FG01: A Soul in Torment, Part 01 of 02
In this first installment of the "Father Gilbert" series, Father Gilbert hears a confession of murder from a young man. But no murder has been committed, and the young man appears to have been a dream.
Ready to go!
Lewis Gilbert: Confound it, Gilbert, you used to be a detective. Think through the facts. As a priest, I don't perceive people by their actions alone. I look at their hearts. I consider the state of their souls.
Mrs. Mayhew: Father, you know I'm not a big believer in mysteries of this sort. There he goes.
Lewis Gilbert: Where? Over there, getting into that car. Let's follow him.
Mrs. Mayhew: Really, Father Gilbert? I had no idea you were such a snoop.
Dave Arnold: Hello, I'm Dave Arnold, producer for Focus on the Family Radio Theatre. Throughout history, there have been many mysteries and an equal number of detectives to solve them. From the apocryphal story of the prophet Daniel solving the mystery of the missing idol sacrifices, to Edgar Allan Poe's Murder in the Rue Morgue, Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, to Sam Spade, mysteries have captured the imaginations of audiences for years.
Within this popular genre can be found a particular kind of detective, the priest. G.K. Chesterton's Father Brown, Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael, and Ralph McInerny's Father Dowling have all had a special role to play in great whodunits, each bringing a unique point of view born out of their spiritual perspective of the world and man.
To this great tradition, Focus on the Family Radio Theatre is pleased to add Father Lewis Gilbert, a former London police detective. Gilbert became an Anglican priest after a terrible unsolved case involving a runaway girl, but it wasn't the case that led him to the priesthood. As he would say many times afterwards, it was the surprise of encountering the grace of God in the middle of such terrible evil that caused him to exchange his badge for belief.
In the many years since then, he joined a monastery and studied the classic spiritual disciplines of prayer and meditation, leading him to experiences that were rather hard to explain. So, few who knew him were surprised that a vision called him out of the monastery to become a parish priest in Stonebridge, England, nor that a strange encounter would throw him into the unusual mystery we're about to hear. Join us in a moment as Focus on the Family Radio Theatre presents Father Gilbert in A Soul in Torment.
Guest (Male): He's a priest.
Lewis Gilbert: Who are you?
Guest (Male): I am Gabriel, the angel of God. He's a detective. Father Gilbert used to be a detective inspector, Scotland Yard. He's Father Gilbert. Can you find the girl before she dies?
Focus on the Family Radio Theatre presents the Father Gilbert Mysteries. Detective-turned-Anglican-priest Lewis Gilbert combines street-wise smarts with spiritual intuition to solve some unusual cases. These stories blend suspense-filled action with soul-searching drama, not to mention the spectacular effects and sound quality you've come to expect from Radio Theatre. To get your copy, log on to our website at radiotheatre.org. That's radiotheatre.org.
Dave Arnold: State-of-the-art radio drama, winner of the Peabody Award for Excellence, Focus on the Family Radio Theatre. You'll find all your favorite episodes at your local Christian bookstore or online at www.radiotheatre.org.
Aaron Smalley: Sprinkle some love into your marriage this month with the Loving Well podcast from Focus on the Family. I'm Aaron Smalley, and I host the podcast with my husband, Dr. Greg Smalley, and our good friend, John Fuller. We chat about how to put Christ at the center of your relationship, deepen your love, and have a marriage that truly thrives. Listen today at focusonthefamily.com/lovingwell or wherever you get your podcasts.
Lewis Gilbert: Mrs. Mayhew, have you seen my glasses?
Mrs. Mayhew: Now, where do you want me to put this box, Father?
Lewis Gilbert: What's in that one?
Mrs. Mayhew: Oh, the box says books. No surprise. Spirituality.
Lewis Gilbert: Oh, yes, those belong on the middle shelf of that third bookcase up there on the right.
Mr. Eckart: I've never moved so many boxes of books. Have you read them all?
Lewis Gilbert: Most of them.
Mr. Eckart: Must have been at the monastery. I don't see how you'd have the time here.
Lewis Gilbert: I don't. Is that the last box?
