My Beloved Friend, JUDAS

He walked away from the city square entering another street. He walked along a wall, which seemed to surround a large property with trees protruding over, when he heard several voices crying in desperation. He reached a studded wooden door, which was locked from the inside. He decided to knock. He waited but there was no reply. He vigorously knocked again and impatiently waited until he heard footsteps clacking on stone. A young woman's voice came from the other side.

"Who is it?" asked a gentle voice.

"Do you need a doctor?" asked Judas in broken Aramaic.

The heavy wooden door opened, revealing a beautiful young woman. She couldn't have been more than sixteen. She was still a child, but fully developed into a gorgeous young woman. She was younger than his daughter, thought Judas. Nevertheless, her beauty and maturity were extraordinarily attractive.

"My mother is dying!" she cried.

"I will be back very soon with the greatest doctor on earth. Wait for me," uttered Judas as he made hand gestures, which she understood better than his poor Aramaic.

Judas ran quickly, reaching the synagogue within seconds. He covered his head and entered the pillared hall. There were several people praying and talking. Lord Ishia sat by a corner, whose view was partly blocked by a column, praying. Judas moved towards Him under suspicious looks from a few, who had turned to look as he had entered the synagogue. He reached Ishia and whispered the message in His ear. He slowly got up and followed Judas and did not seem to be worried as He sauntered across the synagogue while Judas impatiently waited for Him outside.

"Quickly, My Lord, she's dying!"

"She is already dead. She died when you told me about her."

Judas' face saddened as he listened to Ishia. Both walked towards the young lady's house. When they reached the door it was shut. Painful wails of desperation and loss echoed from the stone fortress. Ishia pushed the heavy door open. Judas followed Him inside a wonderful walled garden, laden with flowers, spices, and fruit trees. A large stone path led to the house, dividing into a smaller path that circumambulated the fragrant garden. Ishia allowed Judas to knock at the door of the villa. Heavy footsteps resounded as a person approached the door. The door opened and a richly clad young man, whose face clearly showed his sorrow, stupefyingly stared at them. He was Judas' height and his face looked more Roman than Hebrew. His face was clean-shaven and his curly locks were neatly trimmed.

"It's too late," he whispered.

"May I see your mother?" asked Ishia, His voice simultaneously suggested compassion and authority.

"Please, come in," offered the young man politely.

They entered an atrium, where the sun's rays reflected on the water of its pool. The shallow pool was surrounded by a Roman colonnade, which firmly supported the open roof. It was a Roman villa, equal to any vacation home in Pompeii. It was an impressive house. They followed the young man to the first room on the right side of the atrium. The cries of mourning had dissipated into sobs. As they entered the vast bedroom, Judas greeted the young lady with his eyes. She knelt by the side of the large bed, holding her mother's hand. The dead lady had been a beautiful woman and she looked more like the young lady's older sister than her mother.

Ishia offered His hand to the young lady, which she took as if she had been mesmerized by His presence.

"Do not cry, my child; it is not too late," said Ishia, leading her out of the room. "I must be alone with her."

The young man quickly began to protest when Ishia interjected before he had time to speak, "You must do as I say if you want your mother back; there is no time to waste!"

Judas gently helped the young man out of the room as Ishia quietly shut the door. Judas tried to comfort the two young people as they sat on a stone bench outside the bedroom. Not a sound was heard from the bedroom. Minutes passed, which seemed to last forever. The young man paced around the atrium, too nervous to sit down and too preoccupied by the total ignorance of the miraculous event that was taking place inside his mother's bedroom. Suddenly, a faint voice was barely audible through the thick bedroom wall. The young man stopped pacing and the young lady stood up, both staring at the bedroom door. As if telepathically being called by Lord Ishia, Judas knew that it was time for them to go inside the bedroom. But before they had a chance to walk towards the door, it opened and Ishia helped the lady of the house walk out of her bedroom. The two youths rushed to embrace their mother, holding her and kissing her, manifesting a strong love for her. The three now cried from joy and happiness, as they turned around to Ishia, thanking Him for their mother's life, kissing His hands in adoration, realizing that He was no ordinary man.