April 2019 214

Getting going on the 2020 Mission A report from the Parish Transformation Training Day

Editor, Fr. Stuart Chipolina with Aid to the Church in Need’s John Pontifex

Are YOU ready to

Fr. Stuart joins with John Pontifex this Lent to draw our attention to new messages from the Holy Father simply entitled ‘The Pope Video’ series.

T

his month we are featuring A Pope Video which touches on the work of the charity Aid to the Church in Need, the beneficiary of Bishop Carmel’s Lenten Appeal.

In it Pope Francis has made an impassioned plea on screen, calling on people to pray for persecuted Christians.

In the video recording, released on Tuesday 5 March in time for the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday, the Pope

begins: “It might be hard for us to believe but there are more martyrs today than in the first centuries.

“They are persecuted because they speak the truth and proclaim Jesus Christ to this society.” The Holy Father speaks in Italian but the video is very well subtitled and easy to follow.

To view this video, Google search ‘The Pope Video March 2019’. Part of a monthly series, the 60-second recording has been produced by the Pope’s

Upon this Rock magazine is published monthly by EuropeAxess Media, Gibraltar. Editor: Fr. S. Chipolina: editor@uponthisrock.gi. Production Editor: A. Sargent: angela@europeaxess.com. Upon this Rock magazine is entirely supported by advertising and donations. It is run Getting going on the 2020 Mission in liaison with the Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar by EuropeAxess Media Ltd. as a not-for-profit project. For Advertisers: This magazine is handdelivered to homes, churches, hospitals and many businesses around Gibraltar every month. To discuss your advertising requirements, or promote your church group or charity, call Tel: +350 200 79335 email: angela@europeaxess.com. Editorial is selected by EuropeAxess Media in liaison with the Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar. Neither of these parties is responsible for the accuracy of the information contained herein, nor do the views and opinions expressed herein necessarily reflect the views and opinions of either party. Advertisers are not endorsed by virtue of advertising in this magazine. EuropeAxess Media Ltd. reserves the right to refuse space to any submissions or advertisements. Efforts have been made to establish copyright owners of images, but if we have used your material, and have not credited you, please contact us to discuss restoration.

The magazine is online at uponthisrock.gi.

Cover: Participants at the 2020 Mission Training Day, Leisure Cinema Photo: ©Upon This Rock A report from the Parish Transformation Training Day

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defend your Faith?

need through information, prayer, and action.

Founded in 1947 by Fr. Werenfried van Straaten, whom Pope St. John Paul II named “An outstanding Apostle of Charity”, the organisation is now at work in 140 countries throughout the world.

Undertaking thousands of projects every year, the charity provides emergency support for people experiencing persecution, transport for clergy and lay Church workers, Child’s Bibles, media and evangelization projects, churches, Mass stipends and other support for priests and nuns and training for seminarians.

In this video the Holy Father is particularly asking us to pray for Christian Communities, but for more information and details of how to donate to the charity see page 12.

Worldwide Prayer Network in association with Vatican Media and Aid to the Church in Need, the Catholic charity which supports persecuted and other suffering Christians.

In the video, the Pope states that, as well as being a problem in countries lacking religious freedom guarantees, persecution occurs in places where such rights are protected “in theory and on paper”.

Taking part in parish based Christian formation and education activities helps us to strengthen our Faith and our ability to stand up for what we believe.

ACN research shows that Christians suffer the most religious persecution and have experienced genocide in their ancient Middle East homeland and elsewhere, with systematic attempts to eradicate their presence.

According to ACN’s twoyearly reports ‘Religious Freedom in the World’ and

‘Persecuted and Forgotten’ which assesses antiChristian oppression, Church communities and other minorities are under increasing threat in parts of the Middle East as well as India, Pakistan, China, Iran and Russia.

Aid to the Church in Need is a Pontifical Foundation directly under the Holy See. As a Catholic charity, ACN supports the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or in

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Lent Events around Gibraltar

Lent Lunches

The now traditional Lent Lunches are being served on Wednesdays in the Kings Chapel Music Room.

On the Menu is a selection of delicious Fresh Home Made Soups, with Fresh Bread, Chunky Cheddar Cheese and Pickles. Tea and Coffee.

Helping out with this ecumenical initiative each of the participating Christian Churches hosts a week during lent; the photos on this page were taken on Holy Trinity’s week. St. Andrew’s Church will be hosting the Lent Lunch on the 3rd of April, and the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned on the 10th of April.

