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Monday, April 18, 2011

Monday

When I woke up the next day the sun was still low in the sky. Low enough for it seem like a night with a full moon. It took me a few minutes to remember where I was. Once I had remembered the strange day before, my mind started to go a mile a minute. How had I gotten here? Why was I here? Did anyone back home know I was gone? Could this possibly be a dream? I only had an answer to the last question. It was most definitely not a dream. I could feel the cool air that was surrounding me. I could smell the animals and un-bathed people all around me. I could hear the rooster crow to wake the neighborhood to the new day. No, this was not a dream.

While I was still thinking I noticed a shadowy figure cross in front of a window. It appeared to be looking for me. Once the figure had gotten closer I realized it was Jesus. He motioned for me to stay quiet, but to follow him outside.

Once outside, he turned to me and said, "Kate, I'm sure you have many questions. I will answer the ones I can. Others you will have to figure out yourself."

I nodded, and started to ask everything that had come to mind earlier.

"I cannot answer how, but as far as why goes, you are here to learn something. Only you can know what it is. You were wise not to try to explain where you were from to John last night. I suggest you keep it secret. I want you to stay with my disciples. My mother and the other women will look after you. There will be a lot that happens this week that you already know about. Be sure not to tell anyone. They will take you for mad, or demon possessed." When he said this last part I realized how dangerous this could be if I didn't keep a guard on my tongue.

The two of us just sat there for a few more minutes taking in the sunrise that somehow seemed much more vibrant than the sunrises I had seen back home. Soon, the shadows began to shorten. The street was silent and still; very different from how I remembered it from the night before. As I was taking in the scene I felt Jesus rise.

"It is about the time the others will be getting up. We should go back in and meet them." He said as he held his hand out to me. As he pulled me up, I could feel his hands, rough from working with wood for so many years. I thought how ironic it was that he would soon die of the very thing his father had made a living from. As though he read my thoughts, Jesus turned to me and said, "Remember, don't tell people what you know. It will only put you in danger."

Once the others were up we all headed out to the Temple. Once we arrived I was overwhelmed by the chaos that was going on around me.
“Get your Temple sanctioned doves hear, guaranteed to be accepted by the high priest!” “Passover lambs for sale! Get them before they are gone!” “Don’t be refused service, change those Roman coins for the coins of the chosen people!”

Everywhere I looked there was someone selling something. People were dragging their offerings in, and the sales men were telling them that they wouldn't be good enough and they should just buy from the temple. And there were money changers at the entrance. I even saw a woman trying to sell herself to any man who walked by.

As the woman came up to James to try and conduct business I could see Jesus tense up. Out of nowhere he went to the nearest moneychanger's booth and with a soul wrenching yell he flipped it, sending the coins scattering through the crowd. People scramble to pick them up while the moneychanger stood in shock. Jesus proceeded to do the same thing to the rest of the booths nearby. He released the doves a man was selling to sacrifice and he untied the other livestock, all the while Jesus continued to yell. “You ungrateful thieves! Get out of my Father’s house! Get out! Don’t ever come back!” He grabbed a rope and began whipping the moneychanger, tax collectors and merchants; driving them out of the Temple courtyard.

Jesus threw the prostitute out and when the Pharisees had come over to see what the commotion was about. Jesus turned to them. He was panting and sweating from the anger and exertion. "It is written ' My house shall be called a house of prayer' but you have made it a den of thieves. Destroy this temple and in three days I will make it rise." With that he threw the whip down and walked toward the Temple. Jesus noticed and old woman who had been knocked over in the commotion. He reached down to help an old woman up. Once he was sure she was ok, we turned and left.

We didn't go back to the temple that day; instead we went out to a garden and prayed. We stayed there for the rest of the day and went back to the place we were staying that night. We all immediately fell asleep.

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