4-5-13 The Runaway

“Philo, a first-century Phoenician boy, is worried about his family. Evil hangs over their house like a cloud. And it all seems to come from his sister Illyrica, who is possessed by a demon.

Hearing about a prophet from Nazareth who has healed the sick and even raised the dead, Philo wonders if He can save his sister. But the mere mention of the prophet’s name sends Illyrica into fits of rage and despair. Even if the prophet really is as powerful as people say He is, how can Philo and his little sister, Ione, take Illyrica to Him to be healed?

Hopeless, Philo runs away from home. But everywhere he goes he hears more about the Jewish prophet and His miracles. Who is He? How strong is His power? Most of all, would the Jewish prophet help Philo, a Gentile?

This story of revenge and forgiveness, sickness and healing, and evil and grace traces the footsteps of Jesus of Nazareth – to the places He walked and the people He touched.”

So reads the back of The Runaway, another worthy book written by Patricia M. St. John. Although the library has this book labeled as Interest Level Ages 13 & up, my audience of five littles enjoyed each page almost as much as I did. Especially intriguing were the scriptural accounts that were woven into the story; heads would raise from their coloring as they recognized Bible accounts, as the light dawned that they knew what was going to happen next. We had frequent discussions about this blend of truth/fiction; for example, the truth of the demon-possessed girl (Matthew 15:22-28), and the fiction of her name being Illyrica and having a younger brother and sister. Adding to the impact of the book was the timing, which I did not realize or plan; but as it happened, we read of Jesus’ crucifixion on the day before Good Friday. The three hours of darkness, the veil rent in two, the resurrection, and the responses of Philo and those around him really directed our thoughts to the suffering of our Lord so long ago; we decided we might want to read it again next year around Easter.