A Coat

"You stole my coat."

The listener was taken aback and wilted slightly, then gaining his composure, he studied the eyes of the speaker in order to forecast his next move.

But he thought again; perhaps, there was no violence intended. The matter-of-fact tone of the statement was without passion. The speaker had said it in the same manner with which one would comment on the weather: "The sun is nice today . . . you stole my coat . . . wasn't that a fine rain we had Tuesday?"

So he listened.

The speaker went on. I saw you steal it. We were in the nearby village three days ago. I had traveled there to visit the market. Such crowds were there that day! And what excitement! All over a Teacher. I had put my coat aside because of the noonday sun. That must have been when you took it. I only saw you running away - wearing my coat.

Somehow I couldn't walk away from the teaching, though. My heart and mind were transfixed. He spoke of blessings befalling the poor - like myself. He spoke of a kingdom from heaven that would be so different from any on earth. He healed sicknesses and worked wonders. He spoke with such wisdom!

That is why I sought Him out after He had finished speaking. I told Him how you had stolen my coat. I hoped for justice.

He told me what to do. He told me to hunt you down -

-And for three days I have done just that. I just missed you in the tavern on the outskirts of that town. I found a fragment, torn from my coat there. The proprietor told me how that you used the few coins I had tucked away in the pocket of my coat to purchase strong drink. And when you had well drunk, he said you fought with the other customers. He said one of the ruffians had torn the coat as you escaped his grasp.

You slept off your drunkenness in your hovel of a home; but you had left behind your pitiful wife and two poor children there when I arrived the next day.

Merchants described how you had tried to sell them the coat but they doubted your integrity.

A soldier remembered finding you napping in the evening sun. He had taken great delight in describing to me how he had struck you repeatedly with the broad-side of his sword and then kicked you until you were able to scramble out of his reach.

A cook was proud of the fact he had denied you the scraps he was about to throw out. He said he knew you were up to mischief.

And now at last, I have caught up with you.

The listener stiffened as he grimaced. Ready to react to the knife or club that would be wielded against him.

But instead, the speaker stepped back.

He loosened his belt, removed his shirt. . .

. . . and handed it to the listener.

"Take this also - it goes with the coat; that's what He told me to do."

This is the kingdom of heaven.