A few days after Everett Vitali's birth, doctors discovered the boy's heart and lungs were severely underdeveloped. His parents, Cinthia and Alessandro, were given the devastating news that Everett's condition was grave. There wasn't a specialist in the states who had performed the complicated procedure needed for his longevity. They were sent home, giving the boy a few years to live.

Of course, allowing their child to die was not an option, and they flew Everett worldwide, acquiring consultations and looking for some glimmer of hope, but to no avail.

So, was it by mere chance that Alessandro Vitali's plane touched down at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport? And was it by mere chance that he was sent to Jerusalem's City of David to head the archeological expedition for the Medallion of Divine Power? Or was it simply that the Lord does work in mysterious ways?
***

Everett had recently turned twenty-eight when his brother Thaddeus, ten years his senior, had been accused of the rape of their adopted sister, Claudia. The six-month trial was a dark time for Everett, and the expected outcome was Thaddeus's forty-year sentencing with possible parole.

Everett stormed down the courtroom steps as the sadness for his brother's immorality turned to anger. His ungodly thoughts concerning his brother's troubled soul only pushed him further away from his plans to serve the priesthood.

He slammed his car into gear and sped off as he wiped at the tears that blurred his vision. Everett squinted and leaned closer to the windshield as a beach ball bounced into the street. He hit the brakes and turned hard to the left as he felt his front wheels bounce over something in the road. He knew his heart had stopped for a moment as he could feel the burning tug of pain in his chest. He opened the car door, and with weakened legs, he stepped out and fell to his knees beside the six-year-old's body; she was listless but still breathing.
In the distance, frantic voices from the young girl's family members became closer and increasingly more apparent.

Everett dialed emergency and lifted the girl's head onto his lap. He cupped her face in his hands, and as he began to pray, a pale-yellow glow illuminated his palms. He had no idea what was happening to him in those few seconds, but he quickly realized that his thoughts and movements were involuntary.

As his hands moved to the large gash on her bleeding torso, the wound and the blood on her dress vanished with the glow. The young girl sat up and turned to Everett, "I'm sorry I ran out in front of you," she said. Everett had no words for her. He could only stare as she turned to the arms of her converging parents.
***

A few weeks before Thaddeus's first parole hearing, Claudia entered the prison and headed for the visitor's room. The prison's confining gray hallways and sour stench of recirculated air ignited the unending remorse for what she had perpetrated. She had reached the point of no return and would have faced certain jail time had the absolute truth come out.
Thaddeus walked into the visitor's room and froze in place. "When they said I had a visitor, I wouldn't have imagined it'd be you."

"Thaddeus... It's been a long time."

"Yes, it has, Claudia. Ten years, six months, and three days to be exact. What're you doing here? The fact that you can even face me validates your evilness."

"Please don't call me evil, Thaddeus; you don't know what I've been through these past years. The mental anguish and the guilt..."

"Did you come here after all this time looking for my sympathy? You framed me, Claudia! You went to the police with my DNA on your clothes after we had consensual sex and told them I had raped you. I deserve a reason, Claudia; no matter how feeble, you need to tell me why you did this to me."

Claudia lowered her gaze to her lap.

"For God's sake Claudia, tell me why!"

She looked into Thaddeus's eyes. "I was pregnant... I have a son, Thaddeus. His name is Remi."
Thaddeus leaned back in his chair. "Go ahead."

"I knew he wasn't yours since the timing of our one-night stand fell a bit short. I felt that saying you raped me and that Remi was your child was a way to get around telling our family that I didn't know who his father was."

"What are you saying? Are you...?"

I've been on the streets for a long time, Thaddeus. I was so afraid to reveal who I was to our parents when they were alive and Everett. And how was I to explain to my son what his mother did for a living? Putting it all on you seemed so perfect at that moment."

"So, I was your chosen scapegoat."

"Yes, I'm sorry."

"We can change this, Claudia."

She shook her head. "It's too late to go back now."

Thaddeus reached across the table and took both her hands in his. "You have a way to change this, Claudia. My parole hearing is next month. Please be there to fight for my release; no one will be the wiser. If I get out, this will stay between you and me."

"Thaddeus, I took ten years of your life away, I know that, but what I don't know is if I can trust you. Everett and Remi are all I have left of the family. Everett's priesthood and his healing gift are essential to him, and he's spent so much time discreetly balancing both over the years. I owe him so much of my life. I can't tarnish what he's worked so hard to achieve. I won't."