Mr. Eckart: It is. I'm happy to see it. I honestly didn't believe we'd get all of them into this office.
Lewis Gilbert: There's more room here at the church than I have in my study at the vicarage.
Mr. Eckart: I never thought I'd see this old storeroom turned into an office.
Lewis Gilbert: I think it's going to make an excellent office once I get the rest of my things in, which reminds me. Mrs. Mayhew, have you seen—
Mrs. Mayhew: You left your glasses on the filing cabinet.
Lewis Gilbert: Oh, thank you. Thank you. Oh, and did you ring the phone—
Mrs. Mayhew: I rang the phone company first thing this morning.
Lewis Gilbert: I have to phone the garage about my car.
Mr. Eckart: Oh, is your car in the garage again?
Mrs. Mayhew: When isn't it in the garage? The phone company said they'll install your new line tomorrow. You can use the phone on my desk until then. You look tired.
Lewis Gilbert: Do I? Well, yes, I'm a bit. The youth club went on later than I expected and I was up late packing these boxes.
Mrs. Mayhew: I'll make us some strong coffee. That'll wake you up.
Mr. Eckart: None for me, Mrs. Mayhew. I'll be getting on. The pews need a good polishing. It's all yours, Father.
Lewis Gilbert: Thank you, Mr. Eckart. Right, well, I suppose I should get my desk cleared off. Oh, that was a mistake. One should never sit down until the job is done. Hello? Oh, yes, can I help you?
Terry Bowman: Are you the priest here?
Lewis Gilbert: Yes, I'm Father Gilbert, the vicar of St. Marks.
Terry Bowman: Vicar? You're not a priest?
Lewis Gilbert: Well, I am a priest, yes. I'm an Anglican priest.
Terry Bowman: Is that the same as a Catholic priest?
Lewis Gilbert: Not exactly. Please sit down. Oh, I'm sorry. We've been moving today. We've had to navigate around these boxes. Let me—there.
Terry Bowman: I'm not a church-goer, but I've had a lot on my mind. I feel terribly guilty and I didn't know who else to talk to.
Lewis Gilbert: Well, I'm glad you came to me. I'm sorry, what did you say your name is?
Terry Bowman: I didn't.
Lewis Gilbert: Oh, okay. Well, what seems to be bothering you?
Terry Bowman: I have a confession I want to make. That's why I was wondering what kind of priest you are. I mean, you're not allowed to divulge confidences, are you? Don't you have to take some sort of vow of silence or something like that?
Lewis Gilbert: Well, we don't actually take a vow, but generally I do adhere to pretty strict rules of confidentiality.
Terry Bowman: Generally? What do you mean generally? Are there exceptions?
Lewis Gilbert: A few, I suppose, though I've never really had to—
Terry Bowman: What kind of exceptions?
Lewis Gilbert: Well, I suppose if you did something terribly illegal, I mean, if you killed someone or something like that, I'd have to encourage you to turn yourself in.
Terry Bowman: Or?
Lewis Gilbert: Or what?
Terry Bowman: Would you go to the police yourself?
Lewis Gilbert: I've never been faced with that choice.
Terry Bowman: Would you?
Lewis Gilbert: Well, I suppose if I exhausted all means of persuading you to go to the police, then yes, I'd have to tell them.
Terry Bowman: Oh. Thank you, then.
Lewis Gilbert: You're leaving?
Terry Bowman: Yes. I think I'll find a Catholic priest.
Lewis Gilbert: Oh, come on, let's talk about it first.
Terry Bowman: No, it's no good, don't you see? If I killed someone and needed to talk to you about it, you'd have to go to the police. Isn't that what you just said?
Lewis Gilbert: Did you kill someone?
Terry Bowman: I have to go.
Lewis Gilbert: No, no, wait. Ouch! Blasted boxes! Wait!
Mrs. Mayhew: What on earth are you yelling at?
Lewis Gilbert: That young man!
Mrs. Mayhew: What young man?
Lewis Gilbert: The one who just left my office.
Mrs. Mayhew: You mean just now?
Lewis Gilbert: Of course.
