Happy Easter!
I think Becky once expressed an interest in reading this, so here it is. It's a gospel I had to write for my Christianity, Canon, and Controversy class. Try saying that three times fast.
…and he said unto them, “All natures, all formed things, all creatures exist in and with one another and will again be resolved into their own roots, because the nature of matter is dissolved into the roots of its nature alone.” He pulled a flower from the soil at his feet and held it in his hands. “What do you see here?” asked Jesus of his disciples.
Peter said to him, “It is only a flower as surely as I am a man.”
“Are you a man then?” Jesus replied, “For as surely as you are a man, is this flower not also food for creature that hungers for it? Could it not be weaved into a crown upon a child’s head? And after it is eaten or weaved into a crown, what happens to it? What happens to all things upon this earth?”
Mary answered, “As I have seen, all living things die.”
“To all things, death must come. But this does not mean an end! Just as when I die, I will not be truly gone from you.”
And then Judas, one of the twelve, asked of him, “Where will you be then? How will we find you again?”
Jesus answered and said, “The Kingdom of God is within you and all about you. When I am gone, split a piece of wood and I am there; lift a stone and you will find me.”
Upon this, Peter moaned, “Teacher! You cannot leave us!”
“I will not leave you, Peter,” Jesus said to him, “I will be the crown of flowers upon your children’s heads. I will be the food you share with others.”
Mary touched the grieving disciple on his arm. “Do not cry, my brother! A good shepherd will not leave his flock. It is only when a sheep is lost will it appear as if the shepherd has left him. But it is then, when the sheep listens, that the sheep can hear the good shepherd’s voice, beckoning the wayward sheep’s return.”
Jesus reached out and touched both Mary and Peter on their heads. He said to them, “From me all came forth, and to me all return. I will be the crowns of flowers on both your heads.” And then he leaned forward and kissed them both on the…
…and he said unto them, “All natures, all formed things, all creatures exist in and with one another and will again be resolved into their own roots, because the nature of matter is dissolved into the roots of its nature alone.” He pulled a flower from the soil at his feet and held it in his hands. “What do you see here?” asked Jesus of his disciples.
Peter said to him, “It is only a flower as surely as I am a man.”
“Are you a man then?” Jesus replied, “For as surely as you are a man, is this flower not also food for creature that hungers for it? Could it not be weaved into a crown upon a child’s head? And after it is eaten or weaved into a crown, what happens to it? What happens to all things upon this earth?”
Mary answered, “As I have seen, all living things die.”
“To all things, death must come. But this does not mean an end! Just as when I die, I will not be truly gone from you.”
And then Judas, one of the twelve, asked of him, “Where will you be then? How will we find you again?”
Jesus answered and said, “The Kingdom of God is within you and all about you. When I am gone, split a piece of wood and I am there; lift a stone and you will find me.”
Upon this, Peter moaned, “Teacher! You cannot leave us!”
“I will not leave you, Peter,” Jesus said to him, “I will be the crown of flowers upon your children’s heads. I will be the food you share with others.”
Mary touched the grieving disciple on his arm. “Do not cry, my brother! A good shepherd will not leave his flock. It is only when a sheep is lost will it appear as if the shepherd has left him. But it is then, when the sheep listens, that the sheep can hear the good shepherd’s voice, beckoning the wayward sheep’s return.”
Jesus reached out and touched both Mary and Peter on their heads. He said to them, “From me all came forth, and to me all return. I will be the crowns of flowers on both your heads.” And then he leaned forward and kissed them both on the…