And there is Jesus coming from Lazarus’ house together with the latter. The boy runs towards Him and Jesus says: «Peace be with us, Marjiam. Let us exchange the kiss of peace.»
Lazarus, greeted by the boy, caresses him and gives him a sweet.
They all gather around Jesus. Also Mary, wearing a turquoise woolen dress on top of which a darker mantle is draped, comes towards Her Son smiling.
«We can go, then» says Jesus. «You, Simon, with My Mother and the boy, if you still wish to buy his robe, now that Lazarus has seen to it.»
«Of course I do! And then… I will be able to say that once I walked beside Your Mother. A great honour.»
«Go, then. Simon, you will take Me to your leper friends…»
«Really, Master? Then, if You do not mind, I will run ahead, to gather them… You will reach me. You know where they are…»
«All right, go. The others can do what they like. You are all free until Wednesday morning. At the third hour everybody is to be at the Golden Gate.»
«I am coming with You, Master» says John.
«And I» says his brother James.
«And us, too» say the two cousins.
«I will come, too» says Matthew, and Andrew after him.
«And I? I would like to come, too… but if I go to do the shopping, I cannot come…» says Peter, pressed by two desires.
«It can be done. We shall go to the lepers first, while My Mother with the boy goes to the house of a friend in Ophel. We will reach Her later and you will go with Her, while the others and I go to Johanna’s. We will meet at Gethsemane for our meal and towards sunset we will come back here.»
«If You allow me, I will go to see some friends…» says Judas Iscariot.
«I have already told you. Do what you like.»
«In that case, I will go to my relatives. Perhaps my father has already come. If he is there, I will bring him to see You» says Thomas.
«What about us two? What do you say, Philip? We could go and see Samuel.»
«Very good» Philip replies to Bartholomew.
«And what about you, John?» Jesus asks the man of Endor. «Do you prefer to remain here and sort out your books, or do you wish to come with Me?»
«Really, I would prefer to come with You… My books… I am already less fond of them. I prefer to read You, the Living Book.»
«Come, then. Goodbye, Lazarus…»
«I will come, too. My legs are a little better, and after we have seen the lepers, I will leave You and go to Gethsemane and wait for You there.»
«Let us go, Peace to you, women.»
They remain all together until they are near Jerusalem. Then they part, the Iscariot goes on his own and enters the town probably through the Gate near the Antonia Tower; Thomas, Philip and Nathanael walk for about ten more yards with Jesus and their companions and then enter the town through the suburb of Ophel, together with Mary and the boy.