Central Galilee
All us women had cotton tunics, and bright colored scarves over our heads, we'd wake up and go about so early some days, the streets were empty-for the most part-that is to say, not even a delivery wagon in sight. And here we were, a group walking like a squadron of soldiers, or perhaps we looked more like ducks, walking down the cobblestoned streets.
I loved the chill of the mornings, we were moving out towards the central part of Galilee, to Cana, westward and then south. We three women took no more than the men, the less to carry the better.
I remember on those long walks, or at least the first long walk we took with Salome, I was thinking: what was she so terribly guilty of, I pondered on it, but left it alone, so did Mary, I mean, we didn't want to judge one another, and if Jesus had forgiven her, who were we to look upon her less than us.
Oftentimes, Jesus wore a brown tunic, carried a traveler's bag slung around his shoulders, he was quite: emphatic, quick to justified tempers, yet sympathetic to those in need.
All in all, it was odd, in that no man of the God family had ever lived on earth before, and here he was. It was something I, or we thought about, and being too hard to absorb, we just tucked it away.
I got irritated with all those stones that rolled, somehow rolled out of nowhere into and under my sandals: under my arch, and toes, and into every crevice of the sandal, but after a while you just let them come and go, come and go, lest you get a backache trying to readjust your sandal every mile, or every minute. And I was always wiping perspiration from my face, we all were I guess, it was a fact of life, I mean, it became a fact of our lives, and those blasted mosquitoes, in the nose and ears, eyelids. I laugh at it now, but back then it was a bother, yet I'd do it over again and again just to walk with the Healer.
We were all awestruck for the longest time-us three women, if not curious the times we weren't. To Cana we traveled which is of course close to Nazareth, and I do remember that, they had said-long before this trip-that who did Jesus think he was, I mean, he was to them Joseph's son, a carpenter's son, no more, and here we were heading into the lion's den, as Daniel once did.
On the way to Cana, Jesus told us to call the Father, "Abba," when we prayed, the reason being, that it was special, and it showed adoration and respect, along with love, the love a child might use to a parent, it superseded all other languages. And so I did, and I'm sure Mary of Magdalene did likewise.
And yes, we are back to those pain in the neck mosquitoes, I can't seem to get them out of my mind, they were everywhere for several miles. We slapped our arms and faces and shooed them away from our ears, until we got weary and tired of doing it, then the closer we got to Cana, they up and disappeared, just like that, dispersed. We even got sun burnt faces and arms and back on our necks, in those far-off days.
Bartholomew was from Cana, and when we got to the town, the township was-by and large, was friendly. His reputation had preceded him, although I'm sure when we walked down the streets we were quite the strange sight to them, but they were waiting, and Mary the mother of Jesus was there for an occasion, and that was the best news I'm sure for both Jesus and Mary- to see one another again. It seemed odd to me, he had a mother, not sure why, I guess I felt he was the Son of God, that he just up and left heaven one day, and here he was, whole and visiting earth-I know I'm repeating myself somewhat, but I can't help it.
Anyhow, if I had any value in those days, it was my cooking, I was the best cook, and I can boast of that I think. I liked making lentil soup, and roasted lamb, served with barley.
When Mary Magdalene spoke to Mary, the mother of Jesus in Cana, one early afternoon, Mary seemed more at ease, when she returned, she had mentioned to her-so I'd find out later-of the Immaculate Conception. Before this, we girls-as was previously mentioned figured Jesus just appeared one day, as if on Mount Tabor, and henceforward he came-something like that.
As the Zealots were thinking Jesus was here to take over the world, deliver Israel from the Romans, a rebellion was in the making, how wrong they were. I kind of swayed back and forth on this, not really knowing; Mary knew better on his mission, and I learned: it was not his wish, had he done that, his teachings would not have been adhered to, not even heard: or if heard lost in the pandemonium. He wanted the word of God to stretch across the world, announcing the Kingdom of God is at hand-first and foremost!
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