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| THE ETERNAL MESSIAH: Jesus of K'Turia |
| by W. R. Pursche & Michael Gabriele |
From the top of the amphitheater, on the knoll, a tall man stood and called
out, “The Pertise have long told us that the Law and the Way are one and
the same, that we cannot find the Way without following the Law exactly.
And the Law says that we must keep the Order, and make our Sacrifices,
so that stability and harmony will be maintained. We have been taught that
this is how we reach Paradise, and how we avoid suffering in this life, and
in the next. Are you saying this is wrong?”
“You have heard,” said Jesus, “but you have not yet understood. You
have heard my story of the two farmers, but you have not understood that
the Way is more important than the Law.
“Let me tell you another story. A rich builder is walking along a road.
Behind him come the farmers who work his land, pulling a cart laden with
food. Now a poor village woman happens to be walking on the same road,
just behind the farmers, carrying a very small sack. Sitting along the side
of the road are two invalids. The invalids call out to the rich builder,
‘Please, share with us some food!’ The builder stops and sees the
farmers and the old woman watching him, and he puts on a great show of
giving the invalids a large basket of food, and then he goes on his way. As
the poor village woman passes the invalids, she stops and empties her
sack at their feet, and two shriveled pieces of fruit tumble out. ‘Here,’ she
says, ‘you can have this fruit.’ And she picks up her empty bag and walks
away.
“Now I ask of you, who has made the greater Sacrifice? The rich builder,
because he has given them a large basket of food, or the old village
woman, who has given away her only two pieces of fruit?”
No one answered, and Jesus continued, “There is nothing wrong with
Laws, but they cannot become more important than the Way. And the Way
is one of Sacrifice, not because the Laws demand it, but because love
demands it. The Way is about love and compassion. Sacrifice is about
helping others, as you are able, to the best of your abilities, no matter
what your place in the Order.”
Jesus pointed at the temple steps. “Those steps lead into the temple,
where they continue on, up and up, to the altar. When you are there, the
rich sit closest to the altar, and on the steps behind them and below them
come those lower in the Order, all the way down to the traders, who have
to strain their necks just to see the priests.”
He pointed at the people in the front rows. “You here, you are builders.
And you back there are craftspeople, and behind you, the caretakers, the
farmers, the traders. You have sat according to the Order! Yet here in this
amphitheater, the rich are down below, and the poorest are above. Who is
to say which Order is right?
“Wake up! You have been willed to sleep by the rituals of the Laws. You
live as sleepwalkers, blindly groping in the dark. Before you can see, you
must awaken! The Laws have trapped you in a life of stagnation. You
have so come to rely on those who tell you what to do that you no longer
think of what you need to do yourselves!”
Someone called out, “But Jesus, if we do not follow the Order, how will we
survive?”
“By not letting the Law become an empty ritual. If you do, you will live only
out of habit or out of fear. If you live out of habit, you simply expect
everything will fall into place for you. There is no sacrifice in this. You must
do more than what the Law tells you to do. You must think of what you are
responsible for, and what you need to do for others. And if you live out of
fear, you will not be making true sacrifices. A sacrifice is not a payment of
a debt or a tax, it is an act of love and compassion. Sacrificing because
you want to help others is what will keep you alive! It is what will keep you
in peace, and show you the Way to Paradise.”
The crowd was silent. Finally the tall man spoke again, almost
beseechingly. “But if we do not make the Sacrifice as we have been
taught, how will there be anything ready for us in Paradise?”
Win’s gheris surged as Jesus replied, “The sacrifices of the Way are not
about things! Your life is about who you are and how you act, not what
you own. Those who covet possessions, who keep what they do not need,
who dress themselves in finery—none of these people will find the Way,
for you will not need things in Paradise! Material things are a sign of
greed, not sacrifice!”
There was a shocked silence. People shifted uneasily and cast wary
glances toward the temple.
out, “The Pertise have long told us that the Law and the Way are one and
the same, that we cannot find the Way without following the Law exactly.
