The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 79 -
A Judgment Is Avoided
ONCE THE PARTY arrived at the sea-shore, where the harbor was constructed partly by nature and partly by the artifice of men, Cyrenius again was considerably surprised.
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For nowhere was any damage to be seen, except that all the mythological decorations on the pretentious ship of Cyrenius were as good as destroyed.
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At this Cyrenius said to Joseph, 'My very esteemed friend, under these circumstances your sons will have little to do.
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See, not one vessel has received any other damage than that - which is quite welcome to me - the idols have apparently been cast into the water, especially from my ship,
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with which I am indeed highly pleased for I certainly shall not have any more placed anywhere on my ship.
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All praise, all honor to your God for that!
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But for all that I shall so reward your sons for eventual little repairs, which will have to be done here and there on the ships, as if they had done something big.'
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Here Joseph said to Cyrenius, 'Oh friend and brother, do not overly concern yourself with the earnings of my children.
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See, not because of the earnings, but just to render you a good service I would gladly have come to your aid in such a matter of carpentry. But the Lord has helped you and it is better that way, for now you can easily do without my help.
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Now that we have seen everything and since it is already rather late in the afternoon, I suggest that we go home again and wait until tomorrow to look at anything that may still remain.'
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Cyrenius agreed, 'That is what I think, for I am very sorry indeed for the poor mother, so we must see to it now that we get home as soon as possible!
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I shall have a litter brought for her at once, so she may be carried home with the Baby.'
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Here the Baby immediately made His presence known in back of Cyrenius and said to him:
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'Be sure to do that, for the said mother has already become very tired, since she had a heavy burden to carry in Me.
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But on the way home you must not follow your intention to make your way across that certain square of the priests.
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For if My mother were to carry Me past there, where by now about one-hundred of those buried in the rubble are lying upon mats,
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they all would suddenly return to life, and that would be a judgment for you and all the people which would do great harm to everyone concerned.
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But this way they will be awakened throughout the night by means of human assistance under My secret influence.
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In this manner the appearance of the miraculous will be avoided, and you and all the people will be spared from a judgment that kills the spirit forever!'
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Cyrenius closely followed this advice, greatly gladdened in his heart. The litter was instantly provided, and Mary with the Baby took place in the same.
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And Cyrenius chose another route, by which the whole company including the three priests quite soon and very comfortably reached the villa of Joseph.