Making It Glitter, page 13
I didn’t know what to do with this information. Like, I thought priests and nuns were perfect? “Are you really Father Mateo?”
The deep voice barked out a laugh. “Yes, now let’s finish this and we can talk more outside.” I heard him inhale. “The bishop tells me you were coerced into coming to confession. That you didn’t want to come unless you had to. Is that correct?”
“Well, yeah.” I sighed. “Going to confession isn’t exactly the way I’d spend a Saturday morning.” I peered through the screen, wondering what the man looked like. His voice had a slight accent, and every time he spoke it made me shiver. I caught a glimpse of thick, red lips, but that was about it.
“Maybe you should think of coming here in a different light.” The priest sighed. “When you perform the Sacrament of Penance, you move towards God and his goodness. You are allowing God to know the deepest recesses of your heart and mind.”
I thought God knew all that shit anyway? “Yes, sir.”
That deep laugh rolled through the screen. “This is a good beginning. Now, do you feel contrite, or sorry for cheating on your exam?”
No. But I knew I couldn’t say that.
“Yes, Father.” I inhaled and lied, probably damning myself to hell, but since I was probably going there anyway... “I was wrong to cheat on my exam, and I’ll never cheat on a test again.”
“For penance, I want you to say the rosary, while meditating on deepening your relationship with God. Pray to the virgin to show you a way to allow His goodness to flow through you. Now, let us recite the act of contrition together.”
O my God, I am heartily sorry
for having offended you,
and I detest all my sins
because of your just punishment,
but most of all because they offend you, my God,
Who are all good and deserving of my love.
I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace,
to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin.
By the end of the prayer I felt like I was under a spell. The priest’s voice was so soothing and filled with something I couldn’t put into words. I got to my feet, thinking we were done.
“Hold on, Justin. Let me absolve you of your sin. But, you must promise me again that you will perform your penance.”
“Yes, I promise.” I suddenly felt dizzy.
“God, the Father of mercies,
through the death and resurrection of his Son,
has reconciled the world to himself,
and sent the Holy Spirit among us
for the forgiveness of sins.
Through the ministry of the Church,
may God grant you pardon and peace.
And I absolve you of your sins.”
I raced out of the confessional, hoping there was a parishioner waiting to make confession. That deep voice triggered something in me, and I was nervous to discover what that was. I was a quarter of the way down the aisle when the priest’s voice called out.
“Justin, wait.”
I froze, not wanting to look. I heard footsteps approaching from behind and forced myself to turn around.
“Don’t be afraid to grow closer to God.” He clapped a firm hand on my shoulder and gestured toward the exit. “I’ll walk you out.”
Father Mateo didn’t look like any priest I’d seen before. First, he wasn’t wearing the normal black outfit. He was in a pair of jeans, a red t-shirt, and black leather sandals. His dark hair was clipped short, military style, and he looked like he hadn’t shaved in a week. The priest’s hand felt heavy on my shoulder, and he gently pressed down on it until I started moving toward the exit.
When we stepped outside the California sun was blinding, and I felt sweat dripping down my sides. The firm hand on my shoulder turned me around.
“Do you like playing basketball? Because most of the other priests don’t, and the students are too nervous to hang out with me.” Father Mateo’s skin glowed gold, and I felt something stir inside of me.
“Yeah, sure.” I said, then felt a smile stretch across my cheeks. The priest grinned down at me, with the whitest teeth I’d ever seen. Suddenly there was nothing else on earth I’d rather be doing than hanging out with a man of the cloth.
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about the author
Ian O. Lewis is a bestselling author of LGBTQ fiction. He is originally from Richmond, Virginia but currently resides south of the border in Guadalajara, Mexico. Follow him on social media and sign up for his newsletter to stay informed about new releases and more.
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Ian O. Lewis, Making It Glitter
