Gathering of the Eternal Five (3rd Installment)

When God spoke with actions
Chapter 2.

Tremiyo agreed, “We’re living in a cradle of miracles. Mary Magdalene was the first to see Jesus the morning of his resurrection. God granted a life to Joachim and Anna in their child Mary and has returned Jesus to finish his earthly assignments before residing in the house of his heavenly father.”Tremiyo seemed to be addressing Onofrio directly like a professor at a college lecture. “Nature as you are so fond of saying is an enormous force that governs all living things. But, look at how your favorite item of worship was coerced by an even greater power. As Jesus suffered his final moments a storm was made to develop and progress to Golgotha. The storm was unexpected. It was produced to wash away the torment the son of God endured. Cleanse the soil of his agony. Wash the air of hateful malice. The tempest was timed and guided to the precise location of the cross. Son, that was not a normal rain storm. It was not a little spring shower. Within the bowels of that tempest was the anger of God that Hebrew leaders have grown so blind to the words and prophesies of their fathers. The rain that carried strains of the blood of Jesus healed some of the runaway spectators. People reported hearing sinister laughter in the wind. That could only be Satan himself laughing and rejoicing in his work to turn the heads of the Hebrew council. Those hardheads appear to be following the words of Satan rather than the teachings of their God. The storm hurled violent arcs of fire unto the earth. Lightening splintered boulders into dust. Thunder echoed from the intestines of the earth to resonate in the hearts of frightened men. Your item of worship, Mother Nature has never been given cause to display such violence.  And that was only the rain storm. The earth shook brutally. An earthquake tore down hillsides, destroyed trees, shattered homes and strong buildings and put awesome fear in the hearts of those that plotted against Jesus. People died and some suffered injuries from the shifting of the earth. The earthquake announced the beginning of a new era. A spring time for mankind. A time of rebirth. Only the most perverted mind cannot see or understand that God has spoken. The gloom of darkest night invaded the bright noon day with a blanket of solid black. A cape of ebony to touch even the stoutest heart lay upon the land. But God was not finished delivering a message to his delinquent people. The Hebrew council had been misled by greedy minds and for their misguided obedience God struck the veil at the temple in two. The veil was a sacred shield to protect the Ark of the Covenant in a room called the Holy of Holies inside the Tabernacle. The veil, as it is called is a hand woven tapestry 45 to 60 feet high and four inches thick. It is a protective shield without the need of stone and mortar. The strongest timbers were chosen to support the woven wall suspended as if floating free. It was ripped by a Godly force from top to bottom, indicating the power that struck it came from above. That you may better understand, it was God sent. The council members trembled in fear that the splitting of the awesome veil is God condemning their lack of faith. God has cast aside his commitment to his chosen children until they mend their misguided ways. As unable to agree as they are, it may take forever. God’s penalty could last for Jewish eternity. It was said the temple would fall and be rebuilt in three days. They believed the strength and soul of the temple was the veil. It represents God’s commitment to his chosen people. But even a blind man can see that the chosen children have turned their backs on Him. In effect the temple was destroyed as foretold.  Three days in God’s time in not equal to three days in man’s time.  The temple still lies in shambles, left alone by those that greed for the price of rebuilding it.” Tremiyo was like an energetic college professor delivering his favorite lecture.  “Now son, listen to this carefully. It has been clearly shown throughout history that God speaks to us in ways we do not clearly understand. People were expecting the temple to fall to pieces and be reconstructed stone by stone in three days. As Jesus said it would. Not so be the case, son. Jesus was the keeper of God’s words. The temple veil was simply a road sign. A list of directions, so to speak. Jesus was the temple of God’s soul, His only begotten son.  A temple is also a place deemed sacred by virtue of God’s presence. God resided in the heart of his only begotten son, Jesus. That is the temple of God. Not a stone building. When Jesus died God went into a rage. Three days later the temple of God’s very soul was seen rising to heaven, escorted by angels.  The stone temple was still intact. Fools made mockery of it and did not grasp the full message.” Tremiyo, the unassuming  Stewart of the house of Serou was momentarily a giant of faith pointing a rigid finger at his son-in-law and Serou as well. With head bowed sideways, Serou hawkeyed his long time friend and companion. “Tremiyo, I’ve known you for close to twenty years and to this day, you never cease to amaze me. One of the Hebrew councilmen with whom I often speak stated with a wise look on his face, how glad he was that the demented carpenter from Nazareth was stolen from his charity grave and secretly buried elsewhere. God does not fool around with the unworthy,” were his exact words. I am prone to believe that Jehovah is the best judge of who is worthy and who is not. My Gods have all  faded into a realm beyond my comprehension. I am seeing miracles happen and began to believe that faith and religion are on a new path to greater glory. Based on what I’ve seen, I feel I am not too far wrong. The Hebrew council is searching for willing skills to mend the road sign in their temple and have yet to read the full meanings. Pity they cannot change their ways. They’re good people going down the wrong road.”

