GURU
Niall McGrath
Published by GoodSamaritan Press
At
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Copyright 2011 Niall McGrath
Published at Smashwords
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GURU
“He that hath ears to hear let him hear” (Matt. 11: 13-14)
(to Jonathan McAdams)
Prelude
Plagues struck Egypt. Prince Mossa
convinced his father, the Pharaoh, the pyramid-builders’ god
was interceding on their behalf. Mossa had been schooled
by the Israelites, held them in esteem.
Pharaoh let the Jews return to their oul’ sod,
Palestine. The Romans came,
were overlords before the birth of Issa.
I
Issa’s family were, like so many in the land,
rumoured to be descended from ancient kings;
his parents were distinguished for their peasant piety.
To avoid Herod’s slaughter, they rode eastwards.
While still a child, the avatar in the making
astonished scholars with his grasp of philosophy.
Bar-mitzvah: the coming of age, customary time when Jews
would take a wife. Instead, this sensitive youth
vanished with his folks from the reach
of the noble class, who desired him as a mate
for their daughters. He chose a life of celibacy,
hitched a ride with a merchant’s caravan to Sindh,
aspiring to perfect his knowledge of the Buddhas.
II
In the Five Rivers territory, the Jains
implored Issa to stay with them. But Issa’s
pilgrimage took him to Jagannath in Orissa, where Krishna’s
remains are. Issa spent six years in holy cities there,
among the working classes as a missionary.
The priests condemned his ministry,
said only death can free people of labour’s chains.
But Issa denounced that aristocracy of caste,
shared that the transcending Spirit was his spiritual master.