Two days were spent in this quiet, cheerful fashion. Then Jesus said
to the disciples: "It is over; we must return to Jerusalem."
They were to spend the festival in the city, and James had hired a room
in which the Master and His twelve faithful friends could solemnly
celebrate the Passover. His disciples again gathered round Him; but
they looked anxious. For they had had unpleasant experiences in their
walks through the town. The mood of the people had entirely changed;
they spoke little of the Messiah but rather of the demagogue and
betrayer of the people, just in the same tone as had been used in
Galilee. Only here the expressions were more forcible, and accompanied
with threatening gestures. In front of the town gates, where there was
a rocky hill, Thomas had watched two carpenters nailing crossbeams to
long stakes. He asked what they were doing, and was told that
criminals were impaled on the festival. Questioning them more closely,
he learned that they were desert robbers.
"Desert robbers?" said a passer-by. "What are desert robbers? There
are desert robbers every year. This time quite different people are to
be hoisted up."
"Yes, if they're caught," said another. "His followers are burrowing
somewhere in the city, but He Himself has flown. It's too absurd how
the police seek everywhere, and can't find out where He is."
Thomas did not want to hear any more, and took himself off.
Judas heard similar things, only more plainly; it was quite clear that
it was the Master who was meant. Things had gone as far as that! And
all the enthusiasm had been false. The olive-branches and palm-leaves
were not yet all trodden down, and they bore witness to the Messianic
ecstasy of four days ago. And to-day? To-day the police were
searching for Him! But wasn't it His own fault? To run into the jaws
of your enemies, and to irritate and abuse them--to do no more than
that! If He had only stirred a fold of His cloak to show who He was.
Who believed that He had walked on the water: that He had brought the
dead to life? They only laughed when such things were related. Why
did He not do something now? Just one miracle, and we should be saved.
Perhaps He is intentionally letting things come to the worst, so that
His power may appear the more impressive. They will take Him and put
Him in chains, lead Him out amid the joyful cries of the mob, and
suddenly a troop of angels with fiery swords will come down from
heaven, destroy the enemy, and the Messiah revealed will ascend the
throne. That will happen, must happen. The sooner the better for all
of us. How can it be hurried on? His indecision must be changed into
determination. I wish they had Him already, so that we could celebrate
a glorious Passover. Such were the thoughts of the disciple, Judas
Iscariot. Sunk in deep reflection he walked through the streets that
evening. The pinnacles and towers glowed in the dull red of the
setting sun. He met several companies of soldiers: a captain stopped
him and asked if he did not come from Galilee?
"I suppose you're asking about the Prophet," replied Judas; "no, I'm
not He."
"But I'm certain you know about Him."
Judas drew a deep breath, as if he were on the point of saying
something. But he said nothing, pursued his way, and came to the house
where they were all gathered round the Master.
The room was large and gloomy. A single lamp was suspended over the
large table, covered with a white cloth, that stood in the centre,
around which they were already seated. The Master was so placed that
the whole table could see Him. A large dish with the roasted Paschal
lamb stood before Him. By its side were the Passover herbs in shallow
bowls. On the table were other bowls, and the unleavened bread baked
for the festival in remembrance of the manna eaten in the wilderness.
Near the centre of the table was a beaker of red wine. They were
silent or speaking in whispers, so that the steps of Judas, as he
entered, echoed. He was almost terrified by the echo. Then he greeted
them in silence with a low bow and sat down, just opposite John, who
was at the Master's right hand, while Peter sat at His left.
There was solemn silence. Their first Passover in Jerusalem! Jesus
took one of the unleavened cakes, broke it, and laid the pieces down.
James divided the lamb into thirteen portions.
"We are thirteen at table," whispered Thaddeus to his neighbour
Bartholomew. He was silent. They did not eat, but sat there in
silence. The lamp flickered, and the reddish reflection hovered about
the table. Then Jesus began to speak.
"Eat and drink. The hour approaches."
John placed his hand tenderly on His, and asked: "What do you mean,
Lord, when you say, The hour approaches?"
"My friends," said Jesus, "you will not understand how what will happen
this night can come to pass. They will come and condemn Me to death.
I shall not flee, for it must be so. I have to bear testimony to the
Father in heaven and of His tidings, and therefore I am ready to die.
If I were not willing to die for My words, they would be like sand in
the desert. If I were not willing to die, My friends would not be
justified, and would doubt Me. A good shepherd must lay down his life
for his flock."
