Anastasia's Grail

by Mary Pearson

college, you will be tested intellectually. If you become a mother, bear children and struggle with spacing them and feeding them, you may struggle morally. If you are in a profession which requires you to go out and work all day in the elements in order to provide for a family, you will be tested physically. If you are betrayed (perhaps I should say ‘when’, because this will happen to many of you) by the people or person who is supposed to love you the most, you may be tempted to despair. If tragedy befalls you and you or someone you love becomes gravely ill, you may be tempted in more ways than you can imagine. Make what you have heard tonight—that Jesus Christ is real, He truly came to walk the earth because of His great Mercy, to pay a debt He did not owe, which was required by His Father’s Justice— make this an anchor for your life.” He paused to let this sink in. “We have been given a great gift. Let us not lose sight of this moment of certainty when the cares and pleasures of life try to choke it from our memory.’

  In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples a parable of a man who has lived a life of luxury and who ends up in Hell. He begs Jesus to send his servant, Lazarus, who in life had longed to eat the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table, with a little water so as to relieve his thirst. But Jesus told him there is a great abyss which separates Heaven from Hell, and none may cross in either direction. So then the rich man begged Jesus to warn his brothers, that they might not come to such an end as he had. ‘Surely they will believe if they see someone come back from the dead.’“

  But Jesus said. “They will not believe, not even if someone should come back from the dead.”

  Face Bearer

  Everything in Stacy’s life seemed to be moving double speed. The following week her class would be tested to determine whether they were fully prepared to be confirmed. Wednesday of that week would be her grail presentation. Assuming she passed the test and the Bishop accepted her as a candidate, she would be confirmed the weekend after her in-school presentation. As far as that went, she was only two short months from graduation. Who knows what she would be involved with as an adult? Right now she needed to write a letter to the Bishop, telling him why she wanted to be confirmed Catholic. She had no idea how to begin. She chewed the end of her pen and decided to simply plunge in and see where it got her.

  Dear Bishop Graves:

  I am a high school senior who plans to graduate in a couple of months. I have only recently become a practicing Catholic, after quite a few years of straying. My conversion came about as a result of a conference I was dragged to by my mother. While there I became fascinated with the question of how Jesus appeared when He was in human form. This lead me on an intense study of the Shroud of Turin. Right now, drawing largely upon the work and insight of Dr. Daniel Scavone, I am preparing to give a presentation at my secular school on the Shroud as the most plausible candidate for the legendary Grail.

  It has been my grail. I have come to realize that I cannot function without Christ as the anchor of my life. Without Him, I flounder in a sea of contrasts and confusion. With Him I am firmly grounded.

  I regret the many years I willfully separated myself from the Church as I know this will leave certain gaps in my education. I have been scrambling to learn as quickly as possible and truly hope it will be enough.

  Once again I thank you for considering me. I anxiously await your response. Whatever you decide, I am going nowhere else. I’ll be writing you next year if you decide I need more time for formation. If next year still finds me insufficiently prepared, you’ll hear from me the following year. I long to be given all the graces which accompany this Sacrament. As an adult member of the Church I hope to contribute wherever I am called.

  Sincerely,

  Anastasia Greenwood

  Stacy frowned as she reread what she had written. She hoped it was good enough. She carefully folded the letter into an envelope, addressed and stamped it and placed it in the mailbox so that the carrier would pick it up that day.

  Stacy had noticed that Arthur was around for evening prayers much more consistently that he had been for awhile. She couldn’t help but wonder how things were going between him and Libby. No one else was in the workout room at the moment. Zeke had been called downstairs for some confusion with an order and Emily was spending the evening with friends from her school. Stacy sat on the floor beside Arthur as he lifted weights and waited for him to finish his set.

  “I have one more presentation to give.” Stacy spoke hesitantly, realizing how much time he had given her with the previous one. “I suppose I could try to do this one myself. I think I know how after watching you with the last one.”

