On the road

to Emmaus

Book 13

Max Seltmann

Recommended chronological reading list:

(with regard to Jesus’ life in flesh and Spirit, up to the time of the book of Revelation.  All books are written by Max Seltmann, unless otherwise indicated. The book marked with bold, is the book currently opened.)

1. Childhood years of Jesus (Jakob Lorber)

2. Book 1 – John the Baptist

3. Book 2 – John the Apostle in his youth with Jesus (Love overcomes Part 1)

4. Book 3 – Jesus’ Life

5. Book 4 – Jesus’ Life

6. Book 5 – Jesus’ Life

7. Book 6 – Jesus’ Life

8. Book 7 – Jesus’ Life

9. Book 8 – Jesus’ Life

10. Book 9 – Jesus prepares for His ministry Part 1

11. Book 10 – Jesus prepares for His ministry Part 2

12. Great Gospel of John, Volumes 1 – 10 (Jakob Lorber)

13. Great Gospel of John, Volume 11 (Leopoldt Engel)

14. Book 11 - Good Friday

15. Book 12 - Judas Iscariot in the beyond

16. Book 13 - On the road to Emmaus

17. Book 14 - The Risen One!

18. Book 15 - The New Life in man

19. Book 16 – At Bethany – story of Theophilus

20. Book 17 - Ascension

21. Book 18 - Pentecost!

22. Book 19 - Among the first Christians

23. Book 20 - Divine guidance of the first Christians

24. Book 21 - The chamberlain from the Orient

25. Book 22 - The God-spark and Saul's conversion

26. Book 23 - Awakening the Divine life

27. Book 24 - Experiences with Jacob, Part 1

28. Book 25 - Experiences with Jacob, Part 2

29. Book 26 - Experiences with Jacob, Part 3

30. Book 27 - Experiences with Jacob, Part 4

31. Book 28 - Naeme

32. Book 29 - John the Apostle as a guide (Love overcomes Part 2)

33. Book 30 - John the Apostle as a guide (Love overcomes Part 3)

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Table of Contents

1.  On the road to Emmaus 4

2.  Simon and Cleophas 5

3.  The known stranger 9

4.  On the way to the inn 16

5.  At Lazarus’ inn 21

On the road to Emmaus

A bright, beautiful summer day made all the people a little more joyful again; the last three days (since Friday) had lain like a gloomy nightmare on their minds, ever since they knew: "Jesus is dead!"  Jesus was lost to the poor and the sick.  Jesus was missed by all, even by those who did not yet want to understand Him!  He was the topic of conversation in all the houses of Jerusalem and the whole surrounding area!  Suddenly the news came from somewhere: "Jesus is no longer in the grave!  He is said to have risen from the dead!"  Like wildfire, unstoppable, this message rushed from house to house, but nowhere was anything definite to be heard.

Simon and Cleophas

On the road from Jerusalem, a troop of Roman soldiers was camped; two men from Emmaus, Simon and Cleophas, came hurriedly up to the Romans, greeted the leader and asked: "Sir!  We are citizens of Emmaus; we belong to the friends of Jesus of Nazareth.  We heard bad news about His death on Golgotha; therefore, we were driven away from the house to find out more.  But there is said to be unrest there, and so we did not yet dare to go to the city of God.  But today we heard that Jesus was not dead.  He has appeared to some, our hearts are troubled by doubt; and so we ask you for information, Sir, if you can and will tell us something about the past few days in Jerusalem.

"Dear men" - replied the commander - "it is sadly true: your friend Jesus died a violent death!  He was crucified!  He was really beyond help, since He took all guilt upon Himself and also calmly acknowledged His death sentence!  We have also heard about the rumor that He rose from the dead, but we could not find out anything for sure, because we were called away.  I did not know Him, but I must tell you for consolation: Whoever was allowed to know such a man more closely and had Him as a friend, he is to be praised as truly happy!  But set out and go to Jerusalem yourselves; there you will learn more."  He saluted briefly and gave his men the order to march on.

After a long silence, Cleophas asked: "Simon!  What do you say now?" - "Dear brother" - he answered - "what more shall we say about this?  Our beloved Lord and Master is no more!  Oh what sorrow!  And we did nothing to deliver Him!  I suffer too much from it, therefore let us turn back and go home.  If only I could stake my life, that He may live again!"

Cleophas answered: "You dear, faithful soul!  Your sorrow is also mine!  But who was so often with Him as you, should not feel so depressed and desolate!  For what you and all of us were allowed to receive as truth from Him, remains unforgotten forever!  His death also pains me!  But let us remember: His life and love, His work and creativity, all this lives on and must continue to work!  And therefore we must not grieve too much."

"Brother!" - said Simon - "I see that you also feel deep pain!  And yet you want to prove to me that my grief is not justified?  Can you then command your heart when it weeps?  Can you smile when it bleeds within you?  Oh Brother, only One could help here, and He is taken from us!"

Cleophas replied: "Brother Simon, your sorrow speaks deep words, but do not forget what the Master once said to us: ‘Whoever is in deep sorrow and grief, let him come to Me!’  I will comfort him and truly help him!  And I will change all sorrow and grief into joy!"

Painfully, Simon says: "Oh brother Cleophas!  Your words of comfort are like morning dew for my sore soul!  But they do not help me in my sorrow!  Oh Jesus!  Why?  Why did You let this happen to You?  You, the pure One!  You, the Divine One here on earth!  And now all, all hope is in vain?"

Cleophas felt the bitter grief of his friend, and his eye looked around as if seeking help.  Then he saw a stranger coming hurriedly to them; Cleophas stopped, and Simon also looked at him in amazement.  Now the arriving man greeted: "Peace be with you!"  They gave thanks: "And also with you!  - to eternity!" - and he asked: "Where are you going?  We are going back to Emmaus, which is our home."

The stranger answered: "My way also goes to Emmaus and even further.  Already from afar I heard your mourning speeches and therefore hurried quickly to you, since your sorrow also causes sorrow and pain to my heart."

Simon asked in amazement: "How then can our sorrow grieve you, since we ourselves cannot be the cause of it!  But since you already feel and suffer with us, perhaps you also know the cause of our grief?"

Simon said: "Dear friend!  Do you really come from so far away that you can be so clueless?  Listen: We mourn painfully for Jesus of Nazareth!  The Friend and Helper of all the poor!  There is no man in the whole Jewish land who is not affected by this great misfortune, with the exception of the Templars and the Romans!  For Jesus is dead, forcibly snatched from us!  And we all had such great expectations from Him!”

The stranger answered gently: "I understand such pain completely, since it comes from your soul, which was so full of joyful hopes!  But you seem to forget one thing, and that is: Jesus pursued only one great goal!  And only with His death could this goal be achieved, namely: ‘The fulfillment of all the hopes that God, the Eternal, placed in Him!’  Or do you think that the sacrifice of Jesus had only the purpose to give a triumph to His adversaries?"

Simon answered: "Dear friend!  You say that with Jesus' death, God's hopes are fulfilled!  You may be right, for it sounds probable; but our hopes are gone, and we must continue to be the downtrodden and oppressed.  It is as if the sun wants to turn away from our blessed fields, as if all friends hide themselves, and all enemies get the upper hand again!  Behold, our faith was: Only He can and will redeem our people!  What good can the rumor of some women do us, that Jesus has been seen!  He is alive! - when we now have the certainty: He is dead!  What death holds in it's arms, it does not give back."

