Historical setting: 562 C.E. Gaul
I asked the young gentry, “Shall I open the reliquary so you can see the my relic for yourself?”
“No, that won’t be necessary. I’m just surprised.” Young George does seem miffed. “You do know veneration be needed before dust can be a true relic.”
“So you are saying that an Aramaic speaking Persian Lazarus can be called a saint but his dust is a questionable relic?”
“Yes of course he be a saint. He be canonized after his death so his language and lineage and all that stuff he did in his life don’t even matter. He died a martyr for Christ so he truly be a saint.”
“Yea, that’s not a tactful way to describe an inconsequential life. And I would also suppose my namesake Lazarus was Arian being Persian and all. Knowing of him as I do I am amazed he would be a considered a dead saint.”
“All saints be dead; do you know nothing? So how is it that you know of this saint at all? He’s obscure and nearly unknown among the saints.”
“Yet you, my friend George, knew he was a Persian Martyr?”
“It is my gift of knowledge. I’m writing a book of saints and miracles. But how be it that you know any of this?”
“Lazarus is my namesake so of course I would have his relic and surely I would know of him.”
“It be Saint Lazarus, mind you. So you be named on purpose after the saint? Your family had knowledge of the saints when they named you and yet you still be a heretic?”
“Stranger things are true. Shall we consider your grammatical frailties, Young George?”
I’m weary of his lectures and ready to play the teacher now. I suggest we look at his beginner’s works that I had called “great literature” in jest. Luckily George can give sarcasm, but has no ear for receiving it so he missed my joke. That’s good. There is really no harm in him thinking I have high regard for his writings.
Dear God thank you for humor in this and for letting it go unnoticed and then for reminding me to be kind to him anyway. Amen.
(come again tomorrow)
Lazarus Ink 