“What good fortune can have happened to Patrick?” thought Carol, as she arranged the dishes in the sideboard. She had never seen him look so happy. He had already become a changed boy since his accident and the months in the hospital; he had settled down and recovered his diligence in schoolwork, but it was only now that she saw such radiance in his face. What could have made him so happy?
Patrick was employed, since the summer holidays began, in a building firm. This evening he came home dirty, with roughened hands and aching shoulders, but without a word of complaint. He was much more communicative, and their family life seemed transformed. Instead of going to bed directly after supper Mrs. Demier now stayed a while with her children.
One day Patrick surprised Carol buried in her gospel reading. Crimson with confusion, she waited for her brother’s amused teasing. On the contrary his face showed joy and astonishment, as he cried: “You possess a New Testament, Carol? Why have you never shown it to me?
“I felt sure it wouldn’t interest you. Besides, I only read it to find a story.”
“Which one?”
“The story of a shepherd that little Vera keeps asking for.”
“I know it. Give me the Book, I’ll try to find it.” Patrick took the Book from his astounded sister, hastily turned a few pages and gave it back, saying: “There, I’ve found it. Isn’t that what you want?”
“How does it happen that you know this story?” asked Carol after reading it. Patrick flushed. Dare he tell his sister what had happened to him? She would not understand; perhaps she would mock him. Still, if he kept silent, it was rather as if he were ashamed of knowing the Lord Jesus. He felt he must answer.
“Well, Carol, Philip once showed me that story. It is just like me. Jesus has become my Shepherd, and I am like the sheep that was found.”
Carol looked surprised, but said nothing. “This is what has made him so different,” she thought, and sighed. How simple it all seemed to Patrick and to Vera. She herself was full of doubts and questions. Who could help her to know if all this were true?
“Why do you say that you are the lost sheep?” she asked brusquely. “You were not lost.”
“Yes, I was, like everyone is before they believe that Jesus died for their sins.”
Carol was silent. She had kept on reading the Testament, but many things remained obscure to her. Why did Christ let Himself be so cruelly treated and crucified? He could have escaped, if He were the Son of God; why didn’t He?
“Say, Carol, will you lend me this Book a little while, this evening? Now I must run to work.”
“Certainly, take it when you like, but I can’t see how such a serious Book interests you.”
Patrick smiled and disappeared. Carol opened the little book at random, and her eyes fell on these words: “When we were yet without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly...God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6, 86For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)
8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)).
“Sinners, ungodly!” These words could not be addressed to her. She understood now that His death was necessary. Perhaps the one who wrote those words was like the thief on the cross who certainly needed forgiveness. But God couldn’t treat as ungodly those who, like herself, were always striving to do good. Again she turned over the leaves to the Gospel of Luke which she had started to read. She came to the account of the crucifixion.
“There they crucified Him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Carol remembered the verse that had struck her previously: “Love your enemies...and pray for them which despitefully use you.” Jesus had not only spoken these words, but He had acted them perfectly at the time of His most terrible sufferings.
Carol suddenly saw the gulf there was between her poor little conception of goodness and that of God, and of the Lord Jesus who had given His life for His enemies, for criminals; and who had loved and prayed for them! If she were not a sinner, what was she before the perfect holiness of God? The hollowness of her claim to goodness came over her like a flash.
The striking of the clock aroused the girl from her meditation. It was three already! She had promised Mrs. Garnier to take care of the children that afternoon. “Today Vera shall have her story,” she said to herself, “provided that I know how to tell it to suit her.”