ithfully served his father all his life, yet no calf or buck had been
slaughtered on his account. He found more honour in eating bread and
figs alone in his room than in sitting at the banquet table with idle
fellows and spendthrifts. Then his father sent to him and said:
'Wrong, wrong you are! Your brother was lost and is found. Look to it
that your envy turns not to your loss. Come and be merry with me!' I
tell you that the Heavenly Father rejoiceth more over a sinner that
repenteth than over a righteous man."

Then a Pharisee stepped out from the crowd, wrapped his cloak round him
with much dignity, and uttered the saying of a Jewish scholar: "Only
the righteous man shall stand before God!"

To which Jesus replied; "Have you not heard of the publican who kneeled
backwards in the Temple, and did not venture to approach the altar
because he was a poor sinner? The Pharisee stands proudly by the altar
and prays: 'Lord, I thank thee that I am not wicked like that man in
the corner!' But when they went forth from the Temple, the publican's
heart was full of grace, and the Pharisee's heart was empty. Do you
understand?"

Thereupon several of them drew back. Jesus bent over the penitent and
said: "Woman, rise and depart in peace!"

The people were outwardly rather calmer. Inwardly they were still
restless, but they began now to be a little more satisfied with Him.

Meanwhile James had to settle with the fisherman about payment for the
voyage. Simon covered his face with his mantle, and said with gentle
rebuke: "Do not mock me. I have been punished enough. I am ashamed of
my cowardice. I see now that I'm neither a fisherman nor a sailor, but
a mere useless creature. This man whom you call Master, do you know
what has come over me, thanks to Him? He who saw Him in the storm, and
heard His words about sinners, leaves Him not again. No, I have never
seen any like Him, If only Manasseh, the fisherman and his daughter,
and my brother Andrew had been there!"

"They will come directly," said James.

"How comes it, James," asked the fisherman, "that you are with this man
and dare to follow Him?"

"That is quite simple, my friend. I merely follow Him. Whoever
pleases can have my little property. I follow Him."

"But whither, James, whither are you journeying?" And James answered:
"To the Kingdom of God: to eternal life."

Then the fisherman, with trembling hand, felt for James's arm, and
said: "I will