The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-09-14
Continued from Page 81
RACHEL.

nT~EIE-
here an answer to her long question
ing?
Tell me-" she pleaded, humbly.
Il was not sorry, as I said; but l
was not defiant. | only wanted to
die. Then they thrust M before Him.
He looked upon me and I fell at His
feet. His face was still bent upon me,
then l felt the change come over me.
That life of mine fell away from me.
| could feel it! That life that had
been so sweet, so full and free, be-
cause drenched through and through
with a love strong enough to defy
the wrath of God and man: that life
that | had thought was my very self,
fell from me as a snake sheds it's skin
in the springtime. And then I stood
up and was not afraid. l beheld now
that He was STOPPING and writing on
the pavement, and all the men, some
with their heads turned aside, some
with brazen faces, but all troubled in
aspect, were fastening out. When
they were all gone, He lifted Himself
and again looked at me; but where
before His face had been the face
Of" the woman did not again men
ton the Name, but bowed her head
now it was ineffably human. For
n long, tender moment He thus
looked at me; then He said: Woman,
where are they that accused thee?
Hath no man condemned thee?' And
l said, No man, Lord Then said He:
Neither will l condemn thee, Go, and
now sin no more.'"
and why are you here instead of
among His followers?"
"He hath nc need of me. His
friends and relations minister to His
wants; His disciples keep Him COM
pany. But l serve Him in Others
and she spread her hands over the
baskets, to be filled with the food and
wine.
You attend to the poor?"
"The lepers," she explained. HE
has great compassion for them. He
has cured many. I serve Him in
them. He has cured many. I serve
Him in them"
The Egyptian maid plucked at
RacheIs sleeve.
"It grows late, my lady! If the mas
ter returns on the great feast, and
should find you missing
Swiftly they made their way home.
Scarcely had Rachel removed her
street attire, when the call to assem-
BILE for the celebration of the feast of
the ~deliverance reached her. But her
attention tagged, and more than once
while the rite was being sc%rupulously
performed, she caught the surprised
and stern glance of her uncle fixed on
her. She drew her thoughts to the
ritual; tasted of the bitter herbs,
drank the prescribed wine, and par
took of the feast that followed, know
ing all the while she had nc real part
in it.
Hers was the empty heart; nor God
o man had ever filed it. God was
Ito her only the literal observance of
the Law; man, a lord to be served
with her body, obeyed with her will.
Love-could she but have felt it for
God, as this woman felt it for the
Prophet she called God! Love
could she have felt it for her Roman
lover as had this woman for the man
who had won her affections and had
cast her off to meet alone the dire
penalty for their common sin-could
| cho 1oun nxron fn1f this chn would
have held herself blessed to become
his slave.
She looked over the room and shud'
dered, remembering that all her life
she would have to go through this
mockery of existence. She might find
the Prophet. Perchance He would
work a miracle on her, as he had upon
the other woman, upon the condemn
ing men. Far into the night she kept
the Egyptian girl by her bed, to re
count all things whatsoever she had
heard concerning Him.
And then" the voice was flowing
softly, they sought again to ensnare
Him, and one of the teachers inquired
of Him, which was the greatest com
mandment. And He told them thai
the first and greatest commandment
was to love God, with all ones heart
and mind and soul; and the SECOND
was like unto it: to love ones neigh
Dor has ones self"
Love-love! All! if she only could
If she could only love God! If she
could only love her uncle and his fam
lily; or her Roman lover, who loved
her with the ferceness of a pagan;
or Joel, who loved he. after the calm
steadfast manner of the Jew! If she
could only love the lepers, as thai
other woman did! If she could onl,
fill this empty heart of hers. Other