Midnight Mass episode 3 recap: Proverbs

Ali tells his Dad he wants to go to Mass at St. Patrick’s, everyone at his school goes and he wants to check it out. Hassan says no, and Ali counters that he was never asked if he wanted to become Muslim or to come to the island. What happened to Leeza was a miracle, and Ali wants to see what’s all about.

Hassan says that Ali’s Mom was Muslim, and kept her faith even while she suffered the horrors of pancreatic cancer. If God worked miracles; if he chose to spare some, and not others…that’s not how it should work. He says they can talk more about it tomorrow if Ali wants to.

Bev is tinkering around in Paul’s house, chatting with the Scarboroughs about a community dinner for Father Paul, while Sturge works on the kitchen sink. Suddenly, Paul bursts through the door, collapses and starts spitting up blood. This looks suspiciously like poor old Pike’s final moments – did Bev feed Paul rat posion?? As Paul convulses and dies, Bev stares at him intently, expectantly.

Back to Paul at the confessional: Pruitt is now sheltering in the dark cave, lights a match, and sees eyes glowing close by. He is suddenly attacked by a gigantic humanlike figure with wings, and is clearly bitten on the neck. Paul says there was pain, then no fear, and this figure was an angel. After feeding, the angel cut his forearm and fed Pruitt his own blood. When Pruitt awakened in the cave at daylight, he was young again. He was Father Paul, who we now understand is actually Monsignor Pruitt.

The “angel” hid from the light, and Father Paul basically brought him home to the island “to help the people who need it most.” This is an eye-opening moment, because we realize that Paul is not evil, he genuinely believes that a vampire will bring salvation to his neighbors.

We also realize that yes, Midnight Mass is now officially a horror series.

Back in the present, the dead Father Paul suddenly springs back to life, as Bev weeps and says, “Oh, thank God, it’s a miracle!” The Scarboroughs and Sturge are stunned as the camera pulls in on the frame that Bev noticed earlier. It’s a page from an old newspaper, with a story about the church renovation, and it features a photo of the young Monsignor AKA Father Paul.

Some thoughts as this episode of Midnight Mass closes. Did Bev actually poison Father Paul to test her theory that he was Monsignor Pruitt? Does Father Paul actually believe that the horrid looking creature who fed on his blood is an angel? Midnight Mass keeps slowly piecing together a puzzle, and I can’t wait to see it completed.

How do you feel about Midnight Mass so far? Is it thrilling you, or leaving you cold? Let us know in the comments section.