Jesus in Nazareth, in his Mother's house. She must follow her Son
Jesus is walking alone, swiftly, along the main road that passes near Nazareth. He enters the city and goes to his house. Nearby he sees his Mother, who is also on her way to the house, accompanied by her nephew Simon, who is carrying bundles of dry branches. He calls out to her:
-Mom!
Mary turns and exclaims:
-Oh, my blessed Son! - and they both run to meet each other. Simon imitates Mary and, leaving the bundles of branches on the ground, goes to his cousin
and, leaving the bundles of branches on the ground, goes to his cousin and greets him cordially.
-My mother, here I am; are you happy now?
-Very much, my son. But... if it is only by my supplication that you have done it, I tell you that neither you nor I have the right to follow the dictates of blood rather than the mission.
of blood before the mission.
-No, mother; I have also come for other things.
-Is it true what they say, my son? I thought, I wanted to believe, that they didn't hate you so much, that these were lying voices....
voices...
Tears are evident in Mary's voice and in her eyes.
-Don't cry, Mama; don't give me this pain. I need your smile.
-Yes, my Son, it is true. You see so many hard faces of enemies, you need smiles and much love. Yet here, you see, here is one who loves you for all?
Mary, leaning lightly on her Son - who, with his arm around her shoulders, carries her close to him - walks slowly towards the house, trying to smile to remove all traces of pain in the heart of Jesus.
Simon, too, having gathered up his bundles of branches, walks beside Jesus.
-You look pale, Mama. Have they caused you much pain? Have you been ill? Have you been working too hard?
-No, Son, no. They didn't cause me any pain. My only suffering was You, far away and unloved. No, no, here
they are all very good to me. Well, I don't mean Mary and Alpheus; you know how they are. And even Simon. You see how good he is... he's always like that. He has been my help during these months. It is he who is now in charge of bringing me the firewood. He's very good. And Joseph too, you know? He's been very kind to his Mary.
-God bless you, Simon, and Joseph too. I forgive you that you do not yet love me as Messiah. Oh, yes, you will come to love me as the Christ that I am! But how can I forgive you for not loving her?
-To love Mary is a fact of justice and means peace, Jesus. But we love you too, but... We are too afraid for you.
-Yes, you love me humanly. You will attain the other love.
-You too, my son, you are pale and thinner.
-Yes, so do I. You look older," remarks Simon. They enter the house. Simon leaves the bundles of firewood
and discreetly withdraws.
-Son, now that we are alone, tell me the truth, all of it. Why did they expel you?
Mary has her hands on the shoulders of her Jesus and fixes her gaze on his gaunt face.
Jesus smiles - a sweet but weary smile - and says:
-For trying to lead man to honesty, to justice, to true religion.
-But who accuses you, the people?
-No, Mother; the Pharisees and the scribes... except some righteous among them.
-What have you done to attract their accusations?
-To tell the truth. Don't you know that this is the greatest mistake one can make before men?
-And what have they been able to argue to justify their accusations?
-Embuscations. Those you already know and others.
-Tell them to your Mother. Lay all your pain on my breast. A mother's breast is used to pain and is happy to drink it to the dregs.
happy to drink it to the dregs if it removes it from her child's heart. Give me your pain, Jesus. Stand here, as when you were little; lay down all your bitterness.
Jesus sits on a little stool at his Mother's feet and tells all that has happened during the months spent in Judea; without rancor, but without any veil.
Mary caresses his hair, with a heroic smile on her lips, which fights against the tearful gleam in her blue eyes.
Jesus also speaks of the need to come into contact with women, to redeem them, and of his pain at not being able to do so because of human malignity.
Mary listens willingly and decides:
-Son, you must not deny me what I desire. From now on I will go with you whenever you go away; at any time or season of the year, in any place. I will defend you from slander. My presence will suffice to bring down the mud. And Mary will come with me; she ardently desires it. The heart of mothers is necessary next to the Holy One; and also against the devil and the world.