Mrs. Mayhew: I'm sorry, Father, but no one just came out of your office.
Lewis Gilbert: But he did.
Mrs. Mayhew: He'd have had to knock me over to get past. Here's your coffee. I think you need it.
Lewis Gilbert: Well, that's a strange thing.
Mrs. Mayhew: Fell asleep at your desk, did you?
Lewis Gilbert: No, no, no. A young man was here. He was as real as you are now. And unless I misunderstood, he just confessed to murdering someone. Drink your coffee.
William Drake: I'm sorry, Gilbert, but I have to agree with Mrs. Mayhew. You fell asleep at your desk and dreamed the whole thing.
Lewis Gilbert: Oh, don't be so stubborn. No one saw the young man come or go. Then you have to admit, for anyone to confess to a murder like that is pretty unlikely. In all my years as a solicitor, I—oh, never mind.
Lewis Gilbert: Yes, even so.
William Drake: To top it off, no one has been murdered.
Lewis Gilbert: Well, you did check.
William Drake: Of course I did. What else could I do after you phoned with your preposterous story? You should have heard the conversation. "Hello, Chief Inspector McCauley? Bill Drake here. Look, I was wondering if anyone's been murdered recently. Can you help?"
Lewis Gilbert: And?
William Drake: No one has been murdered. Not last night, not in the last week, not in the last four years. Come to think of it, that was the last case I tried before retiring.
Lewis Gilbert: But look, he might not have been from Stonebridge. I mean, perhaps he was confessing to a murder committed somewhere else.
William Drake: He? What he? Confound it, Gilbert, you used to be a detective. Think through the facts. By your own admission, you were up packing boxes most of the night. Even now, you look dog tired. You fell asleep at your desk and had a dream.
Lewis Gilbert: Oh, I see. I see. The esteemed William Drake has said it was a dream and so it must have been a dream.
William Drake: So let it be written, so let it be done. Now, let's have our tea. The scones with fresh cream and strawberry sound wonderful.
Lewis Gilbert: But it was so real.
William Drake: I'll grant that you're a vivid dreamer. It was a dream that got you out of the monastery, wasn't it?
Lewis Gilbert: Sort of dream, yes. More like a vision.
William Drake: Dreams and visions are all the same to me. Frankly, I don't have any interest in either.
Lewis Gilbert: Well, you don't dream?
William Drake: I once had a dream about us having afternoon tea, but it's fading fast.
Mrs. Mayhew: Good morning, Father Gilbert.
Lewis Gilbert: Good morning, Mrs. Mayhew.
Mrs. Mayhew: I hope you had a good night's sleep.
Lewis Gilbert: I slept very well, thank you. Do you have this morning's Post?
Mrs. Mayhew: Here's the Post and this morning's Times and the Stonebridge Weekly News. Our advertisement is on page 12.
Lewis Gilbert: Oh, brilliant. How does the new ad look?
Mrs. Mayhew: The photo of the church is much clearer than I expected, though they misspelled your name.
Lewis Gilbert: Did they? Father Lewis Gabriel. Well, phone the editor.
Mrs. Mayhew: I'll phone the editor this morning. Right.
Lewis Gilbert: And is there anything else happening in Stonebridge?
Mrs. Mayhew: No murders, if that's what you wanted to know.
Lewis Gilbert: No, it's not what I wanted—I do wish everyone would—oh.
Mrs. Mayhew: Oh what?
Lewis Gilbert: Terry Bowman, son of the eminent London physician Dr. Nigel Bowman, has been awarded a place at Oxford, the doctor proudly announced yesterday.
Mrs. Mayhew: Congratulations to him, whoever he may be.
Lewis Gilbert: No, don't you see?
Mrs. Mayhew: See what?
Lewis Gilbert: The photo.
Mrs. Mayhew: Yes, I see it. Very nice-looking young man.
Lewis Gilbert: And you've never seen him before?
Mrs. Mayhew: No. Have you?
Lewis Gilbert: Yesterday. He was the young man in my office. Oh, no. This certainly looks like the home of an eminent London physician. The garage is bigger than my house.
