Judas Iscariot is Reprimanded. Arrival of the peasants of Jocanan
The eve of Passover. Jesus - only with the apostles, as the women are not with the group - waits for Peter to return from taking the Passover lamb for the sacrifice.
He is talking about Solomon to the child. At this, here is Judas: he is crossing the largest courtyard. He is going with a group of young people. He speaks with grand, pompous gestures and impassioned poses. His cloak flutters continuously and he adjusts it with the air of a wise man... I think Cicero was not so pompous when he delivered his speeches.
-Look, Judas is there! - says Judas Thaddaeus.
-He is going with a group of saforimes - observes Philip.
And Thomas says:
-I'm going to hear what he says - and goes without waiting for Jesus to express his predictable refusal.
And Jesus!... Oh, the face of Jesus!... His expression is one of deep suffering and severe judgment. Margziam, who had been looking at him from before, while, delicate and slightly sad, was talking to him about the great king of Israel, sees this change, and is almost frightened;
then, he waves Jesus' hand to bring his attention back, saying:
-Don't look! Don't look! Look at me, I love you very much!...
Thomas manages to reach Judas without being seen, and thus follows him for a few meters. I don't know what he will be hearing, what I do know is that he lets out an unexpected, resounding exclamation that makes many turn around, especially Judas, who turns livid with rage:
-But how many rabbis does Israel have! I congratulate you, new luminary of wisdom!
-I am not a stone, but a sponge, and therefore I absorb; and, when the desire of those hungry for wisdom requests it, I squeeze myself to give myself with all my vital humors.
Judas is pompous and disdainful.
-You would say you are a faithful echo. But the echo, to subsist, must be close to the Voice; if not, it dies, friend. And you, it seems to me that you are moving away from it. He is there. Aren't you coming?
Judas turns all colors, with that rancorous and repulsive face of his worst moments; but he controls himself, and says:
-Goodbye, friends. Here I am, with you, Thomas, my dear friend. Let's go immediately to the Master. I didn't know he was in the Temple. If I had known, I would have looked for him - and puts his arm around Thomas' shoulders as if he felt great affection for him.
But Thomas, peaceful but not stupid, does not let himself be fooled by these declarations... and asks, with a little sarcasm:
-How? Don't you know it's Passover? Do you think the Master is not faithful to the Law?
-No! Not at all! But last year he showed himself, he spoke... I remember this day precisely. He attracted me by his regal impetuosity... Now... I have the impression that he has lost vigor. Don't you think?
-Not to me. I have the impression of a person who has lost confidence.
-In his mission, that is, you have said it.
-No. You misunderstand. He has lost confidence in men. And you are one of those who has contributed to it. You should be ashamed!
Thomas no longer laughs, he has a somber expression and his reprimand beats like a whip.
-Be careful what you say! - says Judas in a threatening tone.
-And you be careful what you do! Here we are two Jews, without witnesses. That is why I speak, and I tell you again that you should be ashamed. And now be silent. Don't get tragic or start whining, because, if not, I'll speak in front of everyone. There are the Master and his companions. Moderate yourself.
-Peace to you, Master...
-Peace to you, Judas of Simon.
-What a relief to find you here!... I would need to speak to you...
-Speak.
-Look, it's that... I wanted to tell you... Can't I tell you apart?
-You are among your companions.
-I would like to speak to you alone.
-In Bethany I am alone, with those who are interested in me and seek me; but you do not seek me, but try to avoid me.
-No, Master, you cannot say that.
-Why did you offend Simon yesterday, and with him me, and with us Joseph of Arimathea, and the companions, and my Mother and the other women?
-Me? But I didn't see you!
-You didn't want to see us. Why didn't you come, as we had agreed, to bless the Lord for an innocent who was going to be welcomed into the bosom of the Law? Answer! Didn't you even feel the need to warn that you weren't going to come?
-Here comes my (adoptive) father! - shouts Margziam, who has seen Peter returning with his slaughtered lamb, emptied of its entrails and wrapped again in its skin - Micah and the others are coming too! I'm going, can I go to meet them to hear what they say about my old father?
-Go, son - says Jesus, caressing him; and adds, touching John of Endor on a shoulder: Please, accompany him and... entertain him a little. And he returns to the point where he was with Judas:
-I am waiting for your answer!
-Master... an urgent, unavoidable matter arose... I felt it... But...
-And was there not in all of Jerusalem a person who could communicate this justification of yours?... Assuming you had it!... And it was already reprehensible in itself. I remind you that recently a man has dispensed with going to bury his father to follow me, and that my brothers have left the paternal house among anathemas to follow me, and that Simon and Thomas, and with them Andrew, James, John, Philip and Nathanael have left their families, and Simon the Canaanite wealth to give it to me, and Matthew sin to follow me. And I could continue with a hundred other names. There are those who leave life, life itself to follow me to the Kingdom of Heaven. But, since you are so deprived of generosity, at least be polite; since you have no charity, at least have elegance; imitate, since they please you, those false Pharisees who betray me, who betray us, but who do so by showing themselves polite. Your duty was to reserve yourself for us yesterday, so as not to offend Peter, who I demand be respected by all. But, what less than to send a message?
-I have erred. But now I came expressly to look for you to tell you that - for the same reason - tomorrow I cannot come. It's that I have friends of my father and I...
-Enough. You can go with them. Goodbye.
-Master... are you angry with me? You told me you would be a father to me... I am a foolish boy, but a father forgives...
-I forgive you, but leave; do not keep your father's friends waiting any longer. I will not keep the friends of the holy Jonah waiting any longer either.
-When are you going to leave Bethany?
-At the end of the Unleavened Bread. Goodbye.
Jesus turns and goes towards the peasants, who are ecstatic at the change they see in Margziam.
He walks a few steps, but stops when he hears the observation that Thomas makes:
-By Yeohvah! I wanted to see your regal impetuosity... Well, it has been served!...
-I beg you to forget this incident, in the same way that I strive to forget it. And I order you to be silent before Simon of Jonah, John of Endor and the little one. For reasons that your intelligence can understand, it is not appropriate to cause any of the three either pain or scandal. And silence also in Bethany before the women. That my Mother is among them, remember.
-You can be calm, Master, we will do everything to repair this, and to console you they all say.
-Thank you!... Oh, peace to all of you! Isaac has found you I am glad. Enjoy your Passover in peace. Each of my shepherds will be a good brother to you. Isaac, before they leave, bring them to me. I want to bless them again. Have you noticed, the child?
-Master, how well he is! He is already more flourishing! We will tell the old man. How happy he is going to be! This righteous man has told us that now Jabez is his son... A providential fact! We are going to tell everything, everything.
-Also that I am a son of the Law, and that I feel happy and that I always remember him. Let him not cry for me or for my mom, who I have by my side, and also him like an angel, and he will always have her and in the hour of death. If Jesus has opened the gates of Heaven for then, then my mom, more beautiful than an angel, will go to meet the old father and will lead him to Jesus. He has said it. Are you going to tell him? Are you going to know how to say it well?
-Yes, Jabez.
-No. Now I am Margziam. The Mother of the Lord has given me this name. It is as if her name were said. She loves me very much. She puts me in bed every night and makes me say the same prayers that she made her Son say. In the mornings she wakes me up with a kiss, then she dresses me. She teaches me many things... He too, eh!... They enter so
softly, that they are learned without work. My Master!
The child embraces Jesus with such adoration of act and expression that one is moved.
-Yes. You will say all this, and also that the old man should not lose hope: this angel asks for him and I bless him. I also bless you. Go. Peace be with you.
The groups separate and go their own way.