INSIGHTS INTO THE LENTEN GOSPEL READINGS

Of the Pre-Vatican II Roman Missal

SELECTED READINGS FROM MARIA VALTORTA
On Feb. 26, 1948, Pius XII said: "Publish this work as it is.
There is no need to give an opinion about its origin, whether it be extraordinary or not.
Who reads it will understand"

DAY FIRST READING GOSPEL READING

Ash Wednesday Joel 2:12-19 Matt 6:16-21
Thursday after Ash Wednesday Isa 38:1-6 Matt 8:5-13
Friday after Ash Wednesday Isa 58:1-9 Matt 5:43-48; 6:1-4
Saturday after Ash Wednesday Isa 58:9-14 Mark 6:47-56
First Sunday in Lent 2 Cor 6:1-10 Matt 4:1-1
Monday after First Sunday of Lent Ezek 34:11-16 Matt 25:31-46
Tuesday after First Sunday of Lent Isa 55:6-11 Matt 21:10-17
Ember Wednesday in Lent Exod 24:12-18 & 1 Kings Matt 12:38-50
19:3-8
Thursday after First Sunday of Lent Ezek 18:1-9 Matt 15:21-28
Ember Friday in Lent Ezek 18:20-28 John 5:1-15
Ember Saturday in Lent Deut 26:12-19; Deut Matt 17:1-9
11:22-25;
2 Macc 1:23-26, 27; Wis
36:1-10;
Dan 3:47-51, 52-56; 1
Thess 5:14-23
Second Sunday in Lent 1 Thess 4:1-7 Matt 17:1-9
Monday after Second Sunday of Lent Dan 9:15-19 John 8:21-29
Tuesday after Second Sunday of Lent 1 Kings 17:8-16 Matt 23:1-12
Wednesday after Second Sunday of Lent Esther 13:8-11, 15-17 Matt 20:17-28
Thursday after Second Sunday of Lent Jer 17:5-10 Luke 16:19-31
Friday after Second Sunday of Lent Gen 37:6-22 Matt 21:33-46
Saturday after Second Sunday of Lent Gen 27:6-40 Luke 15:11-32
Third Sunday in Lent Eph 5:1-9 Luke 11:14-28
Monday after Third Sunday of Lent 2 Kings 5:1-15 Luke 4:23-30
Tuesday after Third Sunday of Lent 2 Kings 4:1-7 Matt 18:15-22
Wednesday after Third Sunday of Lent Exod 20:12-24 Matt 15:1-20
Thursday after Third Sunday of Lent Jer 7:1-7 Luke 4:38-44
Friday after Third Sunday of Lent Num 20:1-3, 6-13 John 4:5-42
Saturday after Third Sunday of Lent Dan 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, John 8:1-11
33-62
Fourth Sunday in Lent Gal 4:22-31 John 6:1-15

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Monday after Fourth Sunday of Lent 2 Sam 3:16-28 John 2:13-25
Tuesday after Fourth Sunday of Lent Exod 32:7-14 John 7:14-31
Wednesday after Fourth Sunday of Lent Ezek 36:23-28 & Isa 1:16- John 9:1-38
19
Thursday after Fourth Sunday of Lent 2 Kings 4:25-38 Luke 7:11-16
Friday after Fourth Sunday of Lent 1 Kings 17:17-24 John 11:1-45
Saturday after Fourth Sunday of Lent Isa 49:8-15 John 8:12-20
Passion Sunday I Heb 9:11-15 John 8:46-59
Monday after Passion Sunday Jonah 3:1-10 John 7:32-39
Tuesday after Passion Sunday Dan 14:27, 28-42 John 7:1-13
Wednesday after Passion Sunday Lev 19:1-2, 11-19, 25 John 10:22-38
Thursday after Passion Sunday Dan 3:25, 34-45 Luke 7:36-50
Friday after Passion Sunday Jer 17:13-18 John 11:47-54
Saturday after Passion Sunday Jer 18:18-23 John 12:10-36
Palm Sunday (or Passion Sunday II) Exod 15:27; 16:1-7; Matt 21:1-9 & Matt 26:1-
Phil 2:5-11 75; 27:1-66
Monday of Holy Week Isa 50:5-10 John 12:1-9
Tuesday of Holy Week Jer 11:18-20 Mark 14:1-72; 15:1-46
Wednesday of Holy Week Isa 62:11; 63:1-7 & Isa Luke 22:1-71; 23:1-53
53:1-12
Holy Thursday - The Lord's Supper 1 Cor 11:20-32 John 13:1-15
Good Friday - The Crucifixion Hosea 6:1-6 & Exod 12:1- John 18:1-40; 19:1-42
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Holy Saturday - Easter Vigil Note: In 1951, the number 1) Gen 1:1-31; 2:1-2 Matt 28:1-7
of OT readings at the Easter Vigil was reduced from 2) Gen 5:32—8:21
twelve to four, retaining only # 1, 4, 8 (v. 1 dropped), and (excerpts; 48 vv.)
11. Thus, only four readings were prescribed between 3) Gen 22:1-19
1951 and 1969: 4) Exod 14:24-31; 15:1a
1) Gen 1:1--2:2 5) Isa 54:17; 55:1-11
2) Exod 14:24—15:1a 6) Baruch 3:9-38
3) Isa 4:2-6 7) Ezek 37:1-14
4) and Deut 31:22-30. 8) Isa 4:1-6
9) Exod 12:1-11
10) Jonah 3:1-10
11) Deut 31:22-30
12) Dan 3:1-24
NT: Col 3:1-4
EASTER DAY FIRST READING GOSPEL READING
Easter Sunday - The Resurrection of the Lord 1 Cor 5:7-8 Mark 16:1-7

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ASH WEDNESDAY
Matt 6: 16-21
Poem 172
172. The Sermon of the Mount. The Beatitudes (Part
Three).
Jesus is speaking:...
Prayer is an act of love. And one can love praying or
baking bread, meditating or assisting a sick person,
making a pilgrimage to the Temple or looking after the
family, sacrificing a lamb or sacrificing one's desires,
even the honest desire to concentrate on the Lord. It is
sufficient for you to have your whole selves and all your
actions impregnated with love. Be not afraid! The Father
sees, understands, listens, grants. How many graces are
granted for one single, true perfect sigh of love! How
much wealth for an intimate sacrifice made with love.
Do not be like the Gentiles. God does not need to be told
what He has to do for your needs. The pagans may tell
their idols, which cannot understand. But you cannot tell
God, the True Spiritual God, Who is not only God and
King, but also your Father and knows what you need,
even before you ask Him.
Ask and it will be given to you, look and you will find,
knock and it will be opened to you. Because whoever
asks, will receive, whoever looks, will find and it will be
opened to whomsoever knocks. When your child
stretches his little hand towards you saying: "Father, I
am hungry" do you perhaps give him a stone? Will you
give him a snake if he asks for a fish? No, you will give
him bread and fish, and caresses and blessings over and
above, because it is pleasant for a father to nourish his
son and see his happy smiles. If therefore you, whose
hearts are imperfect, are capable of giving gifts to your
children, out of a natural love that is common also to
animals for their offspring, how much more will your
Father, Who is in Heaven, grant to those who ask Him
for the good and necessary things for their welfare. Do
not be afraid to ask and do not be afraid not to receive!
However, I wish to warn you against an easy error: do
not behave like those who are weak in their faith and in
their love. Also amongst believers there are pagans
whose poor religion is a mixture of superstition and
faith, a building tampered with, into which all kinds of
parasitic herbs have penetrated, so much so that it falls
to pieces, and they, weak and pagans as they are, feel
their faith is dying if they are not heard.
You ask. And you think it is fair to ask. And for that
particular moment a certain grace may be right. But life
does not end at that moment. And what is good today,
may not be good tomorrow. You do not know that,
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because you know only the present, and that is a grace of
God, too. But God knows also the future. And God to
save you a greater pain does not hear your prayer.
During My year of public life more than once I heard
hearts moaning: "How much I suffered then, when God
did not hear me. But now I say: 'It was better thus,
because that grace would have prevented me from
reaching this hour of God"'. I heard others say to Me:
"Why, Lord, do You not hear me? You grant it to
everybody but not to me?" And yet, although I was sorry
to see them suffer, I had to say: "I cannot", because to
hear them would have meant hindering their flight to a
perfect life.
Also the Father some times says: "I cannot". Not
because He cannot satisfy the request immediately, but
because He does not want to satisfy it in view of future
consequences. Listen. A child is suffering from intestinal
trouble. His mother calls a doctor and the doctor says:
"He must fast to be cured". The child cries, yells,
implores, seems to be languishing. The mother, always
pitiful, joins her moaning to her son's. She thinks that the
doctor's order is severe and hard. She feels that such
fasting and crying may be detrimental to her son. But the
doctor is inflexible. At last he says: "Woman, I know,
you don't. Do you want to lose your son or do you want
me to save him?". The mother shouts: "I want him to
live". "In that case" says the doctor "I cannot let him
have any food. It would kill him". Also the Father some
times says so. You, pitiful mothers of your own ego, do
not want to hear it weep because some grace has been
denied. But God says: "I cannot. It would do you harm".
The day will come, or eternity will come, when you will
say: "Thank You, my God, for not listening to my
foolishness!"
What I said with regard to prayers, I say with regard
to fasting. When you fast, do not look sad, as
hypocrites do, who on purpose disfigure their faces
that the world may know and believe that they are
fasting, even if it is not true. They also have received
their reward with the praise of the world, and will not
receive another one. Instead, when you fast, look happy,
wash your faces thoroughly so that they may look fresh
and smooth, put oil on your heads and scents on your
hair and smile like one who has been well fed. Oh! Truly
there is no food that nourishes as much as love does!
And who fasts with a loving spirit, feeds on love! I
solemnly tell you that even if the world calls you "vain"
and "publicans", the Father will see your heroic secret
and will give you a double reward. One for your fasting
and the other for the sacrifice of not being praised for it.
And now go and feed your bodies, since your souls have
been nourished. Those two poor people may stay here
with us. They will be blessed guests who will give
flavour to our bread. Peace be with you. »
173
Yesterday I spoke of prayer, of swearing, of fasting.
Today I want to instruct you in other perfections. They
are also prayer, trust, sincerity, love, religion.
