Apocalypse of Jude

In the living room, Audrey and Caul occupy the two arm chairs, the sofa by Susan and Stuart, while soft cushions spill on the floor for Geoff with Evelin. The smell of coffee pervades the room.

“The light’s too bright Eve. Can we light the candles?”

“With pleasure.”

Susan and Evelin rise and move amid silent figures to light the candles prepared around the room. Then the electricity goes, only the coloured lights hanging from the tree flickering, as if trying to co-ordinate with the dancing flames.

“The tree is really lovely Audrey.”

Audrey turns towards Evelin, with a smile and cheeks full of blood with warmth. The gloaming festivity of the light slowly breathes into them a comforting intimacy. Evelin take a deep breath, and begins again to speak.

“When I was small, my grandmother used to tell me not to ever fear Red Riding Hood’s big bad wolf because he is locked away for a thousand years. It was just one of those quirky things she did. But today, Audrey and I went to visit my grandmother, and she effectively told me to change my focus, and to see the big bad wolf as inevitably coming, though we don’t know when. I had never realised that she had been using the fairytale as a foil for the Christian life, and that the big bad wolf is Satan coming to get Red Riding Hood and her grandmother. But when it dawned on me, I got very scared. I told you all earlier Geoff’s and my wonderful news that I’m pregnant. But what I didn’t tell you was that my grandmother also told me today…”

She takes a deep breath. “She told me I was pregnant, before I knew it.”

Murmurs go up from around the room, as Evelin extends her hand and places it on Geoff’s shoulder next to her.

“When Audrey and I left, we were both kind of in a shocked state. We went to the doctor and discovered that I am with child.”

She says nothing for a bit and the room remains silent, waiting for her to continue.

“I realise I may have troubled your hearts with what I’ve just said.”

Evelin looks at them from her now earnest, cross-legged position on the floor.

“But I spent some time in prayer about it this afternoon while Audrey decorated the tree. About whether I should tell you all or not. I must admit, I had a great fear in me all afternoon. All I could think of was Jesus’ words about how dreadful it will be for pregnant woman and nursing mothers in the time at the end. I felt this incredible weakness and desire to runaway and pretend none of today ever happened. And then I was angry with God for letting any of this happen. Why did I have to have new life stirring in me only to find out the world I’m going to bring my baby into could be the one which will see distress unlike the world has ever seen before. But more than anything, it made me want to give up my faith, because suddenly all my life seemed futile, and my child nothing but a sacrifice to evil. But then I read that passage in Matthew.”

Here she stops momentarily to open a Bible which is already laid beside her.

“And these verses struck me. ‘Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.’ And I was encouraged so much by that. It made me realise that if I told you what I heard today, you’d probably go through the same barrage of doubt and anger. But that’s not our message is it? Our message is one of perseverance until Christ comes again. As I was praying, the Spirit directed me to this passage from Jude which I want to read to you.”

Again she stops to let her fingers thumb to the prepared passage.

“‘But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their ungodly desires.” These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. But you, dear friends, build yourselves in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.’”

She closes the book and then looks up at all of them again.

“At first I was confused as to why the Spirit had led me here. But after spending some time meditating on the passage it dawned on me why. To start with, the passage is headed ‘A call to persevere,’ which was exactly what was on my heart. And then Jude is also the last book before Revelation. For me that was just the Spirit confirming that the perseverance I’m pointing all of us towards tonight is one of end-time perseverance; not just general perseverance in the world, but perseverance against those who might cause our love for Christ to grow cold and cause divisions among us. And then finally but most importantly, I realised that tonight with us we have two unbelievers. Caul, Audrey, I hope that you won’t be offended by me drawing you in like this, but my firm belief is that the Spirit has drawn both of you into our presence this evening, which means God desires to have you both as His own. And its our duty tonight, to show mercy and godly fear at your doubt, but to also seek to snatch you both from the fire that you’re currently burning in. So I would just like to say that this evening, we all here, and I know I speak on behalf of the rest of us, would like to invite both of you to explore with us our faith and the hope we have in Jesus to give us eternal life.”

DA! The thunder echoes once again around the sky. Caul looks at Evelin, and finds in her visage the face of an alms giver, not of silver or gold, but of life.

Wasteland Mix: Fragment 1o9