Christentine

by Arn

Foundations

Not many ponies with sound solid pony lineages had a hard time to come up with anything wrong with the world, but his congregation was different...they knew too much. His ponies had needs, everyone that had come to him, to that building, to that belief, because it was the only thing that seem to sate that burning, the need for more...more what?

Something cake, nor food,or drink, or spirits nor destiny, nor work, that relationship only for an inkling moment could satisfy. A desire that if you had not work hard to be done for the day collapsing with a snore, would keep you upright crying.

Those times wondering what they were missing, with different motives causing ponies to searching, some leaving house going afield others just out there doors down the streets to the markets. Some to their closets, clean out, finding old papers and writings, not paid attention to before.

Coming here, a place like this, some meandering some with purpose. Some, greedy intent some...other motives, all and all gathering, exploring what their heart was missing.

Life, to have more life!

The burning desire! The good thing inside all good things, life inside love, all desire Imago Die had for his Intercessor and those called He always Imago Dei!

Love is life and God is love. 'He who does not love knows not God, for God is love!" May our love be evident to all!

Yet some would reject it:
'My flesh. My body.My blood.' 'Take the cross up daily' 'Deny one's self' 'Get right with your brothers' your relationships.

Some run from it, some come back, other with anger and vengeance against it and some of those,cooled of,back with them, as well as the others, some.

He smiled,"...but who knew, after so much time, under Celestia's Sun, who was purely pony and who was not?

Sometimes, a pony was just called whether he had nebs or no and not all called were chosen. "Some would be out there with us in part, but never enter his building again." He thoughtfully considered.

However he could not think he was special for his religion or spirituality, he chewed his cheek. Do not be overly proud.
He thought.

'Broken off for me, then be afraid, lest that you be broken off for the one restored!'"

"Believe in the Son, He would come and live inside, then there would be more purpose and you will not need or be as hungry. But you're still there opening the eyes looking finding it hard to believe...you're here."

Dejected again."If I speak in tongues but have not love, I am but a clanging gong or a noisy symbol."

An hour before service the pastor still hadn't come up with a sermon.

~

It had only been a scant few months since Celestia had brought the strange ponies to Equestria, not even time for children and already, great works were going up all over Equestria! Fast advances in medicine and science as well as great public works and competition as ponies woke from their apathy to say, "We, I, can do it better! I can make it better! I can go beyond what is being built! That is silly, this is simpler and works!" And "No! Simply no! Look for yourself the base is to big for the building, to thin, and the structure, inside the cement and fascia, can't take the torquing and stressing. Common sense tells you, to at least, research before building such a tower, let alone let the top..'orbit the planet' ,whatever that means..."

That didn't mean lesser buildings of as much or more import were being built.

"Can you believe such a thing?"said one pone to a brother as they watched the building rise from the carefully hewn stone and well made brick for color."To actual see, before my eyes, some so devoted to building for us a place to worship God, with windows and arches!

From a little cheap house in town too out here this!

Like seeing those of our world build the cathedral, devoted to the perfection of it!" Watching astonished as a pony lay across a wall and dropped a plumb for measure, while holding a stout based torch above, illuminating as brightly as "Christmas Present Ghost's", ponies pushing rock to straight lines, rolling the stone, kneading it like bread, as a pegisi moved and shaped clouds, taking a break and eating to regain strength, then at it again with twice as much tenacity!

Plumb Bob's torch wasn't the only one. Ponies had theirs and massive cauldrons bright enough to light every courtyard in the town stood atop stalagmites piled high by the stone molders, molded of stone themselves looking like ragged moons eclipsing ancient fiery smokey suns!

Shadows danced in Davidic celebration beside the ponies working,cast in the flickering right. They Rolled and surged and jumped the backs of the ponies working in torch flames raising and falling, in similar deferential rites to the Pentecostal!

"Zeal for your house consumes me' as it says in Psalms 69:9 and John 2:17...aye! Just look at them! Hardly a strange pony among us would have done such work! Sneaking off to the site at night to work, good Lord!

Building on a place these caves they, they deemed most sacred for so long!

Of such noble character, surrounded us, we thinking they to harm us!

Taking the book in eager hooves and going back and forth through the pages...some trotting through the pages, he promised not ever again, the laurel wreath, (no better! a simple circlet, who else but a carpenter) is his to keep, an heir loom for his family...finding it fit together so neatly...incredible!
Even my son-in-law,Scrape Sky Made, to my adopted, is awed by the work! 'No better!' In the city of towers we all remember, and a credit to the two!"

"Like the Israelites. They work at night, tending their chores and shoring the walls! Work in one hoof torch in the other!"

"I see the sun!"

Glorious sunrise, the purples and blues breaking into golden yellow, rapidly approaching clouds fat with rain.

"SUNDAY!SUNDAY!SUNDAAAAY!"cried the pony as he raced to the workers to the cacofony of bells and shouts and all manner of noise, as the workers came to a stopping point."ALLL! STOPP! ALL STOPPP!"

The work slowing to a stop, workers and towns folk rushed to areas that had to be shorn up and temporarily made solid as to left hanging. Equestria's ponies could work, how they could work! Day and night and day! Families had to stand on their relatives heads before sunset to make them stop, this went on for weeks with ponies sneaking of to work at all hours of the night.

