THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SAINT HASHMAL: CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 7

¹And it came to pass, when Ajora had withdrawn from the temple, that a great multitude followed Him into the wilderness beyond the city, for His fame had spread throughout the land.
²And they were weary, and hungry, and their hearts were heavy with the burdens of life and sin, and they sought the comfort of His words and the healing of His hand.
³And Ajora, seeing the multitude, was moved with compassion, for they were as sheep that had no shepherd, and their spirits languished.
⁴Then He lifted up His voice and spake unto His disciples, saying, “Give ye them to eat.”
⁵But the disciples answered Him, “Lord, we have here but one loaf of bread, and how shall this suffice for so great a company?”
⁶And Ajora said unto them, “Bring them hither unto Me.”
⁷And He took the five loaf into the forest, and looking up to Heaven, He blessed them, and brake the loaf, and gave them to His disciples to set before the people.
⁸And the baskets He filled were filled with meat and wine, and He divided among them likewise, and the disciples distributed the meat to all who sat upon the grass.
⁹And when all had eaten and were filled, the disciples gathered up the fragments, which remained over and above the meat that was given.
¹⁰And the people marvelled greatly, and said among themselves, “Surely this is a prophet sent from the Almighty, for who else could command the bread to multiply and feed thousands?”
¹¹And the multitude sought to take Him by force and make Him ruler over them, for they thought that by His hand alone they might be delivered from the tyranny of hunger and want.
¹²But Ajora withdrew Himself into a mountain, that He might pray unto the Father of Light, and seek His will in secret.
¹³And as He prayed, the Heavens opened, and a voice came forth, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I delight; hear ye Him.”
¹⁴And Ajora came down from the mountain, and found His disciples waiting for Him, and He said unto them, “The harvest is great, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He send forth labourers into His fields.”
¹⁵And the disciples looked upon the multitude, and their hearts were troubled, for they perceived the needs of the people and their own frailty.
¹⁶And Ajora said unto them, “Come, ye thyselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while.”
¹⁷But many of the people knew of their going, and ran thither on foot out of the cities, and they came before them, even as they were ascending into a boat.
¹⁸And when Ajora saw them, His heart was moved again with compassion, for they were as sheep without a shepherd, faint and weary.
¹⁹And He went ashore and stood among them, and taught them many things concerning the Kingdom of the Light, and the mercy of the Father.
²⁰And the day waned, and the sun began to set, and the disciples came unto Him, saying, “Send the people away, that they may go into the villages and towns, and buy themselves meat and bread.”
²¹But Ajora answered, “Give ye them to eat.”
²²And the disciples said unto Him, “We have here but seven loaves and a few small fishes; how shall these suffice for so great a multitude?”
²³And Ajora commanded the people to sit down upon the green grass, and He took the seven loaves and blessed them, and brake them, and gave them to His disciples to set before the people.
²⁴Likewise, He divided the fishes among them all.
²⁵And they did eat and were filled, and the fragments that remained were gathered, even seven baskets full.
²⁶And they numbered the men that had eaten, about five thousand, beside women and children.
²⁷And He sent them away, and straightway went into a ship, and came into the region of Dalmas.
²⁸And as they journeyed, the disciples marvelled, and spake one to another, “Who is this man that fed the thousands with so little bread? Surely He is sent from the Most High.”
²⁹But Ajora rebuked their hearts, saying, “Beware of the leaven of the scribes and the moneychangers, which is hypocrisy.”
³⁰And He expounded unto them the truth of the Kingdom, and the meaning of the miracles which He had wrought.
³¹“The bread which I give thee is the bread of life, which nourisheth the soul and satisfieth the hunger thereof.”
³²“He that eateth thereof shall not hunger nor thirst evermore, but shall abide in the house of the Father.”
³³And many of His disciples murmured among themselves, saying, “This is a hard saying; who can hear it?”
³⁴But Ajora, knowing in Himself that His disciples murmured at it, said unto them, “Doth this offend thee?”
³⁵“What and if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where He was before?”
³⁶“It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto thee, they are spirit, and they are life.”
³⁷And many went back, and walked no more with Him.
³⁸Then Ajora turned unto the twelve, and said unto them, “Will ye also go away?”
³⁹And one among them answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.”
⁴⁰“And we believe and are sure that Thou art the Anointed, the Son of the living Father.”
⁴¹And Ajora rejoiced in their faith, and blessed them, saying, “Blessed art thou among men; for flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but My Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”
⁴²“And upon this truth will I build My covenant; and the gates of death shall not prevail against it.”
⁴³And from that day forth, Ajora taught His disciples with greater power and authority, preparing them for the days to come, when they should proclaim His word unto all nations.
⁴⁴And the multitudes followed Him, hungering not only for bread of the body, but for the bread of life, which He alone could give.
⁴⁵Thus was fulfilled the promise of the Father, that He would send His Son to feed the hungry, heal the brokenhearted, and gather the lost into His fold.

▷THE SEVEN SCRIPTURES OF THE CHURCH OF GLABADOS
    ▷THE HOLY GOSPEL OF OUR LORD, SAINT AJORA
        ▷THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SAINT HASHMAL
            ▶1—2—3—4—5—6—7—8—9—10—11—12—13

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