I felt that the congregation had experienced something strange
and powerful and had been lifted to a higher plane of thought and
wanted nothing to disturb the transcendent tranquility of that moment.
2.67 Then the whispering started amongst themselves.
2.67.1 They were wondering who I was!
Some were convinced that I was the person, Jesus,
whose family was known in the village,
but others could not accept this, since I had spoken as one having authority.
2.68 Unfortunately, I felt my old reactions to these religious men returning.
2.68.1 I knew they had despised me in the past and so I expected rejection.
2.68.2 I slipped back into my old challenging attitudes
and thoroughly angered them.
2.68.3 Through my own human reactions, I invited disaster.
2.68.4 And disaster I almost got.
and dragged me to the highest cliff top to hurl me to my death
but I prayed to my Father for deliverance.
2.69.1 Suddenly, it seemed they were so stirred up they hardly knew
what they were doing, and turned on each other,
I was able to slip from their midst and escape.
2.69.2 It was strange. They seemed not to notice my going.
2.70 Badly shaken by my experience, I managed to send a message
to my mother, saying I was leaving Nazareth immediately and was going
down to Capernum, a gracious town by the sea of Galilee.
this was not the right thing to do. So, all the way down and on entering
the town, I prayed for the Father’s direction and help in finding
accommodation. I had no money and would not beg.
2.72 As I walked the street, a woman of middle years came towards me,
heavily laden with baskets on her arms. Her countenance was sorrowful.
2.72.1 It seemed she had been crying.
On impulse, I stopped her and asked where I might find accommodation.
She said, briefly, that she would normally offer me a bed
but she had a very sick son at home.
2.72.2 She added that she had been to buy provisions to feed the comforters
who had already gathered to mourn when her son died.
2.73 My heart grieved for her but also rejoiced.
2.73.1 Straightway, I had been led to someone I could help.2.73.2 I expressed my sympathy and offered to carry her baskets to her house.
2.73.3 She looked at me for a moment, wondering who I might be,
but was apparently satisfied by my appearance and demeanour.
2.74 On the way, I said that I could probably help her son.