The Words in Red

We had been traveling for days when we finally reached the great sea. The Teacher, his students and a crowd of three hundred were all relieved to reach the shores of the water.

It was a joyous time as we fished, swam and shared meals. The Teacher even joined the children on the beach to make sand castles. When he played with the children, one could easily forget that he was a great and wise teacher. He became as one of them full of joy and wonderment. The children loved him. We all loved him.

He had not spoken to the crowd for days. All were hungry for his words. We had planned to spend several weeks by the sea, so our camp setup took more time and effort. Even the Teacher assisted in setting up the tents and digging the latrine ditches. Once finished, our camp looked like a small village. We were a tribe.

Looking back now, I wished we would have stayed there for the rest of our lives. Perhaps we would still have the Teacher with us now. Perhaps, I would.

There was a hill to the north of our camp. After the midday meal our Teacher climbed it. He sat upon an old tree stump and began to speak to the people. The hundreds found places on the ground to set and listen. When he spoke everyone became silent, even the children.

A small child approached him. The Teacher picked up the child and placed him beside himself on the stump.

“Blessed are those with gentle spirits,” he laughed as he looked at the child “and cute faces.” The crowd released a warm laugh. “For the innocent will live in the kingdom of peace.” He ran his fingers through the child’s red hair.

The Teacher made eye contact with a Nubian man and his family. “Blessed are the hungry immigrants and refugees seeking shelter and protection, for they shall find a home of their own among us. And we...we shall find a home among them.” The Nubian man bowed to the Teacher.

The Teacher asked if any had coins. Many called out and answered. They thought he asked for an offering to be taken. The people were willing to give, but he said that he only needed one. Brother Newton pitched one to him, which the Teacher failed to catch. Everyone laughed, even the Teacher. The child picked up the coin and handed it to the Teacher.

The Teacher held the gold coin up for all the people to see. It shined in the sun. “To obtain a bag of these coins, many would cheat, steal, even murder. Some would sell their souls. The love of money in its simplest form, is the desire to rule over your brother.”

“Blessed are the wealthy, for in death their relatives shall fight over their riches in the courts and on social media.” (The Teacher winks at the reader.)

He waved his hand to the sky, and looked into the sun. “It is such a beautiful world in which we live. We should treat the world, the people, the animals, plants, trees and waterways, even the land and air, as we would treat our own homes and our families, with respect and love. If not, where else shall we live?”

“Blessed are the climate deniers, for they shall NOT inherit the earth!” (The Teacher fist bumps the author.)

“Blessed are those who show mercy and compassion, tolerance and understanding, for they are the true human beings.”

“Blessed are those who suffer persecution for calling out an injustice, for they may have their security clearance revoked.”

“Blessed are those who forgive a trespass, for they are aware of their own faults, and can place themselves in the same standing of their offender.”

“It has been said that we should walk in the light, and we shall prosper. But I say unto you that the shadows in life are lessons. If light was everywhere and there was no darkness at all, the world would be incomprehensible. Walk in the light, but respect the shadows. Both shall teach you.”

"When life becomes too loud, when the burden is too great to bear, go to a quiet place. Each must find rest from the struggles of life. A place of quiet reflection and meditation is available to all, whether one is slave or free, rich or poor, or just lost. Each should dare to find the silence inside oneself."

"Most are afraid to face the silence because then one has to face oneself and hear one’s own silent screams."

"When the outward has been closed, and one is forced to turn inward, it is there that one sees the true self. And that thought of inner vision makes one tremble."

"The great death that each one must face is not the grave, it is the death of self. We all must face this character willingly, and eventually."

"Blessed is the one who faces this death and rises anew."

“Words I speak to you, but you have heard words before!” The Teacher’s tone changed and became very heartfelt and tender.

“You have heard the words of the law, which bring consequence and are burdensome. You have heard words of commandments, which cause you to live outside of your nature. Rulers and kings have given you words, and those words are chains.”

“When shall you hear the words of life, and who shall speak them to you? Listen for the one who can give you words that are simple to carry. Words that are a help and not a hindrance, words with an easy burden and a light yoke.”

“My children, I give you the words of life.”

“Respect all life, for everything has worth. Have peace with life, resist not change, prevent it not, and flow with the stream of life. For life changes just like the seasons.”

“Behold the unity of life. All are connected. Do not resist it. We sustain each other in this connection. Accept the responsibility of life. We are our brother’s keeper, we must hold our sister when she suffers. Help those in need as if to feed your own hunger. If you do this, your own needs shall be met.”

“Live the life that you are given. Plant vineyards, have families, build sanctuaries. Sing, dance, laugh, and cry. Conquer your own heart.”

“Love this life and the lives of others and all things, for our time here is short. Our life is but a fog upon the ground, burned away by the morning sun. May we live in a manner that shall give meaning to our existence.”

He stood and waved his hands over the crowd. “Love one another, as you love me, and as I have loved you. Love is the crowning word of all languages. Send love out from your life and labor, in your thoughts and deeds. Set your intentions on love. Look for it. What you seek you shall surely find. Give love and it shall return to you.”