Jesus gives direction; the apostate/ part 2

Jesus gives Direction; the apostate/ part 2

fiction
edward w pritchard

see apostate 08/13/2013/ part 1

Sunday morning:

It's been so long since I thought of Jesus. Before I left, before the world changed, before now, before the world grew complicated and hostile to be in.

I was one of the first few followers of Jesus of Nazareth. Before all the hype of the religion, before the trial, before the Cross. My talent was I could plan and arrange things. Everyday things and I was a good guy to have about with a lot of heavy thinkers and prophets, someone has to know how to negotiate with people who make bread and sell fish. It's nearly impossible to buy wine or even water in many of the place I walked with Jesus. Back before, I walked with Jesus. I wasn't a disciple, I wasn't hand chosen to teach, before, I arranged practical everyday things for Jesus and those who followed him about Judea; our world was smaller then and there was a special warm to everything as we walked far and high through desserts, mountains, and along the sea shores.

Remember, of course I remember. A woman was traveling alone and she ask for directions. There were thirty of us still walking after six hours of travel in the heat and dust and a woman ask for directions and Jesus smiled at her and answered. Jesus knew this area we were in well, he had lived near here as a boy. Jesus spoke several languages but he spoke to the woman in Aramaic.

Aramaic is a beautiful language to hear. The language of story, the language of simple everyday things but also suited to deep thinking and the meaning of grand ideas.

The woman was traveling alone. Not wise. Jesus didn't admonish her for that or let anyone else censure her or Judge her for traveling alone. Jesus just gave her directions for where she wanted to go.

Everyone hates the Romans hereabouts but when they first came to our Homeland one good thing they did was to make written maps. Before, the Romans there were no Maps, and the Woman carried a Roman map that she clutched and she was trying to use a Roman map to find her way. She wanted to go across the Mountains that spine this area. The Mountains near here have ancient names and they touch the sky sometimes but as a practical man I know these mountains  are difficult to navigate and treacherous to travel in.

Jesus thought before he gave the woman directions. I looked at his eyes for then I knew Jesus. Looking into his eyes I could see Jesus but I saw a hawk soaring high above those Mountains looking for paths and roads and small clear pools of water and scouting out dangers and finding fruit trees, and olives and figs. Jesus gave the woman directions of how to navigate those ancient Mountains. Jesus did not warn her about bandits or poison water or hostile snakes. Jesus gives direction.

It's many years later now and Jesus is gone. Jesus' voice in my ears in Aramaic still I hear sitting here today remembering when Jesus of Nazareth gave a woman directions as we traveled with the Disciples to spread the word of God's kingdom.
end part 2