The Stranger of Galilee

Chapter 11 - PART 2

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A polite knock sounded on the wall outside Claudia's room. Claudia rolled over in her bed, rubbed her eyes and said, 'Come in, Talia.' But upon looking around herself, she grew very confused indeed. This room was only vaguely familiar, and far too bare to be her chambers...
               Totally discombobulated, with no sense of time nor location, Claudia also did not remember that her foot had been injured until she moved to sit up. 'Ouch!' she gasped, throwing the itchy covers off her legs to find where the pain was coming from. Looking down at the ugly, black stitches in her foot, the pieces of the puzzle finally fit together.
               'Oh, Martha!' Claudia gasped when a woman entered the room, holding a tray piled high with food. 'I, I am sorry, I did not -'
'You have had two very strange days, Claudia.' Martha smiled, though her eyes looked sad. Claudia blew out her cheeks.
'Martha, please forgive my mistake. I do not miss the palace. Please do not let me offend you a third time.'
'Oh, dear Claudia. You are yet to offend me a first!' Martha said. Claudia raised an eyebrow at her, wondering then why she appeared so...unhappy.
               But her foot was throbbing and Claudia turned her attention back to it soon enough. It weeped and oozed and her skin was so messily held together. Lucius had been so kind to fix it for her, when it must have made his stomach sick to touch -
'Lucius!' Claudia exclaimed, desperately trying to put her thoughts in order. Lucius had sewn her wound, then left her to bathe, then together they met their hosts, then Lucius had left in a temper, and she had remained to hear more of Jesus... Where was her friend now?
               Martha approached Claudia's bed and set the tray down beside her. Claudia quickly combed out her hair with her fingers and smiled at her host.
'I am most sorry I missed breakfast with the others, Martha.' she said. 'I believe I am used to later hours than you!'
               Smiling, Martha drew a breath and recited, ''O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is, to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.' This is the sixty third Psalm, my lady.'
'You know all of those words by heart?' Claudia asked, amazed. 'You are an intelligent woman!'
'No, no,' Martha chuckled, 'I am simply the daughter of two devout parents. They knew the scriptures well, and taught me and my brother and sister to as well.'
'They sound like fine people.'
'They were.' Martha said, standing up sadly. Claudia paused. Had she managed to offend Martha again? She was about to apologise when the younger woman asked, 'Did you sleep well?'
'Oh, y-yes.' Claudia said. 'Better than I have for a long time.'
'I am glad. You look refreshed. You will feel even better once you have a full stomach.'
               Martha gestured to the tray before heading back towards the doorway.
'Thank you, Martha.' Claudia quickly called out. Her host smiled back at her. 'These pancakes look delicious.' Which was true. Honey-soaked and sitting on a plate beside a cup of tea and a fig, the meal looked better than the most expensive, imported meats that came from the governor's kitchen!
               'It is funny,' Claudia added, 'I believed Lucius was one to rise before the sun! Is he awake yet?'
               For some reason Martha seemed pained by Claudia's words, and after a short hesitation, she sat down on the end of Claudia's bed again. 'What ails you, Martha?'
'Claudia,' she sighed sadly, 'I am most sorry, but, Lucius is gone.'
'Gone? Why? When? Where?'
'He, he left last night. I know not where we went.' Martha looked up into Claudia's woeful face. Her eyes were big, round, pale brown and seemed to sparkle constantly. Even when they were sad, deep down there was a happiness in them that nothing could diminish. Two days ago Claudia would have envied her external beauty alone, only now, she craved her unconditional joy too.
               'I do not understand.' Claudia said. 'I thought he desired your fellowship, as I do! I thought -'
I thought he cared for me. Claudia shook her head sadly. Apparently, she had been wrong. 'Did he tell you when he will return?'
'He,' Martha sighed, 'he said he does not belong among God's people.'
'What! Why would he say such a thing!? You have welcomed him so graciously -'
'His decision was not made out of ingratitude, Claudia. Lucius made sure I knew that.' Martha almost smiled in memory. Then her smile quickly faded and she said, 'He cannot see past his own conviction, dear Claudia. He believes he slew Jesus, and the guilt torments him. He refuses to let God forgive him.'
               Claudia's eyes slowly lowered to her knees, which she had drawn up to her chest. She drew a shaky breath. Lucius was putting himself in grave danger: not only was he running from the Roman army now, but he was also running from the living God - and He is a far more determined hunter. If Claudia had not been so angry with him for abandoning her, she would have fallen to her knees and prayed for his safety!
               Martha reached out and squeezed Claudia's hands. 'Fret not, Claudia. I told him that God desires only to forgive him, not to condemn him. The seed has been sown; God will water it now.'
'I wish he were not so proud.' Claudia whispered to herself.
'Conviction is a powerful emotion, dear woman.' Martha sighed, standing once more. 'When one feels it began to drown them, they either reach for Jesus' outstretched hand, or suffer their heads to go under.'
'But why? Why would anyone rather perish than be saved?'
'Because,' Martha said, downcast, 'some people would rather die with their pride, than live with humility.'
               Claudia sighed. Clearly, Lucius was the epitome of The Roman Empire then.
               Martha reminded Claudia to eat her breakfast before nearing the doorway again.
'What can I do to convince him, Martha?' Claudia asked desperately, but Martha only shook her head.
'You have done all you can. Joshua and I have done all we can. There comes a time when people must step aside and let God work instead, and this is it.'
'But, Martha, I cannot simply forget him.'
'And I would not ask you to,' Martha said, smiling again, 'for I shall not either. Now is the time for us to pray for him! We are pilgrims in this land, placed here to preach and lead ripe hearts to God's salvation, but the time would fail us to spend it all on one man. There are others who will listen, Claudia. So pray for Lucius, and while God is watering that seed, we can sow some more. Trust God, my dear. He is a better Gardener than I, or you.'
               Martha left the room after that, while Claudia's still, thoughtful eyes stared unblinkingly at the wall. Then her belly growled and she quickly started on her breakfast.