Volume 2

The Disciples 191
vest, though ye have not sown. Others have sown,
namely, the Prophets and John and I Myself. He that
reapeth, receiveth wages and gathereth fruit for eternal
life, that both He that soweth and he that reapeth may
rejoice together. For in this is the saying true, that it is
one man that soweth and it is another that reapeth. I
have sent you to reap that in which you did not labor.
Others have labored and you have entered into their
labors." In this way Jesus spoke to the disciples in order
to encourage them to the work. They rested only a short
time and then separated, Andrew, Philip, Saturnin, and
John remaining with Jesus, while the others went on to
Galilee passing between Thebez and Samaria.
Jesus, leaving Sichar to the right, journeyed about an
hour southward to a field around which were scattered
twenty shepherd huts and tents. In one of the larger huts,
the Blessed Virgin and Mary Cleophas, the wife of James
the Greater, and two of the widows were awaiting Him.
They had been there the whole day, having brought with
thenl food and little flasks of balsam. They no\v prepared
a meal. On meeting His Mother, Jesus extended both
hands to her, while she inclined her head to Him. The
WOOlen saluted Him by bowing their head and crossing
their hands on their breast. There was a tree in front of
the house, and under it they took the meal.
Among the shepherds dwelling around these parts were
the parents of the youths whom Jesus, after the raising of
Lazarus, took with Him on His journey to Arabia and
Egypt. These people had come to Bethlehem in the suite
of the three Holy Kings, had on account of the hasty
departure of the latter remained behind in this country,
and had married some of the shepherds' daughters in the
valley near Bethlehem. Shepherd settlements like that just
mentioned were frequent in the winding valleys bet\veen
this place and Bethlehem. The people dwelling here
cultivated also the field of Joseph's inheritance which