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At A Summer Home Near Puteoli
Gladly I compliment our good physician
and faithful brother, Luke. My own condition
has been deemed---by some others---terminal.
But Luke attends to both body and soul.
And I can verify that his bedside
manner does not display the highbrow pride
of which some healers have been culpable.
For many months, he has kept me alive.
Under his care, I think, my health will thrive.
He writes, as well, to strengthen our belief.
His life of Christ, he says, was the idea
of four girls resident in Caesarea.
Its sequel was compiled for Laywer Zenas
who argued Paul's case in the court of meanness;
yes Nero's. But the freed man, Helios
(whose own foul wickedness stunk just as gross
as Nero's; but far more intently cruel---
as Nero was just a self-centered fool).
He handed down a judgment against Paul---
the final sentence that we had long dreaded,
to be removed from prison and beheaded.
But even that did not divert or stall
the progress of the Gospel, and its call
to anyone at any time or place
to find redemption in our Savior's grace.
Starward
[jlc]
