The Great Gospel of John
Volume 9
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord in the region of Caesarea Philippi
- Chapter 168 -
The wish of the Roman.
On this, the Roman, whose mind was already in a much better mood, said: "Master of all life and existence, when someone finds in himself to be in Your eternal clarity of existence and life, and views the big world in the beyond with the same power of light as You, that penetrates everything, then certainly not the least of heavyheartedness will be stirred up in him at the sight of such beautiful environment. But when man is heavyhearted he cannot be blamed so much, because we humans are shortsighted, especially regarding the inner life of the spirit and the soul. For how can a person, who was born in complete darkness of life and who was then brought up, have any notion and perspective about the true, inner being of the life of the soul, because already since his very early childhood he was only involved with matter and its various forms?"
2
For sure, by Your mercy, help and great compassion, things will become quite different with me now. But up till now, my body and soul were still so much completely one that it seemed quite impossible to me - as well as for many thousands of other people - that a soul could exist on its own without a body. For I imagined the soul, who thinks in me, as a product of the activity of the heart, the lungs and the other inward organs, for when this activity ends, then ends also the feeling, hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, observing, thinking, evaluating and acting.
3
Besides, I myself never noticed anything that, even by far, seemed to be an existence of a soul after the death of the body, although other people told me many things about it. For if I - since I also am a human being - was not able to convince myself of something, I could not just purely believe in it. And so, I really cannot be blamed when the thought about a coming death always stirs up heavyheartedness in me, especially at the sight of a beautiful landscape like this one.
4
If ever I would have been able to see and speak to my many friends and acquaintances who died already a long time ago, I also would not have been taken by heavyheartedness at the sight of such beautiful landscape in the manner as this had been the case with me for a long time. My lung disease, which could not be healed by any doctor on Earth, and my old age, which did not give any prospect for a long life anyway, actually contributed to it, and so I became a straight enemy, of life, of the beauties of nature and the young, cheerful youth.
5
Now, during Your visible presence, o Lord and Master, it is of course quite different, because now I know by Your divine mouth how things are with man after the death of his body, and this took away almost completely my fear and fright for death that tormented me already such a long time, about which I thank You from the deepest of my heart.
6
If moreover I could see and speak to someone of my deceased friends - which You, o Lord and Master of the sensorial and spiritual world can certainly accomplish - then my mind would be even more in order. That You can easily do that, I do not doubt in the least, but if it also would be allowable according to Your wisdom and order, that You only can know, and also the person to whom You told it. If this would be allowable, then I would like to ask You."
7
I said: "It is possible and also allowable for people who have become already mature for it. Because people who have become already strong in their own spirit cannot harm anymore the still very impure souls if they have to show themselves in this world, but only those who are still immature in their spirit.
8
All your friends and acquaintances who were separated from the sensorial world would not be a pleasant appearance if I would show them all to you. Therefore, I only want to present a few somewhat better ones to you. Then you can speak with them yourself about their condition in the beyond.
9
If you still seriously want this, I am willing to make it possible for you for a short time, then you not only will be able to see and speak to your best friends, but you also will be able to see how the world, in which they live and act, looks like and how it is arranged."
10
The Roman said: "O Lord and Master, please give me this grace."
11
I said: "Well, so be it, and so it will be done."