All
of us fishermen from Capernaum were already up even before the roosters
could crow in the morning. One by one, we would leave the house still
half asleep. With our nets we would all gather in the small wharf in
the city where our fishing boats were moored and where the old men would
divide the tasks among us everyday...
Zebedee: What early birds, young
men!... Brrr.... It’s damn cold!.... Come on, shake a leg, the mountain
breeze will be good for fishing..... Jonas, my friend, join your own
men.... Twins, you and I will go down that bend.... and you, young men,
to the fishing boats!... Cheer up, everyone, for this is gonna be a
lucky day!....
The rowmen were thrust in the calm waters of the lake as the
north wind pushed the boats to sail. And there in the deep was cast
a big net that would catch the best fish. Another group with their baskets
and ropes remained on the shore in order to trap the small ones, the
goldfish and the needlefish.
Jonas: Stretch out the net, you
beast!.... Farther... Hold it, Peter! Over there! Over there! We have
a school of “dorados” on the left!.... Come on, young men!...
Jesus was with us for one week in Capernaum. He looked for a
job during the day; at night he went to the house to have a drink and
to tell us stories. Jesus was a good friend. Soon he became close to
the family and considered himself one of us... That morning, when he
woke up, we were already battling with the wavy waters of the lake.…
Jesus crossed the fishing village, passing through the palm trees that
surrounded the wharf and walked toward the shore....
Jonas: Andrew, lend Peter a hand!...
You too, frog face!... Come on, boys, all together now!.... One, two,
three!.... Yaaa!
Men: Yaaa!
Jonas: One more time!
Men: Yaaa!
Jonas: Hurray for the fishermen!
Men: Yaaa!
Jonas: Cheers to the brave men
of Tiberias!
Men: Yaaa!
Jonas: Cheers to the strong men
of Bethsaida!
Men: Yaaa!
Jonas: Hurray to the real men
of Capernaum!
Men: Yaaa!
Jonas: Ya, ya, ya, ya!
Men: Ya, ya, ya, ya!
Peter: Damn this net! Its knots
are all rotten! Uff!
Andrew: Hey, Peter, isn’t that
man Jesus? Look....
Peter: Ah, yes, he is the one....
Finally, the moreno of Nazareth has shown up!... Obviously, these peasants
from the inner land are not early birds. Hey, you, guy from Nazareth!....
Just wait for us there; we’re comin’ ashore!
Jonas: Where are you going, Peter?...
Andrew, you dope, don’t release the rope!
Andrew: The net is empty, there
is nothing in it, not even “dorados” or slimy shells!
Peter: We have a visitor. Come,
let’s welcome him!
Jonas: To hell with all of you
and the visitor! Ever since this fellow came, you do nothing but spend
the time chatting! You charlatans!...
Jesus: Well, yes, I slept like
a log. Right now, I’m going to see Rufina’s “comadre,” whose house is
about to fall down. If I put up the wall and nail the roof in place,
then I’ll be earning a few dinars.
Peter: That can wait later. There’s
always time for work. Let’s go look for Zebedee’s sons down the bend,
then we can roast some fresh “dorados.” What do you think?
Jesus: But you have to work, Peter,
and....
Peter: Don’t worry about that,
Jesus. I am sick and tired of casting nets into this cove.
Andrew: This is Jonas, our father.
He is the most stubborn man in town.
Peter: One can always catch a
school of “dorados” here, but then, he gets tired of casting the net,
and so ends up catching nothing at all.
Jesus: I say that must be a difficult
job. I’ve been watching all of you do it....
Andrew: Not really. It’s a matter
of getting used to it and knowing how to work with the group. As one
pulls up the buoy, another tucks in the knots, while another attends
to the baskets... like this....
Peter: Toothpick, first we gotta
teach him how to swim. Peasants can’t even swim, you know!
Jesus: You’re right, Peter. Let’s
put it this way. I’m never at home in the water!
Andrew: Well, do you plan to stay
in Capernaum for some more days?
Jesus: I’m not sure... It depends.
Peter: What do you mean?
Jesus: It all depends on you.
Peter: That’s no problem with
us, right Andrew? You can stay with the Zebedees or with us, for as
long as you want. You are welcome any time.
Andrew: And, as you have seen,
there’s always work for you here....
Jesus: No, it’s not because of
that. That’s not what I’m thinking of right now.
Peter: Then, what is it?
Jesus: Nothing, it’s just that....
You see, when I was in the desert, after we parted ways in the Jordan,
remember? I had a chance to reflect.....
Peter: So...?
Jesus: Listen, Peter. The prophet
John is still in prison, and no one is demanding justice. What have
we been doing? We talk a lot, that’s right, and that’s all.
Peter: That was precisely what
I was saying yesterday: we talk about a lotta things: many stories,
baptism, it’s all words... But when the moment of truth comes, we leave
the prophet in solitude. Tell me, what is the movement planning to do?
Aren’t the zealots gonna save him?
Andrew: Machaerus is very much
isolated by mountains. It would be very difficult to storm it...