The Lunches cost £5, the proceeds go to local charities.

All are welcome.

WHY GOD? Lenten Talks in St. Theresa’s Parish start with the basic question.

Fr. Michael introduced an interesting video from the series ‘Life in Faith’.

Over coffee and cake the participants had the opportunity to share and discuss the need for God in the World today.

These Lenten Talks, on a different theme each week, will continue after 6pm Mass each Wednesday during Lent.

All are welcome.

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International Friendships: Our Lady of Europe travels to Kingston, Jamaica

The Twinning

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ast month, as we were celebrating Commonwealth Day, a Delegation was returning from Gibraltar’s reciprocal City Twinning visit to Kingston, Jamaica.

Mgr. Charles Azzopardi presented a statue of Our Lady of Europe to Dr. Suzanne Francis Brown, Curator of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Museum.

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Mgr. Azzopardi travelled to Jamaica with Minister for Culture Steven Linares and Mayor Kaiane Aldorino Lopez, courtesy visits were paid to many local dignitaries.

Members of the delegation were shown many historical documents and landmarks evidencing the rich ties between Gibraltar and Kingston.

During World War Two Gibraltarian Evacuees sent to Jamaica lived in wooden huts between 1940 and 1944. That they made the best of their time there can be seen from the press clippings exhibited at the Museum.

After the people of Gibraltar were repatriated to the Rock, the wooden buildings survived becoming the first halls of residence for students of the late 1940’s and 50’s at the University. ‘Gibraltar Hall’ was established among the buildings that used to be Gibraltar Camp.

Professor Ken Magnus, one of the hall’s first residents, recalled his accommodation in an interview with the Jamaica Observer a few years back, “There were two long verandahs, divided into 15 rooms and each had a back and front door. Doors were divided

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into two so you could use it as a door or a window. When we got there, there were beds and bookshelves to use as living quarters,” Magnus stated.

When in due course the wooden buildings were replaced, Chancellor Hall residence was built on the site.

The Great Bell, which was previously hung in the camp’s Sacred Heart church and was used to indicate meal times and other Gibraltarian events, now rang at Chancellor Hall’s sporting activities. Special homage was paid to it at a ceremony in October 2005. It is now ‘enshrined in steel bars that form a globe around it’ atop a Roll of Honour pillar with names of the Caribbean heads who have been educated at UWI. At the corner of Gibraltar Hall Road and Gibraltar Campus Way near the post office on campus, is a monument erected to pay tribute to the old camp.

Hewn out rock from Gibraltar and black African marble it was gifted by the people of Gibraltar in April 2007. A.C. Lara and Maurice Xiberras were both instrumental in having monuments erected in memory of Gibraltarians who never returned home.

Dr. Francis-Brown commented. “For me, looking through the records and talking to some of the persons who were in the first University cohorts, Gibraltar Hall is a part of the university’s history

of Gibraltar and Kingston

The former Gibraltar Camp’s Sacred Heart Church bell became a symbol of the student fraternity and now takes pride of place above a Roll of Honour listing Caribbean heads who have been educated at UWI. Below, the Gibraltar Delegation visited Chancellor Hall, built on the site of Gibraltar Camp.

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Mgr. Azzopardi was received by Archbishop of Kingston His Grace, the Most Rev. Kenneth Richards.

and it represents a time when the university was new and the people who came there appreciated it as an opportunity to not only better themselves but also to play a part in the development of their countries and the region,� she said.

Jamaica Observer tinyurl.com/ UTRtwinning

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Diocesan News

How can to find

we h e l p

wholeness in

update

Working together to build vibrant and dynamic Parishes.

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n a beautifully sunny Saturday, the 16th of March, His Lordship Bishop Carmel, six members of Gibraltar’s Clergy and at least one Priest from a nearby parish in Spain, were amongst 100 people who took part in a Parish Transformation Training Day at the Leisure Cinema Screen 1, and adjacent Boyds marquee.

Christine Caruana explained that the 2020 Mission initiative

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has its roots in the Hand in Hand conference held in Gibraltar last year. A group from that event subsequently came together to share their concerns about the lack of Faith among young people today, they were concerned about their young adult friends, children or grandchildren. Their number was swollen by many who had taken part in last year’s ‘A Call to Holiness’ retreat, enabling them to present the Day of

Christina explained the roots of the Mission initiative Training.

The one day course was mainly focussed on Fr. James Mallon’s teachings.

