22 The woman looked up and cried out "Rebecca?"
"Mother," the child's voice came, "Why do you weep?
This day they have made it that our paths should cross and your
prayers be answered. Did you not tell me again and again to stay
off the rocks, not to go near the deep water? If I had not
disobeyed I would not have lost my life. If there was sin, mine
was the greater. Do not cry any more mother. Go home.
23 It is a holy man that is with you, a man of mischief but also
great kindness. He has given me but a moment but in time we will
have forever in Paradise. I will wait for you."
24 Then there was great silence and only the blowing of the wind.
Demetrius rose and extended his hand. The woman took it and rose
to his side. "Who are you?" she asked.
25 "Just a passing friend," Demetrius answered. "Go
home, woman, heed your child's words. Your sins are forgiven you,
weep no more."
26 The woman kissed his hands and departed. Philip and Andrew
hurried off to be with the others when Demetrius joined them.
27 They went up into Sumeria where Jesus already was. They
entered the house where Jesus was, and Demetrius asked Peter
again, "How do you know that Jesus is the Christ? You have
given me three good reasons, but there must yet be another one."
28 Peter saw Mary who was with them and said, "Yes, Roman.
Here is the greatest proof of all. She has bore Him when she was
a virgin. Surely that is the greatest of proof that He is The
Messiah."
29 Demetrius contemplated this greatly. There was with them Peter's
youngest daughter who had just entered into womanhood. Demetrius
began to contemplate her heavily. When Philip saw this he rose up
and went to Jesus.
"Rabbi," he cried, "forbid him! For it would not
be right to do such a thing to the child!" 30 Jesus asked
him of what he spoke. Philip told Him and all gathered what had
transpired.
31 "Philip," Jesus scolded, "still you do not know
Demetrius well enough! He might contemplate such a thing, but he
would not do it, for the child's sake. But stop your mischief,
Demetrius. You trouble their minds and they will be troubled more
than enough. And Peter, if you do not watch your tongue, it will
put you in Hell. I will have to make a special effort that The
Holy Spirit, when It is given to you, puts an extra binding on it,
so it does not run wild!"
32 All spent the night discussing these things and wondering.
33 Peter's daughter came to Demetrius. "You wouldn't WOULD
you?" she whispered.
34 Demetrius' only answer was a mischievous smile. The girl
hurried off and sat by Jesus, who looked at them both and laughed.
"Oh, my brother!" He cried, "You are as
mischievous with the women on Earth as you were in Heaven. WIll
you ever change?"
35 Demetrius did not answer, but these words that Jesus had said
made the others wonder more.
THE WOMAN AT THE WELL
Chapter Twenty-One
Now while these things were happening John was
prisoner of Herod. And at first Herod was angry with John, for he
told the people of his sins, and would not let the people forget
that he had taken his brother's wife and not married her and
COULD not because his brother still lived. But the more Herod
spoke with John the more he liked him. Soon there grew a strange
bond between the two men. Though Herod kept John imprisoned, to
please the Jews he treated him with all kindness. He was well fed,
had good drink, and his disciples were allowed to come and go
from him without interference.
2 Herod sought a way that he could be rid of John without killing
him. So when the Roman Augustus came to him and offered a
solution Herod was well pleased.
3 "Rome wants no trouble in Judaea," Augustine
commented. "If this John is put to death the people might
rebel. Say that you cannot hear the case, that you cannot decide
it, and send him off to Rome.
4 Along the way he will become lost as happens at times, when
people travel under the protection of Rome, and he will never
again return to trouble anyone in Judaea."
5 Now, when Herod heard this he was overjoyed. Rome would rid him
of John. He would have to do nothing but send him away.
6 So he made agreement with Augustine that in two weeks' time he
would release John to Augustine to be taken to Rome.
7 When Augustine heard this he was pleased, for he wished no ill
to come to his beloved son-in-law. He went away to tell his
daughter that all would be well.
8 But the wife of Herod's brother was angry. She hated John
because he exposed her sin, and made men look upon her as what
she was. She determined that John should not leave Herod's
custody alive. She began to plot a great evil. But none, save her,
knew of it.
9 Now, Jesus was in Sumeria preaching. The Jews were angry with
Him over this, for they hated the Sumerians, and would not speak
with them. But this Jesus went up among them as if they were His
own.
10 One day, after much travelling, Jesus sent His disciples away
and took a different road into a city that was called Sycharnear
that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
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