The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 151 -
The Seeker Will Find The Right Path
AFTER THIS the company , returned to the city and went to the citadel, where the noonday meal had been prepared wholly according to Jewish custom.
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All took their former places again and refreshed themselves at the tastily prepared meal.
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Only at the end of the meal did Cyrenius notice that the well-known captain was not present among the guests.
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'Where is he, what is he doing?' was the general question at the head of the Roman portion of the table.
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Cyrenius now turned to his friend Joseph and asked him about it.
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Joseph answered, 'Do not worry about him, for he has gone to seek out the poor in the city.
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To be sure, he is still more concerned with the discovery of the inner light than actually with the poor themselves,
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but that will not be detrimental to his cause - for to him who seeks the right path will open up of its own accord!'
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When Cyrenius learned this, he was very glad indeed and praised the captain in his heart.
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While the Roman company was divided over many suppositions about the captain's absence, he came in to the company in good spirits and was promptly assailed with a multitude of questions from all sides.
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But the captain, although himself very fond of asking questions, was nonetheless anything but fond of giving answers.
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For that reason he promptly went over to Cyrenius and excused himself because he had on this occasion stayed away from the noonday meal.
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And Cyrenius gave the captain his hand and assured him,
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'Truly, and if we stood before the enemy and you left your place of battle for such a reason, you would have nothing to answer for with me.
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For it is true, as I now realize, that we do more if we do good to only one human being, than if we should win all the kingdoms of the world for Rome.
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One human being means more to the Lord God than all the rest of the world!
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Therefore we do a much greater thing before God if we as brothers provide for a brother's bodily needs out of love - and as much as possible also spiritually -
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than if we took the field against many thousands of our worst enemies.
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Yes, it is infinitely more praiseworthy before God to be a benefactor to one's brothers, than to be the greatest hero in this mad world!'
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And the Baby added thereto: 'Amen! So it is, My Cyrenius Quirinus.
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Continue on this road, for truly, as surely as this one no other leads to eternal life! For love is life - whosoever has love, he also has life!' Thereupon the Baby blessed Cyrenius and the captain with His eyes.