by Brett Manero
Chapter II: 2023
The synagogue was quiet on a Friday afternoon. The following day, the Sabbath, it would be packed. It was your typical Jewish synagogue, with the pews, the altar, the Star of David, the Bible opened upon the altar. It was peaceful and pleasant, and sacred, even if it wasn’t the Temple. The Temple, of course, was the true place of worship for the Jews, but not everyone could get there for proper worship. A synagogue in every town would suffice, even if it lacked the Ark of the Covenant.
Josiah and his girlfriend, Rachel, walked inside. A security guard who also doubled as a synagogue secretary greeted them. “Maybe he can take a picture or a video!” John thought. Maybe – the problem of course is discreetly asking him for help with the mission of photographing his proposal to Rachel. “Should have thought of this earlier,” he somewhat regretfully thought. It was too late now. Now the goal is to distract Rachel while asking the guard for his help. “Why is proposing so complicated?!”
The synagogue had some impressive manuscripts from old, and Josiah, an ancient history buff, always enjoyed it. A copy of the Book of Exodus from hundreds of years ago, a Star of David from the late medieval period, among other items. Perhaps this would be a good way to distract Rachel, he thought.
“I’ll be right back, I have to run to the bathroom,” Josiah whispered.
“Okay,” she smiled back.
Here we go. Whether he actually had to use the restroom or not was of little importance, this young man had a mission to accomplish. Josiah walked towards the restrooms, which were conveniently located by the front door and hence, by the secretary security guard.
Rachel was somewhat expecting a proposal, although it was her guess as to when the proposal would happen. Proposing at the synagogue didn’t seem possible, since she herself wasn’t the strongest woman of faith. Sure, she was a proud Jewess who found no shame in attending synagogue and reading the Torah, perhaps even offering the occasional prayer to the Almighty. But God seemed so distant, so abstract to her, that the thought of any personal connection with him seemed childish. Even more, her people had been talking about the so-called Messiah for centuries at this point. And what is a Messiah? Well, an “anointed one,” to start. Some kind of a savior figure who would liberate the people from any semblance of their problems, for all time. But the more the rabbis babbled about this so-called savior figure, the less likely he seemed to show up. So why get engaged in a synagogue? Besides, so much of Rachel’s relationship with Josiah had been about the outdoors – hiking trips, camping trips, long walks on the beach, sailing, running a few marathons. You name it, it’s likely this couple had done it. The outdoors was her religion, something she could see and touch herself.
Josiah, though, had seemed to come a long way in his exploration of the ancient faith. His father, after all, was a rabbi – Rabbi Green, a prominent member of the town’s Jewish and non-Jewish society – so perhaps it was expected of him that he be a faithful Jew. Rachel had noticed her boyfriend’s increasing interest in Judaism during the last year, and she would be lying if she denied feeling just a few moments of irritation about it. He insisted on taking moments during the day to pray a Psalm, to rest on the Sabbath, to talk about some lesson from the Scriptures. But he was kind, good, loyal, and he treated her like a princess. And although she had some reservations about the truth of her people’s faith, she knew with all her heart that Josiah was the love of her life, and she would gladly spend every remaining moment of her life with him.
Josiah walked right by the security guard, directly into the bathroom – even though he currently had no use of it. I just need a few more moments, he thought. Splash some water on your face, say a quick prayer, and just talk to him! A minute turned into three minutes, as the young man looked into the mirror and decided. There’s no going back. I’m proposing now.
Josiah looked at his girlfriend, who would hopefully become his fiancee in merely a few moments. “Rachel?” he asked.
She turns to him, perhaps subconsciously aware of the question that was coming. Her heart began to race just a bit. Is he going to pop the question now?!
Josiah stumbled for just a moment, like so many men both before and after him when in this situation. “I love you,” was all he seemed to be able to mutter.
“I love you too, babe.” She smiled back.
“And, I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” the young man finally said.
Rachel smiled even more. This must be it!
“Oh sweetheart. I want to spend the rest of my life with you too.”
And here comes the question. He reaches into his pocket, hoping for just a moment that he hadn’t forgotten the ring. Thank goodness, it’s there! He bends his left knee, like so many men before and after him. He looks up into her gazing eyes and utters those immortal words.
“Rachel, will you marry me?”
“Yes! Of course I will,” his now-fiancee giddily replied.
And right at that moment, as if he had been divinely infused with some sort of divine knowledge or memory, he remembered the face of his old friend, Jesus, playing as two rambunctious twelve-year olds eighteen years prior.
“One day, I will be at your wedding,” the memory of Jesus told him. Josiah hadn’t spoken to Jesus in several years, so the random memory of him seemed bizarre, especially at this moment of proposing marriage. Oh well, I’ll reach out and send him an invite! We’re engaged!
Josiah twirled his new fiancee around, looking up into the gorgeous stained-glass window of the humble synagogue. He gently lowers her down, looking into her striking brown eyes, their eyes and souls seeming to match each other in a moment of eternity.
“I love you,” the young man said. “I always have and I always will.”
Rachel’s soul rushed with romance, as she took in those words for but a moment.
“I love you, too. I always have and I always will.”