The first thing I will speak to you of is the right use of
riches, changed into as many treasures in Heaven by the
good will of the faithful servant. The treasures of the
earth do not last. But the treasures of Heaven are eternal.
Are you fond of what is yours? Are you sorry to die
because you will no longer be able to look after your
property and you will have to leave it? In that case
transfer them to Heaven. You may say: "What is of the
earth will not enter Heaven and You have taught us that
money is the filthiest thing on earth. How can we
transpose them to Heaven?" No. You cannot take
money, material as it is, into the Kingdom where
everything is spiritual. But you can take the fruit of
money.
When you give a banker your money, why do you do it?
That he may make it bear interest. You do not deprive
yourselves of it, not even temporarily, that he may give
you back the same amount. But out of ten talents you
want him to give you back ten plus one or even more.
Then you are happy and you praise the banker.
Otherwise you say: "He is honest, but he is a fool". And,
if instead of ten plus one, he should give you nine,
saying: "I lost the rest", you would denounce him and
send him to prison. What is the fruit of money? Does the
banker sow your money and water it to make it grow?
No. The fruit is given by a skilful handling of business,
so that by means of mortgage deeds and loans at interest,
the money is increased by the premium rightly requested
for the loan of the gold. Is it not so?
Now listen. God gives you earthly riches. To some
people he grants a great deal, to some only as much as
they need to live, and He says to you: "Now it is up to
you. I have given them to you. Gain by these means an
end as My love wishes for your own good. I have
entrusted you with them, but not that you may turn them
into evil. Make your wealth bear interest, for this real
Fatherland, both because of the reputation I hold you in,
and out of gratitude for My gifts".
And here is the method to gain this end.
Do not accumulate your treasures on the earth, living for
them, being cruel for them, cursed by your neighbour
and by God on account of them. It is not worth it. They
are never safe in this world. Thieves can always rob you.
Fire can always destroy your houses.
Diseases of plants and animals can exterminate herds
and orchards. How many things undermine your
property! Whether it is real estate and unassailable, such
as houses and gold; whether its nature is liable to be
damaged, such as all living things, vegetables and
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animals, or precious cloths, they can be ruined.
Thunderbolts, fire and floods can destroy houses;
thieves, blight, dry weather, rodents and insects can
damage fields; catching diseases, fever, crippling,
murrain can destroy cattle; moths and mice can ruin
valuable pieces of cloth and precious pieces of furniture;
oxidization can corrode vases, chandeliers and artistic
gates; everything is subject to destruction.
But if you turn earthly welfare into supernatural good,
then it becomes free from all damage by time, men and
calamities. Store up your treasure in Heaven, where
thieves cannot break in, and where no calamities occur.
Work with merciful love for all the miseries of the earth.
You may caress your money and kiss it if you wish so,
you may rejoice at the plentiful crops, at the vineyards
laden with grapes, at the countless number of olives
which bend the branches of the olive-trees, and at your
prolific sheep with turgid udders. You may rejoice at all
that, but not in a sterile or human way. Rejoice with love
and admiration, with supernatural delight and foresight.
"Thank You, my God, for this money, for these crops,
plants, sheep and for this business! Thank you, sheep,
plants, meadows, business, which serve me so well. May
you all be blessed, because through Your goodness, o
Eternal Father, and through yours, o things of mine, I
can do so much good to those who are hungry, or are
naked, homeless, sick, alone… Last year I did it for ten.
This year - as I have more money, although I gave away
much as alms, and the crops are more plentiful and the
flocks larger - I will give twice, three times as much as
last year. So that everybody, also those who have no
wealth of their own, may partake of my joy and bless
with me the Eternal Lord". That is the prayer of a just
man. A prayer which joined to your deeds, transfers your
wealth to Heaven, and not only keeps it eternally for
you, but you will find it increased by the holy fruit of
love.
Store your treasure in Heaven so that your heart may
also be there, above and beyond the risk that not only
your gold, your houses, fields and herds may suffer
damage, but that your very heart may be attacked and
robbed, corroded, burnt and killed by the spirit of the
world. If you do that, you will have your treasure in your
heart because you will have God within you until the
blessed day when you will be in Him.
But in order not to diminish the fruit of charity, take care
to be charitable in a supernatural spirit. What I said in
regard to prayer and to fasting applies also to charity and
to any other good action you may do.
Keep the good you may do free from the violating
sensation of the world, keep it immune from human
praise. Do not profane the scented rose of your charity
and of your good deeds, as it is a true censer of perfumes
agreeable to the Lord. Good is profaned by a proud
spirit, by the desire to be noted when doing good and by
the quest for praise. The rose of charity is then dribbled
and eaten away by the big slimy snails of satisfied pride
and the censer is filled with the fetid straw of the litter
on which the proud man basks like a well fed animal.
Oh! Those deeds of charity accomplished to be pointed
out by people! It would be better, much better, if they
had not been performed at all! Who does not do them,
commits a sin of harshness. Who does them letting
people know both the amount given and the name of the
person to whom it was given, and begging for praise,
commits a sin of pride by making the offer known, as he
says: "See how much I can afford?", sins against charity
because he humbles the beneficiary by making his name
known, and commits a sin of spiritual avarice as he
wants to store up human praises… It is straw, nothing
but straw. Let God and His angels praise you.
When you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before
you, to draw the attention of passersby and win their
praise, as the hypocrites do, who want to be praised by
men and thus give alms only where they can be seen by
many people. They, too, have received their reward and
will not have another one from God. Do not commit the
Thursday after Ash Wednesday Matt 8:5-13
177. The Servant of the Centurion Is Cured.
2nd June 1945.
Jesus enters Capernaum coming from the country. Only
the Twelve are with Him, nay, only eleven apostles, as
John is not there. The usual greetings of the crowd form
a vast range of expressions, from the entirely simple
ones of children, to the rather shy ones of women, to the
enraptured ones of people cured miraculously, and those
which are either curious or ironical. There are enough to
satisfy all tastes. And Jesus replies to everybody
according to how He is greeted: caressing the little ones,
blessing the women, smiling at those cured
miraculously, and with deep respect for the others.
But this time the series is completed by the greeting of a
centurion of the town, I think. He greets Him: « Hail,
Master! » to which Jesus replies: « May God come to
you. »
While the crowd draws close to see the outcome of the
meeting, the centurion continues: « I have been waiting
for You for several days. You do not recognise me as
one of those who were listening to You on the Mount. I
was wearing civilian clothes. Are You not asking me
why I went there? »
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same sin and do not be so presumptuous. But when you
give alms, your left hand must not know what your right
is doing, so secret and modest is your almsgiving and
then forget about it. Do not linger admiring your deed,
swelling with it like the toad that contemplates itself
with its veiled eyes in the pond and sees also the clouds,
trees and a chart near the bank reflected in the still water
and when it sees that it is so small as compared to them,
which are so large, it swells up with air until it bursts.
Also your charity is nothing as compared to the Infinite,
which is the Charity of God, and if you wanted to
become like Him and make your small charity so big as
to be equal to His, you would fill yourselves with the
wind of pride and would end up by perishing.
Forget about it. Forget about the action itself. A light, a
sweet voice will always be present with you and will
make your day bright, sweet and happy. Because that
light will be the smile of God, the honey will be the
spiritual peace, which still comes from God, and the
voice will be the voice of God, the Father Who will say
to you: "Thank you". He sees the hidden evil and the
concealed good and will give you a reward for them.
« No, I am not, but what do you want from Me? »
« I have instructions to follow those who hold meetings,
because too often Rome has had to regret having granted
permission for apparently honest meetings. But seeing
and listening to You, I thought of You as a… as a… I
have a servant who is ill, Lord. He is lying in my house,
in his bed, paralyzed by a disease of the bones and he
suffers dreadfully. Our doctors cannot cure him. Your
doctors refuse to come. I invited them to come because it
is a disease caused by the corrupt air of this area and you
know how to cure it with the herbs of the feversome soil
of the shore where the water stagnates before being
absorbed by the sand of the sea. I am very sorry because
he is a faithful servant. »
« I will come and cure him. »
« No, my Lord. I am not asking You to go to all that
trouble. I am a heathen, filth, as far as you are
concerned. If the Jewish doctors are afraid of becoming
contaminated by coming to my house, all the more
reason it would contaminate You, Who are divine. I am
not worthy that You should enter under my roof, but if
You say only one word here, my servant will be cured
because You rule over everything. Now if I, who am
subject to my authorities, the first being Caesar, for
whom I must act, think and behave as I am told, can in
turn order soldiers under me, and if I say to one: "Go", to
another: "Come" and to a servant: "Do that", the first one
will go where I send him, the other will come because I
call him, and the third will do what I tell him, You, as
You are Who You are, will be immediately obeyed by
the disease, which will vanish. »
« But the disease is not a man… » objects Jesus.
« Neither are You a man, You are the Man. You can
therefore give orders to elements and fevers, because
everything is subject to Your power. »
Some elders of Capernaum take Jesus aside and say to
Him: « He is a Roman, but listen to him because he is an
honest man who respects and helps us. It was he who
built our synagogue and he has given strict instructions
to his soldiers not to gibe at us on Sabbaths. Grant him,
therefore, the grace, for the sake of Your town, so that he
may not be disappointed and irritated, and his fondness
for us may not turn into hatred. »
And Jesus, after listening to them, turns round smiling at
the centurion and says: « Go ahead and I will come after
you. »
But the centurion says once again: « No, my Lord, I
have told You: it would be a great honour if You entered
under my roof, but I do not deserve so much; say only
one word and my servant will be cured. »
« Let it be so. Go and have faith. This very moment the
fever is leaving him and life is flowing back into his
limbs. Endeavour to get Life to come also to your soul.
Go. »
The centurion salutes, then bows and goes away.
Jesus watches him go away, then turns to the people
present and says: « I solemnly tell you that I did not find
so much faith in Israel. Oh! It is quite true! "The people
that walked in darkness saw a great light; on those who
live in a land of deep shadow a light has shone", and also
"The Messiah will hoist His flag over the nations and
Friday after Ash Wednesday Matt 5:43-48; 6:1-4
171. The Sermon of the Mount. The Beatitudes (Part
Two).
25th May 1945. The Sermon of the Mount continues.
