The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 249 -
Jonathan Makes A Rich Catch Of Fish
WHEN, AFTER ABOUT THREE HOURS, Jonathan returned with Joseph and with his catch of gold and silver, everyone in the house had already risen and looked toward the still heavily smoking city.
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But the little Child with James hurried toward Joseph and Jonathan as they were approaching the shore.
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And when they stepped ashore, He greeted and kissed both of them and asked Jonathan whether he had already made a big catch of fish.
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The latter also embraced the little Child most lovingly and declared,
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'O my life, my love! I have done something more important today than catching fish!
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For I have, surely with Your almighty help, saved a stranded Roman ship which carried an envoy to Cyrenius.
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At this time a great many gold and silver fish fell into my net, so I gave up the actual fishing for today.'
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Here the Child said, 'I can understand that,
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but since I have really looked forward to getting a fresh fish today, it would have pleased Me more if instead of your gold and silver fish you had brought real ones !'
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Jonathan answered, 'O my life! See, there suspended along the shore are a number of cisterns full of the best fish, so we can be sure of eating fish that are really fresh.'
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At this the little Child smiled and said, 'Well, in that case you certainly do not need to go fishing any more.
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But I am already quite hungry - will it take long until a fish is prepared?'
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And Jonathan answered, 'Oh, no, my life, no, in half an hour we will already be sitting at the table.'
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Here Joseph said to the little Child, 'My, but You are a regular beggar.
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See, we are not really at home here, therefore we must not act as if we were at home.
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So just be patient - You will get something to eat all right - but to beg like that is just not proper in a strange house.'
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But the little Child retorted: 'Oh, what of it! I am at home wherever I am loved.
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And where I am thus at home, I surely may and can say what I want to.
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But so Jonathan shall not be without a reward for giving us of his fish,
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let him throw his net into the sea and he shall promptly make a generous catch for us all! - Jonathan, go ahead and do that.'
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Jonathan thereupon cast a large net into the sea and caught an unheard-of number of the most select fish.
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At this the little Child remarked to Joseph, 'See, if that is in My power, then I can surely ask Jonathan for a good fish.' - Here Joseph was silent, and Jonathan just could not help himself for sheer gratitude.