The Search for an Unexplainable Entity

Chapter I

The Dream

It was Friday, September 9, 2083, and I decided to get away for several hours from the grueling quest my brothers and I had been searching all week regarding what really existed in the universe around us that has beguiled intelligent minds for many centuries. Is there life elsewhere in this vast and seemingly ever-growing span of outer space? And if so what can it be likened to?

My trip along the Pacific Coast Highway was pleasant and my usual retreat was not too far down the road to which I could always look forward with uninterrupted seclusion and much needed rest. I arrived and stretched out for what I hoped would ease the tensions of a week-long tenuous examining of outer space. My eyes closed as I quickly succumbed to a much sought after siesta, until the warm breezes off the Pacific Ocean crossed my face and the sound of sea gulls disturbed the calm afternoon that had allowed me to sleep, probably for what seemed like moments, but in reality it was around two hours. As I tried to recollect the un-nerving dream, that was interrupted by wind and the cawing of the sea gulls, the quest of my trying to understand the various points my mind had painted in my memory took me back to a time when there was nothing but space. At least that’s what seemed to cross the blankness of thoughts from some type of disturbing actions, that most dreams usually create.

The trip back from the beautiful seascape, that often called my attention, was spent pondering the objectives that appeared in pieces of my memory from the dream I had just been awakened from. It wasn’t as though a dream could have an effect on me, but this one was haunting, because there appeared to exist something very deep and spiritual, and being in a religious order that dealt with many theological questions regarding the future of the Church and our place in the order of things beyond us, the need to pursue this provoking dream became urgent.

As I arrived at the monastery, a very secluded environment in the hills of northern California, I noticed the sky was growing dark and the threat of an ensuing storm appeared imminent. The impending storm suddenly opened to me a point I almost forgot relating to the dream. A flashback to an incident of the dream became real and I had to sit down as there was more than thunder and lightning from what I had visualized, and the memories were daunting.

Have you ever had a recurrence of an unpleasant event, be it real or thought provoking, and felt chills run up your spine or the sense that something was about to become more than you were ready to confront? That’s exactly how my feelings were affecting me at that moment. I wasn’t certain why this storm presented violence to my psyche but I can tell you it was not something I wanted to confront at this moment.

During our studies concerning things beyond the normal existence of science, theology, and the mixture of the unknown in our Universe my brothers and I were impressed at how much the center of God’s World unfolded at times and confronted our deepest intellect towards the search for answers we may never really comprehend. But we prayed for guidance and never once put God’s intervention outside of our thoughts and the quest to learn and understand what might lie beyond.

But, now this storm gave me a disturbing feeling because the signs in my dream began to take fruition of an impending invasion from outer space and there appeared to be ominous sounds emitting from some sort of space-craft weaving it’s way towards the Earth. It was similar to lightning and thunder of a severe storm that awakened deep fear within me, quickly and intimidating. As I sat and watched the storm clouds moving very fast with fury and intensity I could only share and wonder what the next flash of memory would present itself and open more trepidation and cautious visions.

Another vision popped into my mind, from the dream, and even though the space-craft didn’t land there were faces of some type at what appeared to be windows along the side of this craft, but not windows as we might describe them. It seemed you could view something peering out, yet not like us looking and still communicating telepathically. Very unnerving and yet intriguing.

Was this to be a future conclusion or beginning of living beings from somewhere in the universe entering our Solar System, or from right in our own Milky Way? Could this be the answer to questions scientists and theologians have wrestled with for centuries? Is God allowing the expanse of outer space to come together in some fashion of collective creation? Is this finally the opening of life beyond our confines of Earth and a revelation that perhaps God is not in a box, and we may not be the only beings to share His Kingdom?

After some time the storm finally passed, leaving the fresh smell of nature cleansing itself and allowing me time to relax and little by little recount the events of the dream, putting each incident on paper without reading too much into what I had experienced. Then when my brothers would return on Monday we could collectively take the events apart and add this information to the many volumes of work we had already been working on

Chapter II

The Seminary Conclave

Monday, September 12, 2083, the house came alive, as the smell of bacon and eggs cooking, coffee, fresh hot coffee, and freshly baked rolls, filled the halls of the seminary. One could not remain sleeping with such aroma that titillated the senses.

I quickly jumped out of bed, showered and completed the necessary obligations, after rising refreshed from a week-end of constant thrashing over the events of Friday, the dream, the storm, and the visions that still remained affixed so clearly in my mind. My arrival to the dining room found my brothers, those who didn’t prepare the breakfast, coming in from their respective bedrooms, ready for a good meal and hopefully a day of prayer and work regarding our common thrust of seeking answers. Following the blessing for breakfast one of my brothers, Fr. Michael Spincer, asked how my week-end went. There must have been a heavy-heart appearance on my face as the rest looked stunned as they viewed my face and said nothing. After recollecting my thoughts of the past few days and the experience with my dream, visions, and personal thoughts, I began revealing what had occurred and gave some indication that nothing but fear had me in turmoil instead of relaxation while the rest were away.

