« Your reply is correct. Do that and you will have eternal life. »
« And who is my neighbour? The world is full of good and of wicked people, known and unknown, friendly and hostile to Israel. Which is my neighbour? »
« A man going from Jerusalem down to Jericho through the mountain gorges, ran into highwaymen, who after wounding him severely, despoiled him of all his belongings and his very clothes and left him more dead than alive on the edge of the road.
A priest, who had finished his turn at the Temple, travelled down the same road. Oh! He was still smelling of the incense of the Holy! And his soul should have been scented with supernatural kindness and love, after being in the House of God, almost in touch with the Most High. The priest was in a hurry to get back home. So he looked at the wounded man but did not stop. He passed by hurriedly leaving the poor man on the edge of the road.
A Levite passed by. Should he become contaminated who must serve in the Temple? Never! He gathered his tunic so that it might not get stained with blood, he cast a glance over the man moaning in his blood and quickened his pace towards Jerusalem, towards the Temple.
Third came a Samaritan, who was travelling from Samaria towards the ford. He noticed the blood, he stopped, saw the wounded man in the deepening twilight, he dismounted and approached the wounded man, whom he gave a sip of strong and generous wine, he then tore his mantle to make bandages, and gently dressed the man's wounds after bathing them with vinegar and applying oil to them. He mounted the man on his horse and carefully led the animal, supporting the man at the same time, comforting him with kind words, without worrying about all the trouble or being annoyed because the man was of Jewish nationality. When he arrived in town, he took him to an inn, watched over him during the night and at dawn, seeing that he was better, he entrusted him to the innkeeper, paying him in advance with some denarii and saying: "Look after him as you would look after me. On my way back I will make good any extra expense you have, with a good measure, if you do everything well". And he went away.
Tell Me now, doctor of the Law. Which of these three was a neighbour" for the man who had run into highwaymen? The priest perhaps? Or the Levite perhaps? Or was it not the Samaritan who did not ask who the wounded man was, why he was wounded, whether he was doing the wrong thing by assisting him, wasting time and money and running the risk of being taken for his wounder? »
The doctor of the Law replies: « The last one, who took pity on him, was his "neighbour". »
« Do the same yourself and you will love your neighbour and God in your neighbour and you will deserve eternal life. »
Nobody dare speak and Jesus takes advantage of the situation to join the women waiting for Him near the enclosure and return to town with them. A couple of priests have now joined the disciples, or rather: a priest and a Levite, a venerable old man the former, a very young one the latter.
Jesus is now speaking to His Mother, having Marjiam in the middle, between Himself and Her. And He asks Her: « Did You hear Me, Mother? »
« Yes, Son, and My sadness has been added to Mary of Clopas'. She wept a little before entering the Temple... »
« I know, Mother. And I know why. But she must not weep, but pray. »
« Oh! She prays so much! In the past nights, in her tent, while her sons were sleeping, she prayed and wept. I could hear her through the thin partition of the branches. To see Joseph and Simon only a few steps away, so close, and yet so divided... ! And she is not the only one to weep. Johanna, who seems so tranquil, has been weeping with Me... »
« Why, Mother? »
« Because Chuza... is behaving... very oddly. At times he seconds her in everything. At times he opposes her in everything. If they are alone where no one can see them, he is the usual exemplary husband. But if there are other people, of the Court naturally, with him, then he becomes dictatorial and disdainful of his meek wife. She does not understand why... »
« I can tell You. Chuza is Herod's servant. Understand Me, Mother. "Servant". I will not tell Johanna, not to hurt her. But that is what he is. When he is not afraid of being blamed or jeered at by his sovereign, he is good Chuza. But when he fears that, he is no longer so. »
« It is because Herod is very angry because of Manaen and... »
« It is because Herod is mad with tardy remorse for yielding to Herodias. But Johanna already has so much happiness in life. Under her coronet, she must wear her cilice. »
« Annaleah also weeps... »
« Why? »
« Because her fiance is going astray... against You. »
« Tell her not to weep. It is a solution. A grace of God. Her sacrifice will bring Samuel back to Good. For the time being she will be left free from any pressure for marriage. I promised her to take her with Me. She will precede Me in death... »
« Son!... » Mary presses Jesus' hand, while Her face becomes deadly pale.
