him and you.’ Then the man in hell whimpered,
’Woe! woe! woe! Let my five brothers who
still dwell on earth know that they must be merciful
to the poor, so that they may not be in my case.
And Abraham said: ’They have the prophets
on earth who tell them that every day.’
Then the man whined: ’Oh, Father Abraham,
they do not listen to the prophets. If only you
would make one of the dead live again, that he might
tell them how the unmerciful are punished, then they
would believe. And Abraham: ’If they
do not believe the living, how should they believe
the dead?”
During the Master’s recital, the host several
times stretched forth his hand to his glass, but each
time drew it back again. He had not a word to
say, and the desire to lay snares for the Prophet had
gone. He stole unnoticed from the hall, went
down to his steward, and ordered him henceforth never
to send a needy man from the door unrefreshed.
One of his friends who was at the banquet was immensely
pleased that this betrayer of the people should have
so exposed himself. “You understood?
The story was nothing but an attack on the possessors
of property.”
“Let that be,” said the host, and turned
away. Then he went and furnished the Prophet
and His little band with provisions, gave Him directions
for His journey, and pointed out how He could best
avoid pursuers. He looked after them for a long
time. “They have prophets on earth and
do not heed them.” He would like to accompany
this prophet. His little soul had been caught
by Him he had wished to catch.
Things did not go so well with our fugitive in other
places. An evil slander about the Baptist was
spread abroad—that he was a glutton and
a wine-bibber! Jesus heard of it, and said:
“John the Baptist fasted. They said of
him that he was possessed by a demon. It is neither
eating nor fasting that they object to in the prophets;
it is the truth which they speak.”
Then they came to villages and farms where they wished
to rest, but none would give them shelter. This
angered the Master. The dust on the ground was
not worthy to remain sticking to the feet of those
who came to bring the Kingdom of God. The heartless
would be thrust aside! But anger was turned into
pitiful love. When a contrite man approached
Him He raised him up with both arms, encouraged him,
taught him to be kind, showed him the joy of life,
and how to penetrate the sacred recesses of his own
being—self-examination.
Self-examination! That is the everlasting guide
Jesus gave to all who sought God.
At last Jesus and His followers reached the sea.
When it lay before them in its immensity, and the
white-winged ships flew over the blue surface; when
they saw in the far distance the line drawn between
sky and water, and the firmament rising behind so
darkly mysterious, their courage was renewed, and
Simon proposed that they should sail across to the
cheerful Greeks and the strong Romans.