We retired to the large oval-shaped solarium, where our thoughts of the day or the current scrutinies could be examined, and each would, in turn, give a short reflection for the rest to comprehend and reflect on. Of course, when it came to me, my demeanor showed excitement, but profound illusion of something from a world beyond anything the rest had even remotely considered. So, I tried as best as possible to recount Friday starting with my drive down the Pacific Coast Highway, the desire to relax for a while, the disturbance of warm ocean breezes and the cawing of Sea Gulls disturbing my daunting dream. Then, as I drove back events from the dream kept annoying me if anything, and of course the storm coming and the violence its threats seemed to present, and how thoughts would not let my conscience relax from the visions of the dream. Obviously I talked longer than usual and the words were poignant enough to keep the attention of my brothers fixed on every word, hand movements, and facial expressions, that it was likened to an exhortation from a gifted orator. It wasn’t like I didn’t have experience in preaching, but everything I explained grasped their deep intellect and desire to join me in some spiritual manner as if to enter into my very cranium and share this exciting and prolific dream. Was it real? Will it occur again? Is this the beginning of something new and perhaps an answer to what each of us had been searching for all this time?

Later that day, after breakfast and the daily chores each was assigned to, Fr. Fredrick and I proceeded to the small, but ornate roof top room that once served as an old lighthouse for ships, now replaced by a more modern and prestigious facility to warn sailors of land nearby. We began, as usual, to scan the sky for anything that might ignite our imaginations and even though we were not sure what our viewing would present our curiosity became as prayer, sharing God’s world as a sort of contemplation. It fulfilled the need to search the world around us and to fill the contemplative ministry we all shared. Always we were in prayer, in our way with the guidance of the Holy Spirit at our side.

Fred looked up and said; “Ralph, what are you looking at?” He could see my eyes peering at some far off object that had my attention glued to something that I didn’t even hear his question. Whatever it was, my focus was deeply intent on following the movement as it drew closer to our location. There was no storm today, not even a Cirrus Cloud could be seen; the sky was so clear. I asked Fred if he noticed what I was looking at and finally he acknowledged a strange looking object moving in our direction, not too fast, but steadily aiming as if we were a target to reach out and connect with. Could this be similar to what I saw in my dream? Could the dream actually have been a premonition or divine inclination of something deeper than our finiteness could imagine? Was this going to be friendly or antagonistic? Our knees began to collectively knock and our hearts were beating like something defined in the Book of Revelation during the Seven Bowls of Fury.

What seemed to be a long time Fred and I could only look, pray, and hope that whatever was coming would be an hallucination and not something so real that we and our brothers might be taken alive or worse, all of humanity would become prisoners to an invading entity that could begin a new captivity of the human race. I didn’t even realize that behind us were standing Fr. Michael and the other brothers who somehow were drawn into the small space that Fred and I were already standing. What did this mean?

We watched, in trepidation, but also with inquisitiveness as a large shadow seemed to envelop not just the roof-top of the seminary, but the entire building covering us in darkness, yet there appeared to be natural light illuminating the complete area and one could just imagine what was coming next.

Our rosaries in hand, and all of us gathered close together we began to do what our senses told us; pray and remember the words of Jesus; “Fear is useless, what is needed is trust.”

Chapter III

The Encounter

Standing motionless for a few moments our sense of listening for what was to come next had us trying to decide what our action should be. Harry began shifting around to see if any doorway to our little sanctuary on the roof-top would open, although he moved cautiously and quietly. But as he approached the first of only two doors he thought he heard a noise on the other side. We all stopped moving and held our breath. No more noise appeared to be coming from anywhere and Harry attempted to open the door. No luck as something wouldn’t allow the door to open, even though there was no type of lock on this door. Michael moved to the only other door and found the same dilemma; no luck on opening that door as well. Next one of the brothers tried using his cell phone to no avail. Somehow this strange covering over the entire building was keeping any electronic communication from being sent. It was as though we were in a bubble of some type and all means of escaping were in place via an unknown phenomena.

We decided to just sit down and pray; as the five of us, priests with sound doctrine and faith, felt we were being tested, but by what we couldn’t discern. Louis, the oldest brother, said; “Let’s wait for a while to see if whomever or whatever is controlling this entity will attempt to communicate with us. After all, if a power or some kind of life-organism is able to maneuver this entity and stop all communication to the outside world we can do no more than wait.” There was total agreement with his wisdom. At least we did not feel threatened and it was comfortable even though the outside or for that matter the inside of our monastery was beyond any comprehension of night or day, time or life as we knew it to be.

