"Friends, old and new, welcome to St. Mary's church." the vicar began, "Today my sermon is different to the one I intended, thanks to the return of our beloved son, Robert Foxworth"
Lazarus looked at Foxworth and the young man appeared to be genuinely embarrassed by the praise he was getting.
"Although", the vicar continued, 'it is not Easter, I have decided to make the theme of my address 'Resurrection.
Resurrection does not just mean returning to life after death, no, no. It can have many meanings. It could be the start of a new life, different from the previous one. As you all know, before I became Vicar of St Mary's, I served in the army and fought in India and Portugal. My calling to the church was my own resurrection.
Resurrection, or rebirth, could be taking your rightful place in the world. Picking up where you left off and putting things right.
Our newly returned son, Robert, has also undergone his own resurrection. We thought he was lost and now he is found. Resurrected to us and to his home. The hero of Talavera has returned, 12 years older, changed yes, but still the young man who grew up surrounded by the love that a village like Stelling Minnis can provide.
The resurrection is something all Christians believe in and Robert's resurrection is proof to us all that miracles can happen."
A murmur of approval went around the church as the congregation almost to every man, woman and child whispered their approval to what the Reverend Parks had said.
"Now my friends" he called out, "I have a special surprise for you. Before the service I asked Mr Foxworth to read the lesson."
Some of the ladies gasped with anticipation as Foxworth rose to his feet and made his way to the lectern. Hush once again fell as he prepared to speak. Even Lazarus, who still felt uneasy about the two women, leaned forward with anticipation of what the man was going to read.
"I shall be reading from The Gospel of Saint Luke, chapter 15, verses 11 to 32."
Lazarus wasn't surprised, it was the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
"And Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants. And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound. But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him! And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"
When Foxworth was finished, he slowly closed the bible and strode back to his seat, which was next to the solicitor who had been charged with finding him, The Reverend got up and started talking again but Lazarus was to distracted by the parable that Foxworth had read. Jacques had preached about it last Easter, back in the church in La Hulpe.
Maybe Foxworth chose it because he saw himself as the prodigal. Maybe it was a coincidence, but Lazarus knew, knew somewhere deep inside, that by discovering Foxworth's secret he would discover his own.
Something else was nagging at him, the two women had looked at him like they knew him and that was something else to investigate. He hoped that if they could help him find out the truth about himself, he hoped the truth was something he would really want to know.
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