|
February 8th, 2002
Received by H.R.
Cuenca, Ecuador.
Hello, H___.
I see that yesterday and today you expected a message from Peter
in which he would tell you of his first encounter with Jesus. In
fact we had thought of this possibility, but we decided that I should
continue with the story. In fact, it doesn't matter so much, only
that you are already very tuned in to me and perhaps that is better
than exposing you to too many impressions in the beginning of your
apprenticeship.
So then, let us continue.
Peter was the owner of a fishing boat, a typical boat of that time,
about twenty-five feet long. Well, he was not the only owner, but
he had rather bought it together with his brother Andrew. It was
possible for two people to manage this boat, but for fishing, they
had to hire some hands as the task of rowing and pulling the nets
was quite heavy.
As I have told you, the boat lay beached when Jesus and Andrew
came back from John the Baptist's camp. Peter was alone and his
face was somber, it was evident that he was in a bad mood. Andrew
did not take notice of this, and immediately presented Jesus to
him. He told his brother what had happened in the Jordan valley,
what John had said, and of the Master's great wisdom.
Yes, of course, how could he know the Master's wisdom, if he did
not pay the slightest attention to what he told him? However, you
have to imagine the situation. Andrew considered himself a disciple
of John the Baptist. Although he did not stay with him permanently
at his camp, he visited him very often, alone or together with his
friends.
H.R.: The biblical story indicates that John
had accompanied him on this occasion.
John, the son of Zebedee, frequently accompanied him, the same
as his brother James. Peter also belonged to this circle of disciples.
But on this occasion, Andrew had made the trip alone.
But what I want to explain is that Andrew had absolute trust in
his master John — the Baptist, of course — and if he had
said that Jesus was the Messiah yearned for by the Jews, then this
had to be true. And the Messiah had to possess great wisdom and
power, hadn’t he? Mortals and spirits often see what they want
to see, and do not see what really is. As to Jesus' wisdom, Andrew
was right. However, the practice of living a personal reality and
of projecting their own ideas upon other people, and of finally
considering this as reality, frequently leads to great mistakes.
Do you remember what you read of the apostles, as they waited for
the expected quick return of Jesus after his last appearances? You
also remember that they thought that Jesus would establish a material
kingdom on earth, thus projecting their ideas and filtering from
the Master's discourses what they wanted to hear, and not what Jesus
really said. This is a very human behavior.
Well, but returning to our story, Peter was very ill-humored. He
listened Andrew's story reluctantly, he interrupted him a couple
of times with a grunt, without stating "I agree" or "I
don't agree", until the Master intervened, saying:
"Simon, what have I done to you?"
"What have you done to me? Nothing!"
"Then, what is wrong with you?"
And so, Peter told him the following:
As soon as Andrew had gone to visit the Baptist, Peter’s mother-in-law
fell ill. And when I describe her symptoms to you, you will know
immediately that it was a case of appendicitis, and for sure, a
serious case of appendicitis, where the woman's belly was already
as hard as a wooden board.
H.R.: Peritonitis.
Yes, peritonitis. Well, today, a case of appendicitis is nothing
serious, in general. A small routine intervention and some antibiotics
are enough to cure the disease. However, that was not always so.
Well, in few words, the probability that the woman would die was
very high.
So, Jesus asked Peter: "Simon, why don't
you take me to your mother-in-law."
"Do you know how to cure?" Peter asked
in surprise.
Jesus smiled. "As a matter of fact, this
is the Messiah's work - to save lives."
And so, it happened that Peter and his brother led Jesus to their
house. Andrew had relapsed into his habitual silence. He loved his
brother's mother-in-law, she was a good woman, and he felt pain
at the knowledge of her condition.
When Jesus saw the woman's condition, he realized immediately
the graveness of the situation, but when he placed his hands upon
her, the lady fell into a profound sleep, of which she would only
wake up the following morning.
In spite of Peter and Andrew's invitation to stay and to have dinner
with them, the Master said goodbye. He left the house and went to
his small room, which he had rented, not far away from the brothers’
home.
On the following day, very early in the morning, Jesus was woken
when somebody knocked vigorously on the door of his room.
"Master, Master!" somebody hollered.
"Come out, quickly!"
And when he opened the door, he saw Peter, with
his face as radiant as the sun.
"You healed her, you healed her, it is incredible!" Simon
yelled. "She woke up this morning as if nothing had happened!
Come with me!"
And so it came to pass that Jesus for the second time entered Peter’s
home, and he could really verify the great success of the healing
he had carried out the previous afternoon. Peter’s mother-in-law
was awaiting him with a rich breakfast and a face flashing a broad
smile of gratefulness. Peter insisted that Jesus abandon his small
room and move in to live with them. And so he did. And from that
moment on, Jesus, Peter and Andrew shared the same roof when they
were in Kpar Nahum.
With this, I will end my message. Have a nice
day.
Your Heavenly brother,
Judas
|