The stranger spoke seriously: "Simon!  The pain for Jesus makes you blind and deaf and makes you forget everything that Jesus told you and everyone so often!  This is no glory for you!  And when all His disciples open their hearts to such doubts, then of course the adversary and enemy of all life gains mightily in power and strength.  Certainly, your pain is great, and every pain is holy to Me, since I know that every pain passes through the heart of God first!  But are you well aware that you also cause great pain to your Jesus through this conflict of yours?  Yes, even more!  You also inflict this pain on God! Since Jesus only wanted to fulfill the will of God through His sacrifice and death, in order to show all people their way of redemption.

Simon replied in amazement, "Brother in the Lord, what words do you use?  Are you also His disciple, of whom I know nothing?  Are you also one of those whom He has called to spread His teaching?  Oh, speak of Him, that I may be glad again!"

Cleophas also spoke: "Yes, brother!  Your words hold within them the tone we miss!  The tone of hope!  How painful it is for us to know: He is no more!  If at least this unspeakable suffering of a crucifixion had not been inflicted on Him!  Behold, He knew all things!  Even Romans were His friends, for He called them too ‘My brothers!’  Oh, why did He not call upon His friends and disciples to fight against this great, great injustice?  Why?  Oh, who can give us an answer here?"

The stranger answered confidently: "Jesus Himself, my brothers!  For even though He has died physically, does He not live in you?  Are not His words, His love and His deeds already alive in you?  Do they not tell you that it could not be and happen any different?  Should not His death have the purpose that He, the deceased, now wants to arise anew spiritually among His followers and successors, in order to awaken in everyone the consciousness: 'Now I, too, want to help in His great work of redemption, which suffered a standstill through His violent death'?  Dear brothers!  Jesus Himself showed you that it was in the plan of the Eternal Love of God to suffer this and to die according to the body!  Ask no more: Why? - Why? - Because this question of His friends is worse than the great injustice, which blind and misguided human brothers did to Him!  You, brother, are an awakened one, a man already enlivened by the Spirit of Jesus!  Your faith and your love for Him shall create His life in you and beget new life in others, but not stop it!  You know Moses and the prophets, and you know all the promises!  Remember, if God wants to abolish all enmity that exists between Him and the enemy of life, the right means must be used for it!  And this means was and is - ‘Jesus!’ - and it will remain so until all enmity is abolished."

Simon said in amazement: "Brother in the Lord!  I do not quite follow you and ask you not to misunderstand me.  What do you mean by this enmity between God and the enemy of life?  Do you have evil in mind?  If so, why was the fight against Satan not openly waged?  It would have been easy for the Master, with the help of the angels, to make this enemy of all divine life, harmless."

The stranger answered admonishingly: "Simon, is this how you understand your Master,

Who lived among you like the very least, who served you with a love that the earth and it's inhabitants did not yet know!  Simon!  Simon!  Do not let your heart be troubled when I call out to you: He also chose you and made you worthy to become a fighter of His holy cause!  But you are in a great error, if you are so attached to the person of Jesus, since it depends only on His 'Spirit', on His mighty inner life and being!  And 'this Spirit', which Jesus carried in Himself, while He lived outwardly like every other man - this Spirit is indeed the means which forces the enemy to return to the inner order of God and to the life with God."

Simon said: "Brother in the Lord!  I want to thank you for the exhortation you gave me, if the pain for Jesus was not so great!  But since you seem to be better informed than I, I ask you: Was there really no other remedy than His death on the cross?  And did God really intend to use this means on Jesus?  Consider: A God of life and love does not take into consideration the one whom He Himself sent to us, and demands obedience, obedience to the death of the cross from Him!  But this is not the end, because we and all disciples must be prepared to suffer the same death as He!  I am at the end and do not find my way!  Oh Jesus!  If You were still alive, how easily You could remove all doubt."

The stranger asked seriously: "Simon!  Why do you cause your Master, your Jesus and Savior, new pain for His wounds?  You know, as Isaiah [53:4-6] says, that for our sake He will take upon Himself all suffering, all our sickness and our pain!  And for our sin and iniquity He would be martyred, yes, suffer death - so that we would be delivered from all evil and find our peace in His love!.  Further I want to tell you what Isaiah said, that to those who hope in Him and believe in Him, a true Redeemer will arise, Who will lead them into the glorious Jerusalem, which will be the fulfillment of all desires and longings of God as well as of His children!  You think this death on the cross was a commandment from God?  Oh no, my brother!  It was the free will, the move from the innermost heart of Jesus, to bring this sacrifice and to be it Himself!  And God, the Eternal, accepted this sacrifice and therefore exalted Him and made Him Lord over all that lives in heaven and on earth!  If, however, the slightest compulsion had been applied to Him, hell and it's followers would now be rejoicing.  This death of Jesus on the cross is now the way of the cross on which all inhabitants of hell and all those who are still in contradiction with Jesus, will not find their way so easily!  The cross of Golgotha shall become the way of salvation and the anchor for all, exactly that which oppresses you and makes your misery greater.  Everyone must pass by this cross!  No-one can avoid it, since it carries the basic condition: Only through this cross is the way to true life with God!  Can you now understand My words, My Simon, and also you, Cleophas?”

Cleophas answered joyfully: "Yes, brother!  It has become lighter in me, and all sadness is gone!  And I think Simon is also convinced that the Lord could not die without leaving us and all people something of Himself!  Look, there is my dwelling; come and enter with us, and give us more of your love and wisdom."  The stranger wanted to refuse and said: "But I wanted to go further, for My heart urges to make others happy as well.  You are now at home, and peace will return to your hearts."

But Cleophas asked: "Dear brother, the day is drawing to a close and soon night will fall!  Stay with us and take part in our simple meal.  Since you have fed our hearts with food from your heart and taken away so much pain and sorrow, let us also strengthen and refresh you!"

The stranger smiled graciously and replied: "Well, then, be it because the pull of your heart wills it."  Entering the house, he said: "And so be the peace of the Lord with you and with your house!"

The known stranger

The wife of Cleophas saw the three arrive, brought water and washed first the stranger's feet, then Simon's, and finally her husband's; and then she greeted the stranger with the words: "Hail, lord, in the name of the Lord, and may your blessing be our peace!"

The stranger answered her gently: "Wife of Cleophas!  Your wish and will is fulfilled, if you always remain in this humility!  And peace within you will be your strength and fulfillment!"

Thanking, she withdrew to the kitchen; Cleophas went after her and said, "Hannah, I have much to thank this stranger for!  Prepare a good meal and make ready the bed in the upper chamber; for the guest is staying with us overnight."

Full of joy, Hannah said: "Oh Cleophas!  There is nothing I would rather do than what you are asking now, for the guest gave me as much as he gave you!  But how is it that you call your guest a stranger?  He is certainly not a stranger to me!  You must have a bad memory, or you would have to know whom you brought into the house!"

Cleophas apologized and said: "Hannah, we did not ask him his name: but one thing we know, he is one of ours, one who also believes in the Master!  But make haste, that the meal may be ready!"

Hannah smiled and replied: "Yes, go on!  For your words disturb me in my devotion.  But to you, oh Lord, I will prepare a meal such as your mother could not make better!"

Meanwhile, Simon took a seat with the stranger in the large parlour and spoke invitingly: "Make yourself quite comfortable, in the house of the brother Cleophas is good rest, because the grace and the blessing of the Lord rests visibly over his ground.  Alas, the two are alone; therefore he likes to see guests and friends around him, and Hannah, his wife, is happy when she can serve everyone."

