I just watch the movie Gabriel. Good stuff. But a depressing ending. The show talks about human's vulnerability and challenges in life. The constant struggle between choices, good and evil. Gabriel was connected to the source throughout the show, turning the rest of the Arc with glimpse of hope. But at the show ended with both our favorite Arc angel Michael and Gabriel fallen. The show ends of with a message, like what the disciples in the bible ask Jesus, "Who then can inherit an eternal life?"
You can read the plot here:
Are we really far from Grace? Isn't this the very question that challenges us in circumstances where things seems impossible? Like what one of an Arc, Raphael says in the movie: "It is surrounded by darkness here, the longer you are down here the weaker your connection of the source becomes." Even the Arc angels who came from heavens doubted?
The opening is normal where Gabriel came to Earth. But when he got into Michael's apartment, Michael left Gabriel a note saying: "Gabriel, if you are reading this then I have failed. We are far from grace, further than I could ever imagine. You will feel things that will cloud your judgement. This enemy within is strong and unpredictable. Control these emotions or the fight cannot be won. The others have failed. Learn from them, but do not follow. You are the last, Michael."
On his quest, Gabriel found out the rest of the Arc were brutally murdered one by one. Amitiel, an Arc, who now calls herself Jade, was defeated by Sammael, stripped of her wings, and forced to work as a prostitute. She had fallen.
In the last fight, Sammael refuses to fight Gabriel, instead asking him to listen to what he has to say. He explains how he despises being an angel, a being created entirely to serve others. He sees purgatory as a chance to take control of his own destiny, and asks Gabriel to join him. Refusing his offer, Gabriel unwillingly realises that Sammael is actually the Arc angel Michael, his closest friend. Apparently, Michael had killed the Fallen Sammael and assumed Sammael's identity. The two angels fight, but because Gabriel has used up so much of his strength helping the other Arcs, Michael has the advantage. Michael ultimately impales Gabriel’s chest with a metal pipe. Gabriel admits that during his time as a human he has felt rage and anger, but he has also felt other positive emotions that Michael hasn’t. Gabriel embraces Michael, which drives the metal pipe through Michael’s chest, and tells Michael that he forgives him. Both angels collapse. Michael uses the last of his strength to heal Gabriel’s wound, then dies. Light returns to purgatory.
Kneeling in front of Michael's dead body, Gabriel shouts at God asking Him whether this is what He wanted. Expressing his grief "You have shown me everything but this. How can I return when all this has happened? Michael, Amitiel I need to feel this. I need to understand how this happened. In time, You will form new works. and all this will be forgotten. I can't let that happen. I won't let it happen." Then the healed Gabriel moves to the edge of the rooftop with outstretches his arms, and lets himself fall. His final words are, "You threw me far from grace, and now I have fallen to it. I hope I see you again..."
Then Gabriel narrates as he fell. "Falling is the last thing an angel feels. A distant voice stills echoes inside my head, but for the first time, it is my own. Forgive me..."
So why can't Gabriel return? Grief? Disappointment? Feeling that God has forsaken them?
I have seen many of my friends left due to their disappointment in God. Daniel, Noah, Job, Abraham, David, Habakkuk, even Peter the Apostle, and Jesus Christ Himself.
But they had one thing in common. They knew that the question is not "Is God unfair?" rather, "Is life unfair?" No one was exempt from tragedy, pain, disappointment. Job wasn't. The other people in the Old Testament were not. Even Jesus Himself, when He came to earth, was not exempt from unfairness, from pain, from tragedy.
Job in the old Testament was a righteous man who suffered much. Jesus was a perfect man who suffered even more. Yet, God took that unfairness, that tragedy, and made it a great victory, a victory on which our whole faith rests.
Maybe, just maybe. Just when God seems most dead, He maybe coming back to life. Like the resurrection 3 days after the crucifixion.
To end off with a lighter note. There is always a choice of Free Will. We have our decisions. We can choose to trust or we can struggle with the disappointments and allow ourselves to grow bitter toward God.
You are not alone....
