In my continuing interpretation of the series, “The Chosen,” I am reminded of what Jesus Christ said to His followers. “Be wise. Build your house on the Rock, not on sand.” So many of us today worry about the uncertainties in our country; we do not know what our futures hold for us in the United States. As I have learned through my own experiences of life, when I put my trust in the One who walked on water, Jesus Christ, the dark corners of my mind and soul are made whole through Him. The darkness fades away, and my heart is filled with His love, light, hope, peace, and grace. So it is when we build our families, our homes, and our nation on the Rock, not on the shifting sands of America where little seems to be based on faith or the love of Jesus Christ. My salvation and my fortress is Jesus Christ, and He continues to carry me home, even in my darkest and deepest moments.
The students became Apostles of Jesus Christ as they prepared to go out into the world as missionaries, taking nothing with them, giving without receiving anything, and leaving places if there were not freely received. Jesus said to them, “Do not fear those who want to kill your body, but fear those who want to kill your soul.” Before He goes, Jesus tells Matthew that he must forgive his father for rejecting him when he came to collect two tax payments for his father’s house and to make a gift to God on the altar. Little James, the cripple, asked Jesus if He wanted James to go out and teach the Good News, why had He not healed James when He expected James to heal others? Jesus responded, “Praise God despite your body; be patient with your ailments here on earth and look to having no pain in heaven. You will do more for me because of your ailments than many other Apostles.”
Before the Apostles left, Jesus taught them “The Lord’s Prayer,” as He did for the crowds on the Sermon on the Mount. They had been blessed with His love and wisdom; now, it was their turn to realize how important their responsibilities to the world were. Many of us do not know the full extent of our responsibilities to the world, our purposes, but all of us should understand, deep within our souls, what is right and what is wrong. God expects each of His children to do as much as they can to follow the Ten Commandments and to be the strongest bridges for those who need help. As we go on our own journeys, let us all be the best that we can be to make God’s creation better for all mankind, not just for ourselves.
Jesus said, “I am not for vengeance here on the earth; I am here for salvation.” The story reverted back to Jesus and His earthly father, Joseph, in the carpenter shop, and Joseph allowed Jesus to hit a nail into one of his projects. The nail stood tall and straight. Joseph praised his son, and he told Jesus that He would be more than just a carpenter for the world. He would be a teacher of men, and He would bring wisdom and love into the world. While talking together, Joseph gave Jesus a bit and bridle that had been used for generations before Joseph; it was a heirloom representing the bondage and the freedom of the Jews from the Egyptians. Joseph said that it had been a privilege to have been Jesus’ earthly father, and one that he did not take lightly. Very few of us have felt a master’s whip on our backs, but all of us realize how much freedoms mean to us as Americans. Just as Joseph said he was privileged to be Jesus’ father, we, too, should feel privileged to be parents of our children. It is a duty we must be careful with and do with much love.
Several things occurred when the Apostles returned from their first journeys. Little James said, “When I spoke, I felt like He was with me.” Mary, the one who had demons taken from her, thought that she was not doing as much as the men were doing. Jesus said, “Your faith is beautiful.” Jesus took part in the Rosh Hashanah service in Nazareth and was asked to read and interpret what He read. When He began to explain the verses, the head priest accused Him of being a false prophet, who could not possibly be the foretold Messiah. Jesus was thrown out of the temple and was saved by the Apostles from possible stoning. Cyrus came to Jesus and asked Him to heal his daughter who was near death. When her mother thanked Jesus, He said, “You have never met me, and yet, you have this much faith! If we have faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move all things.We need to trust that God will do the rest.”
When Simon Peter returned home to his wife, he did not know how to show her that he loved her; upset, she left to wash the clothes. While walking to the well, she encountered a woman who was considered unclean and who had bled for twelve years. The Apostles met in Simon Peter’s home and talked about their journeys, while Simon Peter poured new wine into a new wine sheath. Andrew questioned why it was necessary to put new wine into a new sheath, and Simon Peter said that the Apostles were new wine that needed to be poured into new clothes. They would make other people new with their teaching of the Gospels to them.
A crowd gathers around Jesus as He is sharing parables. He says, “Do not miss the Kingdom of God. Wisdom means nothing if it is not acted on. Do not ignore the evidence of the Kingdom.” A priest called Jesus a blasphemer, and Jesus stops John from stepping in. John believed in Jesus and said that he must also be a blasphemer. Although the Order protecting the Jews from the Romans were sent to kill Simon, the warrior, they listened intently to Jesus, and the leader said that Simon may live. He was not AWOL from the Order, and he was not a traitor. Just as John believed in Jesus, we, too, must believe that Jesus is the light, the way, and the life. We can have questions about our faith, but we should bring all our burdens to Christ.
When Matthew returned, he continued to apologize to those he had wronged. In a reverted story, Matthew, as the tax collector, realized that a symbolic self-sacrifice is not illegal and is a way to show love for one’s family. An old man paid the taxes for his entire family and gave Matthew ancient bracelets worn by his ancestors. From his statements, I realized that when we cherish our ancestor’s values, we never allow them to die. Matthew apologized to Mary for not accepting her contributions to the group as he had the men’s contributions. Mary said that the old man wanted to share his faith, the most precious thing that he had, before he was arrested and sent to prison.
Mary told Matthew that she had tried to commit suicide but stopped when she saw a white dove representing God. She decided to follow Jesus, because when things were too hard for her to handle, God stepped in and made things better. Just as she had not felt good enough, she accepted Matthew’s apology and told him that he was worthy of Jesus’ love, as well. We, too, should bring our troubles to Jesus, no matter how awkward we feel. We are all worthy of His love and His promises of Eternal life.
Another story was interjected into the series about King David and his queen hearing a beautiful psalm read by a poet in the palace. The poem was a sad story about death, but the two royals were both moved by it. Moving back to the original story line, the Apostles met antagonistic groups of people in Necropolis, and Jesus told them to sit down to discuss their problems and Jesus’ miracles. He told the Apostles, “All must see your faith.” In the midst of the groups’ arguments, a Black man walked up to Jesus and asked for his leg to be healed. The man had been shunned by all, and Jesus used this miracle to cause people to look with love on those who cannot help themselves. Seeing Jesus’ love and compassion, the groups stopped arguing and began to peacefully discuss their problems. He complimented the healed man by saying, “You have more humbleness than many educated priests.” We, too, need to spend much time helping the helpless, the hurt, the homeless, and those needing someone’s acknowledgments.
This interpretation has come to an end for all those who are weary and heavy laden. Christ knocks at our front doors; all we need do is answer, “Yes, Lord!” Too many of us hold back caring for others because we fear we will hurt ourselves more than help others. We were created to love each other and to be here to hold each other’s hands in troubled times. To walk in another’s shoes helps us to be humble, compassionate, and empathetic. Once we build those bridges to one another, we need to say, “I am here. What can I do to help?”
Anna Hartt
