Comments by Frank Henrich 2008: Recently I went into my library and pulled down to read again the book A Journey with the Saints by Edward S. Kepler, a religious scholar who died a the age of 66 in 1963 and whose work in the area of Christian saints I value. Page 17 below is from that book. Kepler quotes a written letter of the 3rd century by a Christian named Cyprian. This letter spoke to me in today’s world.  It reads as follows:

Cyprian  (A Christian who lived around 250 AD)

The scene is a garden in Carthage, North Africa. It is the middle of the third century of the Christian era and a middle-aged man, Cyprian by name, is writing to his friend Donatus. This is what he says:

“This seems a cheerful world, Donatus, when I view it from this fair garden under the shadow of these vines. But if I climbed some great mountain and look out over the wide lands you know very well what I would see. Brigands on the high roads, pirates on the seas, in the amphitheatres, men murdered to please applauding crowds, under all roofs misery and selfishness. It is really a bad world, Donatus, an incredibly bad world. Yet in the midst of it I have found a quiet and holy people. They have discovered a joy which is a thousand times better than any pleasure of the sinful life. They are despised and persecuted but they care not. They have overcome the world. These people, Donatus are the Christians – and I am one of them.”

(Kepler, the author, continues his comments in this book) Seventeen centuries have passed since Cyprian wrote these words. The problems of living have become more complex, for a machine age and a global war seem to make “brigands on the high roads” and “pirates on the seas” rather small evils; yet the Christian today believes that he has a way to meet twentieth-century problems as vitally as did Cyprian in the third century. Christianity has not become outmoded; is a way of living that has remained vital and fresh. Jesus’ insights, when properly interpreted, have shown the Christian “the way, and the truth, and the life” for every century.

(Comments from Frank Henrich, the web page designer in 2010) This letter spoke to me of today’s world. It aroused my distaste for the network news which gives us all our mountain top view of what is happening in the world around us. This makes me realize all that is a passing parade. I choose to view at a distance and engage myself in the wonderful peace of mind that Jesus provides me through His mercy and grace. Praise God. Are you at peace in your garden with Jesus or are you on the mountain top fighting evil with evil or just your witts?  If you do want to be in the garden with Jesus, you can, by kneeling in prayer and asking Jesus to come to you. He knocks with this article; all you have to do is open the door, for your side of the door has the only door knob.