Purifying the World
In 1476, two men were talking inside a church.
They stopped for a few minutes in front of a painting
portraying two angels descending toward a city, hand in
hand.
“We are living the terror of the bubonic plague,”
said one of them, “people are dying; I don’t want to see
images of angels.”
“This painting is about the plague,” answered the
other, “it is a representation of the Golden Legend. The
angel in red is Lucifer, the Evil One. Observe that he has
a small bag attached to his belt; inside it there is the
epidemic that has devastated our lives and the lives of our
families.”
The man looks the painting carefully. In fact,
Lucifer does bear a small bag; however, the angel that
conducts him has a serene, pacific and illuminated
appearance.
“If Lucifer bears the plague, who is this other
one leading him by the hand?”
“This is the Lord’s Angel, the Messenger of
Goodness. Without his permission, Evil could never manifest
itself.”
“What is he doing then?”
“Showing him the place in which mankind shall be
purified through a tragedy.”