Born in Scotland, Father James was ordained a Catholic priest in 1997, he is currently the Episcopal Vicar for Parish Renewal and Leadership Support for the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada. He is the author of ‘Divine Renovation: From A Maintenance To A Missional Parish’, an engaging guide for parishes seeking to cultivate vibrant and dynamic faith communities centred on missionary discipleship.

The message of Divine Renovation has resonated in the hearts of tens of thousands of priests and lay people

Chris introduced Fr. Mallon and gave helpful pointers to the content of each video throughout the world. It has inspired and motivated them to act and seek help in transforming their own faith community. To answer their needs, the Divine Renovation Ministry was created, and having familiarised themselves with the material the group in Gibraltar supported

by Bishop Carmel, believe it provides excellent resources for working towards the renovation of our own Parishes.

Videos and Discussions Groups

The format of the Training Day was a series of five short interviews with Fr. James Mallon by Peter Herbeck of Renewal Ministries, shown in the Leisure Cinema. Each short video explored one aspect of

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others

Christ?

After listening to the teachings the participants moved into the bright light of Boyd’s marquee to discuss the material.

The format of the Training Day was a series of short interviews with Fr. James Mallon, above right, by Peter Herbeck of Renewal Ministries.

Fr. James’ teachings. Chris Pitaluga gave a short introduction to each film, quick explanation of some of the terms used that the viewer might be unfamiliar with. After watching each video the participants broke into groups to discuss the material. During the afternoon the participants were asked to move from their discussion groups into specific Parish groups, and a further set of topics was pondered, culminating with the opportunity to volunteer to help bring about change in specific areas. Each group briefly outlined what they felt they could do more to contribute to the life of their Parish and spokespeople volunteered to meet with their Parish Priest to discuss the ideas.

The Alpha Course

In addition Chris Pitaluga gave an ‘optional’ short introduction to the Alpha

Talks, Fr. James Mallon took Alpha to many Catholic Parishes in Canada and found it to be a very efficient tool in the Lord’s vineyard, in terms of time and producing ‘the best fruit’.

Our thanks go to the organisers of the Parish Transformation Training Day for the huge efforts they put into the smooth running of the day, and for the hospitality with unlimited tea, coffee, juice and water, and a delicious light lunch!

What Next?

There are more events planned for May which will give more people the opportunity to join in on this exciting journey. Please see details below, with updates in Parish newsletters, contact Joanna Lett for more information on Mob 58008446, or come along on the day.

5th May: Rosary Around The Rock On Sunday 5th May, the feast day of Our Lady of Europe, a Rosary Relay is planned between 4 and 5pm. Over 30 stationary ‘prayer posts’ have been designated at points all around the Rock where people are invited to come together to pray the Rosary during that hour.

The Prayer Post locations are shown in the ‘Rosary Round the Rock’ leaflet, pick up a leaflet in Church to find one near you.

If you can be at a Prayer Post to pray for Gibraltar during that hour contact Henry Mob 56984000 or Joanne 58008446.

18th May: Outreach Day

On Saturday 18th May, 10am outside the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned, Live Music, Dancing, Live feed to Social Media.

More details to be announced – keep the date free in your diary!

22nd May: Annual Diocesan Procession of Our Lady of Europe The Annual Diocesan Procession of Our Lady of Europe will take place on Wednesday 22nd May at 6:30pm, as usual it will start from St. Bernard’s Church and then process to the Shrine where, upon arrival, the Eucharistic Celebration will take place.

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An Easter Meditation

The

Blessing of

Friends

Sponsored by

D

o you have an “anam cara”, a soul friend?

In Ireland we believe that this friendship survives distance and space and is to be treasured.

“May you never be isolated; but may you always be in the gentle nest of belonging with your “anam cara”. Beautiful words from a Celtic blessing, which are resonating with me this Easter time. This is a holiday of high significance for Christians and it is celebrated both with solemnity of the Passion of Christ, and gloriously at his resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Interestingly, lots of traditions associated with Easter have their roots in pagan celebrations, the word itself Eostre, was the name of a goddess of Spring.

Be that as it may what it means for us is a continuation of traditions that span centuries and allow us to participate in this joyous season. From earliest times people have celebrated the beginning of Spring and today we easily associate the rebirth of nature to coincide with the

Resurrection.

Before that glorious morning Jesus suffered abominably for us, and for us he suffered and died a most inglorious death. “Greater love hath no man than this, to lay down one’s life for ones friends” (John 15;13). In modern parlance it is difficult to get one’s head around this concept.