And the Law says that we must keep the Order, and make our Sacrifices,
so that stability and harmony will be maintained. We have been taught that
this is how we reach Paradise, and how we avoid suffering in this life, and
in the next. Are you saying this is wrong?”
“You have heard,” said Jesus, “but you have not yet understood. You
have heard my story of the two farmers, but you have not understood that
the Way is more important than the Law.
“Let me tell you another story. A rich builder is walking along a road.
Behind him come the farmers who work his land, pulling a cart laden with
food. Now a poor village woman happens to be walking on the same road,
just behind the farmers, carrying a very small sack. Sitting along the side
of the road are two invalids. The invalids call out to the rich builder,
‘Please, share with us some food!’ The builder stops and sees the
farmers and the old woman watching him, and he puts on a great show of
giving the invalids a large basket of food, and then he goes on his way. As
the poor village woman passes the invalids, she stops and empties her
sack at their feet, and two shriveled pieces of fruit tumble out. ‘Here,’ she
says, ‘you can have this fruit.’ And she picks up her empty bag and walks
away.
“Now I ask of you, who has made the greater Sacrifice? The rich builder,
because he has given them a large basket of food, or the old village
woman, who has given away her only two pieces of fruit?”
No one answered, and Jesus continued, “There is nothing wrong with
Laws, but they cannot become more important than the Way. And the Way
is one of Sacrifice, not because the Laws demand it, but because love
demands it. The Way is about love and compassion. Sacrifice is about
helping others, as you are able, to the best of your abilities, no matter
what your place in the Order.”
Jesus pointed at the temple steps. “Those steps lead into the temple,
where they continue on, up and up, to the altar. When you are there, the
rich sit closest to the altar, and on the steps behind them and below them
come those lower in the Order, all the way down to the traders, who have
to strain their necks just to see the priests.”
He pointed at the people in the front rows. “You here, you are builders.
And you back there are craftspeople, and behind you, the caretakers, the
farmers, the traders. You have sat according to the Order! Yet here in this
amphitheater, the rich are down below, and the poorest are above. Who is
to say which Order is right?
“Wake up! You have been willed to sleep by the rituals of the Laws. You
live as sleepwalkers, blindly groping in the dark. Before you can see, you
must awaken! The Laws have trapped you in a life of stagnation. You
have so come to rely on those who tell you what to do that you no longer
think of what you need to do yourselves!”
Someone called out, “But Jesus, if we do not follow the Order, how will we
survive?”
“By not letting the Law become an empty ritual. If you do, you will live only
out of habit or out of fear. If you live out of habit, you simply expect
everything will fall into place for you. There is no sacrifice in this. You must
do more than what the Law tells you to do. You must think of what you are
responsible for, and what you need to do for others. And if you live out of
fear, you will not be making true sacrifices. A sacrifice is not a payment of
a debt or a tax, it is an act of love and compassion. Sacrificing because
you want to help others is what will keep you alive! It is what will keep you
in peace, and show you the Way to Paradise.”
The crowd was silent. Finally the tall man spoke again, almost
beseechingly. “But if we do not make the Sacrifice as we have been
taught, how will there be anything ready for us in Paradise?”
Win’s gheris surged as Jesus replied, “The sacrifices of the Way are not
about things! Your life is about who you are and how you act, not what
you own. Those who covet possessions, who keep what they do not need,
who dress themselves in finery—none of these people will find the Way,
for you will not need things in Paradise! Material things are a sign of
greed, not sacrifice!”
There was a shocked silence. People shifted uneasily and cast wary
glances toward the temple.
Jesus smiled at her. “What you have discovered is the truth of faith.
Answer me this: Have you ever known a thing, but could not prove it?”
“Why yes,” she said. “My parents, the love they had for me. I never
doubted it. But I could not prove it.” And then she smiled, understanding.
