"Many a tear has to fall, but it's all in the game." Song lyrics

In this chronicle of a man's faith, we follow a man on a mission.

Daniel Byrne is a lead investigator for the Vatican. His responsibility is to investigate and determine the truth of supposed "miracles." His current assignment is to verify phenomena to see if it's worthy of miraculous classification.The

He's assigned to travel to the U.S. and check out Rev. Tim Trinity, who seems to be able to predict the future. He's given this assignment because Tim Trinity is his estranged uncle and church officials feel Daniel can get close to him.

Also investigating Father Daniel and Rev. Tim's actions are a group of men who make their income from gambling and loan sharking. They figure that if Tim can predict the future, he could put them out of business.

Always skeptical about these so called miraculous happenings, Daniel looks into Tim's predictions and finds that they have all come true. The most startling is that Tim had predicted that something would happen to an oil refinery. He advises the employees not to go to work at a certain date. Daniel wants to warn the people at the refinery but his officials in Rome won't let him. They don't want to build Tim up in the eyes of the public.

The sorrowful events that follow, strengthen the legend of Rev. Tim. They also add weight to the possibility that Daniel sees that Rev Tim might have a message from God.

Daniel tells his story that he was raised by Rev Tim after Daniel's parents died. Daniel seemed destined for the priesthood from an early age. Now, he begins to have doubts that he made the right choice.

Rev Tim seems like a good man but with flaws. With his prior drug addiction and the fact that he had run a con-game there is a similarity to Elmer Gantry.

Tim cannot explain how he can forsee the future and becomes convinced that he is preaching the word of God. As the story moves to the conclusion, his followers crowd behind him as he prepares to relay what God has made known to him. Police in Atlanta, try to stop this march and I felt comparisons to Martin Luther King and his followers.

The story is well told with the various parts coming together at the end in a manner which makes the reader think about the message of the book. It is a strong story for people of Faith and those looking for a meaning from life.