Back at Zeke's, as Father Aviles walked into the bar, he smiled. There right above the television over the bar he saw Zeke hanging up a string of lighted plastic St. Joseph statues. Obviously he just got a new shipment in, and this was a unique addition to his ever growing collection of holiday decorations.
"You know you missed it already." Father Aviles said as he walked inside.
Turning around and climbing back down his step ladder, Zeke smiled. "Father! Good to see you again. Now, what did I miss?"
"Saint Joseph Day, you missed it. That was in March."
"Really, I thought it was in June."
"You are thinking about Saint Anthony, his feast is in June."
"Are you sure? I was an altar boy for many years as a kid." Zeke asked, oddly irritated at being told that he missed the date of Saint Joseph's feast. It was especially odd that he was arguing with a priest since he really did not care that much but only was putting up the decorations to add to his general holiday theme.
Pointing at his collar, Father Aviles laughed. "I bet this trumps altar boy any day of the week."
Seeing this, Zeke smiled and called out "TouchΓ©!" Climbing down from his ladder he walked out from behind the bar with a menu. "So, what brings you in today alone Father."
"Well, I am meeting some people here and I am a bit early."
"I can fire up the grill. We normally don't get a lot of "breakfast" traffic, but for you, I can make an exception."
"Nah, I am more thirsty than hungry."
"Coffee?"
"How about something more frothy."
"Cappuccino?"
"How about beer?"
"Now you are talking! Breakfast of champions I always say, and if you don't mind, I might join you." Zeke exclaimed as he pulled two long necked bottles out of the fridge and popped them open. Sitting down at the table with the priest, he was oddly intrigued. Not a religious man now, he had grown up in the church and somehow having a priest to chat with seemed like the beginning of interesting day. Downing his beer, he asked Father Aviles if he wanted another and to his delight, he eagerly agreed.
After twenty minutes, discussing everything from the potential for the Saint's new football season to the concept of transubstantiation, Leo looked up at the TV and saw the weatherman pointing at a tropical depression forming off of the coast of Africa. Ever since Katrina every resident of the Big Easy had an unhealthy obsession with the weather and almost every house kept a look on the forecasting maps for future trouble constantly. This was especially true during Hurricane season which had just begun a few weeks earlier and already had people slightly on edge.
"So Father, you think The Lord will send his wrath against our city again this year? Is that our doom forming out in the Atlantic?" Zeke asked sarcastically.
"Ah, the nature of evil, the eternal question. I am guessing you hold it against God for the destructive power of nature."
"Damn right I do!" Zeke snapped back. "A lot of my friend's lost their houses, or even some of their family members during Katrina. Where is the mercy of God in that Father?"
Drinking his beer down quickly, the Priest waved the empty bottle and Zeke winked as he got the hint. Getting up from the table, he walked back over to the fridge and got two more.
"Thanks. You know, if I am going to explain the nature of evil and the seeming unfairness of God, I can be a lot more convincing with a few beers in me."
Laughing, Zeke slapped the table hard and playfully punched Father Aviles in the shoulder. "You are a good man, Padre. I like your style."
"Do you believe things happen for a reason Zeke?"
"Maybe, but something like that..."
"Yes, but this world is amazingly complex. In fact, our small human mind cannot possibly comprehend how complex it truly is. Imagine for a minute, that you understood everything that had ever happened in history, and not only that, you also know everything that is happening now and everything that ever will happen. Layer on top of that the interrelated nature of things. Imagine if Hitler had gotten into art school instead of flunking out. Or imagine that Arch Duke Ferdinand's driver had not stopped the car by accident right in front of the bar where his assassin had been eating a sandwich. Or imagine that your mother fell in love with someone other than your father, now add to that the fact that everything that happens effects everything else. Can you honestly say that YOU can understand a system as complicated as that? Most people struggle with a simple crossword puzzle, much less the inter-workings of the entire universe, past present and future."
"Yes, but what are you saying? Are you saying it was God's will that my brother lost his house, or that the lady down the street had to bury her mother because she drowned during a hurricane? How can that be God's will?"
"Suffering is never God's will. God weeps for his children."
"So, God is not in control? See this is what I am talking about Father. How do you, an obvious educated and intelligent man reconcile that. How can a just and loving God allow such horrific tragedies to exist."
"God allows evil to exist because to not would mean we live in a universe without will, without the capacity of choice. God created man in his own image and as such, he gave him the capacity for will, and will means the ability to disobey God."
"So, this evil that happens, this is God's punishment?"
"No, it is not, but it is a function of the existence of evil. People always have an easier time believing in God than they do in Satan or evil. There are dark forces at work in the world, forces that do NOT have our interests at heart. Forces that mean nothing but harm and sin and death."
Gulping down his beer, Zeke smiled. "This is rather deep for morning talk. Still, I don't know. I don't think I buy the whole evil thing anymore that I buy the God deal."
Guzzling down his beer, Father Aviles face turned somber. "Trust me Zeke, evil exists. I have seen it, touched it and been attacked by it. It exists, and, one of the reasons I am here today is to fight it head on."
Seeing the intensity of Father Aviles stare Zeke sobered up. "Ok, I get that, but are you saying Evil is prevailing? I mean, it is not a hard sell to tell me that we live in a fucked up world and evil is afoot. The holocaust proved that a million times over, but... Is evil the force running the world? If evil is so powerful, why worship God who is good? If he is in charge he seems to be doing a pretty piss poor job of it right now."
"God will prevail and does prevail always and forever. Of that, I am supremely confident."
Crooking his eyebrows up, Zeke smirked. "So, how are you so confident? How do you KNOW Good will prevail in the end?"
Laughing, Father Aviles brought out his bible and placed it onto the table. "Well I cheated. I skipped ahead to the end and saw how the whole thing worked out. Warning, I have a major spoiler alert here. Jesus wins in the end."
Both men were still laughing and talking when Jasmine walked in the front door and sighed. "This looks like the beginning of a bad joke. A tattooed ex biker and a Priest walk into a bar and..."
"Jasmine!!! Pull up a chair and join us. Father Aviles and I were just discussing the nature of God, evil and free will..."
Walking over to the table, already in her uniform Jasmine snickered. Picking up a few of the empty bottles she shook her head. "Yeah, I can see it was quite a deep conversation." Turning to the Priest Jasmine smiled. "Good to see you again, Father. What brings you in so early today? You don't seem the booze houndy type."