“Now you see,” said Jesus. “Who are they who would say that the truth of
faith is any less than the truth of evidence? Any who believe this are
mistaken, for they have one faith, in the reality of evidence, but deny
another faith, that in and of itself. I tell you, faith is stronger than any logic,
more powerful than any evidence.”
“I see that now,” she said. “If only everyone could see this truth!”
“Many have, and more will,” said Jesus. “Each will find the path to the
Truth in their own way.”
“I must tell you something,” she said. “The message you bring—I have it
many times before. As have others. I did not hearken to it, and may never
have, if I had not met you. Many others will also not accept this truth.”
“And does that mean I should be silent, simply because some may not
listen?”
“No. But I fear—I fear for you. You know that I am—not of this place.”
“That is not of my concern,” said Jesus. “The Truth I bring, it is for
everyone.”
“I understand. But from where I am from, and have been, terrible things
have happened to those who have tried to speak this truth.” How was she
to say this? That the Jesus of Earth had been crucified? That for every
one of the other messiahs she had learned about who had succeeded,
three had been violently turned upon by their own people?
“So what would you have me do?” asked Jesus. “Would you have me
struck dumb, or hide in the mountains? One does not light a lamp, only to
hide it under a bushel. You certainly know this. The truth you sought, the
one of evidence. Did you hide it away, or shout it aloud? Such is the
power of belief.”
“But what if the people are not ready to believe? I worry they will hurt you.”
“Do not concern yourself with me,” said Jesus. “Instead, look to yourself.
We each have our part. Now that you have found your truth, do not think
that your road is over. In many ways it is just beginning, and the path
ahead will be filled with hardships. Belief is only the first step. From there,
you must embrace the Truth, so it becomes part of you, and transforms
you. You will be challenged with temptation, and thus you must have faith,
faith that the Truth will guide you and support you. You must use this faith
to hold onto, to keep you steady.” He reached out for her hand. “I have
seen the torment in you. You have crossed over the threshold of belief,
and in that way your time is now. But my time, it has not yet come, though it
is soon. Then I will proclaim anew, and even those who doubt will hear my
voice.”
“And will they believe?” asked Prentiss.
“Belief is not a fate or a destiny, but a choice. Belief cannot be forced on
people, it must be embraced by them. I come not to remake people, but to
enable to remake themselves.”
Answer me this: Have you ever known a thing, but could not prove it?”
“Why yes,” she said. “My parents, the love they had for me. I never
doubted it. But I could not prove it.” And then she smiled, understanding.
“Now you see,” said Jesus. “Who are they who would say that the truth of
faith is any less than the truth of evidence? Any who believe this are
mistaken, for they have one faith, in the reality of evidence, but deny
another faith, that in and of itself. I tell you, faith is stronger than any logic,
more powerful than any evidence.”
“I see that now,” she said. “If only everyone could see this truth!”
“Many have, and more will,” said Jesus. “Each will find the path to the
Truth in their own way.”
“I must tell you something,” she said. “The message you bring—I have it
many times before. As have others. I did not hearken to it, and may never
have, if I had not met you. Many others will also not accept this truth.”
“And does that mean I should be silent, simply because some may not
listen?”
“No. But I fear—I fear for you. You know that I am—not of this place.”
“That is not of my concern,” said Jesus. “The Truth I bring, it is for
everyone.”
“I understand. But from where I am from, and have been, terrible things
have happened to those who have tried to speak this truth.” How was she
to say this? That the Jesus of Earth had been crucified? That for every
one of the other messiahs she had learned about who had succeeded,
three had been violently turned upon by their own people?
“So what would you have me do?” asked Jesus. “Would you have me
struck dumb, or hide in the mountains? One does not light a lamp, only to
hide it under a bushel. You certainly know this. The truth you sought, the
one of evidence. Did you hide it away, or shout it aloud? Such is the
power of belief.”
