The Last Supper

 Witness: Anya, a Jewish peasant woman of the time of Jesus.

Story N. 17 (see previous posts)

On a gray, moistly day on the feast of Passover, Anya is standing outside an unknown house in the suburbs of Jerusalem. She has been there for a while, trying to gather the courage to knock at the door. An hour earlier, while accompanying Jesus and the apostles to the Passover supper, she saw a man she had met once before and decided to tail him. She wrapped the veil around her head and followed him cautiously, so as not to attract his attention.  She remembers him talking to Neri at the wedding at Cana, right before her husband told her that he was going to join the rebels. Something tells her that he has news about Neri.

Anya steps near the door and pushes it slightly open. A single, feeble gleam of light makes its way into the dark room, falling on the man reclined at the table. He seems weary, as if an invincible inertia had set upon him. After a long silence, he finally acknowledges her presence.

“What do you want, woman?” he asks.                                              

“I’m Neri’s wife. I need to know where he is.”

“And why should I tell you? You betrayed him.”

“I did not. We grew apart. But I still love him. Please tell me, is he alive?”

“He is indeed.”

“Where can I find him?”

“All I can tell you is that he’s here in Jerusalem. I’m not allowed to say anything more.”

“Then, I’m begging you, let him know that I’m here too. He can find me at the temple, among Jesus’ disciples.”

“Right. He told me that you followed those crazy sheep.”

“Will you do what I said?”

“I will. Go now.”

Dusk is falling. A thick fog hangs over the city. Anya walks through crooked lanes and devious ways, coming out, at length, in the proximity of a crowded crossroad. She retraces her steps to the place where she parted with the disciples a few hours earlier. The rain is pouring now, and she runs to reach the house where the Passover supper was served. Jesus is nowhere in sight, but the apostles are still there. Their behavior strikes her as unusually agitated. They seem to be in agony. She approaches James, who always manages to keep his composure.

“What’s the matter, James?” she asks him.

He looks at her with sadness.

“Jesus gave us the last commandments. This was our last supper together.”

“No! Where is he?”

“He’s praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. We’ll join him soon. He said that the hour is coming when each of us will be scattered, and we will leave him alone. He said that one of us is going to betray him and have him arrested.”

Anya remains silent, overwhelmed by a feeling of despair. James takes her by her shoulders and looks into her eyes. His voice is full of hope.

“He also said that we shouldn’t worry, because he’s not alone. The Father is with him. He said that the world will hate us, but we must take courage, for he has conquered the world. ‘Heaven and earth will pass away,’ he said, ‘but my words will not pass away.’”

Anya’s eyes fill up with tears.

“What’s going to become of us?” she asks.

“We’ll live in his memory,” James replies. “Tonight he showed us how. He broke the bread and said ‘This is my body, which will be given up for you. Take it and eat it.’ Then he took a cup and gave it to us, and said ‘Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for you. Do this in memory of me.”

Crushed with sorrow, Anya grabs James’ arms.

“I don’t want his blood!” she cries. “Why does he have to die? I want to live with him in the Kingdom of heaven! When will the Kingdom come, James?"

He looks at her with a peaceful smile.

“Only the Father knows. But one day Jesus said that the coming of the Kingdom cannot be observed, and no one will announce ‘Look, there it is’. For behold, the Kingdom of God is among us.”

                                            

A Woman Caught in Adultery

Witness: Anya, a Jewish peasant woman of the time of Jesus.

Story N. 16 (see previous posts)

 

Sitting in the Temple’s shadow Anya recalls her last meeting with Neri. He accused her of committing adultery. Why did he doubt her honesty? Did she give him reason to distrust her in the past? 

Offended and sad, she left with tears in her eyes. If only he had followed Jesus for a few days he would have realized that it is impossible to sin in his presence. His gaze can search every souls, his countenance can only inspire the purest thoughts. How could anyone go against the word of God, when it comes from Jesus’ mouth? But most of all, to commit sin would mean, for his disciples, that they haven’t grasped any of his teachings. Why follow him then, if not to change one’s old ways?  Many times he said:

“Everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. If you are my disciples you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Who can deny that sin generates vice? And vice enslaves people. They want more and more and are never satisfied. But when Jesus reigns inside you, all the things of the world fade away. The Pharisees take offense at him because he eats with sinners, but he came to redeem those who sin and set them free from their earthly entanglements. He came to give them a new mind so that they could perceive God’s love. The Pharisees have closed their eyes to Jesus because they fear him. They are blind to his truth.

