Travel

They [the Magi] have no human worry, when they decide on their journey. You would have had hundreds of problems: ‘How will I be able to make such a long journey in countries and among peoples speaking different languages? Will they believe me or will they put me in prison as a spy? What help will they give me to cross deserts, rivers and mountains? And the heat? And the winds of the highlands? And the malarial fever along stagnant marshes? And the floods and heavy rains? And the different food? And the different languages? And… and… and…’ That is your way of thinking. But they do not think like that. With sincere, holy daring they say: ‘You, o God, can read our hearts and You see the purpose we are aiming at. We trust to Your hands. Grant us the superhuman joy of adoring Your Second Person, Who has become Flesh to save the world’.

That is all. And they set out from the far away Indies. From the Mongolian chains of mountains which are the dominion of eagles and vultures, where God speaks with roars of winds and torrents and writes words of mystery on the immense pages of glaciers. From the land where the Nile rises and then flows with its green blue waters to the azure heart of the Mediterranean, neither mountains, nor woods, nor sands, dry oceans more dangerous than the seas, can stop them from proceeding. And the star shines upon them at night, preventing them from sleeping. When one seeks God, natural habits must yield to superhuman considerations and necessities.

• Abandon
• Restlessness - Preoccupation
• Travel

«It is a long way, it is a dark night, the Roman patrols are around the town. I say: stay with us, if you wish.»

«Oh! Master!» Thomas is happy.

«Make room for him. And each of us will give something to our brother.» Jesus gives him the portion of cheese He had in front of Him. He explains to Thomas: «We are poor and our supper is almost over. But there is so much heart in those who offer.» And He says to John who is sitting beside Him: «Give your seat to our friend.»

John gets up at once and sits down at the end of the table near the landlord.

«Sit down, Thomas, and eat.»

55.2 And then He says to them all: «You will always behave like that, My friends, according to the law of charity. A pilgrim is already protected by the law of God. But now, in My name, you must love him even more. When anyone asks you for some bread, a drop of water or a shelter in the name of God, you must give it in the same name. And you will receive your reward from God. You must behave so with everybody. Even with your enemies. And that is the new Law. Up until now you were told:

“Love those who love you and hate your enemies”. I say: “Love also those who hate you”. Oh! if you only knew how much you will be loved by God, if you love as I am telling you! And when anyone says: “I want to be your companion in serving the true Lord God and following His Lamb”, then he must be dearer to you than a brother by blood, because you will be joined by an eternal bond: the bond of Christ.»

«But if someone comes who is not sincere? It is easy to say: “I want to do this or that”. But words do not always correspond to the truth» says Peter, rather irritated. I do not know why, but he is not in his usual jovial mood.

«Peter, listen. What you say is sensible and fair. But, see: it is better to exceed in bounty and trust rather than exceed in distrust and hardness. If you help an undeserving person, what harm will befall you? None. In fact, God’s reward will always be active for you, whereas the person will be guilty of betraying your trust.»

«No harm? Eh! Very often a worthless person is not satisfied with ingratitude, but goes much further, even to the extreme of ruining one’s reputation, wealth and one’s very life.»

«True. But would that diminish your merit? No, it would not. Even if the whole world should believe in slander, even if you became poorer than Job, even if the cruel person should take your life, what would change in the eyes of God? Nothing. Or rather, something would change. But to your advantage. God, to the merits of your bounty, would add the merits of your intellectual, financial, physical martyrdom.»

«Alright! Perhaps it is so.» Peter does not speak any more. He sulkily rests his head on his hand.

• Charity
• Doctrine
• Good News
• Hospitality
• How to perfect and sanctify yourself
• Lessons and Teachings for the Apostles
• Love your enemies
• Old and new law
• Pilgrim
• Simon-Pierre - Simon de Jonas (apostle)
• Travel