“But what if the people are not ready to believe? I worry they will hurt you.”
“Do not concern yourself with me,” said Jesus. “Instead, look to yourself.
We each have our part. Now that you have found your truth, do not think
that your road is over. In many ways it is just beginning, and the path
ahead will be filled with hardships. Belief is only the first step. From there,
you must embrace the Truth, so it becomes part of you, and transforms
you. You will be challenged with temptation, and thus you must have faith,
faith that the Truth will guide you and support you. You must use this faith
to hold onto, to keep you steady.” He reached out for her hand. “I have
seen the torment in you. You have crossed over the threshold of belief,
and in that way your time is now. But my time, it has not yet come, though it
is soon. Then I will proclaim anew, and even those who doubt will hear my
voice.”
“And will they believe?” asked Prentiss.
“Belief is not a fate or a destiny, but a choice. Belief cannot be forced on
people, it must be embraced by them. I come not to remake people, but to
enable to remake themselves.”
Prentiss paused in indecision. She desperately wanted to hear what
Jesus was saying, but she did not want to intrude upon the small
gathering. Finally she began to make her way through the trees, trying to
be as quiet as possible.
She got as close as she dared, and began to listen.
“Just as this fire keeps the dark at bay, so too can Light show you the
path to Paradise. Without the Light you can stumble, or be led astray. The
Light is the Truth, it will lead you along the right path, the true Way.”
Jesus paused, and one of the disciples asked, “Where do we find this Light
to guide us?”
Jesus turned to him. “Tthean, that is a good question. Let me tell you.
The Light is within you! Each of you have this Light, but it has been
obstructed and dimmed by the corruption of the Way. You have become so
intent on maintaining the rules and rituals of the Law that you have not
nurtured your internal Light. Blindly following the Laws have made you
blind to the Light that is within you. You must rekindle this Light, just as you
would light a lantern, or as you did this fire. This Light will guide you, so
that you will know the Truth, and you will be able to shout it for all to hear.
Such a Light is also a beacon, and it will attract anyone who seeks the
Truth. And the Truth will overcome even those who deny they are in
darkness.”
Prentiss felt a rush. Once again it sounded as if Jesus were speaking to
her. For this was what she was trying to do, bring truth to the disbelievers,
those who rejected what she knew to be true. But she had been unable to
open their eyes, for they refused to accept that their minds were closed.
“Jesus, do we all have this Light?” Prentiss put her hand to her mouth.
Had she spoken? No, it had been one of the women around the fire,
voicing the very thought in her mind.
“You do!” said Jesus. “But you must believe it is in you. Until that time I will
help you, I will be your Light. And I will walk ahead of you on the path to
Paradise; you have only to follow my footsteps. Yet you must do more than
follow blindly along. I can show you the Way, but you must choose whether
or not you will walk the path. And once upon it, how you will walk the path.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?” the woman asked.
“No! Think of it this way,” explained Jesus. “You are walking on a road
through the hills, and you reach a crossroads. You do not know which way
to go. You see me there at the crossroads, and you ask of me: ‘Which of
these roads will lead me to Paradise?’ And I say to you, ‘As long as you
stay on the road that I will show you, they all do!’ Thus each of you will walk
the path a little differently, for the path is one of sacrifice, and helping
others. Each of you will make different sacrifices, each to your own gifts.
This is why I say that you can be shown the paths, even though you are
not blindly led.”
“But the Pertise and priests tell us there are many rules we must follow to
find the Way—and if we don’t follow the Laws we will suffer. Are their
teachings wrong? What of the Order?”