But is it possible to live like Jesus preaches? Only through his unspeakable grace. Anya’s heart stretched to measure up to Jesus’ love and reached the heavens. She knows that she would have been incapable of going that far if left on her own. She understands his message because she lives in which that comes from him. He became the foundation of her own existence, and only in this way she was able to change her soul.

Anya turns around to look at Jesus. He’s sitting in the shadow of the temple, surrounded by his flock. From a distance she watches the scribes and the Pharisees walking towards him. They are dragging with them a young woman. Her clothes are torn and she’s sobbing. Sensing danger, Anya springs on her feet. One of the scribes pushes the woman in front of Jesus.

“Teacher,” he says, “This woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?”

An icy silence envelops the crowd. The tension rises, but Jesus doesn’t seem to mind. His head bent down, he’s writing on the ground with his finger. But when asked again, he rise his face to look at the scribes and says:                                                                                                                            

“Let the one among you who is without sin to be the first to through a stone at her.”

Then he begins to write on the sand again.

And so it happens that, one by one, the accusers walk away, their eyes cast down. Anya’s fear turns into exultation. Those men must be carrying a heavy burden on their conscience! Or maybe the simple truth is that no one is without sin and, in his wisdom, Jesus knows it. He knew that his answer would save that woman. She’s crouching down on the ground, her face buried in her arms. Trembling with terror, she’s waiting for the first stone to hit her. Jesus lays his hand on her back.

“Woman,” he calls her softly, “Look up. Where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

Slowly she straightens up and looks around.

“No one, sir,” she replies, incredulous.

“Neither I condemn you.” says Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”

Pale but relieved, she frantically kisses his hand and runs away.
Anya smiles. A woman caught in the act of adultery has been forgiven, and those learned men have been forced to admit that they are sinners. Maybe this is the beginning of their salvation. Or rather,

they’ll take offense at Jesus even more and the scandal will reach uncontrollable proportions. Like
never before, Anya realizes that Jesus has no choice but to stand against the wickedness of the world.
For if he came to save the world, how could he not save that woman?

       

   

The Tribute to Caesar

Witness: Anya, a Jewish peasant woman of the time of Jesus.

Story n. 15 (see previous posts)

                             

 “Whoever drinks from my mouth will never thirst.” 

This is Jesus’ promise and Anya’s desire: To drink every word as if it were the last drop of water in the desert. I’ll remember them, she thinks, cherish them, make them mine. Under the twinkling stars at night or the melting sun during the day she follows Jesus closely, loving him with the desperate awareness of the imminent end. But his voice is consoling, his demeanor peaceful. Anya rests in the unfading light that emanates from his being. The mere way he moves his hands about when he speaks fills her with wonder. She remains still, eager to capture each gesture and impress it in her memory.

The mountains outside of Jerusalem are blue and pale in the early morning mist and the humming of the bees accompanies Jesus’ discourse:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Remain in my love. This is my commandment: Love one another as I love you. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit.”

Anya calls him softly by his name, knowing that he can’t hear her while clearly and quietly he passes on to them his never-ending bliss.

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness. I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. Believe in the light, so that you may become children of the light.”

                                                                                                                                    

Dwelling upon the harmony of his voice Anya watches how intently the disciples are listening. Beautiful Mary Magdalene is moved to tears, her pale hands clasped together against her chest. James, worn out and dusty, seems to rejoice at Jesus’ promises and exhortations. Peter is frowning, standing motionless with his arms folded. Jesus’ words evoke all sort of emotions and they always stir the heart. The Pharisees are not immune. Their reaction is usually one of contempt and distrust. They pretend to be righteous in order to trap him in his speech. Today a small group is approaching, ready to shatter the holiness of the moment. An icy chill runs through Anya’s body. In her eyes their essence is pure evil. One of them, a man with hollow temples and a high forehead, addresses Jesus:

“Teacher,” he says, “we know that you show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Therefore we ask you, is it lawful for us to pay tribute to Caesar or not?”

