Loduvico looked at the crowd before him. They were all wearing face mask but he could clearly see the hopefulness and faith in their faces. He knew they were hungry for love, hope, joy, and freedom from misery. His heart reached out to them. If only he could provide everything they needed and wanted, he would have done so. But he could only do what his gifts allowed him to - that was to heal their spirits and body.
The voices kept speaking to him all the time. They continually reminded him of his mission to the people of Subangdaku. Among the voices, it was the woman's that he kept wanting to hear. She was the angel who descended from the heavens to tell him about the gifts to be bestowed upon him. Her whispers urged him to submission.
His gifts were frightening at the beginning. But as the days rolled by and more people listened to him, he became bolder and more confident. Other than the voices, the people's faith and dependence in him made him want to further serve and save Subangdaku. Yes save, for in his visions, things beyond terror could happen to the district. He must act quickly or Subangdaku would be gone forever. But the mission of saving the district was not really his. Though the voices did not directly tell him so, he sensed that somebody or some people had greater responsibility than his. He saw flashes of it in his dreams.
The news about his miracle healing had been reported last night in the evening program. He had performed several miracles before but yesterday, when he healed the boy, he was not ridiculed or spited by the people. It was his first time that people believed him. It must be the quiet innocence of the boy or their anxiety with the outbreak that made them believe in him. After that people with various illnesses went up to him. He relieved them of their fever, body rashes, difficulty in breathing, and muscle pains. That afternoon, he healed at least twenty people.
Radio and television networks were quick to to report the news. It was not the main headline but as a filler only. Yet, the short news segment ignited encouragement and hope in the people's heart. For a simple rural community like Subangdaku, superstitious and traditional medicines were accepted with open arms.
So that Saturday morning, Loduvico was overwhelmed with the sea of people in front of him. It was something he did not anticipate. Loduvico usually arrived at the marketplace to preach at around nine in the morning and only when he started talking that people began to gather around him and listen. But now, it was entirely different. People waited for him and when he saw them from a distance, he was filled with love and pity. As he walked towards them, they were breathless and gaping, as if they looked forward to his presence. And once he was already right before them, the people clapped and cheered. After several minutes of incessant clapping, Loduvico raised up his hands and signalled for them to stop.
"People of Subangdaku," he began addressing the crowd, "the dawn is coming to everyone. Fear not for salvation is here. All your miseries, pains, agonies, and sadness will be taken away."
He looked at the people. His heart melted. There was so much eagerness and frustration in them.
"You may be suffering right now but relief will be coming for you. Greater dangers are ahead but just believe and you will be saved."
"Save us, dear!" a woman pleaded. "Heal us from this sickness. You are our only hope."
"Come here, woman."
The woman immediately came towards him. The effort was too strenuous for her that she coughed violently as she reached him. She was shaking from too much pain in her throat and chest. Loduvico reached down and lifted her up by her shoulders. When they were eye level, he looked at her intensely.
"Do you believe?"
The woman could not say any word; she simply nodded. And then Loduvico's hands shone, momentarily blinding the people. After few minutes, the bright light disappeared and Loduvico released her. She dropped to the ground and once she regained compsure, she stood up and embraced him in gratefulness. It was a similar routine for all the healing he did. Loduvico touched them, light shone from his hands, and then the person got healed. Once again, the people were mystified for his miracle so they cheered and praised him.
"Long live, Loduvico!" a man shouted. "An angel had lived among us."
"I am not an angel," Loduvico corrected him, "but heaven had told me to be among the people of Subangdaku so I can help them."
"No matter who or what you are," the man insisted, "you are an angel to us!"
"Or you can be a saint."
"Yes, you are a saint!"
"Or an embodiment of God!"
The people gasped. It might seem a wild idea but they inclined to accept it.
"Long live, Saint Loduvico, God's reincarnation!" a man shouted.
The people chorused their adoration. They were elated with joy and thanksgiving.
"Oh please, heal me, Saint Loduvico," another woman pleaded in front of him.
Loduvico smiled and knelt before her. Slowly, the people relaxed and made several queues. One line was for the sickest and another for the mildly sick. The spectators surrounded them, curious and eager for miracles. Ludivoco did not disapppoint them as he healed one person after another.
Meanwhile, Mang Tomas was observing from a distance, still in his usual spot. There were few people around him, the same ones who supported him from the beginning.
"Can you also perform a miracle?" a supporter asked him.
"I can't," Mang Tomas answered. "Healing is not my gift. I can only see the future and tell you about it."
"But you never actually told us specific things about the future."
"Because I cannot do so. I can only say little things but not the entire picture. Or else, the future changes and we will be done."
"You are scaring us. What do you mean by that?"
"You just wait. The future is near. In fact, it is already here and it has started."
"Please speak plainly. You are confusing us."
"Bear and endure."
"You are getting mad, Mang Tomas. If you could only heal like Loduvico...."
"Then what? Would you have believe me?"
"Maybe. At least he has done great things."
"You have love him so far. In the end, you would also spite him."
"You are mad!"
One by one, the people left him. Yet, Mang Tomas was unaffected. He did not desire for people to adore him. He only needed to speak about the things he had seen.
Meanwhile, a mother and a girl also passed by the marketplace. They saw the congregation but instead of going close by, they avoided them.
"Why can't we go near?" the child asked.
"Because it can be dangerous. They can harm you and I can't let that happen."
The mother dragged the child as they went away from the people. However, the child kept looking back at the crowd. There was something in the gathering that pulled her close. Yet, she could not do anything about it. She simply stared as they went farther away.