A Book Review… A Unique, Personal Look At The Life Of Jesus
By PEGGY MOEN
The Jesus Diary: An Anonymous Observer’s Record of the Life and Accomplishments of Our Savior by Dave Mishur. Xulon Press: 2021; 152 pages. Available in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle at Amazon.com.
Would you like an uplifting escape from the present malaise in Church and country? Then read Dave Mishur’s The Jesus Diary: An Anonymous Observer’s Record of the Life and Accomplishments of Our Savior.
In Mishur’s skillful portrayal, that anonymous observer is something of an updated Everyman, with a firsthand conversion to the Lord as he realizes the truth underlying the Real Presence, the calling of the apostles, Peter’s betrayal, miracles, and the primacy of faith. He observes the Lord from His Nativity, to His finding in the Temple, to His calling of the apostles, to His public ministry, and to His Passion and death and Resurrection. He takes notes on Jesus’ life and ministry, thus creating The Jesus Diary.
The Apostle John explains to the unnamed diarist about how the Lord told the Doubting Thomas: “Thomas, you believe because you have seen, but blessed are those who have not seen, yet do believe.”
“There it was again,” the diarist reflects. “That emphasis on faith as opposed to knowledge. If you don’t believe something until you know it with your senses, what good is your faith?”
As to how this book relates to our times, our diarist, reflecting on the cowardice of both Peter and Pilate, says:
“I prayed that in the future our land would have better leaders with more fortitude and substance. But I fear Pilate, Caiaphas, the Pharisees, and all the rest of their ilk will always be with us.”
The diarist meets up with Judas — whom he disliked and distrusted from the beginning — shortly before Judas betrays Jesus in the Garden of Olives. He invites him to dinner at the inn. During their encounter, Judas mocks belief in the coming Resurrection and in the Real Presence and asserts that all that Jesus’ followers get are “Promises, promises, promises…Promise of what?…an unknown reward in a fictitious place called heaven?” after a lifetime of suffering.
The diarist begins to feel uncomfortable with Judas and to regret dining with him. As Judas continues to drink wine, he tells the diarist about his shattered dreams of a high position, possibly treasurer in the new realm, which, he now realizes, wasn’t Jesus’ mission at all.
The author’s description of Judas’ spiritual ruin is one of the highlights of the book. As Judas continues to deny all of Jesus’ teachings, the diarist writes, “For one brief moment I was sure I was looking in the face of the devil himself, so contorted were his features, so twisted and snarling.”
Judas then excuses himself, says he has to meet some people, and pays the innkeeper.
The diarist notices that Judas’ purse was overflowing with silver coins: “There must have been at least thirty of them.”
Mishur creates full portraits of all the people in The Jesus Diary — one of the best is his depiction of the only leper who returns to thank Jesus for curing him.
“Right in the middle of the road the man fell down flat on his face at the feet of Jesus and, with tears running down his face, cried out his thanks.”
Jesus asks, “Where are the rest of them, other nine?” And he tells the man: “Get up now. Your faith is what has cured you.”
“I’m going home to see my family,” the cured man then tells the diarist. “That’s the most important and first thing I want to do. I have had this illness for ten years. It has ruined my life, our lives, really, because my family is looked down upon due to my leprosy.”
He goes on to explain that worse than the physical pain “was the crushing sense of loneliness. The ten of us who were separated in that compound outside the walls never talked to anyone else, never saw anyone else. We were in a permanent quarantine. As if our bodily ailment wasn’t enough, we were losing our minds over the isolation and loneliness.” Which is something many today can easily relate to.
The Jesus Diary begins with St. Joseph asking the future diarist for some water for his wife, who has just given birth. He gives Joseph some water, and then finds the barn and arrives at the manger scene. He kneels with the kings, the shepherds, and even some of the animals. He hears the angels singing.
The Jesus Diary will make an outstanding Christmas gift. Highly recommended.
