1:1
Jesus came down from the mountain and walked to the beach with his apostles. Upon reaching the shore, he turned and then said this to his apostles:
1:2
What ever you call holy, will be holy. Whatever you call profane, will be profane. Beware of this power, as it leads to corruption. To use this power is to invite destruction upon your enemies. But in destroying your enemies, you will destroy yourselves too.
1:3
His apostles were greatly confused at this teaching. “What is he trying to tell us with these words? They cause us confusion and trouble us with its meaning.”
1:4
Sensing how the emotions of the apostles had been stirred and confused, he sat upon the shore and told them a parable:
1:5
A holy priest was travelling on the road to Jerusalem, to speak and teach at a temple. On the way, he met a man who asked him for food. The man asked the priest, “Please good sir, please give us food to eat, for we are without money or food or shelter, and I must feed my companion and I.” He saw the two men together. He saw how they looked at each other. How they held each other’s eyes in their glances and stares. How they held each other’s hands in their palms and fingers. “Go away and begone from me,” he said. “Your existence is an affront to everything that is holy.”
1:6
A little while, later on the road, he met a woman who asked him for water. The woman asked the priest, “Please good sir, please give us water to drink, for we are without money or water or shelter, and my companion and I are thirsty.” He saw the two women together. How they held each other’s eyes in their glances and stares. How they held each other’s hands in their palms and fingers. “Go away and begone from me,” he said. “Your existence is an affront to everything that is holy.”
1.7
A little while, later on the road, he met another woman who asked him for money. The woman asked the priest, “Please good sir, please give us some money to use, for I am far from my home city, I am in need of safe lodging, and I have been robbed and badly beaten by bandits.” He saw the woman, but saw from the woman’s face and body that she was not what he thought of as a woman. He was very angry, for she presented in a way that was not how he wanted her to present. “Go away and begone from me,” he said. “Your existence is an affront to everything that is holy.” He tore her robes and beat her, and left her by the side of the road.
1.8
A little while, later on the road, he met a man who asked him for his blessing. The man asked the priest, “Please good sir, extend your hands over me in a blessing. I do not wish to marry, I do not wish to find a wife, and I do not wish to have children.” I feel broken. I feel like I am not natural. Bless me, that my painful and lonely heart shall be healed.” He saw the man, and smiled. He said, “You are holy, because you do not wish to marry, nor do you wish to find a wife, nor do you wish to have children. Clearly you have been called to the priesthood. Come, join me on the road that you may learn my ways.”
1.9
The man frowned and said to the priest, “But sir, I do not feel called to be like this. This is what I feel. This is who I am. I do this not because of a command from above, but because my inner soul compels me to.” The priest turned to the man, and became angry. “Go away and begone from me,” he said. “I take my blessing from you and curse you. You are not worthy. Your existence is an affront to everything that is holy.”
1.10
A little while later, the priest went to the temple in the city, but found it empty. “Why is the synagogue empty? Is it not time to pray, worship, and make an offering?” The city said to him, “You did not give food to the men who were hungry. You did not give water to the women who were thirsty. You did not give aid to the woman who was robbed and beaten. You did not give your healing blessing to the solitary man.”
1.10
The priest said to the city, “I did these things because what I call holy is holy, and what I call profane is profane. I have been given this power and it makes me holy. Give me the people to fill the temple, that I may teach them what is holy and what is profane.” The city said, “You wicked man. Your power is not from God. If God is truly love, he would not have sent us a man of hate.” And so the priest was alone in the temple, not understanding why no one would come to him.
1.11
The apostles said, “But teacher, we thought you appointed us to teach. We thought we would have the power to bless, and the power to teach, so others would come to us, and bow before us, and respect the wisdom of God, and obey your word as given to them by us.”
1.12
Jesus said, “And by your power, people will come to you and learn hate. They would bow before you and hate others as you have taught them. The people will see hate in your name, and because of that, they will see hate in My name as well.” At this, the disciples were surprised and astonished. “Then what can we do, to not spread hate in your name?”
1.13
Jesus said, “Renounce your power. Give it back to God. Love just as I have loved you, even after you turned away from me in my time of trial and suffering. Love the men who lie with men. Love the women who lie with women. Love the women who say they are women, and the men who say they are men. Love the ones who are neither of those. Love those who do not wish to lie with anyone. Love yourself, when you have made mistakes and feel you cannot be forgiven. Give your robes to those who come to you in need. And if there are more in need, give your staff and crown to them, that they may sell them for food, water and shelter. Let they who have the hearts to hear, be open to my word from the mouths of those who are least among you.”
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