Anicetus shook his head and added, “Gymnastics is a gift of the gods so that you can be sound in body as well as in mind.”
At this, Nicholas could not help but answer, “My family worships Christus.”
Anicetus gave a familiar sigh. They had had this discussion before. He said, “Yes... They are atheists.” To him, worship of Christus amounted to believing in no god.
Nicholas protested, “Christus is God.”
Anicetus grumbled, “A god who dies is no god at all.”
Nicholas’ heart still raced from the exercise, but now he could feel his heart beating hard in his chest. Anicetus did not often speak against his parents’ God, but when he did, Nicholas found it disturbing.
Once, Nicholas tried to explain to him that Christus conquered death, but Anicetus wouldn’t have it. “Impossible,” he said. This one word seemed to end all argument. Nicholas knew this conversation would end just the same. He turned and headed back for the house without saying a word. He hoped Anicetus would not see him shaking. He could not understand why this bothered him so. If Anicetus wanted to pray to statues, what was that to him?
In the house, he asked his father if he could have a look at the book of Marcus. Though it was a copy of a copy, it had cost Epiphanius his father a good deal to have it made. Nicholas had to ask before reading it, but his father never said no. It had been not quite 270 years since the execution of Christus. Many said this was the end of him, but Nicholas knew better. He turned the pages to the end of the animal skin folio where it told of the women who came to the tomb. A messenger from heaven said to them, “He is not here. He has risen, just as he said.” Seeing these words calmed him. He knew it was true, but he thought it would be easier if Christus were there standing beside him.
Click here to go to beginning of the book
At this, Nicholas could not help but answer, “My family worships Christus.”
Anicetus gave a familiar sigh. They had had this discussion before. He said, “Yes... They are atheists.” To him, worship of Christus amounted to believing in no god.
Nicholas protested, “Christus is God.”
Anicetus grumbled, “A god who dies is no god at all.”
Nicholas’ heart still raced from the exercise, but now he could feel his heart beating hard in his chest. Anicetus did not often speak against his parents’ God, but when he did, Nicholas found it disturbing.
Once, Nicholas tried to explain to him that Christus conquered death, but Anicetus wouldn’t have it. “Impossible,” he said. This one word seemed to end all argument. Nicholas knew this conversation would end just the same. He turned and headed back for the house without saying a word. He hoped Anicetus would not see him shaking. He could not understand why this bothered him so. If Anicetus wanted to pray to statues, what was that to him?
In the house, he asked his father if he could have a look at the book of Marcus. Though it was a copy of a copy, it had cost Epiphanius his father a good deal to have it made. Nicholas had to ask before reading it, but his father never said no. It had been not quite 270 years since the execution of Christus. Many said this was the end of him, but Nicholas knew better. He turned the pages to the end of the animal skin folio where it told of the women who came to the tomb. A messenger from heaven said to them, “He is not here. He has risen, just as he said.” Seeing these words calmed him. He knew it was true, but he thought it would be easier if Christus were there standing beside him.
Click here to go to beginning of the book
No comments:
Post a Comment