Chapter 1
Hannah's eyes fluttered opened. Her head killed from the fall. The sun shone in through the windows. The dirt floor was warm from the sun's rays. Hannah slowly got up and looked around. That's when she realized she wasn't wearing the clothes she had been wearing earlier but she was wearing a tunic. Everything had changed. The doorway was now a small room with a fire, table and chairs surrounding it. There were also stairs, which Hannah would have climbed in curiosity, but in these circumstances she started outside. When the door should have been was a cloth of thick white fabric. She pushed it aside and looked into the small street. The street was crowded with many, many people. The fresh food smelled and the vendors were yelling of their wares. She was jostled around as she walked past everything trying to take it in. All the people were talking in a weird language but for some reason she understood it. "Where are we?" she asked the person beside her, and to her surprise it was in the weird language she was hearing. "We are in Capernaum," the man answered. "Oh, thank you" she said politely but he had already pushed away.
After wandering around the crowded smelly streets all day, Hannah finally made it out to the open streets. But after walking around all day and getting her feet stepped on, she just sat down on the side of the road. The crude leather sandals on her feet had no comfort in them and they had caused large blisters on her feet. She had pulled a head covering over her to protect her from the heat and sun though it offered little shade. She had found some lose change on the streets and decided to buy some water that she still had slung across her. As she sat in the dirt, a large crowd started over the hill. The large crowd then stopped and sat down. In the middle of the crowd was a man surrounded by twelve other men. She decided to find out what he was talking about, so she crept up to the edge of the crowd and listened.
After him only saying a sentence, she realized something; it was the man at the door. Even though she was at the back, it sounded like he was right in front of her. His voice was the same calming voice but this time she sat and listened. This is what she heard. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil things against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."(Matthew 5:8-18) He paused for a moment to catch his breath and in this small pause Hannah tuned out thinking about what she had just heard. She had gone to church as a little kid but as she had grown older she started to fade out of the church life. The words that he had just spoken seemed familiar but she didn't know where they were from. She thought about the "light of the world" and what it meant. Did it mean that she was actually going to become a human light bulb or what else could it mean. At this note she started to listen again.
"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
You have heard that is was said, ' Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect therefore as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5: 38-48)
These sentences stuck in Hannah's heart. To turn the other cheek when someone hits you is stupid, but coming from him it seemed the right thing to do. But the thing to love your enemy was a little far fetched. To love someone you hate is impossible but when this man spoke he made it seem possible but she didn't have the slightest idea how.
The man went on to talk about giving, prayer, fasting, money, worry, judging, prudence, prayer again, and others (Matthew 6:1-7:12) When he had finished talking on the hill a man covered in sores approached him. Hannah was grossed out because the sores were large and covered in pus and flies. Where he walked a large birth was given to him. When he finally got to the man he said" Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean. "The man reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing'" he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured. All the people around stood in shock from what they had seen, she was no exception. All the sores were gone and there were no scars. There was no visible evidence he had ever been sick. He got up and started dancing around. The man ordered, "See that you don't tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." The healed man willingly went towards the city and Hannah assumed he was going to the priest. At that moment, the man got up and the crowd followed. As the mass of people moved towards the city, Hannah asked the woman next to her, "Who was that man that just talked?" "Don't tell me you don't know who that is, "the woman answered. "I'm sorry but I am new to these parts and don't know anybody, please tell me who he is," She pleaded the woman. The woman looked at her in a 'you are stupid' way and answered," That man was Jesus, of course." When the group reached the city, Hannah left the group to the now deserted streets. During the time this 'Jesus' man had been talking, dinnertime had long gone but she just started to realize how hungry she was. Since she had no money she took to wandering the streets looking for a place to eat. When, from behind, a hand reached out and grabbed her shoulder.
Hannah's eyes fluttered opened. Her head killed from the fall. The sun shone in through the windows. The dirt floor was warm from the sun's rays. Hannah slowly got up and looked around. That's when she realized she wasn't wearing the clothes she had been wearing earlier but she was wearing a tunic. Everything had changed. The doorway was now a small room with a fire, table and chairs surrounding it. There were also stairs, which Hannah would have climbed in curiosity, but in these circumstances she started outside. When the door should have been was a cloth of thick white fabric. She pushed it aside and looked into the small street. The street was crowded with many, many people. The fresh food smelled and the vendors were yelling of their wares. She was jostled around as she walked past everything trying to take it in. All the people were talking in a weird language but for some reason she understood it. "Where are we?" she asked the person beside her, and to her surprise it was in the weird language she was hearing. "We are in Capernaum," the man answered. "Oh, thank you" she said politely but he had already pushed away.
After wandering around the crowded smelly streets all day, Hannah finally made it out to the open streets. But after walking around all day and getting her feet stepped on, she just sat down on the side of the road. The crude leather sandals on her feet had no comfort in them and they had caused large blisters on her feet. She had pulled a head covering over her to protect her from the heat and sun though it offered little shade. She had found some lose change on the streets and decided to buy some water that she still had slung across her. As she sat in the dirt, a large crowd started over the hill. The large crowd then stopped and sat down. In the middle of the crowd was a man surrounded by twelve other men. She decided to find out what he was talking about, so she crept up to the edge of the crowd and listened.
After him only saying a sentence, she realized something; it was the man at the door. Even though she was at the back, it sounded like he was right in front of her. His voice was the same calming voice but this time she sat and listened. This is what she heard. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil things against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."(Matthew 5:8-18) He paused for a moment to catch his breath and in this small pause Hannah tuned out thinking about what she had just heard. She had gone to church as a little kid but as she had grown older she started to fade out of the church life. The words that he had just spoken seemed familiar but she didn't know where they were from. She thought about the "light of the world" and what it meant. Did it mean that she was actually going to become a human light bulb or what else could it mean. At this note she started to listen again.
"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
You have heard that is was said, ' Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect therefore as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5: 38-48)
These sentences stuck in Hannah's heart. To turn the other cheek when someone hits you is stupid, but coming from him it seemed the right thing to do. But the thing to love your enemy was a little far fetched. To love someone you hate is impossible but when this man spoke he made it seem possible but she didn't have the slightest idea how.
The man went on to talk about giving, prayer, fasting, money, worry, judging, prudence, prayer again, and others (Matthew 6:1-7:12) When he had finished talking on the hill a man covered in sores approached him. Hannah was grossed out because the sores were large and covered in pus and flies. Where he walked a large birth was given to him. When he finally got to the man he said" Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean. "The man reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing'" he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured. All the people around stood in shock from what they had seen, she was no exception. All the sores were gone and there were no scars. There was no visible evidence he had ever been sick. He got up and started dancing around. The man ordered, "See that you don't tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." The healed man willingly went towards the city and Hannah assumed he was going to the priest. At that moment, the man got up and the crowd followed. As the mass of people moved towards the city, Hannah asked the woman next to her, "Who was that man that just talked?" "Don't tell me you don't know who that is, "the woman answered. "I'm sorry but I am new to these parts and don't know anybody, please tell me who he is," She pleaded the woman. The woman looked at her in a 'you are stupid' way and answered," That man was Jesus, of course." When the group reached the city, Hannah left the group to the now deserted streets. During the time this 'Jesus' man had been talking, dinnertime had long gone but she just started to realize how hungry she was. Since she had no money she took to wandering the streets looking for a place to eat. When, from behind, a hand reached out and grabbed her shoulder.