Illumination

The sun was setting in the sky, and several of the brothers were hurriedly covering the windows before they went to the sanctuary for the night. The holy vigil for the new year was about to begin, yet James remained at his desk, his quills colorful with the inks he had selected for this particular manuscript.  He bent close in the fading twilight, but he did not really need to use his eyes. The sound of his quill as it scratched down the page with its splash of lapis always pulled him into a trance, a meditative sense of bliss which never failed to bring him joy, as he felt the presence of the Deity in those moments.  The Creator spoke to James, and His Will flowed through him and into his fingers as they held the quill.

At first he did not hear the Abbot's approach, but the blessed man coughed politely until James stirred, blinking, and placed his quill on the desk.

"Dominus Vobiscum, Brother James."

"Et cum spiritu tuo, Father Abbot."  Bowing, James did not see the slow smile spread across the holy man's face as he spied the parchment.

"You have finished the Prayer for The New Year Of Our Lord 2025!!"  The Abbot exclaimed, lifting the paper carefully, in case the ink might run.  "Brother James, you have brought great glory to God with this work!  His Holiness will hear of this, I promise you."

James lifted his face at the kind words of his superior, smiling broadly, the ghostly whiteness of his eyes staring off into the distance.