“You must discover the Truth, and then choose to follow the Way of your
own volition, not out of fear. Remember my words: there can be no true
peace while there is fear. If you choose the path out of fear and
compulsion instead of belief, you will be lost. Many of the priests and the
Pertise are good people, and those who are will find the Way. But many
others have become lost to meaningless rituals which have crowded out
the real reason that the Laws were created. They have become slaves,
shallowly following a set of rules, thinking such a life will lead them easily to
Paradise. What sacrifice is there in this? I say to you: the true Way is not
one of harsh rules and punishment. Yes, you must make many sacrifices,
but these sacrifices must be those you choose to make out of love, not
those you are told to make. The Sacrifices of the Order are not the
sacrifices of the Way. They are nothing more than taxes, material goods
and other things from with-out. Surely there will be times when a sacrifice of
a worldly good is worthy and right, such as when you help your neighbor by
giving him food when he does not have enough to eat. But you must do
more. You must give something of yourself, out of love.
“The suffering which the priests threaten you with is nothing more than a
creation of the Pertise, a yoke to hold you in their power. If you act out of
love, there will be no need for you to suffer.”
“I still do not understand, Jesus,” said another. “The path we have been
taught by the Pertise is very clear. The Laws tell us exactly how to act, how
to live. It is very real. Yet you tell us we must decide how we will walk the
path, and which sacrifices we should make. How will we know which
sacrifices are the right ones? How will we know which sacrifices will show us
the Way? The path is invisible to me.”
The fire had died down, and much of the clearing was now in shadows.
Jesus said, “Look around you! See how everything grows dim in the
darkness. It is as if the trees that you know are here are no longer real.” He
stood up and put a log on the fire, and the flames crackled, growing higher.
He put on another and another, and the clearing grew as bright as day.
“Just as these logs are sustenance of the fire, faith is sustenance of the
spirit. You must feed the light within you as I feed this fire. You worry that
the path is not real because it is not laid before you out of strict rules, and
thus you feel you cannot see it at all. But much that is invisible is real. Look
around you now! See how this light makes the trees real again? If you have
faith, then the light within you will show you all that you need to see, and it
will bring forth wondrous things which were hidden. Once you know the
Truth, your lives will be changed forever, and for you especially, you who
hear my voice, you will have a special mission, to shout the Truth, so that
you can change the lives of others. If you speak from your heart, your
voice will be heard by even those who do not believe in me! The very
power of your faith will cast aside their disbelief, and open their eyes to the
Truth.”
Jesus was saying, but she did not want to intrude upon the small
gathering. Finally she began to make her way through the trees, trying to
be as quiet as possible.
She got as close as she dared, and began to listen.
“Just as this fire keeps the dark at bay, so too can Light show you the
path to Paradise. Without the Light you can stumble, or be led astray. The
Light is the Truth, it will lead you along the right path, the true Way.”
Jesus paused, and one of the disciples asked, “Where do we find this Light
to guide us?”
Jesus turned to him. “Tthean, that is a good question. Let me tell you.
The Light is within you! Each of you have this Light, but it has been
obstructed and dimmed by the corruption of the Way. You have become so
intent on maintaining the rules and rituals of the Law that you have not
nurtured your internal Light. Blindly following the Laws have made you
blind to the Light that is within you. You must rekindle this Light, just as you
would light a lantern, or as you did this fire. This Light will guide you, so
that you will know the Truth, and you will be able to shout it for all to hear.
Such a Light is also a beacon, and it will attract anyone who seeks the
Truth. And the Truth will overcome even those who deny they are in
darkness.”
Prentiss felt a rush. Once again it sounded as if Jesus were speaking to
her. For this was what she was trying to do, bring truth to the disbelievers,
those who rejected what she knew to be true. But she had been unable to
open their eyes, for they refused to accept that their minds were closed.
“Jesus, do we all have this Light?” Prentiss put her hand to her mouth.
Had she spoken? No, it had been one of the women around the fire,
voicing the very thought in her mind.
“You do!” said Jesus. “But you must believe it is in you. Until that time I will
help you, I will be your Light. And I will walk ahead of you on the path to
Paradise; you have only to follow my footsteps. Yet you must do more than
follow blindly along. I can show you the Way, but you must choose whether
or not you will walk the path. And once upon it, how you will walk the path.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?” the woman asked.
