Historical setting: 561 C.E. Gaul
I’m asking Eve who is hiding her face from me, “Does that answer your question? Did you need to know that the stories I know best are written in the Gospel of John?”
“That wasn’t really my question, Papa. I really don’t care about that; but it was the priest who seemed obsessed with naming true gospels. I just needed that clue to ask the proper question. But I still have the question.”
“What is that?”
“I want to know the details about the nature of the healing when Jesus healed the pagan with the dreaded skin disease. I know the message of the story was that Jesus loves even his enemies and eats meals with bad people. But I want to know the actual facts – the nature of the healing.”
Dear God, I know she is begging to be healed of the scars. I know my answer is empty of that. Please be with us and heal all of us who know Eve to have eyes for seeing her beauty as you see her. Thank you for your gift of love. Amen.
“My dear child Eve, I think I understand now the Christian secret. Even though you are called a pagan you already know the secret well because you love and care for others even in their most difficult need; that kind of care for the sick and least beautiful of us is what is asked of all of us who claim to be Christian. Scars disappear unnoticed to those who see persons as God sees them. You don’t need the veils any longer for Ezra and for the children. After the first look they know you as the person not as the scars. I can overlook the scars too if you let me see your face.”
“That’s not really helpful Papa. It is too important to me to have a papa again and I won’t take that chance on you seeing my face and screaming and running at the very sight of me. Please just tell me that story of the pagan with the dreaded skin disease.”
(Story continues next Tuesday, December 10)
Lazarus Ink 