At the beginning of the novel Jesus is writing a column for The Global Star in New York. Jesus loves New York and his column is gaining some traction when one of his articles clashes with the aspirations of Mr Muchmore, the proprietor of the newspaper, and he loses his job.

Saint Matthew salvages the situation by offering to take Jesus and his column to Washington.

On the left is a European picture of Saint Matthew. The painting is called ‘The Evangelist St Matthew and the angel’, by Guido Reni in 1620; courtesy of the Pinacoteca Vaticana Collection, Rome. Via Wikipedia/Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain. 

In this picture Matthew is depicted as a kindly, dedicated, old sage scribing his gospel. In the book he is a fifty year old, 21st century executive with the bearing of a competent chief-editor of a major newspaper.

We know very little about Matthew’s physical attributes in the Holy Land two thousand years prior to the time of this story, so we can only define his character by his occupation and actions:

In the Holy Land Matthew was a taxman which meant that he collected taxes for the Romans. In the eyes of many, tax collectors such as Matthew were despised as collaborators and Jesus was chastised for befriending him. However, Matthew introduced Jesus to his family, entertained him and gave up a comfortable life to follow him as a Disciple. Matthew was looked upon as a sinner who had repented.

From this we can deduce that Matthew was a single-minded, determined person willing to sacrifice his career for Jesus. He obviously overcame any concerns that his colleagues may have had about him and he was accepted into the fold. In fact, in the end Matthew suffered the way of a martyr.

Fast forward 2000 years to the 21st Century and Matthew has chosen to return as a ‘volunteer’ to support the Archangels and Jesus in their mission to avert the perils of global warming. (See blog on website headed: ‘the worlds within the story’ within the ‘Behind the Scenes’ column, under ‘Associations’ which explains ‘volunteers’ from the Holy Land.)

The Souls in Heaven recreate Matthew as purpose-fit for his job as a chief-editor of a major newspaper in Washington. We see him as an affable people-person in his fifties, highly educated and deeply interested in local and worldly matters.

Mrs Eastman, a life-long friend of Mary Magdalene and the proprietor of the Washington Truth, knows who he is and makes him his chief editor. The two of them get along splendidly. Matthew is respected by all in the newsroom as a remarkably informed person and great journalist. And, Both Mary Magdalene and Jesus accept him as their boss.

Matthew heads up a great newsroom at the Washington Truth where Mary Magdalene has worked for many years. Matthew gets a pass for Jesus to the press room of the White House and is more than aware of Jesus’s love for Mary Magdalene. He supports the Archangels, in particular St Michael at the Chapel on the Orchard Road and is (off the page) good friends with Martha Bethany, Thomas and the Mother Mary.

Matthew is an intrinsic part of the story helping to knit it all together.

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Outside, St Michael’s Crossroads Chapel is a wooden church painted blue and white with a spire. There is no cross on the spire. Inside, it is a cathedral. There are no crosses within the cathedral itself. The St Michael’s Crossroads Chapel is for everyone. It was built by Souls in Heaven of all denominations and creeds.

Mary Magdalene is the primary architect because she is well versed in the building of cathedrals and has previously worked with many of the masons in Heaven before they died. And they, in turn, don’t hesitate at the opportunity to work with her again.

Mary Magdalene loves cathedrals, The Mother Mary too, but Jesus, being ‘an outdoors boy’ and difficult to impress, is not that fussed with the fluted pillars, masonry and stained glass windows. However, because Mary built it, he puts up with it.

St Michael lives with The Mother Mary in the vicarage attached to the cathedral. Although being an Archangel and the patron saint of battle, he returns as a quintessential village vicar, an affable fellow who quickly succumbs to The Mother’s cooking and mortal ways – he loves his whisky!

The chapel is located by the crossroads on the Orchard Road which is a wide country jaunt surrounded by beautiful rural farmland and apple trees. It is a picnic setting.

Mr Muchmore, a media baron, spends a night as a ‘guest’ of St Michael and The Mother. The following day he walks the Orchard Road to Washington. A life changing experience which turns him into an ardent convert to Christianity and Climate change.

The Orchard Road, in the story, can be found in the firmament just off Highway 95 between New York and Washington. Anyone who has had a sip of Momma’s complimentary apple juice at one of her restaurants will see the exit signs!

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Saint Gabriel runs a tow truck, but no one is towing anything away.

The tow truck is celestial and he drives all over the world in it, parking anywhere he likes without anyone questioning him. This way he assesses the situation on the ground.

Only Solid Spirits and Grim can celestially travel in the tow truck. This means that mortals can travel in the truck normally but they cannot be transported celestially. So, Jesus and Mary Magdalene can ride in the truck, but they cannot journey across the world in it. The tow truck is indestructible.