The guard opened the door. "Times up, Thaddeus." Thaddeus looked into Claudia's eyes for a few more seconds and let go of her hands. He got up, and the guard cuffed him.

"Thaddeus?" Claudia murmured, "I'd like to leave here with your forgiveness."

He smirked, "haven't you taken enough from me, Claudia?"
***

A few months after Claudia's visit with Thaddeus, she expressed to Everett that she'd be out of town for a few days on business. Everett took it upon himself to check on Claudia's house, knowing that Remi was at camp with his friends while Claudia was away.

He parked the car in the street, grabbed her mail, and gathered the scattered newspapers from the driveway. When he opened the front door, the burnt smell in the air drew him to the kitchen, where he pulled the bottom-charred coffee pot from its burner.

The pit of his stomach knotted as he moved down the hallway and up the stairs to her bedroom door. "Claudia, are you up here?" He pushed open her door and saw her legs protruding from the hidden side of the bed. Empty pill bottles lay scattered across the crumpled sheets. He knew that she had been dead for some time from her appearance. Everett wept as he pried a piece of paper from her clenched hand.

{Forgive Thaddeus, my Blessed Brother, and pray for my soul}

Everett prepared the bed and laid her atop the comforter. He made the cross sign and put his glowing palms upon her face, "Lord, look upon her with eyes of mercy. May Your healing hand rest upon her, and may Your life-giving powers flow from me into her soul, cleansing, purifying, and restoring her to wholeness and strength for service in Your Kingdom. Amen."
***

A senior altar boy peeked around the door of the sacristy. "Father Everett, a man is waiting in the confessional on the left side of the church. He said his confession is of dire importance."

"Thank you, no need to address him again; I'll be out shortly." Everett's footsteps echoed through the church house as he made his way to the confessional. He sat and slid open the window.

"Bless me, brother, for I have sinned; it has been ten years since I last saw you."

"The correct words are, bless me, Father, for I have sinned..."

"Everett..."

"Do I know you?"

"Everett, it's Thaddeus." There was a short pause, and Everett slowly closed the confessional window.

"Everett, please, forget I'm your brother and hear me as a priest."

"How did you get out, Thaddeus?"

"It was because of Claudia; she fought for my release at my last parole hearing. It took another year for me to work up the courage to see you. How are you, brother?"

"Thaddeus, I don't want anything to do with..."

"And Claudia? How is she?"

"Claudia is dead, Thaddeus."

He was silent for a few seconds. "How?"

"What does it matter to you!"

"Everett, Please! I need to know."

"She committed suicide. You not only raped our sister, but you also sentenced her to death. She left a note, Thaddeus; she asked me to forgive you and pray for her soul."

Thaddeus righted himself in the confessional chair and leaned the back of his head against the wall to gather his thoughts. He moved in close to the window. "Everett, have you ever asked yourself the meaning behind her note?"

"I found it quite gracious on your behalf, considering what you did to her."

"There is so much I have longed to tell you, my brother, and it would have been purely from revengeful eyes, but I have, in these several minutes, lost the reasoning behind those words. I guess Claudia and I have both gained and lost in our lives and deaths, and those are the thoughts of her I choose to carry with me for the rest of my years. I didn't come here looking for your forgiveness, Everett. I came to say goodbye."

"I don't understand. Why would you come to me to say goodbye, Thaddeus?"

"I'm dying, Everett. I've been terminally ill for the past few years." The confessional door clicked closed behind Thaddeus, and his footsteps echoed through the empty church and stopped for a few seconds. Everett stared into his open palms and listened to the church's exit door close.
***

Alessandro Vitali brushed at the first-century soil, revealing the Medallion of Divine power. It was one of twelve worn by His Apostles. A gift from Jesus Christ to His chosen twelve so they may carry on His mission to heal the sick and afflicted.

Alessandro looked into his assistant's eyes, she nodded, and she and Alessandro kneeled before the Medallion. "Lord, please forgive me for what I'm about to do. Please look at my mistake and know it was not done to hurt you. I know that taking this will go against you, but I hope you will forgive me in the name of my afflicted infant son, Everett Alessandro. Amen." He put the Medallion into a small pouch and slipped it into his top pocket.