Jesus answers with a shade of irony:

“Show me a denarius.”

The man hands him the coin, watching him inquisitively.

“Whose image does it bear?” Jesus asks him.

“Caesar’s, “he replays.

“Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

The man remains silent. His lips shrink as he lays his glassy stare on Jesus. Anya smiles inwardly, wondering how many times the Pharisees will humiliate themselves before acknowledging that they are no match for Jesus. She has already forgotten that one day he will surrender to them and the Sadducees out of his own will. She refuses to remember what he said about the scribes arresting him, mocking him, killing him. She’s filled with the certitude that Jesus will never leave his disciples. He’s the Messiah. He will become King of Israel and bring glory to his people. He will be with them forever.  

Jerusalem

Witness: Anya, a Jewish peasant woman of the time of Jesus.

Story N. 14 (see previous posts).

Jerusalem was Jesus’ destination and aim. He came down from the Mount of Olives riding a colt, and as he rode the people were spreading their cloaks on the road so that the dust wouldn’t touch him. The all multitude of his disciples praised him, the king who came in Yahweh’s name, but he wept over the city:
“If this day you only knew what makes for peace! But it is hidden from your eyes.”

And now, having left the crowds behind, Jesus and his disciples are entering the temple. Anya is dumbfounded at the sight of its grandiosity and magnificence. Its walls are higher than anything she has ever seen before: Layer after layer of stone, they climb towards the sky. But the inside of the temple is not what she had expected. In her imagination the sacred place was silent, and the sound of the footsteps echoed the humming of the prayers. Instead people are bargaining in loud voices. Doves are bought to be sacrificed for worship and the money changers are piling coins on the tables.

Jesus grows furious. He has never acted with so much violence before. He paces the floor with heavy strides. He overturns the tables of the money changers and  vendors and drives them out, crying out:
“It is written, ’my house shall be a home of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves!”
He threatens the teachers of the law with harshness:
“You brood of vipers! How can you say good things when you are evil? From the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks. I tell you, by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned!”

Flattened against the wall, Anya is trembling in fear. Maybe this is the moment, she thinks. Maybe these wicked sly men dressed in dark robes will arrest him right now. The Pharisees wear tall black hats which frame their menacing faces and, by contrast, their complexion appears cadaveric. In spite of her fear Anya lingers in their proximity. She listens to broken but unequivocal conversations, learning that they are plotting to kill Jesus. They’ll wait for the right moment, when his followers won’t be around. They’ll find a way.

Jesus and his disciples have left the temple unarmed. It’s a starry night and they are resting by a stream. The moon is shining on the flowing water, drawing silvery lines on the dark blue surface. Anya is listening to its murmur, unable to sleep. She longs for someone who can understand her pain, offer advice. Mary of Magdala is also awake, keenly aware of her friend’s restlessness.
“Anya,” she calls softly, “are you troubled tonight?”
“Oh Mary! How could I not be? Jesus is taking great risks, putting his life at stake! Why, in the name of God! Why?”
“I don’t know, Anya. I don’t understand, but I trust him.”
“I know I’m being selfish,” Anya goes on, “but I feel so lonely. I’ve left my family to follow him, and it’s so hard not to be part of their life anymore. I don’t know if my husband is alive. I miss my son terribly. I never stopped thinking about them, but I used to find comfort in Jesus’ presence. Now there is no relief for me, only worries and pain. Maybe I should go back home.”
“Yes, maybe you should,” answers Mary, “but I don’t think you will. Jesus is our life. How can we leave him?”
Anya remains silent, pondering upon Mary’s words. And suddenly she realizes how truthful they are. She can’t go. Where would she go? She would lose herself. Her home wouldn’t be her home anymore. Jesus is part of her deepest essence. The love that she has inside her can only be bestowed through Jesus, for he is the one who made it blossom. She left her family, yet she can’t leave Jesus, not because she loves him more but because she wouldn’t be herself without him. He has given her a new heart and a new mind and he inhabits them
I’ll stay, she thinks. I’ll stay until the end.

