Anonymous Woman
from We Were There
by Sarah A. O'Malley and Robert D. Elmer
Anonymous Woman:
I would rather not give my name. Just look upon me as an ordinary Jewish housewife. Together with several other God-fearing women, I did what I could for condemned prisoners. To alleviate their pain on the cross, we were allowed by the soldiers to administer a mixture of drugs and wine. Little good it did the poor devils. Weeping for these prisoners was part of the ritual expected of us. Very few, if any, tears were shed besides our own. We rarely knew the prisoners as persons until we met Jesus. He was not like any prisoner we'd ever seen carry a cross. Our leaders had accused him of breaking the law and blaspheming. Others claimed that Jesus traveled about doing good wherever he went. Who am I to judge an ordinary Jewish woman? It was only when he stumbled in front of us and turned his face towards us that I realized how savagely he had been treated. My tears became genuine.
I would rather not give my name. Just look upon me as an ordinary Jewish housewife. Together with several other God-fearing women, I did what I could for condemned prisoners. To alleviate their pain on the cross, we were allowed by the soldiers to administer a mixture of drugs and wine. Little good it did the poor devils. Weeping for these prisoners was part of the ritual expected of us. Very few, if any, tears were shed besides our own. We rarely knew the prisoners as persons until we met Jesus. He was not like any prisoner we'd ever seen carry a cross. Our leaders had accused him of breaking the law and blaspheming. Others claimed that Jesus traveled about doing good wherever he went. Who am I to judge an ordinary Jewish woman? It was only when he stumbled in front of us and turned his face towards us that I realized how savagely he had been treated. My tears became genuine. Suddenly Jesus spoke to us, spoke as if he knew us personally: "Don't weep for me; weep for yourselves and your children." I felt a chill run through my body. His words resounded like a prophecy. I didn't understand what he had done wrong but I believed he was someone special.
Could he have been---please don't mention who said this... could he have been the Messiah?
