The Second Coming: An Audit of The Apostles

Jesus Christ returns to Earth not with apocalyptic fanfare, but in quiet simplicity on a Tuesday, manifesting in the opulent offices and boardrooms of modern Christianity's most powerful leaders. His mission is to audit and dismantle the vast, wealthy institutions built in His name—megachurches, media empires, and global networks—replacing them with direct divine guidance free from bureaucracy, tithing, and political influence. Appearing in humble linen robes, Jesus performs personalized water-to-wine miracles as proof of His identity, demanding each leader step down and relinquish control over their empires of marble, private jets, and satellite broadcasts. Across 20 chapters, Jesus confronts figures inspired by real-world religious leaders, from the Pope in the Vatican to prosperity gospel preachers in sprawling complexes across continents. Each encounter unfolds in richly described settings that highlight the contrast between divine simplicity and institutional excess, with leaders refusing His directive through pragmatic defenses: the need for complex logistics to feed the poor, manage finances, and spread the gospel; scriptural interpretations justifying wealth as divine favor; and personal fears of becoming "unskilled" outsiders without their titles and resources. Their rejections stem not from disbelief, but from attachment to power, prosperity doctrines, and the machinery of organized faith. In the conclusion, the novella reflects on the sorrowful irony: despite undeniable miracles, the stewards of Christianity prioritize their infrastructures over surrender, revealing how prosperity has imprisoned those who preach abundance. The Second Coming becomes a "war of attachments," underscoring themes of institutional corruption, the commodification of faith, and humanity's reluctance to embrace unmediated spirituality, leaving Jesus to depart unheeded amid the hum of unchecked religious industry.