The stranger spoke kindly: "Simon, I, too, like to stay where love and hospitality are the ornament of the house.  For the greatest adornment of a true man is service, but with a heart full of love and devotion!  If I had not met you, and you had now come home, and some friends and brothers had awaited you with longing hearts, since peace had also been taken from them like you - tell me, would the love and hospitality of this house have been enough for you?  Together, you would have increased the sorrow and doubts of your hearts instead of decreasing them.  Therefore, the greatest love and warmest hospitality is where the disciple can joyfully testify in his whole being to the glory of the Lord!  Come, Cleophas, and hear what I am about to say: Never has the earth been more richly endowed than in these days, when God's glory could reveal itself on Golgotha!  At last - at last - our God has succeeded in bringing into existence a work that was born out of the very freest love and devotion of a human being! (not from the Divine omnipotence).

The greatest thing in Jesus was not that He worked miracles and proved by facts that He is a Lord and Master, but that through His death on the cross, a possibility was created to bring true redemption to all people!  And this redemption is now created!  Because Jesus lives!  And where in all the future Jesus can live, there the gate is opened to the kingdom of true life."

Highly astonished, Simon asked: "Brother, have you seen and spoken to Jesus yet?  Oh say, where - where shall we meet Him?  This very day, this very moment, I will hasten to Him; for all my thoughts and aspirations are now directed only to Jesus."  The stranger asked gently: "Simon, do you remember what the Master said when He took leave of us and had to go on His way"?  Didn't He say: "In Spirit I remain with you and among you, if you remain in My Spirit!"  Why are you still attracted to the person of Jesus, who was only the outer gathering point of His inner Divine Love-Being?

Oh My Simon, you should have already acquired so much from your Master that in your presence, no one misses the Savior!  It would be Jesus' greatest delight, if His true disciples in His Spirit would consider themselves as the keepers of the high holy good, which He has left to all - to all - by His voluntary death!  Now consider His life and death in this sense, and place all your hopes now in His Spirit, and all sorrow will be gone!  And His life will soon be manifested in you and then also around you."

Admiringly, Cleophas spoke: "Oh brother and friend of the Lord!  I never saw you around the Master, and yet your language is the language of His Spirit!  How is it that you are not touched by sorrow for Him?  For your glorious witness for the Master proves to me that your inner being is free from sorrow and worry!  Certainly, every word you have spoken to us is living truth; but we see in ourselves what a great way still lies before us before we reach such a longed-for goal.

You said: Put all hope only in His Spirit!  Yes, may and can we still do it?  You said words of life to us, and so you will also be able to look into our hearts and see the heap of ruins that must first be put in order again. Oh friend, who has sons and daughters - and sees them wither away before the time, he needs another strength to hold his heart together, otherwise he will break down!  And in this state you found us!  For that we cannot yet consider His death in your sense, will be understandable to you?"

The stranger answered kindly: "Cleophas, you do not need to apologize for your pain and sorrow, because the Master knows everything!  That is why I came to you, to loosen these ties, which you yourselves - in your still too human concepts - wove around the man Jesus.  His death detached everything human from Him and wants to reveal to all the Savior who loves you!  And the more you continue His glorious work in this sense, the more power will rise up in you and arrange all debris and still wrong concepts in the sense of Jesus: ‘Whoever loves Me, will do the will of My heavenly Father!  For He sent Me into this world, that the same might be saved through Me.’  These are His words to you!  And everyone who will do what you can now do in the Spirit and in the sense of Jesus to your fellow human beings, will taste the bliss that Jesus enjoyed all the time, since He completely fulfilled the will of God, His heavenly Father!  Behold, was He allowed to shrink back from the greatest deed of love, which was to crown His work, through which the way and the connection between God and man could finally be truly established?  If Jesus had had even more life to sacrifice, He would have willingly, without hesitation, given up everything!  For it was necessary to save the inner life of all the human children from their bondage!  And you now, who are His disciples, are also the first, who shall testify from and of this life in you!"

Simon gave thanks: "Dear, dear brother, how necessary such testimony is, I see in myself!  How little it cost you, and already we feel in our hearts the secret pull of this Spirit from God.  It goes without saying that I will not let myself be robbed of this, since the enemy of life must live outside my heart as long as the consciousness of God-connectedness exists in me!  And so I thank you, my brother, as I will also thank the Master!  I felt your words like hammer blows in my breast, but now they are life bread and water for me!  Oh, if all the other brothers were here, how they would rejoice and be grateful as I am!"

The stranger instructed further: "Simon!  Only now that you think of your brothers, you will be completely freed from the pressure of your pain!  For what are one’s own pains, if I can heal others?  Nothing but only the impulse for the effect of this free Divine life in me!  But if you squirm in your pain and even complain, you turn off the stream of life!  And all the world in you and around you is bound and chained, if not broken, and the Helper and Savior in you as well!  Behold!  The whole world is not what it seems, but how you see it from your inner life!  If you are a free and joyful man, a man steeped in the true life of God, a child of God, you do not think of your own sorrow!  But all your desires go to make your environment just as free and happy!

And soon divine powers will be at your disposal to help you!  But if you are a complaining person, tormented by restlessness and agitation, then every happy soul annoys you, and in you forces accumulate, which only want to disturb and destroy!  And the world around you appears dark and unattractive!  Behold, what a contrast!  And so you find everything in the life and example of Jesus!  But if Jesus had thought of Himself, living only His own desires, all people would have remained without consolation, without support and without hope for a blessed inner life, which should not only be manifested in the hereafter, but already here on earth!

‘I am a good Shepherd’- were His words, and as a true Shepherd, He also cared for the future!  But your future is His Spirit in you!  For He is the Alpha and Omega!  The beginning and end of all things."

Delighted, Simon turned to his friend, "Oh brother Cleophas!  What do we say now to what we have heard?  Is it not as if the Lord and Master Himself makes known to us this holy truth of life?  My interior is filled with Holy Life just as if we were around the Master!  Truly, there is almost no difference anymore!"

Cleophas answered him somewhat anxiously: "Simon!  Simon!  Will you not fall back into the spirit of worry and sorrow and make life difficult for others?  For it seems to me that you are now letting yourself be influenced too much by our friend.  It is true, you friend and brother have freed us from our sorrow by your love and accompaniment, and in me it is truly as if Jesus were no longer in death!  His death also reminded me of my death, by forgetting His words so quickly!  But now I feel well, and a completely different life has entered me.  Tomorrow morning we will go with you, and I know you will find the ‘whither’; for from you already shines the life which shall make us free!  Brother Simon, don't you think like me?"

Joyfully Simon agreed: "Oh Brother Cleophas, don't ask; that goes without saying!  But you, brother from afar, I would still like to ask: Is Jesus truly risen, as some women are said to have told?  Since you have given us so much about the life of the Master, perhaps you also know about this. Also, you yourself have used the words: Jesus lives!  Of course you used this word in the spiritual sense; but I mean now, whether He has really risen from the grave, and whether we could see Him just like you, speak and walk with Him?"

The stranger answered seriously: "Brother!  This question has not sprung from your life of God, but from your soul!  But even here I do not want to withhold the right answer from you, so listen: Jesus lives!  As He Himself promised you!  Did He not say: ‘Demolish this temple, and in three days I will rebuild it!’  Yes! - Jesus lives!  He now lives in an indestructible body and straightens all hearts, which were bent by pain and sorrow for Him!  Yes!  Jesus lives and makes true His love, which proclaimed: ‘I will not leave you orphaned!  Only for a little while I will hide Myself, but then I will come again, so that I will no longer be separated from those who truly love Me!’

