Published: Nov 11, 2024

My one-hundred and sixty-eighth caption, featuring something a little more spiritual. Obviously this is based heavily off of Catholicism, but I'm not pointing any specific way or making any comments or "critiques". Just seemed like a fun idea to write about.

All image credits go to Chowbie. I claim no ownership over the image used. Please support the artist!

All image credits go to their respective artists. I have and never will claim ownership over any image I've used or modified for a caption, and I always encourage you to check out the artist and their wider body of work when possible.

You had been a loyal follower of the Church your whole life, stretching back to your younger, formative years. Though initially you never paid it much mind, that changed when you nearly died at the ocean when vacationing with your family one year. A combination of strong rip currents and a body board dragging you out into the open ocean caused the ground to disappear from under you, causing you to fall in. It wasn’t your parents’ fault, you were warned not to go out too far, and you willfully disobeyed them, thinking you could handle yourself. You thought you were going to die as your head went under and you swallowed a mouthful of saltwater, but just as everything began to go black, you saw a white-clad figure approaching you, holding out a hand towards you. Moments later, you woke back up on the beach, surrounded by people, including your parents. Your experience solidified you as a religious man.

After attending Seminary for several years and formally joining the Church, you decided to travel the world as a Missionary and spread your faith. In the modern day, with all the technology connecting human beings together across such long distances, you’d think that people would be more spiritual, able to exchange their experiences with God all across the world. Instead, this technology created immense barriers between people, making them cynical, mean, and skeptical. It seemed that Missionaries like yourself had become more needed than ever in a world filled with selfishness, spite, and anger. Your travels eventually took you to one of the more downtrodden parts of the world, one that had been going through a long war. While doing your best to help provide medical aid for wounded soldiers and civilians, an artillery shell tore apart the aid station you were in, killing you and everyone else instantly. However, instead of being claimed by a cold, emotionless void like some believed happened after death, your spirit and others from the aid station were plucked from the Earth and taken to Heavens. Before you even knew you had died, you found yourself standing in a land of light and clouds. You looked down at yourself, seeing you were now dressed in pure white. Part of you wanted to shed a tear, emotions torn between Heaven and Earth.

“MY CHILD.” A booming voice spoke as you turned around to see a bright light approaching. It was blinding, but you felt no pain gazing into it.

“M-My Lord…” You stammered, still struggling to come to terms with all of this as you dropped to your knees. “I am unworthy of your presence!”

“RISE, CHILD.” They commanded, getting me back to my feet again. “YOU HAVE PROVED YOURSELF MORE THAN WORTHY OF OUR LOVE.”

“T-Thank you.” You said with a lowered head, hands still held together in prayer. “Is there something you wish for me, my Lord?”

“WE HAVE COME TO OFFER YOU A CHOICE, CHILD.” The light boomed, enveloping you. “WE ARE IN NEED OF A MISSIONARY, ONE WHO CAN SPREAD OUR LOVE AND LIGHT. YOUR SOUL IS PURE, FREE OF DOUBT OR MALICE. WE WISH TO OFFER YOU A CHANCE AT REBIRTH, TO BECOME A LIVING SAINT WHO WILL TRAVEL THE EARTH TO SPREAD HOPE, HAPPINESS, AND HEALTH TO ALL YOU MEET. SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO REFUSE, YOU WILL REMAIN IN HEAVEN AND LIVE WITH YOUR LOVED ONES IN ETERNITY, BUT IF YOU ACCEPT, YOU WILL BECOME A BEACON OF OUR WILL AND LOVE FOR ETERNITY.”

You pondered what your Lord was asking of you for a moment, but the choice was never really in doubt to you. You were but a humble servant.

“I accept your offer, my Lord.” You said, bowing your head to them respectfully. “I shall do whatever you require of me and more.”

“VERY WELL, MY CHILD. WALK INTO THE LIGHT, AND BE TRANSFORMED INTO A TRUE SERVANT OF GOD.” They commanded, doing just that.

Proceeding into the light, you were surrounded by a deep, enveloping warmth. You felt yourself changing, becoming something else, something more than you had been before. Eventually, the light faded and moved away from you, revealing your new form. To your shock, you were met with the sight of two breasts, covered in a silky white “dress”. Your hips had grown, your legs were thicker, and long gray hair now hung from the top of your head. You had shrunk in overall size and height, but now possessed long, white wings, similar to that of a classical Angel. You were beyond confused.

“M-M-My L-Lord, this outfit is… unbecoming of one of y-your servants, is it not?” You stuttered, not wanting to come off as disrespectful.

“IN THIS ”MODERN WORLD” YOU COME FROM, WE MUST MAKE CHANGES TO OUR TRADITIONS IF WE ARE TO SPREAD OUR LOVE TO ALL.” They reasoned, true doubt briefly filling your mind. It seemed so… inappropriate for a servant of God to wear this. “YOUR TRANSFORMATION IS NOW COMPLETE. YOU ARE NOW A LIVING SAINT, HENCEFORTH KNOWN AS SAINT AISURU. YOU WILL SPREAD HOPE, HAPPINESS, AND HEALTH TO ALL YOU MEET.”

“Y-Yes, my Lord. I will not fail you.” You mustered up, holding your hands together as their warmth enveloped you yet again, whisking you away.

You blinked, finding yourself right back in the remains of the field hospital where you and others had perished. You glowed in the darkness, finding a small boy beneath the rubble who had survived the impact. You used your new strength to effortlessly remove the rubble, holding out your hand to him.

“My child, take my hand and walk with me. I will protect you.” You told him, his eyes glistening with tears. As he looked at you, his tears subsided, his sadness being replaced with equal parts peace and awe at your divine form. He accepted your gesture, his cuts, bruises, and other injuries healing instantly.

The boy, Nathaniel, became your first follower, the first of many, as you calmly led the sick and wounded from that awful place. For the next few years, you did much of what you used to do in your old life, traveling from place-to-place as a Missionary, though you knew in your heart that you were no longer one of them. You were something different now, somewhere between a Human being and an Angel. Word of your divine miracles spread like wildfire, and the Church wasted no time canonizing you, despite not “technically” being dead, and capitalizing on your popularity. Your love and affection for humanity was unstoppable, and you knew you were making the world a better place, one saved life at a time…