Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12 "Merle, do you remember the story we told Michael this weekend from the Sea of Galilee?" Pearl asked. "I sure do! Finest walnuts in the Holy Land!" Merle replied, recalling the time he and Pearl had been gathering food by the shore of the sea and found themselves at the Sermon on the Mount. "'Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.'" "Good. I'm glad you remember," Pearl answered. "That's something the cat should have thought about," Merle said, crossing his paws. "If he wants help from squirrels, he should avoid trying to eat them." He called up to Mr. Nemesis, "DO TO OTHERS, MR. CAT! AM I RIGHT?!" Mr. Nemesis replied with a loud hiss.

"I'm referring to the part just before that," Pearl said calmly. "The blessings."

该页暂无翻译

"Jesus said, 'God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy,'" recalled Pearl. Merle and Pearl had sat high up in a tree, watching Jesus teach a very large crowd of people. "It was one of Jesus' eight blessings, or beatitudes. The first three blessings are for those who know they need God, that they aren't good enough or strong enough by themselves. They realize they are empty and need God to fill them up!" Pearl continued, "When we realize how much we need God and let him fill us up, we want to be more like him. We start to want it as much as we want food and water when we're hungry or thirsty."

"And the next three blessings come when we are more like God," Pearl said.

"That's quite a memory you've got there, Pearl," Bob admitted. "Even for a squirrel!"