Mrs. Mayhew: Do you think he commutes from here every day?
Lewis Gilbert: Possibly. Many of the professionals around here do. I do hope someone is at home.
Mrs. Mayhew: Meaning no disrespect, Father, but I think you've lost your mind.
Lewis Gilbert: Would you rather wait in the car?
Mrs. Mayhew: And miss this? No, thanks.
Lewis Gilbert: I needed your driving skills, Mrs. Mayhew, not your sarcasm.
Mrs. Mayhew: I'm sorry, but you can't have one without the other.
Lewis Gilbert: Well, when my car gets out of the garage—
Mrs. Mayhew: Your car will never get out of the garage. How long did you really expect a 1967 Morris Minor to last?
Lewis Gilbert: Forever.
Mrs. Mayhew: You're a man of great faith.
Terry Bowman: Yes?
Lewis Gilbert: Oh, hello. You're Terry Bowman?
Terry Bowman: Yes. What can I do for you?
Lewis Gilbert: Well, I'm Father Gilbert from St. Marks Church, and this is Mrs. Mayhew, my assistant.
Mrs. Mayhew: How do you do?
Terry Bowman: Now, if you want a donation, I'm sorry, but we just—
Lewis Gilbert: No, no, no, no, that isn't it at all. Right. Have you ever seen me before?
Terry Bowman: I beg your pardon?
Lewis Gilbert: Well, have we ever met?
Terry Bowman: Not that I know of. I'm not a church-goer.
Lewis Gilbert: Hmm. Maybe we bumped into each other in Stonebridge.
Terry Bowman: I don't go into Stonebridge very often. Why? What's this about?
Lewis Gilbert: Well, it's a little odd, but a young man who looks a lot like you came to my office yesterday, and I got the impression he was in a spot of trouble.
Terry Bowman: Well, that's too bad.
Lewis Gilbert: This young man said he'd done something that he felt terribly guilty about.
Terry Bowman: I don't understand. What does this have to do with me?
Lewis Gilbert: Well, you're going to find this amusing, but I believe you were the young man who came to see me.
Terry Bowman: What? I told you, I've never seen you before.
Lewis Gilbert: And you're sure about that?
Terry Bowman: Yeah, I'm sure. This is very strange. Is the Church of England trying a new tactic to get people to church?
Lewis Gilbert: I'm concerned, that's all. I got the impression that he—you—need help.
Terry Bowman: I'm sorry, but you've got it wrong. I don't need anyone's help. Thank you for stopping by.
Mrs. Mayhew: Well, that's that.
Lewis Gilbert: Did you see the look in his eyes? That is a troubled young man.
Mrs. Mayhew: Yes, troubled by you. Can you blame him?
Lewis Gilbert: At least one thing is clear in my mind now. He was the one who came to see me. Even if it was a dream. Right down to the phrase "I'm not a church-goer." He said the same thing yesterday.
Mrs. Mayhew: It's a common enough expression. May we go back to the church now?
Lewis Gilbert: Oh, you may, but if you don't mind dropping me off, I'm meeting Bill Drake for lunch.
Mrs. Mayhew: And what does Mr. Drake think about this dream of yours?
Lewis Gilbert: He is about as open-minded as you are.
Dave Arnold: Whatever you're facing, hope is within reach. At Focus on the Family, our caring Christian counselors will listen, pray with you, and provide helpful resources. Call now to receive your free confidential consult at 1-800-A-FAMILY. Focus on the Family Radio Theatre is made possible through the generous donations of listeners like you. For more information, visit radiotheatre.org or contact Focus on the Family at 1-800-A-FAMILY.
William Drake: So you made a complete fool out of yourself.
Lewis Gilbert: Oh, only up until he closed the door in my face.
William Drake: Excellent. I hope you're now ready to concede that you simply fell asleep at your desk and had a dream.
Lewis Gilbert: About Terry Bowman, whom I had never seen before.
William Drake: Except in the local paper today.
Lewis Gilbert: Right.
William Drake: Do you read the local newspaper every week?
Lewis Gilbert: Usually, yes.
William Drake: Last week?
