(Part 1 is here)

How to begin? So much had happened. Cora rubbed the needle between her fingers. The rabbi and healer from Nazareth had swept into the life of Judas, and at first, it had been so wonderful.

“You remember Uncle Judas talking about Jesus, from Nazareth?”

The back of Anthony’s head moved. Yes, he remembered.

“Jesus worked miracles. He cured the sick, the blind, the lame. He cast out demons. He fed crowds of people off of a basket of bread and fish. You’ve heard the stories?”

Anthony’s response was curt, “A basket of fish didn’t kill my uncle.”

“You’re right about that.” Cora stopped a moment. She needed to stay calm. “But Anthony, Jesus was no ordinary healer. Your uncle knew that. Judas followed Jesus, he learned from him, and he went out with other disciples of Jesus, and they taught and worked miracles, too.”

Anthony turned his head. “Uncle Judas?”

“Yes.”

Now he turned and faced her, frowning in disbelief. “How do you know?”

“Because he told me about it. When he was near, he used to drop in and visit me. He was my son, you know. He was full of excitement. Here was a teacher who understood everything that your uncle cared about. Helping the poor. Helping the sick.”

“Uncle Judas was always talking about the poor, I remember.” Anthony leaned back against the timber, facing Cora this time. “I used to think he cared more about helping some stranger with bare feet than his own nephew.”

“It’s true. And more than that, Jesus made your Uncle Judas responsible for the money they had. They used money they collected to help the poor, too.”

“But Nana, what does this have to do with …” he paused, seeing her face, “what happened?”

It was Cora’s turn to fight the tears.

to be continued