"Master," said Thomas, and his voice trembled, "not when you live; only
when you die, could we doubt you."
Then Jesus looked sadly round the circle, and said: "One among you
doubts Me, though I live."
"What do you mean by that, Lord?" asked Judas.
Jesus said: "The Son of Man goes His appointed way. Yet it would be
better for that man never to have been born. One of My own people will
betray Me this night."
As if struck down by a heavy weight, they were silent for a moment.
Then they exclaimed: "Who is it? Who is it?"
"One of the twelve who sits at this table."
"Master!" exclaimed Peter, "what causes that gloomy thought? No one is
unfaithful."
Jesus said to him; "Yes, Simon Peter! And another at this table will
deny Me before morning cockcrow."
They were silent, for they were all greatly afraid. After a while He
continued speaking. "It must happen as the Father in His wisdom has
determined. But the time of work begins for you. You will be My
apostles, My ambassadors, who will travel over the world to tell all
the nations what I have told you. You shall be the salt of humanity,
and season it with wisdom. You shall be the yeast which causes it to
ferment. To others I have said, Do the good work secretly; to you I
say, Let your light shine forth as an example. Be wily as the serpent,
and let not hypocrites deceive you; be like clever money-changers, who
accept only good coins and refuse the false. Be without guile, like
doves, and go forth, innocent as the sheep who go among wolves. If
they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. Where you sow
peace for others, there will be the sword for you. It will also come
to pass that your message of peace will awake discord; one brother will
dispute with the others, children will be against their parents,
because some will be for Me and others against Me. But the time will
come when they will be united, one flock under the care of one
shepherd. Then there will be a great fire on earth, that of enthusiasm
for the Spirit and for Love. Would it were already burning! Do not
despair because, with your simplicity and want of eloquence, your
ignorance of foreign tongues, you must travel in strange lands. The
moment you have to speak, My Spirit will speak through you in burning
eloquence. If you are silent, then the stones must speak, so vital is
the word that must be spoken. You must speak to the lowly of the glad
tidings; you must speak to the mighty who possess the power to kill
your body, but not your soul. Days of temptation and persecution will
come, I will not cease to implore the Father to stand by you. Be not
cast down. If I did not now depart, the Spirit could not come to you.
The visible is an enemy of the invisible. I have spoken to you much in
parables, so that it may the better remain in your memory. I had still
much to say to you; but My Spirit will speak to you, and He will make
you understand more easily than when I spoke in parables. Upon you I
build My Church; do you open the Kingdom of God to all who seek it.
What you do on earth in My name will also hold good in heaven with the
Father. And now I give you My peace as the world can never give it. I
remain with you in My Spirit and My Love."
* * * * * *
The great words were spoken. A solemn peace fell on their hearts.
Judas went out. The rest sat on in silence and looked at the Master
with unbounded affection. They could not understand what He had said,
but they felt these were words before which the earth would tremble and
the heavens bow down.
And now something extraordinary happened. It was not a miracle, it was
more than a miracle. Jesus stood up, took a towel and a washing-bowl,
knelt before each, and washed his feet. In their astonishment they
offered no resistance. When He came to Peter, Peter said, "No, Master,
you shall not wash my feet."
To which Jesus replied: "If I do not, then you are not Mine."
Said Peter: "If that is so, then wash my face and hands, too, O Lord!
so that it may be evident how utterly I am yours."
Then Jesus said: "You call Me Lord, and yet I wash your feet. I do
this so that you may know that among men there is no lord, that all are
brethren who shall serve one another. See how I love you. No one can
give a greater proof of his love than to die so that his friends may
live. So I leave you this legacy: Brothers, love one another. As I
love you, love one another."
John, overcome by those words, sank on his knees, and, sobbing, laid
his head upon His bosom. And Jesus said once more: "Children, love one
another."
Then He again sat down with them at the table. They were all silent.
Jesus took bread in His hand, lifted it a little towards heaven that it
might be blessed, and broke it in two. He handed the pieces to the
right and left of Him, and said: "Take it and eat. It is My body that
will be broken for you."
They took it. Then He took the beaker of wine, lifted it to heaven
that it might be blessed, passed it round, and said: "Take it and
drink. It is My blood that will be shed for you."
And when they had all drunk. He added: "Do this in remembrance of Me."