The Two Brothers.
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Two men, two brothers, walked together along a stony path. The burning rays of the sun blinded their eyes and whitened the dust upon the ground.
The one man was short and slight of stature.
Upon his shoulders he bore a large and heavy burden. His pace was steady and sure, for he leaned upon a staff. He held his head high, and his countenance shone with gladness.
The other was tall and strong.
Upon his broad shoulders he bore a small burden. His pace was unsteady and unsure, for he did not lean upon a staff.
His head was held low, and though the burden was small he sighed and moaned under its weight.
The first brother sought to encourage him with words of good cheer, and he said:
"The road unto our Father's Home is long and arduous; my brother, how will you fare, when at the road's beginning you heave and sigh beneath your burden?"
The other answered, cursing the long road and its stones that wounded his feet.
The first brother became saddened, and side by side they journeyed on in silence.
From by-ways large multitudes of people joined the road that the brothers followed.
Some journeyed in groups together, others walked in pairs, many walked alone.
Some of the people journeyed briskly and surely along the road, though they all carried burdens upon their shoulders.
Some bore large and heavy burdens, while those of others were small and light.
Those who leaned upon a staff walked speedily past the brothers, greeted them and called out:
"Behold, we go unto our Father's Home. We shall greet Him and say that you are soon to follow." And they disappeared into the distance.

Many poor unfortunates came staggering along the road, sighing under the weight of their burdens. They moaned for the burning rays of the sun and for the thirst that plagued them.
The first brother went unto them and spoke with kind and gentle words.
He saw they had no cups to fill with water from the well by the road.
He took his own cup from his girdle, filled it with water and gave them to drink.
He saw they had no staff upon which to lean; he gave them his own, that they should not fall.
He saw they faltered under their burdens. He took their burdens, laid them upon his own shoulders, and he went calmly and steadily upon his way. And they all marvelled greatly.
Then they spoke among themselves of this and said:
"Behold, this man gave us to drink, he lent us his staff, he took from us our burdens and laid them upon the heavy burden of his own - and yet he walks steadily and calmly along the road. How is this possible?
But he answered them and said:
"I journey unto my Father's Home. The hope of beholding my Father's loving countenance lightens unto me my burdens; my Father's tender thoughts shorten unto me the length of the road."
And, turning toward the multitude, he said:
"Follow me, all you who falter and sigh under the toil and trouble of the road. I shall lead you unto my Father's Kingdom; for He has many mansions. And I shall ask of Him to prepare for you a place where you may rest after the toil of the journey."
And they all rejoiced greatly, and they all followed him.
When the son came unto the Father's Kingdom, the servants threw open the mighty portals and they rejoiced as they saw the son enter through the gate, followed by the multitude.
And the son went unto his Father's mansion, laid his burdens at His feet, kissed the hem of His robe and said:
"Father, behold: All these poor wretches I bring unto Thy Home. I saw how they faltered under their burdens and I gave them my staff, that they should not fall. I saw how they thirsted, and I gave them my cup filled with water from the well by the road. I heard how they sighed, I took their burdens and I bore these burdens for them. Father, I promised them that Thou wouldst prepare a place for them where they might rest after the toil and trouble of their journey."
The Father looked gently upon his son and answered:
"Unto your Father's heart have you brought great gladness." And He turned toward the multitude and said:
"Be you all welcome in My Kingdom; for this shall you know, that you are all My children; for in the heart of your Father are you all equal - high or low, rich or poor. Be you all welcome; for this shall you know, that I, your Father, sent you upon the journey from which you are now returned.
"My servants will lead you unto the abodes which are prepared for My children; there shall you in solitude ponder your life's journey. When all is become clear to you, then shall you answer Me, your Father, these questions: answer Me, why has the burden which I gave you to bear weighed you down even unto the ground? Answer Me, why have the stones in your path wounded your feet, and the radiance of the sun blinded your eyes?
"Unto some of you I gave a great burden to bear and but small tasks to perform; unto others I gave small burdens to carry and greater tasks to accomplish. Many of you came before I called, many of you long after I called.
"My servants will now lead you unto your abodes.
"When all is considered, when all questions are answered, then will you become seeing, then shall the tears of remorse wash you clean, and then shall I, your Father, give unto you the white robe which is the forgiveness of sin."
And He raised His hands and pronounced His blessing over their lowered heads.
And the servants led them away.
But the Father turned toward the son and said:
"My son, many poor wretches have you brought unto My Home,
but one is missing. Mine eyes have sought and sought, but they found him not!
"My son, speak unto your Father and answer me: where is the brother who was with you at the beginning of the road?"
But the son answered Him and said:
"Father, my brother will soon arrive. My brother was tall and strong, and his burden was light, he had no need of my help."
Then the Father's countenance darkened, and He said:
"My son, when your brother no longer kept pace with you, did you not turn and call to him? Otherwise, how can you know that he needed not your help?
"My son, saw you not that your brother faltered, saw you not that the stones in his path wounded his feet? Saw you not that the blazing radiance of the sun blinded his eyes? Heard you not that he sighed and groaned under the weight of his burden?"
Then the son bowed his head in shame, and he answered and said:
"Father, when my brother no longer kept pace with me, I turned not about nor did I call to him. Father, I see that I have done a great wrong; Father, Iforgot my brother!"
Then the Father looked sorrowfully upon His son and said:
"Take up your staff and turn back; seek until you find the brother who fell behind you upon the way!"
The son bowed his head, and he said:
"Father, I will go forth and seek my brother - I will not return, except that I bring him with me."
He took his cup and filled it with water from the well, he took up his staff and he turned back upon the road that he had just left.
He bore no burden upon his shoulders, but his Father's sorrow lay heavy upon his heart.
He searched and searched, his eye sought and sought - but he did not find his brother.
He journeyed back more than half of the way.
Then he saw his brother!
He lay by the side of the road. The burden had fallen from his shoulders. The flaming radiance of the sun had blinded his eyes. The sharp stones of the road had cut his feet. His robe was torn in shreds and tatters, his body covered with wounds and soiled with the filth and dirt of the road.
The brother knelt by his side and gave him to drink of the water from the well of their Father's Home; and he raised him up, and he took his own girdle and bound it about his loins, that the tattered robe should not fall to the ground. He gave him his staff to support him, he took his burden and laid it upon his own shoulders.
He laid his arm tenderly about him and guided him along the road unto their Father's Home.
When the servants saw the brothers come, they threw open the mighty portals and bowed their heads in silence for them both.
And the brothers made their way to their Father's mansion, and the son brought the new-found brother unto their Father.
The Father opened his arms and pressed the new-found brother to His heart and said:
"My son, My son, why did you make your Father wait so long?
Heard you not My calling voice?
"My son, the spirit I gave unto you was strong and beautiful - but behold, how you have besoiled your body!
"My servants will now take you unto the abode that has so long stood prepared for you. There shall you in solitude ponder the long journeying of your life.
"When all has been considered, when all things are clear to you, then shall you answer Me, your Father, why you did not perform the task that you promised Me to fulfil; answer Me why you let the stones in your path wound your feet; and you shall answer Me why you fell down under the small burden that I gave you to bear, wherefore the filth and dirt of the road bespattered your body and besoiled your robe! And you shall say unto Me wherefore you did not answer to My calling voice, wherefore you let your Father wait so long.
"When you have answered, then shall your blind eyes become seeing, then shall the tears of remorse wash away the mire from your body, and then will I, your Father, give unto you the white robe which is the forgiveness of sin."
And He laid His hands upon His son's lowered head, and the servants came and led him unto the abode which had long stood empty.
But the Father turned toward the other son, lovingly took his hand, and said:
"My son, you have brought great joy unto My heart; for this you
shall know: no joy is greater than the joy in the heart of a Father when the son who has fallen is brought back unto the Home. Truly, you shall know this: no joy is greater than the joy of a Father, when the son that He believed had perished is returned unto the Home!
"My son, unto you much was given, unto you shall more be given - go unto the abode which My Fatherly heart has prepared for you, and there accept the reward that awaits you."