And now understand: To see this risen and eternally living Jesus, a living faith is necessary, which does not allow the slightest doubt into the inner life of the heart!  Only where this faith becomes alive, the heart is set on the One who can never die!  For in such genuine living faith, the Son of Man Jesus dies on the cross and glorifies the life of His Eternal Father even in the pain of death!  But for this the inner Spirit-life from Jesus becomes alive in the own heart and rises there as fruit, as an indestructible spiritual redeemer-life!  And therefore it is true what I announced to you: He died, so that the ones who are His - may live!  But they only receive this New Life from His Spiritual Life, which has overcome all death and all judgment!  Brother Simon, can you now believe that He truly lives?"

Simon answered briskly: "Brother in the Lord!  As you present it, I am compelled to tell you: Yes, He lives!  But why is my heart so full of restlessness?  Inside me it says loudly: Yes! - He lives!  But in all my longing I am urged to tell you: I want to see Jesus!  As He lived as a man!  As He still lives in my memory!  And I believe, only then my longing would be satisfied!"

Seriously, the stranger continued: "Brother Simon, listen to what I will say to you now: Do not let your longing to see Him outwardly lead you into error!  For you know from the Scriptures what cunning the enemy of all life can use!  It would not be difficult for him - who can even clothe himself in an angel's garment - to imitate the appearance of Jesus, the Son of Man!  But could this be the fulfillment of your longing?  Is it still not possible for you to live completely in and to be provided with the Spirit-life of your Master and Savior Jesus?  Only then you will be free from all outer desires and will be strengthened inwardly!  How do you want to work in the Spirit of your Master if you still nourish the stumbling block of longing in you?  Oh Simon, another time has now dawned for you, a time of purely spiritual work and activity!  For this time needs witnesses!  Witnesses, who are inwardly completely free and strengthened and who consecrate their lives with all their strength to Him, who is Life and gives life!  Longing creates only hunger, but no life!  Therefore, now search in yourself what you still expect outwardly from your Jesus.  When the master wrestled in the heaviest struggle within Himself and with Himself, a hope also appeared in Him!  And this hope became a longing and ultimately a torment!  For it concerned you, His disciples and brothers!  Just one joyful look from your eyes would have been fulfillment for Him, and His agony would have been significantly reduced.   For He hoped and longed from you and out of you: Full understanding for what to do with love - towards love, the love He commanded to all subjugated people and beings!  But when this hope and longing had to die in Him, a spiritual, greater, more powerful one came to life!  And inwardly strengthened, there was now for Him only one will and accomplishment - for the Father!

Oh My brothers!  If you do not grasp all this and experience it in yourselves, you will not be able to become His true disciples and followers!  For only in Him is the true life, and this Divine life - is the light for the erring mankind!  Who carries this Divine light in himself, leaves all earthly hope and longing far behind. Now there is only one thing to do: Let everything void die in you, too!  Then He lives not only among you, but in you!  And His Spirit sees His external presence in you.

Shaken, Simon said: "Brother, brother!  You shame us more and more, and I admit that you are completely right!  But you have touched on a point that I cannot understand: this His longing had to die also in Jesus?  Yes, is this possible?  Only when a longing is fulfilled, am I free and happy!  But our Lord and Master, for Whom nothing was impossible, had to sink something unfulfilled back into His heart?  This I do not understand!  But then you said further: ‘A new, spiritual, more powerful longing came to life in Him and brought the will in Him to the breakthrough: To accomplish for the Father!’

The stranger instructed further: "Simon!  Only a few will know what you have heard and what you have just asked!  And so listen: The Lord and Master was alone in the greatest battle of life!  Nowhere a prospect of help or assistance, since it was His explicit command to all angels and servants of the Eternal God: ‘Leave Me alone!  For He that helps and succors Me is in Me, and is the Father!’  But Jesus is still man!  He still has eyes that seek understanding for the great work to be accomplished!  He is still man with a heart that longs to be strengthened by one of His brothers.  But uncomprehendingly you see the Master struggling in Gethsemane, and one of you summons the courage to stand by your Master's side and say: ‘Lord! May come what may - my life belongs to You!’  This would have been the fulfillment of His hope and longing!  You wanted to fight, yes!  But not to bear anything, not to tolerate anything!  There, the last human in Him, died!

But in Him a greater thought came to life - something that made Him strong and willing!  And this thought became a clear consciousness, a living fact, in that His inner being was now filled with the one will: ‘No longer My will, but only Yours be done!’  Now it was as if all the high spirit-beings who saw Him wrestle and fight, wanted to testify to Him their deep gratitude and hand powers to Him!  And an angel gathered all these ray-powers as if in a burning glass and strengthened Him in His in-Himself newly arisen will! [Luke 22:43]  Hundreds, even thousands of years will pass - only then it will be revealed what strengthened the Lord and Master of all life in the will to endure and to die for His great holy work of love!

In this hour, the greatest of all victories was fought!  And what followed, could be borne more easily!  Because the spirit-will, which came to the breakthrough, created unceasingly new forces in Him!  To this hour you and all coming generations owe it that now a way was created, which leads all determinedly to the glorious life-goal!  What you then saw and experienced on Golgotha, was the culmination of everything that had already been formed and shaped in the heart of Jesus before, in order to give now, visible to the whole of infinity, the proof promised since eternity: God - IS LOVE! - And love is and was the life in God!

From now on, everyone who appropriates this love, will live out of the overcoming Spirit of Gethsemane and Golgotha!  And no enemy nor adversary will ever dare to encroach upon this sanctuary of life!  In this radiant life, Jesus is no longer a guest of the earth, but has returned to His property.  And this heavenly knowledge, this consciousness, became His in that difficult hour!  Therefore, dear brothers, do not grieve!  For He lives there, where His children and His brothers awake!  There, where a childlike heart is imbued with the spirit of gratitude: You did this for me, so that I may now live a life in Your grace, a life of joy and fulfillment!"

Hannah had listened to the whole speech of the stranger, but the two brothers had not noticed her; then the stranger turned and spoke to her: “Come also you closer and hear also further what I will still say to the two, since it is so important for all!  Not only for men and disciples of the Lord, but all people, whether great or small, whether poor or rich, are called to be bearers of that mighty God-life, to work and create with it according to the will of the Saviour!  For you are no longer dealing with the law, but with the Spirit of the Redeemer, and your tasks are to be solved only in this Spirit.

Do not ask: 'What tasks are waiting for us', but be ready at any time to hear the call for it in you!  For He who compels you to work, also gives the instruction!  But how you solve the tasks, is left to your free love and wisdom!  In you, there are still many things in ruins, caused by Jesus' death; but it is you yourselves who have to create order again!  Therefore, remember how hard your Master fought when it was necessary to loosen the inhibitions in Him, in order to fulfill the will of God completely!  But consider also the other: Lucifer is now the defeated one, and his hatred is boundless!  There is no angel who does not pity this great and yet so deeply sunken and lost brother!  But with the Lord's death on Golgotha - the way to freedom, back to God, is only now also possible for him - through Golgotha, the cross - which should have robbed the Son of Man Jesus of everything Divine - has become the great turning point for all!

Just as everyone can now seize the free right to let the Spirit of Golgotha work on him, too, in order to increase the consciousness in himself: ‘Jesus, the Redeemer, lives in me, too!  And let His life be my strength, which helps me to overcome everything earthly in me!’ - so it is now no longer possible to achieve this victory in another spirit!  The cross is not only the symbol of suffering and trials, but also the sign of the chosen One!  For, 'To prove yourselves in the cross' means: to open in oneself all the gates to true, eternal life."

Silently the brothers looked at each other.  When Hannah noticed that the guest did not speak any more, she went out quietly and took care of the meal.  But the three were silent, and each was deeply moved.  When the food was ready, Cleophas asked: "Brother!  The meal is waiting for us, and God has given us the right to bless!  So bless the food and give thanks for us."

In blessing, the stranger lifted His hands over the meal, took the bread, broke it, and said: "So enjoy it in the name of the Lord, that it may become in you a strengthening for body and soul, and that you may be filled with the gratitude with which I was filled, so that I could fulfill the will of the Father in Me completely!  Amen."

"Lord, it is You!" cried Simon and Cleophas at the same time, jumping to touch Him with their hands, but the place was empty.  The Lord had disappeared!  Now they looked at each other, and Simon spoke in shock: "It was - the Lord!" - Oh, why did we not recognize Him sooner?  How sorrowful His heart must have been!

We, His disciples, do not even see the Lord with us because of sorrow and worry!  He Who so lovingly made us free of all worries!  But we did not hear the voice of our heart, which says: ‘It is the Lord!’”

"Simon" - said Cleophas - "Yes!  It was the Lord!  And only He knows why He wished to remain a stranger, for did not our hearts beat mightily, as if to protest against our blindness!  But I tell you, the Lord wanted it so, otherwise we would have recognized Him!"

Simon cried out excitedly: "Oh brother!  Now you are astray!  The Lord should want us not to recognize Him?  No!  I think otherwise!  Our eyes were withheld, but by our weakness, by our humanity, which did not see a way out of our sorrow.  And in this weakness, the Lord came to us and set us free!  Therefore I will go to the brothers this very day and bring them the great news: The Lord - lives!"

Now Hannah said, "Oh you men, you fools!  How was it that I knew who the guest was?  Before He spoke to me, I knew it was the Lord.  When I washed His feet, I noticed the nail-marks, and so I looked at His hands - even there I noticed the stigmata!  Then I greeted Him as the Lord, and His thanksgiving was for me a gift from the heavens."

Cleophas asked in amazement: "What, Hannah, you recognized Him and didn't tell me?"  Hannah smiled and replied: "Yes, I did! - But you were deaf and blind, and only the Lord could restore your sight and hearing.  Now hurry to the brothers and bring them the news: ‘The Lord is no longer in the grave, but He has been with us - and has revealed to us deep secrets of His life!’

Behold, even without the stigmata, His words would have made me listen!  For what stranger knows about things that are known only to us?  And what stranger could be so committed to the Savior Jesus?  But it is all well!  After all, the Lord has made it so that you no longer complain, but are glad again, and can now lift up the anxious minds of others."

Simon asked in amazement: "Hanna, since when have you stood up for the Master like this?  It wasn't the case before; on the contrary, you often said: ‘It can't go on like this forever.’”

Hannah explained to him: "Simon, you were right: I was also only a servant and had to be content with the crumbs that were left over!  But today the Lord has blessed me!  And I still feel in me the stream of life-force that has passed from Him into me!  I will always rejoice in His words: ‘Your desire and will is fulfilled, if you remain in humility!  And this peace in you - be your strength and fulfillment!’  Oh you men!  Understand what it means to be blessed by Him!  His peace is our strength and fulfillment!  I need nothing more for my earthly life.  His peace carries me!  His peace is my support and gives me the certainty: He lives! He lives! - even if others cannot believe it.  What a blissful state has He created in me with these few words?  You have talked with Him for an hour, and yet you have passed by all blessedness!"

Simon confirmed: "Hannah, certainly, you are the happier one!  And I rejoice over your truly deserved happiness.  The fact that we did not recognize the Lord immediately, deprived us of delights that only the highest angels experience, but is it not enough to know happiness?  The Lord came to us!  To us who lay in sorrow and doubt - and made us free and glad!"

Hannah pacified: "Yes, Simon, let us not dispute who is happier!  After all, the Lord Himself has come to us and brought peace to our souls.  But I think the Lord had a very special reason for this, and therefore I say to you: Enjoy now the meal blessed by Him; for not in vain did the Lord do this!  And remember His words, that it should fill you with gratitude, to work and create more joyfully for Him!  For just as you would be in doubt - so also many others will still be in mourning for Him."

Soon the meal was finished; for Hannah had encouraged their zeal to show Him her gratitude by deeds.   And so they took their leave and hurried to Jerusalem, although it was already night.

On the way to the inn

The two men were inwardly occupied with what they had experienced; each waited for a salutation from the other, but neither wanted to desecrate the silence, and so they walked forward in silence with rapid steps.  On the way, two men met them; but not until they were very close, did they recognize each other in the faint moonlight, and one greeted: "Peace be with you!"  He turned to Cleophas and asked: "Well, brother Cleophas, where then are you going?  It is approaching midnight!  What has happened that it could not wait until early morning?"

Cleophas answered: "Brother Joseph!  We have witnessed the greatest miracle of all: the Master Jesus has risen from death, and we have spoken with Him!  Let us proclaim this to all the brothers who still mourn Jesus in anguish and pain."

Joseph asked in amazement, "You saw Jesus? - He is really alive?  We come from Jerusalem; there is doubt and all kinds of talk there, but no-one knows what is true and untrue.  It was even said to Brother Ephraim that Jesus had been in the temple accompanied by two angels and had settled accounts with the high priest."

Cleophas asked in amazement: "Brothers, did you believe this rumor?  Our Master Jesus, who allowed Himself to be beaten and killed, would now have settled accounts with His enemies?  He could have done this more easily as a man!  But He rather suffered innocently than to fight for His right!  But now we have spoken with Him, we know why all this had to happen!  But do not delay us, we are in a great hurry; for every hour of delay could put His work in danger."

Ephraim asked: "Brothers, what will you do in the middle of the night?  If Jesus lives, He Himself will know what to do.  By the way, I cannot believe it yet; for what death takes from us, is and remains dead for us humans.  Therefore only turn back quietly and leave everything that is coming to your Master!"

Simon answered him: "Brother Ephraim, we know how it was for us before, and we have reason to rejoice now!  For the Lord Himself has brought us this joy.  When Jesus as Savior brought healing to the sick and put an end to many a distress, it was dear to you; but since He brought you no earthly advantage, He was less your friend; and so it is not so important to you whether He lives or not.  But to us it is the most important thing!  For, if Jesus is truly risen from the dead, we can hope again!  Come, Cleophas!  Our goal is our brothers; this joy and glad tidings are good for them, too: Our Jesus is alive!"

Simon and Cleophas said a brief goodbye and directed their steps towards Jerusalem.  The other two, however, remained behind, and Joseph asked: "What is true now?  You know, we will not be able to rest today!  We want to hurry after the two and go with them; then we will certainly finally learn the pure truth!"

Ephraim answered: "Joseph, you talk as if this were the easiest thing in the world.  How can I go along with His disciples, who showed so little interest in Jesus while He lived, and even now am not on fire for Him.  If He is truly risen, then it was a pity for all the pain and suffering."

Joseph got excited and said: "Doubter!  So stay alone - in me there is a draw to Jesus!  If He lives - what happiness!  Then He will surely still redeem His people, since He will no longer be able to be destroyed!  The overwhelming thing is: First suffering, then death and now a New Life!  Therefore, brother Ephraim, I hasten after them."

Ephraim grumbled: "Then go, you dreamer!  I prefer my rest."

Joseph, however, did not hear these words anymore, for he hurried after the two, but could not catch up with them right away.  "Do not fret" - he said to himself - "I will find them; for they will stop only at the inn of Lazarus!"