The Prediction of The Passion

Witness: Anya, a Jewish peasant woman from the time of Jesus.

Story n. 13 (see previous posts)

A few months have passed and Anya has witnessed many events. The apostles have been traveling on their own, proclaiming the Kingdom of heaven to the Jews. Before sending them on the road Jesus warned them that they might have been persecuted, but told them not to fear anything, for the Spirit of the Father would be with them. He gave them authority to heal and teach, and said to them:

“Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul”

When they returned from their mission they learned that John the Baptist had been beheaded.        

King Herod had him arrested and killed because he had condemned his illicit relationship with his brother’s wife. John’s disciples gave him proper burial and informed Jesus of the execution. He withdrew to a desert place to pray, but the crowds followed him by the thousand. He was like a shepherd who knows his sheep, and stilled their hunger with bread and fish that materialized like manna from the heavens. They claimed him as their Messiah, but he said to them:

“It is I who am the bread of life; he who comes to me will never be hungry; he who has faith in me will never thirst.”

He wanted them to seek spiritual nourishment, and told them many parables so that their heart may be stirred and tore from its rest. But to the apostles Jesus revealed the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, and they saw them with their eyes and heard them with their ears.

Then they resumed their journey.                      

Majestic mountains look down upon the broad valley crossed by the Jordan River. Reddish hills and gray rocks stand in every direction. The Sea of Galilee draws a cobalt blue stripe. Everything is part of a colossal whole, seemingly sentient and in tune with the Creator. Solitary figures walk on the sand, dragging blue shadows under their feet. They are Jesus and his disciples on the road to Jerusalem. Spent by hours of incessant march, they sit under a sycamore tree to rest. Jesus leans against the trunk and closes his eyes. A light breeze is messing up his hair. Anya wonders what unimaginable thoughts are taking form behind his frowning forehead. When a sudden gust of wind brings him back to reality, Jesus stares at the apostles one by one. 

Finally he asks:                                                                                                                        

“Who do people say that I am?”

“Some say that you are Elijah, others Jeremiah or one of the prophets,” James answers.

“Elijah has already come,” he replies, “and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased.”

Anya brings her lips near Andrew’s ear and whispers:

“What does he mean?”

“John the Baptist. Elijah was John the Baptist,” he answers in a low voice.

“But who do YOU say that I am?” Jesus presses on.

After a long silence, Simon replies gravely:

“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus stands up and stretches his hands toward him.

“Blessed are you, Simon,” he says, “for my heavenly Father has revealed this to you. And so I say to you, your name is Peter and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”

Peter falls on his knees and buries his face in Jesus’ cloak. Not another word is spoken as the sun sinks into the sea. A single cloud spreads on the horizon, like a long stripe of pinkish vapor. The moon appears in the darkening sky, its rays glowering in the mist. It is at that moment that Jesus speaks again.

“My hour is about to come,” he says. “I, the Son of Man, will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes in Jerusalem. They will condemn the Son of Man to death and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified. And behold, he will be raised on the third day."                                                                                                                              

Flabbergasted, the apostles remain silent, but Peter takes him aside and whispers:

“God forbid, Lord! No such thing will ever happen to you!”

“Get behind me, Satan!” Jesus utters in a hoarse voice. “You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.’

Trembling and humiliated, Peter retreats to his pallet. Anya lies down and stares at the black sky. She doesn’t comprehend Jesus’ words. About to fall asleep, she’s incapable of attributing to them the right weight. He can’t be willing to be tortured and die. And no one can he be raised from the dead. That can’t be true, she thinks while the singing of the nocturnal birds lull her to sleep.

Anya wakes up in the middle of the night with the vivid memory of an event that took place a few

months earlier. A man named Jairus, an official of the synagogue, begged Jesus to come to his house to heal his daughter, who was only twelve years old and  was dying. As Jesus went  large crowd followed him, pressing on him and forcing him to slow down his pace. After a while someone from the house reached the grieving father and said:

“Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the teacher any longer.”

