Sunsets Into Sunrises
Bishop Martin - The Progress of a Soul in the Beyond
- Chapter 83 -
BISHOP MARTIN'S LONGING FOR THE LORD. - THE FISHES EST THE SACK. - SORTING OF THE FISH. - THE CHALICE, VESSEL OF GRACE, AND OTHER CORRESPONDENCES. -THE BEGINNING OF MARTIN'S SPIRITUAL REDEMPTION.
1
(Bishop Martin): "May the Lord grant me redemption according to His grace, and thus to all those who are still more or less blind. As long as you are not completely at home in this realm of spirits, you are incapable of the inner, blissful contentment. And you cannot be at home anywhere else but in the house of the Lord, the most holy house of the Father. Therefore, my greatest longing is to be with the Lord as soon as possible. So I will now pay the utmost attention to everything I see, that my redemption may be worked out soon. Therefore, I shall concentrate again on the back of the head of this lady.
2
Ah, the two messengers are dragging the sack towards the shore. What are they going to do now? They wouldn't commit the sack, or rather its contents, to the sea again, would they? The old man and his daughter are helping with the sack, whilst the other old people are timidly awaiting the further development. They do not appear to know what the sack contains.
3
The sack has reached the water and is opened. I wonder what it may reveal? Oh, just look - a great quantity of fish is appearing; there are big and small fishes, some fresh, others rotten and lifeless.
4
Now the two messengers are beginning to separate the fresh fish from the rotten ones, which they throw into the sea. The fresh ones are being placed in a magnificent vessel, which resembles a huge chalice and shines as if made of silver or gold. Wherever are they getting these things from so suddenly, when they hadn't been there before? The moment they are wanted, they are there, as if by magic! But actually, I do understand how such things come into existence. They are needed in the course of the divine order! The Lord wants them, and they are available! Isn't that so, my beloved brother, Borem?"
5
(Borem): "Yes, you are right. You now realize that the Lord is all in all. And, therefore, you find it quite easy to comprehend from the depth of your being the source of all the many miracles you are witnessing here. Now go on watching!"
6
(Bishop Martin): "Yes, brother, I am concentrating on the scene. I can now see the chalice expanding, together with its stand, but it is not gaining in height, only in girth. The fish in it are swimming about briskly, just as on earth goldfish swim in a glass bowl except that these fish are considerably bigger.
7
They must be the former ladies who were driven into the sea as ugly frogs. However, so far I cannot find an explanation as to why they are appearing this time as fish, or why many rotten and dead ones were thrown back into the sea. I have a very faint notion of the reason why, but I cannot put it into words as yet.
8
Wait - I have a brainwave! Yes, yes, now I have it! The chalice represents the vessel of the Lord's grace and mercy, into which these ladies have now been admitted. And the water in the vessel is living water that will cleanse these ladies who are still in the shape of fish, and give them back their human form. The expanding of the chalice denotes the growing of the Lord's grace and mercy. The fish shape seems to represent the shape of the free, humble penitent and, generally, of all human beings who, of their own free will, are being caught for the Kingdom of God through the Word of God or, rather, are willing to be caught. That is why the Lord Himself called His apostles 'fishermen of men.'
9
And, as concerns the rotten fish thrown back into the sea, the Lord Himself has given a picture of this event in the Gospel, the truest good tidings from heaven. That the fishes in the chalice - at least for the time being - are better off than those in the sea, is obvious. What do you think, dearest brother? Is my interpretation correct?"
10
(Borem): "All our love to the Lord, our God! Rejoice, brother, for the Lord has redeemed your spirit! This was not comprehended by your soul, but solely by your spirit which the Lord has now fully awakened in you. Therefore, you can now understand the heavenly meaning of things. This is the beginning of your redemption, which I have mentioned to you already on several occasions, and at the same time, it is the end of the second act of this great spiritual drama.
11
Your interpretation of what you have witnessed in this scene is correct in every detail, although you have not yet attained complete spiritual vision. But what you are still lacking, the third act will give you - thanks to the boundless grace of the Lord. Therefore, go on watching and you will see the mightiest manifestations and also learn the most miraculous ways in which the Lord guides His children to the great goal of salvation and life. Pay attention - this most important third act is commencing!"