«At what time shall we be arriving?» asks Jesus Who is walking in the centre of the group behind the sheep, grazing on the grass on the banks.
«At about the third hour. It’s almost ten miles» replies Elias.
«Are we going to Kerioth afterwards?» asks Judas.
«Yes, we will go there.»
«Was it not quicker to go to Kerioth from Juttah? It cannot be a great distance. Is that correct, shepherd?»
«About two miles longer, more or less.»
«This way, we will be doing over twenty for nothing.»
«Judas, why are you so worried?»
«I am not worried, Master. But You promised You would come to my house.»
«And I will. I always keep My promises.»
«I sent word to my mother… and after all, You said so Yourself, one can be near the dead also with one’s soul.»
«I did. But just think, Judas: you have not yet suffered because of Me. These people have been suffering for thirty years, and they have never betrayed, not even My memory they betrayed. They did not know whether I was dead or alive… and yet they remained faithful. They remembered Me as a newly-born baby, an infant with nothing but tears and the need of milk… and they have always worshipped Me as God. Because of Me they have been beaten, cursed and persecuted as if they were the disgrace of Judaea, and yet their faith has never faltered, neither did it wither under blows, on the contrary it took deeper roots and became stronger.»
77.2
«By the way. For some days I have been anxious to ask You a question. These people are Your friends and the friends of God, are they not? The angels blessed them with the peace of Heaven, did they not? They have been faithful against all temptations, have they not? Would You explain to me, then, why are they unhappy? And what about Anne? She was killed because she loved You…»
«Are you therefore deducing that to be loved by Me and to love Me brings bad luck?»
«No… but…»
«But you are. I am sorry to see you so closed to the Light and so open to human things. No, never mind John, and you too, Simon. I prefer him to speak. I never reproach. I only want you to open your souls to Me that I may enlighten them. Come here, Judas, listen.
You have an opinion which is common to many people of our times and will be common to man in future. I said: an opinion. I should say: an error. But since you do not do so out of malice, but out of ignorance of the truth, it is not an error, it is only an incorrect opinion, like a child’s. And you are like children, My poor men. And I am here, as a Master, to make adults of you, capable of distinguishing truth from lies, good from bad and what is better from what is good. Listen to Me, therefore.
What is life? It is a period of pause, I would say the limbo of Limbo, that the God Father grants you as trial to establish whether you are good or bad children, after which He will allocate, according to your deeds, a future life without pauses or trials. Now tell Me: would it be fair if a man, simply because he has been granted the rare gift of being in the position of serving God in a special way, also had an everlasting wealth throughout his life? Do you not think that he has already been granted a great deal and may therefore consider himself happy, even if human things are against him? Would it not be unfair if he, who already has the light of divine revelation in his heart and the smile of a clear conscience, should also have worldly honours and wealth? And would it not also be unwise?»
77.3
«Master, I would also say that he would be a desecrator. Why put human joys where You already are? When one has You — and they had You, they are the only rich people in Israel because they have had You for thirty years — one should have nothing else. We do not put human things on the Propitiatory… and the consecrated vase is used only for sacred uses. And these people are consecrated since the day they saw Your smile… and nothing but You is to enter their hearts, which possess You. I wish I was like them!» says Simon.
«But you wasted no time, immediately after you saw the Master and were cured, in getting back your property» Judas replies ironically.
«That is true. I said I would and I did. But do you know why? How can you judge if you do not know the whole situation? My representative was given precise instructions. Now that Simon Zealot has been healed — and his enemies can no longer harm him, neither can they persecute him because he belongs only to Jesus and to no sect: he has Jesus and nothing else — Simon can dispose of his wealth which an honest and faithful servant kept for him. And I, being the owner for a further short time, gave instructions that the estate should be reorganised, so that I would get more money when selling it and I would be able to say… no, I am not telling what.»
«The angels say it for you, Simon, and they are writing it in the eternal book» says Jesus.
Simon looks at Jesus. Their eyes meet: Simon’s express surprise, Jesus’ blessing approval.
«As usual. I am wrong.»
«No, Judas. You have a practical sense, you said so yourself.»
«Oh! but with Jesus!… Also Simon Peter was full of practical sense, but now!… You, too, Judas, will become like him. You have only been with the Master a short time, we have been longer with Him, and we are already better» says John who is always kind and conciliatory.
«He did not want me. Otherwise I would have been His since Passover.» Judas is really bad-tempered today.
Jesus puts an end to the argument by asking Levi: «Have you ever been to Galilee?»
«Yes, my Lord.»
«You will come with Me, to take Me to Jonah. Do you know him?»
«Yes, I do. We always met at Passover. I used to go and see him then.»
Joseph, mortified, lowers his head. Jesus notices and says: «You cannot both come. Elias would be left alone with the sheep. But you will come with Me as far as the Jericho pass, where we will part for some time. I will tell you after what you have to do.»
«What about us? Shall we not do anything?»
«Yes, you will, Judas, you will.»