The man burst into tears, but Jesus laid his hands on his shoulders and told him not to cry.

“Do not be afraid,” he said. “Just have faith and she will be saved.”

Finally they arrived at the house, where all the relatives were already mourning the girl. She was lying on her back, her delicate body dressed in white. On her hands and temples blue veins were visible under the transparent skin. The color had disappeared from her lips, and her cheeks were as pale as wax. Jesus looked at her with infinite compassion, then took her by the hand and told her:

“Child, arise!”

Immediately a feeble glow flushed up her features. Her limbs relaxed and moved slightly as life returned flowing through her frame. She emitted a deep breath and arose, opening her dark wondering eyes on the unknown man who was still holding her hands.

“Give her something to eat,” he said.

Death is not irredeemable, Anya thinks. Jesus showed us that it isn’t. He said that he will die and rise again. I believe him, because I’ve always believed him. He shall be with us, always. 

       

                                                                                                                                                                                         

Love Of Enemies

　

Witness: Anya, a Jewish peasant woman of the time of Jesus.

Story n. 12 (see previous posts)

The synagogue is lit by flickering torches. People’s faces glow reddened by the flames. The farther corners of the large room are swallowed in darkness. Anya is sitting on the floor between Neri and Heli. She has persuaded them to come and listen to Jesus’ teachings.
“Aren’t you even curious?” she pressed them. “We have seen him working miracles! Ask Simon if you don’t believe me. Come tonight. Do it to make me happy if nothing else.”

But now she’s wondering if they’ll be able to open their mind to Jesus. He made clear how difficult it is to be receptive to his message. One day, a few weeks earlier, a small group of young mothers approached Jesus asking him to touch their nursing infants, so that they could live a blessed life. The apostles wanted to send them away, but Jesus said:
“Let the children come to me and do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
“What do you mean, Master?” Andrew asked him. “Should we become as pure and innocent as them?"
Jesus answered:
“Whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.”
Later, while Jesus was praying in solitude, the disciples sat around the fire and pondered his words.
“Children have clarity of vision, “said James" They have no preconceived ideas. To them everything is possible. That‘s what it takes to believe”

Anya gazes at her husband. He’s not at all like a child, she thinks. He’s self-asserted and full of pride. And Heli is just like him. Please, God, open their hearts!
She looks for Jesus in the crowd. He’s sitting on the steps, his arms around his knees. The torches’ light outlines his figure in dramatic contrasts of black and iridescent white. His face seems sculpted in bronze, but is voice is sweet like honey:
“You have heard that it was said, ’You shall love you neighbor and hate your enemy‘. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even the sinners love those who love them. Do to others as you would have them do to you. Give to everyone who asks you, and offer no resistance to the one who is evil.”

Anya can feel the disappointment rising in her husband and her son. Heli is the first one to express it.
“What’s he talking about, mother?” he whispers. “I don’t care if he gives sight to the blinds or turns water into wine. This man is no Messiah. The Messiah is supposed to free us from our oppressors, not to pray for them!”
“Only when you’ll learn how to forgive your soul will be free,” Anya protests. But Neri and Heli are already headed for the door.

Later at home, Anya must say good-bye again. Her heart is heavy, but she knows that she’s doing the right thing.
“You want justice,” she tells her husband, “but there is something nobler than that, and it is the universal love, the mercy that Jesus preaches. You are enslaved by your thirst for revenge. And you know no justice either, for there is no such thing as a just person. Jesus said that we must stop judging and we must remove the wooden beam from our own eye before we can see clearly.”
“Words, words and more words!” Neri exclaims. “That man has filled up your head with crazy ideas. This nonsense has been going on long enough! Besides, there are only a handful of women among many men who follow Jesus. How do I know that you are not sleeping with one of his disciples? Maybe that’s why you are so eager to follow them!”
“Oh Neri, that’s absurd!”
“Moreover, I am tired of living without a woman!”
“You are the one who first decided to go,” Anya retorts, “and I don’t agree with your motives either. Yet, I love you more now than I did before I met Jesus. He taught me how to love you and accept you as you are. I’ve learned to forget, bear and forgive. But my love for you is an earthly love. It won’t fulfill my soul. That’s why I must go.”
She had no doubts this time, but still cried many tears. 　

