A short story by JQuisumbing
Continued…
A few days later, Elpida had picked up some produce from the marketplace, when she spotted four men who were clearly Galileans by their clothing and their accents. This was not as unusual, for many Jews have dealings in this region, but she recognized one of them. Demacli had pointed him out to her once. The older of them was clearly the disciple called Matthew, a former tax collector. They purchased food and started to walk away. She decided to follow them.
They went to a neighborhood near the center of the town where the rich tradesmen have their homes. They headed to a tall house with a stone wall surrounding it. The double gates were open and the four men entered it. Elpida lingered outside looking through the gates. Inside was a courtyard and an overhanging pavilion that lead into the house. The four were greeted by another group of eleven who were lounging on the pavilion’s steps. One of them stood up to greet them. Somehow, she knew that this man was him. It is Jesus of Nazareth. With no hesitation, she rushed through the gates calling out, “Lord! Lord!”
The men stood, startled by the entry of this strange woman. She went to the man who she believed is Jesus of Nazareth. She pushed her way through some of them then fell on the ground at his feet. When some of the men tried to pull her away, she cried out, “Lord, Lord… have mercy on me!” When she felt them pulling her away even more, she looked up to find that he was not looking her way. She had to think quickly on what would make him look. Then she got it. She desperately called out, “Son of David!” When he turned to face her, there was a slight twinkle in his eye and hope sprang up in her. She felt the tugging stop.
“Son of David have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
Jesus stepped forward and his disciples stepped back. Some of them were whispering and visibly showing their disapproval. One of them said, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” Jesus came closer and pulled her up to stand. He gave just a slight smile, then he turned and faced the men.
“Let the children be satisfied first,” Jesus announced in a loud voice. “It is not good to take the children’s bread…” He paused, then said, “and throw it to the dogs.”
In a blink of an eye, she realized that Jesus’ proclamation was not more for her but for his disciples. But an answer from her was needed. She believed who he is and that he is kind and loving. She also realized that he is also just. “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
Jesus turned around with a big smile. “Woman, you have great faith! Because of this answer go home, for the demon has gone out of your daughter.” [Matthew 15:21-28]
Jesus asked one of his followers, a foreigner, by the look of him, to escort her home. Twenty minutes later, they were just a stone’s throw away from her cousin’s house, she could hear the giggling voice of her daughter, sounding quite normal. She was about to sprint to the door, but the foreign man put his hand gently on her arm.
“The master wanted you to know that the one whom you sought for years since Greece… is He.”
This is the end of this story, but by no mean is it really ending…
Author’s note:
Though this short story is basically fiction, the character of Elpida is based on an actual female personality described in Mark 7. She was a gentile who showed great faith.
There are many such characters in the Bible, many of them were not named at all, but yet there are worthy stories to tell about them. With the help of some sanctified imagination and some artistic license, I felt their stories should be told especially of their faithful encounters with Jesus Christ.
Johann Quisumbing 