It is the same place and the same time. The crowd is
larger. In a corner, near a path, there is a Roman, who
seems anxious to hear but does not want to upset the
crowd. I recognise him from his short tunic and the
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gather them together". Oh! My Kingdom! They will
really flow to you in immense numbers! More numerous
than all the camels and dromedaries of Madian and
Ephah, than those who bring the gold and incense of
Sheba, more numerous than all the flocks of Kedar and
the rams of Nebaioth, will be those who come to you and
My heart will exult with joy seeing all the peoples of the
sea and the wealth of the nations coming to Me. The
islands are waiting for Me to adore Me, and the children
of foreigners will build the walls of My Church, the
gates of which will lie open continually to receive the
kings and the wealth of the nations and sanctify them in
Me. What Isaiah saw, will be accomplished! I tell you
that many will come from the east and the west and will
sit with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of
Heaven, whereas the children of the Kingdom will be
thrown out into the dark, where there will be weeping
and grinding of teeth. »
« You therefore foretell that the gentiles will be equal to
the children of Abraham? »
« Not equal, but greater. You can only regret that it is
due to your fault. Not I, but the Prophets say so, and the
signs already confirm it. Now some of you should go to
the house of the centurion and ascertain that his servant
is cured as the faith of the Roman deserved. Come.
Perhaps in the house there are some sick people waiting
for Me. »
Jesus with the apostles and a few more people turns His
steps towards the usual house where He stays when in
Capernaum, while most of the people, driven by
curiosity, rush towards the centurion's house making a
great noise.
different style of his mantle. Stephen and Hermas are
still there.
Jesus walks slowly to His place and resumes speaking.
« What I told you yesterday must not cause you to think
that I have come to abolish the Law. No. But since I am
the Man, and I understand the weakness of man, I
wanted to encourage you to comply with it, turning your
spiritual eyes not to the dark abyss, but to the bright
Sublimity. Because if the fear of punishment can hold
you back three times out of ten, the certainty of a reward
will urge you seven times out of ten. Trust is therefore
more efficacious than fear. And I want you to be fully
and firmly confident, so that you accomplish not seven
parts of good out of ten, but ten out of ten and thus gain
the most holy prize of Heaven.
I will not change one iota of the Law. And Who gave it
amongst the peals of thunder on Sinai? The Most High.
Who is the Most High? God One and Trine. Where did
He take it from? From His Thought. How did He give it?
By His Word. Why did He give it? Out of His Love.
You can thus see that the Trinity was present. And the
Word, obedient as ever to the Thought and Love, spoke
on behalf of the Thought and Love. Could I give Myself
the lie? No, I could not.
But since I can do everything, I can complete the Law,
make it divinely complete, not what men did throughout
centuries, as they did not make it complete, but
incomprehensible and impossible to be fulfilled. In fact
they superimposed precepts and laws taken from their
own thoughts, according to their own gain, and they thus
lapidated and suffocated, sterilised and buried the most
holy Law given by God. Can a tree survive if it is
continuously struck by avalanches, rubble and floods?
No, it will die. The Law dies in many hearts, suffocated
by the avalanches of too many superstructures. I have
come to remove them all, and after unearthing and
reviving the Law, I will make it no longer a law, but a
queen.
Queens promulgate laws. The laws are the work of
queens, but they are not above queens. I instead make
the Law a queen: I complete it, I crown it, putting on its
top the wreath of the evangelic counsels. Before it was
order. Now it is more than order. Before it was the
necessary thing. Now it is more than the necessary thing:
now it is perfection. Who weds it, as I present you with
it, becomes immediately a king, because he has reached
"perfection", because he has been not only obedient, but
also heroic, that is, holy, as holiness is the sum of virtues
carried to the greatest height attainable by a creature,
heroically loved and practised through a complete
detachment from every human desire and consideration.
I could say that he is a saint, whom love and desire
prevent from seeing everything but God. As his attention
is not distracted by inferior sights, his eyes and heart are
fixed on the Most Holy Brightness, which is God and in
which, since everything is in God, he can see his
distressed brothers stretching out their hands suppliantly.
And without taking his eyes away from God, the saint
devotes himself to his suppliant brothers. Against the
flesh, against wealth, against comforts, he pursues his
ideal: to serve. Is a saint poor or disabled? No, he is not.
He has succeeded in achieving true wisdom and wealth.
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He therefore possesses everything. And he never tires
because while it is true that he is always active, it is also
true that he is continuously nourished. And while he
understands the sorrows of the world, he feeds on the
delights of Heaven. He is nourished by God and delights
in God. He is a creature who has understood the
meaning of life.
As you can see I neither change nor mutilate the Law,
neither do I corrupt it by superimposing human
fomenting theories. I complete it. The Law is what it is
and shall be such until the last day: not one word will be
changed, not one precept will be abolished. It is crowned
with perfection. To reach salvation it is sufficient to
accept it as it was given. To obtain immediate union
with God it is necessary to live it according to My
advice. But since heroes are an exception, I will speak to
common souls, to the mass of souls, so that no one may
say that I have made what is necessary unknown, in
order to reach perfection. But of everything I tell you,
remember this: he who takes the liberty of infringing one
of the least of these commandments, will be considered
one of the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. And he who
will induce others to infringe them, will be considered
one of the least both with regard to himself and to those
whom he led to the infringement. He, instead, who
through his life and deeds, rather than by words, has
convinced others to abide by the Law, will be great in
the Kingdom of Heaven and his greatness will be
increased by each of those whom he has led to obey and
thus sanctify themselves.
I know that what I am about to say will taste bitter to
many tongues. But I cannot tell lies, even if the truth I
am about to speak will procure Me many enemies.
I solemnly tell you that unless you create anew your
justice, detaching it completely from the poor and
unfairly defined justice which the Pharisees and Scribes
have taught you; unless you are really more just than the
Pharisees and Scribes, who think they are just because
they increase the number of formulae without any
substantial change of their spirits, you shall not enter the
Kingdom of Heaven.
Beware of false prophets and erring doctors. They come
to you clad as lambs, and they are rapacious wolves;
they come clad with holiness and they deride God; they
say they love the truth and they feed on falsehood. Study
them before following them.
Man has a tongue and speaks with it, he has eyes and
sees with them, he has hands and makes signs with them.
But he has something else which is a more truthful
witness of his real being:
his deeds! And what are two hands joined in prayer, if a
man is a thief and fornicator? And what are two eyes,
which pretending to be inspired, roll in all directions, if
after the farce, they greedily stare at a woman or an
enemy, out of lust or for murder? And what is a tongue
expert in whistling a false song of praise and in seducing
by means of honeyed words, if behind your back it
calumniates you and is capable of swearing falsely if
only it could pass you off as a mean fellow? What is a
tongue that says long hypocritical prayers and is then
quick in killing the reputation of a neighbour or seducing
his good faith? It is disgusting! And disgusting are
untruthful hands and eyes. But the deeds of men, the true
deeds, that is, his behaviour at home, in business,
towards his neighbour and servants, are the things that
testify: "This man is a servant of the Lord". Because
holy deeds are the fruit of true religion.
A good tree does not bear bad fruit and a bad tree does
not bear good fruit. Will these thorny bushes ever be
able to give you tasty grapes? And those even more
stinging thistles, will they ever be able to mature sweet
figs for you? No, they will not. In actual fact you will be
able to pick only a few sour blackberries from the former
and uneatable fruits will come from the latter, which
although flowers, are still thorny.
The man who is not just will be able to command respect
by his appearance, and only by it. Also the downy thistle
looks like a tuft of thin silvery threads adorned with
diamonds by the dew. But if inadvertently you touch it,
you find out that it is not a tuft, but a bundle of thorns,
painful to man, harmful to sheep, so that shepherds
uproot them from their pastures and bum them on the
fire they light at night so that not even the seed may be
spread. A just and provident step. I do not say to you:
"Kill the false prophets and hypocritical believers". Nay,
I say to you: "Leave the task to God". But I say to you:
"Be careful, keep away from them that you may not be
poisoned by their juices".
I told you yesterday how God is to be loved. I will insist
on how our neighbour is to be loved.
Once it was said: "You shall love your friend and hate
your enemy". No, not so. That was all right for the times
when man did not have the comfort of God's smile. But
now new times have come, when God has loved man so
much as to send His Word to redeem him. Now the
Word is speaking. And it is already an effusion of Grace.
Later the Word will consummate the sacrifice of peace
and redemption and there will be not only an effusion of
Grace, but Grace will be given to every soul believing in
Christ. It is therefore necessary to elevate the love for
our neighbour to a perfection that unifies friend and
enemy.
Have you been slandered? Love and forgive. Have you
been struck? Love and offer the other cheek to him who
smacked you, considering that it is better that he gives
vent to his wrath on you who can put up with it, rather
than on somebody else who would take vengeance for
the insult. Have you been robbed? Do not think: "This
8
neighbour of mine is greedy", but charitably say: "This
poor brother of mine is needy" and give him also your
tunic if he has stolen your mantle. You will make it
impossible for him to steal twice, because he will have
no need to rob another person of his tunic. You may say:
"It may be a vice and not a need". Well, give just the
same. God will reward you for it and the wicked man
will pay for it. But many times, and this should remind
you of what I told you yesterday on lowliness, when he
sees how he has been dealt with, his vice will drop from
his heart and the sinner will redeem himself making
amends for the theft by handing back what he had stolen.
Be generous towards those, who, being more honest, ask
you for what they need, instead of robbing you. If the
rich were really poor in spirit, as I explained yesterday,
there would be no painful social inequalities, the cause
of so many human and superhuman calamities. Always
consider: "If I were in need, how would I feel if I were
denied help?" and act according to the reply of your ego.
Do to others what you would like done to yourself and
do not do to others what you would not like done to
yourself.
The old saying: "Eye for eye, tooth for tooth", which is
not one of the ten commandments, but was added
because man, devoid of Grace, is such a beast that he
only understands vengeance, the old saying has been
cancelled. It has indeed been cancelled by the new word:
"Love him who hates you, pray for him who persecutes
you, justify him who slanders you, bless him who curses
you, help the one who harms you, be pacific with
quarrelsome people, be compliant with bothersome
persons, willingly help those who have recourse to you
without practising usury, do not criticise, do not judge".
You do not know the particular reason for men's actions.
Be generous and merciful in all kinds of assistance. The
more you give the more you will be given and a full
pressed down measure will be poured by God on to the
lap of him who has been generous. God will not give
you only according to what you have given, but He will
give you much more. Endeavour to love and be loved.