"Work while you have daylight." Quoted a strange pony. "Do your outdoor work first then work on your house." paraphrased another.

The other was severely rebuked by the ponies for taking scripture out of context. The Quoter was counter quoted.
"You live in paneled houses while the Lords house is in ruin' said the prophet and 'Here I am in a magnificent palace while the Lords Ark dwells in a tent!' said Is Real's great king...how can we do anything but better?"

The strange ponies regretted they had taught the ponies so well, more that they were using scripture to buttress their stubbornness.

Another argument:
" 'In all things do to the glory of God' 'whatever you do, do in faith, for outside of faith is sin''whether eat or drink or sleep, do for the glory of God.' how does it glorify God if work necessary for your families upkeep remains undone?
Just as with you and your marks, we have our vocation and in the vocation God expects us to worship him!" this was agreeable to the ponies on whole.

They would hold a lottery, who could work on the building, while paying those who would work on town upkeep and small groups work on weeknights under the lights.

"Saturday we party all night long!"

"Fine?" shrugged the strange ponies,"Don't see what that has to do with building God's Church anyway but okay."

It was Saturday...they were allowed all night. So this was how they chose to party!

Finally, it was the brilliant concept of the Sabbath preserving health and keeping the workers from self inflicted exhaustion,

"No one will do this work on Sunday!"

Get the ponies a little food a little drink, soft cushions and soon they would be asleep, with the congregation hovering round with hymns and lessons and preaching to make certain of Sunday's rest!

Families rushed forward grabbing their kith, lifting high overhead, some squirming and complaining as the workers were rushed along to great tents were tubs awaited. First bath to take off some grime and banish the smell!

What a spectacle! All the movement!
Pegisus dragging in rain clouds to dose the flaming moons with promises of excitement to little ones eagerly below, catching warm water. Scrambling away to get the hot water to expectant bathers.

They would be allowed to throw embers relighting the flames, from their excited hooves. Bright eyes shining for coming adventure in the burst fire and exhilaration of the cauldrons pylon course in a pegisus tight hold at speed, dodging!

The congregation set seats and cushions for an audience...at the head by the podium the pastor set up a table with some bread, his son and friends ran back for the huge rimmed barrel, somehow forgotten( or wanted to show how strong they were for the young fillies) to carry on their backs, enough drink for all.

As he laid out the bread, he worried. Maybe he shouldn't have let the young colts go off like that, pastor was concerned:
'Take the Lord's supper in a holly and honorable way.'

As he arrived at the place where the barrel was carefully set, he was impressed by the stern ceremony by which they carried the barrel and his son hovering over the whole procedure as they lit the barrel on its stand.

"Gently!" He would cry."Don't jostle it! Remember Uzzi son of David! Please, remember God's promises and that he keeps them!"

Maybe he might make a good pastor someday. If it ever left his family, which was necessary and important to do so, let it pass to worthy hooves. "If possible, let my family leave the post honorably."

As a deacon led a procession of volunteer ponies to fill pitchers for the Lord's table, the pastor took the young colts aside encouraged them and prayed with them so that they may participate at the Lord's table in a honorable and holly manner. Expressing his love and concern for their welfare and blessing them.

He returned to the head of the congregation to see all was ready.

He put the wrapped bread down in loves on a long tray, opened the cloth on one and inspected it wrapping it up again. He chuckled. "They would be the strange ponies where we come from!" He looked up to see his congregation coming, wrapped up tastefully in towels, their little ones by their sides, some ponies in some finery made to look from his world under the glorious wide sky a glow.

"The bread of life." He said looking back at the loaves. "When we came here out under that sky Easter, we were thinking of preaching another sermon!"

~

The door flew open his wife came in at a panic, other assistants peered in waiting on what to do.
"Husband!" Cried Maples."There is someone in the hall! They want to speak to you!"
"Well tell them they have to wait till after church. Still trying to forge this sermon...."he said chewing his cheek.

~

Maples had a big red leaf on her bum.
Many thought they made a good pair because the pastor had a huge flaky biscuit illustrated on his!

It had nothing to do with maple syrup, no!

Her's was the mark of the proud family of the Canned...what Canned had to do with Maple leaves no pony could guess, long ago the family had given up explaining! Every year they would gather to celebrate their maple leaves and their illustrious Canned history!

"I a proud member of those of the North." said the Filly proudly.

"Lot's of places has a North.."Retorted the colt, Biscuit.

"That's...that's silly!"said Maples.

"Nuhu!"

"Uhhu!"

(Insert typical childish angst here.)

"Oh Canned Aha" And then tell mixed up tales of dark woods, a lit sky, and a night that would last a season and a place called Quebec...

Second time she almost lost him to a Pegisis at a Church raffle, challenged her to a head bonking contest.

"I bought him he's mine."

"Ptt...it doesn't work that way! Besides what would you do with him?"

The Pegisi leared.

Maples won before thing got out of hoof.

"Your mine!" she said,through a mouth full of lose teeth before passing out on Biscuits back as senior deacons and overseers came to see what the hubbub was about.

Ahem. That is another story!

~

"But Darling!"she gasped at the office door exasperated."Its the Princess!"

Comments

[Arn]

As quiet as a Sunday school lesson with a bunch of public school students asking questions.