s a moment before
their eyes, and when they looked up again He was no longer to be seen.

The Nazarene's grave was empty! Everybody made a pilgrimage from the
town to see. The people's mood had entirely changed since the
crucifixion. Not another contemptuous word was heard, some even
secretly beat their breasts. The High Priests met together, and
inquired of the guards what had occurred. They could tell nothing.

"At least confess that you fell asleep and that His disciples stole
Him."

"Honoured sirs," answered one of the guards, "for two reasons we cannot
admit we fell asleep; first, because it isn't true, and secondly,
because we should be punished."

Upon which one of the Temple authorities observed: "But in spite of
that, you can very well say so. For you have certainly fallen asleep
more than once in your lives. And as for the punishment, we'll make it
right with the Governor. Nothing shall happen to you."

The brave Romans thought it best to avoid a dispute with the
authorities, and to say what the latter preferred to hear. So the tale
went that the guards had fallen asleep, and meanwhile the body had been
removed by the disciples in order to be able to say, "He is risen."
This was circulated on all hands, and no one thought any more of the
resurrection of the Nazarene.

The disciples themselves could not believe it. Some of them declared
that Pilate and his spies best knew what had become of the corpse.
Others, on the contrary, were stirred by an unparalleled exaltation of
spirit, by some divine energy which filled their minds with appallingly
clear visions of the latter days.

It happened about this time that two of the disciples walked out
towards Emmaus. They were sad, and spoke of the incomprehensible
misfortune that had befallen them. A stranger joined them, and asked
why they were so melancholy.

"We belong to His followers," they replied.

When He said nothing, as if He had not understood, they asked whether
He was quite a stranger in Jerusalem, and did not know what had
happened these last days?

"What has occurred?" He asked.

Surely He must have heard of Jesus, the Prophet who had done such great
deeds, and preached a new and wonderful Word of God: Of the Heavenly
Father full of love, of the Kingdom of Heaven in one's own heart, and
of eternal life. It was as if God Himself had assumed human shape in
the person of this Prophet in order to set them an example of perfect
life.