"IT was me." The words came out in a garbled screech, so that they could not understand.
The man had burst into the room as they were about to eat. He had fallen in a heap to the floor. No-one had seen his face as yet.
"Brother, what is wrong? We cannot understand." Peter.
The man lifted his head and stood slowly. The sight as he did took the breath from many in the room.
His clothes were dirty, his face a twist of great pain and his eyes... his eyes were dark and set deep in red oval outlines. This man knew hardship.
Words again, "It was me." Quieter this time, they heard him.
"We hear you, brother. But what do you mean?" James this time.
"Do not call me brother. For I am not worthy of the name. It was me, don't you see?"
Tears flooded his eyes, and once more he fell to the floor.
"Bring him something to drink. He is suffering," Mary pleaded with them and Stephen reacted quickly.
"Drink." Stephen held out a small cup of wine and gently touched the man's shoulder but he recoiled as if burned by the contact.
"I cannot drink. I cannot eat. I cannot do anything. It was me." A pause, then he tilted his head towards Mary.
"I made his cross."
There was a stunned silence in the room. No-one dared move.
Mary looked at the man and then at Peter. She nodded. Peter broke the stillness.
He moved deliberately to the man, who cowered when he saw Peter's huge frame towering above him.
"Why did you come here?" The man expected an accusation but Peter spoke quietly and without emotion.
"I haven't eaten or slept in three days. I am haunted by the sight of his death. And of my part in it.
"I made the cross. I've made crosses for years now for the Romans. It has never been a problem for me...
"But this time, when I saw him die, it was as if I felt the pain of all those who died on my crosses.
"It was me. I killed him."
The man broke down in a message of tears and guttural noises. He was indeed suffering, as mother Mary had said.
Peter looked at the wretched figure lying on the ground. He then looked to Mary and to James and to John. He smiled. Smiled.
"Brother. I call you that name; brother. Look at me."
The man looked up. "What is your name, brother?"
"I am Joses. Joses, son of John, from Galilee."
You must tell of the powerlessness of death and the wonder of the cross you made. For it bore my suffering for you and for all people. And it exists now only as a symbol of my victory over death...
Peter was joined now by James and John and Mary. All now looked at Joses and smiled at him.
"Why do you smile? Do you mean to kill me? If so, I deserve to die. I want to die."
"No." Mary. "No, Joses. My son came so that we may live; so that you may live too."
"I do not understand."
"Look, Joses." Peter pointed back to a part of the room Joses had not seen.
Joses followed the line of Peter's point. The back of the room was in shadows. He blinked.
The shadows shimmered. Slowly, a figure formed and emerged from the dark to the light.
"What is this?" Joses looked away. It could not be.
He shook his unbelieving head and looked once again.
This time, the figure that had emerged was much closer. It was... him.
How could this be? But... it was him. And he, too, was smiling at Joses. Now, a voice.
"Joses, son of John. The cross you made as a weapon of pain and misery holds no power over me.
"I am alive, Joses. I have broken the power of death. I live, and so must you.
"You must tell of the powerlessness of death and the wonder of the cross you made. For it bore my suffering for you and for all people. And it exists now only as a symbol of my victory over death. You are my witness."
"Come now, brother. Eat." Peter.
For the first time, Joses noticed the table in the room was decorated with fine cloth and laden with bread and wine.
Joses looked up and saw Peter's hand offered. He took it and stood.
Now at the table, Jesus took the bread. "This is my body. Broken for you, but now alive for evermore. Take it and eat."
Joses ate for the first time in three days, and felt alive for the first time ever.
Questions for prayer and reflection
Which character do you most identify with in this story? Why is that?
What crosses are you carrying at the moment?
What would you want to say to and hear from God today?
A Look of Love - Witnesses to Jesus, by Jim Deeds is published by Redemptorist Communications. It is priced at £8.95/€9.95 and is available online from Redemptorist Communications or by telephoning 003531 4922488.
Jim Deeds is on Twitter and Facebook. In next week's Faith matters, he shares the story of an encounter with the resurrected Jesus.
