went on; "Some of you who listen to Me have
the Kingdom of Heaven within you. But be careful! The enemy comes in
the night and sows weeds. Hear more. The word is like a grain of
mustard-seed. It is the smallest of all seeds, and yet it becomes the
biggest tree. Perhaps without your knowledge a word has fallen into
your heart. You are scarcely aware of it, you pass it by, but it grows
secretly, and all at once enlightenment is there, and you have the
Kingdom of Heaven. Then, again, it is like yeast, and stirs up and
changes your whole being. The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure
hidden in a field. A man finds it and buys the field. And it is like
a pearl for which a merchant gives all his wealth. But it is also like
a lamp which a man must feed with oil lest it be extinguished. If it
goes out, you will have no light, and suddenly comes the attack. And
hear this also: the Lord of the Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who at
urgent request remits all his slave's debts. But the slave does not
remit his debtor's debt, but lets him be cast into prison. So the king
summons him before his judgment-seat and says: I have shown you mercy,
and you have shown your fellow no mercy. So now I shall have you put
upon the rack until you have paid me your debts to the last farthing.
Who does not show mercy to others, to him shall no mercy be shown."

Jesus was silent, and a shudder of terror passed through the crowd.
John went to the man who had just questioned Him, and said: "Do you
understand now what He means by the Kingdom of God?"

"I think so."

"That is enough for the present. It is mercy, blessedness, and
justice. . . . Consider, it was night He chose in order to unveil the
Kingdom of Heaven. For it is not visible to the outward eye, but to
the inward eye. Man, if you possess the Kingdom of Heaven, you possess
it in your soul. If it is not there, you seek it elsewhere in vain."

"But," someone ventured to say hesitatingly, "it must also be somewhere
else. The Master Himself says: 'Father who art in heaven.'"

John answered him: "The Kingdom of Heaven is wherever you are, wherever
you come with your faith and with your love. Only do not think that
you are obliged to understand such mysteries with your reason."

And the man asked no more.

Then an old man tottered up and ventured to ask Jesus what he should
do. He was a worldly man, had never lived save for earth, and he was
told it was now too late t