The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 160 -
I Am He, Who Teaches Justice
IN THE MORNING an hour before sunrise everyone in Joseph's house was up as usual and the Baby Himself kicked about quite gayly in His crib and let Himself be heard by joyful baby-tones as if He were half singing.
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James played with the Baby in his usual way and made various motions with his hand for the Lord of infinity and sang and whistled thereby.
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Mary was still on her couch and slumbered, wherefore Joseph, who was engrossed in his morning prayer, criticized James a bit since he was so noisy and paid no attention to the prayer nor to the slumbering mother.
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Here James excused himself and said, 'Dear father, see, the Lord of heaven and earth is after all pleased by my activity with Him!
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And we certainly should always do that which pleases the Lord!
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See, the Lord is pleased with what I am doing. Why then are you displeased with it?
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Now mother would surely not slumber as well if we two, the Baby and I, were not thus noisy.
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I beg you, dear father, to consider me excused in that and not to blame me further if I in my calling sometimes seem unrestrained to you, but still please the Lord thereby.'
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Joseph agreed, 'Yes, yes, everything is all right - and I like to see that you keep the Baby good company,
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only you must not make so much noise in the future when you see that someone still sleeps and someone else is engrossed in prayer to God!'
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James thanked Joseph for this admonition, then asked him, saying:
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'When you pray to God, as you just have done, to what sort of a God do you pray?
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From what I now know about this Baby, no other greater or more true God can possibly exist than this Baby following the most emphatic witness from the heavens!
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And if-according to the prophets and according to the many marvelous testimonies - that is the case?
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When it is stated by the prophet: Who is He that comes from Edom, with reddish clothes from Bazra? Who is so adorned in His garments and walks about in His great power? - It is I, who teach justice and am a Champion to save!
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'Father, the Baby yesterday referred to Himself with these words in front of you. Just who is He? For no child of man can speak thus of Himself. And there is only one God!
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Who then is the Baby that here says: I am He who teaches justice and am a Champion to save?'
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Here Joseph was taken aback and admitted, 'Truly, my son James, you are right - you are better off at the cradle than I here in my prayer-nook!'
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While they were speaking, Eudokia came out of her chamber filled with the highest ecstasy. She was as beautiful as the red glow of morning, and fell down before the crib and worshiped the Baby.
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When she had thus prayed for half an hour, she arose and declared: 'Yes, - yes, You alone are the One, and apart from You there is no other!
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Last night in a dream I saw a sun in the firmament, and it was empty and had little light.
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Then I saw this Baby on the earth, and He shone like a thousand suns, and a powerful ray went out from Him over to the empty sun and illuminated it through and through.
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In this ray I saw the angels which were here soar up and down - their number was infinite, and their faces were incessantly turned toward the Baby! Ah, how majestic that was!'
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This tale brought Joseph completely out of his prayer-nook, and he now also held the Baby in greatest esteem and often prayed at the crib.