Jonah (keeper of the olive grove at Gethsemane)

It must still be Passover time, because there is always a lot of people in town.

It is evening and many people are hurrying home. Jesus also goes towards the house where He is a guest. It is not the house of the last Supper, which is in town, although not far from its walls. This house, instead, is a real country house, amongst thick olive-trees. From the rustic open space in front of the house one can see the olive-trees down the terraces of the hill, right down to a little torrent, with very little water, which flows away along the valley formed by two hills: on the top of one there is the Temple, on the other hill there are only olive-trees. Jesus is at the first slopes of the latter hill, which rises smoothly, completely covered with peaceful trees.

«John, there are two men awaiting your friend» says an elderly man, who must be the farmer or the owner of the olive-grove. I would say that John knows him.

«Where are they? Who are they?»

«I don’t know. One is certainly a Judaean. The other… I don’t know. I didn’t ask him.»

«Where are they?»

«In the kitchen, waiting, and… and… yes… there is another man who is all covered with sores. I made him stay over there, because I am afraid he may be a leper. He says he wants to see the Prophet Who spoke in the Temple.»

Jesus, Who up to this moment had been silent, says: «Let us go to him first. Tell the others to come if they so wish. I will speak to them there, in the olive-grove.» And He makes for the place indicated by the man.

«And what about us? What shall we do?» asks Peter.

«Come, if you want.»

• Jonah (keeper of the olive grove at Gethsemane)
• Judas de Kérioth (apostle)
• Simon the Zealot (apostle)
• Thomas (apostle)

A man, muffled up, is leaning against the rustic wall supporting a terrace, the nearest to the boundary of the property. He must have climbed up there along a path coasting the torrent.

When he sees Jesus approaching him, he shouts: «Go back. Back! Have mercy on me!» And he uncovers his trunk dropping his tunic to the ground. If his face is covered with scabs, his trunk is one big sore. Some of the sores have already become deep wounds, some are like burns, some are whitish and glossy, as if there was a thin white pane of glass on them.

«Are you a leper? What do you want of Me?»

«Don’t curse me! Don’t stone me. I have been told that the other evening You revealed Yourself as the Voice of God and the Bearer of Grace. I was also told that You gave assurance that by raising Your Sign, You will cure all diseases. Please raise it on me. I have come from the sepulchres… over there… I crept like a snake amongst the bushes near the torrent to reach here without being seen. I waited until evening before leaving because at dusk it is more difficult to see who I am. I dared… I found this man, the man of the house, he is good. He did not kill me. He only said: “Wait over there, near the little wall”. Have mercy on me” and as Jesus is going near him, all by Himself, because the six disciples and the landlord, as well as the two strangers, are far away and are evidently disgusted, he adds: «Don’t come nearer. Don’t! I am infected!» But Jesus proceeds. He looks at him so mercifully, that the man starts crying and kneels down almost touching the ground with his face, moaning: «Your Sign! Your Sign!»

«It will be raised when it is time. But now I say to you: Stand up. Be healed. I want it. And be the sign in this town that must recognise Me. Rise, I say. And do not sin, out of gratitude to God!»

The man rises slowly. He seems to emerge from the long flowery grass as from a shroud… and is healed. He looks at himself in the last dim light of the day. He is healed. He shouts: «I am clean! Oh! What shall I do for You now?»

«You must comply with the Law. Go to the priest. Be good in future. Go.»

The man is on the point of throwing himself at Jesus’ feet, but he remembers he is still impure, according to the Law, and he restrains himself. But he kisses his own hand, and throws a kiss to Jesus and weeps. He weeps out of joy.

54.3

The others are dumbfounded. Jesus turns away from the healed man and rouses them smiling. «My friends, it was only a leprosy of the flesh. But you will see leprosy fall from hearts. (...) »

• Healing and physical miracles
• Jonah (keeper of the olive grove at Gethsemane)
• Miracles of Jesus Christ
• Simon the Zealot (apostle)

Jesus says: «Stand up, My friend. Have you had any supper yet?»

