Epilogue

As Barnabas Salmon prophesied, the parish who had lived the journey with him, remembered him backwards.

Once, they have the full story, they are able to put the man, and the priest into context. With the benefit of hindsight for example, they can understand that the reference he made to the war time story of, ‘the man who never was,’ during his first parish Mass, was an oblique reference to himself.

Knowing the truth about his upbringing, it becomes clear why the question, Who am I? held such meaning for him. The longer he lived, and the more he experienced, the more he valued the integrity of this question.

To truthfully answer the question, Who am I? requires a thorough examination of purpose and intent. By constantly asking himself this question, he came to understand, that the most important thing to human beings, ‘is the realization that they matter, that in some measure, their existence is felt by another.’

From Salmon’s point of view, this is the point and purpose of all the gospel teachings, the reason behind the command to love our neighbour as we love our selves. How can we understand our neighbours need, if we don’t even have a grasp on our own?

It was precisely because he understood this need within himself, that others who  experienced loss and misery, felt drawn to him by an equality of need.

In much Christian philosophy, certainly that to be found on the internet, there appears to be a division between those who advocate mercy and those who favour justice, with the two appearing contradictory. It would be Salmon’s contention, that there is no either/or scenario, since mercy is dependent on justice, and vice versa. What needs to be debunked entirely, is the notion of threat.

As the epilogue comes to a close, it is revealed that Bridie Clancy’s resting place is given recognition, by the child who lived in the shadows of her life.

And, finally, the novel closes with a quote from Victor Hugo, which sums up, Salmon’s entire belief.

‘Our life dreams the utopia,

Our death achieves the Ideal.’

There is only one point, one purpose,and that is to achieve the final, Ideal. All can be endued and borne, provided this is kept in mind. As it says on the prayer card, the dying Salmon held, God alone suffices.