67.2 Two men are quarrelling in earnest because the donkey of one of them has helped itself from the beautiful basket of lettuce of the other donkey and has eaten quite a lot of it! Perhaps it is only a pretext to give vent to old ill-feelings. In fact from under their short tunics, which reach down to their calves, they pull out two short large knives, as broad as a hand: they look like short pointed daggers and they glint in the sun. Screams of women and shouts of men are heard everywhere. But no one tries to separate the men who are ready for a rustic duel.
Jesus, Who was walking, thoughtful, raises His head, He sees the fight and rushes between the two: «Stop, in the name of God!» He orders.
«No, I want to fix this cursed dog once and for all!»
«And so do I! You are fond of fringes? I’ll make a fringe for you with your bowels!»
The two move fast around Jesus, pushing Him, insulting Him to get rid of Him, endeavouring to strike each other, but without success, because Jesus, moving His mantle carefully, wards off the blows and interferes with their aim. He gets His mantle torn.
People shout: «Come away, Nazarene. You’ll be the loser». But He does not move and endeavours to calm them, reminding them of God. In vain! The two rivals are mad with rage!
The power of miracle can be seen radiating from Jesus. For the last time He shouts: «I order you to stop it!»
«No! Get out of the way. Go your way, dog of a Nazarene!» Jesus then stretches out His hands, with His powerful bright look. He does not say one word. But the blades fall in pieces to the ground, as if they were made of glass and had clashed against a rock.
The two men look at the short, useless handles, left in their hands. Astonishment deadens wrath. And the astonished crowd shout.
67.3 «And now?» asks Jesus, severely. «Where is your strength?» Also the soldiers on duty at the gate, who rushed out at the latest shouts, stare surprised and one bends down to pick up the fragments of the blades and test them on his nails, not believing they were made of steel.
«And now?» repeats Jesus. «Where is your strength? On what did you base your right? On those bits of metal now lying in the dust? On those splinters of metal which had no other strength but to induce you to a sin of wrath against a brother, thus depriving you of all the blessings of God and consequently of all strength? Oh! how miserable are those who rely on human means to win, and who do not realise that holiness and not violence will make us winners both on the earth and beyond it! Because God is with the just.
Listen, people of Israel, and you, soldiers of Rome. The Word of God speaks to all the sons of man, and the Son of man will not reject the Gentiles.
The second commandment of the Lord is a commandment of love for our neighbours. God is good and wants goodwill in His children. He who is not kindly disposed towards his neighbour cannot consider himself a son of God neither can he have God in himself. Man is not an animal without reason, that attacks and its prey. Man has reason and a soul. With his reason he must behave as a man. With his soul he must behave as a saint. He who behaves differently, lowers himself below animals; he stoops down to embrace demons because a soul becomes wicked with the sin of wrath.
Love. I say nothing else. Love your neighbour as the Lord God of Israel prescribes. Do not always be of Cain’s blood. And why are you so? For the sake of a few coins, you who might have become murderers. For a few palms of land. For a better position. For a woman. What are such things? Are they eternal? No. They last less than a lifetime, which lasts an instant of eternity. And what do you lose if you follow them? The eternal peace promised to the just, and which the Messiah will bring you together with His Kingdom. Come on to the way of Truth. Follow the Voice of God. Love one another. Be honest. Be moderate. Be humble and fair. Go and meditate.»
67.4 «Who are You who speak such words and break swords with Your will power? Only One can do such things: the Messiah. Not even John the Baptist is greater than He is. Are You perhaps the Messiah?» three or four people ask Him.
«Yes, I am.»
«You? Are You the One who heals sick people and preaches God in Galilee?»
«I am.»
«I have an old mother who is dying. Heal her!»
«And I, see? I am losing all my strength because of my pains. My children are still young. Heal me!»
«Go home. Your mother this evening will prepare your supper; and you: be healed. I want it!»
The crowd roars with joy. They then ask: «Your Name! Your Name!»
«Jesus of Nazareth.»
«Jesus! Jesus! Hosanna! Hosanna!»
The crowd is jubilant. The donkeys now can do what they like, no one pays attention to them. Mothers rush out from the town, as the news has obviously spread and they lift up their little ones. Jesus blesses and smiles. And He endeavours to make His way through the acclaiming crowd to enter the town and go His way. But the crowd will not hear of it. «Stay with us! In Judaea! In Judaea! We are the sons of Abraham, too!» they shout.
67.5 «Master!» Judas runs towards Him. «Master, You arrived before me. But what is happening?»
«The Rabbi has worked a miracle! Not in Galilee; here! We want Him here!»
«See, Master? The whole of Israel loves You. It is only fair You should stay here, too. Why do You not want to?»
«It is not that I do not want to, Judas. I came here by Myself, that the roughness of the Galilean disciples might not irritate the subtleness of the Judaeans. I want to gather all the sheep of Israel under the sceptre of God.»
«That is why I said to You: “Take me”. I am a Judaean, and I know how do deal with my equals. Will You therefore remain in Jerusalem?»
«For a few days. To wait for a disciple, who is also a Judaean. Then I will go through Judaea…»
«Oh! I will come with You. I will accompany You. You will come to my village. I will take You to my house. Will You come, Master?»
67.6 «I will come…»