AZOTUSLAND Chapter Seventy

Manfred scurried about pouring red wine and Jim came in from the kitchen to the head table and looked about.

"First of all," he said. "I want to thank Manfred and Ted for all their help in preparing this meal. Let's give them a warm hand." Glasses were raised and a toast given in the warm glow. Jim asked Dan Palmer to say a word and then once gain turned to Ted and asked him to say a prayer of blessing over the meal.

When done, Jim said "This is a very traditional Middle Eastern meal consisting mostly of the the spicy lentil soup which is poured over fresh spinach, then eaten with nuts, fruit, and an exquisite pastry from our friends at El Mansour as I am not so good with baking."

The smell of the candles, the red wine, the lentil soup all wafted together in a sort of tangible aura.

"Did you get this receipe from your travels to the Holy land?" Maugham asked slyly.

"No Maug," Jim said. "I got it from the Moosewood Cookbook, which I highly recommend. Smartass."

"Einstein said imagination is more powerful than knowledge," Jim said. "I want you to close your eyes for a moment and imagine that you are at a Middle Eastern home in the First Century. It looks and feels a bit like this and the foods would be very much like what you are about to eat. You are in the home of a rich and powerful religious man named Simon."

Templar raised his glass and there was laughter. "I shall take you all on a cruise through the Red Sea when this is over," he said and smiled at Jim.

"Well for tonight, Simon, I shall be Simon the host. A religious man who has invited you all to dinner for various reasons. The tables would be arrayed just like this with the head table here by the kitchen. Pointing down at his own table he said "This is the place of honor. The second table that runs of it and down the way is a place of lesser honor. Then you folk on the far end of the horseshoe are...well, are either strangers or perhaps invited for other purposes. But you have the lowest place."

Han's face turned grim. That and he had not been able to find utencils of any kind.

"Notice I let you seat yourselves," Jim said.

Please enjoy your food while Rich reads from Luke's Gospel.

Manfred, Tim and Jim all started to ladel the hot spicy soup into the bowls and encouraged others to pass the baskets of bread around as Rich read the following:

Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table.

And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.

Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner."

Maugham took a healthy swig of wine and looked at Martine in the candle light and whispered, "this isn't like no Bible lesson you have ever heard." He popped a grape in her mouth playfully. Rachel, and Manfred right next to her, were both dipping the bread into the hot soup and enjoying it. Delphia, who had taken off her Keds, was flirting a bit with Jonathan. Andy looked pleased with himself. Hans was still distressed and asking for utensils.

Rick continued all the while:

And Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher."

A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?

Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have judged correctly."

Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet.

You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume.

For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.

Then He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven." Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this man who even forgives sins? And He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace.