I Appeal To Caesar!

locations. Something mysterious happened at the exact moment of Rachel’s cry! * * * * * Unknown to Rachel and her friends, at the moment of her cry, Jesus halted the donkey in the middle of the road. The people overflowing both sides of the street are strangely immobilized in whatever position they find themselves. What? What is happening? Slowly, silently, majestically, Jesus raises one arm with an open hand for silence, and with the other arm points an extended finger straight to the location of the non-visible Rachel and friends who are slammed against the wall, now concealed behind hundreds of silent people! The crowd separates before the advancing circle of Jesus and His twelve stalwart men: it seems like the parting of the Red Sea or the unzipping of a giant zipper! * * * * * Then, amazement supreme! Jesus stands before the wet, desperate woman and her disheveled friends. The surrounding crowd that can see, hold their breath! What will he do? Rachel and friends no longer stand; they have crumpled to the ground. Stunned and exhausted, they look up in wonderment, big eyes flowing with tears, dumbfounded that they are looking at answered prayer! Dismounting, Jesus strides toward Rachel, while his twelve apostles form a protective shield around Him.