I have a twin, one who looks just like me. We are very close. Sometimes, it seems, we even think the same thoughts. We are never very far apart, and have lived under the same roof all of our lives. You could say that we are inseparable.

And you might think that having a twin is a wonderful thing. After all, a twin is a special person, closer than an older or younger sibling. So, if you have a twin, I hope that it is special for you.

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace but a sword.

For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law,
and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.”

You’ve heard about Jesus the “divider.” I wrote to you about Him in my first letter.

But since then, things have changed, at least for me they have.

So, listen: Jesus never truly wanted to divide, only unite. But He knew how the world would receive him and that many would oppose His message of love, justice and mercy. He could see into the depths of our hearts, and He knew that some could not abide Him, as He so wanted. Actually, He desperately wanted to unite, not divide.

We’ve all been called to something at one time or another. Maybe it’s nothing more than a call from a friend to join a party or take a trip. Or perhaps it’s something much more serious, like a calling to a lifelong task or career, one that you may (or may not) feel qualified to perform. When the call comes, how do you respond? How do you decide?

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 

Here I am again, the “Anonymous Apostle.” You thought you were through with me, didn’t you? But I am back to tell you another story about Jesus. See what you think.

This tale might well be called the “Interruption of the Interruption.” But of course, I had no idea that Jesus had already been interrupted, by none other than the leader of our synagogue, a man named Jairus. All I was trying to do was keep as much out of sight as possible, drawing no attention to myself.

Here’s the question: “How do I look?” You may wonder about this question, but to me, it was once all-important: “How do I look?” And you may also wonder about why it was so important to me. Read on as I try to answer this question and see what you think.

Parables were a customary style of teaching in our time, the time of Jesus. And Jesus told many parables, quite a few of which have become cornerstones of our Christian faith. Even quoting the titles of some, like the Prodigal Son or the Good Samaritan, instantly produces a visual picture, the scene of a seemingly ordinary story that carries a strong spiritual message. 

You may remember my letter to you from some time ago, concerning the Parable of the Sower. If you recall, I was present when Jesus spoke this parable, almost at the beginning of his ministry. As I wrote then, I believe it set the stage for all of his later parables. Why? Because it described the Word, and how, through Jesus, the Holy Spirit would sow the Word about the Kingdom of God.

Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They answered, “John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “The Messiah of God.”

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.’ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.’ He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ He answered, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’  She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’  Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.

First of all, let me admit that I am confused, very confused. I hope, by the time you read this letter, in your century, that all has become clear. Actually, my real hope is that, by your time, God’s kingdom will have already come. Because, you should know, in my time, what you call the first century, God’s kingdom remains where it has always been, in heaven.

“As he approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard a crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.’  Then he shouted, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’  Those who were in front sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he shouted even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’  Jesus stood still and ordered the man to be brought to him, and when he came near, he asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ He said, ‘Lord, let me see again.’  Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.’  Immediately he regained his sight and followed him, glorifying God, and all the people, when they saw it, praised God.” (Luke 18)

He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Can you see anything?” And the man looked up and said, “I can see people, but they look like trees, walking.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again, and he looked intently, and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

"Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."

I had heard of Jesus but had never seen or met him. He had quite a reputation, though, appealing mostly to the disrespected and disregarded, but anathema to those in power. Many hoped he was the Messiah, born to restore Israel by force of arms.

I know that you know this story. As Jesus said, it “will be told in remembrance of her.” But there’s quite a bit more to it, and I am writing to you from the first century to share what I know.

You surely understand that there is confusion about the identity of the woman. In this accounting, she is simply “a woman.” But, in another, she is named as Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus, and in still another, she is not named but is described as a “woman who lived a sinful life.” In our day, that suggests a life of prostitution.

First of all, you must understand that I live in a dark time. If you read on, you’ll no doubt agree. Assuredly, my family agrees, as do all of my friends, the brothers and sisters in our tiny faith community. Sometimes, I must confess, the darkness seems so strong that I fear it will overwhelm us. It can be so very discouraging. When will the good ever triumph over evil? Will it ever? How long must we wait? How long?

While Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside by themselves and said to them on the way, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and on the third day he will be raised.”