Author: djpasternak

(Jonathan. the main character in my novel Daybreak from on High. returned to his home after celebrating Passover with a group of friends including a Roman Soldier. During the Seder he felt the presence of his deceased wife, Sarai.)”

When I came to the arbor of my outdoor area, something inside me refused to open the door. Once inside, I felt Sarai would leave and loneliness overcome me. I sat down on a crate and placed the lantern on the table. Despite the wine and food I’d consumed, my mind was clear and alert.

I recounted times spent with her, from the first moment we were alone in my home when she dropped the pottery in the kitchen, and her attraction to me was revealed. Finally after some hours, I grew weary and rose to enter my dwelling.

Distant voices echoed through the Kidron Valley. Was it my imagination? I strained to hear them, but thought it might just be the wind. There were lights barely visible near a garden called Gethsemane at the bottom of the Mount of Olives. By then my eyes were heavy. Entering the dwelling, I stumbled to my cot as the lantern ran out of oil. I fell into a deep sleep and awoke near dawn, but rolled over and fell asleep once more.

During this early morning lapse, a nightmare invaded my rest. Columba was striking a Roman soldier pounding a nail into the wrist of a bruised and bleeding man about to be crucified. The blade of a sword severed my friend’s arm and blood splattered over everything. I must have cried out and suddenly someone was shaking me.

“Jonathan, it’s all right. You’re dreaming,” Columba shouted, embracing me with one arm.

The shock of seeing him brought on hysteria, and I could not stop screaming. Finally, exhausted I fell back on my cot sobbing.

“You scared me Jon. Let me get you some water. What frightened you so?”

“I’m fine now. But I can’t talk about it.”

“Let’s get some fresh air out under the arbor.”

We sat for a while, and Columba brought me water from the well nearby. Then he told me why he came. “I am sorry to be the bearer of some disturbing news. How are you feeling now?”

“I’m fine. Go on, tell me.”

“Simon came back to the apartment of Josephus late last night. I had decided to sleep there and was awakened from a peaceful slumber. In fact, everyone was roused by a pounding on the door. It seems Simon heard from a servant in the Palace of Ananias that Yeshua had been seized in Gethsemane, the garden near the Kidron Valley. A contingent of Roman soldiers and Temple Guards brought Him forcibly to the palace. They struck His head and spat on Him accusing Him of blasphemy. Ananias sent Him to Caiaphas. That’s all Simon could tell us.”

“They will kill Him, Columba. By crucifixion,” I said immediately regretting my words.

“I cannot bear it. I’ve seen it once. How could they do that to one so innocent? I know He is the Messiah.”

The third anointing of Jesus took place two days before the Passover which would be Tuesday of Holy Week. The accounts are found in Matthew 26:6-12 and Mark 14:3-9. There are minor differences in these two gospels while basically presenting identical versions of the same event. Both versions tell us they took place in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper.

To illustrate this point compare: “Now when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the Leper, a woman came up to Him with an alabaster jar of costly perfumed oil and poured it on His head while He was reclining.” Mathew 26:7 and “While He was in Bethany reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil, costly genuine spikenard. She broke the alabaster jar and poured it on His head.” Mark 14:3

The same objection arose in both accounts: the amount spent should have been given to the poor. In Matthew the complaint came from the disciples while in Mark it was from unknown persons at the dinner. Jesus countered with the woman did this in anticipation of His burial. He went further saying  in Matthew 26:13 … wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be spoken of, in memory of her.  and in Mark 14:9, …wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.

In the first anointing, Jesus defended the sinful woman, when the Pharisee who hosted the dinner objected to the type of woman who did the anointing, saying: …your sins are forgiven…Your faith has saved you; go in peace. Luke 7:48-50. In the second anointing the complaint came from Judas Iscariot that the money should have been given to the poor. John’s gospel plainly gives Judas another motive that he was a thief; he held the money bag for the disciples. Finally in John 12:7 Jesus said, …leave her alone. Let her keep it for my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.

This seems to indicate there was a fourth anointing of Jesus body at the tomb. and also that he desired it be done. Our Lord Jesus was truly human and divine!

