The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 235 -
O You Disgraceful Bourn Of Earth
AT THE PREARRANGED TIME the deputation returned from the city in different attire, greeted everyone in Joseph's house and then went with Cyrenius to the already prepared meal.
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But since more unexpected guests were now gathered than had been anticipated, it was found that Joseph's table was too little to accommodate his family also.
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At this the little Child privately advised Joseph, 'Father Joseph, have a little table set up for us in the adjoining side-room.
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And tell Cyrenius not to feel hurt on that account,
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since I shall surely come to him again after the meal.'
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And Joseph thereupon did as the little Child had advised him.
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Here Cyrenius objected, 'That will never do! If the Lord of creation is among us, we certainly are not going to put Him in a corner at a table with the cats.
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Oh, that would surely be the most inappropriate arrangement on earth!
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I tell you, none other than He and you must sit at the head.'
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And Joseph replied, 'My very dear brother, that really will not do this time;
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for there are many pagans here from the city, and for them the too great nearness of the Lord could have bad consequences - so the little Child's will should be respected here as it is everywhere and always!'
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And the little Child also came over and said, 'Cyrenius, Joseph is quite right, just follow his words.'
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Here Cyrenius objected no more and immediately went to the midday meal with his company and the deputation from the city.
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Thereupon Joseph quickly had a sturdy table placed in the adjoining room, at which he, Mary, the little Child and His James,
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Jonathan, Eudokia and the eight children of Cyrenius took place.
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Naturally the foods of lesser quantity and quality were served at the table at which Joseph, Mary, the little Child and His James sat, while the most and better foods came to the table of the guests.
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And the little Child declared, 'O you disgraceful bourn of earth, must you bring forth that which is most wretched for none other than your own Lord?
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O you now fruitful land between Asia and Africa, for that you shall be smitten for all time with great unfruitfulness!
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In very truth, if our table did not have a few fish, there just would be nothing of which I can partake!
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Here is a cooked milk dish with a little honey, which I do not like, and there a fried sea-onion, and there a small melon, and there some stale bread, and beside it a little butter and honey.
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That is our whole meal - nothing but foods which I do not like, with the exception of the few fish.
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Now I do not want that the guests should be worse off than we;
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but it certainly is not right either that we should be a lot worse off than the guests.'
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Here Joseph said, 'Oh dear Jesus, do not be annoyed, for You see that we all fare the same!'
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And the little Child replied, 'Give Me of the fish, and that will do for now. But another time things will have to be different, for I cannot always be satisfied with such poor fare!' - Joseph remembered this and gave the little Child to eat of the fish.