The Great Gospel of John
Volume 2
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Second Journey of the Lord: Nazareth - Cave at Bethabara (First Feeding of the People) - Mountain of Prayer - Walking on the Sea of Galilee (Peter's test of faith) - By ship to Genneseret in the bay with the same name
- Chapter 114 -
Jarah and her diverse prayer experiences.
Says Jarah:"Oh, why should I not be pleased therewith?! I too would do so if I were capable! But of what use my altruistic desires if I can't help? I can only at times and concerning small things, ask my parents that they would provide help to the poor and needy, and in that I have nearly always received a hearing, - of course also sometimes rebuked for being too silly soft-hearted: but that never upset me, - if only the poor was helped.
2
But the case was not always the same with my prayer to the almighty God! Because there I also prayed often, and after being sure that God is certain to hear my prayer, and going to check whether my child-like prayer bore fruit, - there was nothing. The old sickness was still there.
3
I then went to my father of course to ask him why God the almighty sometimes is so hard of hearing!
4
To which my father told me that God knows why He sometimes sends the one or other a prolonged suffering for the benefit of their soul, well-calculating how long this or that one has to do penance, and then prayer does not help much except where such a sinner fully reforms! And behold, this reassured me somewhat, yet I did not give such prayer for the poor away.
5
But on some occasions the dear great God heard me quickly, and that also gave me immense joy! Because for a compassionate heart there is no greater bless in this world to find out that the great God hears the prayer of an almost under-age maiden!
6
And that You, o Lord, has come to us, appears to me as if the great God has listened to my prayer! Since we all have heard it from many who came here, that in Nazareth and its region a certain carpenter Jesus performs such extraordinary great, yes unheard of healings of the sick, yes even bring back to life the dead; the blind see, the stone-deaf perfectly hear again and speech returns to the mute, and the lame and cripple are becoming straight again , - in short, there doesn't exists an illness which He cannot heal instantly!
7
Initially we regarded this as a fable; but when repeatedly people were coming to us, even those who were healed miraculously by Jesus, we started to believe that this actually was the case.
8
I then was gripped by an over-strong love for this man for these things were possible, and then asked the dear God daily so piously and confidently as it was possible for me, that He by his omnipotence might lead you to us! And behold, and God had actually heard me and has send You to us!
9
When it was said that You have come, o, what indescribable bliss I felt! O, how I would have liked to hug You, if I only had the courage for it! But for the sake of my parents and my siblings, I had to coerce my heart tremendously. But today for me the indescribable happy time has arrived, to sit with You, the Master and Lord, whom I already loved beyond measure, since I have heard the first word about Him.
10
O, now you are there and I have You and - o what indescribable bliss! - may love You and also being loved by You. O, now even the most perfect angels in heaven could not be more blessed then I am now! - But now You should not leave us ever again; for then I had to die of too much grieve!"
11
Say I: "No, no, you My heart! I never ever will leave you and say to you that you neither will see nor feel death; one day My angels will come and take you away from this earth and bring you to Me, your Father from eternity! Since behold, you My most dearest Jarah, to Him you have prayed so heartedly to get Me here, is sitting in My person with you and loves you with the purest flame of all heavens, and you were right to say that you are more blessed than the most perfect angels of all heavens! - Lift your eyes and you will see that it is so as I just now have told you!"