It felt like a long journey from the Ascension of Jesus to the four boys agreeing, in a booth at Pop’s Pool Hall, to write four different books.
But the journey of those books from Pop’s Pool Hall to the ends of the earth was even longer.
In the years following that final evening, Matthew, Mark, and Luke each finished their books. Pops was right: Mark’s was the first to be completed. Luke’s project was so well-researched that it became two long books. Matthew really did begin his with a lengthy genealogy.
And John? Pops saw him one last time when he stopped by with Sully. “Um, I hate to ask Pops, but could you take him? Jesus asked me to take care of his mother, Mary, and she wants to retire in Galilee where she grew up. But Sully, poor old boy, can’t really make the journey. I’m hoping you’ll take him?”
Pops instantly agreed, even though he had no need for a donkey. It was the least he could do. “Just get your book done, okay?” he shouted as John walked away. John turned and smiled.
Mary Magdalene still dropped by the pool hall. She and Pops would share a drink, reminisce about the old days, and argue about who was aging more gracefully. (She was also encouraging the local church leaders to be a little lenient with a new convert named Paul, but that’s for another story.)
Pops continued to run his pool hall for a few more years. The building was later destroyed by the Romans during the sack of Jerusalem, but by then Pops had retired to a seaside cottage on the Mediterranean with his wife, Anna, and two dogs.
That’s where he sits right now, in fact: on the patio, overlooking the beautiful sea, with his wife.
Pops and Anna have just returned from spending the day in the village down the road, where their grandkids live. The sun is setting, and they’re enjoying the feeling of putting their feet up and the taste of a local wine. (Incredibly local—since Pops grows his own grapes on a nearby hillside.)
True to his word, Pops has sent out copies of the books by Matthew, Mark, and Luke. And those copies have become copies that have become copies. Luke wrote recently, sending a math equation proving that the stories about Jesus were the most popular in the world. Pops doesn’t know about that, but he’s heard from friends in Ethiopia and India who are reading the books, so that’s a good sign.
“Are you going to open today’s mail?” Anna asks.
“I’ll get around to it,” Pops grumbles, “but it’s probably just bills.”
Except when he checks the mail more carefully, he finds two parchments from John. The first is a manuscript of his book about Jesus, and the second is a note asking how Pops is doing.
“He finally did it,” Pops says, looking over at Anna. “And listen to this: ‘In the beginning was the Word, and Word was with God, and the Word was God.’ Holy smokes, he did it. He really is beginning with the literal beginning of the universe. God bless him.”
“Hand it here,” Anna says. “I get first dibs.”
Pops hands his wife the manuscript and then reads John’s note.
Pops,
Greetings from Ephesus. Did you give up on me? Well, you always said I was a lazy hipster, so maybe you were right. But it’s done, and I hope it’s good. You might turn to the part just after Judas leaves the upper room. Mary Magdalene was right, and I didn’t forget it.
Pops puts the note down and asks Anna to read that section.
She finds the passage. “Oh my gosh,” she exclaims. “Listen to this: ‘A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’”
Anna turns to look at Pops, who wipes a few tears away. “He remembered. That little brat remembered,” he chuckles softly.
Pops reads the rest of the note.
Thank you for everything, Pops. Your hospitality, your encouragement, your kindness … nobody will remember, but everyone will be blessed by it. Remember how you once described Jesus feeding all those people as ridiculous generosity? Well, that’s you, Pops. You are ridiculously generous.
Give my love to Anna.
Forever loving,
John
Pops wipes a tear from his eye, then gets out a pen so he can answer John’s note. He takes a sip of wine, looks across the wide sea, and begins to write.
John,
Just received your book, old friend. Can’t wait to read it. Anna is already taking notes. We both cried with joy when we read the part about love. Well done, my friend. You always had a way with words. Thank you for suggesting I’m generous. I’m just a retired hustler, you know? Miss seeing you at the pool hall. Say hello to any of our friends you run across, and I’ll do the same for you.
Until tomorrow,
Pops