Miracle of the Angels

Miracle of the Angels is an eye-opening account of the wonderful ways in which people and actions affect us. An eminently enjoyable read, the appeal of this short story by John Culbertson lies in the unobtrusive way in which it makes you reflect upon your own life, and how you interpret experiences. Through seemingly normal occurrences such as vivid dreams, casual conversations and chance encounters with people, the writer paints a poignant tapestry of premonitions, near mishaps, prevented accidents, misunderstandings, second chances and reconciled relationships in Miracle of the Angels.

Every day we witness miracles and we live in the midst of angels. Our failure to recognize these miracles and the messengers of an omniscient being is perhaps the reason why despite our expanding knowledge and information, most of us are still lacking in the wisdom which is essential to feel contented and at peace with ourselves.

There are many ways to read and interpret this book and therein lies its appeal. On one level, Miracle of the Angels could be seen as a series of conversations between the writer and God, sometimes through angels and sometimes through miracles. It would be hardly surprising therefore if you found similar parallels between your life and the events described or the characters delineated in the story.

We are constantly questioning and expecting answers when everything is already as clear as daylight. This could well be what John Culbertson is expressing through Miracle of the Angels. Reading this short story is akin to having a revelation, an epiphany of sorts, just like the myriad experiences that the protagonist has during the course of a very intense period in his life. The incidents go from the deeply moving to the light-hearted while the characters portrayed range from the passionately sincere to the almost bathetic. Despite the unnatural ways in which they occur, none of the events described come across as contrived nor do the characters appear anything other than real. This is definitely an amazing feat by the writer considering the not so regular subject of the story which is about angels and miracles.

Free from any didactic dogmas or proselytizing pretensions, the narrative contains a pure perceptive outlook almost bordering on naiveté yet rich with theosophical insights. If you thought that archangels, cherubim and seraphim are the stuff that stories are made of, then this short story will make you stop short and re-examine the incidents and encounters with people that you may have experienced in your own life. Miracle of the Angels brings to life the archangels Gabriel and Michael, introduces the reader to members of the cherubim and seraphim such as Sandalphon and Metatron with an extraordinary conviction. Where the lesser writer would have conjured up halos and wings, John Culbertson moves us with a narrative that flows naturally in tandem with an objectively professed faith and understanding of the universe and its meaning.

On the practical side, the short story can be a great source of solace for everyone. Anyone who has lost someone dear and near will be able to relate to it. For who hasn’t grieved the passing away of a relative, friend or mentor and found it difficult to come to terms with the seeming cruelty or unfairness of it? Miracle of the Angels shows the reader the impracticality of finding fault or playing the blame game when something goes wrong or we lose someone. Instead it awakens in us the ability to find the wisdom to see the true meaning of loss and the transient nature of things.