76.7 There is a woman in Juttah, she is a woman now, she had her fourth child not long ago, but once she was a little girl, one of my little friends… and she called her children: Mary and Joseph the first two, and as she dared not call the third one Jesus, she called him Emmanuel, as a good omen for herself, her home and Israel. And she is now thinking of the name to be given to her fourth child, born six days ago. Oh! When she hears that I am healed! And that You are here! Sarah is as good as home made bread, and her husband Joachim is also so good. And their relatives? I owe them my life. They have always helped and sheltered me.»
«Let us go and ask them for hospitality during the hottest hours of the day and to bless them for their charity.»
«This way, Master. It is easier for the sheep and we will avoid the people, who are most certainly excited. The old woman, who saw me getting up, will have certainly told them.»
76.8 They follow the torrent, then further south they depart from it, and take to a steep path, following a prominence of the mountain shaped like the prow of a ship. Now the torrent flows in the opposite direction to that of those who are climbing. The water runs along a beautiful uneven valley formed by the intersection of two ranges of mountains. I recognise the place. It is unmistakable. It is the scene of the vision of Jesus and the children, which I saw last spring. The usual little dry-stone wall marks the boundaries of the estate, which declines towards the valley. I see the meadow with apple-trees, fig-trees, walnut-trees, then the white house surrounded by green lawns, with the protruding wing which protects the staircase and forms a porch and loggia. And there is the little dome on the highest part, the kitchen garden with the well, the pergola and the flower beds…
One can hear a lot of shouting from the house. Isaac walks in front of them all. He goes in. He calls at the top of his voice: «Mary, Joseph, Emmanuel! Where are you? Come to Jesus.»
Three little ones run: a girl about five years old, and two little boys, about four and two years of age, the latter still somewhat uncertain when walking. They are dumbfounded when they see the… revived man. Then the little girl shouts: «Isaac! Mummy! Isaac is here! Judith was right.»
A woman comes out of a room where there is a lot of noisy shouting: the buxom, brown, tall, lovely mother of the past vision, most beautiful in her best dress: a snow-white linen dress, like a rich chemise falling in puckers down to her ankles, tied at her well-shaped waist by a multicoloured striped shawl, that covers her wonderful hips dropping in fringes down to her knees at the back, while at the front it is tied under the philigree buckle and its ends are hanging loose. A light veil patterned with rose branches on a beige background is pinned to her black plaits, like a tiny turban, and falls onto her neck in flowing folds and then onto her shoulders and breasts. It is held tight on her head by a small crown of medals tied together by a little chain. Heavy rings hang from her ears, and her tunic is held close to her neck by a silver necklace which passes through eyelets of her dress. She wears heavy silver bracelets on her arms.
«Isaac! What’s this? Judith… I thought she had gone mad… But you are walking! What happened?»
«The Saviour! Oh! Sarah! He is here! He has come!»
«Who? Jesus of Nazareth? Where is He?»
«Over there! Behind the walnut-tree, and He wishes to know if you will receive Him!»
«Joachim! Mother! Come here, all of you! The Messiah is here!»
«Women, men, boys, little ones run out shouting and yelling… but when they see Jesus, tall and stately, they lose heart and become petrified.
«Peace to this house and to you all. The peace and blessing of God.» Jesus walks slowly, smiling, towards the group. «My friends: will you give hospitality to the Wayfarer?» and He smiles even more.
His smile overcomes all fears. The husband takes heart: «Come in, Messiah. We have loved You before meeting You. We will love You more after meeting You. The house is celebrating today for three reasons: for You, for Isaac and for the circumcision of my third son. Bless him, Master. Woman, bring the baby! Come in, my Lord.»
76.9 They go into a room decorated for the feast. There are tables with foodstuffs, carpets and branches everywhere.
Sarah comes back with a lovely new-born baby in her arms. She presents him to Jesus.
«May God be always with him. What is his name?»
«No name yet. This is Mary, this is Joseph, this is Emmanuel… but this one has no name yet…»
Jesus looks at the parents, who are close to each other, He smiles: «Find a name, if he is to be circumcised today…»
They look at each other, they look at Him, they open their mouths and close them again without saying anything. Everyone is paying attention.
Jesus insists: «The history of Israel has so many great, sweet, blessed names. The sweetest and most blessed ones have already been given. But perhaps there are still some left.»
The parents cry out together: «Yours, Lord!» and the mother adds: «But it is too holy…»
Jesus smiles and asks: «When will he be circumcised?»
«We are waiting for the circumciser.»
«I will be present at the ceremony. And in the meantime I wish to thank you for what you have done for My Isaac. He no longer needs the help of good people. But good people still need God. You called your third son: God be with us. But you had God with you ever since you were charitable to My servant. May you be blessed. Your charity will be remembered in Heaven and on the earth.»
«Is Isaac going away now? Is he leaving us?»
«Is that upsetting you? But he must serve his Master. But he will come, and so will I. In the meantime, you will speak of the Messiah… There is so much to be said to convince the world!
76.10 But here is the person you are expecting.»
A pompous individual comes in with a servant. There are greetings and low bows. «Where is the child?» he asks with haughtiness.
«He is here. But greet the Messiah. He is here.»
«The Messiah! The one who healed Isaac? I heard about it. But… We will talk about it after. I am in a great hurry. The child and his name.»
The people present are mortified by the man’s manners. But Jesus smiles as if the impoliteness was not addressed to Him. He takes the baby, He touches his little forehead with His beautiful fingers, as if He wanted to consecrate him and says: «His name is Jesai» and He hands him back to his father, who goes into another room with the haughty man and other people. Jesus remains where He was until they come back with the child, who is screaming desperately.
«Woman, give Me the child. He will not cry any longer» He says to comfort the distressed mother. In fact, the child, once he is laid on Jesus’ knees, is silent.
Jesus forms a group of His own, with the little ones around Him, and also the shepherds and disciples. The sheep that Elias has put in an enclosure are bleating outside. There is the noise of a party in the house. They bring sweets and drinks to Jesus. But Jesus hands them out to the little ones.
«Are You not drinking, Master? Will You not have anything. We are offering it warmly.»
«I know, Joachim, and I accept wholeheartedly. But let Me make the little ones happy first. They are My joy…»
«Pay no attention to that man, Master.»
«No, Isaac. I will pray that he may see the Light. John, take the two little boys to see the sheep.
76.11 And you, Mary, come closer to Me and tell Me: Who am I?»
«You are Jesus, the Son of Mary of Nazareth, born in Bethlehem. Isaac saw You and he gave me the name of Your Mother, that I may be good.»
«To imitate Her, you must be as good as an angel of God, purer than a lily that blooms on top of a mountain, as pious as the holiest Levite. Will you be like that?»
«Yes, Jesus, I will.»
«Say: Master or Lord, little girl.»
«Let her call Me with My name, Judas. Only when it is uttered by innocent lips, it does not lose the sound that it has on My Mother’s lips. Everybody, throughout future centuries, will mention that name, some because of an interest or other, some to curse it. Only innocent people, without any interest and any hatred, will pronounce it with the same love as this little girl and My Mother. Also sinners will invoke Me, because they need mercy. But My Mother and the little ones! Why do you call Me Jesus?» He asks, caressing the little girl.
«Because I love You… as I love my father, mother and my little brothers» she says, embracing Jesus’ knees, and smiling with her head turned upwards.
And Jesus bends down and kisses her… and it all ends in this way.