disposition and took care of his property.  The other was disobedient, and one day said to his father:  ‘Give me my share of the substance; I wish to go to a far country.’  The father was sorry, but as the young man insisted he gave him his share, and he went away.  So while one brother worked and gained and saved at home, the other lived in pleasure and luxury, and squandered his property out in the world, and became so poor that he had to be a swineherd and eat husks with the sows.  He got ill and wretched, and was despised by every one.  Then he remembered his father, whose meanest servant lived in plenty.  Utterly downcast and destitute, he returned home, knelt before his father, and said:  ’Father, I have sinned deeply!  I am no longer worthy to be your son; let me be your meanest servant.’  Then his father lifted him up, pressed him to his heart, had him robed in costly garments, ordered a calf to be slaughtered and the wineskins to be filled in readiness for a banquet, and invited all his family to it that they might rejoice with him.  All came except his other son.  He sent a message to say that he had faithfully served his father all his life, yet no calf or buck had been slaughtered on his account.  He found more honour in eating bread and figs alone in his room than in sitting at the banquet table with idle fellows and spendthrifts.  Then his father sent to him and said:  ’Wrong, wrong you are!  Your brother was lost and is found.  Look to it that your envy turns not to your loss.  Come and be merry with me!’ I tell you that the Heavenly Father rejoiceth more over a sinner that repenteth than over a righteous man.”

Then a Pharisee stepped out from the crowd, wrapped his cloak round him with much dignity, and uttered the saying of a Jewish scholar:  “Only the righteous man shall stand before God!”

To which Jesus replied; “Have you not heard of the publican who kneeled backwards in the Temple, and did not venture to approach the altar because he was a poor sinner?  The Pharisee stands proudly by the altar and prays:  ’Lord, I thank thee that I am not wicked like that man in the corner!’ But when they went forth from the Temple, the publican’s heart was full of grace, and the Pharisee’s heart was empty.  Do you understand?”

Thereupon several of them drew back.  Jesus bent over the penitent and said:  “Woman, rise and depart in peace!”

The people were outwardly rather calmer.  Inwardly they were still restless, but they began now to be a little more satisfied with Him.

Meanwhile James had to settle with the fisherman about payment for the voyage.  Simon covered his face with his mantle, and said with gentle rebuke:  “Do not mock me.  I have been punished enough.  I am ashamed of my cowardice.  I see now that I’m neither a fisherman nor a sailor, but a mere useless creature.  This man whom you call Master, do you know what has come over me, thanks to Him?  He who saw Him in the storm, and heard His words about sinners, leaves Him not again.  No, I have never seen any like Him, If only Manasseh, the fisherman and his daughter, and my brother Andrew had been there!”