The Madonna and the Political Prisoner, Chapter 3/1

Chapter 3 AD 9

The family are growing up. James had his ‘bar-mitzvah’ last year and Salome came of age. Our house seems too small now with such a boisterous group of youngsters round me all the time. For much of the year several of the children sleep on the roof. Joshua and James have their bedrolls in Joseph’s workshop. James is there at the moment assisting Joseph. Joshua is in Sepphoris at the rabbinical school. We had quite a tussle to get him to enrol there. There was no difficulty from the synagogue authorities - on the contrary, Joshua had the full support and recommendation from our rabbis here in Nazareth. They’d have preferred him to go away to Tiberias or even Jerusalem, but Joshua wouldn’t go that far as he saw Joseph needed him here. In fact, Joseph was reluctant to let Joshua go at all as he wanted the boy to learn his trade thoroughly, ready to take over from him. Joseph gets very weary these days and it worries me. A man of his age should not get so tired. I know carpentry is heavy work, but it shouldn’t wear out Joseph so much.

Joel persuaded Joseph in the end last year. Joshua was fifteen by then and he was really going to need to start his further studies if he was to become a rabbi. Joseph accepted that Joshua was well suited and the respect given to such a role would enhance his credibility when the time would come to reveal himself as the expected Messiah. He was anxious, however, that the carpentry business should grow to cater for the increasing costs of supporting our family. He was banking on both Joshua and James providing the extra pairs of hands that would enable him to accept the work he was being offered and frequently had to turn down because of his existing workload. In the end they agreed a compromise. James, at thirteen, was now strong enough to give Joseph real assistance and he had been quick at learning the skill required. Joshua was finally persuaded to go to the nearby Sepphoris synagogue school so that he could travel home each day and give Joseph further assistance in the evenings. He was so keen to help that I think he’d even have done extra work for Joseph on the Sabbath, but Joseph wouldn’t hear of it and it would have caused great offence in the community. Joshua is funny that way - in many ways he is very religious, yet he seems to treat some of our laws with scant regard. He once said to me that surely it was more important to help Joseph meet a deadline for a customer than to obey all the petty rules meticulously and let someone down.

It’s time we thought about Joshua getting married too. Joseph and I had a long talk about that last week. He’s sixteen now and even if we found a suitable girl for him in the next few months, by the time we observe the usual betrothal ceremonies and waiting period, he’ll be over eighteen before he’s married and ready to start a family of his own. None of the girls in our immediate family is old enough for him, my sister Salome’s Mariam is only ten. Clopas’s sisters’ children are already married, apart from Esther’s youngest, Leah, who is fourteen. I don’t know that family very well, they live in a village the other side of Sepphoris, but from gossip I hear when the family get together, I gather the girl is not very bright and we must find someone that Joshua would respect. I think my friend, Hannah, Joel’s daughter, might help us here. She has four fine children, one of whom is a girl. I see her quite often when Hannah is visiting her father. She must be about the right age. Joseph and I decided that it would be worth speaking to Joel about her to see if she is already in negotiations for a marriage elsewhere.

I’m deep in thought about some of these issues as I go about my household duties. Salome and Ruth have gone for water, the younger boys are at school and my mother and I are about to tackle some of the sewing work we need to do as soon as I’ve finished sweeping out. There is a sudden crash. I assume at first that some wood has fallen over in the workshop, then I hear a cry. It’s James shouting. I don’t pick up his words at first, then he appears in the doorway, looking flustered.

“Mum, come quickly, it’s Dad. He’s collapsed. I don’t know what’s wrong, but he’s breathing heavily and he seems to be unconscious.”

I rush into the workshop and find Joseph lying on the floor amid some planks of wood which have been disturbed by his fall. Dust is still rising. I peer at my husband and see that what James said is true. He is unconscious. He is breathing but his lips look blue. I’m scared. James is looking up at me. He is frightened too. I suddenly realise my mother is standing behind me in the doorway.