Sleep seemed to come upon all of us, at least no one was talking. I don’t know how long the five of us had slept but we became aware that suddenly we were not alone in the room any longer. What ever life form was present we were unable to clearly see since the natural light that had been with us appeared to diminish so only silhouettes could be detected. Of course the presence of an unknown confronting us became fearful, but in some way we didn’t feel threatened. No sounds were detected from this entity but it was communicating with each of us, simultaneously, and an understanding became obvious as we could respond back without opening our mouths. It was as if telepathy became the vehicle and without warrant the cover that had been over the monastery suddenly lifted and the sunlight was once again shining and birds could be heard chirping as we never heard them before. There was a real sense of peace and the trepidation that seemed to envelop each of us was gone. The strange entity that had been communicating with us also could not be found as it left with the strange cover as well.

We immediately went down to the solarium and after some intensive prayers began to attempt to unravel this latest encounter. One thing we all learned, by way of this silent communication, was whatever or whomever was to return at a time we would learn, but unable to know now when that would occur.

Questions became the thrust of the afternoon, and at least we discovered what time it had become. One thing was apparent, we didn’t know how long our captivity, if you want to call it that, lasted. Was this God sending angels to us preparing for a new millennium? Were we being chosen to prepare the world for something predicted such as the Parousia? If this encounter would have been evil, I don’t believe there would have been as much peace. Will this entity reveal itself and will we be able to sustain our sanity with such existence beyond any understanding we collectively have?

One big outstanding question we all agreed on was do we continue our quest into the unknown or wait for this next encounter and prepare for a new direction from our ministry? How does one reach a discernment such as this without the very presence of God’s Holy Spirit taking over the reigns of the direction we should be going. We agreed then that a lot of prayer for discernment was in order, and we began, as never before, to pray with contemplation and fasting.

My own thoughts were clear about which direction all of us might be called to follow. After all, our primary task has been, besides contemplative prayer, to attempt real discernment of the Church’s place in this world of uncertainty and the future of leading by trust in God and His revealing to us the question of other life in this universe we call home.

Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you, Alleluia! The words kept ringing in my mind and the meaning became so clear that the real discernment lay not in our thoughts, but perhaps in our hearts. Were we so eager to find an answer to what has been a mystery for centuries, and not seeing the the forest because of the trees? We might have been looking for answers outside of us without finding them within ourselves. It was time to reflect within the depth of the experience and deep faith in God that had been pecking away at our minds without understanding the urgings of the Spirit that resided within us. I quickly called my brothers to share these latest thoughts and wait for this next encounter that surely would come sooner than we had expected.

Chapter IV

The Entity Returns

Six months had elapsed since an encounter with that entity that all but gave us goose bumps, yet allowed our feelings to become enthralled with something which could be an opening into a new type of ministry, and perhaps fulfill what we had been searching for all these years since moving into this old monastery seeking God’s purpose as priests in an ever-changing world.

As I reflect back the date was 2075 when the five of us decided to live together, sharing a common priesthood in a church that had experienced a large drop-off of attendance at Mass and Sacraments. What happened to the faith of our people and where was the Church going in this late 21st century? That became the impetus for making a decision to get together and share our ordination gifts in a direction that might uncover some answers, although now there were more questions than answers.

Now it’s late February 2084, and the weather is like Fall; the ground is crispy to walk on making outdoor activities shorter, but easier to reflect while taking quick strolls and feeling the chilling breeze across our faces. At times that cool weather helps sharpen the mind and creates a keener thought process for sharing the day’s challenges.

I had walked for about an hour, longer than usual in the cold air, and was about to start back when something caught my peripheral vision towards the ocean. I stopped and turned to see a familiar spot in the sky, but not a usual sight. Could it be a return of the entity that we had been expecting and was it going to be a welcoming event?

Quickly I reentered the monastery and called to my brothers announcing what I had just witnessed. They gathered around as we peered through the window facing the ocean. At first glance we saw nothing and waited with baited breath, hearts pumping faster than usual, and our hands getting sweaty. Our minds were asking; “when will this thing land, or how will we know it’s what we had experienced before?” “What type of communication would be forthcoming this time?”

For a moment I reflected on a late 20th century movie; “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” I chuckled to myself and thought, no!

Hours passed and nothing out of the ordinary appeared before us. Was this thing an hallucination or was it real? When will it become a reality and how are we to respond? My brothers began looking at me with dubious eyes beaming looks of doubts to my own sanity. Maybe I was too eager to have a return visit and imagined what I saw was just that, an imagination.

As dusk began to settle in, and the days stress appeared to be too much, one by one each of us started to nod off and finally sleep overtook the suspenseful waiting.

