Christian Middle

A further imagining of Anna’s time in Jerusalem

Something is wrong.

We’ve been in Jerusalem since last week, making it just in time to celebrate the last Sabbath in the Temple before the Passover.

Jesus only came the next day. It was glorious the day he arrived. He came into the city on a donkey – just the way the prophets said the Messiah would arrive. People praised him, laying down palms and even their own clothing in his path. Abba said some of the Temple priests worried that the Romans would think it was a riot, but it was completely peaceful. For that day, at least.

Since then, it’s been more contentious. Jesus threw a fit when he went into the Temple and found all the money changers cheating the pilgrims coming in for the Passover. The priests hushed that one up before the Romans came, but you could tell they weren’t happy. Then they started challenging Jesus while he was talking to the crowds, trying to discredit him with people who had never seen him before. That was a mistake! Jesus had the perfect answer for every trap they set. They asked him whether we should pay taxes to Rome. He told them to look at the image of Caesar on the coins and pay to Caesar what belonged to him, but to give God what belonged to God. Pretty good, right?

The Passover begins tonight. Like most of us, when Jesus comes to Jerusalem, he always stays with a family outside the city. The sisters there are his close friends and I heard that he had recently raised their brother Lazarus after he’d been dead for days! I need to talk to that man! Anyway, Mary had put out the word that all of us from Galilee should celebrate the Passover with them and Martha was coordinating the effort. We’re a big crowd so it’s a lot of prep.

Jesus just left. He’s always coming by to talk to us women. Most men never even think of thanking women for all the work they do keeping everyone fed and taken care of. Martha asked him again if there wasn’t any way she could help him, but he told her he was celebrating this first Passover night in the city with his disciples and that it was all taken care of.

But he looked sad. He kind of lingered with us for a while and made sure he said something to each of us. He told me, “Keep up with your writing, Anna. It will be important.”

And this is why, in the midst of all this happy celebrating, I think something bad is going to happen.

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