The Romans are in dire need of building material, I predict they will find just cause to bring down the temple and use the stones to build something that will benefit their cause.”Tremiyo had captured the attention of the knowledgeable Egyptian, Serou. The Egyptian held his chin in his hand and soaked up every word like a thirsty sponge. While Onofrio was like a child intently listening to his father relate a story. He finally brought himself to ask, “What is the ark of the covenant?” Tremiyo was again called to answer the inquisitive young man from Iberia. Onofrio had made much progress in accepting the miracles of Jesus and the words of his heavenly father. So as an advance course in his beliefs Tremiyo would transfer his thoughts to his son-in-law. But Serou intervened with his knowledge of Hebrew and Egyptian history.

”Moses suffered much with some of his rogue followers feeling the sudden power of freedom and wanting to break away on their own. They were like senseless children never having had a thought of their own. They were unable to fully grasp the miracles their God was delivering to them. They lived by lessons learned in bondage. They took what was given with no intent to repay with allegiance. Moses was hounded by his own people that wished to return to Egypt. There was food, shelter and a semblance of security in Egypt. There was nothing in the desert except scorpions, thirst, heat and hunger. The smell of death rose from the suffering people and became a call to the circling buzzards anxious to cop a meal. Close to death without water and near revolt, Moses tapped on a hillside rock, broke the surface and water flowed freely from the stone to quench their thirst. When they hungered severely, they woke up to a field of bread before them and they called it manna from heaven, because it saved their lives. They saw the red (reed?)  sea part in two and gave them safe passage and to this day many remain unable to believe in their own God. Moses was summoned by his God to a mountaintop in the desert. He obeyed all the Godly mandates and answered His call to this one as well. On that lofty mountain top that no man can rightly say, this is the right mountain Moses received the rules by which man should live.

Alongside a wild bush on fire that would not burn. God represented himself as being the fire within the bush. Not in the form of a man but in the form of an eternal flame. At that location Commandments cut in stone were delivered by an awesome power that intimidated the faithful Moses to the ground. Prostrate on the soil of God, Moses trembled in fear of the awesome power that burned words into stone. He was commanded not to raise his eyes to God and he submitted to that demand. With borrowed courage Moses meekly asked for God’s name that he may share it with his people and that they would have a name to revere. And God answered, “I am that I am.” Then having delivered his message to Moses God went silent leaving Moses to accept or reject what transpired on the holy mountain of “I am that I am.” Some people believe that mountain is Sinai. But it’s never been proven.

Full of Divine guidance he returned to his people. In shock he found mislead Hebrews had created their own version of God and were wanton with sin of all manner. In anger he dashed the tablets onto the rocky ground. The commandments written by the hand of God on a stone tablet were damaged beyond repair. Like an angry mouth the earth split open where the tablets struck and wanton sinners were swept and blown into the burning bowels of hell. They were trash God had no use for. They were beyond forgiving, they belonged to Satan. And God send them there. When the faithful gathered before Moses in tearful lament for they had lost loved ones to the wages of sin they presented him with the remnants of the tablets where God had written their program for life.
In painful labor they built a chest, box or container in which to preserve the words of God. Not to be touched my mortal men, the container became known as the Ark of the Covenant. It harbors God’s laws for mankind. Covered in sacred gold it was carried on a litter to the Tabernacle where God took residence on earth.” Serou also directed his oratory to his adopted son. “You can see that the council has violated their devotion to God. The rupture of the veil verifies what your father-in-law said that God like Pontius Pilate is washing his hands of such delinquents. I have no way to prove it, but I feel safe to say that God has moved his headquarters to a more devoted place.” Serou with his usual eloquence created an impressionable image in Onofrio’s mind. Thoughts and visions Onofrio would carry and share with his children and whoever else would listen.

Rightfully impressed Tremiyo looked to Serou and had to jest fully enter, “I am so happy you gained such deep knowledge by  associating with me.” To which three men found reason to laugh. The time together was irreplaceable as each man wanted to preserve the moments so rarely enjoyed in such a pleasant ambience. It was Senobia that broke into the globe of peaceful exchange. “Papa, baby Sintia has grown cross. She wants to be in papa’s arm so she can sleep. You started that. Now she thinks that afternoon naps are only good when she has them in your arms.”Gently Senobia delivered the child to her grandfather’s cradle of love. Baby Sintia cooed with pleasure and snuggled into the receiving arms with obvious joy and almost immediately closed her eyes. Tremiyo’s heart opened to endless joy at the sight of his loving Sintia in his arms once more. The child was a reflection of Grecian beauty taken from her mother Senobia and the handsome young man de Iberia. Senobia on her way to round up Horacio and pick up Angelica tweaked Onofrio’s ear and gently pulled a lock of his hair. With loving eyes she pursued her lips and cast a silent kiss to her husband. A kiss gratefully accepted and tucked into a secret pocket in his heart, there to dwell forever. Having been raised never to interfere in the talks of men she reluctantly left her husband in his conference with her father and Serou. Senobia’s loving step mother Camia, showed up to more or less check on her husband Tremiyo and help carry baby Angelica to her bed for an afternoon nap. The women in their circle of friends within the Serou’s compound of slaves would chat and plan their evening meals as a feminine ritual so long in practice.

