The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-06-14

| is somehow very wonderful, very awe
inspiring, and with it all most most
| lovable!
"As said, | joined the people who
were following Him that day. AS we
drew near one of the wells which are
set aside for the use of lepers, we
came upon this poor man waiting by
the wayside for the Prophet to pass.
When the leper begged the Nazarene
to cure him, He answered as simply
as if He had been asked the most
commonplace favor, I will. Be thou
made clean That was all; and in
stantly, James, the man became as
sound as thou art!"
Wonderful! Wonderful" James
explained thoughtfully. What think
est thou, Seth? Can this Man be the
Messiah?"
Nay, / know not. Some say that
He is-poor people mostly. He is
very good to them. Others think Him
great prophet like Elias or Isaias.
AS for the scribes and pharisees, they
have already ranged themselves
against Him."
For moment James was lost in
thought. He aroused himself to say
feverishly, Il must see this Man.
Knowest thou where He is to be
found?"
To-day He is here in Capernaum. -
in Capernaum today! And His
name? Thou hast not mentioned His
name?'
All, Levi had already guessed it!
He is called Jesus of Nazareth, -
replied Seth. But come, let us go"
Arm in arm they passed out of the
custom house, leaving behind them
Levi sitting with his head bowed in
his hands. His heart was full of con
ficting feelings, awe and long and
fear and love, and above all, joy. His
first impulse was to go in search OF
Jesus and he sprang from his seat
only to sink back into it, shamed by
his more deliberate thought True
Jesus had been all tenderness to him
on that day in Nazareth fifteen years
before, but as man He might be
less forgiving of such meanness-sC
Levi feared. One moment he felt that
the Prophet who was working won
ders throughout Palestine would re
ceive him as kindly as the unknown
Son of the carpenter had done; the
next, in dread of rebuke he resolved
to avoid Him. and BESIDES" he
thought, who am l weak and sinful
as / am, to see and speak with the
Messiah" For that Jesus was the
Promised One he did not doubt.
At the sixth hour as he was going
home to partake of the light lunch
con which served as his midday meal
Levi was astonished to find one of the
streets through which he was accus
toned to pass, blocked by an eager
excited throng of people. A man
hurrying to join the crowd, called to
him as he ran past him: "The Pro
phet of Nazareth is here! Come!
Only yesterday He worked great won.
ders Come and see!"
But Levi, fearful, timid and ashamed
turned the other way, and fed back
to his desk in the little custom
house. That afternoon he accom-.
plished little though he had never
tried harder to concentrate his mind
upon his work. With each hour, each
minute, his longing to see Jesus OF
Nazareth became more intense; and
still he dared not go to Him. The
day grew old, and he struggled on,
only making innumerable plumbers
At last his stylus fell from his hand
and he sat gazing absently across
the tranquil waters of the Sea of I'll.
berias.
How long he had dreamed thus he
did not know, ere he was startled by
light sound at his door, and, look.
ing up, he saw Jesus standing on the
threshold! No need to tell Levi who
He was! 1t was the face of which he
had dreamed so long, grown if posi-.
BILE, more sweet, more strong, more
loving.
Jesus looked long at Levi; but Levi
said no word of welcome, could say
none, for his heart was bursting with
love.
1t was Jesus who spoke first,
breaking silence more sweet than
angels song. Follow me-" He com
manded.
Behind his master he passed down
the street until Jesus called him to
His side and talked with him: and
Levi, emboldened by His kindness
begged Him to dine at his home that
night. When Jesus readily accepted
his timidly proffered invitation, Lewis
happiness was intense. At the earl
lest opportunity he slipped away to
make the preparations necessary for
the entertainment of SO honored a
guest.
Soon an unforeseen difficulty pre-
sented itself; whom could he invite
to dine with the Master! His disci-
pies, and the poor, hayward and de-
spised ones who were following him ?
Levi knew but too well how cordially
the better class of Jews hated him
and his fellow publicans. 1t was
only tax collectors like himself and a
few sinners, notorious in Capernaum
and all the country roundabout, who
would accept an invitation to his
table. Greatly troubled he invited
whom he could; but even after Jesus
had come and had greeted the other
guests with all His own tender grace
i Levi felt i'll at ease