Postscript

About children: my two year-old nephew was bitten in the face by my sister's dog, a dog he knew well. He bled and bled, and needed hundreds of stitches. But he never despaired or became depressed. He would point to his face and say that the dog bit him; he knew what had happened; he knew the frightening thing that had happened to him, but that did not frighten him. He still goes over to dogs to pet them - big ones, little ones. An adult would need years of therapy for post-traumatic disorder. Jesus' ordeal I sometimes think could only have been endured by one who is as unfettered by fears and anxieties as a happy two year old - although I know Jesus suffered. It could only have been, but it wasn't; and therein lies the miracle of Jesus.