Through Esther's Eyes

Through Esther's Eyes depicts the life of the beloved and despised Jesus of Nazareth through the bright green eyes of his fictional cousin, Esther. Like the classic novel, The Red Tent, meeting the acclaimed movie, The Passion of the Christ, Through Esther's Eyes transports readers to first-century Palestine.

When Esther falls in love with Lazarus of Bethany, she thinks that her role as a woman will be complete with their marriage and many children. But Esther finds that she is barren, which means that she is a sinful, incomplete woman in Jewish society. Yet, her cousin Jesus is ready to change the role of "woman" for all eternity.

Esther discovers her role as "woman" by imitating and speaking to Jesus' mother, her Aunt Mary. Hidden in the action of the plot is an experience for all women to discover their purpose and worth modeled after the Blessed Virgin Mary. The "Letter of Pope John Paul II to Women" comes to life in this narrative.

Meanwhile, Esther and Lazarus live in a world of Zealots, Pharisees, Samaritans, and Romans. Lazarus' father has a partnership with Esther's family that secretly supplies, and aids rebels and Zealots. When Lazarus inherits his father's riches and network, he must decide if he will follow in his father's footprints or the new footprints of Jesus.

The climax of this novel is the crucifixion, in which Esther, with Aunt Mary, John the Apostle, and the faithful women witness Jesus' passion and death. In Jesus' death and Aunt Mary's witness, Esther understands what true motherhood is. At the same time, the chief priests are looking for a way to kill Lazarus as they did Jesus. Esther's bright green eyes give away that she is the wife of Lazarus of Bethany. Therefore, Lazarus and Esther flee from Judea and go to Cyprus, where they preach of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Esther begins teaching children about Jesus. She is the perfect woman for the task as she has seen it all through her own eyes!