The Calming of the Storm at Sea

Witness: Anya, a Jewish peasant woman of the time of Jesus.

Story N.11 (see previous posts)

In a stormy whether the sea howls, screams and sheds tears. It turns dark, inscrutable and restless. Its waves implacably whip the rocks. They can strangle a man in their whirls of salty water and tear a boat apart with white claws of foam.
Anya is standing on the shore, anxiously scanning the treacherous sea in search of Simon’s fisher boat. Jesus and his disciples are out there, on their way back to Capernaum. She has preceded them to attend Heli’s wedding. Thanks to God Neri was at home, alive and well. Anya recalls the moment when she saw him. He was chopping wood in the courtyard, raising his ax with both hands and driving it down in a steady motion. Her first impulse was to call his name and run to him, but she refrained from doing it. Instead, she slackened her pace to give herself some time to unravel her feelings.
She was relieved and overjoyed, but her emotions were earthly emotions. It is different when she is with Jesus… With him she isn’t simply happy, but rather ecstatic, with a depth that she has never experienced before. Seeing her husband after such a long separation brought tears to her eyes, but they were tears of a tender, familiar joy. They fell into each other’s arms, and then Neri said to her:
“You have arrived just in time to start cooking for Heli’s wedding, wife! I just finished chopping wood to light the fire. We are still a team, aren’t we?”
“Of course we are!” she answered. “We both want the best for our son. It will be the greatest ceremony ever. How is he?
“His happiness will be complete when he’ll find out that you’re here.”
“I missed you both, Neri,” she said. “I love you.”


Waiting for Simon’s boat after Heli’s wedding Anya recalls Jesus’ teachings to her mind, trying to look at her marriage from the right perspective.
“Don’t think”, he had said,” that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. For I have come to set a man against his father and a daughter against her mother; and one’s enemies will be those in his household.”
Jesus knew that some would believe in him and others would reject him, just like it’s happening with Anya and Neri. But Anya isn’t ready to give up on her husband. She’s determined to have him listening to Jesus preaching at least once. If only he could do it with an open heart he would fall in love with him and would be saved. Marriage is supposed to last forever. Jesus said that husband and wife are one flesh, and that what God has joined together no human being can separate. And so she’ll do whatever is in her power to make Neri leave the rebels.
The wind has suddenly subsided and the sea is calm. Simon’s fisher boat is in sight. In its wake small waves rise and then break, foam sliding down their hollow. When it finally reaches the bank Anya is there to welcome Jesus and his disciples. Andrew is the first one to disembark. Rushing toward him, she exclaims:
“Thank God you are safe! I was so worried! The weather was awful!”
“You won’t believe what just happened out there, Anya! The boat was being swamped by waves. We were sure that we were going to perish, but Jesus was sleeping, oblivious of the storm. When we woke him up he scolded us for having little faith in him, then he rebuked the winds and the sea. And all of a sudden there was great calm and the storm was over!”
Anya watches Jesus jumping off the boat, his solemn face relaxed in that beautiful smile that she knows so well by now.
“I believe you, Andrew,” she says. “I believe all powers were given to him and nothing can resist his will, not even the sea. For he’s the Son of the living God.”

The Sermon on the Mount

Witness: Anya, a Jewish peasant woman of the time of Jesus.

Story N. 10 (see previous posts).

The sun was hiding behind thick clouds, but as soon as Jesus reached the hilltop a light wind blew them away. Now a golden iridescence illuminates the crowds, glittering on their languid faces. Jesus’ voice echoes for miles around and its hypnotic sound raptures the senses. Spell-bounded, Anya is listening.

“Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.”
The Kingdom of heaven, she wonders…how will it be like? Will it be like a palace, with pillars sculpted in marble which stretch away as far as the eye can see? Or will it be a blue empty space where the angels rest on the clouds like graceful butterflies on white roses?
It will not be anything of this sort, she thinks as an ineffable image of the dawning of the Kingdom takes form in her mind. Jesus’ gaze will spread all over the earth. It will be a gaze of sorrow. His tears will become rivers carving their beds on the mountainsides. His breath will be the wind, and will restore to true life those who have gone astray….

“Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
Anya watches Jesus’ mantle blowing gently around his shoulders. One day it will expand into infinity, sheltering the entire world, and all evil will fade away in its shadow….

“Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
Jesus’ wavy hair will become the ocean’s waves. They will carry silvery fishes on every bank, and people will feed in that overflowing abundance. His words will last forever. Their echo will be heard in the rumble of the torrents plunging from the hills and in the whispering of the leaves in the morning breeze. But Anya can hear them from his mouth, and it’s like being swept away into eternity.

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
Anya is filled with the most unspeakable bliss. It’s true, she thinks, your yoke is easy. Even the hardest endeavor becomes easy in the light of your love. Everything that you touch turns into pure joy. All I want is to be near you, rest in you shadow…

“Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
With open arms, Jesus is offering his all-embracing message of hope. Seen from above the crowd is like a field of crop, which the wind softly bends according to its will. The people are reaching out to Jesus with all their beings.
Anya smiles, thinking: The Kingdom of heaven is right here. I’m living it.

The Healing of a Paralytic

Witness: Anya, a Jewish peasant woman of the time of Jesus.

Story n. 9 (see previous posts)

“How are you feeling? Would you like some water?”
Anya is nursing an old dying man who wishes to see Jesus before the coming of his last hour. He stretches his callused hand to get the cup.
“Thank you, my dear”, he answers in a raucous voice.
He is dreadfully pale, but his eyes are full of tenderness. He’s awaiting death peacefully. Every remaining moment on earth carries him closer to everlasting repose. His body is just a shred that hangs on to life, but in his eyes Anya sees his soul shining through.
For the first time she’s not afraid of the corruption of the flesh.
She had never witnessed so much physical pain and decay before embarking on her journey as one of Jesus retinues. The sick gravitate toward him, but they are not the only ones. All sort of people seek him; some need hope, others look for answers.
Today, in the synagogue where Jesus is teaching, there are many scribes and Pharisees who have come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem.

Leaving the old man asleep on his pallet Anya blends with the crowd. People are marveling at Jesus’ familiarity with the scriptures. Unnoticed, she listens to their comments:
“Isn’t he the son of Joseph? How can a carpenter be so knowledgeable?”
Hearing some commotion, Anya looks around: A paralytic on his stretcher is being lowered through the roof, right at Jesus’ feet. The place is so crowded that it was impossible to bring him in through the door. Jesus observes the maneuver in silence, then he kneels down next to him. When he finally speaks, his voice is filled with compassion.
“Your sins are forgiven”, he says.
Anya feels the tension rising in the room. Jesus’ words have engendered an immediate reaction among the teachers of the law. Scandalized, they turn to each other whispering:
“Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?”
As if reading their minds, Jesus addresses them from the center of the synagogue.
“Which is easier to say, ’Your sins are forgiven’, or to say ’Rise and walk’?”
Standing above the lying man, Jesus lifts up his arms and commands:
“I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher and go home.”
For a long moment the paralytic remains still. Then, levering up on his elbows, he slowly sits up. Uncertain, he stretches out his trembling hand and Jesus grabs it. The man gets on his feet and, shedding tears of joy, he exclaims:
“Blessed is the Lord, whose power is with you!”
The crowd is struck with awe and many cry out to Jesus:
"Son of David, have pity on us!”
A blind man falls on his knees in front of him. Moved, Jesus touches his eyes and they open up. Then lays his hands on a mute and he finds his voice. Many reach out to him and are restored to health. Mesmerized, Anya is watching the unfolding of the events. Her heart is galloping, but her mind is on alert. The scribes are afraid of Jesus’ charismatic power and they might try to have him arrested. It has happened before, but she soon realizes that it’s no going to happen today. What they have witnessed today is just too incredible for them not to glorify God.

