Fifth Gospel(120)

‘But how, how were they faithless?’

‘Their fear had dissolved their faith, pairé, in the same way that a breath blows out a flame. For this reason the Holy Spirit had to flee, and this left Jesus powerless. You see, the Holy Spirit can only linger in a circle which is faithful,’ she said to me, and I was stunned by this.

The Marquésia and I had experienced the fullness of the Holy Spirit and we had been only two! But then, I remembered Christ Jesus’ words in Matthew’s Gospel,

Whenever two of three are gathered in my name, I am there among them!

Lea looked at me. She had discerned my thoughts. ‘The power of faith lives in each soul, pairé, like a knife sits in its sheath, but the Holy Spirit lives in a circle only to the extent that each member is faithful to Christ.’

Tears fell over my face, so moved was I by sadness. ‘And so…He was alone,’ I said wiping my tears with my stained hand, ‘Even the Holy Spirit had deserted Him!’

‘But you are forgetting the women, pairé! They were always awake; he did not need to hold them, for they had always held His soul in their care, since a woman is like a vessel, as you know. Yes, he had the women, but he needed one other…he needed a witness, this could only be a man and there was one, one who was faithful, one who did not sleep.’

‘Who was it?’

‘Observe…listen…learn…’

‡

Christ Jesus was powerless for a time, until he could assemble to himself the fullness of his senses. When he finally stood he made an unsure back to where his disciples lay sleeping. He saw that from beyond the garden there came the glow of moving torches and the sounds of men.

‘Rise!’ he told them, out of breath, ‘The hour is at hand when I am betrayed!’

John, Simon-Peter and James stood. In a moment the others came to warn him of impending doom.

‘Quickly! You must flee, Lord! They come!’ Matthew rushed at him.

‘No, Matthew, I deliver myself up without resistance.’ he said, as the guards of the Sanhedrin, some twenty in total, entered the clearing.

The guards were made up of Jews, Syrians and other races and they were dressed for battle: armed with swords and spears and sticks, staves and clubs. They trampled their way to him and ahead of them came Judas.

When the company entered the clearing, Judas, from a small distance, said an anxious, ‘Hail, master!’

He came close then, and leaned in, allowing his breath to linger over the cheek of his master a moment before he kissed him. As he kissed him Christ Jesus remembered Satan’s words, Now or later, what does it matter?

Jesus took Judas’ face then into his hands and looked deep into the pit of his eyes, he discerned in them no recognition, no love, only Satan looking back at him. I told you…my purse is always full!

He said to Judas, ‘Friend! Is this why you have come, to betray me with a kiss?’

Judas did not answer. He freed himself and stepped aside to allow the guards to come forward and then he ran away with his purse jingling.

Christ Jesus wished the guards to know that he was coming freely to them so he asked them for whom they sought.

The Jew leader of the band answered, ‘Jesus of Nazareth!’

He nodded. ‘I AM, he!’

These words possessed such a power that the guards fell back in awe, but in a moment they came to their senses and moved to seize him.

Of a sudden Simon-Peter came forward brandishing his filleting knife and smote the Jew commander’s ear. A great confusion ensued then and among the chaos Simon-Peter ran away. A guard, seeing a youthful figure leaving the clearing made to seize him, but he did not know that it was not Simon-Peter, it was the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, leaving him.

A wolf made a howl.

‘This is the hour of the power of darkness!’

As he said it, he was set upon from all sides like a wild dog that must be tamed. He was bound with cords and belts around his middle and his neck and his hands were tied ahead of him. He saw his disciples take themselves out of the garden and away from him, scattering into the night, as he had foretold. He was struck a blow to the face and he fell to his knees. Blood flowed from his nose but he was paused only a moment for the rope around his neck soon tightened and he was jerked upwards to the balls of his feet and he staggered for balance. The rope strangled him. When it slacked he took a breath and heard laughter. A boot struck the small of his back and sent him hurtling forwards, whereupon he was again pulled from behind, so that without his arms to stop his fall, he fell on his back.

He was kicked and spat upon and in that moment before he was again jerked upwards to his feet he caught a glimpse of someone watching from the shadows. This one had remained. This one had not slept! Christ-Jesus remembered how thankful he had been at Bethany to know that one man had been found worthy to follow him – Lazarus-John in that hour with his far-seeing eyes.