“We heard about the glorious procession from the Mount of Olives. We didn’t see you but some who followed Him told us they were amazed Yeshua just looked around and left. Their disappointment was evident,” Simon said.                                                                          ”I just could not understand what happened, Jon,” Abraham added sadly.“                  Mother would have said, wait and see. I wonder what Nicodemus would make of it?”         “I don’t know, Jon. Some Pharisees were disturbed by the adulation Yeshua received. Many think they and the scribes would like to kill Him. And worse Ananias the Chief Priest feels threatened. I know this for a fact,” Simon whispered.                                              “Will your father never change, Abraham?” I asked, knowing the answer.                          “Of course not, Jon. He’s worse than ever, but we still listen to his every word. I have not known him to find news that was invalid. Yet, even my father cannot tell us why nothing came of the Messiah’s entrance into the city in the joyous and glorious procession.”           A commotion at the entrance of the Court drew our attention in that direction. A man came through the throngs of pilgrims and sellers turning over the tables of the money changers.                                                                                                                                          “Look at that. He’s doing it again,” Abraham said.

Yeshua headed toward the dove sellers flinging their seats aside. They proceeded to gather their carts of doves and head out of the Court, just as I had done the first time he came to condemn the merchants in the Court.                                                                       “They do what he says,” Abraham said. “He did not bother to release the birds or disturb the creatures. The sellers must fear that he would. No one is preventing Him from causing such a disruption. Where are the Temple guards? It is as if He is totally in charge.”                                                                                                                                              “Oh but He is! This is the house of His Father. Yeshua is the Messiah,” Simon said.          “He said it Himself in the Portico of Solomon. He is the Son of God and they are one,” I said in agreement.

Yashua came closer. He paused in front of us and shouted:                                                          “Is it not written: My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. But you have made it a den of thieves.”                                                                                                                      His eyes met mine for an instant. He left without another word and faded into the crowd.“He’s gone,” Abraham said. “You must know the authorities will certainly hear of this. I fear for Him. They are ruthless and powerful.”                                                       “Unless He uses mighty powers of another kind,” I added.

One year ago on Palm Sunday, I have a vivid memory of  standing in front of our church with numbers of people holding palms in bright sunshine as our priest joyfully and generously sent streams of abundant blessed water on each and everyone of his flock. Children giggled, adults smiled and our exuberant shepherd exuded happiness. We processed into the church for Mass.

It was a reenactment of the procession begun at Bethsaida, down the Mount of Olives, through the Sheep gate into the streets of Jerusalem and finally entering the Great Temple in Jerusalem. They sang Hosanna to the King of David, the Messiah. Their king rode a donkey, just as He was carried thirty some years before in the womb of His Blessed Mother Mary into Bethlehem.

Just six days after the exuberant procession, their King was brutally nailed to a cross on Golgotha. That is why Palm Sunday is also called Passion Sunday and the Gospel of the Passion of Christ is read at Mass. Jesus experienced jubilation shadowed by the Cross. Today amid a devastating epidemic, with churches closed, we also celebrate the triumphant entry of Jesus into the Holy City knowing not only the reality of the Cross but also the end of the story, Resurrection.

We are a people of hope. Most of us are watching Mass via the internet. We pray for the end of this confinement and separation from the Sacraments. The Lord is still in control and He knows what He is about. I believe He will use this evil for good.

Note:
It is not mentioned where Jesus had supper on the night of Palm Sunday. Perhaps he went to the home of Lazarus in Bethany. The Gospel of Mark says the next day when He was coming from Bethany, He was hungry; He saw a fig tree and found no fruit on it and made it wither. It makes me wonder: Had he eaten the night before? My daughter in law told me of a custom to set a place at your supper table for Jesus on Palm Sunday, and we will be doing that tonight. This is an especially good custom at this time with most people not inviting guests.

John 12:1-8

The second anointing is recorded in the Gospel of John. It came six days before the Passover, the day before Jesus entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. (Some say this was the same anointing that is found in Mark 14 and Mathew 26 but it is clear that those gospel accounts occurred at a different time than this one in John and the facts also differ substantially.)

Jesus was invited to dine at the home of Lazarus, Martha and Mary in Bethany, a town on the Mount of Olives a couple of miles from Jerusalem. The raising of Lazarus is found in John 11. It seems this was given as a celebration for that miracle. Martha was serving and Jesus and Lazarus sat together.

Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
Judas Iscariot objected saying the money should have been given to the poor etc. But Jesus said, Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial.
       Did Mary keep some of this oil for that day just seven days later?