Peter: Difficult or not.... We
cannot allow the voice of John to be carried away by the wind... We
must act now, and do something.... Good Lord!
Andrew: What is your plan, Jesus?
Jesus: Nothing special, Andrew,
but... I don’t know.... As I see you cast your nets.... it just occurred
to me that.... Hey, why don’t we do exactly what you’re doing when fishing?
I mean, you cast your nets and together, you pull it. Why don’t we do
something together?
Peter: Exactly. Less talk but
more work. We need stones and not words to smash the heads of the Romans.
That’s a good idea, Jesus. We do something on our own, let’s not wait
for orders from the movement. Let’s take the law into our own hands!
Jesus: Forget about the stone
throwing and the law, Peter. What’s important is that we be united,
as a group...
Peter: That’s a good idea. I like
it. One for all, all for one. Together we face all perils, and together
we celebrate our victory. Well, then, we form a group, and we attack
by surprise.
Andrew: Hold it, Peter. This isn’t
clear yet. Why are we forming a group, Jesus?
Jesus: Well, to continue the work
started by the prophet John, to talk to the people and tell them: “The
time of the Lord has come. He will cast his nets by the sea and all
of you should be alert. God is not pleased with the state of things.
The time has come when the big fish will no longer devour the small
fish.”
Peter: Very well said. When do
we start?
Andrew: Take it easy, Peter. What
Jesus has said is fine, but... but we must be very careful. It reeks
of conspiracy around here. If we organize something, we gotta take some
precautions.
Jesus: Are you afraid, Andrew?
Andrew: I’m not scared, Jesus.
But neither do I want to be hunted like a criminal.
Jesus: And you, Peter, are you
scared?
Peter: Who, me? Of course not.
You do not know me yet, Moreno!
Jesus: Well, I am. While in the
desert, I discovered that I was scared.... scared to risk my life, you
know what I mean? But God’s gonna give us the strength to move on, don’t
you think so?
Peter: Why, of course! There is
no place for cowards in this world. Come, let us talk to James and John.
Let us see what these bandits have to say!
Peter, Andrew and Jesus headed for the shore until they reached
the bend, where Zebedee’s boats were waiting. My brother and I were
with our father, mending some old nets.....
Peter: There they are... The one
who’s half naked is James...
Jesus: Hey, James, yes, you...
come over here, and hurry, redhead. We want to talk to you!
Peter: Where is this restless
fellow, John?
Jesus: Come over here, John!....
Leave your nets and come here!
John: We’ll be right there!
Zebedee: Hold it, young men, you’re
not leaving!... It is not mealtime yet! Damn these young people! I swear
they will go to bed with an empty stomach, this pair of bums!
James: Fellows, today would be
the right time to show our friend around. Since he came, all he did
was nail and lay bricks. Today,
we shall have a little
fun. Look, Jesus, Capernaum is known for being a happy city, and that
is true. Here, there is always dancing and drinking.... Plenty of women,
also. In this village, a certain Mary of Magdala, where she comes from,
has got us all hooked up!.... Ayayay!..
Andrew: Hey, redhead, forget about
that for the meantime, as we have something more serious to talk about.
Jesus has a plan. We were planning to organize a group independent of
the movement...
The five of us walked toward the wharf as we discussed about
the group and the plan of action we would take. At the wharf, we gathered
wood, built a fire and cooked some fresh “dorados”....
James: I guess we need some weapons.
Jesus: What are the weapons for,
James?
James: To kill the Romans with.
You always say that the big fish devour the small fish, and this must
be stopped. Then let’s get rid of them!
Jesus: Hold it, James. You yourselves
have said that a good fisherman does not make a lot of noise so as not
to shoo away the fish. What has to be done at this moment is to begin
gathering the small fishes, to make them strong, and not allow themselves
be devoured by the big fish. What do you think? God also began that
way, when He told Moses to organize the dispersed Jews, so that together,
they could defy the Pharaoh and flee from his anger.
Peter: Well said, Jesus. I believe
many will unite, if we know how to cast our nets well.
Andrew: We can inform Philip, the
vendor.
John: And Nathanael, too, from
Cana.
Jesus: So, what now? Have we decided
to do something? What do you think, James?
James: Well, then. I’m joining
the group. We will see where we should begin. Let’s work hand in hand.
Jesus: Do you agree, John, the
troublemaker?
John: Sure, you can count on
me.
Jesus: What do you say, Andrew,
you toothpick?
Andrew: As I have said before...
yes, ....but with open eyes. We must all work together with this.
Jesus: What does Peter, the stone-thrower
say?
Peter: Are you asking me, Jesus?
Three times will I say yes, yes, and yes! Give me that hand! And now,
your turn, Moreno. What do you say? Are you joining the group?
Jesus: Yes, I also put my hand
on this ground and there is no turning back for me. This is the time
for us to work as one.
And so it was, that in the wharf of Capernaum, with everyone
squatting by the bonfire waiting for the “dorados” to cook, we formed
our group. We were only five.