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In a palace rich with rugs and incense, Jesus addressed the warlord and asked if the ransom was still one hundred talents.
The warlord laughed. “It is. Anyone may have the boy for one hundred
talents, but it shall not be you, Nazarene, for you have not a single
florin.”
Jesus replied, “You shall have your money before the sun sets, but it
shall cost you more than one hundred talents.” And He left the throne
room.
As they passed out of the palace, Jesus saw a woman weeping in a garden. He stopped and asked her what was the matter.
It was the warlord’s wife. “I am unhappy because my husband sports with a prostitute and ignores me.”
Jesus said, “Go and wash your face, for your husband shall know you
tonight.” Jesus then told the scholar, “Take me to the richest man in
this town.”
The richest man was a Jewish usurer. The moneylender had a fine house,
but people crossed the street as they approached it. Jesus spoke to the
moneylender and asked him what he wanted most.
The moneylender said, “What do I want most? I want more gold. Enough gold to fill a house to the roof!”
Jesus said,“No, you don’t.You want to be respected, so people will greet you by name and not spit on you when you pass.”
The usurer was much surprised, and said, “That is true. More than
anything I would love a house and farm, that I might be treated as an
equal by my neighbors.”
Jesus asked, “Would you give a hundred talents to have it so?”
“Gladly,” replied the moneylender.
Jesus said, “I will return.” To the scholar He said, “Take me to the best farmer in the land.”
The scholar led Him to a large vineyard where the grape arbors were
laden to breaking. Jesus said to the vintner, “What is it you most want
in the world?”
The vintner said, “What do I most want? I want it to rain regularly, so
my grapes will grow that I might harvest them and press barrels of
wine.”
And Jesus said, “That is not so. You wish to be free of this farm, where you were born and have lived all your life.”
The vintner was amazed. “That is true. I would like to roam the hills
and mountains by myself, taking my time and going where I wish.”
“Would you give up your farm to do so?” asked Jesus.
“Verily, I would,” replied the vintner, “if it were left in capable hands.”
Jesus said, “I will return.” To the scholar He said, “Take me to the most adventurous man in the city.”
The scholar led Him to a strong man who was the chief hunter for the
Roman soldiers. Jesus said to the hunter, “What is it you most want in
the world?”
The hunter looked to the hills. “What do I most want? To be able to
walk with my dog through the mountains, to find good water and kill the
deer far from home.”
Jesus said, “That is not true. Most of all you want to sail the sea.”
The hunter looked surprised. “That is true, but I am not a free man. I
am obligated to the centurion as long as I live, for he once saved my
life.”
Jesus said, “I will return.”To the scholar He said, “Take me to the centurion.”
But the scholar became cross, and he demanded of Our Lord, “How can all
this talk bring home the boy? We walk all over town and accomplish
nothing!”
To which Jesus replied, “A man fails when he stops trying. If trapped
in a dark cave, do you sit down and moan and wail, or do you look for
an escape? My Father would have us try all avenues before we despair,
for it is man’s lot to persevere.”
The scholar then led Him to the Roman barracks, where they found the
centurion. Jesus asked the man, “What is it that you want most in the
world?”
The centurion laughed. “What is it I want most? To fight, to serve, to drink, to whore. That is all a soldier needs.”
Jesus said, “That is not true. What you want is a wife to keep a home and give you children.”
The centurion was angry at this reply. “What you say may be, but I have
seen countless women and all unfaithful. There is not one who would be
true to me.”
Jesus asked, “If I could find you a chaste wife, would you release the service of your chief hunter?”
The centurion was perplexed. “I might. But I doubt there’s a faithful woman in the city, or in all the world of men.”
Jesus said, “I will return.” To the scholar He said, “Take me to see the prostitute who consorts with the warlord.”
The scholar brought Him to the prostitute. She dressed gaily, but wore
much paint to hide her shame. Jesus asked the prostitute, “What would
you like most in the world?”
The harlot laughed, “What would I like? Fine clothes, good food and wine, and lots of men to keep me happy.”
Jesus shook His head. “That is not true. What you want is to be a good woman, respected and admired.”
The harlot’s eyes flashed. “What you say is true. I would be decent and not a whore, but no one can change the past.”
Jesus asked, “If you could attain a position of privilege, would you become the wife of a good man and remain faithful to him?”
The harlot frowned. “Yes, but I must first be respected before I could marry.”
Jesus took her by the hand, and with His touch the prostitute was made pure.
And Jesus said, “Come with me.”
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