« Dear Mother! It is for the sake of men. You know. It is for the love of men. Let us drink our chalice with good will. Is that right? »
Mary stifles Her tears and replies: « Yes ». A tortured heartrending « yes ».
Marjiam looks up and says to Jesus: « Why do You say these dreadful things which grieve Mother? I will not let You die. I will defend You as I defended the lambs. »
Jesus caresses him and to raise the spirits of the two distressed ones, He asks the boy: « What will your little sheep be doing now? Do you not miss them? »
« Oh! I am with You! But I always think of them and I wonder: "Will Porphirea have led them to pasture? and will she watch that Foam does not go to the lake?". Foam is so lively, you know? Her mother calls her repeatedly... without avail! She does what she likes. And Snow, she is so greedy that she eats until she is sick. Do You know, Master? I know what it is to be a priest in Your Name. I understand better than the others. They (and he points at the apostles who are coming behind) they say so many big words, they make so many plans... for the future. I say: "I will be a shepherd for men, as I am for sheep. And that will be enough". My Mummy and Yours told me yesterday such a lovely passage of the prophets... and She said to me: "Our Jesus is just like that". And in my heart I said: "I will be like that, too". Then I said to our Mother: "For the time being I am a lamb, later I will be a shepherd. Jesus instead is at present the Shepherd and He is also the Lamb. But You are always a ewe-Lamb, our dear, white, beautiful ewe-Lamb, Whose words are sweeter than milk. That is why Jesus is such a lamb: because He was born of You, the Little Lamb of the Lord". »
Jesus stoops and kisses him fondly. He then asks him: « So you really want to be a priest? »
« Of course, my Lord! That is why I try to become good and learn so much. I always go to John of Endor. He treats me as a man and so kindly. I want to be the shepherd of the sheep both misled and not misled, and the doctor-shepherd of those which are wounded or suffer from fractures, as the Prophet says. Oh! How lovely! » and the boy takes a jump clapping his hands.
« What has this blackcap got that he is so happy? » asks Peter coming forward.
« He sees his way. Very clearly. Until the end. And I consecrate his vision with My approval. »
They stop before a high building, which, if I am not mistaken, is near the Ophel district, but in a more refined spot.
« Are we stopping here? »
« This is the house which Lazarus offered Me for our joyful banquet. Mary is already here. »
« Why did she not come with us? For fear of being jeered at? »
« Oh! No! I told her. »
« Why, Lord? »
« Because the Temple is more sensitive than a pregnant wife. As long as I can, and not out of cowardice, I do not want to collide with it. »
« It will be of no use to You, Master. If I were You, I would not only collide with it, but I would hurl it down from Moriah with all those who are in it. »
« You are a sinner, Simon. One must pray for one's fellow creatures, not kill them. »
« I am a sinner. But You are not... and... You ought to do it. »
« There is who will do it. After the measure of sin has been filled. »
« Which measure? »
« A measure that will fill the whole temple, overflowing in Jerusalem. You cannot understand... Oh! Martha! Open your house to the Pilgrim! »
Martha makes herself known and opens the door. They all go into a long hall ending in a paved yard with a single tree in each of the four corners. There is a large hall above the ground floor and from its open windows it is possible to see the whole town with its hills and slopes. I thus realise that the house is in the south or south-east side of the town.
The table has been laid for many guests. Many tables are set in parallel rows. About one hundred people can comfortably have a meal. Mary Magdalene, who was busy in the store room, arrives and prostrates herself before Jesus. Then Lazarus comes in with a happy smile on his drawn face. The guests enter little by little, some seem rather embarrassed, some are more sure of themselves. But the kindness of the women soon makes them all feel at home.
