than 8,000 years, but also recall the times that were between those lives. He was allowed to see himself as a student of Jesus when he had lived on Metharia. It hade been a holy time, a moving time, which still kept him in awe, for he had been intensively trained by Jesus. And being trained by Jesus meant to keep spirit and soul in harmony in each second and not to flag in ones concentration. It also required focusing ones thoughts toward the task without losing love and lightness in the process. This had been an enormous challenge even for an experienced space farer like him who controlled all directions and processes of an interstellar voyage mentally.
Some time after this time with Jesus Tai Shiin had in turn been entrusted with younger Santinian as students who were interested in the upcoming mission on earth. Thousands of Santinians had been trained and then jointly took on the task of supporting the mission of Jesus. Nearly all of them acted out their duty in the spaceships which orbited earth. Only very few had the courage to incarnate on earth and by doing so follow a path in which they would come into direct contact with the spiritual darkness. One of them was in Nazareth just now and was the son of a strict Rabbi. Yes, Joshua was courageous; one had to give him that. Tai Shiin nodded appreciatively to himself. Not every Santinian wanted to expose himself to the difficult conditions on earth. Joshua was still blessed with a certain naivety due to only having incarnated a few times so far on earth. Normally this was not the worst of qualities, however on earth one also had to experience negative things and eventually learn how the negative force in its destructiveness worked against the human soul, and especially how one could keep this force away from oneself. Through this naiveté Joshua displayed a tendency to not recognize or to underestimate this negative force that cavorted on the cathartic planet earth.
Each incarnation was associated with a certain risk. To be honest, with an enormous risk. He could not show these courageous souls enough respect. One of these souls was Joshua. Before his incarnation Tai Shiin had taken on the task of inspiring and protecting him as well as possible. After all they had once been brothers on Metharia.
The Chosen Rabbi of the chosen People
Joshua was sitting at the morning meal with his family. Samuel was still in a bad mood which his son had to endure once again this morning.
“Joshua“, Samuel began, “just so you know, you will be coming to school again tomorrow. You have been lazing about long enough. And tell the son of Joseph that I expect to see him in school tomorrow too. That kid has also not been in school for a while.” Then the rabbi got up and made his way to the synagogue.
Joshua gave his mother a quick glance, who smiled at him lovingly.
“Joshua, he does not mean it that way.”
“You bet he does!” Ever since the evening of the celebration he was afraid of his father. He was happy that did not see Samuel often at the moment.
“Joshua, before our meal I saw Miriam in the alley. She told me that Jesus can not come today after all since he is feeling very weak. “Then I will go to him. I still have time this morning.”
Joshua was happy to see his friend again. Even though Joshua had not known Jesus for a long time yet, he had already grown on him so much that he was really astonished about it. Joshua walked along the main road toward Sepphoris. Jesus lived only about three hundred feet away from his home. Jesus’ house was pretty. Like all of the few houses in Nazareth it was built of limestone. Next to it there was a huge cave barn that served as workshop. Joseph worked there with his elder sons. The construction company was located exactly in the middle of Nazareth. Joshua knocked on the door and looked at the truly beautiful estate expectantly. He had not known that Jesus had such wealthy parents.
Miriam stood before him full of joy. “Jesus will be very happy to see you. He already told me this morning that he hoped you would come by. Jesus is back there in his sleeping area.”
Joshua walked across the small inner courtyard and toward an open door. “Joshua, it is so nice that you have come“, Jesus greeted him directly, although he was still a step away from the entrance.
Jesus looked very weak; nonetheless, a smile appeared on his face.
“I am alas not a very good carver or craftsman. However I brought you a small flower from the wayside.” Joshua handed him a small narcissus.
“A flower bears great wisdom in itself. Joshua, I thank you for your kind gift.”
“I heard that you are not doing well. What is wrong?”
“Nothing too bad, but I often feel very drained and weak. An Egyptian doctor once told me that I would be able to deal with such periods of weakness better once I am older. “
Jesus became very quiet all at once. “May I ask you something, Joshua?”
“Yes, sure.”
“Do you also see those scary ghosts and demons?”
“What do you mean by that? What demons am I supposed to be seeing?”
“There are all of these ugly faces around me that stick out their tongues at me, try to grab me, curse me and invade my thoughts. This costs me so much energy that I always collapses into bed from exhaustion each evening. If I am then able to fall asleep quickly it is good. However most of the time I also see them when my eyes are closed and thus have a hard time switching off. Then I have to pray. By doing so it becomes a bit brighter around me and then those horrible figures disappear.”
“I don’t see them so clearly, Jesus. At times I dream of black dogs and other dark creatures that chase me. But I don’t see them during daytime. What you speak of sounds horrible.”
“Yes, it is horrible. I know that I have difficult life ahead of me and that I have an important task to fulfil here. It must have to do with that.”
“Jesus, I believe that you are a very special boy.”
“Joshua, it is nice of you to say that, but I think that every person is a special person. With your father you don’t have an easy lot either. I on the other hand can’t complain about my father.”
“By the way I am supposed to let you know from the rabbi that he expects both of us to be in the synagogue tomorrow.”
“Sounds like we’ve got a hard time ahead of us then.” Jesus had to laugh at this thought. However Joshua was struck by fear, which Jesus noticed right away.
“Joshua, don’t worry about it. It won’t be as bad as it perhaps looks right now. And don’t forget the Lord our God. He will help you in these coming times. Don’t let fear devour your soul.”
“By the way I wanted to thank you, Jesus. Ever since you gave me your carved figure my pain has gone away. Whatever you did, it was a miracle.”
“Joshua, I did not do anything. If anyone did anything, then it was our father in heaven. Thank him.” Jesus paused for a moment and turned his head to the side, as if listening to an invisible person. Then he continued. “I am going to rest some more now. My friend, I thank you for visiting me. It has mad me feel much better.”
“Maybe you will be feeling even better later on Jesus. If so, then come and join us for playing ‚Jacob and the Lord’. Everyone except the braggart Simeon will surely be pleased.” Joshua had hardly said those words when Jesus had already closed his eyes.
Joshua returned from the sleeping chambers on the way with which he was now familiar. The living areas seemed to be even larger those at his home. Miriam was in the courtyard backing bread. He greeted her, waved goodbye and went home, deep in thought.
Jesus remained awake for a few moments, for he was overjoyed that Joshua had visited him. Joshua was one of the few who accepted him the way he was. Since the celebration Jesus had noticed how he was stared at by the inhabitants of Nazareth, of whom some laughed behind his back and made derogatory remarks about his family. That is why he had not let himself be talked into playing with the other children so far. He had rather carved a flute in that time, which he now had within reach