303. Jesus with John of Endor and Syntyche at Nazareth.

 303. Jesus with John of Endor and Syntyche at Nazareth. 16th October 1945. «Master! Master! Master!» The three shouts of John of Endor, who coming out of his little room to go to the fountain and wash himself, meets Jesus coming from it, awake Marjiam, who runs out of Mary's room wearing only a short sleeveless tunic, still barefooted, with eyes and mouth wide open to see and shout: «Jesus is here!» and runs at full speed to climb up to Jesus' arms. The shouts awaken also Syntyche who sleeps in Joseph's old workshop, and who comes out after a few moments, already dressed but with her dark plaits only half done and hanging loose on her shoulders. Jesus, with the boy still in His arms, greets John and Syntyche and urges them to go back into the house because the north wind is very strong. And He enters first, carrying the half naked Marjiam, whose teeth are chattering notwithstanding his enthusiasm. He puts the boy near the fire, which is already lit, and where Mary is busy warming some milk and the boy's clothes, so that he may not catch a cold. The other two do not speak, but they look like the personification of ecstatic joy. Jesus, Who is sitting with the boy in His lap while the Blessed Virgin wraps him up quickly in the warmed garments, looks up and smiling says to them: «I did promise you that I would come. And Simon Zealot will be coming today or tomorrow, too. I sent him on an errand. But he will soon be here and we will be together for many days.» Marjiam is soon dressed and his little cheeks, which had turned pale with the cold, colour once again. Jesus puts him down and goes into the next room followed by everybody. Mary goes in last holding the boy by the hand. And She reproaches him kindly: «What should I do to you, now? You disobeyed. I said to you: “Stay in bed until I come back”, instead you came before...» «John's shouts awoke me...» replies Marjiam apologetically. «That is exactly when you should have obeyed. To stay in bed while one sleeps is no obedience and there is no merit in doing so. You should have been able to do it when there was merit, because it exacted your will power. I would have brought Jesus to you. And you would have had Him all to yourself, without running the risk of catching a cold.» «I did not know that it was so cold.» «But I did. It grieves Me to see you disobey.» «No, Mother. It grieves me more to see You thus... If it had not been for Jesus I would not have got up even if You had forgotten Me in bed without any food, my beautiful Mother!... Give me a kiss, Mummy. You know that I am a poor boy!...» 303. Jesus with John of Endor and Syntyche at Nazareth. 93 Mary takes him in Her arms and kisses him, stopping thus the tears running down his cheeks and making him smile once again with the promise: «I will never, never, never again disobey You!» Jesus in the meantime is speaking to the two disciples. He inquires about their progress in Wisdom, and as they state that everything becomes clear to them through Mary's words, He says: «I know. The supernaturally bright Wisdom of God becomes clear light also for the most hard-hearted people, when spoken by Her. But you are not hard-hearted, and thus you fully benefit from Her teaching.» «You are here now, Son. The teacher becomes a pupil once again.» «Oh! no! You will continue to be the teacher. I will listen to You as they do. I am only “the Son” these next days. Nothing else. You will be the Mother and Teacher of Christians. You are so even now: I am Your First-Born and first pupil, and they, and Simon when he comes, are the others... See, Mother? The world is here. The world of the future in the little pure Israelite who will not even be aware of becoming the “Christian”; the world, the old world of Israel in the Zealot; mankind in John, the Gentiles in Syntyche. And they all come to You, the Holy Mother Who gives the milk of Wisdom and Life to the world and to centuries. How many mouths have desired to suckle at Your breast! And how many will do so in future! Patriarchs and Prophets longed for You, because the Nourishment of man was to come from Your fertile womb. And “My followers” will seek You to be forgiven, taught, defended, loved, like as many Marjiams. And blessed are those who will do so! Because it will not be possible to persevere in Christ, unless grace is fortified by Your help, Mother full of Grace.» Mary looks like a rose in Her dark dress, as She blushes so much at Her Son's praise. A splendid rose in a very humble dress, of coarse dark brown wool... They knock and Mary of Alphaeus, James and Judas come in together, the latter laden with pitchers of water and faggots. Their joy to meet again is reciprocal. And it increases when they learn that the Zealot will be coming soon. That Alphaeus' sons are fond of him is obvious, even without the words spoken by Judas in reply to his mother's remark commenting their joy: «Mother, just in this house and one very sad evening for us, he showed us the love of a father and still has that love for us. We cannot forget it. He is for us “the father”. We are for him “his sons”. Which sons do not rejoice in seeing a good father?» Mary of Alphaeus is pensive and sighs... Then, being very practical even in her grief, she asks: «And where will you let him sleep? You have no room. Send him to my house.» «No, Mary. He will live under My roof. But it is soon settled. Syntyche will sleep with My Mother, I with Marjiam, Simon in the workshop. Nay, we had better prepare at once. Let us go.» And the men go out into the kitchen garden, while the two Maries go to do their work in the kitchen