sun. The pipped shell brings the longed-for answer to the gladdened
mother-bird. The ever wondrous babe-eyes give unspeakable answer to the
yearning of father and mother heart. The heart of man leaps at the call
of his God.

This makes quite clear the wondrous response men gave Jesus when He
walked among us. Jesus was God coming a bit closer in His brooding love
to mend a break and restore a blurred image. And men answered Him. They
couldn't help it. How they came! They didn't understand Him, but they
felt Him. They couldn't resist the tender, tremendous pull upon their
hearts of His mere presence.

And Jesus drew man into the closest touch of intimate friendship. The
long-range way of doing things never suited Him. And it doesn't. He
didn't keep man at arm's length. And He doesn't. And then because they
were friends, He and they, they were eager to serve, and willing even to
suffer, to walk a red-marked roadway for Him they loved.



The Gospel According to--You.


Among all those who felt and answered the call of Jesus was one called
John, John the disciple. Jesus drew John close. John came close. John
lived close. John came early and he stayed late. He stayed to the very
end, into the evening glow of life. And all his long life he was under
the tender holy spell of Jesus' presence. He was swayed by the
Jesus-passion. Always burning, he was yet never consumed; only the alloy
burned up and burned out, himself refined to the quality of life called