The Tunic (part 11)

(The Tunic is a fictional story based on the Passion of Jesus. The story began on post March 18, 2019.)


  Cato was about to report into work when he saw one of his fellow soldiers running towards his horse. The soldier was obviously very upset. He looked at Cato and just started yelling.  "It's not my fault!  I didn't take his body!  No one did! The whole ground started shaking and there was a powerful source of light. It was too bright to even look at it!  But I saw something move the stone away with ease.  Trust me it wasn't human! He never carried out anything from the tomb, because the tomb was empty!  It's not my fault!  I don't know what happened to his body!  It's just not there!"
  "What are you talking about?  Whose body is gone?"
  "The King of the Jews--that Jesus preacher--the one we just crucified!  I'm getting out of here!  Pilate is furious! Someone is going to pay for this and it's not going to be me!"  The soldier jumped on his own horse as swiftly as possible and commanded the horse to run.
  Cato could feel his body shaking. What did this even mean? Why would anyone take the body of Jesus?  For what purpose?  Suddenly a few more soldiers came running from the court yard.
  "I don't see him anywhere! We will deal with him later."  They looked at Cato and yelled, "Pilate wants everyone to report directly to him right now!  We've got problems!"
  A few moments later Cato found himself and others in front of a very angry Pilate. " We need to find Jesus' body and get it back into that tomb! If we don't we are probably going to see another riot!" screamed Pilate.  "There are reports that Jesus rose from the dead!  The Jewish leaders claim his followers stole his body! I think everyone has lost their minds!  Find me that body and the ones responsible for taking it!"
  Cato and his fellow soldiers searched the streets.  No one was claiming to have stolen the body.  Few would even talk to the soldiers out of fear.  No one seemed to know where his small group of followers were hiding.  They spent the entire day searching with little to report. Only a few people were willing to speak. They all claimed Jesus predicted he would be raised up.  He had just recently rose a man named Lazarus from the dead. Also there were reports of two young children being raised from the dead.
  When they reported back to Pilate, Pilate was again furious.  He sent them back into the streets. It was obvious no one was going to talk to a Roman soldier about what had occurred.  After a very long and unsuccessful day, Cato and the others were allowed to return home but ordered to begin the search again early tomorrow.
  Exhausted, Cato rode home trying to understand how someone could rise from the dead?  In the army, he had seen men die all around him.  No one ever comes back once they die.  None of this made any sense. Cato's mind couldn't understand any of this, but his heart began to secretly hope Jesus was alive. It was such an odd feeling to have.

(to be continued...)

-Susan

The Tunic (part 10)

(The Tunic is a fictional story based on the Passion of Jesus. The story began on post March 18, 2019.)



  That night Cato tossed and turned in his sleep. He kept seeing images of Jesus as he slept. His hands, His feet, the blood running down his face. In the dream he would look at the crowd and all he could see was the woman's eyes.  The pain in her eyes seemed to mirror Jesus' eyes. Behind the cross he could see the white tunic blowing in the wind.  Cato fell to the ground and cried out in sorrow, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.  I didn't know what I was doing." Cato woke up trembling.  His heart was racing. The dream had seemed far too real.
   After he calmed down, Cato convinced himself to fall back to sleep.  This time his dream contained a brilliant flash of white. Now Jesus was no longer on the cross. He was standing in front of a large crowd. He saw Livia and Remus in the crowd kneeling in front of Jesus.  They were worshipping Jesus. He just stood there watching, when suddenly Remus started shouting, "Papa join us.  Believe Papa, believe."  When Cato looked back at Jesus, he was again hanging from the cross. Afraid, Cato turned his gaze away from Jesus. He looked down at his own feet and that's when he saw it.  He was holding the tunic in one hand and a bag of coins in the other.  Cato began sobbing uncontrollably.
  "Cato, Cato, wake up.  You are having a bad dream."  Livia looked concerned.
  Cato opened his eyes and looked around. He let out a big sigh.  It was just a dream. "I'm sorry I woke you up.  Go back to sleep, Livia. I'm fine."  That's what Cato said, but he knew he wasn't. He couldn't make sense out of anything.  His guilt laid heavily on his chest and pressed against his thoughts. Falling back to sleep became impossible.  He just laid there for a long time. His thoughts bounced back and forth in his head.  He tried to remember exactly what was said about Jesus. He wished he would have paid closer attention. When the sun finally spilled its light across the room, Cato decided to get up and begin the day.

(to be continued...)

-Susan

The Tunic (part 9)

(The Tunic is a fictional story based on the Passion of Jesus. The story began on post March 18, 2019.)

