The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 148 -
The Unveiling Of The Spiritual Life
WHEN THE CAPTAIN heard this from Joseph he did not deliberate for long, but went over to Cyrenius and said,
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'Imperial, consular highness! His eminence has surely heard what the wise Jew has advised this unworthy person to do.
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For that reason I have promptly decided to follow his advice without delay.
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Therefore I beg his eminence to sanction me this decision according to which I would like to take all of these poor into my care as if they were my own children.'
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Cyrenius retorted, 'My very esteemed, dear captain! I am sorry that I cannot let this noble pleasure come your way.
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You see, I have just taken them all into my own care.
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But you must not be sad on that account, for you will still meet enough poor.
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Carry out the advice of the wise Jew with them and you will harvest an equal reward.'
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At this the captain bowed before Cyrenius, then went directly over to Joseph and asked,
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'Now what can I do, when Cyrenius has already anticipated me? Where will I get the poor now? For here they are gathered from all of Ostracine.'
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And Joseph smiled at the captain in a friendly manner and assured him,
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'Oh my very kind friend, do not ever be concerned about that, for the earth has always had a greater lack of everything else than of the poor.
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See, they do not have to be exactly blind, lame, crippled and afflicted with other ailments.
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Go and inspect the families in the houses; convince yourself of their manifold need and you will immediately find plenty of opportunity to generously put your abundance to work.
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See, this city as a whole is anyhow more of a ruin than an even to some extent stately, prospering city.
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Just search through the half-decayed dwellings of many a citizen, and you will immediately see the foolishness of your concern over the lack of poor people.'
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Here the captain admitted, 'Dear, wise friend, therein you are undoubtedly right!
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But those poor people will be able to give me little enlightenment about the coming Messiah, since they as well as I are in a false faith compared to you.
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Now these people have experienced many wonderful things and could by and by have disclosed many a thing to me.'
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And Joseph answered the captain: 'Oho, my dear friend! Do you really think that the unveiling of the spiritual life can be had from the poor?
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Oh, therein you are under a great illusion. See, the unveiling depends only on your own heart and spirit. When you practice love, then out of the flame of such love a light will be born to you, but not from the mouth of the poor!' With this explanation the captain was satisfied and henceforth asked no more what he should do.