Quarrels are more costly than friendly settlements and a
good grace is like honey, the flavour of which lasts for a
long time on one's tongue.
Love, love. Love friends and enemies, to be like your
Father, Who allows the rain to fall on the good and the
wicked and lets the sun shine on the just and unjust and
will grant eternal sunshine and dew, and hellish fire and
hail, when the good will be chosen, like selected ears of
corn, amongst the sheaves of the harvest. It is not
enough to love those who love you and from whom you
expect

reciprocation. That is no merit: it is a joy and also
naturally honest men can do it. Also the publicans and
the gentiles do it. But you must love according to God
and out of respect for God, Who is the Creator also of
those who are your enemies or are not very fond of you.
I want the perfection of love in you and I therefore say:
"Be perfect as your Father, Who is in Heaven, is
perfect".
So great is the precept of love for your neighbour, the
perfecting of the precept of love for your neighbour, that
I no longer say, as it was said: "Do not kill" because he
who kills will be condemned by men. But I say to you:
"Do not get angry" because a higher judgement is above
you and takes into account immaterial actions. Who
insults his brother will be condemned by the Sanhedrin.
But who treats him as a madman, and consequently has
harmed him, will be condemned by God. It is useless to
make offers at the altar, unless you, for the sake of God,
first sacrifice your ill-feelings in your hearts and you
fulfil the most holy rite of forgiveness. Therefore, when
you are about to make an offering to God and you
Saturday after Ash Wednesday Mark 6:47-56
273. Jesus Walks on the Water.
4th March 1944.
It is late in the evening, almost night, because I can
hardly see on the path that climbs up a hillock studded
with trees, which I think are olives. But the light is so
faint that I am not sure. The trees are not tall, but they
are leafy and twisted, characteristically olive.
Jesus is alone. He is wearing a white tunic and a dark
blue mantle. He climbs and enters the grove. He is
striding resolutely. He is not walking fast, but as He
strides, He goes a long way without rushing. He walks
until He reaches a kind of natural balcony overlooking
the lake, which is peaceful and quiet in the light of the
stars already crowding the sky like bright eyes. Silence
surrounds Jesus with its restful embrace. It detaches Him
from the crowds and from the earth, making Him forget
them and uniting Him to the sky, which seems to
descend to worship the Word of God and caress Him
with the light of its stars.
He is praying in His habitual posture: standing with His
arms stretched out crosswise. There is an olive-tree
behind Him and He seems to be already crucified to its
dark trunk. Tall as He is, the leafy branches are only a
little above Him and they replace the inscription on the
Cross with a word consonant to the Christ. There:
« King of the Jews ». Here: « Prince of Peace ». The
9
remember that you have wronged your brother and you
bear him a grudge because of a fault of his, leave your
offer before the altar, make first the sacrifice of your
self-esteem, by becoming reconciled to your brother,
then come to the altar and only then your sacrifice will
be holy. Full agreement is always the best business. The
judgement of man is precarious and who stubbornly
challenges it, may lose the cause and have to pay the
opponent down to the last coin or languish in jail.
In everything turn your eyes to God. Ask yourselves:
"Am I entitled to do what God does not do to me?".
Because God is not so stubborn and implacable as you
are. Woe to you if He were! No one would be saved. Let
that consideration induce you to mild, humble, pitiful
feeling. And then you will certainly receive a reward
from God, both here and in the next world.
Here, in front of Me, there is also one who hates Me and
dare not say to Me: "Cure me" because he knows that I
am aware of his thoughts. But I say: "Let is be done as
you wish. And as the scales fall from your eyes, so may
ill-feelings and darkness fall from your heart".
peaceful olivetree speaks the truth to those who can
understand it. He prays for a long time. He then sits at
the foot of the tree, on a thick protruding root, and
assumes His habitual attitude with His hands interlocked
and His elbows resting on His knees. He meditates. I
wonder into which conversation He falls with His Father
and the Spirit, now that He is alone and can be entirely
of God. God with God!
I think that many hours go by thus because I see that
stars have changed their position and many have already
set in the west.
Just when the appearance of light, or rather of
luminosity, because it cannot be called light as yet,
becomes visible on the remote eastern horizon, a puff of
wind shakes the olive-tree. It calms down. It resumes
blowing and is stronger and becomes more and more
violent at short intervals. The light of dawn, which has
just begun, finds it difficult to make its way because of a
mass of dark clouds, which have invaded the sky, driven
by stronger and stronger gusts of wind. The lake is no
longer calm either. I think it is preparing a storm like
that I already saw in the vision of the tempest. The noise
of the leafy branches and the roar of the water now fill
the air, which a little while ago was so calm.
Jesus is roused from His meditation. He stands up and
looks at the lake. He scans it in the light of the remaining
stars and of the poor sickly dawn and sees the boat of
Peter, which is striving hard to reach the opposite shore,
but cannot make it. Jesus pulls His mantle tight around
Himself, lifting over His head, as if it were a hood, the
hanging hem, which would hinder His descent, and runs
down, not the road He came up, but a very steep path,
which takes one straight to the lake. He runs so fast that
He seems to be flying.
When He reaches the shore lashed by the waves, which
leave on the shingle an edge of fluffy rustling foam, He
continues to walk fast, as if He were treading not on a
restlessly tossing liquid element, but on the smoothest
most solid pavement on the earth. He now becomes
light. All the faint light that still comes from the few
dying stars and the stormy dawn seems to converge on
Him, gathering like phosphorescence round His slender
body. He flies over the waves, the foamy crests and the
dark folds between the waves, with His arms stretched
forward, while His mantle swells around His cheeks and
flaps as much as possible, tight as it is around His body,
like a wing.
The apostles see Him and utter a cry of fear, which the
wind carries towards Jesus.
« Be not afraid. It is I. » Jesus' voice, although the wind
is against Him, carries clearly over the lake.
« Is it really You, Master? » asks Peter. « If it is You,
tell me to come and meet You, walking on the water like
You. »
Jesus smiles: « Come » He says simply, as if to indicate
that to walk on the water were the most natural thing in
the world.
And Peter, half naked as he is, that is wearing only a
short sleeveless tunic, jumps overboard and walks
towards Jesus.
But when he is about fifty yards from the boat and as
many from Jesus, he is seized with fear. So far his love
impetus supported him. Now his human nature
overwhelms him and… he fears for his own skin. Like
one who is on a slippery ground, or better still, on
quicksands, he begins to stagger, to grope, to sink. And
the more he gropes and fears, the more he sinks.
Jesus has stopped and looks at him. He is serious and
waits. But He does not stretch even one hand; His arms
are folded and He does not take one step or utter one
word.
Peter is sinking. His malleoli, shins, knees disappear.
The water reaches up to his inguen, rises above it, up to
his waist. Terror is on his face. Terror paralyses also his
thoughts. He is nothing but flesh afraid of sinking. He
does not even think of swimming. Nothing. He is
hebetated by fear.
10
At last he decides to look at Jesus. And as soon as he
looks at Him, his mind begins to reason and see where
salvation is. « Master, my Lord, save me. »
Jesus opens His arms and as if He were carried by the
wind or by the waves, He rushes towards the apostle and
holds out His hand saying: « Oh! what a man of little
faith. Why did you doubt Me? Why did you want to do it
by yourself? »
Peter who had clutched convulsively at Jesus' hand, does
not reply. He looks at Him only to ascertain whether He
is angry, with a mixture of remaining fear and rising
repentance.
But Jesus smiles at him and holds him firmly by the
wrist, until they reach the boat and step overboard into it.
Then Jesus orders: « Go to the shore. He is soaked
through. » And He smiles looking at the mortified
disciple.
The waves smooth down making it easy to land and the
town seen in the past from the height of a hill now looms
beyond the shore.
The vision ends here.
Jesus says:
« Many times I do not even wait to be called, when I see
My children in danger. And many times I rush to help a
son who is ungrateful to Me.
You are asleep or you are seized by the worries and
anxieties of life. I watch and pray for you. I am the
Angel of all men and I look after you and nothing
grieves Me more than the impossibility of interference
because you refuse My intervention, because you prefer
to act on your own, or, worse still, you ask the Evil one
to help you. Like a father who hears his son say to him:
"I do not love you. I do not want you. Go out of my
house", I am mortified and I suffer more than I did
because of My wounds. But if you do not say to Me:
"Go away", and you are absent-minded only because of
the worries of life, then I am the Eternal Watchman
ready to come even before he is called. And if I wait for
you to say a word, as I sometimes do, it is only to hear
you call Me.
How pleasant, how sweet it is to hear men call Me. To
hear that they remember that I am the "Saviour". I will
not mention the infinite joy that pervades and exalts Me
when there is someone who loves Me and calls Me
without being in need. He calls Me because he loves Me
more than he loves anybody else in the world and is
filled with joy, as I am, only by calling: "Jesus, Jesus",
as children call: "Mummy, mummy" and they taste the
sweetness of honey on their lips, because the simple
word "mummy" has in itself the taste of motherly kisses.
The apostles were rowing obeying My order to go and Peter was very much a "man". Had it been John, he
wait for Me at Capernaum. And I, after the miracle of would not have dared immoderately, neither would he
the loaves, went away from the crowds, all alone, not have changed his mind. Purity grants prudence and
because I disdained them or because I was tired. I never strength. But Peter was "man" in the full meaning of the
disdained men, not even when they were bad to Me. I word. He was anxious to excel, to show that "nobody"
became indignant only when I saw the Law trampled or loves the Master as he does, he wanted to impose
the house of God desecrated. But then the interests of the himself, and only because he was one of Mine, he
Father were involved, not I. And I was on the earth as thought he was above the weakness of the flesh. Instead,
the first of the servants of God, to serve the Father of poor Simon, his results, when he was tested, were far
Heaven. I was never tired in devoting Myself to the from being sublime. But it was necessary, that he might
crowds, even when I saw them so dull, sluggish and be later the one who was to perpetuate the mercy of the
human as to dishearten even those who had most Master in the dawning Church.
confidence in their mission. Nay, just because they were
Peter is not only overwhelmed by fear for his
so deficient I multiplied My lesson infinitely, I treated
endangered life, but, as you said, he becomes nothing
them exactly as backward pupils and I guided their
but "trembling flesh". He no longer thinks, he no longer
spirits in the most elementary discoveries and initiations,
looks at Me. You all do the same. The more impending
just as a patient master guides the inexpert hands of
is the danger, the more you want to do things by
pupils to form the first letters and thus enable them to
yourselves. As if you were able to do things! You never
understand and write. How much love have I given to
go away from Me, or close your hearts to Me or even
crowds! I took them by the flesh to lead them to the
curse Me, as in the hours when you ought to hope in Me
spirit. I began from the flesh as well. But while Satan
and call Me. Peter does not curse Me. But he forgets Me
through it leads to Hell, I led to Heaven.
and I have to impose My will to call his spirit to Me, so
I wanted to be all alone to thank the Father for the that he may look at his Master and Saviour.
miracle of the loaves. Thousands of people had been fed.
