I dreamed that I was walking down a road in Palestine 2,000 years ago when I started visiting with a traveler who was trying to understand recent events in Jerusalem.

“I’m so glad to have someone to walk with,” he said. “I don’t know you but maybe you can help me make sense of what’s happening. “

I nodded and he continued. 

“For the past two years, I’ve followed the prophet, Jesus, you know, the man who performed all sorts of miracles and preached to the crowds about his kingdom. I thought he was the messiah so I joined his followers. But now they’ve killed him and people are spreading all sorts of crazy stories about seeing him risen from the dead.

“First there was that poor demented woman, Mary Magdalene. Jesus drove the demons from her but they must have come back since she’s told some delusional story about seeing Jesus alive again.  Maybe she’s just a hysterical female. I never could understand why Jesus devoted so much attention to women even though they were among his most fervent followers.    

“Now there are more stories from the Eleven, you know, the men who were his chief disciples. I’m glad I wasn’t THAT close to him. Peter and John are refusing to obey orders from the authorities to stop preaching because they’re saying that Jesus told them to preach the Gospel everywhere to everyone. Mark my words. They’re going to get themselves killed for preaching about someone who might have been a phony or a psychopath.

“My parents want me to come home because it’s time to settle down and get married. They’re probably right. I wasted two good years because Jesus was so charismatic and his gospel of love sucked me in. But l can’t get over Jesus. Something still tells me He might have been for real. If only I knew for sure!”

As we came to a fork in the road, I wished him well as we parted ways. I had no advice for him but I was meditating on my own perplexities about Jesus because I, too, had been in the crowds following Jesus. . I was as confused as my companion.

Then I woke up. I wondered what I would have done had I lived in the time of Jesus and experienced the events that we read about today. I’d LIKE to think I would have been with the “crazies” but odds are that I would not have. Am I really a follower of Jesus?