«I do not suppose you wish to make a pilgrimage to all the known places in Israel» says the Iscariot ironically. He is discussing in a group where there are Mary of Alphaeus and Salome together with Andrew and Thomas.
«Why not? Who forbids us?» asks Mary of Clopas.
«I do. My mother has been waiting for me for such a long time…»
«Well go to your mother. We will reach you later» says Salome and she seems to be adding mentally: «No one will miss you.»
«Certainly not! I am going with the Master. Contrary to what had been arranged, Mary is not coming. And that should not have been done to me, because I was promised She would come.»
«She stopped at Bethzur for a good reason. That woman was really unhappy.»
«Jesus could have cured her at once, without making her recover gradually. I do not know why He is no longer fond of working outstanding miracles.»
«He must have holy reasons for doing what He did» states Andrew calmly.
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«Of course! And He thus loses proselytes. Our stay at Jerusalem, what a disappointment it was! The more there is need for high-flown things, the more He crouches in the dark. I intended so much to see, to fight…»
«Excuse my question… But what did you want to see and with whom did you intend to fight?» asks Thomas.
«What? Who? But I wanted to see His miracles and then make head against those who say that He is a false prophet or possessed. Because that is what they say, see? They say that if Beelzebub does not support Him, He is a poor wretch. And since Beelzebub’s whimsical disposition is well known and we know that he delights in taking and leaving, as a leopard does with its prey, and that this mentality is justified by facts, I become impatient when I think that He does nothing. We are cutting a lovely figure! The apostles of a Master… Who does nothing but teach… that is undeniable, but nothing else.» Judas’ abrupt pause after the word «Master» makes the others think he was about to say something nasty.
The women are horrified and Mary of Alphaeus, being a relative of Jesus’, says frankly: «I am not surprised at that, but I am astonished that He puts up with you, boy!»
But Andrew, the ever meek Andrew, loses his temper and blushing, very much like his brother just this once, says furiously: «Go away! And you won’t cut any more bad figures because of the Master! And who asked you to come? He called us. Not you. You had to insist several times to be accepted. You imposed yourself. I do not know who keeps me from reporting everything to the others…»
«One can never talk to you. They are right when they say you are quarrelsome and ignorant people…»
«Well, to tell you the truth, neither do I understand how you can say that the Master made a mistake. Neither did I know of the whimsical disposition of the Demon. Poor thing! He must certainly be odd. Had he been intelligent he would not have rebelled against God. But I will take note of that» teases Thomas to avert the approaching storm.
«Don’t jest, because I am serious. Can you perhaps say that He attracted attention in Jerusalem? Also Lazarus said so…»
Thomas breaks into a hearty laugh. Then, still laughing, and his laughter has already disconcerted Judas, he says: «He has not done anything? Go and ask the lepers at Siloam and Hinnom. That is: You will not find anyone at Hinnom, because they were all cured. If you were not there, because you were in a hurry to go to… your friends, and consequently you do not know, that does not prevent the valleys of Jerusalem and many more places from resounding with the hosannas of the lepers cured» concludes Thomas seriously.
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And he continues sternly: «You suffer from bile trouble, my friend. And thus you taste bitter and see green everywhere. It must be a recurring disease with you. And believe me, it is not very pleasant to live with one like you. You must change. I will not tell anybody anything, and if these good women will listen to me, they will be quiet as well, and so will Andrew. But you must change. You must not think that you have been disappointed because there is no disappointment. Neither are you necessary because the Master knows what to do by Himself. Don’t you try to be the Master’s master. And if for that poor woman of Eliza He acted thus, it means that that was the right thing to do. Let snakes hiss and spit as they like. Don’t go to the trouble of acting as a broker between them and Him and above all do not think that you lower yourself by being with Him. Even if He did not cure a simple thing such as a cold in the future, He is always powerful. His word is a continuous miracle. And set your mind at rest. We have no archers behind us! Don’t worry, we will succeed in convincing the world that Jesus is Jesus. And be quiet, if Mary promised to come to your mother’s, She will come. In the meantime we will go round this beautiful part of the country, it is our work! And why not? Let us make the women disciples happy by going to visit Abraham’s tomb, his tree and Jesse’s sepulchre and… what else did you say?»
«They say that this is the place where Adam lived and where Abel was killed…»
«The usual useless tales!» grumbles Judas.
«In one hundred years’ time they will also say that the Grotto of Bethlehem and many other things were a tale!