ALIVE, Chapter 148, Home Hopping

Jesus truly enjoyed His respite with Hadassah and her husband in Jericho. As He meandered around the stone streets passing doorway after doorway, His thoughts meandered from the days of Caleb and Joshua and Rahab, of Elisha and Elijah, of  David and what these rocks have witnessed through the ages. Vestiges of the wall that fell littered the periphery of the dry mountainous village these centuries later. Then Jesus remembered highlights of His own many visits and the day He met Hadassah and her husband, and the first time He stayed at her home which since had often been a refuge from the crowds in this isolated place.

At Hadassah’s home, He was well fed and cared for.  She was a woman of few words and much love. She was also a talented cook. She left Him to rest to fortify Him for what the future would bring. The spot He climbed to every morning at sunrise felt to be among the nearest to His Father. During this time, waiting for the disciples to return, Jesus spent three days and two nights alone on the mountaintop. There He was given visions to show Him how His men were faring in their mission, some being welcomed others being occasionally mistreated. He prayed for them, for wisdom, for determination, and for the ability to demonstrate with healings that their message was true and powerful.

Those precious days of rest and isolation eventually passed. In twos and threes the seventy disciples trickled back to Jericho. They knew to go to Hadassah’s home to let Jesus know. As they arrived, He sent them to the camp spot and told them He would go there once a day, until everyone was back. They should rest and be prepared to report on their exploits.

The returning disciples, rather than needing rest were excited and joyful. They told each other about their adventures.  Even though the details differed they all had similar experiences of being able to heal and how thrilling that was.

Finally, the last of the disciples arrived, Bartholomew and Thomas. They were surprised to see that they were last, and how glad their brothers were to see them. Jesus graciously thanked Hadassah for her hospitality. His vacation ended.

Hadassah gave Him a big hug because of how much she adored this unique young man. She told one of her servants to follow Jesus, Bartholomew, and Thomas with the cleaned lamb she had for them to cook over their campfire.

When they arrived at the campsite Bartholomew and Thomas weren’t sure if they were happier to see the lamb or them.

Jesus helped the servant and Bartholomew to set up the fire pit with a spit to cook the lamb. Turning to the disciples, some who were chatting with each other, others who were busy setting up, He announced,  “We will assemble in an hour while the lamb is cooking.” All the men looked up at the sun, a few holding their arms up to see what time it was.

Some of the men set up makeshift benches and seats from tree limbs and and set large rocks in a circle around the fire pit so they could watch the lamb and the person assigned to turn it while listening to reports about their adventures.

When all was settled, Peter was first to say excitedly, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name!”

Jesus smiled broadly acknowledging Peter’s experience and said, “I saw Satan falling as lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any way hurt you! Nevertheless in this don’t rejoice, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Conquering Satan is not as important as pleasing God.)

The disciples all looked at each other and at Jesus. It was a powerful moment. United in both their attitudes and awareness each man could sense the exuberance of God. With a glimpse of the mind’s eye, at that very moment Peter, John, James, Simon, and the rest perceived like a flash ungraspable somehow, through this Man Jesus, the power of the God of Israel. This Man that they followed, that they observed every day, teaching and healing was only a man, but more than that, He showed Himself to clearly be the Son of God as if God condescended to become human. It would have been an overwhelming concept, unbelievable except for their familiarity with Him, and the miracles.

John thought that to live on earth and in heaven simultaneously which was how he felt, had to be even more fascinating than to be in either place alone.

Of all the days and nights, all the campfires and experiences, that night of reunion and sharing, was one of a few that clung to each disciple’s mind until the day of his death, especially during the moments of his own torture and murder (except for John who died a natural death.).

The lamb, when it was finally fully cooked was probably the most succulent and tasty piece of meat they had ever eaten. Filled with lamb and joy, each man and Jesus slept soundly that night. Each man, including Jesus, their Master, rested in peace knowing that they were all together again under the stars. Jesus felt like a mother when her grown children are under her roof for a night, how she falls asleep in that distinctive quality of abandonment to rest. The moment she wakes up and remembers that her brood is all together again, she is happy and ready to serve.

They packed up in the morning to head for Jerusalem in a silent contemplative pace with rich, other-worldly experiences filling their minds to the top. For Himself, Jesus was preparing for the next chapter. Not quite two years had passed since His baptism and watershed 40 day exile into the wilderness, and the devil’s tempting.

The closer to Jerusalem, the more villages and towns they encountered. One afternoon in a bustling town where several scribes lived, as the locals gathered around to listen to the teachings of Jesus, two scribes, Malachi and Nemah joined the cluster of people who were curious about what this itinerant had to say.

Malachi raised his hand and when Jesus looked at Him with a nod, he asked, “What commandment is the first of all?”

Jesus answered, “The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one: and you should love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Then He paused and looked deeply into the faces of the people and through their faces Jesus was able to read into their hearts, how they received this critical message. Satisfied with what He saw, He continued, “The second is this, you should love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Nemah in his exuberance over the simple but glorious concept was quick to add “True.” A word so powerful that it needed no sauce, and then he paused reverently in honor of the word, and went on, “Teacher, we know You have said that well. Our God is One.  There is none other but He. To love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love my neighbor as much as I love myself, well such love and honor is much more than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices. Isn’t it?” Then Nemah bowed his head in humility.

Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, and compassionately and so said to Nemah, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” The exchange was so profound that no one, not even Malachi ventured to ask Jesus anything else.

“We must be getting on. Shalom.” Jesus then wended His way through the crowd with several people He passed touching Him and His garment like a person touches a smooth white stone, out of admiration and in hopes that its beauty and holy essence will transfer through their fingers and penetrate their souls, and once inside will illuminate and purify him or her with its essence. All this with a touch of the divine nature of the Man who so casually passed them by. These are the sensitive ones who intuited the divine nature of the man Jesus who at the same time and in the same body was the unique Son of God. How else could He have the power to restore original health, and the ability to influence nature? Only because, after all, it was His divine nature that created humankind and the abundant earth and the universe.

Jesus as the Son of the Creator who made mankind, knew how it felt to be a mother who knows her child better than the child knows itself, because she has experienced the life from seed and observed the blossoming of it, the experiences, the emotions, the learning and growing all while the child was unaware. For God all of nature is His child. He has the right and the authority to steer when steering is called for. When He calmed the sea, when He turned back time, when lightening fell and the earth quaked at the crucifixion, and the curtain of the temple was rent in two all this was in response to God the Father and Creator Who expressed Himself through His obedient creation. But I get ahead of myself. Forgive.

The disciples followed Jesus out of the crowd which allowed them to pass and then they too dispersed back to their homes, or their work in the fields to pull weeds and to till.

Before sunset Jesus and His disciples arrived in Bethany.

Jesus, followed by His men went directly to a particular large home at the end of the street. Jesus knocked on the door and they waited, Judas wondered how He knew where to go because he had not been to Bethany before.

A middle aged healthy woman, with early graying hair neatly combed in a bun at her neckline but with a smooth bright face and sparkling brown eyes opened the door. She recognized Jesus immediately and cheerfully ushered Him and His disciples into her home where she lived with her sister and her brother. Martha was overjoyed by the surprise visit.

Once everyone was in the great room Martha called as if she was afraid they would disappear if Mary lingered. “Mary! Look who came to stay with us. Come here quickly.”

Mary rushed out of her bedroom where she was reading, rubbing her hands together as a way of warming and cleaning them before she rush up to Jesus to shake His hand. “Oh Master, how good of you to come back to our humble home! How long can you stay?” asked Mary.

Jesus replied with a smile, “Until we leave.” Mary understood that Jesus lived one day at a time, guided by the Lord God, Yahweh, He wouldn’t always know His next move.

Martha said, “I will go and prepare the meal. Lazarus should be home from the fields soon.” And she scurried off into the kitchen.

Mary pointed to the divan and chairs and said, “Please make yourselves comfortable.”

The disciples selected their seats, and as usual, like playing musical chairs, grabbed what was closest, while the rest had to get comfortable on the floor with a few pillows to cushion their hip bones. It was obvious that Jesus would have the large comfortable seat that had been made by their father for himself decades before. It was the master’s seat in the home. Mary sat on the floor at His feet looking up and feeling so blessed to have Him all to herself. During her days, she often thought about Him, the unique authority with which He spoke, the gentleness of His voice. His eyes that flashed with unusual beauty and depth from time to time.

It felt good to stop walking. On their way to Bethany, Jesus thought of many things He wanted to tell His disciples.

Meanwhile, Martha was peeling potatoes, cutting up the chickens, washing bowls in between for reuse. Once the stew was in the pot, she finished cleaning up behind herself. She could barely hear Jesus, until she went out to set the table.  By then Martha was exhausted and growing resentful of Mary who didn’t as much as offer to help her. ‘Couldn’t she see how much needed to be done to prepare for this group? How callous of her!’

Martha worked herself into such a dither that she decided it was time to embarrass her sister as punishment. She set down the utensils and went over to where Jesus was sitting and said aloud, “Lord, don’t you care that Mary here left me to prepare the meal alone?” Not realizing that at the same time she was criticizing the Master for His insensitivity. “Please tell her to help me!”

Defending Himself and Mary in one shot Jesus replied, “Martha, Martha you are anxious and troubled about many things, (which was true, Martha couldn’t deny that she was a natural worry-wort) but only one thing is necessary. Mary is doing what is most important and so I won’t tell her to stop listening to Me.”

Martha was embarrassed and miffed at the same time, grumbled, and turned to finish the work.

That night before falling asleep, Martha thought about the exchange, calmly and with a humble heart. She realized that she deserved Jesus’ tender chiding. Not because she was wrong to be preparing dinner for them all, but because she was wrong to embarrass her sister and question the Master. Then after all, Mary did most of the clean up, with Thomas, John, and Simon pitching in. Martha fell asleep embarrassed again, and Mary, by her side fell asleep in a state of mixed elation and exhaustion.