«No, Master. I walked a few yards with the other fellow who was with me, then I left him and I came back saying that I wanted to speak to the healed leper… I said that because I thought he would disdain approaching an impure man. I guessed right. But I wanted to see You, not the leper… I wanted to say to You: “Please take me”… I wandered up and down the olive-grove until a young man asked me what I was doing. He must have thought I was ill-disposed. He was near a pillar, at the boundary of the olive-grove.»

The landlord smiles. «It’s my son» he explains and adds: «He is on guard at the oil-mill. In the caves under the mill, we still have almost all the crop of the year. It was a very good one and we made a lot of oil. And when there are large crowds about, robbers always get together to plunder unguarded places. Eight years ago, just at Parasceve, they robbed us of everything. Since then we keep a good watch one night each. His mother has gone to take him his supper.»

«Well, he asked me: “What do you want?”, and he spoke in such a tone that to save my back from his stick, I answered at once: “I am looking for the Master Who lives here”. He then replied: “If what you say is true, come to the house”. And he brought me here. It was he who knocked at the door and he did not go away until he heard my first words.»

• Jonah (keeper of the olive grove at Gethsemane)
• Marie de Jonas (wife of the olive grove keeper)
• Mark of Jonah (son of the keeper of the olive grove in Gethsemane)

70.1 I see Jesus going towards the little low white house in the middle of the olive-grove. A young man greets Him. He seems to come from there, because he is holding in his hands pruning and hoeing tools.

«God be with You, Rabbi: Your disciple John came, and he just left to come and meet You.»

«How long ago?»

«Not long, he has just passed that path. We thought You were coming from Bethany…»

Jesus starts walking very fast, He goes round the cliff, He sees John almost running down towards the town and calls him.

• Jonah (keeper of the olive grove at Gethsemane)
• Locations - House of Jonah (keeper of the olive grove in Gethsemane)

70.2 They have arrived at the little house. They enter the low smoky kitchen. The landlord greets them: «Peace be with You.»

Jesus replies: «Peace to this house, to you and to those who live here with you. I have a disciple with Me.»

«There will be bread and oil for him, too.»

«I brought some dried fish that James and Peter gave me. And passing by Nazareth, Your Mother gave me some bread and honey for You. I walked all the time without stopping, but it will be dry now.»

«It does not matter, John. It will always have the flavour of My Mother’s hands.»

John pulls out his treasures from the knapsack that he had put in a corner. And I see them prepare the dried fish in a strange way. They put it for a few minutes in hot water, they then put some olive oil on it and they roast it on the fire.

Jesus blesses the food and sits at the table with His disciple. Also the landlord, whose name I hear is Jonah, and his son, sit at the same table. The landlady comes and goes bringing fish, some black olives, boiled vegetables dressed with oil. Jesus offers also some honey. And He offers it to the landlady, spreading it on some bread. «It comes from My beehive» He says. «My Mother looks after the bees. Eat it. It is good. You are so good to Me, Mary, and you deserve much more than this» He then adds, because the woman does not want to deprive Him of the sweet honey.

The supper ends in a short time, while they hold a brief conversation on common topics. As soon as they finish, and after thanking for the food, Jesus says to John: «Come. Let us go out into the olive-grove for a little while. It is a clear, mild night. It will be pleasant to be out there for a short time.»

The landlord says: «Master, I say “good night” to You. I am tired and also my son is tired. We are going to bed. I will leave the door ajar and the lamp on the table. You know what to do.»

«Go, Jonah. And put out the lamp. There is such a bright moonlight, that we will be able to see without any light.»

«But where will Your disciple sleep?»

«With Me. On My mat there is room also for him. Is that right, John?»

John is enraptured at the idea of sleeping beside Jesus.

• James of Zebedee (apostle)
• Jonah (keeper of the olive grove at Gethsemane)
• Locations - House of Jonah (keeper of the olive grove in Gethsemane)
• Marie de Jonas (wife of the olive grove keeper)
• Mark of Jonah (son of the keeper of the olive grove in Gethsemane)
• Simon-Pierre - Simon de Jonas (apostle)
• The Virgin Mary