“No! Think of it this way,” explained Jesus. “You are walking on a road
through the hills, and you reach a crossroads. You do not know which way
to go. You see me there at the crossroads, and you ask of me: ‘Which of
these roads will lead me to Paradise?’ And I say to you, ‘As long as you
stay on the road that I will show you, they all do!’ Thus each of you will walk
the path a little differently, for the path is one of sacrifice, and helping
others. Each of you will make different sacrifices, each to your own gifts.
This is why I say that you can be shown the paths, even though you are
not blindly led.”
“But the Pertise and priests tell us there are many rules we must follow to
find the Way—and if we don’t follow the Laws we will suffer. Are their
teachings wrong? What of the Order?”
“You must discover the Truth, and then choose to follow the Way of your
own volition, not out of fear. Remember my words: there can be no true
peace while there is fear. If you choose the path out of fear and
compulsion instead of belief, you will be lost. Many of the priests and the
Pertise are good people, and those who are will find the Way. But many
others have become lost to meaningless rituals which have crowded out
the real reason that the Laws were created. They have become slaves,
shallowly following a set of rules, thinking such a life will lead them easily to
Paradise. What sacrifice is there in this? I say to you: the true Way is not
one of harsh rules and punishment. Yes, you must make many sacrifices,
but these sacrifices must be those you choose to make out of love, not
those you are told to make. The Sacrifices of the Order are not the
sacrifices of the Way. They are nothing more than taxes, material goods
and other things from with-out. Surely there will be times when a sacrifice of
a worldly good is worthy and right, such as when you help your neighbor by
giving him food when he does not have enough to eat. But you must do
more. You must give something of yourself, out of love.
“The suffering which the priests threaten you with is nothing more than a
creation of the Pertise, a yoke to hold you in their power. If you act out of
love, there will be no need for you to suffer.”
“I still do not understand, Jesus,” said another. “The path we have been
taught by the Pertise is very clear. The Laws tell us exactly how to act, how
to live. It is very real. Yet you tell us we must decide how we will walk the
path, and which sacrifices we should make. How will we know which
sacrifices are the right ones? How will we know which sacrifices will show us
the Way? The path is invisible to me.”
The fire had died down, and much of the clearing was now in shadows.
Jesus said, “Look around you! See how everything grows dim in the
darkness. It is as if the trees that you know are here are no longer real.” He
stood up and put a log on the fire, and the flames crackled, growing higher.
He put on another and another, and the clearing grew as bright as day.
“Just as these logs are sustenance of the fire, faith is sustenance of the
spirit. You must feed the light within you as I feed this fire. You worry that
the path is not real because it is not laid before you out of strict rules, and
thus you feel you cannot see it at all. But much that is invisible is real. Look
around you now! See how this light makes the trees real again? If you have
faith, then the light within you will show you all that you need to see, and it
will bring forth wondrous things which were hidden. Once you know the
Truth, your lives will be changed forever, and for you especially, you who
hear my voice, you will have a special mission, to shout the Truth, so that
you can change the lives of others. If you speak from your heart, your
voice will be heard by even those who do not believe in me! The very
power of your faith will cast aside their disbelief, and open their eyes to the
Truth.”
Tsaph couldn’t find Jesus anywhere. Tthean! he thought. Tthean was a
trader like himself. And one of the disciples, those closest to Jesus. Tthean
would know how to reach Jesus.
Tsaph ran to the market, but Tthean was not there. Nor was he at his hut.
Tsaph finally found the trader at one of the storage buildings, carrying a
large sack.
“Tthean,” said Tsaph, breathless. He didn’t know how to begin.
“I think that Jesus is in great danger!” he blurted.
Tthean dropped his sack. “What do you mean?”
Quickly Tsaph told him about the disguised priests. “I think they are trying
to turn the people—and the Lemians—against Jesus!”