  “You can try if you want to,” Arthur said. He was still a bit winded. “I’d be glad to be there in case you needed advice or something. When did you want to get together?”

  Stacy was secretly relieved he had not taken her up on her offer. “Tomorrow…?” she suggested.

  “Sure.” Arthur wiped his brow and got up to find his water bottle. He sat on the weight bench next to her and drained it.

  Stacy looked at her hands in her lap. “I couldn’t help noticing that you haven’t been going out as much this last week. How’s it going with Libby?”

  Arthur didn’t mince words. “She let me go.”

  “I’m sorry,” Stacy said, but she was relieved that he didn’t seem too broken up about it. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  Arthur took her by the shoulders and made her look him in the face. “Do you?”

  Stacy shook her head, but she spoke anyway. “I never wanted you to date Libby,” she confessed. “Funny thing.” She laughed, but it was a humorless laugh. “Although I was clueless about Darius, I had no problem seeing that Libby was the sort of person who was only out for what she could get. I didn’t want her to use you that way.”

  “Why?” Arthur asked her. “Do you think I would let myself be used?”

  “Libby is very beautiful… “

  “She is,” Arthur readily agreed, “on the outside.” He got up and paced to the other side of the room, as though he were considering whether or not to say something. He refilled his water bottle from the little sink in the corner and sat down beside her again. He shrugged. “I think Libby got frustrated because I wouldn’t go where she wanted to go. I don’t think she’s used to a relationship that isn’t physical. She probably decided I was gay or something. That’s all that happened.”

  “Oh.” Stacy couldn’t think of anything else to say.

  “I told you before that I already went that route and realized it was a dead end. I don’t even know if God wants me to be married. Right now I’m open to all possibilities, including the priesthood. One thing I do know for sure—you can’t get to know someone—really know them—if you are sleeping with them. It clouds your vision. And you really need to know the person you plan to spend your whole life with.”

  The Grail talk was completely different than the one Stacy had done for her Confirmation class. The last talk practically gave itself. This time her focus was on the grail and she felt more like she was preparing a debate or a lawyer’s closing arguments. She also felt a bit schizophrenic because she had to give the best case for each of the three possible grails which she was considering. There were fewer pictures to scan this time, but Arthur helped her where he was able. When they had done all they could to put together the individual cases, Stacy had one big request to make of him. She doubted he would be willing to do it but she might as well ask. “Arthur, would you be willing to dress as a member of the Knights Templar for my presentation? You wouldn’t have to say anything. Just look like you’re standing guard over something.” She gave him her best wheedling look but stopped short of begging.

  Arthur sighed. “What time is your presentation?”

  “Three o’clock on the button—Wednesday. Directly after school.”

  He raised his brows and sighed again. “Only for you,” he finally said. “And only this once. If you end up having the greatest Grail presentation ever, I am not goin
g on tour with you.”

  “Good,” she said. “That will help. You can get dressed in the room right before we begin. Now all I have to do,” she smiled, realizing what a challenge this truly would be, “is get a period costume for you to wear by next week.”

  “Good luck,” Arthur packed his equipment and hoisted it onto his back. “I’ll be back for evening prayers.

  As soon as he had gone she got to work.

  “Grammy, can you help me make a floor-length hooded white cape with a red cross on the inside cassock? Mom said you used to sew things.”

  Grandma Annie looked up from the book she was reading. “I’ll need a pattern,” she said. “I never work without a recipe.”

  Stacy knew this about her and had come prepared. “I already bought a costume pattern from the sewing goods store.” She dropped it in her grandmother’s lap. “I also bought the fabric.”

  “You were pretty sure I’d say ‘yes’.” Grandma Annie had a twinkle in her eye.

  “I figured I’d borrow your machine and do it myself if you couldn’t help.” Stacy nodded her head with mock confidence. “I did take a sewing unit in ninth grade home ec.”

  “I’ll help,” her grandmother hastily said. “I would rather not have my machine all screwed up—not,” she assured her granddaughter, “that I don’t trust you. It’s just harder than