Long ago, there was a small girl who was held in captivity by her relatives for many years. Her condition was no better than an enemy slave girl. All along all she ever knew of was insults, hardships and abuse. One fine day she was lucky to escape the clutches of those who held her captive.
One day as she struggled to secure her daily bread in a large uncaring world, she falls in the eyes of a young Jewish lady. Noticing the little girl and her struggle, she makes enquiries and then approaches the girl herself. At first the girl is silent and frightened... that she would be sent back to her old place or that her relatives would be informed of her whereabouts. However, she senses a sort of assurance in this lady. After much persuasion, she agrees to go along with this lady. At the warm exhortation of the lady, a good family adopts the girl.
At her new house, everything was contrary to all she ever knew all her life. People were gentle and tender... something she found difficult to at first understand. She was very cautious and suspicious too... for they seem too good to be real. The gentle young lady would frequently visit her and offer some advice during her short visits. She even gave her a new name: Seraphia. Once the girl realized that she has was now a member of the household, she began to grow more bold and secure.
The girl began to notice that the other children of the family were happy and free. They never clung on to anything very obstinately as she did. She also began to realize that there was something more precious they received when they shared what belonged to them with her. Being a keen observer she soon learnt the joy of giving and sharing. Compared to what things she gave away, the thrill she felt in sharing was great. It did not take long for her to graduate to learn to share and give not just things but love and concern.
The young lady's presence in her life too made a great impact on her upbringing. She instilled in Seraphia the virtues of being truthful and bold. She told the girl to never cower in face of opposition and intimidation. Years passed by and she eventually grew up to be a fine young lady. Being a very tender and truthful lady, she reached out to all people, not only in her foster family but all the needy in the neighbourhood as well.
Now those were turbulent times. The Jews were under the rule of the Romans and they were constant uprisings against the Romans. Seraphia knew of all this. One day as she went about doing her household chores, she hears of a loud commotion in the streets. She rushes out to see a man being tortured by the Roman soldiers and dragged along the street. She feels pity for him and reaches out to help him. This act itself was seen as a scandal... a woman, out in public, reaching out to a man, a criminal. Yet her loving nature did not let any of these social taboos prevent her from getting near the man. She sees him and understands that his face is so bruised that he can barely see. His nostrils are filled with blood and dirt. She looks around for some water to wash his face and offer him a drink, but finds none nearby. She instantly whips off her veil (again another never-do act in a Jewish setting, especially by a woman) and places it in the hands of the man so that he may wipe his face. The man realizes a gentle soothing presence beside him and the intention of the cloth placed in his weak hands. He wipes his bloody face and before he utters a word of thanks, his tormentors pounce on him and drag him away. He has time enough to merely return the cloth to those loving hands which offered him the same.
As she looks on helplessly, the Roman soldiers take their prisoner away. She is then surprised to see the young lady who gave her a new lease of life, follow this criminal as he is being dragged away. She soon realizes that it is her own son. She rushes to her, embraces her. The lady does not say a word but Seraphia hears her silence thank her for her kind act towards her son. In deep sorrow, she follows her son and Seraphia is left alone on the street. It is then that she notices the strange imprint of the face of the man on her veil.
One day as she struggled to secure her daily bread in a large uncaring world, she falls in the eyes of a young Jewish lady. Noticing the little girl and her struggle, she makes enquiries and then approaches the girl herself. At first the girl is silent and frightened... that she would be sent back to her old place or that her relatives would be informed of her whereabouts. However, she senses a sort of assurance in this lady. After much persuasion, she agrees to go along with this lady. At the warm exhortation of the lady, a good family adopts the girl.
At her new house, everything was contrary to all she ever knew all her life. People were gentle and tender... something she found difficult to at first understand. She was very cautious and suspicious too... for they seem too good to be real. The gentle young lady would frequently visit her and offer some advice during her short visits. She even gave her a new name: Seraphia. Once the girl realized that she has was now a member of the household, she began to grow more bold and secure.
The girl began to notice that the other children of the family were happy and free. They never clung on to anything very obstinately as she did. She also began to realize that there was something more precious they received when they shared what belonged to them with her. Being a keen observer she soon learnt the joy of giving and sharing. Compared to what things she gave away, the thrill she felt in sharing was great. It did not take long for her to graduate to learn to share and give not just things but love and concern.
The young lady's presence in her life too made a great impact on her upbringing. She instilled in Seraphia the virtues of being truthful and bold. She told the girl to never cower in face of opposition and intimidation. Years passed by and she eventually grew up to be a fine young lady. Being a very tender and truthful lady, she reached out to all people, not only in her foster family but all the needy in the neighbourhood as well.
Now those were turbulent times. The Jews were under the rule of the Romans and they were constant uprisings against the Romans. Seraphia knew of all this. One day as she went about doing her household chores, she hears of a loud commotion in the streets. She rushes out to see a man being tortured by the Roman soldiers and dragged along the street. She feels pity for him and reaches out to help him. This act itself was seen as a scandal... a woman, out in public, reaching out to a man, a criminal. Yet her loving nature did not let any of these social taboos prevent her from getting near the man. She sees him and understands that his face is so bruised that he can barely see. His nostrils are filled with blood and dirt. She looks around for some water to wash his face and offer him a drink, but finds none nearby. She instantly whips off her veil (again another never-do act in a Jewish setting, especially by a woman) and places it in the hands of the man so that he may wipe his face. The man realizes a gentle soothing presence beside him and the intention of the cloth placed in his weak hands. He wipes his bloody face and before he utters a word of thanks, his tormentors pounce on him and drag him away. He has time enough to merely return the cloth to those loving hands which offered him the same.
As she looks on helplessly, the Roman soldiers take their prisoner away. She is then surprised to see the young lady who gave her a new lease of life, follow this criminal as he is being dragged away. She soon realizes that it is her own son. She rushes to her, embraces her. The lady does not say a word but Seraphia hears her silence thank her for her kind act towards her son. In deep sorrow, she follows her son and Seraphia is left alone on the street. It is then that she notices the strange imprint of the face of the man on her veil. 
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