kevin knew the drive well as it was a regular Sunday event. His mom and dad always insisted that he and Liz attended church and take communion. She wanted them both saved in the Lord, should anything ever happen to them. Kevin spent most of his time in the kid's room in the basement. It seemed he was a little loud, asking improper questions and making statements that were not appropriate. Even now, his dad preferred it when he stayed in the kid's room.

"Dad, can I sit with you if I promise to be good?" Kevin asked.

"Yes, but watch what you say, OK?" he said.

"OK!" Kevin answered.

The church was a beautiful Catholic cathedral built in the 1930's, one of only three in the area and the oldest. Because there was a shortage of priests, Father Connor was the priest of this church and another parish in the area. Kevin felt Father Connor was a nice man and worth having as a preacher even if they had to share him.

When Kevin's mom was dying, Father Connor was at the farm house almost every day. He and Kevin's mom would sit and talk about God and heaven. The Father reminded her that Richard and her parents were waiting for her in heaven and that God would make sure Richard and Kevin were cared for.

Kevin once asked Father Connor why God was angry at him. He didn't understand Kevin's question until Kevin explained that God was hurting him by taking his mom and that he must have done something wrong to make him angry. Father Connor said it was not Kevin's fault, which convinced Kevin it was God's fault. They told him God loved him, but Kevin knew he didn't. God broke his heart.

Richard and Kevin sat in the back of the church next to Kevin's friend Ricky Hartford and his parents. Kevin whispered to Ricky that he wanted to talk after church, and Ricky seemed to understand. They were silent during the sermon.

Father Connor was talking about the creation, how God created the universe, night, day and mankind. He said this took six days and that he rested on the seventh. Then the priest talked about how sometimes we hear about things that conflict with the teachings of God, and that we have to close our ears to these untruths. "Listen only to the church, and God," Father Connor said.