Felix’ favorite place is the tomb of Antonia. When he doesn’t have anything to do, he sits in front of it and contemplates.
Some pilgrims arrive and begin to pray outside at the border of the shrine property. A man positions himself at the front of the crowd. Using a loudspeaker he reads out of a book.
He begins with the First Station of the Cross, reading of the Passion of Christ. This is new to Felix. There was no need for him to go closer because of his hearing, one of his special senses, captures every word.
As the pilgrim's process forward towards the Church, Felix hears more about the Passion of Christ, which deeply saddens his heart.
Felix would have loved to have been there, even more so than at the birth of Christ. He would have loved to have shown compassion and to have consoled Jesus, the Redeemer of the world.
As Jesus carries His Cross, He meets his mother. It is difficult to imagine how she suffered with Him. Felix is impressed that she never left her Son’s side.
The reading explains that Veronica draped Jesus’ face with her wet veil. She was a courageous woman who cared. Thanks to her, an imprint of his His face exists.
Then comes Jesus’ death on the Cross. There were nails in His hands and feet and a crown of thorns on His head, and He was scourged and beaten.
At this time everyone goes down on their knees in worship and prayer.
Felix is deeply moved to the point where he needs to be alone. He is unable to get to the crucifix in the main Church. He wishes to find a quiet spot where pious pilgrims would not chase a small cat away.
The Gethsemane chapel comes into his view. Yes, that’s where he wanted to be in his sadness.
Felix sneaks inside and sees Jesus kneeling in great agony over a small rock with His hands clasped together. Above Jesus, an angel holds a chalice. Beneath it, a banner is inscribed with the words: “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me.”
Felix carefully crawls closer to the kneeling statue of Jesus. From this angle, he was sure that nobody would be able to see him. He gradually nestles himself next to Jesus.
He begins to cry bitterly. If anyone would see him, they would be astonished. One often hears about crocodile tears, but never about cat tears.
The little cat’s body shakes uncontrollably and the chalice comes into his view again.
“This is the chalice I always see in the Holy Mass.
“There was no way Jesus could have avoided drinking from the chalice, even though He petitioned His Father to spare His life.”
Felix stays in the chapel for a long time.
The magnitude of his wish to remain is hard to imagine. He would have loved to personally participate in the Passion of Christ. In his anger, he would have bitten the hands of the evil soldiers who scourged and crucified Jesus.
Felix doesn’t grasp how it was possible that Jesus was crucified because Jesus only did so many good deeds for mankind.
“Mean individuals have always existed on the earth and are also found in the animal kingdom.” He thinks about what he has experienced with the rooster and heard about the weasels.
taken from the new Children Book
from Edith Breburda