What is friendship?

What does it really mean?

I suppose it means something different to each one. For me a friendship needs a good dose of honesty where my friends accept my shortcomings yet make me feel comfortable with myself and with them. This works both ways of course and has its rewards, as like any relationship, it needs to be worked at. Love needs learning and this cannot happen on Facebook, Twitter or other Social Media which tend to be a superficial means of communication today.

Friends come to one’s side in times of adversity and distress, and the Bible tells us of several

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Words and Poem by Anne Mesilio great friendships; Ruth and Naomi, David and Jonathan, and Jesus himself enjoyed a close friendship with Mary, Martha and Lazarus even unto the point of raising him from the dead.

There is a loyalty in true friendship as well as a willingness to share our troubles and to look out for and help one another. I like this: “A friend is always a friend, and relatives are born to share our troubles” (Proverbs 17;17). As I believe god does not want us to go through life alone and he sends us people to encourage and guide us. Real friends provide support during times of emotional stress, for instance, illness, death and divorce.

As Jesus carried his Cross on his way to Calvary and crucifixion he was helped by Joseph of Arimathea, who after his death, buried Jesus in his own personal tomb.

Friendship is wonderful and helps to prolong life and wellbeing and is indicative of overall health and well being.

In today’s reckless world and social media heavy society real friendships are a treasure.

Facebook friends are virtual and whilst providing a means of communication, with one click of the mouse they are gone, often leaving us feeling empty.

“Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so”?

(Micah 3;3) a minor prophet in the Bible but he got this right.

Think about it.

God’s love and friendship for us is like the flowers that bloom in spring. Joyous with life and found everywhere. I believe God loves me because he gave me beautiful friends and my life has been enriched a thousandfold these past years.

May God bless you all at this Easter time for the kindness and love you have shared with me and may you be blessed with great joy, today and always.

A Blessed Easter to you all.

A TENDER FRIEND Easter is a time of joy when we Celebrate that great love From a time gone by.

Two thousand years gone by.

And yet the love is new.

I speak of that which comes to mind of heavenly love, born from the perfect sacrifice from He who is the Lamb of God. No greater love it has been said from one who is God, man, teacher and most tender friend.

In human form He walked among us died, and rose again one joyful Easter morn.

Now we celebrate the Spring of this new life, peace and friendship, giving hope to a time of joyful living, in this Springtime of the year.

Rejoice!

Oil Painting: Christ, by Heinrich Hofmann

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The Bishop Carmel Zammit Lenten appeal: Helping Christians in the Holy Land

Already this year Catholic

over a Million to families rebuilding

FUNDING AVAILABLE

The Christian Mission Trust provides local Christians with donations for evangelistic initiatives and outreaches.

The Trust is ecumenical and has provided money to many groups, individuals and churches during the last 12 years.

It is run by a Board of Trustees.

We invite applications for funding from anyone who wishes to launch an evangelistic initiative or who needs support for an existing Christian missionary activity.

Please write to: The Chairman, Christian Mission Trust, 4 South Pavilion Road, Gibraltar.

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John Newton writes…

C h a r i t y has g i v e n

Pounds their lives in the Holy Land Aid to the Church in Need has delivered a fresh £1million aid package offering a lifeline to suffering Christians in the Middle East

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n Commonwealth Day the announcement was made by the ACN charity that during the first two months of 2019 it had paid out emergency relief and pastoral support for Christians in the Middle East including almost £750,000 in Syria and nearly £250,000 in Iraq.

Readers of Upon this Rock and many others in Gibraltar will recognise ACN project partner Sister Annie Demerjian seen here with Lucine, aged 85, from Aleppo, Syria, and volunteer Fadi. Sr. Annie sent a personal thank you by video to Gibraltar which was widely shared on social media soon after Bishop Carmel Zammit’s appeal was launched.

Last month Neville KyrkeSmith, national director, Aid to the Church in Need (UK), who so far this year has made project trips to Egypt and Lebanon, said: “The scale of the charity’s help reflects the immense scale of suffering that we see across the region.

“As the apostle St. Paul challenges us – we are called to help everyone in need, but especially those who are of the household of faith with us.”

ACN, which is funding these projects from money raised around the world, is helping the local Churches respond to the

needs of suffering families in areas of northern Syria where reportedly there are more than 1.9million internally displaced persons.