 For what seemed to be a very long three minutes nobody spoke. Livia scanned the room hoping the water was still there, but it was gone as well. 
 Finally Cato spoke. “I came home and no one was here....where were you?”
  “Remus and I have been all over town. Walking, running through the streets and fields!  It has been the best day ever!”
 “Papa do you want to see how fast I can run?”
 “Yes!  Yes, I do, but please let me look at you first.”  Cato looked up and down at Remus’ legs.  They looked perfect. It was as if he had never been burned.  He took Livia’s arms in his hands and examined them.  No scars.  Cato couldn’t explain what he was seeing.  He shook his head back and forth.  “Please tell me how.  How did this happen?”
 Livia described as best she could what had occurred and how it felt. Cato just gave her a blank stare. If he had heard anyone else tell this story, he would not have believed them. It was crazy.  It made no sense.  
 “Cato it is a miracle!  Do you not believe me?”
 “Of course, I can see with my own eyes the miracle in front of me. But how could a dead man’s tunic heal you?”
 “You said he claimed to be the son of a god, right?  The women drawing water this morning were discussing all the miracles he had performed.  In my head, I wished he could have healed us--"
 “Livia I helped crucify that man!  Why would a god heal my family when I killed his son? I didn’t show any mercy. Why would he show mercy to me?  It doesn’t make sense. There must be another reason.”
 “I don’t care that it doesn’t make sense, Cato.  I know what happened. I felt something incredible as if I was being touched by a powerful source of love.  More powerful than anything I have ever felt.”
 “Papa, please believe.  It’s true!  I feel so happy!  Mama and I are going to find out all we can about him tomorrow. What was his name again?
 "Jesus."  Just saying his name made Livia smile.
 "Okay, tomorrow we will find out more about Jesus. But right now can we just go outside and I will show you how fast I can run!”  Remus was too excited to sit and talk anymore.
  Cato looked at his son's giant smile.  He thought he would never see Remus smile like that again. "Yes! We will all race and see who is the fastest!"
  

(To be continued....)

-Susan

The Tunic (part 8)

(The Tunic is a fictional story based on the Passion of Jesus. The story began on post March 18, 2019.)


  "Mama, can we just wait outside until Papa returns?" begged Remus.  "I want to run right up to him when he gets off his horse!"
  Livia loved the idea!  "Of course!" she answered.  "I actually thought he might be home by now.  He might be working another long day."
  "I don't care how long we have to wait!  This will be the best surprise I have ever given him."  The time seem to go by very quickly.  Remus hopped and jumped and did all the things he used to only dream about doing again.
  "Remus look! Is that Papa coming down the street?!"
  Remus looked carefully.  "It is! It is!" Remus began jumping up and down yelling, "Papa, Papa!"
  Cato had felt pleased with himself as he rode home.  He had sold that tunic for a good price.  He was anxious to tell Livia of his success.  As his eyes focused towards his home, his heart suddenly began to pump faster.  "Was that?   No.   How could it be?"
  "Papa, Papa!  Look at me!  I'm healed!"
  Cato jumped off his horse in an instant!  He ran the last few steps toward his son!  "Remus!  You are walking!  No, you are running!"  Cato grabbed his son in his arms and swung him in a circle and then hugged and kissed him.  "How has this happened?"
  "Mama is healed too!  We are both healed!"
  Cato looked at his wife.  Where were her scars?  He looked at Remus' legs.  There were no scars there either!  For a moment the three laughed and hugged one another.  It felt as if the pain of the past year had disappeared from their lives.  It felt so good.  "Livia, how has this happened?"
  Livia was giggling.  "Come inside!  I'll show you!"  She was bursting with excitement!  As she pulled Cato inside, her laugh came to an abrupt stop.  "Where is it?  Remus, where is it?"
  Remus pushed past his parents.  "It's right......wait...what happened?"
  Livia began searching frantically.  "Where is it?  Did someone take it?"
  Cato was very confused.  "What are we looking for?"
  "The tunic!" Livia and Remus screamed simultaneously.
  "The tunic?  Why are we looking for that?"
  "The tunic healed us. Or the blood from the tunic healed us.  I don't know which! That man Jesus surely must have been God's son.  He healed us!"
  Cato began to feel the room spin.  Nothing was making any sense.  What had he done?  How can blood stained tunic heal.....his son was healed.....his wife was healed.....?  He had helped crucify Jesus.....His head began to pound as fast as his heart.  He fell to the ground to weak too stand. In the smallest of voices Cato confessed, "I sold it."

(to be continued...)

-Susan

The Tunic (part 7)

(The Tunic is a fictional story based on the Passion of Jesus. The story began on post March 18, 2019.)


  When Cato returned home he was surprised neither Livia nor Remus were there.  Remus was generally in too much pain to walk and Livia could not carry him very far.  Cato stepped outside to see if they were perhaps resting outside. He looked in each direction but did not see them.  Perhaps a neighbor had invited them over for a visit.  As Cato returned inside he noticed the tunic hanging in the corner.  Cato looked it over.  "Not bad." He thought to himself.  Livia had gotten it cleaner then he thought possible.  He saw the basin with blood tinged water.  "Why didn't she empty that?  No one wants to see that."  Cato picked up the basin and threw the water outside.  Then he grabbed the tunic and hopped on his horse.  He had already discussed selling this to a merchant he knew.  He was sure he would get a good price now.
  A short time later Livia and Remus came home happy and laughing.  Remus had insisted on walking around the whole town. He ran in fields as Livia chased him.  It was the best day ever!  Livia felt more alive than she ever had.  She knew both of them had been healed by the blood of Jesus.  Over and over she thanked Jesus.  She told Remus starting tomorrow they would learn all that they could about him! Right now they where so excited for Cato to return home! They couldn't wait to share their joy with him!

(to be continued...)

-Susan