Thereon Yeshu Messiah made answer to Yahyā in Jerusaem: "A stammerer a scholar becomes: a child who comes from the bearer, blooms and grows big. Through wages and alms he comes on high; he comes on high through wages and alms, and ascends and beholds the Light's region. "A blind man who writes a letter: a villain who has become virtuous. He abandoned wantonness and abandoned theft and reached unto faith in almighty Life."A desolate house who ascends again to the height: one of position who has become humble. He quitted his palaces and quitted his pride and built a house on the seashore. A house he built on the seashore, and into it opened two doors, so that he might bring in unto him whoever lay down there in misery,—to him he opened the door and took him within to himself. If he would eat, he laid for him a table with Truth, If he would drink, he mixed for him wine cups [with Truth], If he would lie down, he spread a bed for him in Truth. If he would depart, he led him forth on the way of Truth. He led him forth on the way of Truth and of faith, and then he ascends and beholds the Light's region. "A widow who a virgin becomes: a woman who already in youth has been widowed. She kept her shame closed, and sat there till her children were grown. If she passes over, her face does not pale in her husband's presence. "Foul water that is made tasty: a girl wanton who has got back her honour: she went up a hamlet and she went down a hamlet without taking her veil from her face. "A stone with oil softens: a heretic who has come down from the mountain. He abandoned magic and sorcery and made confession to almighty Life. He found a fatherless and filled him full and filled full the widow's pockets."Therefor baptize me, O Yahyā, with thy baptizing and utter o'er me the Name thy wont is to utter. If I show myself as thy pupil, I will remember thee in my writing; if I attest not myself as thy pupil, then wipe out my name from thy page. Thou wilt for thy sins be haled to account, and I for my sins will be haled to account." When Yeshu Messiah said this, there came a Letter out of the House of Abathur: "Yahyā, baptize the deceiver in Jordan. Lead him down into the Jordan and baptize him, and lead him up again to the shore, find there set him." Then Rūhā made herself like to a dove and threw a cross over the Jordan. A cross she threw over the Jordan and made its water to change into various colours. "O Jordan," she says, "thou sanctifiest me and thou sanctifiest my seven sons."

For the Mandaeans Jesus is the Deceiver. I don't perceive this as ancient irony. The scripture of John the Baptist voices the tension and division that existed between the followers of John and those of Jesus. This is implied by the gospels. Here it is explicit.

But even in their disdain for the Deceiver, they do not understate his power. We hear in the illustrations -- parables -- that Jesus offers John the same ability to deploy purposeful paradox that we read in the gospels.

Change -- even fundamental change -- is always possible. Indeed such transformation can be merely a stroll away. A wanton girl chooses to walk through a small town and back without seeking to entice, without seeking reassurance of her attractiveness, without seeking to provoke. Foul water becomes tasty.

Each day - each moment - offers the potential for reclaiming our purpose, our true identity, and to know God's intent. Perhaps it is only for a moment. Perhaps the next time we will remove the veil. But in this moment, we have allowed our stony separation to soften and sink into the ground of being.

Dear God, I know you are always with me, help me to be fully present and open to you.

The painting above shows Zacharias and John watching over the sleeping Jesus, by Guido Cagnacci (1601-1663)