More than £500,000 has supported projects in Lattakia Governorate, including help for 690 families – covering the period January to June 2019 – and repairs to the Church of St. Anthony the Great in Bakto, which was damaged during the conflict.

In Aleppo, the charity is providing more than £85,000 in emergency help for Christian families throughout the first half of 2019 – prioritising the elderly and the most vulnerable.

In Qaryatyan, in the Homs Governorate, the charity is supporting the Church’s programme providing medical aid to IDPs in the city.

Pope donates funds from Lamborghini charity raffle

will fund a £94,000 package for the Christian village of Bashiqa, 30km from the Nineveh Plains’ largest city, Mosul.

ACN-backed initiatives in the village include rebuilding St. Reginald’s Convent, which belongs to the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena, and repairing a partially destroyed Church-run kindergarten.

Although Bashiqa was badly damaged during Daesh (ISIS)’s occupation of the Nineveh Plains, 405 of the 580 homes that were destroyed have been rebuilt and around 50 percent of the Christians that were displaced by the extremists (1,585 people) have returned.

Images: opposite ACN project partner Sister Annie Demerjian with Lucine, aged 85, from Aleppo, Syria, and volunteer Fadi. (©Aid to the Church in Need). Below ©CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano

Iraq aid includes funds given to the charity by Pope Francis from money raised by a lottery for a custom-built Lamborghini presented to the pontiff by the car’s manufacturers.

Part of the pope’s donation

The world is largely silent in the face of Christian persecution. The scale of the problem is so great, silence is no longer acceptable. Persecuted Christians need YOU - and all of us! Together our prayers and actions can make a difference.

You can PLEDGE YOUR SOLIDARITY by: • Praying ACN’s Prayer found in leaflets in your local Church, or your own prayers for Persecuted Christians in danger.

• Sharing this article and Christian Persecution facts with others so that all understand the need.

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Donation Details:

Bishop Carmel Zammit Lenten Appeal for‘Aid to the Church in Need’, Gibraltar International Bank, Account Name: ‘Trustees RCC/CAN’ Account Number: 00812022, Sort Code: 60-83-14.

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SAMUEL - God’s Special Gift The continuing serialisation of a story by Manolo Galliano.

This is the story of Samuel, a child with a mental disability and his encounter Continuing from Issue 212 with Jesus, who became his very special friend.

Chapter 4 continued

After meeting Jesus, Samuel’s life and those of his family improved immeasurably, they found joy in each other and had decided to move house so as to stay close to Jesus when he chose the area around Capernaum as the centre of his preaching. While their father was tying up loose ends in their old home of Nazareth, Samuel rushed

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his sister Rachel out of the house one morning to go and see Jesus. On their way there Samuel bumped into a woman and they bonded over their friendship with Jesus…

They set off again down the road, which slowly, as the morning progressed, became busier with people travelling, mostly in small or large groups, going in both directions. There were peasants and traders, some of them driving their heavily laden mules and donkeys to

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Tiberias or Capernaum; there were shepherds with their flocks of sheep and goats, the occasional long caravans composed of litters and chariots with long lines of camels taking up the rear and, ever so often, there were the ever present and in many cases, forbidding Roman soldiers. Sometimes just a small group would gallop by, doubtlessly on important business for the Empire. At other times they would meet quite big detachments, made up of foot soldiers or archers, the sunshine gleaming on their spears and shields, as they marched smartly and rapidly, four-abreast, down the highway, raising clouds of dust as they went.

They had now been travelling for most of the morning and were starting to get tired.

Suddenly, Samuel stopped in his tracks and sat down in the middle of the roadway, “I’m hungry!” he cried out, “And I won’t move from here until I have eaten!” Rachel looked at him despairingly, “Well, you should have had your breakfast before rushing away this morning,” she told him, “Come on, let’s go and see whether we can find a quiet shady spot and have something to eat”. The woman interrupted her, “If we walk on for just a bit longer, we’ll come to a small inn and I’m sure we’ll be able to have a good meal there”. Rachel tried to protest and explain that she had brought a picnic lunch with her which they could all share but the woman paid no attention, so much so, that taking Samuel firmly by the hand, she made him continue the journey at a

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faster pace.

A few minutes later, they rounded a bend in the road and immediately saw, tucked away among some trees, a squat stone building with an open courtyard. They made their way in, thankful to be away from the hot midday sun and inside its cool interior.

As their eyes adjusted to the semi-darkness, they noticed that although the dining-area was relatively small, it was nevertheless very clean and the wooden benches and tables appeared to be well scrubbed.

