The Devil Meets an Angel (Chapter 5)

Angela followed Father Michael to his office, feeling confused and scared. She had received a phone call from Dante, who claimed to be her boyfriend and said he wanted to talk to her. He said he had something important to tell her and asked her to meet him at the church. She agreed, hoping he would explain himself and apologize for his lies.

But when she arrived at the church, she was greeted by a priest instead of Dante. Father Michael introduced himself and said he was a friend of Dante's. He said Dante had asked him to talk to her first, before they met.

Angela didn't understand what was going on. She didn't trust Father Michael or Dante. She wanted to leave, but she also wanted to hear what they had to say.

She followed Father Michael into his office and sat down on a chair. He closed the door behind them and sat down on his desk.

"Angela, I know this must be very hard for you," he said gently. "But I'm here to help you. I'm here to tell you the truth."

Angela looked at him with suspicion and said, "What truth? What are you talking about?"

Father Michael sighed and said, "The truth about Dante. The truth about who he really is."

Angela felt a surge of anger and said, "I already know who he really is. He's the devil. He told me himself."

Father Michael shook his head and said, "No, Angela. He's not the devil. He's not even human."

Angela felt a shock of disbelief and said, "What? What do you mean?"

Father Michael took a deep breath and said, "Dante is an angel. A fallen angel."

Angela gasped and said, "An angel? A fallen angel? How is that possible?"

Father Michael said, "It's a long story, but I'll try to explain it as briefly as I can. Dante was once one of God's most beloved angels. He was beautiful, powerful, and loyal. He was God's right hand, his messenger, his son."

Angela listened with fascination and horror.

Father Michael continued, "But then something happened that changed everything. Something that made Dante rebel against God and fall from grace. Something that made him become the leader of the fallen angels, the ones who followed him in his rebellion. Something that made him become the enemy of God and humanity."

Angela asked, "What happened? What made him do that?"

Father Michael looked at her with sadness and said, "He fell in love with you."

Angela felt a jolt in her chest and said, "Me? He fell in love with me? How? When?"

Father Michael said, "Before you were born. Before you were even conceived. Before time itself began."

Angela felt dizzy and said, "I don't understand. How can that be?"

Father Michael said, "You see, Angela, you are not an ordinary human being. You are a special creation of God. You are his masterpiece, his favorite daughter, his pride and joy."

Angela felt overwhelmed and said, "I am?"

Father Michael nodded and said, "Yes, you are. You are the embodiment of God's love for humanity. You are the personification of his grace and mercy. You are the manifestation of his beauty and goodness."

Angela felt humbled and said, "I am?"

Father Michael smiled and said, "Yes, you are. And God loved you so much that he gave you a gift. A gift that no other human being has ever received or ever will receive."

Angela asked, "What gift?"

Father Michael said, "The gift of free will."

Angela felt confused and said, "Free will? But don't all human beings have free will?"

Father Michael shook his head and said, "No, they don't. Not really. They have the illusion of free will, but they are still bound by God's plan for them. They are still subject to his will for them."

Angela asked, "And I'm not?"

Father Michael said, "No, you're not. You are truly free to choose your own destiny. You are truly free to love whoever you want."

Angela felt curious and said, "And why did God give me this gift?"

Father Michael said, "Because he wanted you to be happy. Because he wanted you to experience true love. Because he wanted you to find your soulmate."

Angela felt hopeful and said, "And who is my soulmate?"

Father Michael looked at her with pity and said,

"Dante."

Angela felt stunned and said,

"Dante? Dante is my soulmate? How can that be?"

Father Michael said,

"Because he was the first one who saw you. Because he was the first one who loved you. Because he was the first one who chose you."

Angela felt incredulous and said,

"But how did he see me? How did he love me? How did he choose me?"

Father Michael said,

"He saw you in God's mind. He loved you in God's heart. He chose you in God's will."

Angela felt bewildered and said,

"I don't understand. What do you mean?"

Father Michael said,

"Before God created the world, he had a vision of you. A vision of his perfect daughter, his ideal partner, his ultimate creation. He shared this vision with his angels, and they all marveled at your beauty and grace. But none of them loved you as much as Dante did. Dante was captivated by you, enchanted by you, obsessed with you. He wanted to be with you, to know you, to make you his. He asked God to let him have you, to let him be your mate. But God refused. He said you were his alone, his precious jewel, his sacred treasure. He said no one could have you, no one could touch you, no one could claim you. He said he would create a world for you, a world where you would be happy and free, a world where you would find your true love among the humans he would make for you. He said he would give you a gift, a gift that would make you unique and special, a gift that would allow you to choose your own destiny and your own lover. He said he would give you free will."

Angela felt amazed and said,

"And then what happened?"

Father Michael said,

"Then Dante became angry. He became jealous of God and of the humans he would create for you. He became resentful of God's plan for you and of the gift he would give you. He became rebellious against God's authority and against his love for you. He decided to challenge God and to defy him. He decided to take what he wanted and to make it his own. He decided to take you and to make you his own."

Angela felt scared and said,

"And how did he do that?"

Father Michael said,

"He gathered his followers, the angels who shared his feelings and his ambitions, and he waged a war against God and his loyal angels. He fought for your sake, for your love, for your soul. He fought with all his might, with all his power, with all his cunning. He fought until he was defeated, until he was cast out of heaven, until he was banished to hell."

Angela felt sorry and said,

"And then what happened?"

Father Michael said,

"Then Dante became bitter. He became hateful of God and of the humans he had created for you. He became spiteful of God's plan for you and of the gift he had given you. He became vengeful against God's authority and against his love for you. He decided to ruin God's creation and to corrupt it. He decided to ruin your happiness and to destroy it. He decided to ruin your soulmate and to take him away from you."

Angela felt angry and said,

"And how did he do that?"

Father Michael said,

"He corrupted the world with sin and evil. He tempted the humans with lies and deception. He seduced them with lust and greed. He made them turn away from God and from each other. He made them suffer and die."

Angela felt disgusted and said,

"And then what happened?"

Father Michael said,

"Then Dante became bored. He became tired of his wickedness and of his cruelty. He became weary of his loneliness and of his misery. He became restless of his imprisonment and of his torment. He decided to seek a new challenge and to find it. He decided to seek a new thrill and to enjoy it. He decided to seek a new love and to win it."

Angela felt curious and said,

"And how did he do that?"

Father Michael said,

"He escaped from hell and came to earth. He disguised himself as a human and mingled with them. He searched for you among them and found you."

Angela felt shocked and said,

"And then what happened?"

Father Michael said,

"Then Dante became happy. He became hopeful of his redemption and of his salvation. He became grateful of your presence and of your kindness. He became faithful of your trust and of your love. He decided to tell you the truth and to face it. He decided to ask for your forgiveness and to earn it. He decided to ask for your love and to deserve it."

Angela felt confused and said,

"And then what happened?"

Father Michael looked at her with compassion and said,

"Then I called him."