e who liked to
display their wisdom on every possible occasion. He declared that
faith and love, nothing else, produced such miracles. No
miracle-worker could help an unbeliever; but a man whom the people
loved could easily work miracles. "They forget all his failures, and
remember and magnify all his successes. That's all there is in it."

A man answered him: "It is important that he should be loved, but the
love is compelled by some mysterious power. No one can make himself
beloved of his own accord, it must be given him."

They determined, thanks to all this talk--a mingling of truth and
error--to invite the prophet to the house.

When Jesus entered it, He saw the mourning assembly, and the Rabbi, who
pulled at his gown until he tore it. He saw the child lying on the
table ready for burial, and asked: "Why have you summoned Me? Where is
the dead girl?"

The Rabbi undid the shroud so that the girl lay exposed to view. Jesus
looked at her, took hold of her hand, felt it, and laid it gently down
again. "The child is not dead," He said, "she only sleepeth."

Some began to laugh. They knew the difference between death and life!

He stepped up to them, and said: "Why did you summon Me if you do not
believe in Me? If you have assembled here to watch the dead, there's
nothing for you to do."

They crept away in annoyance. He turned to the father and mother: "Be
comforted. Prepare some food for your daughter." Then He took hold of
the child's cold hand, and whispered: "Little girl! Little girl! wake
up, it is morning."

The mother uttered a cry of joy, for the child opened her eyes. He
stood by, and they seemed to hear Him say: "Arise, my child. You are
too young to have gained heaven yet. The Father must be long sought so
that He may be the more beloved. Go your way and seek Him."

When the girl, who was twelve years old, stood on her feet, and walked
across the floor, the parents almost fell on Jesus in order to express
their thanks. He put them aside. "I understand your gratitude. You
will do what I do not wish. You will go to the street corners and
exclaim: 'He raised our child from the dead'; and the people will come
and ask Me to heal their bodies, while I am come to heal their souls.
And they will desire Me to raise the dead, while I am here to lead
their spirits to eternal life."

"Lord, how are we to understand you?"

"When in good time you shall have learned how little the mortal