THE CHILDHOOD OF JESUS - THE GOSPEL OF JAMES

THE CHILDHOOD OF JESUS
THE GOSPEL OF JAMES

Biographical Gospel of the Lord

- Chapter 215 -

In Hoc Signo Vinces

FTER THIS HEAVENLY MEAL on top of the little mountain, Joseph said to the little Child,

2
'My Lord and my God! I, a poor old man beseech You, forgive me if I have no doubt offended You; and come back into the house again with me.

3
For without You I can never go back; and if I do go back without You, everyone will turn against me quite bitterly and will punish me with hard words.'

4
Here the little Child answered, 'Yes, yes, I will of course go with you, for here I shall not set up a place and remain.

5
But one thing I require of you, and that is that you take this My table upon your shoulders and carry it homeward ahead of Me.

6
And do not shrink from its burden - for while it will indeed press on you a bit, it will not bend you nor weaken you in the least!'

7
At these words Joseph took the beautiful cross while James took the left-overs from the meal and thus they started on the way back with the little Child in the middle.

8
After a while Joseph said to the little Child, 'Listen, my dearly beloved Jesus, the cross is heavy after all! Can we not rest a bit?'

9
And the little Child answered, 'You have already carried greater burdens as a carpenter, which I did not lay upon you;

10
and behold, there you would not grant yourself a rest until you carried your burden to its destination!

11
Now you are carrying only a little burden for Me for the first time and already want to rest after a thousand steps?

12
Oh Joseph, carry,carry My light burden without a rest, and you will find a fitting reward in My kingdom!

13
See, through this cross you will become aware of My burden, and it will tell you by its small weight what I am to you in the world!

14
And when you will leave this world in My arms, then this cross will become a fiery wagon of Elias to you, in which you will ascend before Me in greatest joy!'

15
After these words the aged Joseph kissed the fairly heavy cross and carried it onward without a rest;

16
and it did not seem nearly as heavy to him any more, so that he brought it all the way to the villa quite easily.

17
In the meantime everyone in the villa was in a state of highest expectancy and filled with great concern, wondering from which direction Joseph might return with the little Child and with James.

18
And when Mary, Cyrenius and the others finally caught sight of the approaching three, they lost all restraint!

19
Everyone ran toward them with open arms, and Mary at once seized the little Child and pressed Him to her heart with convulsive love.

20
But Cyrenius was surprised that Joseph would carry a gallows, as the symbol of the greatest degradation and shame, home on his shoulders.

21
And the little Child upon the mother's arms sat up and said to Cyrenius,

22
'Truly, truly, this symbol of the greatest degradation will become a symbol of the highest honor!

23
If you are not going to carry it after Me in this manner, as Joseph now carries it, you will not enter into My kingdom in the future!' - These words brought Cyrenius to silence, and he asked no more about Joseph's burden.

	FTER THIS HEAVENLY MEAL on top of the little mountain, Joseph said to the little Child,
2	'My Lord and my God! I, a poor old man beseech You, forgive me if I have no doubt offended You; and come back into the house again with me.
3	For without You I can never go back; and if I do go back without You, everyone will turn against me quite bitterly and will punish me with hard words.'
4	Here the little Child answered, 'Yes, yes, I will of course go with you, for here I shall not set up a place and remain.
5	But one thing I require of you, and that is that you take this My table upon your shoulders and carry it homeward ahead of Me.
6	And do not shrink from its burden - for while it will indeed press on you a bit, it will not bend you nor weaken you in the least!'
7	At these words Joseph took the beautiful cross while James took the left-overs from the meal and thus they started on the way back with the little Child in the middle.
8	After a while Joseph said to the little Child, 'Listen, my dearly beloved Jesus, the cross is heavy after all! Can we not rest a bit?'
9	And the little Child answered, 'You have already carried greater burdens as a carpenter, which I did not lay upon you;
10	and behold, there you would not grant yourself a rest until you carried your burden to its destination!
11	Now you are carrying only a little burden for Me for the first time and already want to rest after a thousand steps?
12	Oh Joseph, carry,carry My light burden without a rest, and you will find a fitting reward in My kingdom!
13	See, through this cross you will become aware of My burden, and it will tell you by its small weight what I am to you in the world!
14	And when you will leave this world in My arms, then this cross will become a fiery wagon of Elias to you, in which you will ascend before Me in greatest joy!'
15	After these words the aged Joseph kissed the fairly heavy cross and carried it onward without a rest;
16	and it did not seem nearly as heavy to him any more, so that he brought it all the way to the villa quite easily.
17	In the meantime everyone in the villa was in a state of highest expectancy and filled with great concern, wondering from which direction Joseph might return with the little Child and with James.
18	And when Mary, Cyrenius and the others finally caught sight of the approaching three, they lost all restraint!
19	Everyone ran toward them with open arms, and Mary at once seized the little Child and pressed Him to her heart with convulsive love.
20	But Cyrenius was surprised that Joseph would carry a gallows, as the symbol of the greatest degradation and shame, home on his shoulders.
21	And the little Child upon the mother's arms sat up and said to Cyrenius,
22	'Truly, truly, this symbol of the greatest degradation will become a symbol of the highest honor!
23	If you are not going to carry it after Me in this manner, as Joseph now carries it, you will not enter into My kingdom in the future!' - These words brought Cyrenius to silence, and he asked no more about Joseph's burden.