Thereupon a feeling of happiness entered him, so that he exclaimed aloud: "Oh Lord and Savior Jesus!  Why didn't I run after You when You were still alive?  Only now I feel this urge in me, when You proved that Your word was not sound and noise, but truth.  Oh let me find the conviction that You are still truly with us."

But Simon and Cleophas hurried on steadfastly, and Simon said: "Brother Cleophas!  Love inspires our steps, we have already come a good deal closer to our goal!  See, even the stars in the sky show by their shining the gratitude they owe to their Creator!  I am still thinking about what the Lord said about gratitude!  How do you actually understand this word of His?"

Cleophas answered: "Brother, how can it be understood otherwise than to strive to become as the Master Himself was.  Not only to speak in such a way, no, above all to learn to think as He thought.  All His thoughts were directed to His Holy Father.  And in this connection He knew no other goal than God and to do God's will.  All other thinking was only the consequence of His intimate connection with God.  See, I will prove to you that even in this hour we go to Jerusalem not out of the Spirit of Jesus, but out of our spirit!  He said - and in His love there was a definite plan: - ‘Go to the rest to proclaim the great joy!’  We go, and His love has set us a glorious task, but we did not heed it, as I see it in me now!  For the two neighbors, Joseph and Ephraim, were set to our task!  We were not to part from them so easily: we had to try to lay the great experience so forcefully on the hearts of both of them that they, too, should have believed it: The Lord lives!  If their faith had become such a certainty, only then, brother Simon, would our brotherly love have been satisfied, and thus we would have been grateful to the Lord for the grace we experienced today!  But as it is, my joy is already dampened, because we just recently, have failed!"

Simon spoke thoughtfully: "My brother Cleophas!  There is deep meaning and deep, pure truth in your words, but I think you judge now too sharply about yourself and our actions.  You can be right, but then every wrong action would be an accusation!  But who wants to claim that the Lord wanted it differently?  I think you are going too far here!  Is it not our love that drives us to the brothers?  Is not love and gratitude one like the other?"

Cleophas replied: "Brother, you have missed the point!  And if I wanted to explain it to you, you would have objections again, since everything I see in myself, cannot be expressed in words!  But this I reveal to you: What the Master could not yet reveal to us in His being on earth, He can reveal now!  But He can reveal it only to those who have come so close to Him that, when they are connected with Him, they find everything in Himself, which He keeps ready for them in His infinite goodness, love and mercy.

Astonished, Simon asked: "Cleophas, do you mean by your words that the Lord would have wanted to tell us even more than we heard from Him today, but that something would have kept Him from speaking to us quite openly?"

Cleophas replied earnestly: "Brother, I tell you, this is not only my opinion, but it is now conscious recognition!  For the Lord could only give us what we needed!  But He has thereby agitated my inner spirit!  And now I follow what has been said in me, I find the Lord much, much more glorious than before!  Is it any wonder that new thoughts, new streams of life come alive in me?  And, brother Simon, when the Lord gives, He gives with an open heart!  So I look into His heart, which is now open to me, and I still find much, much unspoken in it!  Therefore I say to you once again: We have failed the Lord!    For those two were put to the test for us - and the Lord had His hope in us!"

Simon asked excitedly: "Brother, can't we finish tomorrow what was left unfinished today?  I believe that we still have to make up for what we missed.

Cleophas answered: "What is missed is missed!  Just as I cannot recall the past hour, so a missed opportunity cannot be recaptured!  But the Lord is gracious!  What we cannot do, is easy for the Lord!  After all, it is not a matter of fulfilling the will of the Lord, because He is The Lord and Master, but of fulfilling His will, because He wants to make us His chosen ones! He wants to make us like His angels!  We are to learn to regard His inner life as our own!  So that His life and mine no longer show any difference in all situations of life!  Oh brother, do you not feel the great, the glorious in this?  He, my Savior and my God, put into me the feeling and sensation that He Himself felt and sensed as Lord and Master when He joined Himself to me!  Great is the Lord, and mighty His power!  But for this love, which is revealed here, I lack all words."

Moved, Simon replied: "My brother!  I have an inkling of what you feel, but I am still in a fog myself!  For the figure of Jesus almost wants to disappear before the Spirit of this love from Jesus!  Here is a way of the cross for me, and therefore I cannot follow your feelings any further.  In the figure of Jesus, I was confronted with a life that touched me deeply, right to the core.  And the fulfillment of all longing would be to become completely one with Him!”

Then Cleophas said: "Simon!  Simon!  What did the Lord say?  ‘Do not let your longing lead you astray!’  According to your understanding, His life could come to you only in the person and form of Jesus?  But how will you understand His word?  ‘But when the Comforter comes - He will guide you into all truth!’  Brother, brother, from where will this Comforter come?  Where is it now, and who is the Comforter?  Is it not the newly risen life, becoming in us out of His Love-Spirit, which triggers the consciousness: 'Only You, Lord Jesus, can be the true Comforter!  For where You live, Your truth and Your life work!'  But His Spirit-life wants to be recognized and then embraced! For Jesus never said to us: ‘I am the Lord and your God’, but: ‘Seek Me, My child!  I will gladly let you find Me and give you what you desire!  But you must seek Me out of your freest childlike heart's desire.’  You see, my Simon, now I recognize the love of Jesus and find Himself in me!"

Simon replied doubtfully: "Brother, we are moving away from each other instead of uniting!  Your conception is too high for me.  And then, brother, how will you prove to me that your present concept of love is far better than mine?  In Jesus I saw everything beautiful and good!  In Jesus I have the model which I otherwise sought in vain in my life on earth.  Through years of being with Him, I found what gave me everything inside and outside to make me happy and satisfied!  And now you say: ‘We have failed and disappointed the Lord?’ Brother, I think, something always forged us together, which also made us happy!  We bore joy and sorrow together, and never was there a discord in our friendship; but now I do not understand how you can represent in your zeal something for which you lack all evidence!"

With calm friendliness, Cleophas answered: "Brother Simon, I will not and cannot separate myself from you!  The fact that the eternal and glorious grace let me find something in me, is just the impulse or drive to search even further on the ground of complete devotion!  But what you do not want to understand: you want to have everything for yourself, especially Jesus!  While I want to give everything, also my Jesus.  If you think I lack proof, you are mistaken; for behold, Joseph will soon be here, hurrying after us!  And this knowledge I found in myself, since the Lord so indicated it to me in my heart.  And now say yourself, is not this life awakened in me and manifested in this way more glorious than your longing?  Behold, the Lord gives! - and gives us many things even without being asked!

He knows what is necessary and what is expedient!  How the tempter urged in the desert: ‘Make bread of stones!’  But the Master knew why He did not!  And when we were present at the satiation and feeding of the 5000, He knew long ago what was necessary to satisfy all the listeners!  Also, without even one asking: ‘Lord, the multitude hungers, would You create bread?’  Do you not also find something great in you that is yet unspoken?  But now Joseph is coming, let us wait for him!"

Before Simon could reply anything, Joseph hurriedly arrived and said: "That I have found you!  Oh God, be praised and blessed!  I have been seriously reproaching myself, for if Jesus has truly risen and been with you, then we may all continue to hope that He will yet deliver His people from all bondage and slavery.  Oh Brothers, forgive me my former doubt, since now new great hopes are rising in me!"