Tthean was silent. “I will tell Jesus.” He indicated the sack. “I am on my
way to bring him and the others some food.”
“You must hurry!” said Tsaph, his voice trembling. “I don’t know what they
plan, but I think it will happen soon.”
“Jesus will know what to do,” said Tthean. He picked up the sack and
started to go.
Tsaph reached out and grabbed Tthean’s arm. “Is it true what Jesus
says?” whispered Tsaph. “That it doesn’t matter where in the Order we
were born?”
“I believe him,” said Tthean.
“But what does it mean? Does it mean we don’t have to be traders? That
we don’t have to stay at the bottom of the Order?”
“It means that the Order does not matter—that you will find Paradise
because of the sacrifices you choose to make, not because of the ones
that the Order forces upon you.”
“How do I do that?” asked Tsaph.
“Be like Jesus, as much as you can,” said Tthean. “No one can ever be
exactly like him, but we should try. Listen to him, and watch him. See how
he helps others. Be like him.”
“But what of the priests, and the Way?” asked Tsaph. “If we listen to
Jesus, we’ll be punished, or banished!”
“We must be wary of everything the priests tell us,” said Tthean. “You
have seen yourself their deceit. I’m not saying they are all bad—and
neither does Jesus. But he has opened my eyes to many things.”
“But how do I know what to believe? We traders have so little chance of
reaching Paradise. If I do anything outside the Law I will be lost forever!”
“You must have faith,” said Tthean gently. “As I do. Jesus has much to
teach us. Open your heart to him, and give him the chance to guide you.”
trader like himself. And one of the disciples, those closest to Jesus. Tthean
would know how to reach Jesus.
Tsaph ran to the market, but Tthean was not there. Nor was he at his hut.
Tsaph finally found the trader at one of the storage buildings, carrying a
large sack.
“Tthean,” said Tsaph, breathless. He didn’t know how to begin.
“I think that Jesus is in great danger!” he blurted.
Tthean dropped his sack. “What do you mean?”
Quickly Tsaph told him about the disguised priests. “I think they are trying
to turn the people—and the Lemians—against Jesus!”
Tthean was silent. “I will tell Jesus.” He indicated the sack. “I am on my
way to bring him and the others some food.”
“You must hurry!” said Tsaph, his voice trembling. “I don’t know what they
plan, but I think it will happen soon.”
“Jesus will know what to do,” said Tthean. He picked up the sack and
started to go.
Tsaph reached out and grabbed Tthean’s arm. “Is it true what Jesus
says?” whispered Tsaph. “That it doesn’t matter where in the Order we
were born?”
“I believe him,” said Tthean.
“But what does it mean? Does it mean we don’t have to be traders? That
we don’t have to stay at the bottom of the Order?”
“It means that the Order does not matter—that you will find Paradise
because of the sacrifices you choose to make, not because of the ones
that the Order forces upon you.”
“How do I do that?” asked Tsaph.
“Be like Jesus, as much as you can,” said Tthean. “No one can ever be
exactly like him, but we should try. Listen to him, and watch him. See how
he helps others. Be like him.”
“But what of the priests, and the Way?” asked Tsaph. “If we listen to
Jesus, we’ll be punished, or banished!”
“We must be wary of everything the priests tell us,” said Tthean. “You
have seen yourself their deceit. I’m not saying they are all bad—and
neither does Jesus. But he has opened my eyes to many things.”
“But how do I know what to believe? We traders have so little chance of
reaching Paradise. If I do anything outside the Law I will be lost forever!”
“You must have faith,” said Tthean gently. “As I do. Jesus has much to
teach us. Open your heart to him, and give him the chance to guide you.”
Copyright 2009 W. R. Pursche and Michael Gabriele
Copyright 2009 W. R. Pursche and Michael Gabriele
Copyright 2009 W. R. Pursche and Michael Gabriele
Copyright 2009 W. R. Pursche and Michael Gabriele
