Magyar Egyház, 1968 (47. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1968-12-01 / 12. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 13 but only almost: one word is missing here and another added there and that makes a tremendous difference sometimes. It’s thrilling. Really thrilling...” And Luke continued: “I speak to everybody I can. I quizzed all the disciples, Simon Peter, Matthew, Thomas, and young Mark, you know, Barnabas’ cousin who used to accompany Simon Peter. Now I want to go down to Jerusalem to see our Master’s mother and the other women, Martha and Salome. I’m a Syrian so I think I will be safe.” “Say, that’s interesting” — the visitor said. “But, tell me, why are you doing all this? Strange occupation for a plhysician.” “Well, that’s a long story. It’s quite simple, really. You see, there is this Greek officer at the Governor’s palace, Theophilos. A wonderful men, rich and a great future he has. A good friend of mine. So he heard a lot about the“People of the Way”, about those who believe that Jesus rose from the dead and that he is the expected Savior of the World. One late night, after a pretty wild party he came to me — he said he was sick of wine and sick of his stupid friends. I should give him some medication. I gave him the sabering potion and as he was lying here on the couch where you are sitting now I told him a lot more about Jesus. Morning was breaking on us as I was still speaking. Theophilos suddenly said to me, 'Luke, my friend, put all this down in writing. Gather up every word this Jesus said and all the stories about him and all what he did and write a book. You should call it... er... well, you said that what this Jesus brought was good news. So call it simpiy T’'o Gospel. And don’t be modest, Luke, put it there that you had written the book. Call it The Gospel of Jesus according to Luke.’ ” Luke, turning to his visitor, made an apologetic gesture: “'So, this is what I am doing.” And he went to a large wooden chest and pulled out a scroll. “Listen, this is how I am going to start my book: ‘Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us, just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, most excellent Theophilos, that you may know the truth about what you have been informed.’ This is the beginning. I think it’s only proper to dedicate it to Theophilos. After all, it was his idea. — Now, I haven’t ordered the rest of my notes yet. I need to know a lot more.” Luke’s voice vibrated with impatient excitement. “A lot more. You see, I have the story when Jesus went up to John the Baptist to the river Jordan. Have you ever heard the beautiful part of it when at his baptism a voice of heaven spoke — ‘Thou art my Son, my Beloved’? I also have a story when Jesus was only 12 and went up to Jerusalem with his parents and put the scribes and teachers on the spot with his searching questions and perfect answers. But, you know, I have nothing about the child Jesus. I heard all the prophecies, Isaiah and Zechariah and all the others — but nothing about his birth. Well, he was born, wasn’t Ihe? A life story must tell that story, too. I’m a doctor and I know how important birth is in a person’s life. And I know nothing about the birth of our Master except that he was born in Bethlehem. And, oh yes, Matthew told me about three magis from the Orient who brought precious gifts to the baby.” Luke’s face suddenly lit up as if struck by an idea: “Listen, you said you were from Bethlehem. Could you tell me of someone I could interview who would know something more. Who would know, for instance, where exactly our Master was born?” The oldest of the visitors looked at Luke. And he spoke with a strange and brilliant smile: “Luke, my friend, I think we can help you here. But you don’t even know our names. Well, I am John, this is Mark, and our youngest friend is Abner. We used to be shepherds in Bethlehem — as a matter of fact we still are, although I am somewhat retired already. Well, 44 years ago, Abner was just a shepherd boy, Mark and I were quite young, too. 44 years ago, around this time of the year. It was a chilly night but clear, clear skies, velvety, deep, blackish blue. We were outside of Bethlehem on the slope with our herd. On the horizon we saw a brilliantly shining star as if it had come to rest over the town of Bethlehem. We were just discussing this star when suddenly there stood before us a person clad in white. He was radiant, he was light itself, brilliance was emanating from him — I don’t know how, was it his face, body, his garment. He must have been an angel of the Lord.” “Did he say something?” Luke eagerly asked. “Oh, yes, he said: ‘Do not be afraid’ — for we stood there frozen and trembling; and he also said: T have good news for you; there is great joy coming to the whole people. Today in the city of David’ — that’s Bethlehem, you know — ‘a savior has been born to you — the Messiah, the Lord. And this is your sign: you will find a baby lying all wrapped up, in a manger.’ And as the angel finished there was a beautiful song coming from above, a chorus of ... of angels, sounding like clear bells of silver.” “And then?” Luke urged him. “And then?” “Well, we decided to go and see for ourselves. The baby. The new king. The Savior. First, we were afraid that something might happen to the sheep but we all wanted to go, so we just left our sheep to the care of the good Lord. We got to Bethlehem and since the angel spoke about a manger we went directly to the inn’s stable, the only place in town where a manger would be. And just as the angel said, there was the baby. And Mary and Joseph and the small burrow and a cow quietly munching on the hay next to the baby. It was indescribably beautiful.” John stopped, reminiscing. “Please, go on” — Luke urged him again. “Well, there is not much more to say. We hardly exchanged words, just knelt by the manger and looked at the baby. As I recall I saw a crown of thorns around the baby’s head. Well, now as I think back probably some shreds of hay fell on the baby’s head. I don’t quite remember, 44 years ago it was. And, you know, I was also there when they crucified my Lord and I saw that real crown of thorns. I’m a little mixed up, after all, I’m an old man...” “And what did you think? What did you feel?” Luke continued with his questions. “We didn’t think anything. We knew that it was true. That the angel was right. Here was the Lord: the little boy. We didn’t try to figure out how it could be possible, a baby in a stable and yet the new King of the World. You must understand when I say: we just knew it was He, the One sent by God. ..” There was silence for a minute. Luke and his visitors were so submerged in this conversation they didn’t realize that two new guests entered the hall. They noticed them only as one of the newcomers spoke. A warm, deep-sounding voice said: “Beautiful. I never heard this story before. I never knew it happened like this. O, blessed are your feet which have brought such good tidings. And, Luke, peace be unto you and your house.” They all turned toward the hallway where the words came from. Luke jumped up and went to greet the new guests with outstretched hands: “Paul, Barnabas, how wonderful that you arrived safely. These are John, Mark, and Abner, our brethren from Bethlehem, they knew our Master when he was just born,” Then he added with a happy voice: “And what you just heard from their lips was the natilvity story from the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke. Welcome, Brethren, welcome on this day of our Lord.”
