24
PARABLES
heaven.”
The third son answered his father: “I became a famous scholar. I have in-
vented many devices to make human life easier. I have built many good
structures for people. Always before setting to my task, I praise God and re-
member and honor His name, and so I hope to get to heaven.”
The youngest brother answered his father: “Father, I am raising my orch-
ard and laboring in my garden. I send vegetables and fruits from my beauti-
ful garden to my brothers and try not to do anything bad, anything unpleas-
ing to God, and so I hope to end up in heaven.”
The father answered his sons: “Your souls, my sons, after your fleshly
death, will abide in heaven.”
The vision of their father vanished. The years passed, the brothers died,
and their souls met in the heavenly garden, only their youngest brother’s
soul was not among them. Then the three brothers summoned their father,
and when he appeared before them in his wondrous glow they asked, “Tell
us, Father, why is the soul of your youngest brother not among us in the
heavenly garden? A hundred years have passed in earthly calculation since
we spoke with you at your grave.”
“Do not worry, my sons, your youngest brother, too, abides in the heav-
enly garden. He is not by your side right now because your youngest brother
at this moment is with God.”
Another hundred years passed, and once again the brothers met in the
heavenly garden, but once again their youngest brother was not among
them. Again, the brothers summoned their father, and when he appeared
they asked, “Now another hundred years have passed, but our youngest
brother has not come to meet us, and no one has seen him in the heavenly
garden. Tell us, father, where is our youngest brother?”
The father answered his three sons: “Your youngest brother is with God,
and so he is not among you.”
The brothers asked their father to show them where and how the young-
est was with God. “Look,” their father answered the brothers. The brothers
saw the Earth, and a most wondrous garden on it, which their youngest
brother had cultivated during his lifetime. In the wondrous earthly garden,