It must have been late night when I was awakened by a strange glow of light like nothing I had ever experienced. Bright to say the least, but not blinding as flood lights shining in my eyes. Once my vision cleared there were two persons (I say persons since there was no plausible way to describe them with normal details) standing before me and I couldn’t even shout to my brothers who were in a deep sleep. Because there hadn’t been any noise their entrance remained silent and unobtrusive.

One told me (telepathically) to get up and follow them. Doing as I was instructed, the three of us emerged through what appeared to be a door, but not a door as humans understand the term. After walking for what seemed minutes I was told to sit in a most unique chair or comforter and felt myself being secured by someone or something, yet not seeing anyone but these two beings. Now I must say that if I was asked to describe them intelligently I would be at a loss. However, there was no fear and I experienced a peacefulness unlike anything on earth.

Who are these beings and what is their mission, if indeed it is such, and if so where did they come from? Is God part of this abduction, if it could be called that, and what is my/our purpose in all that began six months ago on the Pacific Coast Highway?

Then, the feeling of movement could be sensed and I realized whatever type of spaceship or hovering craft we were in had left the monastery and once airborne the windows that I has seen in my vision became reality. Yes, they were windows, but not windows. No glass and yet one could peer out and no doubt, as in my dream, others could possibly see in as well. So many new innovations that cannot be described in human terms but describable nonetheless.

The desire to speak with my captors consumed much of my time, but they were not in close proximity to my location, and I figured when the time came to communicate they would initiate it. So I waited, wondering what Michael, Fred, Harry, and Louis were doing and were they looking for me, confused, forlorn, and very disturbed. Where is Ralph, they would ask, and what is happening to us?

Chapter V

A New Jerusalem?

Sleep took over my interest and wondering regarding all that had just occurred and there is no doubt it was a much needed requirement. There was no dream this time, just a relaxed atmosphere. I felt a nudge on my arm, the first time anything physical happened to me from any of these beings. Looking up, I saw for the first time a very visible person who appeared to be smiling down at me. As I surveyed the face there was no mouth or ears; only eyes that peered deeply into my persona and made me feel very relaxed. Then entering the area where I had been sitting came several more persons, each looking exactly alike, smiling and also not causing any type of threatening gestures; just friendliness and most of all peace.

They urged me to rise from my chair and follow them into a much larger area which contained massive windows, again not glassy type openings, but nevertheless allowing an expansive view of outer space in a way that didn’t represent anything even seen in our modern planetariums.

As I observed the spectacular view of the universe from a perspective never imagined one of the persons, who might have been in charge, began to dialogue with me, of course using telepathy. For simplification I will name this person as a male gender, even though there was no difference among any of them. He said he was an angel of God, the same God most people on earth believe in and pray to. This mission, one of the questions my brothers and I had talked about, was to assure me, and those I would be returning to, that a new step in God’s Plan was about to begin. The sights that would soon appear outside these large windows would detail a new church for the world, but know that with God there is no time and space; all is ever present with God. So what will appear to be in my future is already here.

Remembering that in this spaceship we were beyond time, it would be impossible to now recount events in time segments, as we on earth do. A brilliant array of something so welcoming and wanting suddenly appeared and as if looking through a large microscope many people, their gender or status not visible, were freely moving around, communicating with one another and reflecting nothing but eternal peace and happiness. If this was a sign of a future church (future only to earth-held people) this surely is what our ministry should entail, and speaking to my brothers regarding this would be my first assignment.

We moved on further and the presence of space filled with myriads of angels, not all looking as my captors, but no doubt part of God’s Kingdom even in outer space. Of course, again God is not limited to time and space, so the sight of what I called space is not understandable. But, everywhere we seemed to travel peace, pure unblemished peace existed. If only that alone could be sold as a goal to earthlings who were intent on violence and control of others, perhaps wars and murders, hatred and revenge would cease.

The next thing that came into view was the sign of a Cross. It wasn’t like the cross was hanging in space, but visible as a reminder to all the people I had just viewed. It was in front of a large gate that might have been the way into this paradise where they lived. The cross was all gold, and became the reason the people who were here had been saved. As a priest, scripture and the tradition of the Church suddenly came alive and made me feel glad that I indeed was an ordained minister of the Church and my ministry was from God’s Holy Spirit.

I felt the spacecraft settling back on earth, but looking outside there was nothing familiar. I waited for a time (now time and space were relevant) and awaited some direction from my angels The one I supposed was in charge came over and told me my brothers were no longer alive, since we now were over 100 years later from the time we left.

My new ministry would be given to me with new friends and the Holy Spirit would guide my steps as the sights I just viewed would become the impetus for the future of the Church. I was now the modern evangelist preaching peace and sighting examples of my visit in the future. I stepped out of the spacecraft and immediately met several young priests who told me they had a vision and I was the result of this new ministry they too had been called to.