were silent on the way home. As we got out of the car I turned to him and said, “You’re your mother’s son.” He came around the side of the ute and looked at me, “Maybe. I hope so, but I’m your son too. Thank you.” We stood there, as it got dark, holding each other and weeping. The next day we went back to Jesus’ camp. He was packing up to leave. I felt Kay go still. Then he surged towards Jesus. Jesus saw him coming and just stood there. Kay knelt at his feet. He knelt! “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” he said. I thought, “Here we go again. He’s trying to get it right. Trying to go to the top of the class. Trying to show his dad … something.” Jesus laughed, but not unkindly. “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.” Then he looked at Kay again and saw his pain. He spoke seriously. “You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.’” Kay said to him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these since I was a kid.’ As far as I knew, he was telling the truth. Then the weirdest thing happened. Jesus looked at me, and for a moment, I swear his face changed and I was looking into Kay’s mum’s face. That bright, shining girl who picked me up off the street and saved my life. Then he looked back at Kay and his voice shook. He knelt in the dust with Kay and put his arms around him, just like he had with the kids. Then he said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” But he said it like a blessing. Like a blessing. Kay looked down into the dust. He was being asked to betray what his father had wanted. He cleared his throat. He stood. He walked to the ute. He didn’t look back. I just sat watching. Jesus was looking sad. Really sad. 48
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI3ODI1