4
In the days when Jesus Christ roamed the earth, He found Himself one day with His disciples in the Campagna, far from anything like home. The only shelter in sight was a cottage of wretched aspect. Jesus Christ knocked at the door.
‘Who is there?’ said a tremulous voice from within.
‘The Master with the disciples,’ answered Jesus Christ. The man didn’t know what He meant; nevertheless, the tone was too gentle to inspire fear, so he opened, and let them all in.
‘Have you no fire to give us?’ asked Jesus Christ.
‘I’m only a poor beggar. I never have any fire,’ said the man.
‘But these poor things,’ said Jesus Christ, ‘are stiff with cold and weariness; they must have a fire.’
Then Jesus Christ stood on the hearth, and blessed it, and there came a great blazing fire of heaped-up wood. When the beggar saw it, he fell on his knees in astonishment.
‘Have you no food to set before us?’ asked Jesus Christ.
‘I have one loaf of Indian corn,[5] which is at your service,’ answered the beggar.
‘One loaf is not enough,’ answered Jesus Christ; ‘have you nothing else at all?’
‘Nothing at all about the place that can be eaten,’ answered the beggar. ‘Leastwise, I have one ewe, which is at your service.’
‘That will do,’ answered Jesus Christ; and he sent St. Peter to help the man to prepare it for dressing.
‘Here is the mutton,’ said the beggar; ‘but I cannot cook it, because I have no lard.’[6]
‘Look!’ said Jesus Christ.
The beggar looked on the hearth, and saw everything that was necessary ready for use.
‘Now, then, bring the wine and the bread,’ said Jesus Christ, when the meat was nearly ready.
‘There is the only loaf I have,’ said the beggar, setting the polenta loaf on the table; ‘but, as for wine, I never see such a thing.’
‘Is there none in the cellar?’ asked Jesus Christ.
‘In the cellar are only a dozen empty old broken wine-jars that have been there these hundred years; they are well covered with mould.’ Jesus Christ told St. Peter to go down and see, and when he went down with the beggar, there was a whole ovenful of fresh-baked bread boiling hot,[7] and beyond, in the cellar, the jars, instead of being broken and musty, were all standing whole and upright, and filled with excellent wine.
‘See how you told us falsely,’ said St. Peter, to tease him.
‘Upon my word, it was even as I said, before you came.’
‘Then it is the Master who has done these wonderful things,’ answered St. Peter. ‘Praise Him!’
Now the meat was cooked and ready, and they all sat down to table; but Jesus Christ took a bowl and placed it in the midst of the table and said, ‘Let all the bones be put into this bowl;’ and when they had finished he took the bones and threw them out of the window, and said, ‘Behold, I give you an hundred for one.’ After that they all laid them down and slept.
In the morning when they opened the door to go, behold there were an hundred sheep grazing before the door.
‘These sheep are yours,’ said Jesus Christ; ‘moreover, as long as you live, neither the bread in the oven nor the wine in the cellar shall fail;’ and He passed out and the disciples after Him.
But St. Peter remained behind, and said to the man who had entertained them, ‘The Master has rewarded you generously, but He has one greater gift yet which He will give you if you ask Him.’
‘What is it? tell me what is it?’ said the beggar.
‘The salvation of your soul,’ answered St. Peter.
‘Signore! Signore! add to all Thou hast given this further, the salvation of my soul,’ cried the man.
‘Let it be granted thee,’[8] answered the Lord, and passed on His way.