They remained with Him day and night in their thousands, and were satisfied.  And many entreated Him to pour water over their heads as a token that they were His adherents and desired to be pure.

It was a starry night in the desert, one of those nights when the stars shine down in sparkling brilliance and envelop the rocks in a bluish shimmer and vapour, so that it seems like a resurrection of glorified souls.  One of the disciples looked up at the stars shining in the sky in holy stillness, and said:  “Brother, this infinitude of space makes me afraid.”

The other disciple:  “I rejoice over that infinite space.”

“My terror causes me to flee to my Heavenly Father.”

“I take my joy to my Heavenly Father.”

They were all lying on the ground in a wide circle round Jesus.  They wished to rest, but the night was too beautiful for sleep.

And one of them began to say softly:  “This is like the Kingdom of God.”

Another lifted his head, which had been resting on his arm, and said: 
“Do you know, then, what the Kingdom of God is like?”

The first speaker was silent for a space, and then replied:  “No, indeed, I don’t know, but I like to think about it.  He speaks so often of the Kingdom of Heaven, I should like to know something more definite about it.”

“Shall we ask Him?”

“You ask Him.”

“I dare not.”

“Let us ask John.  He knows Him best, and possibly can tell us something.”

John was lying on the sand with his head on a stone.  His soft hair was his pillow.  But he was not asleep.  They crept up to him, and boldly asked him where the Kingdom of Heaven was, of which the Master so often spoke.  Was it under the earth or above the sun?  Would it begin soon or in a thousand years?

John said; “How long have you been with Him?”

“Seven weeks.”

“And you don’t know yet where the Kingdom of Heaven is?  Then you do not understand His language.”

“He speaks the language of our fathers.”

“He speaks the language of the Kingdom of God.  Remember, the Kingdom of Heaven is where God is.  God is where Love is, where trustful, self-sacrificing, glad Love is.”

“And where is that?”

“Where do you think?”

“I think Love must be in the heart.”

Whereupon John answered:  “Then you do know where the Kingdom of Heaven is.”

The two looked at each other, but did not quite seem to know.  Then John went to Jesus, who was sitting on a rock and looking out into the darkness as if it was full of visions.  His countenance was as bright as if the stars had lent it their brilliance.

“Master,” said John, “we cannot sleep.  Tell us of the Kingdom of Heaven.”