Volume 2

192 Life of Jesus Christ
they had rented from the Sichemites. There were many of
them gathered here, but no Samaritans.
The first noteworthy incident that took place here was
the Blessed Virgin's begging Jesus to cure a lame boy
whom some of the neighboring shepherds had brought
thither. They had before doing so implored Mary's intercession.
Such things happened very often, and it was
quite affecting to see her asking Jesus for these favors.
Jesus commanded that the boy should be brought, and
the parents bore him on a little litter to the door of the
house in which Jesus was. The child was about nine
years old. Jesus addressed some words of exhortation to
the parents and, as they fell back, somewhat timidly
awaiting the result, the disciples gathered around Jesus.
He spoke to the boy, leaned a little over him, then took
him by the hand and raised him up. The boy jumped out
of the litter, took a few steps, and then ran into the arms
of his parents, who cast themselves with him at Jesus'
feet. The crowd uttered cries of joy, but Jesus reminded
them to thank the Heavenly Father. He then addressed a
short instruction to the assembled shepherds and took
with the disciples a light repast, which the women had
prepared in an arbor under the great tree in front of the
house. Mary and the women sat apart at the end of the
table. I am under the impression that this house was
taken for one of the private inns, and was prepared and
served by the holy women of Capharnaum.
There approached now, and that rather timidly, several
persons from Sichar, among them Dina, the woman of
the well. They did not venture to draw near, because they
were not accustomed to have intercourse with the Jewish
shepherds. Dina, however, made bold to advance first,
and I saw her talking with the women and the Blessed
Virgin. After the repast, Jesus and the disciples took
leave of the holy women, who immediately set about preparing
for their return journey to Galilee whither Jesus