The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 172 -
He Is A Sinner Who Has No Love
AFTER JONATHAN had somewhat recovered from his astonishment at these words of the little Child, he said to Joseph,
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'Brother! Truly, as strongly as I have determined to stay with you today and tomorrow, I just will hardly be able to remain true to this intention.
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You see, everything here just seems too holy to me. I feel as if I were in a desolate place here in which everything at which the wanderer looks calls out to him: Here is no place for you, but only for spirits.
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'I also feel like someone on a very high mountain on whose summit the magic of the far vista at first enchants his senses;
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but only too soon the very pure and cold aid tells him:
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O lazy and impure human beast of burden, go back to your stinking homeland.
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For here, where the purest spirits of the purest ether dwell, is no place for an impure soul.
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How pure was the great prophet Moses, but when he wished to see the Lord, the Same declared to him:
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Me, your God, you cannot see and live at the same time.
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'Here is the same Lord in the fullness of His holiness; He is here, the One announced by the mouth of all the prophets!
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How could it be possible for me to any longer bear His visible presence here, since I am after all an old sinner against the whole Law of Moses?'
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And Joseph replied, 'Dear friend and brother, you well know what the main law is - why then would you rather go home than to honor this law by living according to it?
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Love the Lord with all your might, and do not constantly think of your sins, and you will surely be more pleasing to the Lord than with your constant exclamations.
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Wait until the little Child sends you away. When that happens, then believe that you are unworthy of Him;
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but as long as that does not take place then remain - for you will eternally never be more at home anywhere than here.'
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Here the little Child came over and said, 'Joseph, you did right in that you criticized Jonathan a bit - why is he so stubborn and does not want to stay here, when I love him so much!'
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Thereupon the little Child turned to Jonathan and inquired,
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'Jonathan, do you really want to leave here? What ill can possibly be happening to you, since you do not want to stay?'
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Jonathan answered, 'My Lord and my God, see, I am after all a gross sinner against the Law!'
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And the little Child said: 'What are you saying about sins? I do not charge you with any!
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Do you know who is a sinner? - I tell you: He is a sinner who has no love.
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But you have love, so you are no sinner before Me - for I have forgiven you your sins because I am a Lord from eternity above Moses!'
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Here Jonathan wept and again decided to stay, and then went over to the little Child and caressed Him.