I absolve him beforehand of his sin of doubt, because I
And I exhorted them to say: "Thanks" to the Lord. But
love him, as this impulsive man, once he is confirmed in
once a man has been helped, he forgets to say "thanks". I
grace, will be able to proceed without any further
said it on their behalf. And afterwards… And afterwards
perturbation or tiredness as far as martyrdom, and will
I had merged with My Father, for Whose love I was
be indefatigable in casting his mystical net to take souls
infinitely sick. I was on the earth, but like a lifeless hide.
to his Master. And when he invokes Me, I do not walk, I
My soul was thrust towards My Father, Whom I felt
fly to help him and I hold him tight to lead him to
leaning on His Word, and I said to Him: "I love You,
salvation. My reproach is a mild one because I
Holy Father!". It was a joy to Me to say to Him: "I love
understand the extenuating circumstances of Peter. I am
You". To say so as a Man besides as God. I humiliated
the best advocate and judge there is and there has ever
My feelings as Man, as I offered Him My palpitation as
been. On behalf of everybody.
God. I seemed to be the magnet that attracted all the love
of men, of men capable of loving God a little and that I I understand you, My poor children! And even when I
gathered all such love and offered it from the bottom of say a word of reproach, My smile mitigates it. I love
My Heart. I seemed to be the only one to exist: I, the you. That is all. I want you to have faith. And if you do
Man, that is the human race, conversing once again with have it, I will come and take you out of danger. Oh! if
God, in the cool of the evening, as on the innocent days. the Earth could say: "Master, Lord, save me!". One cry,
of the whole Earth, would be enough, and Satan and his
But although My blessedness was complete, because it
sectarians would be immediately defeated. But you do
was a blessedness of love, it did not abstract Me from
not know how to have faith. I am multiplying the means
the needs of men. And I became aware of the danger of
to lead you to faith. But they fall into your slime as a
My children on the lake. And I left Love for the sake of
stone falls into the slime of a marsh and are buried there.
love. Charity must be speedy.
You do not want to purify the water of your souls, you
They took Me for a ghost. Oh! how often, My poor
prefer to be putrid filth. It does not matter. I do My duty
children, you take Me for a ghost, for a frightening
as the Eternal Saviour. And even if I cannot save the
object! If you always thought of Me, you would know
world because the world does not want to be saved, I
Me at once. But you have other ghosts in your hearts,
will save from the world those who in order to love Me,
and that makes you dizzy. But I make Myself known.
as I am to be loved, are no longer of the world. »
Oh! if you only listened to Me!
Why was Peter sinking after walking so far? You said it:
because his human nature overwhelmed his spirit.

11
First Sunday in Lent Matt 4:1-1
46. Jesus Is Tempted in the Desert by the Devil.
I see the solitary land which I already saw on my left-
hand side in the vision of Jesus' baptism in the Jordan.
But I must be some way inside the desert, because I
neither see the beautiful, blue, slow flowing river, nor
the green strips of vegetation which coast its banks, and
are nourished by its waters. There is nothing here but
solitude, stones and such a parched earth that it has
become a yellowish dust, raised now and again by the
wind in small eddies, which are so hot and dry that they
seem to be the breath of a feverish mouth. And they are
very troublesome because of the dust penetrating nostrils
and throats. There are a very few small thorny bushes,
strangely surviving in so much desolation. They look
like small forelocks of surviving hair on a bald head.
Above, there is a merciless blue sky; below, arid land;
around, stones and silence. That is what I see as far as
nature is concerned.
Leaning against a huge piece of overhanging rock which,
because of its shape, forms a kind of a grotto, there is
Jesus sitting on a stone that has been taken into the cave.
That is how He protects Himself from the scorching sun.
And my internal adviser informs me that the stone, on
which He is now sitting, is also His kneeling-stool and
pillow, when He takes a few hours rest, enveloped in His
mantle, under a starry sky in the chill air of the night.
Near Him, there is the haversack which I saw Him take
before departing from Nazareth. It is all He has. And
from the way it is folded, I realise it has been emptied of
the little food Mary had Put into it.
Jesus is very thin and pale. He is sitting with His elbows
resting on His knees, His forearms forward, His hands
joined and His fingers interlaced. He is meditating. Now
and again He looks up and around, then looks at the sun,
almost perpendicular in the blue sky. Now and again,
particularly after looking around and at the sun, He
closes His eyes and leans on the rock sheltering Him, as
if He were seized by dizziness.
I see Satan's ugly face appear. He does not show himself
in the features we imagine him: horns, tail etc. He looks
like a bedouin enveloped in his robe and in a large
mantle that resembles a domino. He is wearing a turban
on his head and its white flaps fall along his cheeks,
down to his shoulders protecting them. Thus only a very
small dark triangle of his face can be seen, with thin,
sinuous lips, very black hollow eyes, full of magnetic
flashes. Two eyes that penetrate and read into the bottom
of your heart, but in which you can read nothing, or one
word only: mystery. The very opposite of Jesus' eyes,
also so magnetic and fascinating, which read in your
heart, but in which you can also read that in His heart
there is love and bounty for you. Jesus' eyes caress your
12
soul. Satan's are like a double dagger that stabs and
burns you.
He approaches Jesus: « Are you alone? »
Jesus looks at him, but does not reply.
« How did You happen to be here? Did You get lost? »
Jesus looks at him again, and is silent.
« If I had water in my flask, I would give You some. But
I have none myself. My horse died, and I am now going
on foot to the ford. I will get a drink there, and I will find
someone who will give me some bread. I know the road.
Come with me. I'll take You there. »
Jesus does not even look at him.
« You are not answering? Do You know that if You stay
here, You will die? The wind is already beginning to
blow. There will be a storm. Come. »
Jesus clenches His hands in silent prayer.
« Ah! It is You, then? I have been looking for You for
such a long time! And I have been watching You for so
long. Since You were baptised. Are You calling the
Eternal? He is far away. You are now on the earth, in the
midst of men. And I reign over men. And yet, I feel
sorry for You, and I want to help You, because You are
so good, and You have come to sacrifice Yourself for
nothing. Men will hate You because of Your goodness.
They understand nothing, but gold, food and pleasure.
Sacrifice, sorrow, obedience are words more arid for
them than the land around us here. They are more arid
than this dust. Only snakes can hide here, waiting to bite,
and jackals waiting to tear to pieces. Come with me. It is
not worthwhile suffering for them. I know them better
than You do. »
Satan has sat down in front of Jesus and he scrutinises
Him with his dreadful eyes, and smiles at Him with his
snakelike mouth. Jesus is always silent, and is praying
mentally.
« You don't trust me. You are wrong. I am the wisdom
of the earth. I can be Your teacher and show You how to
triumph. See, the important thing is to triumph. Then,
once we have imposed ourselves and we have enchanted
the world, then we can take them wherever we want. But
first, we must be as they wish us to be. Like them. We
must allure them, making them believe that we admire
them and follow their thoughts.
You are young and handsome. Start with a woman. One
must always start from her. I made a mistake inducing
her to be disobedient. I should have advised her
differently. I would have turned her into a better
instrument, and I would have beaten God. I was in a
hurry. But You! I will teach You, because one day I
looked at You with angelical joy, and a fraction of that
love is still left in me, but You must listen to me, and
make use of my experience. Find yourself a woman.
Where you do not succeed, she will. You are the new
Adam: You must have Your Eve.
In any case, how can You understand and heal the
diseases of the senses, if You do not know what they
are? Don't You know that that is where the seed is, from
which the tree of greediness and arrogance sprouts? Why
do men want to reign? Why do they want to be rich and
powerful? To possess woman. She is like a lark. She will
be attracted only by something sparkling. Gold and
power are two sides of the mirror that draw woman, and
are the causes of evil in the world. Look: in a thousand
different crimes, there are at least nine hundred that take
root in the lust of possessing a woman or in the passion
of a woman, burning with a desire that man has not yet
satisfied, or can no longer satisfy. Go to a woman if You
want to know what life is. And only then, You will be
able to cure and heal the diseases of mankind.
Women, You know, are beautiful! There is nothing nicer
in the world. Man has brains and strength. But woman!
Her thought is a perfume, her touch is the caress of
flowers, her grace is like wine, pleasant to drink, her
weakness is like a hank of silk, or the curl of a child in a
man's hand, her caress is a strength which is poured over
our own strength, and inflames it. Sorrow, fatigue,
worries are forgotten when we lie near a woman, and she
is in our arms like a bunch of flowers.
But what a fool I am! You are hungry and I am talking
to You of women. Your energy is exhausted. That is
why that fragrance of the earth, that flower of creation,
the fruit that gives and excites love, seems without any
value to You. But look at these stones. How round and
smooth they look, gilded by the setting sun! Don't they
look like loaves? Since You are the Son of God, all You
have to say is: "I want" and they will become sweet-
smelling bread, just like the loaves housewives are now
taking out of their ovens for the supper of their families.
And these arid acacias, if You only Wish so, will they
not be filled with sweet fruit and dates as sweet as
honey? Eat Your fill, Son of God. You are the Master of
the earth. The earth is bowing down to put itself at Your
feet and appease Your hunger.
Don't You see that You are turning pale and unsteady at
the mention of bread. Poor Jesus! Are You so weak that
You cannot even work a miracle? Shall I work it for
You? I am not Your equal, but I can do something. I will
do without any strength for a whole year, I will gather it
all together, but I want to serve You, because You are
good, and I always remember that You are my God,
even if now I have forfeited calling You so. Help me
with Your prayers, that I may… »
« Be quiet! "Man does not live on bread alone, but on
every word that comes from the mouth of God". »
13
The devil starts with anger. He grinds his teeth, and
clenches his fists. But he controls himself, and turns his
grinding into a smile.