Lewis Gilbert: Probably.
William Drake: Then you have seen Terry Bowman before.
Lewis Gilbert: What do you mean?
William Drake: Here. If you'll please look on page four of last week's Stonebridge Weekly News, you'll see a photo of Dr. Nigel Bowman at the opening of a new hospital wing in London. We're very proud of our local celebrities, you see.
Lewis Gilbert: But I still don't understand.
William Drake: Standing directly to the left of his father, clear as the proverbial bell, is Terry Bowman. My theory is that you saw this picture last week, fell asleep at your desk, and your subconscious regurgitated this image of him into your dream.
Lewis Gilbert: Interesting theory, vulgar metaphor. Thank you. But why would I dream that Terry was involved in a murder, of all things?
William Drake: That, my friend, is between you and your psychiatrist.
Guest (Male): Well, we could run the telephone line from the pole to that window and bring it through just underneath.
Lewis Gilbert: No, you couldn't.
Guest (Male): Huh?
Lewis Gilbert: I don't want that window marred by anything. Look, it's 18th-century stained glass. Can't you bring it in somewhere else?
Guest (Male): Somewhere else. Well, I'll have to have a little look.
Lewis Gilbert: Yes, well, please do.
Guest (Male): Right. I'm—oy, Charlie! He doesn't want it through the window!
Mrs. Mayhew: So Mr. Drake believes he has it solved, does he?
Lewis Gilbert: Oh, he thinks so, yes.
Mrs. Mayhew: Now, Father, you know I'm not a big believer in mysteries of this sort. That is to say, I don't mind sitting down with an Agatha Christie every now and then, but strange dreams—well, I believe they have more to do with what one has eaten than anything else.
Lewis Gilbert: Mrs. Mayhew, two different Josephs in the Bible had what you would call strange dreams. One became the Pharaoh's right-hand man as a result, and the other became the husband of Mary and the earthly father of our Lord Jesus. All because of dreams. Something they ate, was it?
Mrs. Mayhew: Don't lecture me, Father. My point is that Mr. Drake is wrong.
Lewis Gilbert: Oh? Well, how so?
Mrs. Mayhew: You didn't see the photo of Terry Bowman in last week's news. At least you didn't see it in the copy I brought to you here. What with the moving and the general confusion we've had lately, it's been sitting next to my desk, untouched.
Mr. Eckart: Look, you're going to have to keep it down. This is a church after all.
Lewis Gilbert: Hmm? What, Mr. Eckart?
Mr. Eckart: We're taking it work around the back. Look, well just keep the noise down.
Mrs. Mayhew: Is he talking to you?
Lewis Gilbert: No, I don't think he is. Where is his voice coming from?
Mrs. Mayhew: I thought he was polishing the pews.
Lewis Gilbert: I thought so, too. Ah, his voice is coming through that vent above the bookcase. It's carrying the sound from the church. Mr. Eckart?
Mr. Eckart: Oh, what? What? Is that you, Father?
Lewis Gilbert: Yes, it is. Will you come into my office, please? Voices carry through the vent. Well, this won't do. I mean, what if I'm having a private conversation or a counseling session?
Mrs. Mayhew: Don't say we're moving your office again.
Lewis Gilbert: Well, that depends.
Mr. Eckart: Well, that's a handy intercom system. Who were you shouting at?
Lewis Gilbert: Oh, those two telephone jobs.
Mr. Eckart: They're marching in and out of the church like it's Victoria Station. It's supposed to be quiet in there.
Lewis Gilbert: Yes, and so it should be. Heaven knows I'll never get any studying done if I can hear every conversation out in the—wait a minute. Where's that local newspaper, Mrs. Mayhew?
Mrs. Mayhew: The newspaper?
Lewis Gilbert: Yes, I want Mr. Eckart to see that picture of Terry Bowman.
Mrs. Mayhew: It's—ah, here.
Lewis Gilbert: Mr. Eckart, have you ever seen this young man before?
Mr. Eckart: Hmm. Well, I don't know. Why?
Lewis Gilbert: Look. Look closely. Does he seem familiar?