In the novel, Saint Gabriel has teamed up with Grim and they travel the world together. Grim knows the people and the places. Gabriel brings the new born in, while Grim escorts the souls of the dead to Heaven. Through their travels we see the effects of global warming and, in particular, the devastation of famine caused by drought.

Grim is very concerned by the plight of AIDS and persuades Gabriel to do something about it.

Through Saint Gabriel we see the horrific impact of climate change across the world. He realises that the problem lies with the inertia of government, and indeed, the politicians, to do anything about it.

Saint Gabriel is ‘the messenger’, he does not judge. There is no swagger, he rarely shows anger and would never harm anyone but he is still an action man not to be trifled with. He is determined to turn things around and save the world from the perils of global warming.

Saint Gabriel, photo of picture: ‘detail of Gabriel from Leonardo da Vinci’s Annunciation’, Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) Annunciation. Uffizi Gallery, Florence. Author: Raffaele Pagani. Source/photographer: Own Work (Raffaele Pagani). Wikipedia via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0.

Although in the novel set in 2006, Saint Gabriel travels the world in the guise of a tow truck operator, he still displays all the Biblical attributes of the Archangel. He is the ‘Messenger’. He does not judge, he is a man of reason. The tow truck acts as his celestial wings.

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However, St Michael is the patron saint of war and, in the novel, he is the plotter, the schemer, always looking for ways to avert the perils of global warming.

Both Saint Michael and Saint Gabriel cannot forestall climate change. They cannot stop the ice from melting and the oceans from warming, but they can do something for future generations by accommodating what lies ahead.

In 2006, The President of the United States and his White House Administration is mired in war and deaf to any call on climate change.

The Archangels and Jesus realise that they have to change the government’s attitude, change their way of thinking. They have to get politicians off the idea of war and onto climate change.

All the treasure, all the lives and limbs lost in the 2003 invasion of Iraq which was no threat to the US, could have been diverted into infrastructure, the lives of the American people and the planet.

Climate change is the common denominator that will bring the world together. Global warming is just that, global, and the governments of the world have to come together to accommodate what lies ahead. The only alternative is dysfunction, suffering and total disaster.

The battle for Jesus is the battle for humanity, for the planet. We need leadership to unite the world. Politicians must take up the responsibility of our future. They must be held accountable for their actions; that is the mission of Jesus and the Archangels. The question is how to do it?

Photo of picture: ‘Archangel Michael’ by Nikolay Bogatov. Russian and Soviet Artist (1854-1935). Public Domain. Via Wikimedia Commons.

This picture depicts Saint Michael as the protector. He is the patron saint of battle. In the novel, he is the vicar of St Michael’s Crossroads Chapel on the Orchard Road. Even so, he has all the attributes of the Archangel and beneath his persona is a mind with a steel trap. He is tasked by Heaven to avert the perils of climate change/global warming and save the world.

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Global Warming/Climate Change is the biggest overall issue threatening the entire planet.

The extreme weather that is being reported worldwide is developing into extensive long term droughts and forest fires, often followed by intensive flooding that threaten our farms, our streets, our homes and our livelihoods, and can force us to move away from areas that were once liveable.

Photo Courtesy of Mr David Shankbone, (30th October 2012, Hurricane Sandy),CC BY 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.       

Description: Flooded Avenue C at East 6th Street in Manhattan’s East Village neighbourhood of Loisaida, moments before the Con Edison power substation of 14th Street and Avenue C blew up. (Hurricane Sandy Flooding Avenue C, 2012).

Note: as per the description attached to Mr David Shankbone’s photo, taken during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, this photo shows the extent of destruction flooding causes to a city street that, although is in Manhattan, could be anywhere in the world. See the flooded cars and the people braving the situation.

But, take heart, as you can see, the community still keeps going. Folk are resolute, they stick together and get on with things. If the local governance addresses this sort of situation, eg with sea walls, proper drainage to accommodate flash flooding, and facilities to maintain the power, etc, etc, it can be overcome. No easy task, but it can be done. (See blog: Joining the fight against Climate change.)

If nothing is done, global dysfunction will be inevitable. But, again, it can be overcome. We will have to restructure our lives. Refugees due to climate change will become a reality.

The only window of opportunity to counter climate change and avoid the threat to civilisation is now. There is no second chance. Global unification is critical to overcoming this sort of street scene that could be anywhere in the world.

The Battle for Jesus is a surreal story, fiction, but the threats to our existence are real.

The only person that I know of, who actually walked the planet, who is/was inclusive in all things, is/was Jesus. He cared for everyone and made the stand for humanity. It is true, irrefutable, that he died so we might live. In this story, he represents the unifying force that we need to overcome what lies ahead.
The Archangels, Saint Michael and Saint Gabriel arrive to help. But, they admit that they do not know what to do. So, with the help of Mary Magdalene, they build a church. And then Jesus returns to take up the cause.

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