« I understand. You are above the necessities of the earth
and You are disgusted at making use of me. I deserved
it. But come, then, and see what there is in the House of
God. You will see how even priests do not refuse to
come to a compromise between the spirit and the flesh.
After all, they are men, and not angels. Work a spiritual
miracle. I will take You up to the pinnacle of the Temple
and You will undergo a transfiguration and become most
handsome. You will then call the cohorts of angels and
will tell them to form a footrest for Your feet with their
interlaced wings, and to let You down, thus, into the
main yard. So that people may see You, and remember
that God exists. One must show oneself now and again,
because man's memory is so weak, particularly with
regard to spiritual matters. You can imagine how happy
the angels will be in forming a protection for Your feet
and a ladder for You to descend! »
« It is said: "You must not put the Lord your God to the
test". »
« You understand that Your apparition would not change
anything and the Temple would continue to be a market
full of corruption. Your divine wisdom is aware that the
hearts of the ministers of the Temple are nests of vipers,
that tear and are torn to pieces for the sake of prevailing.
They are subdued only by human power.
Well, then, come. Adore me. I will give You the earth.
Alexander, Cyrus, Caesar, all the great rulers, past or
present, will be like the leaders of miserable caravans as
compared with You, as You shall have the kingdoms of
the world under Your sceptre. And with the kingdoms,
all the wealth, all the beautiful things on earth, women,
horses, armies and temples. You will be able to raise
Your Sign everywhere when You are the King of kings
and the Lord of the world. You will then be obeyed and
respected both by the people and by the priesthood. All
classes will honour and serve You, because You will be
the Powerful One, the Only One, the Lord.
Adore me for one moment only! Appease this thirst of
mine for being worshipped! It ruined me, but it is still
left in me, and I am parched by it. The flames of hell are
like a fresh morning breeze as compared to this fierce
ardour burning inside me. It is my hell, this thirst. One
moment, one moment only, Christ. You are so good!
One moment of joy for the eternally Tortured One! Let
me feel what it is like to be god, and I will be a devoted,
obedient servant for all Your life and all Your
enterprises. One instant, one instant only, and I will no
longer torture You! » And Satan falls on his knees,
imploring.
Jesus, instead, stands up. He has lost weight because of
the long days of fast, and He now looks taller. His face is
terribly severe and potent. His eyes are two burning fall into the trap. It is then very difficult for them to free
sapphires. His voice is like thunder: it reverberates in the themselves.
cave of the huge stone, and spreads over the stony,
The two most common means adopted by Satan to
desolate plain when He cries: « Be off, Satan. It is
conquer souls are sensuality and gluttony. He always
written: "You must worship the Lord your God, and
starts from material things. Once he has dismantled and
serve Him alone ". »
subdued the material side, he attacks the spiritual part.
Satan, with a cry of fearful torture and indescribable
First the morals: thoughts with their pride and greed;
hatred, springs to his feet, a dreadful sight in his furious,
then the spirit, obliterating not only its love - which no
smoky figure. And he disappears with a last cursing yell.
longer exists when man replaces divine love with other
Jesus is tired, and sits down, leaning back with His head human loves - but also the fear of God. Then man
resting on the stone. He looks exhausted. He is surrenders his body and soul to Satan, only for the sake
perspiring. But angels come to blow gently with their of enjoying what he wants, and enjoying it more and
wings in the closeness of the cave, thus purifying and more.
refreshing the air. Jesus opens His eyes, and smiles. I do
You saw how I behaved. Silence and prayer. Silence.
not see Him eat. I would say that He is nourished by the
Because if Satan performs his work of a seducer and
aroma of Paradise, and is reinvigorated by it.
comes round us, we must put up with the situation
The sun has set in the west. He takes His empty without any foolish impatience or cowardly fears. We
haversack and in the company of the angels who, flying must react with resolution to his presence, and with
above His head, emit a mild light while it is getting dark prayer to his allurements.
very rapidly, He starts walking eastwards, or rather
It is useless to debate with Satan. He would win, because
north-eastwards. He has resumed His usual expression,
he is strong in his dialectics. Only God can beat him.
His step is steady. The only remaining sign of His long
And so you must have recourse to God, that He may
fast is a more ascetic look on His pale, thin face and in
speak for you, through you. You must show Satan that
His eyes, enraptured in a joy which does not belong to
Name and that Sign, not so much written on paper or
this world.
engraved on wood, but written and engraved in your
--------------------
hearts. My Name, My Sign. You should answer back to
Jesus says: Satan, using the word of God, only when he insinuates
that he is like God. He cannot bear that.
« Yesterday you had no strength, which is My will, and
you were, therefore, half-alive. I let your body rest and I Then after the struggle, there comes victory and the
made you fast the only way which is burdensome to you: angels serve and defend the winner from Satan's hatred.
depriving you of My word. Poor Mary! You kept Ash They restore him with celestial dews, with the Grace that
Wednesday. You tasted an ashen flavour in everything they pour with full hands into the heart of the faithful
because you were without your Master. I did not let you son, with a blessing that caresses his soul.
perceive Me, but I was there.
One must be determined to defeat Satan, and have faith
This morning, as our anxiety is reciprocal, when you in God, and in His help. Faith in the power of prayer,
were half asleep, I whispered to you: "Agnus Dei qui and in the Lord's bounty. Then Satan can do no harm.
tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem" and I made you
Go in peace. This evening I will gladden you with the
repeat it many times and I repeated it to you many times.
remainder. »
You thought that I was going to speak about that. No.
First there is the subject which I showed you and upon
which I will comment for you. Then this evening I will
illustrate this other one.
Monday after First Sunday of Lent Matt 25:31-46
As you have seen, kindness is always Satan's disguise
when he presents himself. He looks like an ordinary
person. If souls are careful, and above all, if they are in
spiritual contact with God, they perceive the warning
594. The Wednesday before Passover. From the
that makes them cautious and prepares them to fight the
Discussions with Scribes and Pharisees to the
devil's snares. But if souls are distracted, separated from
Eschatological Discourse.
God by an overwhelming sensuality, and are not assisted
by prayer, which joins them to God and pours strength ...« Take care that no one deceives you in future. I am
into the hearts of men, then they seldom perceive the the Christ and there will be no other Christs. So, when
snares hidden under the innocent appearance and they many will come and say to you: "I am the Christ" and
they will deceive many, do not believe those words,

14
even if they are accompanied by wonders. Satan, the
father of falsehood and the protector of liars, assists his
servants and followers with false wonders, which,
however, can be recognised as not being good ones,
because they are always joined to fear, perturbation and
falsehood. You know the wonders of God: they give
holy peace, joy, health, faith, and they lead to holy
desires and deeds. The others do not. So ponder on the
forms and consequences of the wonders you may see in
future, performed by the false Christs and by all those
who will clothe themselves in the garments of saviours
of peoples, whereas they are wild beasts who ruin them.
You will hear also, and you will see people speak of
wars and rumours of wars and they will say to you:
"These are the signs of the end". Do not be upset. It will
not be the end. All this must happen before the end, but
it is not the end yet. People will rise against people,
kingdom against kingdom, nation against nation,
continent against continent, and plagues, famines and
earthquakes will follow in many places. But this is only
the beginning of the birthpangs. Then they will bring
affliction upon you and will kill you, accusing you of
being guilty of their suffering, and hoping to get out of it
by persecuting and destroying My servants. Men will
always accuse the innocent of being the cause of the evil
that they, sinners, procure for themselves. They accuse
God Himself, Perfect Innocence and Supreme Goodness,
of being the cause of their suffering, and they will do the
same with you, and you will be hated on account of My
Name. It is Satan who instigates them. And many will be
scandalised and they will betray and hate one another. It
is still Satan who instigates them. And many false
prophets will arise, who will deceive many. And Satan is
still the true author of so much evil. And with the
increase of lawlessness, love in many men will grow
cold. But those who stand firm to the end will be saved.
And first this Good News of the Kingdom of God is to
be preached all over the world, as a witness to all the
nations. Then the end will come. The return to the Christ
of Israel who will accept Him and the preaching of My
Doctrine to all the world.
And then another sign. A sign for the end of the Temple
and for the end of the World. When you see the
abomination of the desolation prophesied by Daniel - let
those who are listening to Me understand properly and
let those who read the Prophet read between the lines -
then those who are in Judaea must escape to the
mountains, those who are on the terrace must not come
down to collect what is in their houses, and those who
are in the fields must not come back home to fetch their
cloaks, but they must flee without turning back,
otherwise it may happen that they will no longer be able
to do so, and while running away they must not even
turn round to look, in order not to keep the horrible sight
in their hearts, and thus go mad. Woe to those with child
15
and to those giving suck in those days! And woe if you
have to escape on a Sabbath! The flight would not be
sufficient to save you without sinning. So pray that it
may not happen in winter or on a Sabbath, because then
the tribulation will be so great as it has never been from
the beginning of the world until now, nor will ever be
alike again, because it will be the end. And if those days
were not shortened for the sake of those who are chosen,
no one would be saved, because the satan-men will enter
into an alliance with hell to torture men.
And even then, in order to corrupt and mislead those
who have remained faithful to the Lord, some people
will arise and say: "The Christ is there, the Christ is here.
He is in that place. There He is" Do not believe them.
Let no one believe them, for false Christs and false
prophets will arise and produce great signs and portents,
enough to deceive even the chosen, if it were possible,
and they will -speak doctrines that are apparently so
comforting and good as to deceive even the best ones, if
the Spirit of God were not with them enlightening them
on the truth and the satanic origin of such portents and
doctrines. I am telling you. I am foretelling it, so that
you may know how to behave. But do not be afraid of
falling. If you remain in the Lord, you will not be led
into temptation and ruin. Remember what I told you: "I
have given you the power to walk on snakes and
scorpions, and of all the power of the Enemy nothing
will harm you, because everything will be subjected to
you". But I also remind you that, in order to achieve this,
you must have God within you, and you must rejoice,
not because you control the powers of Evil and
poisonous things, but because your names are written in
Heaven.
