The sun was setting when they came to the riverside
where they would camp during the night. ‘It was wonderful to get out of the
cart and stretch’, thought Mary to herself as she unfolded her cramped legs.
The children were already out and running to the water, screaming with delight.
Everyone slowly gathered to wash up, fill their waterskins and quench their
thirst. The animals, of course, were first!
That evening, after dinner, Mary sat a little further
up from camp, where the rushing river was the only sound. As she did so, she
prayed. She prayed for John, her cousin, Elizabeth’s only son. He had always
been special. Ever since he has born, unbelievable stories riveted around him.
He was rough and tough in his mMarthar and was often alone. He became a prophet
and lived like a hermit, off locusts and honey.
And it was here, in the Jordan River where he baptized converts.
It was lovely. At this point, the water was shallow
enough to stand in the water without any risk of drowning. It was fresh and
because it was always flowing downward, it was clean. Her grandchildren spotted
her and ran to their bubbe´s side.
“Tell us a story before we go to sleep”, they asked. She
started, as she recalled how John’s birth had been announced by an angel. It
had been a miracle since her cousin, Elizabeth, was way past the age of
childbirth. Her husband, Zacharias, had laughed at the angel’s promise of
having a child at his old age, and had been struck blind! ..only to have his
sight returned, upon John´s birth. He was a little older than Jhesus, but much
taller and stronger ‘and somehow, wilder’ she thought.
“Oh! Bubbe, Bubbe, Where is John now? We also want to
be baptized! ” They all yelled at the same time. She grieved silently
remembering his awful death. Mary didn´t really know how it had happened,
because she had refused to hear it…something about a price being put on his
head, by Herod, tetrarch of Galilee’s, stepdaughter. John had disapproved of
Herod’s unlawful second wedding to his brother’s wife, Herodias. And, as he
always did, was blunt and outspoken about it….She sighed…
“Come, children” she said, to avoid having to give any
further information about John. “I’ll baptize you”. Mary knew that water’s
purifying effect was symbolic of the inner cleansing from sin. It really
required repentance and reparation. But her grandchildren were too young to
understand. So she took her sandals off and rolled her tunic as they walked
together, towards the river. She dipped her feet, bent down with cupped hands
and poured water on each of her Grandchildren, praying as she did so: “Abba,
Father, because of your great mercy; wipe away ours sins; wash away our evil
and make us clean from my sin!”
Jair, always faithful, looked over them from afar. He
too, thought of John. Having been manslave to a centurion, he knew firsthand
how, on Herod’s birthday, Salome, his second wife´s daughter had danced for
Herod and his guests, and pleased him so, that he promised under oath, to give
her anything she wanted. “Give me the head of John the Baptist” she asked, to
his horror. Jair had heard the story
from one of the soldiers who, between frolic, drinks and tears had told how he
had been sent to the prison where John was held, to cut his head off. He and
the other soldiers on duty, had taken it on a platter and handed it to the
girl, who, in turn had offered it obediently to Herodias, her mother. It had
been an atrocious demand, since John was much loved, even by the prison guards.
Herod himself, who had previously been awe-struck by his magnificence, had
locked himself in his quarters for days. John’s followers and Jhesus buried his
body. Jair shuddered as he remembered.
As if sensing his silent involvement, Mary turned
around and he instinctively fell to his knees in guilt, pleading to be
baptized, too. She walked up to him and lifted him to meet her face to face,
and speaking directly to his soul, she responded saying “Only if you, in turn,
will baptize me”.
“Shlom lekh bthoolto Mariam (Hail, O Virgin Mary)” answered Jair humbly, and continued “maliath
taibootho (you are full of grace); moran a'amekh (the Lord is with thee); mbarakhto at bneshey (blessed
art thou among women); wambarakhoo feero dabkharsekh Yeshue (because blessed is
the fruit of thy womb, Jesus) and I am unfit to untie your sandals”…
Mary was not deterred. She told Jair that…“If my son
Jhesus, son of the Almighty, asked his cousin John to baptize him, to honor
tradition and exemplify our oneness, I too, ask you, to honor my quest on
behalf of my grandchildren’s understanding that under God, we are all alike”.
And resolved, Mary bowed low awaiting for Jair to cleanse her with the running
waters of the Jordan. As she did so, he touched her forehead, ever so lightly.
Inexplicably, she broke down crying. Tears mingled with the blessing of the
water on her head. ‘His touch had been so like Joseph’s’, she thought. How she
missed him. She needed his strength in this hour of need. Then, answering her prayer,
she suddenly felt consoled; as if Joseph were with her, embracing her from a
distance. In fact, it was Jair, deeply moved by her trouble.
As I reflect,
contemplating Mary in the Jordan River, I too ask her too to please baptize me,
cleanse my soul and renew me heartily in preparation for the coming days
with Jhesus in Jerusalem.
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