The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 91 -
Love - The Only True Prayer
JOSEPH KISSED the Baby and said, 'Yes truly, if the Father's heart were not in You, You would never be capable of such words!
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For where in the whole earth is there a child of Your age which would be capable of speaking such words of itself, which no wise man has ever spoken!
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Tell me therefore whether I should worship You wholly as my God and Lord!'
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This question took all present by surprise.
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And the Baby smilingly replied: 'Joseph, do you really know how man should pray to God?
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See, you do not know that completely, so I will tell you.
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Listen! In spirit and in truth shall man pray to God, but not with the lips as the children of the world do, who suppose that they have served God by having exercised their lips for a time.
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And if you want to pray in spirit and in truth, then love God in your heart and do good to all friends and enemies, and your prayer will be just before God!
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Now if someone has exercised his lips before God at certain periods for a short time and during this exercise thought of all manner of worldly things which were closer to his heart than all his loose prayer, yes, closer than God Himself - say, can that really be called prayer?
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Truly, millions of such prayers are heard by God in exactly the same way as a stone hears the voice of one crying aloud!
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But if you pray to God by means of love, then you need never ask whether you should worship Me now as the most holy God and Father.
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Whoever prays to God like that, he also prays to Me. For the Father and I are of one love and one heart.'
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These words were clearly understood by all, and they knew why Jesus was to be called: Son of God.
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Joseph's breast was now full of the greatest heavenly joy.
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And Mary rejoiced secretly over the Baby and kept all such words in her heart, as did the sons of Joseph.
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And the three priests said to Joseph, 'Truly exalted wise man of all ages!
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We would like to speak a few quite secret words alone with you on that little hill where you prayed to your God with your sons in such a heartfelt and edifying manner last evening!'
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Here the Baby immediately interrupted the conversation and stated,
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'Do you really suppose My ear to be incapable of hearing the words of your mouth on the little hill? Oh, there you are mistaken, for My ears reach as far as My hands! So you may as well have your discussion right here in front of Me!'