Mr. Eckart: Well, now that you mention it—
Lewis Gilbert: Yes.
Mr. Eckart: Well, when I went to polish the pews yesterday, there were two young men sitting in the back.
Lewis Gilbert: Near the vent?
Mr. Eckart: I suppose so, yes. They were jabbering away, getting rather loud, so I chased them off.
Lewis Gilbert: And was this young man one of those two?
Mr. Eckart: Well, as a guess, I'd have to say it was. They all look the same to me now with those hairstyles and chin whiskers. And the other had that ropy hair.
Lewis Gilbert: Dreadlocks.
Mr. Eckart: Aye.
Mrs. Mayhew: Are you saying Terry Bowman was here? But he couldn't have been. I would have seen him.
Lewis Gilbert: Well, you would have seen him if he'd come to this office. But what if he didn't make it this far? What if I fell asleep at my desk but I heard part of Terry's conversation with his friend through the vent? It could have penetrated my sleep and given me the dream.
Mrs. Mayhew: Like falling asleep with the television on. But you saw the young man in your dream before you'd ever actually seen him. How could you match the voice and the face like that?
Lewis Gilbert: I don't know. But if he was here and I overheard his conversation, what about that confession? Did I dream it? Or did Terry Bowman confess to his friend that he'd murdered someone?
Mr. Eckart: Well, I can't tell you, but the two of them were pretty agitated about something. That's why I sent them out.
Mrs. Mayhew: This can't be. Is it possible Terry Bowman murdered someone after all?
Lewis Gilbert: I don't know, but I'm going to find out.
Lewis Gilbert: Thank you so much for seeing me, Mrs. Bowman.
Mrs. Bowman: This is such a surprise. Terry said you had stopped by this morning and—oh, doesn't your friend want to come in?
Lewis Gilbert: Oh, that's Mrs. Mayhew, my assistant. She said she'd prefer to wait in the car. I think I probably embarrassed her once too often already.
Mrs. Bowman: All right. My husband isn't here. He's hunting in Scotland with some of his friends. Would you like some tea? I'd be happy to put the kettle on.
Lewis Gilbert: No, no, thank you. I was rather hoping that I'd be able to see Terry.
Terry Bowman: So it's you again.
Lewis Gilbert: Hello, Terry.
Terry Bowman: What now? Did my lookalike come to visit you again?
Mrs. Bowman: Yes, please tell me what this is all about. Terry was awfully vague earlier.
Terry Bowman: I have a secret twin, Mother. Didn't you know? He visited Father Gimbot yesterday morning.
Lewis Gilbert: Oh. It wasn't someone who looked like you, Terry, it was you.
Terry Bowman: What? Like I told you this morning, I—
Lewis Gilbert: Oh, I'll grant that you haven't seen me, but you have been to my church. In fact, you were there yesterday.
Terry Bowman: Was I?
Lewis Gilbert: St. Marks is the 15th-century church just off the village square. You came in with a friend.
Terry Bowman: Oh, I remember now. Yes, we needed somewhere to talk and the church seemed like a good place to do it. Seems to me I was chased off, not very hospitable.
Lewis Gilbert: As I understand it, you and your friend had a rather animated conversation.
Mrs. Bowman: What friend is he talking about, Terry?
Terry Bowman: It doesn't matter. And I still don't understand what business it is of yours.
Lewis Gilbert: As I said before, my impression was that you're in some sort of trouble.
Mrs. Bowman: Trouble? Terry, what's he talking about?
Terry Bowman: Look, I really resent this intrusion. You're upsetting my mother, and for no reason.
Lewis Gilbert: I believe otherwise. I believe the young man who came to my church yesterday was a soul in torment.
Terry Bowman: Yes, well, I don't care about what you believe. Leave this minute or I'll phone the police.
Lewis Gilbert: I'll go. But I want you to know that I'm concerned for you and I'm available to help you whenever you need me. Good day to you both.
Lewis Gilbert: Yes, Michael. Well, of course it's unorthodox, but—yes, I did say he was a soul in torment, but—no, Bishop. Whatever you say. Yes, Bishop. Goodbye.
