The Spear of Destiny by Julian Noyce

concentration.
      “No it’s pretty much everything I’ve already written about it in the magazine. There’s a blue link here for St Maurice but it’s something I’ve already read before and something about the town in Switzerland named after him. Nothing new I’m afraid.”
      “Why don’t you try Jesus Christ.”
    He entered the name in the search box and clicked on the top link. Wikipedia again.   
      “What am I looking for?”
      “Is there anything about his travels?”
    Dennis checked the box of headings on the left.
      “A little.”
      “What about his acts?”
      “Acts?”
      “You know, his miracles.”
      “Oh.”
    Dennis re-entered his search.
      “Ah! Here we are. The supernatural deeds of Jesus Christ….”
    There was a buzz from the kitchen.
      “That’s either Jim or the take away.”
      “I’ll go,” Natalie said.
    She resumed her seat, empty handed.
      “Now the miracles of Christ,” Dennis continued as if she hadn’t left, “Are put into four categories. We have exorcisms, cures, controlling nature and resurrecting the dead.”
      “You’ll just have to go through them all.”
      “Here’s the list. We have for cures, healing the mother of Peter’s wife. Healing the deaf mute of Decapolis. Healing the blind at birth. Healing the paralytic at Bethesda. The blind man of Bethsaida. The blind man Bartimaeus of Jericho. Healing the centurion’s servant. Healing an infirm woman. The man with a withered hand. Cleansing a leper. Cleansing ten lepers. Healing a man with dropsy. Healing the bleeding woman. Healing the paralytic at Capernaum. Healing in Gennesaret. Two more blind men. Shall I go on?”
      “Yes I’ve got one in mind we can go back to. Carry on.”
      “Okay. Next we have exorcisms. Probably not what we’re looking for but I’ll read them out. A boy possessed by a demon. The Canaanite woman’s daughter. The Gerasenes demonic. The synagogue in Capernaum. Exorcising at sunset. The blind and mute man and exorcising a mute.”
      “Nothing there. What’s next?”
      “Resurrecting the dead. A young man from Nain. The daughter of Jairus. Raising Lazarus. The others are under nature, controlling nature. The marriage at Cana. Walking on water. Calming the storm. Transfiguration. Feeding the multitude. The draught of fishes. Cursing the fig tree. The coin in the fish’s mouth….”
      “That’s one hell of a list,” Hutchinson said joining them, “What is it?”
      “The miracles of Christ.”
      “They’re just the ones we know about.”
      “What?”
      “They’re just the ones recorded. You know from the gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. There were other miracles he performed outside of the new testament.”
      ”Where will I find them?”
      “Try the internet. I think he performed the others when he was a child.”
      “Wait,” Natalie said, “Go back.”
      “Back where?”
      “Something about a man with a hand.”
    Dennis scanned the computer page again. Then he said.
      “Under cures. The man with a withered hand.”
      “Yes read that one.”
      “This is recorded by Mark, Luke and Matthew. On a Sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue. The Pharisees of the law watched him to see if he would perform. They were looking for an excuse to have him accused and arrested so they asked him if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath. Jesus replied ’If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath will you not take hold of it and lift it out. Is a man not more valuable than a sheep. Therefore it is perfectly lawful to do good on the Sabbath. Jesus then turned to the man and said ’stretch out your hand’ The man stretched it out and it was healed.”
      Natalie looked from Dennis to Hutchinson.
      “Not much to go on there is there?” Dennis said.
      “These events all occurred before the holy lance comes into the story though,” Hutchinson added.
      “Well keep searching,” Natalie