Relieved, Anya goes back to the dying man’s bedside. He’s awake, but there is something ethereal about him.
“Don’t you wish that you could live longer?” she asks him, wondering why he never pleaded to Jesus for healing.
“No”, he answers. ”My children are gone and my wife passed away. My time has come.”
Upon hearing these words Anya bends under the weight of her past. The years she has left behind wrap her in a heavy mantle of sadness. The comfort and the emptiness of her life overwhelm her once again. Why did she leave? Was it really because of Jesus or was it wanderlust? It’s so difficult to discern true faith from selfish needs! Tonight, she decides, I’ll talk to Jesus.

When the afternoon begins to give away before the night and the disciples are resting around the fire Anya approaches him, feeling that her whole life is suspended within that moment.
“Lord, why did I leave?” she asks him.
Invisible birds begin to sing as the truth is revealed, crystal clear, through Jesus’ words:
“Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Shrouded by a new certitude, Anya lies down and goes to sleep at last.

Helping Others

Witness: Anya, a Jewish peasant woman of the time of Jesus

Story N. 8 (see previous posts)


Anya is sitting all by herself, trying to regain her good spirit. The elated state of mind of the first weeks on the road is already vanishing. Too many people are following Jesus, and they bring with them so much misery. They follow him because they are hungry, scarred by life, in need of hope. Some of them are sick and it’s difficult to watch them suffering. Crippled and ashamed of their diseases as if they were God’s willed punishments, they carry themselves in Jesus’ presence asking for a miracle. And it always happens for those who have faith in him. At the end of the day he’s so exhausted that he has nothing left to give to his disciples: He needs to be alone and pray.
Anya prays too, for Yahweh to keep her husband safe. Neri has always been hot-blooded and maybe that’s why she fell for him. But now she wishes that he would calm down, abandon his thirst for revenge and just believe. Believe in Jesus.


There are few women among the disciples, and one of them is Mary of Magdala. Anya has a lot of respect for her because she understands Jesus’ message better than anyone else. The apostles are often astounded by his teachings, sometimes even embarrassed, but not Mary. She seems to capture the essence of his words in all their beauty. Anya makes up her mind: She needs to talk to her. Mary is sitting next to the fire, broiling some fish. Anya sits next to her.
“Are you hungry?” Mary asks her.
“No, thanks. I’m just sad.”
“Thinking about your family?”
“Yes, but that’s only one of the reasons for my sadness. When I left, I new that I was going to miss them and worry about them. But I was sure that following Jesus was the right thing to do if I wanted to find peace. Now I feel betrayed. There is no peace among the crowds that follow him asking for justice and relief. It breaks my heart to see all that desperation.”
Mary looks at her with empathy.
“Oh Anya! Can’t you see? Jesus’ actions ARE his teachings! We must learn not to recoil before distorted limbs or even before leprosy. Only through compassion the Kingdom of heaven will come on earth. We are witnessing the creation of a new, unspoiled life!”
“But those people scare me, Mary! And the compassion that I feel is too much to bear. “
“Those people are your brothers and sisters, Anya. Don’t listen to the righteous who say that their illnesses are a punishment for their sins or even for those of their parents. There are sinners among the unfortunates just like there are among us. And when you feel that your pity is too much to bear, try to remember that they are the ones who are suffering. Compassion is good only when it’s directed outward, when makes you act on it for the well being of your fellow human beings. Don’t stall in your pity. Help them instead, like Jesus does. You’ll be the first one to gain from it.”

As Anya and Mary are talking, Jesus comes down from the hill where he has been praying to the Father. That’s how he calls Yahweh: Our Father in heaven. It’s full moon. Its rays illuminates softly Jesus’ radiant figure. Smiling, he opens his arms and turns to his disciples:
“Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me. Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did it for me.”

The evening sounds are echoing his words. Crickets are screeching, leaves are murmuring, waves are breaking rhythmically on the rocks to sing a hymn of joy.
Maybe this music has been playing all along, Anya thinks, but I’m hearing it for the first time. The sound of a new earth.