John went out into the night to seek his master.
“Sir,” said the youth, when he stood
before him, “what does it mean? They say
that you have turned water into wine. I have
often thought that you were different from all of
us. You must be from Heaven.”
“And why not you also, John, who look up to
it? Can anyone attain the height who has not
come from it?”
John remained standing by his side for a while.
It was not always easy to grasp what he meant.
On their homeward way by night, the mother unburdened
her anxious heart to her son. “You are
so good, my child, and help people wherever you can.
Why are you often so rough of speech?”
“Because they do not understand me,” he
replied; “because you, none of you, understand
me. You think that if a man works at his wood
in the carpenter’s shop, then he’s doing
all that is necessary.”
“Wood? Of course a carpenter has to work
with wood. Do you want to be a stonemason?
Think, stones are harder than wood.”
“But they give fire when struck together.
Wood gives no sparks, nor would the Nazarenes yield
any sparks, even if lightning struck them. They
are like earth and damp straw. They are incapable
of enthusiasm: they are only capable of languid
irritation. But you’ll not build a kingdom
of heaven with irritation. I despise the wood
that always smokes and never burns.”
“My son, I fear you will make such enemies of
them that——”
“That I shall not be able to stay in Nazareth.
Isn’t that what you mean, mother?”
“I am anxious about you, my son.”
“Happy the mother who is nothing worse.
I am quite safe.” He stopped and took
her hand. “Mother, I’m no longer
a child or a boy. Do not trouble about me.
Let me be as I am, and go where I will. There
are other tasks to be fulfilled than building Jonas
a cottage or Sarah a sheep-pen. The old world
is breaking up, and the old heaven is falling into
ruin. Let me go, mother; let me be the carpenter
who shall build up the kingdom of heaven.”
The constellations spread themselves across the sky.
Mary let her son go on before, down to the little
town; she walked slowly behind and wept. She
stood alone and had no influence with him. Every
day he became more incomprehensible.
A strange excitement prevailed among the people in
Galilee, and spread through Samaria and Judaea even
to Jerusalem. A new prophet had arisen.
There were many in those days, but this one was different
from the rest. As is always the way in such
times, at first a few people paid heed feverishly,
then they infected others with their unrest, and finally
roused families and whole villages which had hitherto
stood aloof. So at last all heeded the new prophet.
At the time of the foreign rule old men had spoken
of the King and Saviour who was to make the chosen
people great and mighty. Expounders of the Scriptures
had from generation to generation consoled those who
were waiting and longing. Men had grown impatient
under the intolerable foreign oppression, and a national
desire and a religious expectation such as had never
before been known in so high a degree had manifested
itself.
