CHAPTER TWENTY
“Joseph! Come quickly, Jesus is standing. How is this possible? Look, Joseph!” And with this Jesus takes his first earthbound steps towards Joseph, the Son now clings tightly to Joseph, while Joseph bends his knee, and looks into the piercing eyes of his Son. A sudden sense of fear grips Joseph as he recalls all the memories of his birth, the shepherds, the wise men, this is all too much.
Joseph dare not interrupt the child, the child just slowly reaches out a hand, lays it into the palm of Joseph, there are two hands now, a tiny fragile hand inside a carpenter’s hand, tears start to form in the eyes of Jesus, in his mind memories are flashing, he recalls his longing, when all that was, is God!
He travels back in time inside his soft glowing Spirit, he sees himself walking with Adam in the cool of the day, laughing, dancing, holding hands, when there was no one save God and Adam, the good intent, the love purposed, solely given and entrusted, taken from the heart, breathed into an earthen vessel … and behold, man.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Jesus runs into the courtyard where Joseph is busy crafting a solid piece of lumber. “Look, Jesus,” Joseph speaks, “this piece of wood was meant for a far greater purpose, take this piece of wood, apply crafty hands, the hammer, nails, and it is finished.” The Nazarene Child stares as Joseph works the lumber, “look, Jesus, take this ruler, straighten a line, cut the wood with care and love, don’t force the wood, gently until it is in pieces. Once we have all the pieces together, look, we make them one again!”
Later in the afternoon, Joseph and Jesus depart to the market. “Mary, I am taking Jesus to the market, we must find a lamb, a lamb without spot or blemish! Tomorrow is the beginning of the Passover and this is our duty, a lamb needs to be sacrificed, we should eat it with bitter herbs and remember our day of redemption.
Jesus, this is real, a lamb must die!” Jesus just solemnly replies: “I know.” During the next day Joseph, Mary, and Jesus arrive at the place of sacrifice, the crowds are humming, pressing shoulder against shoulder; everyone will sacrifice a lamb today.
It is evident in the bleating of sheep, a lot of blood will flow today. Joseph takes the blameless lamb puts it around the shoulders of Jesus. “Jesus, hold onto this lamb, but once we hand it over to the priests, you have to let go. For look, don’t be afraid son, you will see blood today, this is the custom my boy, blood must flow.” The small family makes their way up the steep walkway and into the holy temple.
Smoke fills the temple court where there is an ongoing sacrifice, this is evident in the smell, a sweet smell that could only be described as that of flesh being consumed. Jesus sees a man sitting in one corner of the temple court. It is clear that this man has no lamb, evident by the cracks in his face and tiredness in his eyes, this man is well aged, everyone rushes past the man, no one would even consider giving him a hand.
Jesus just walks up to the man, goes down on his knees, look deep into the dark eyes, and speak:
“Where is your lamb?” The man replies: “I have no lamb.” Jesus just replies with a sure smile.
The high priest takes the lamb from Jesus, then, remembering his Father’s instruction, he let go! Joseph speaks to Jesus: “Son, look carefully at the lamb, this lamb must die so that we might live.” Jesus just carefully observes as the priest slit the lamb’s throat and quickly turns his face away as the blood started to flow.