SAMUEL - God’s Special Gift
A Story by Manolo Galliano continues to be serialised
Chapter 9
This is the story of Samuel, a child with a mental disability and his encounter with Jesus, Continuing from Issue 224 who became his very special friend. aura of silent majesty. As he came ever closer to where they were standing, Jacob saw that a twisted cap of thorns had been wedged down on his head, causing thin rivulets of blood to trickle down his cheeks from myriad small puncture wounds. He also noted that his face was heavily bruised, his hair matted with congealed blood, and his tunic muddied and bloodstained, which made him realise that he had been tortured whilst being imprisoned. When Jesus was finally brought before him, Pilate stood up, and addressing the representative group of senators and chief priests who were standing nearby, he said to them in a loud voice, “Look! Here is the man!” But they stared insolently at him and shouted back “Crucify him!” And almost immediately, as if it had been rehearsed, this refrain was taken up by many in the crowd who repeated, with blood-curling shouts, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Jacob at once remembered his daughter’s dark and prophetic fears only a few days earlier, when Jesus had been making
Samuel, in his weakened state, has fallen and banged his head, meanwhile Jacob and Rachel witness Jesus being brought before Pontius Pilate … Slowly he hobbled down as best as he could, amid shouted insults and constant heckling from many of those gathered below. A threadbare, purple cloak had been carelessly thrown over his back, but, far from making him look ridiculous, this actually had the opposite effect and lent him an
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what seemed at the time his triumphant entry into Jerusalem to the acclaim of spell-bound crowds. He now became very disillusioned and angry at their irrational behaviour. Meanwhile, Pontius Pilate appeared to become increasingly nervous over the people’s violent reaction and so he addressed them again. “As you are well aware, I always set free a prisoner at this feast of Passover. So, which one do you want me to free for you? Barabbas, the bandit, or Jesus Ben Joseph, whom you call the Messiah?” The people then shouted over louder. “Barabbas! Free Barabbas!” Jacob saw that Pilate was getting really worried about the worsening situation, and this was borne out by his silent command to his soldiers to unsheath their swords and to draw nearer to where he was standing. In what appeared to be a trembling voice, he asked them, “What then, shall I do with Jesus Ben Joseph, the so-called Messiah? Without a moment’s notice they screamed back. “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate, apparently fearing that the whole thing might end up in a riot, sat down again, and ordering one of his servants to bring him a basin of water, proceeded to wash his hands ceremoniously, saying, “I am not responsible for the death of this man. This is your doing!” And with that he gave orders that Jesus should be scourged and be handed over to be crucified. Jacob and the others were aghast at this grave outcome. Apart from being completely confused as what to do next,