Jesus continued: You always have the poor with you but you do not always have me.
This last remark shows the human side of Jesus. Just as, at the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus wept, reveals the human emotions He experienced.
We know though destined for heaven, He would be leaving behind on earth those He had grown to love. Not that He would leave them or us as orphans, but would always be with His friends in Spirit.
In the end it is all about love

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday and I will write about that Holy Day and will pick up with the Third Anointing on Tuesday, two days before Jesus last Passover with His disciples.

{If anyone has different views or evidence about this subject on the number, times or anything pertaining to the anointing of Jesus., please send a comment. I am certainly no biblical scholar or theologian.}

Luke 7:36-50

There are three different times Jesus was anointed by a woman in the gospels. The first is recorded in Luke. This occurs in Chapter 7 after the healing of the centurion’s servant in Capharnaum and the raising of the widow’s son in Nain, and also after the messengers came sent by John the Baptist to ask Jesus: Are you the one who is to come or should we look for another?

The last section titled The Pardon of the Sinful Woman gives the first account of an anointing of Jesus chronologically. He was invited to a pharisee’s house for dinner. While Jesus reclined at table a sinful woman stood behind him and then at his feet she bathed them with her tears, wiped them with her hair and kissed them and anointed them with ointment from an alabaster jar. Jesus’ host rebuked Him but Jesus told the pharisee he did not even wash Jesus’ feet or kiss Him in greeting etc.

 Jesus went on to teach those present that evening a lesson through a parable about a debtor. This woman had much to be forgiven and therefore loved Him more than those with less to be forgiven. Her act of love would not be forgotten. St. Luke made sure of that.

Tomorrow, Nisan 8 on the calendar of Jesus time in Israel and six days before Passover, we’ll visit the second anointing of Jesus the day before Palm Sunday.

 There is a place one cannot describe in mere words
And that is home.
Forty-nine years ago we found a sadly barren lot
Less than two acres
Two twenty somes with starry eyes and empty pockets
We imagined a chalet of wood and glass atop a shale ledge
A few wild cherry trees and baby cedars strewn here and there
No shade to shield us as we dug footings
The pieces of the place we would inhabit these many years of married life
Arrived upon a flatbed truck
It rose, a shell constructed by a master builder and one man who rode a Harley
The roof was laid, our work began
With staple gun I lined the rooms with silver insulation
My mate began and conquered every challenge
With books lent from Bloomfield library
And experience gained from his father
Married in May of seventy-one, saving for a year
And then the pain and joy of bringing dream to life
With help of family and friends
Sustained by food cooked on Aunt Mary’s Coleman stove
And ice cream cones in summer
Transported by our Willies’s jeep along with shovels, tools. and will
Clad in old clothes and young ideas
Scraping up each payment to the bank
Our wages gladly given: his for food and rent, mine for materials
In the fall of seventy-three we moved
Carrying with us a son; in the oven as my mom would say
And four years later a daughter.
We became a family, the house a home.
The years flew by and on this first day of March
As the sun rises, I am drawn to bring my coffee on the southern deck
And once again relive in the present that marvel experienced from the first
The spring coolness, the clean country air
The sun, the sounds of distant birds greeting morning
Being home.

Lord, thank you for the sunrise
And early morning light
The coo of mourning dove calling to her kin

Thank you for the pain and grief
That draws me to your heart
And births in me humility
Freeing me from sin.

Thank you for my family,
Friends gathered on the way,
For trials and joys of life
‘Tis worth them both, I know

Thank you for the sunrise
When the Morning Dove returns
With joyful notes resounding

Purifying love.

The recent epidemic in China brought a flood of news about the fear of the population; fear of contracting the disease through contact with people who exhibit symptoms of the Corona virus. In some areas people are confined within the their towns and cities. Those aboard ships are being prohibited from going ashore. Face masks, disinfectants are in short supply.

My husband related the story of one Chinese man who decided to confront his fears and use his car for transporting those exhibiting symptoms of the virus to hospitals. He used face masks at first  and when they ran out he used his coat for protection. The report was broadcast on the radio.

When disaster strikes, heroes come forth and saints are made. Don’t know if this hero was Christian but he is certainly  living what Jesus declares: “Greater love has no man than this, that he would lay down his life for his friends.”  We may never hear what becomes of this person; perhaps he is a saint among saints unknown.