John, the priest, introduces to Jesus the two he has brought from the Temple. « Master, my good friend Jonathan and my young friend Zacharias. They are true Israelites without malice or ill will. »
« Peace be with you. I am happy to have you. The rite must be kept also in these pleasant customs. And it is lovely that the ancient Faith gives a friendly hand to the new Faith which has come from the same origin. Sit beside Me while we wait for dinner time. »
The old priest says caressing his white beard: « When John came to me, his master, to show me that he had been cured, I wanted to meet You. But, Master, I hardly ever leave my enclosure. I am old... But I was hoping to see You before dying. And Jehovah has heard me. May He be praised! Today I heard You in the Temple. You excel the old wise Hillel. I do not want to doubt, nay, I cannot doubt that You are what my heart is expecting. But do You know what it is to have imbibed for almost eighty years the faith of Israel as it has become through centuries of... human handling? It has become our blood. And I am so old! To hear You is like hearing the water that gushes out of a cool spring. Oh! yes! A virgin water! But I... I am full of the tired water which comes from so far away... and has been made heavy by so many things. How can I get rid of that saturation and enjoy You? »
« By believing and loving Me. Nothing else is required for just Jonathan. »
« But I will die soon! Shall I have time to believe everything You say? I shall not even be able to follow all Your words or learn them from other people. Then? »
« You will learn them in Heaven. Only a damned soul dies to Wisdom. But he who dies in the grace of God draws life and lives in Wisdom. Whom do you think I am? »
« You can but be the Expected One, Whom the son of my friend Zacharias foreran. Did You meet him? »
« He was a relative of Mine. »
« Oh! So You are a relative of the Baptist? »
« Yes, priest. »
« He is dead... and I cannot say: "Poor man!". Because he died faithful to justice, after accomplishing his mission and because... Oh! The dreadful times we live in! Is it not better to go back to Abraham? »
« Yes. But more dreadful times will come, priest. »
« Do You think so? Rome, eh? »
« Not only Rome. Guilty Israel will be the first cause. »
« It is true. God is striking us. We deserve it. But also Rome Have You heard of the Galileans killed by Pilate while they were offering a sacrifice? Their blood mingled with the victim's. Close to the very altar! »
« Yes, I heard about it. »
All the Galileans begin to riot because of that act of tyranny. They shout: « It is true that he was a false Messiah. But why kill his followers after striking him? And why at that moment? Were they bigger sinners perhaps? »
Jesus brings about peace and then says: « You are asking whether they were bigger sinners than many other Galileans and whether that is why they were killed? No, they were not. I tell you solemnly that they paid and many more will pay if you do not turn to the Lord. If you do not do penance, you will all perish alike, both in Galilee and elsewhere. God is indignant with His people. I tell you. You must not think that those who have been struck are the worst. Each of you should examine and judge himself, and no one else. Also the eighteen people on whom the tower of Siloam fell and killed them, were not the most guilty in Jerusalem. I tell you. Do penance if you do not want to be crushed as they were, also in your souls. Come, priest of Israel. The meal is ready. It is your duty to offer and bless the food, because a priest is always to be honoured for the Idea which he represents and calls to our minds, and it is your duty because you are a patriarch among us, and we are all younger than you are. »
« No, Master! No! I cannot do that in Your presence! You are the Son of God! »
« You do offer incense before the altar! And do you perhaps not believe that God is there? »
« Yes, I do believe that! With all my strength! »
« Well, then? If you are not afraid of offering in the presence of the Most Holy Glory of the Most High, why should you be afraid in the presence of the Merciful One, Who took upon Himself human flesh to bring to you also the blessing of God before night comes to you? Oh! You people of Israel do not know that I covered with the veil of flesh My unendurable Divinity, so that man might approach God and not die thereof. Come, believe and be happy. I revere in you all the holy priests, from Aaron down to him who will be the last priest of Israel with Justice, you, perhaps, because priestly holiness really is languishing among us, like a forsaken plant. »
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