johan (1)

The boy Jesus, as He walked, gazed in that direction... 

and I saw that His soul was turning to John. 

At the same time, I saw John at prayer in his cave. An angel in the form of a boy appeared to him, telling him that the Saviour was passing by. John ran out of the cave and, with outstretched arms, flew toward the point that his Saviour was passing. He hopped about and danced with joy. 

This vision was most touching. 

John’s cave lay deeply buried in a hill. 

It was not much wider than his own little bed, though it extended some distance in length. The entrance was only a little opening, through which he used to swing himself out. In the top was an oblique aperture [schuine/zijdelingse opening] that admitted light. 

I saw in it a reed stand [standaard], upon which lay some honeycomb [honingraat] and dried locusts. The latter were yellow and speckled, as large, perhaps, as crabs. The desert in which Jesus fasted is four hours’ distance from here. John was clothed in his camel’s skin. 

The angel that appeared to him was like a boy of his own age. I saw him at different periods, small at first and then larger, just as if he were growing up with John. He was not always with him, he used to appear and disappear.

~bron~