I belonged to the household of a rich family in Jerusalem. My duties were to look after supplies and keep the properties in order. I did the work women were not able to do. I rearranged furniture for guests and meetings. I was in charge of transporting people with my carriage. I was very busy during our large feasts like the Remembrance Day, when our ancestors were delivered from slavery in Egypt. During this season, things were different. We were not free to speak about a certain Prophet that had made on impression on us. There were changes in the air and we were in the midst of it. It had become dangerous, even to invite the Prophet and His follower or speak His name. I am speaking about Jesus.

I, too, was delivered from my sinful ways. I could no longer recall how I was freed from the desire to taste what had caused me much pain. I kept my sins hidden so I could appear respectful in public. One day, Jesus from Nazareth looked my way and from that moment on a new feeling entered my heart. I began to forgive those that had hurt me and myself for feeling hurt. I also began to think of others more than of myself. I opened up to the world and began to do things for others. I found that kindness was being rewarded. I began to feel strongly that I should express my gratitude to Jesus for the good He was doing. I earned some money and waited for an opportunity when I could do something special for my benefactor.

Jesus did regard me as the man with the greater sin than the one that had to sentence Him to die. I did not much care what Jesus thought. I hated that Man with a passion. I was Annas, father-in-law to Caiaphas, the high priest that year and I had Jesus crucified. I was the power in the land. I plotted the demise of Jesus and coerced Pilate to do my handiwork. I had everyone under my thumb. Even Rome listened to me. I could not let a little prophet, from nowhere, take my power away. How did I get rid of my worst enemy?

I lived in Bethphage, between Bethany and the Mount of Olives. My home and business was beside the road between the two places. I was in the business of moving goods and people. I rented or leased donkeys to people that needed assistance. I had installed posts by the road to tie up my donkeys. And I had attendants in charge of the animals. It was close to our biggest holy day, the "Day of Deliverance" from Egypt, that our business was most prosperous. A week prior to our celebration of the Passover, we were down to only one donkey and it's foal. I saw two men approach the donkeys, untie the foal and lead it away. My servants tried to stop them and did not. I asked them why they let them take the foal. They informed me that the two men had said, "The Lord had need of it. We assumed it was you, Sir."

Paul, who was called an agitator (Ac.16: 20) wrote, "If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Gal.1: 10). Jesus, the Christ, put it thus, "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets" (Lk.6: 26). Regarding the lawyers (legalists) and preachers of the day, Jesus concluded, "Everything they do is done for men to see" (Mt.23: 5).

I was a fisherman and ran my in-law's fishing business. The work was hard and I was tough. And my family depended on me. I could not wander about the country, like my brother Andrew, following religious rumors. One day, he did come back and insisted that I meet a Man called, "Jesus." He was certain that He fitted Moses' and the Prophet's description of another leader like David was. I did go with Andrew and I was a bit surprised that this "Stranger" was Jesus of Nazareth and that He knew my name and called me a hard man; namely, "Simon the rock." Well, I was hard. I had to be. But I was not as hard as I thought I was. Jesus' knowledge of me was impressive; but, I needed a lot more convincing that He was the one God had designated as our leader.

The world will never be able to make up its mind regarding my betrayal of my Teacher. Bear with me, for a moment, and ask yourself whether I was in charge of what I was doing? Then, ask what would have happened if I had not done what I did? While you are asking, would I have been better off if I had not been born? Is it possible that someone, other than I, bore the greater guilt? Are you not puzzled why Jesus, who could look into my heart and into the future, chose me in spite of it? Perhaps, I was just as much a part of a plan to redeem man, as Jesus was? Did not my betrayal serve to defeat Satan? When Satan entered my heart, he defeated himself (Jn.13: 27). Neither of us could change destiny.

I am pleased to be remembered as the other Mary or the Handy-Mary. One could even call me, "the utility lady." I would do what no one else would or had time to do. I volunteered to be around when others could not. I was present at all the events of Jesus' ministry from the beginning to the end.

I am Joanna. My name means, "Yahu is gracious." Indeed, the Lord has been very gracious towards me. I, too, was one of those who had lost all hope of ever being useful in our world. But Jesus' life and words gave me a new and different reason to live. I was also the wife of a man who was in charge over King Herod's household. Cuza, my husband, was Herod's most trusted servant. He managed and supervised all the affairs and personnel for the king. I did not come out of a background of sin, like my friend Mary Magdalene. I was a member of a class that was just below the upper class - one that was just below the king's family itself. When I left home to follow Jesus, I gave up more than anyone else. But, I had more than the other women and could be of greater service. However, I never got as close to Jesus as Mary Magdalene. I did not possess her charm, nor was I as outgoing, as she was. Nevertheless, I was a close second. You will find me listed next to her or second in command of the women. Like Mary Magdalene, I too was delivered from an ugly spirit and a dreadful disease. Evil knows no bounds and sickness has no limits. They affect the rich and poor alike. They are cancerous and progressive. They are a clandestine force that eats up literally a human being. Both mind and body are thrown into turmoil and rendered absolutely helpless. And everything, that was beyond the human understanding, was considered the product of the victim's sin. I, too, must have done something very bad to suffer such ill effect. In my condition, I was of no use to my husband or to King Herod.

Let me begin by saying, "I am not the beloved disciple, but the 'other disciple.'" The disciple Jesus loved or had a special feeling for was John Zebedee. He was next to Jesus during the Last Supper, at the cross to take in Jesus' mother and at the seaside to point out the Risen Lord to Peter. He was the one that did not figure in Peter's commission to pasture Jesus' flock. And he was the one that wrote this Gospel. I wished that he had said something more definite about me. It puzzled me why he left me in the shadow of the disciples or Jesus' students. I know that names did not matter for John because he wanted Christ illuminated. But without my help, could Christ have been illuminated?