Despite the joy of Joseph's appearance, Cleophas warned: "Beloved, are you not deceiving yourself?  Is it really the desire of your heart to hasten to Jesus, or are earthly advantages the motive of your hopes?  I say also to you: Jesus did not die to come out of death as a victor over His enemies and to judge them permanently, but Jesus died so that all who believe in Him may receive a whole new life!  His resurrection - is the seal, is the signature valid for all eternities under His legacy to all His children: ‘I live!  And all of you shall also awake to this glorious God-life through Me!’  Therefore, examine yourself seriously!  For the Lord, our Master, no longer wants to be Lord in Himself, but Lord out of the love of His children!  He gives us His spiritual life, so that we may receive His blessings through His life in us and continue to work as blessed ones in the great redemptive work of the Lord.”

Joseph answered seriously: "Brother Cleophas, your words are like a sword, but also like a balm.  You mean well to me, although it was I who sometimes used to go away from you and did not support you to the extent that you and the rest of you deserved for Jesus' sake!  Yet I think that if the Master were here, He would not cast me out, but welcome me!  I may have been lacking in that my interest in Him was so slight, but now, brother, something has taken hold of me inwardly, and this draws me mightily to Him!  Or do you think it is only imagination?"

Cleophas said with joy: "Oh brother Joseph!  The Lord knows about your desire, and so be assured: He does his own, you also do yours!   For it will not do in the long run to always ask, and again and again only to ask that the Lord come to us - and help us according to our desire!  As long as the Master lived among us as a man, He gave and served us as a man, like a brother!  But now, when all humanity has been laid aside from Him, and He comes to us in His true heavenly nature, then, dear brothers, let us strive to become the givers and servants to our brothers!  For He is now our Father, and we are His children!  As He taught us this giving and serving by His example, so let us follow Him in it, and we will be filled with Him and His Spirit!  But it is not what we could call our own!  Everything is from Him and out of Him!

And if, brother Joseph, the thought comes to you: 'I want to go to Him!' - be assured that this thought, too, has been placed in you by Him to form you into a seeking and desiring man.  That foreign influences still make themselves felt in your soul, is self-evident; but love for the Lord and the growing desire to be ever more closely united with Him, create light and clarity about this in us!  Therefore, brother Joseph, rejoice!  You are on the right path, since you sought us and now you have found us!  Of course, you will not meet the Lord with us!  But we will show you the way to Him, so that you will find Him on your own - in yourself!"

Say Joseph: “Your words sound too powerful to me!  Brother Simon, what do you think about this?"

Simon smiled graciously and replied: "Joseph!  I tell you that you and I are still great fools.  We are like so many!  We are looking for something that we have had in our hands for a long time.  What all the Master Himself gave us today!  And in the heart, it urges and admonishes; it wants to burst with love; but the cold mind builds dams and ramparts, so that the New Life cannot pass through!  Now I am sufficiently cured!  For I confess to you that brother Cleophas has seized the New Life and has already confessed it to us!  Oh How clear to me now are the words: ‘Behold, the hour is coming and has already come for you to be scattered, each to his own, and to leave Me alone!  But I am not alone, for the Father is with Me.’  How true are His words, and how right He was!  And what was His power?  The Father is with Him!  And brethren, this word I also make my own: ‘The Father - is with Me!’  Just as Jesus did, in this spirit I also want to serve You, Father!  For You are also my Father, You are the Father of us all!”

At that moment, a large shooting star fell and illuminated the area as bright as day.  After it's extinction, however, it was as if it was dark night; but then the stars shone again!  Then Cleophas said: "Do you want a better answer than the one we have just received?  Where all elements testify how they are subject to the life and the laws from God?  Therefore also for us, only one thing is valid: Fulfill with joy the will of the living and holy master Jesus!  Then the world will know: Our Master lives!  But if the desire for external freedom and material benefits does not die in you, then He can and will never reveal Himself in you - nor can He show Himself to you!  ‘My kingdom is not of this world’ - said His holy mouth.  In this kingdom He lives!  And so that we may live in His kingdom with Him, He Himself has opened the gates wide through His resurrection!  Believe me, dear brothers: The Lord would have been spared much, much, if we had better understood the meaning of His speeches and the Spirit of His love.  His death would not have scattered us, but would have gathered and united us, and would have matured in us His Spirit, which so gladly gives - and serves all!"

Moved, Simon said: "Brother Cleophas, now I understand you better!  I am sorry that I went my way first!  But thanks be to the Lord!  I have found my way again and now also understand how you think.  How the brethren will rejoice when we bring them this glad tidings!"

Cleophas: replied: "Brother, are they also as despondent as we were?  Where would we be if the Lord had not made us free?  But let us make haste and let our mouths be at rest, but let our hearts speak all the more vividly for this!"

At Lazarus’ inn

In Jerusalem the news "The tomb is empty!" - had caused the greatest excitement!  The Templars did not let themselves be seen, and so the friends of the Lord could move a little more freely.  In the inn of Lazarus it was also lively: a coming and going, a questioning and answering, but nobody knew exactly.  It was after midnight - but in the house, no-one thought of sleep; for Peter had brought the news that the Lord had been seen by the women!  And the desire of all to see Him again, became stronger and stronger.  Then the door opened and in came Simon, Cleophas and Joseph; they were welcomed, and the arrivals were glad to find the brothers here.

Peter immediately asked them: "My brothers!  What important thing drives you to Jerusalem in the middle of the night?  Is it also the longing and desire to see the Lord?  Then I must give you the saddening answer: The Lord has not yet been here!  The Lord has told us through the women that He is alive, but we have not yet seen Him!"

Simon answered: "Brother Peter and all of you, who are waiting here in longing for the grace to see the Lord Himself - I announce to you the good news: We have spoken with the Lord!  Yes, He has entered into the house of the brother Cleophas with us!  But we gave little joy to the Lord, for our hearts and minds were still full of fear, sorrow and pain for Him!  He came to us as a stranger, as one who knows nothing - and let us tell Him our sorrows.  How wonderfully comforting were His words!  But He also said that it was unworthy of disciples of the Lord to let doubts upset the heart!  And yet it took so long before we recognized Him!  We come now to tell you: Fear nothing!  For the Lord knows all things and is concerned for all!"

"Tell!" - the brothers asked - "say and tell us: What did He look like?  And what did He say to you?”

Simon answered: "Brothers, this cannot be told!  Because when the Lord came to us, we were different than now!  Therefore I would ask you, brothers, let us do as before: let us be silent and pay attention to ourselves and our inner being!  For how is it that the Lord has not yet been here?  Should we not be the cause of it ourselves?  If the Lord revealed Himself to one or another, He could do it only because their love fulfilled the conditions for His coming.  Brothers, where was our love when the Lord was suffering?  Where was the unity that was needed to strengthen the Lord?  It was gone like chaff in the wind, and we left Him alone!  We hoped that He would crush His enemies!

But this hope was deceptive and could not be fulfilled.  But He remained alone in His pain!  Alone with His task!  Now we know from His mouth what is needed and carry within us the joy of His promise and also know the means to continue working on the work of His great redemption."

"How glad I am" - said Peter - "to hear from you that the Master has been with you!  For now I know that He will also visit us!  Your reproach, dear Simon, is not altogether unjustified!  But now that the Lord lives and gives us proofs of His love and does not bear us a grudge for our weakness, let us listen only to what the Master tells us!  My brothers, it was a time of sorrow, but also a time when we had to learn: We can no longer live without Him!  So let us ask Him: "Oh Lord and Master!  Come to us, too, and restore our hearts, so that we may be glad again."

