The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 182 -
Storms Of The Soul - A Sign Of God's Love
JOSEPH NOW came over also and with Mary wept for joy because he was given to see his friend Cyrenius again after two years.
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Here the little Child said to Cyrenius, 'Cyrenius, it is enough that you bow your heart before Me in all love -
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but you may keep your knees straight! See, you have a large following with you which still does not know Me, and you shall not give Me away through such posture!
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So arise from the ground and do as Joseph, Jonathan, Mary and all the others are doing - and have your wife arise also!'
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Cyrenius now arose with Tullia, whereupon he promptly took the little Child on his arms and caressed Him.
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With the little Child on his arm he stepped closer to Joseph and said,
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'Greetings to you from the bottom of my heart! How many times indeed has my heart longed for you -
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but the unfortunate matters of state have piled up so greatly during the past two years that I never knew how to win the time to follow this high and holy demand of my heart!
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Only by now was I able to put everything so far in order that I could visit you, my divine friend, for a short time.
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But even now that I followed the urge of my heart I would almost have perished if, without a doubt, this most holy little Child had not sent a rescuer to meet me!
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'Oh my friend and brother, I have had much indeed to withstand during these last two years!
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Persecution, betrayal, slander with the emperor and many other most unpleasant things did I have to endure!
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But at such times I always thought of what the most holy little Child once said to me two years ago, namely, that He pinches and teases those He loves.
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And truly, all these storms around my soul were nothing else than all sorts of caresses from this my Lord of all lords!
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For wherever a wave rose up against me and threatened to devour me hide and hair,
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there it was smashed by another still mightier counterwave, and nothing remained but only vain, empty shadows.
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And now I am finally here totally unharmed after having withstood a great danger which threatened to swallow us all, and am in your to me truly divine company! Now all the storms which frightened me are becalmed as if they had gone to an eternal rest!'
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Here Joseph embraced Cyrenius and replied, 'Yes, brother in the Lord, as you now have spoken, so it also is!
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I did in fact always know within myself what was taking place with you - but I always praised the Lord thereat for loving you so much.
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Now look over there toward noon and morning,42 and you will easily recognize the city and still more easily your own villa'.
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So have your ship taken care of and come with me, and we will have a real heart-to-heart talk at home.'
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When Cyrenius looked over and quickly recognized the villa, he was amazed and could not get over his surprise at all this.