James said, ‘I don’t know that it was wings I saw…but I’m certain there was something in the air above him.’ He shook his head. ‘No, I didn’t see it fall.’
‘Wait!’ said little John, ‘I saw it come down like a dove, and land on his head…and do a little dance…well, maybe it wasn’t a dance…I don’t know what it did but it landed, that’s for sure!’
Andrew looked around with a red face. ‘I’m ashamed lads, I didn’t see anything, I was afraid and looked away, and by the time I looked again, it was over!’
‘Well then, it’s all the same, going up or coming down…all the same!’ Simon summed it up: ‘We saw the spirit of God, that’s what it was and no mistake! Just as the Baptiser said, the spirit of God descended into Jesus!’
Judas made little imperceptible nods of the head, and looked at the fishermen with hooded eyes. ‘I think you see what you want to see!’
‘You may not believe us, red beard,’ Andrew spat, ‘but you had best believe John the Baptist, a prophet of God!’
‘Prophets are unreliable people,’ Judas dismissed. ‘They’ve been shouting about the end of days and calling for fasting and prayer since Moses! And where has it got us? We’re still in the wilderness, still under the yoke of our enemies! Still licking their hems! Prayer and fasting are not the answer. Sometimes a man must rely on his knife.’
The Baptist came down from his rock.
He wondered why men were plagued by obstinacy. Why they were so preoccupied with trivialities, so spiritually dull that only moments after they had seen the most significant event in the world, the vision of it was faded away into the hollowness of petty concerns. He scanned the grounds and his eyes found the rich youth from Bethany, sitting alone some distance away. Lazarus was his name. On the boy’s arrival some days before, John’s angel had torn open his eyes to show him the workings of the boy’s soul. For this reason, he had not baptised him, but had spent long moments alone with him, moments of quiet conversation, preparing him for what was to come.
He nodded to himself. At least him, if no one else!
He looked up to the tormenting sun and full of frustration and disappointment he cried a long, wounded howl.
All men regarded him with fear and awe.
‘How many have I baptised?’ He asked the startled people. ‘How many are prepared for His coming? How many? Woe!’ he said, pointing his finger at his followers. ‘Woe unto you, spawn of Israel, if you fail to recognise your Messiah! Be not concerned what he will do for you, but rather be mindful of what you can do for him! Then offer up your souls…leave everything behind you…follow his shadow! Do you not see that my only purpose has been to prepare you for Him? Do not fail me!’
But as John had finished his words, an intuition made a pass over his heart and he stood paused, listening. When he looked, he near lost his bearings. He fell to his knees and pointed to a man who was moving among those who were resting by the water.
‘Look!’ John said sucking air into his lungs, ‘There is the Lamb of God! Do you see Him? I bear record to you…He is the Son of God! He is greater than I, and you must prefer Him above me!’
Those most prepared by John, and even those who had not yet experienced the loosening of baptism turned to look. Those who could see it were stricken by palsy. Only two men were able to overcome their shock enough to make their way to Him – Andrew and John of Zebedee.
The Baptiser watched them go. It was done, nothing to do now but wait.
He climbed his rock and sat down again and as the slight chill announced to him the waning of his days he continued his meditation.
33
WATER AND WINE
Mariam saw the form of a man come over the rise. At first, she thought him a shepherd walking ahead of his flock until she saw that his flock was not so many sheep but so many men.
She saw Jesus shield his eyes to look at her, and in that moment she too shielded her eyes, but not from the sun, which was behind her, but from what seemed to overflow from him. She did not know yet what it was but she was full of comfort to see it.
Now came a shy greeting, full with intimate expectation. Jesus had brought home her other sons, Jude and Simon and Jose, and she was also glad to see them. After meeting those others who had followed him, her daughters set off to prepare the water for their libations while she and Salome took themselves to the house to prepare a simple repast. Later while they shared the meal in the cool of the evening, she heard of Jesus’ doings, of his baptism by John the Baptist and of his travels with his followers in the wilderness of distant lands. The fishermen took turns in telling how in every place, men, women and even children, had recognised Jesus and had sought him out for a blessing or a healing.