Note: Read the Short Story before you read this, as some of my notes will undoubtedly ruin the story for you. This is just a post where I can explain some things that I think need explaining-and to field questions of a more specific nature about the story.
Well if you’ve read the story you’ll have picked up on the religious tone to the story. In fact, you may wonder if you’ve been duped into reading a story intent on converting you to a particular religion-namely some form of Christianity. You may be happy to know (or sad, depending) that you haven’t been. Although the characters in the story are clearly religious, and it takes place at a time and place crucial to the premise of the religion-the Crucifixion-it is not intended as an argument as to “why you should be Christian.”
Rather, I hope it only reflects the very best thing I’ve managed to salvage from my faith-or at least the faith I was raised in and tried very, very hard to be a part of. I wouldn’t say I’ve lost my faith, but I would say that I’ve identified what it is about the faith that I find compelling and worth bringing with us in life.
Namely, forgiveness.
You can, in fact, read this story and not at all be asked to put your faith in anything-just simply to think about nature in the context of creating and a religious explanation of that creation.
This story comes from a homily I heard maybe four years ago at the Georgetown University Dahlgren chapel in which the priest compared the cross of Crucifixion to the Tree of Life in the garden of Eden-from that one comparison, the story began to take form.
Further evidence of the fact that this is not me prostelitizing is that that this story, as written, is entirely fiction-I’ve filed in a lot of holes (and frankly, just made up parts as the narrative demanded) in how the story is told in the Bible. No particular form of Christianity would adopt this story as representative of what it is to be Christian-at least I very much doubt it-and so make sure you don’t confuse my view of the faith with the faith of itself.
The one thing that was hardest about writing the story was “hiding the ball.” I liked the idea of the slow revelation of who the characters were-and as such it became confusing when I was saying “he” all the time. Hence the dying man and the traveler. Towards the end, when hiding the ball becomes impossible (and unnecessary) it seemed like fun to use as many different names for Christ and the Devil other than Christ and the Devil as I could. For some reason, using those names seemed a bit to sacred for my sacrilegious-ish story-and so I didn’t really want to use them.
Plus, Christ using all of those names to name the Devil recalls the idea that by naming the demon that troubles you, you gain some power over it. The use of the names hopefully demonstrates that the tables have turned.
Lastly, the use of many names is very much inspired by Neil Gaiman’s Sandman in both the scenes where Dream calls Lucifer by as many names as he can think of (out of a sense of respect, and worry perhaps, that the Fallen angel might turn on him any second) and when Loki reveals himself in the Kindly Ones. Anyone familiar with these stories will probably notice how much I wish I could write like Neil Gaiman period-let alone this particular theme.
Other questions or comments you may have, please let me know.