^2.26.1 She looked at me, open-mouthed, wide-eyed and frightened,
then slammed the door in my face.
^2.26.2 I could hear her running to the back of the house, screaming:
“Mother, come quickly, there is a dirty old man at the door.”
^2.26.3 I could hear my mother muttering crossly to herself, hurrying to the door.
Flinging it open, she stood, rooted in shock.
^2.26.4 I smiled but for a moment, she looked me up-and-down
with increasing horror as she realised this dreadful creature
was indeed her wayward son, Jesus.
^2.26.5 I held out my hand to her, saying:
^2.26.6 “I know I cause you much pain but can you help me?”
^2.26.7 Immediately, her expression changed and drawing me inside,
she secured the door.
^2.27 “Quick,” she said to my frightened sister. “Stop that noise
and put water on to boil. Your brother is starved.
^2.27.1 It doesn’t matter what trouble he has got into, he belongs to us.
He must be looked after.”
^2.28 Gently, she helped me take off my clothes and bent me
over a large page of water and scrubbed me clean.
^2.28.1 She washed and trimmed my hair and beard, and lightly
covered the sores on my body and lips with a healing salve.
Neither of us broke the silence. .

^2.29 I savoured the love she showed me and tried to show
my gratitude by a more gentle and sensitive approach.
^2.30 Having helped me put on a clean robe, she sat me down
to a frugal meal of bread, milk and honey.
^2.30.1 Reluctantly, she gave me wine, to pick up my strength,
but it was obvious she thought that wine
had been the cause of my shocking plight.
^2.30.2 Then she led me to a bed and placed a cover over me.
I slept for several hours and woke refreshed to a morning,
bright with sunshine seen through the window.
^2.31 I was now longing to talk to my mother, to tell her that I was
indeed a Messiah but not the kind the Jews imagined.
^2.31.1 I could save people from the bad results of their sins.
^2.31.2 I could help them find health, abundance,
fulfilment of their needs, because I could now teach them
exactly how the world had been created.

^2.32 As I tried to tell her, she started off by being excited and delighted.
^2.32.1 She jumped to her feet and wanted to rush out
to tell the neighbours her son was indeed the Messiah
– they should hear how nicely he now talked –
and he had been fasting in the desert!