They went and sat down by a corner table near an open window which overlooked a large garden. Through the trees, they could make out the lake with its many fishing vessels and beyond that the scorched pale brown hills of Gergasa to the east.

They looked up on hearing somebody approaching and were greeted by the welcome sight of a hefty but jovial innkeeper bringing along a brimming jug of water and some wooden tumblers. The woman, taking over completely, ordered the speciality of the house and before long they were tucking in to platters of charcoal-roasted fish, goat’s cheese, sweetsmelling bread and a wide variety of fruit.

As they dipped hungrily into the common bowls, the woman said “You know, my dear, I still haven’t told you my name, and you must think that I am very ill-mannered. I am Mary and all my life I have lived in the town of Magdala, and so most people know me as Mary Magdelene.”

Story so far can be found at uponthisrock.gi/articles Then, delicately nibbling a small piece of fish she continued.

“Today, I am on my way to join two friends of mine, Susana and Joanna, whose husband Chuza is an officer in King Herod’s Court. We all met, some time back, through Jesus and we have decided to get together and use up our time and money to follow the Master and minister to him and his disciples.”

Rachel looked at her quizzically and before she could stop herself, exclaimed, “How on earth can you leave everything and do that?” Mary smiled at this short outburst and her eyes glinted, “Because, Rachel, I owe my whole life to the Master,” she replied, “Before he appeared, I was known as the mad woman of Magdala. I was possessed by seven evil spirits and had to be locked up in a bare room because everything that I touched, I would destroy and everybody who came near me, I would try to hurt. Only the fact that my family had been quite rich, saved me from being banished from the town and ending my life in the desert, living as an outcast and even possibly being devoured by wild animals.”

Rachel was quite astounded to hear this account and found it hard to understand that if that was the case, how strange it was then, for this woman to be sitting opposite her and to be acting so normally. Mary seemed to read her thoughts, “Well then, as I was saying, one fine day, the most wonderful in my life, the Master happened to be travelling through Magdala and on passing by my house he heard my awful screams. Upon enquiring from the servants about the cause of them, he asked to be allowed to see me without thinking of any possible danger to himself. They say that I was having one of my very worst attacks, grinding my teeth, foaming at the mouth and grovelling like a wild beast. The Master then came in, and with awesome power, commanded the evil spirits to depart forever. The only thing that I remember is a mighty force engulfing me and shaking my whole body until I could feel only a great nothingness. Slowly I experienced a beautiful feeling

of peace and happiness.

When I opened my eyes, the first thing that I saw was the Master’s face, full of compassion and love, bending over me. Since then, I have decided to dedicate my entire life to him because I know that he is the Messiah, the Holy One of God.” Rachel, who had sat silently listening to what she could only assume was a wondrous miracle performed by Jesus, then told Mary of her own family’s experience with him. Despite constant interruptions from Samuel who, in between mouthfuls, kept correcting his sister in the finer points, she recounted the events when he had got lost and had been found again, and how this had changed all their lives.

Once they had finished their meal, which Mary paid for, despite protestations from Rachel, they set off again, feeling quite refreshed. After a long while, they reached the outskirts of Capernaum, which appeared to be quite a prosperous town and a bustling centre for trade of all kinds.

As they were walking near the shore, by a small wooden jetty, they came across a group of fishermen sitting near their boats, cleaning and mending their nets.

One of them, a big swarthy fellow, who was stacking large rolls of rope on top of a wooden barrel, suddenly shouted at them, “If you are looking for the miracle worker, he has already left with his bunch of friends towards the shore opposite,” and with that, he pointed at a boat in the distance skimming over the still waters of the lake towards the direction of Bethsaida Julias.

“And you know,” he continued, rather uncouthly, “he and his

so-called disciples thought that they could fool all those no-good crowds who were flocking to see him! Little does he know that, at this very moment, they are all racing around the northern shore of the lake taking their sick and maimed with them and will get there before him. Let’s see how our know-it-all wonder-worker copes with so many thousands of people!”

Mary looked vacantly into the far distance for a few minutes and then turning to him, said rather firmly, “My good man, I

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thank you for that information. I suppose you are in a rather bad humour because you probably haven’t caught any fish this morning. So, how would you like to earn several silver pieces by taking me and my friends over to Bethsaida Julias?”

The man frowned and started to blurt out something, but quickly thinking it over and realising that he was onto a good thing, he grinned slyly and accepted the offer.

To be continued…

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