Then Cleophas said: "Brothers, it is right that we ask and live in hope: He also comes to us and will continue to help and support us!  But should there not be something else than just asking and hoping?  I think, since the Lord and Master gave us all such unmistakable proofs of His love, that something else should come to life in our hearts.  Do you not think that it would be better for us and with us, if now a rejoicing would penetrate our hearts - and loudly but wordlessly proclaim: ‘The Lord lives!  Yes, I feel Him with me and in me!’  It would certainly no longer happen that one more doubt would make us restless.  For what the Lord did and gave to all of us, our human concepts are much too small!  It is incomprehensible to the human mind!  Can we measure the suffering of the Lord?  Can we even speak of His suffering?  Brothers!  Only if we immerse ourselves completely in His love, we may, otherwise not!  For the Lord's suffering and sorrow teaches us to be silent!  Now the Lord has overcome all suffering, He gave us possibilities that we also become overcomers!  The way to it is not far, since it leads to my own heart!  Brothers!  There is the place where I can feel connected to the Lord!  And there is also the place from where I can give the right consolation to all people from the love of the Father in Jesus.  The more conscious and intimate the connection with Him, the stronger the desire to serve and to give will awaken!

Our love for Him is also His love for us!  And as deeply as we love the Master, so much we can serve our neighbor!  And the closest to me is and remains my Jesus!  Yesterday showed me all our misery, because the Lord died and was no longer here for us!  But this now dawning new day sees another Cleophas!  For the Lord lives, and I live with Him!  My further life shall be carried only by the One will to give back to you, you good, faithful Jesus, your share of love for me according to all the powers at my disposal."

The brothers looked in amazement at Brother Cleophas, how he decided in a flaming speech to place his ego only in the service of the love of Jesus.  And many felt reminded of their fear and worry, and it became quiet in the large room.  The words of Cleophas resonated like a compelling spell through all hearts, and nothing could break this holy silence!

After a while, Cleophas began again: "Brothers in the Lord!  The Lord of all life and being cares for us in His heart!  How He would like to make us all completely free!  But now He has proved that He is the Lord of all life and death, it is difficult for Him to help us in the way we were used to from Him.  He is no longer human, but our God, our Eternal Father, who gave us ‘all’, everything and kept nothing back for Himself!  And with what He gave us and left us, we can and may now build up and expand a whole new world in us!  We are no longer little people who 'must fear everyone, even the smallest enemy of life!'  Oh no, dear brothers!  We are His children!  His children fought for with His heart's blood!  And knowing this, carrying this as indestructible life from Him in us, obliges us and spurs us to give thanks, to praise!  Or does one of us think differently?  I do not ask this question for nothing, because I still have little doubt in you!  But what a doubt means, even if it is still so small, I have experienced enough in myself.

The brothers became restless and whispered among themselves.  Therefore Philip said: "Brother Cleophas, your speech sounds like music; but I am afraid that it has not grown out of your heart, but only out of your new enthusiasm for Jesus!  Behold, with the Master all things were natural, and therefore it was not at all possible ever to find a contradiction in His speech.  You and Simon, you have seen the Lord with you and talked with Him, and yet you say: ‘The Lord now lives in me, and nothing can come now that can ever make me doubt!’  Dear brother!  I think we also know the Lord!  Through prediction of his suffering and death, we were beaten and still are!  I freely confess that I would like to believe you, but in me something hurts, which will not calm down until I have also seen the Lord!  Your words may be well meant; but in me I remain the same as before."

Cleophas answered calmly: "Brother Philip!  I am sorry that you heard the words but did not grasp their meaning!  You also forget that I emphasized: The relationship of the Lord to us must now become different!  For the Lord is now only Spirit and Life and now gives us a life from His Spirit!  As He died in the outer world, so He must also die as man in our inner world and then rise again spiritually in our faith as the Lord, as the Victor, as the Redeemer!  If your faith is not able to create this, then only disappointments must force you to acknowledge this!  Believe!  Even if you do not see!  For He has laid the foundation for this in all of us!  He is now our foundation, on which we build!

And whoever rejects this reason, rejects himself; but whoever rejects himself, then even God can no longer help him!  Dear brothers, did the Master come only to show us the Father?  Or did He bring us the Father Himself?  This must be a clear certainty in us!  And if I now have an Eternal Father through Jesus, our Love-Master, I don't know what should keep me from considering myself as His child!  Brothers, have you forgotten what the Master always told us: ‘He who loves Me, loves also My Father, and can also do the works which I do from the Spirit of My Father!’  Therefore, let us be true brothers and be one in the Spirit of Jesus!  Then - then He reveals His love to us and is personally among us."

Cleophas became silent.  The miracle - the Lord was with the two of them - seemed to be too great for all of them, so now they were storming Simon.

But Peter said: "Brothers, behind us lies a time when the greatest miracles left us calm, and now you are eager for the miracle of seeing the Lord?  What advice did the Master give us last Thursday?  And do not forget His words, dear brothers: ‘You are My property!  Consider Me as My brothers who have been destined for eternity!  And remain one with Me, then no harm can befall you.’  And, dear brothers, what has happened in the meantime?  The Lord went back to His property, leaving us with the order: ‘Continue My work to My Father's praise, and do not forget Me!  Then I will continue to live and work in you’.  It seems, dear brothers, that the Lord and Master is taken from us; but just the opposite is the case!  Now He is also our property!  For the enemy of all life did not reckon with His resurrection!  But be still, be still, dear brothers, that the Lord may come to us also!"

Simon and Cleophas also wanted to exhort the brothers to rest, but it was like a great body of water, churned up by storm and gusts to the deepest depths.  And more and more vividly was expressed, "Only the Lord Himself can give us assurance'!"  And just as Cleophas was about to retort something, the Master stood among them!!!  "Peace!  Peace be with you!" - He said - "and fear not!  For it is I Myself who come to you, bringing you peace and rest!  Now see for yourselves: No death and no grave could keep Me in the bonds of darkest power of death.  For in Me is light!  I am the light!  Believe this, even if you lack proof.  Because there are no barriers to My spirit-life.  But whoever receives Me, has also received My life in himself!  My brothers!  See these My hands and feet!  But they are only the outer proof of My love for you.  But the other, the inner proof: you bring it to mankind!  Then I will remember with joy all the pains I endured for you and for all people. What today has not yet occurred to any man, to any angel, you shall now recognize and understand.  But the living faith belongs to it!  Now that you see Me, you believe!  But blessed, blessed, is he who believes without seeing Me!  Into his heart shall pour a river of power and blessing!  For from now on, all the glory of My life shall be revealed where faith and love - create a new spirit-life!  A life from the Divine Life!  Light from the Divine Light, and love from the Eternal Father!  This is My promise to you!  But all this can be fulfilled only when I no longer dwell visibly among you!"

All rushed to the Lord, blessingly He laid His pierced hands on their heads and spoke again: "Watch!  And remain in this My Spirit!  Then I also can remain in you!  Be blessed from the fullness of My power and My love!  And continue My work, so that it may bring you and all eternal salvation! Amen"

Empty was the place where the Master stood.  But now all sadness was gone, and the great joy revived all hearts: He lives!  He lives!  Death, where is your sting?  Hell, where is your victory?

The Lord has truly conquered hell and death!  Joyfully the brothers separated.  Cleophas, Simon, and Joseph remained at the inn, and the joy of being united once again with the Lord, created strength that did not allow weariness to set in.  In holy silence they spent the rest of the night.  The coming day, however, clearly showed them their new task, which was engraved in their hearts as if in flaming letters: to bring the message to all: The Lord is risen, is truly risen!  He now wants to live in our hearts!  Amen!

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Table of Contents

1.  On the road to Emmaus 4

2.  Simon and Cleophas 5

3.  The known stranger 9

4.  On the way to the inn 16

5.  At Lazarus’ inn 21