The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 203 -
The Difference Between A Mask And Prudence
THEREUPON JOSEPH called the little Child over to himself and said to Him,
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'I would like to be heard now! But what I have to say I do not say because of You, but because of those who are here.
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For I know that You always discern my most secret thoughts, so I do not need to say anything to You; but I will say it to You so those who are here may know what is in my heart.
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Now it is true that we were often as if indifferent toward You outwardly -
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but this indifference was only a mask of our inward love and respect for You, so You would not become known to the cruel world.
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Who indeed knows the world better than You? Therefore no one but You will better realize that our up-to-now outward conduct toward You had to be thus so we could feel certain that we would not betray You.
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Therefore I ask You to forgive us in those instances when our hearts seemed to be cold, but which nonetheless always glowed like the rosy dawn when we beheld You.
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And be assured that in the future we will also conduct ourselves toward You before others as our inward urge will tell us to do.'
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After thus being spoken to, the little Child replied: 'Joseph, you have spoken truly - but there still is a great difference between a mask and prudence.
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A mask makes the heart cold - but prudence warms it.
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Why then a mask, when prudence is sufficient? Why a pretense, when one's natural wisdom offers a thousand protective measures?
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'Am I not the Lord whom the whole endless creation must obey at a nod because it is nothing other than a thought firmly held in My mind and exists as a spoken word from My mouth?
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And since I am the sole and only true Lord, how then should the masking of your heart be more effective toward My protection from the world than a whole world filled with My eternal power?
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Behold, one breath from My mouth - and the entire visible creation ceases to exist!
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'Do you then suppose I have need of a mask over your feelings to protect Myself and you from the persecutions of the world?
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Oh no, of that I have no need! For I do not keep Myself hidden from the world because I fear it,
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but only to avoid a judgment which would befall the world if it recognized Me in its iniquity.
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Hence all of you should indeed be prudent in the future so you will not bring a judgment on the world -
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but do not approach Me with a mask, which even in its best form is an offspring of hell.
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And you, Mary, return to your first love, or you will have much sorrow to endure someday because you now treat Me coldly by masking your heart for the sake of the world!'
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This word broke Mary's heart, and she seized the little Child with all the power of her love and pressed Him to her heart and caressed Him with the greatest ardor of her motherly love.