Remain in God and in His truth. I am the Truth and I
teach the truth. So I repeat to you once again: whatever
they may say about Me, do not believe it. I alone have
spoken the truth. I alone tell you that the Christ will
come, but when it is the end. So, if they say to you: "He
is in the desert", do not go. If they say to you: "He is in
that house", do not listen to them. Because in His second
coming the Son of man will be like lightning striking in
the east and flashing as far as the west, in a shorter time
than a blink. And He will glide over the great Body,
suddenly turned into a Corpse, followed by His shining
angels, and He will judge. Wherever the corpse is, there
will the eagles gather. And immediately after the distress
of those last days, as you have been told - I am speaking
of the end of time and of the world and of the
resurrection of the bones, of which the prophets speak -
the sun will be darkened, and the moon will shed no
more light, and the stars will fall from the sky like
grapes from a bunch that is too ripe and is shaken by a
gale, and the powers of Heaven will be shaken. And then
in the darkened vault of heaven the dazzling sign of the
Son of Man will appear, and all the nations of the Earth
will weep, and men will see the Son of man coming on
the clouds of heaven with great power and glory. And
He will order His angels to reap the corn and gather the
grapes, and to separate the darnel from the corn, and to
throw the grapes into the vat, because the time of the
great harvest of Adam's seed has come, and there will be
no more need to keep small bunches or seeds, because
the human race will never be perpetuated again on the
dead Earth. And He will order His angels to gather the
chosen with loud trumpets from the four winds, from
one end of the heavens to another, so that they may be
beside the Divine Judge to judge with Him the last living
men and those who have been raised from the dead.
Learn the similitude from the fig-tree: when you see its
twigs grow supple and put forth leaves, you know that
summer is near. So, when you see all these things, know
that the Christ is about to come. I solemnly tell you: this
generation that did not want Me will not pass away,
before all this takes place. My word does not pass. What
I have said will take place. The hearts and minds of men
may change, but My word does not change. Heaven and
earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
But as for the day and the exact hour, nobody knows
them, not even the angels of the Lord, only the Father
knows them. As it was in the, days of Noah, so it will be
when the Son of man comes. In the days before the
Flood, men were eating, drinking, taking wives, taking
husbands, without worrying about the sign, right up to
the day Noah went into the ark and the cataracts of
heaven were opened and the Flood swept all living
beings and things away. It will be like this also for the
coming of the Son of man. Then two men will be close
to each other in the field, and one will be taken and the
other will be left, and two women will be at the
millstone grinding, and one will be taken and one left by
the enemies in the Fatherland, and even more by the
angels who will be separating the good seed from the
darnel, and they will have no time to prepare for the
judgement of the Christ.
So be awake because you do not know at what time your
Lord will come. Consider this: if the head of a family
knew at what time a burglar would come, he would stay
awake and would not let his house be robbed. So be
vigilant and pray, being always prepared for the coming,
without letting your hearts become sluggish through all
kinds of abuse and intemperance, and your spirits be dull
and distracted from the things of Heaven by excessive
care for the things of the Earth, so that death may not
take you all of a sudden, when you are not prepared.
Because, bear this in mind, each one of you must die. All
men, once they are born, must die, and this death and
subsequent judgement is a particular coming of the
Christ and its universal repetition will take place at the
solemn coming of the Son of man.
16
What will happen to that faithful and prudent servant,
appointed by his master to give food to the servants in
his absence? His lot will be a happy one if his master
comes back suddenly and finds him doing his duty with
diligence, justice and love. I tell you solemnly that he
will say to him: "Come, good faithful servant. You have
deserved my reward. Here, administer all my property".
But if he seemed good and faithful, but was not, and if
interiorly he was as bad as he was hypocritical
exteriorly, and once the master has left, he says to
himself: "The master will come back late! Let us have a
good time", and he begins to beat and ill-treat his fellow
servants, cutting down their food and everything else to
have more money to spend with revellers and drunkards,
what will happen? The master will come back all of a
sudden, when the servant does not expect him, and his
wrong-doing will be found out, his position and money
will taken off him, and he will be led where justice
wants. And there will he remain.
And the same will happen to the unrepentant sinner, who
does not think that death can be close at hand, as his
judgement can be near, and he enjoys himself and abuses
saying: "Later I will repent". I tell you solemnly that he
will not have time to do so, and he will be condemned to
be for ever where there is dreadful horror, where there is
only blasphemy and weeping and torture, and he will
come out only for the final Judgement, when he will be
reclothed with the flesh raised from the dead, to present
himself entire at the final Judgement, as he was entire
when he sinned in the time of his earthly life, and in
body and soul he will present himself to Jesus Judge,
Whom he did not want as his Saviour.
They will all be gathered there before the Son of man.
An infinite multitude of bodies, given back by the land
and by the sea and recomposed after being ashes for
such a long time. And the souls in their bodies. To each
flesh returned to the skeletons will correspond its own
soul that once animated it. And they will stand before
the Son of man, splendid in His divine Majesty, sitting
on His throne of glory supported by His angels.
And He will separate men from men, placing the good
on one side and the bad on the other, as a shepherd
separates the sheep from the kids, and He will place the
sheep on His right, and the goats on His left. And in a
gentle voice and with a benign appearance he will say to
those who look at Him with all the love of their hearts,
and are peaceful and beautiful, shining with the glorious
beauty of their holy bodies: "Come, you who have been
blessed by My Father, take possession of the Kingdom
prepared for you since the origin of the world. For I was
hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you
gave Me drink, I was a pilgrim and you gave Me
hospitality, I was naked and you clothed Me, sick and
you visited Me, in prison and you came to comfort Me".
And the just will ask Him: "Lord, when did we see You
hungry and we fed You, thirsty and we gave You drink?
When did we see You a pilgrim and we welcomed You,
naked and we clothed You? When did we see You sick
and in prison and we came to visit You?" And the King
of kings will say to them: "I tell you solemnly: when you
did one of these things to one of the least of My
brothers, you did it to Me".
He will then address those who are on His left hand and
will say to them, looking very severe, and His eyes will
be like flashes of lightning striking the reprobates, and in
His voice the wrath of God will thunder: "Go away from
here! Away from Me, with your curse upon you! Go to
the eternal fire prepared by the fury of God for the devil
and the angels of darkness and for those who have
listened to their voices of treble obscene lechery. I was
hungry and you did not give Me any food, I was thirsty
and you did not quench My thirst, I was naked and you
did not clothe Me, I was a pilgrim and you rejected Me, I
was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me. Because
you had but one law: the pleasure of your own egos".
And they will say to Him: "When did we see You
hungry, thirsty, naked, pilgrim, sick, in prison? Really,
we never met You. We did not exist, when You were on
the Earth". And He will reply to them: "That is true. You
never met Me. Because you did not exist when I was on
the Earth. But you were acquainted with My word and
you had among you people who were hungry, thirsty,
naked, ill, in prison. Why did you not do to them what
you would have perhaps done to Me? Because no one
says that those, who had Me among them, were merciful
to the Son of man. Do you not know that I am in My
brothers, and that where one of them suffers, I am there,
and that what you have not done to one of the least of
My brothers, you have refused it to Me, the First-Born of
men? Go and bum in your own selfishness. Go and be
enveloped in darkness and ice, because you were
darkness and ice yourselves, though you knew where the
Light and the Fire of Love were". And they will go to
the eternal torture, whereas the just will enter eternal life.
Those are the future things… Go now. And do not part
from one another. I am going with John, and I shall be
with you half through the first watch, for supper, and
then we shall go to our teaching. »
« Also this evening? Shall we be doing that every
evening? I am aching all over because of the dew.
Would it not be better to go to some hospitable house
now? Always under tents! Always watching at night,
when it is cold and damp… » says Judas complaining.
« It is the last night. Tomorrow… it will be different. »
« Ah! I thought You wanted to go to Gethsemane every
night. But if it is the last one… »
« I did not say that, Judas. I said that it will be the last
night to spend all together at the Field of the Galileans.
Tomorrow we will prepare for Passover and will
17
consume the lamb, then I will go by Myself to
Gethsemane to pray. And you can do what you like. »
« But shall we not come with You, Lord! When have we
ever wanted to leave You? » asks Peter.
« You should be quiet, because you are culpable. You
and the Zealot do nothing but flutter here and there as
soon as the Master does not see you. I have been keeping
an eye on you. At the Temple… on the day… in the
tents up there… » says the Iscariot, happy to denounce
them.
« That is enough! If they do that, they are doing the right
thing. But do not leave Me alone… I beg you… »
« Lord, we are not doing anything wrong. Believe me.
Our deeds are known to God, and His eyes do not turn
away from them in disgust » says the Zealot.
« I know. But it is useless. And what is useless may
always become harmful. Be together as much as
possible. » He then says to Matthew: « My good
reporter, you will repeat to them the parable of the ten
wise virgins and the ten foolish ones, and that of the
master who gives some talents to his three servants to
make them bear interests, and two earn twice as much
and the sluggard hides it in the ground. Do you
remember? »
« Yes, my Lord, very well. »
« Repeat them, then, because not everybody knows
them. And also those who know them will be pleased to
hear them again. You can while away the time so, in
wise conversation, until I come back. Stay awake! Be
vigilant! Keep your spirits awake. Those parables are
also appropriate to what I have said. Goodbye. Peace be
with you. »
He takes John by the hand and goes away with him
towards the town… The others set out towards the Fields
of the Galileans.
--------------------
Tuesday after First Sunday of Lent Matt 21:10-17
590. The Monday before Passover. The Cursed Fig-
Tree
..
« Do not delude yourselves! That part of Jerusalem will
never be converted. They did not reply in a different
manner because they were afraid of the crowd. I read
their thoughts even if I could not hear their subdued
words. »
« And what were they saying? » asks Peter.
« They were saying this. I want you to be acquainted
with what they said, that you may know them thoroughly
and you may give future disciples and exact description
of the hearts of men in My days. They did not reply
because they are turning to the Lord. But because they
said to one another: "If we reply: 'The baptism of John
came from Heaven', the Rabbi will say to us: 'Then why
did you not believe what came from Heaven and was
meant as a preparation for the Messianic time?'; and if
we say: 'From man', then the crowds will turn against us
saying: 'Then why do you not believe what our prophet
John said of Jesus of Nazareth?'. So it is better to say:
'We do not know"'. That is what they were saying. Not
because they were being converted to God, but out of
mean calculation and because they did not want to have
to admit with their own lips that I am the Christ and I do
what I do because I am the Lamb of God of Whom the
Precursor spoke. And neither did I wish to say by what
authority I do the things I do. I have already said it many
times within those walls and all over Palestine and My
miracles speak even more than My words. Now I will no
longer say it with My words. I will let the prophets and
My Father and the signs of Heaven speak. Because the
time has come when all the signs will be given. Those
mentioned by the prophets and indicated by the symbols
of our history, and those which I announced: the sign of
Jonah; do you remember that day at Kedesh? It is the
sign that Gamaliel is awaiting. You, Stephen, and you,
Hermas, and you, Barnabas, who have left your
companions to follow Me today, have certainly heard the
rabbi speak of that sign several times. Well, the sign will
soon be given. »
He goes away up through the olive-groves on the
mountain, followed by His apostles and by many of His
seventy-two disciples, beside others who, like Joseph
Barnabas, follow Him to hear Him speak again.