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany,
of the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It
was Mary who anointed the Lord and wiped his
feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was
ill. So the sisters went to him, saying,
“Lord, he whom you love is ill.”
John 11: 1-3   NIV

Tremiyo continued in his usual casual but serious tone. “We should not disregard a miracle close to home. Word reached the Nazarene that Lazarus was very ill. It is said Jesus postponed his arrival to further convince the people that he was truly the son of God come to earth on a mission of his father’s design. The sister of Lazarus, Martha met Jesus at the village edge and bewailed her brother’s demise. “Oh, Lord. Dearest Rabbi, had you been here a few days earlier our brother would live.”

To which Jesus replied, “Fear not, Martha. Your brother shall walk again. Lead me to where he is laid.”
Followed by a flock of curious people Jesus went with Martha and Mary of Magdala, (her sister). On the way so all could hear he told them, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Rightly intimidated the sisters had to agree. “Yes Lord. We believe that you are the Messiah, the son of God, who is to come into the world. Mary of Magdala had already experienced a strong attraction to the Nazarene. It was said that she was a student of the Goddess Isis and seemed to follow in that teaching. The stone that sealed the sepulchre was enormous and it took some strong convincing to have some men in the crowd put their shoulder to the task. A hush took over the anxious crowd. The fear of rotting flesh ran though the mob in whispered tones. “It’s one thing to heal the sick. It is quite another to make the dead walk again.” “Even making the blind see is easier than reviving a man four days dead.” The fear of the stench kept people away from the darkened entrance. Decay would have set in and the flesh would be like shreds falling off his bones. His eyes would be decomposed and falling out of their sockets on strings of moldy flesh. Even the stoutest heart took a few steps back. People were equally divided, by the brave that stood by knowing nothing but stink would come from within the burial vault. Lazarus lay still forever. Nothing could change that. Then there were the frightened children wanting to believe in the power of the Nazarene, supposedly son of God and master of miracles. Yet they were held in place by undeniable logic. The dead do not get up to walk again.

Only Mary Magdalene in that immense gathering held firm to the belief that the Goddess Isis had resurrected her lover Osiris from the dead and Jesus loved mankind enough to give his life for their salvation. The love Jesus held in his heart and the faith he had in his heavenly father would raise her brother. She alone waited for her brother to rise from his eternal slumber and walk again. And so he did.

Jesus stood firm on the ground like a commanding general and called out, “Lazarus, come forth.” Anxious moments passed and nothing happened. The crowd stepped back while stone hearted critics smiled in mockery. As if his voice had not carried into the depths of the tomb Jesus called again, “Lazarus, it is I, come forth.” Before a bewildered crowd Lazarus slowly struggled within his funeral wraps into the faint light at the entrance. Blind and bound in awkward steps he shuffled painfully into the light of life. Jesus was first to attend him and Lazarus recognized his savior and smiled weakly like a frightened child. The awesome realization of coming back to life would intimidate even the strongest man.

People fell to the ground in fear as well as prayer. Some simply fainted and others ran away to regroup their senses and spread the news. Lazarus, four days dead was raised by Jesus of Nazareth and the conviction that he was truly the son of God multiplied.”

Lazarus and Mary
“Take ye away the stone!” Then lifted He
His moisten’d eyes to heaven, and while the Jews
And the disciples bent their heads in awe,
And, trembling, Mary sank to her knees.
The son of God prayed audibly. He ceased.
And for a minute’s space there was a hush,
as if the angelic watchers of the world
had stayed the pulse of all living things,
to listen to that prayer. The face of Christ
shone as he stood, and over Him there came
Command, as ‘twere the living face of God,
And with a loud voice, he cried, “Lazarus!
Come forth!” And instantly, bound hand and foot,
And borne by unseen angels from the cave,
he that was dead stood before them. At the word
of Jesus, the fear stricken Jews unloosed
the bands from off the foldings of his shroud;
And Mary, with her dark veil thrown aside
Ran to him swiftly, and cried, “Lazarus!
My brother Lazarus!” and tore away
The napkin she had bound about his head-
And touched the warm lips with her fearful hand-
And on his neck fell weeping.
Nathaniel Parker Willis    1806-1867

Tremiyo’s summary on the subject of resurrection had touched on Onofrio’s heart. His chest felt constricted, his eyes went glassy and he knew not why. He went to pick up Horacio’s toys but more so to take some time alone. He excused himself from his companions by saying, “I need to pray and pick up my son’s treasures.” Some of those treasures were toys Onofrio made for his son with loving hands. They were reminders of toys his own father made for him when he was a little boy in a faraway place. A place where love resided. A place he would never forget. A modest cottage in farmland Iberia.