thy gifts, having good hope in thy help, and having their refuge in thy greatness; they hold their
hearing ready to listen unto the words that are spoken by us. Let thy peace come and tabernacle
in them and renew them from their former deeds, and let them put off the old man with his
deeds, and put on the new that now is proclaimed unto them by me.
49 And he laid his hands on them and blessed them, saying: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
shall be upon you for ever. And they said, Amen. And the woman besought him, saying: O
apostle of the Most High, give me the seal, that that enemy return not again unto me. Then he
caused her to come near unto him (Syr. went to a river which was close by there), and laid his
hands upon her and sealed her in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost; and
many others also were sealed with her. And the apostle bade his minister (deacon) to set forth a
table; and he set forth a stool which they found there, and spread a linen cloth upon it and set on
the bread of blessing; and the apostle stood by it and said: Jesu, that hast accounted us worthy to
partake of the eucharist of thine holy body and blood, lo, we are bold to draw near unto thine
eucharist and to call upon thine holy name: come thou and communicate unto us (Syr. adds
more).
50 And he began to say: Come, O perfect compassion, Come O communion of the male, Come,
she that knoweth the mysteries of him that is chosen, Come, she that hath part in all the combats
of the noble champion (athlete), Come, the silence that revealeth the great things of the whole
greatness, Come, she that manifesteth the hidden things and maketh the unspeakable things plain,
the holy dove that beareth the twin young, Come, the hidden mother, Come, she that is manifest
in her deeds and giveth joy and rest unto them that are joined unto her: Come and communicate
with us in this eucharist which we celebrate in thy name and in the love-feast wherein we are
gathered together at thy calling. (Syr. has other clauses and not few variants.) And having so said
he marked out the cross upon the bread, and brake it, and began to distribute it. And first he gave
unto the woman, saying: This shall be unto thee for remission of sins and eternal transgressions
(Syr. and for the everlasting resurrection). And after her he gave unto all the others also which
had received the seal (Syr. and said to them: Let this eucharist be unto you for life and rest, and
not for judgement and vengeance. And they said, Amen. Cf. 29 fin.).
The Sixth Act: Of the youth that murdered the Woman.
51 Now there was a certain youth who had wrought an abominable deed, and he came near and
received of the eucharist with his mouth: but his two hands withered up, so that he could no more
put them unto his own mouth. And they that were there saw him and told the apostle what had
befallen; and the apostle called him and said unto him: Tell me, my child, and be not ashamed,
what was it that thou didst and camest hither? for the eucharist of the Lord hath convicted thee.
For this gift which passeth among many doth rather heal them that with faith and love draw near
thereto, but thee it hath withered away; and that which is come to pass hath not befallen without
some effectual cause. And the Youth, being convicted by the eucharist of the Lord, came and tell
at the apostle's feet and besought him, saying: I have done an evil deed, yet I thought to do
somewhat good. I was enamoured of a woman that dwelleth at an inn without the city, and she
also loved me; and when I heard of thee and believed, that thou proclaimest a living God, I came
and received of thee the seal with the rest; for thou saidst: Whosoever shall partake in the
polluted union, and especially in adultery, he shall not have life with the God whom I preach.
Whereas therefore I loved her much, I entreated her and would have persuaded her to become
my consort in chastity and pure conversation, which thou also teachest: but she would not.
ron
(Ron)
#1