Mrs. Mayhew: That sounded pleasant.
Lewis Gilbert: Mrs. Bowman phoned Bishop Hayworth and gave him an earful about my visit.
Mrs. Mayhew: Oh.
Lewis Gilbert: Bishop, in his usual fair, open-minded manner, he told me to stop making a nuisance of myself and get on with the work I'm supposed to be doing. Apparently, if I visit again, Mrs. Bowman is going to lodge a complaint with the police that I'm harassing her son.
Mrs. Mayhew: I'd probably do the same if I were in her shoes.
Lewis Gilbert: Oh, so would I. Maybe I am wrong. Maybe I'm making a mountain out of a molehill. I was tired, I had a strange dream, that's all.
Mrs. Mayhew: Most people wouldn't have thought anything of it.
Lewis Gilbert: Yes, but my experience tells me you never dismiss these kinds of events, these seemingly incidental occurrences. You weigh them, you test them, you conclude against them, but you never, ever dismiss them.
Mrs. Mayhew: Why not?
Lewis Gilbert: Because it's in these moments, it's in these incidental moments that God often speaks the loudest.
Mrs. Mayhew: To you, maybe. All they do is give me a headache. Oh, and speaking of headaches, you're going to be late for Mrs. Williams. You know how she hates a lack of punctuality.
Lewis Gilbert: Oh, right. Yes, I promised her the Eucharist tonight. Where's the communion case?
Mrs. Mayhew: The case is next to the door. Do you need a lift?
Lewis Gilbert: Uh, no, thank you. I'll walk. It'll help to clear my head.
Thank you, Mrs. Williams, that was a lovely cup of tea.
Mrs. Williams: You're welcome. Have another biscuit.
Lewis Gilbert: Oh, I shouldn't. I've taken too much of your time already. You must be getting tired.
Mrs. Williams: Yes, I am rather. But I've been fascinated to hear about your mysterious dream.
Lewis Gilbert: Shall we celebrate the Eucharist now?
Mrs. Williams: Not tonight, thank you.
Lewis Gilbert: Oh, but I came to—
Mrs. Williams: Oh, please don't misunderstand. I would enjoy taking communion very much, but I'm afraid you're not in the best frame of mind.
Lewis Gilbert: I'm not?
Mrs. Williams: You're distracted. Your mystery is causing great turmoil in your spirit. I think it would be better if we prayed together.
Lewis Gilbert: Yes, all right.
Mrs. Williams: May I kneel? I prefer to kneel, and I will, until my knees won't bend anymore.
Lewis Gilbert: Oh, well, let me help you. There we are. Okay.
Mrs. Williams: It's been a little slice of heaven.
Lewis Gilbert: I beg your pardon?
Mrs. Williams: Back off, man! Just back off!
Lewis Gilbert: Oh, sorry, what do you mean?
Mrs. Williams: What?
Lewis Gilbert: I didn't understand what you said.
Mrs. Williams: Me? I didn't say anything. Mrs. Williams? Mrs. Williams!
Guest (Male): Next time on Focus on the Family Radio Theatre, Father Gilbert continues.
Lewis Gilbert: Let's say the voice was from God, and God was sending you a new instruction.
Guest (Male): Oh, I'm not sure what to do.
Lewis Gilbert: Go back to the facts.
Guest (Male): I came to see what kind of a priest is capable of upsetting my wife and harassing my son. I've done everything he wanted me to do, but now he's watching me and it's your fault. I have a feeling you're going to make a terrible mistake. You're going to do something you'll regret.
Father Gilbert, A Soul in Torment is a production of Focus on the Family. For Focus on the Family Radio Theatre, I'm Dave Arnold. Thank you for listening.
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In first century Palestine, the physician Luke is on a mission to save the life of his friend Paul. His task: chronicling the life of a carpenter's son from Nazareth named Jesus. Luke searches for firsthand witnesses to the miracles and controversies surrounding the man they call the Christ. Luke's travels take him through violent roads, and he encounters his own miracles along the way. Be an eyewitness to Luke's quest for the truth.
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