“Get him through here onto a mattress. James, give your mother a hand to lift him. Then you can run and fetch Matthaeus.”

Matthaeus is the nearest we have to a physician in the village. They say there are properly trained physicians in Sepphoris, but it’ll take several hours to get there and persuade one to come here and treat Joseph and cost a lot that we can ill afford.

“James, you lift his feet when I take his weight.” I grasp his arms, slipping my hands under his shoulders. He is heavy but somehow my panic gives me extra strength and we carry him through to the living area where Mother has unrolled his mattress and we lay him down as gently as we can.

“Go quickly, James, run!”

My words are superfluous. James is already out of the door. I damp a cloth and wipe Joseph’s face and loosen the clothes around his head and neck. He twitches a couple of times, his face grimaces as if in pain, then he seems to relax. His breathing is noisy but gradually seems to calm down. I don’t know what more I can do. I just hold his hand and whisper to him. I feel my mother’s hand resting on my shoulder. She doesn’t say anything, but it is comforting to know that she is here and her knowledge and experience is available.

The wait seems interminable. I’m not sure if Joseph is still unconscious or whether he’s just sleeping now. He’s so still. I look at Mother and find my eyes beginning to water. It must be the shock. I’m cold and shivery and mother brings me a draught of water which I gulp and then splutter, setting off a coughing fit. At last we hear footsteps outside and James bursts in followed by Matthaeus.

“Is he alright?” asks James tremulously. I take the boy in my arms and give him a hug.

“I don’t know yet, dear. Let Matthaeus have a good look at him and see what’s best to do.”

I explain to the physician what has happened and he examines Joseph and listens to his breathing. As he does so, Joseph stirs and begins to mumble something although I cannot make out any words.

“He’s recovering, Mari. It’s probably some malady of the heart. He should rest. He must lie here and not seek to get up until he feels stronger.”

“Do you have any treatment or herb you can prescribe?”

“Don’t give him wine or beer at present. Just water and a little bread. Get him to eat fruit - figs and dates are better than meat. But above all, make him rest. His work is heavy. He must not try to undertake such labour until he is completely rested and fit.”

I’m not confident that the man knows exactly what he is prescribing. I know he can suggest remedies for common ailments, for a fever or a chill. He has some knowledge of plants and herbs that can help, but people in the village who can afford it send for a physician from Sepphoris if they have a relative who is more seriously afflicted. We have been fortunate in our family’s health so far. Our children are all robust and have shrugged off minor childhood diseases without too much alarm, but many families have had the death of a child to cope with, or a mother’s loss in childbirth. There are few with seven children for whom tragedy has not struck. I thank God constantly for our good fortune in this aspect of our lives and now my prayers must be for my husband. I have been worried about Joseph before. There were times when he seemed too tired and breathless for a man of his age, but he always seemed to recover and he dismissed any suggestion that he should take things more easily. ‘How can we?’ he would say. ‘We’ve a large family to support. One day Joshua and James will be fit to take over from me. Then I’ll deserve my rest.’

Joshua comes home at last and I meet him and take him outside to explain what has happened beyond Joseph’s hearing.

“He’s recovering now. He’s sitting up and taking notice though it’s best for him to rest and sleep.”

“Should we not obtain a physician from the city? I’ll look for one tomorrow.”

“I think you’d be better here. Don’t let your father worry about the work that’s still outstanding. The best treatment for him will be to stop him worrying. You and James know enough, don’t you, to finish the orders your father was working on? You both help him. He’s told me often you have the skill and James is shaping up well. Can’t you both stay here and work for the moment? You can surely let your studies delay for a while until your father’s quite recovered?”

“Of course, Mother, if you think that’s the best thing. Frankly James is as expert as I am although perhaps he needs a little more strength. But he’ll soon acquire that. I’m sure between the two of us we can keep things going. Don’t worry about it, Mother, and don’t let Father worry either.

“Well, tell him yourself. He’ll not be so restless if you and James can assure him of all you’re doing.”