7th March, 1911.

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The above parable applies first and foremost to the relationship between Jesus of Nazareth and Joseph of Arimathea in that earthly life during which they were to have supported and complemented one another, according to their promise to God. Since Jesus, after his conversation with Joseph, did not attempt to win him over, but continued on his way without worrying about him, the Father's reproach in the parable is rightfully aimed at Jesus. And as the son in the parable was to search for his brother, so was Jesus (the eldest of the Youngest) to search for Joseph of Arimathea, when Joseph's spirit upon the death of his body did not return to the Heavenly abodes.
By murdering his old servant, by fearing to lose his wealth and his prestige among the people and by keeping silent about his part in the disappearance of the body of Jesus, Joseph brought himself under the power of Darkness. Because of this guilt of sin, his spirit had to lead a long earthbound existence after the death of his body, until the eldest of the Youngest, after centuries of searching, found him sunk in deep spiritual darkness.
The parable also applies to humanity at large. When anyone during life on Earth sees a relative or a friend sink under his burdens and shows no concern nor offers a helping hand, he or she must invariably, after the life on Earth has ended, answer God's question: where is that brother or sister who accompanied you? The same holds true for those human beings who prior to their incarnation have promised to support each other in a particularly difficult mission in order to bring it to a favourable conclusion. Although it is a thing of the past to search the astral counterpart of the Earth, or the Hell-Sphere, for spirits who fall under the burdens of their earthly life, it can still be difficult enough for such negligent human beings to make the required amends in the future for their failure. This penance might for long periods of time prevent those who have been neglectful of their duties, or who have broken their promise, from advancing spiritually. Therefore: never forget your relative or your friend, and never ignore that inner voice, which prompts you to offer your help -
spiritual or material - in cases where your assistance can be of value, whether your fellow human being is faltering under the heavy burdens, or whether by your word, authority or prestige you can help a brother out of a difficult situation or support him in the struggle for truth and justice.

In other respects the symbolism of the parable can be interpreted according to one's own thoughts and feelings.