--------------------
592. The Tuesday Morning before Passover.
They are about to go back into town, always along the
same remote path taken the previous morning, as if Jesus
did not want to be surrounded by people waiting for
Him, before arriving at the Temple, which is soon
reached entering the town by the Sheep Gate, which is
near the Probatica. But today many of the seventy-two
disciples are already waiting for Him beyond the Kidron,
before the bridge, and as soon as they see Him appear
among the grey-green olive-trees, in His purple garment,
they go to meet Him. They gather together and proceed
towards the town.
Peter, who is looking ahead, down the slope, always
suspecting to see some evil-minded person appear,
among the fresh vegetation of the last slopes sees a mass
of withered hanging leaves dangling over the water of
18
the Kidron. The wrinkled dying leaves, already rust-
stained here and there, are like those of a plant parched
by fire. The breeze blows one off now and again and
buries it in the water of the torrent.
« That is the fig-tree of yesterday! The fig-tree that You
cursed! » shouts Peter, one hand stretched forward
pointing at the withered tree, his head turned back to
speak to the Master.
They all rush there, except Jesus, Who comes forward at
His usual pace. The apostles inform the disciples of the
precedent of what they are looking at, and they all make
comments looking at Jesus utterly amazed. They have
seen thousands of miracles on men and elements, but
this one strikes them more than many others.
Jesus, Who has arrived, smiles watching those amazed
timid faces, and He says: « What? Are you so surprised
that My word withered a fig-tree? Have you not seen Me
raise people from the dead, cure lepers, give sight to
blind people, multiply loaves, calm storms, put out fires?
And you are surprised that a fig-tree withers? »
« It is not because of the fig-tree. The fact is that
yesterday when You cursed it, it was thriving, and now it
is withered. Look! As crumbly as dry clay. There is no
more sap in its branches. Look. They crumble into dust »
and Bartholomew pulverises with his fingers some
branches that he has broken off without any effort.
« They have no more sap. You are right. And it is death
when there is no more sap, both in a plant and in a nation
as well as in a religion, but there is only hard bark and
useless foliage: ferocity and hypocritical outward
appearance. The white internal sap, full of lymph,
corresponds to holiness, to spirituality. The hard bark
and useless foliage correspond to mankind devoid of just
spiritual life. Woe to those religions that become human
because their priests and believers no longer have a vital
spirit. Woe to those nations whose leaders are nothing
but fierceness and resounding clamour devoid of fruit-
bearing ideas! Woe to men who lack the life of the
spirit! »
« But, if You said that to the great ones in Israel,
although what You say is right, You would not be wise.
Do not entertain illusions because they have allowed
You to speak so far. You said Yourself that it is not
because they are being converted, but that it is done out
of calculation. So You had better estimate the value and
consequences of Your words as well. Because there is
also the wisdom of the world, beside the wisdom of the
spirit. And it is necessary to know how to make use of it
to our advantage. Because, after all, for the time being
we are still in the world, and not in the Kingdom of
God » says the Iscariot, without acrimony but in a
doctorial tone.
« He is truly wise who can see things without them
being altered by his sensuality and by selfish
considerations. I will always speak the truth of what I
see. »
« In conclusion did this fig-tree die because You cursed
it, or it happened… by chance… or is it a sign… I don't
know? » asks Philip.
« It is everything you said. But what I did, you can do as
well, if you succeed in having perfect faith. Have it in
the Most High Lord. And when you have it, I solemnly
tell you that you will be able to do that and even more. I
solemnly tell you that, if one is successful in having
perfect trust in the power of prayer and in the goodness
of the Lord, one will be able to say to this mountain: Ember Wednesday in Lent Matt 12:38-50
"Move away from here and throw yourself into the sea"
and if saying so one will not hesitate in one's heart, but
will believe that what one orders can take place, what 268. The Dispute with the Pharisees and the Arrival of
one has said will take place. » Jesus' Mother and Brothers.
« And we shall look like magicians and we shall be ...
stoned, as is prescribed for those who practise magic. It
« Also on the earth we see that a kingdom divided into
would be a really foolish miracle, and to our
opposed parties becomes weak internally and can be
detriment! » says the Iscariot, shaking his head.
easily attacked and laid waste by nearby countries that
« You are foolish, as you do not understand the make it their slave. Also on the earth we see that a town
parable! » retorts the other Judas. divided into conflicting parts does not flourish and the
same applies to a family, the members of which are
Jesus does not speak to Judas. He speaks to everybody:
divided by mutual hatred. It falls to pieces and becomes
« And I say to you, and it is an old lesson that I am
a useless nibble, which is of no use to anybody, and the
repeating in this hour: whatever you ask for in your
laughing stock of fellow citizens. Harmony is
prayer, have faith to obtain it and you will. But if before
shrewdness besides being necessary. Because it keeps
praying you have a resentment against anybody, first
people independent, strong and loving. Patriots, citizens,
forgive and make peace to have as a friend your Father
relatives ought to ponder on that when for the caprice of
Who is in Heaven, and Who forgives and assists you so
an individual advantage they are tempted to have
much, from morning till evening and from sunset to
separations or commit abuses, which are always
dawn. »
dangerous because they are alternative in parties and
they destroy love. And such shrewdness is practised by
those who are the masters of the world. Consider Rome
in its undeniable power, so painful to us. Rome rules the
world. But they are united by one mind and one will: "to
rule". Even amongst them there must be differences,
aversions, rebellions. But they lie at the bottom. On the
surface they are one block, without cracks or
perturbations. They all want the same thing and they are
successful because of that. And they will be successful
as long as they want the same thing.
Consider that example of human cohesive shrewdness
and say: if the children of this world are like that, what
will Satan be like? The Romans are demons, as far as we
are concerned. But their heathen satanism is nothing
compared to the perfect satanism of Satan and his
demons. In their eternal kingdom, without time, without
end, with no limits to cunning and wickedness, where
they rejoice in being detrimental to God and men, and to
be harmful is their very life and their only cruel painful
enjoyment, they have attained with cursed perfection the
19
fusion of their spirits in one will: "to be harmful". Now
if, as you state, to insinuate doubt about My power,
Satan is the one who helps Me because I am a minor
Beelzebub, does it not follow that Satan is divided
against himself and his demons, if he drives them out of
the people possessed by him? And if he is at variance
with his followers, can his kingdom last? No, it is not so.
Satan is very shrewd and does not damage himself in the
hearts of men. The aim of his life is "to steal - to damage
- to lie - to offend - to upset". To steal the souls of God
and the peace of men. To damage the children of the
Father grieving Him. To lie in order to mislead. To
offend in order to rejoice. To upset because he is
disorder and cannot change. He is eternal in his being
and in his methods.
But answer this question: if I drive out demons in the
name of Beelzebub, in whose name do your sons drive
them out? Are you willing to admit that they are
Beelzebub as well? If you say that, they will consider
you slanderers. And if their holiness is such that they
will not react to your accusation, you will condemn
yourselves confessing that you think that you have many
demons in Israel, and God will judge you in the name of
the children of Israel accused by you of being demons.
Therefore whoever may pass judgement, in actual fact
they will be your judges, where judgement is not
suborned by human pressure.
If, instead, as it is true, I expel demons through the Spirit
of God, that would be evidence that the Kingdom of God
and the King of that Kingdom have come to you. Which
King has such power that no adverse force can resist
Him. Thus I bind and compel the usurpers of the
children of My Kingdom to depart from the place they
have occupied and give Me back the prey so that I may
take possession of it. Is that not what is done by one who
wants to enter a house inhabited by a powerful man, to
take his property, rightly or wrongly acquired? It is. He
enters and ties him, and then he can plunder the house. I
tie the dark angel who has taken what is Mine, and I take
away from him the good property he has stolen of Me.
And I am the only one who can do it, because I alone am
the Strong One, the Father of the future century, the
Prince of Peace. »
« Clarify for us what You mean by saying: "Father of the
future century". Do You think that You will live until the
new century and, still more foolishly, do You think that
You, a poor man, will create time? Time belongs to
God » asks a scribe.
« And are you, a scribe, asking Me? Do you not know
that there will be a century that will have a beginning but
no end, and that it will be Mine? I shall triumph in it
gathering round Me its children and they will live for
ever like the century that I shall have created and I am
already creating it, giving the spirit its true value above
the flesh, the world, and above the infernal angels whom
20
I expel because I can do everything. That is why I say
that those who are not with Me are against Me, and those
who do not gather with Me, scatter. Because I am He
Who I am. And he who does not believe that, which was
already prophesied, sins against the Holy Spirit, Whose
word was announced by the prophets, and it is neither
false nor wrong, and must be believed without
resistance.
And I tell you: men will be forgiven everything, all their
sins and their blasphemy. Because God knows that man
is not only spirit, but also flesh and his flesh, when
tempted, is subject to sudden weakness. But blasphemy
against the Spirit will not be forgiven. He who has
spoken against the Son of man will still be forgiven,
because the weight of the flesh enveloping My Person
and the man who speaks against Me, can still mislead.
But he who has spoken against the Holy Spirit will not
be forgiven, either in this or in future life, because the
Truth is what it is: clear, holy, undeniable and
manifested to the spirit in such a way that it cannot
mislead. Only those err who deliberately want to err. To
deny the Truth spoken by the Holy Spirit is to deny the
Word of God and the Love given by that word for the
sake of men. And the sin against Love is not forgiven.
Every tree bears its fruit. You bear yours, but your fruit
is not good. If you give a good tree to have it planted in
the orchard, it will give good fruit; but if you give a bad
tree, the fruit it will yield will be bad and everybody will
say: "This is not a good tree". Because a tree is known
by its fruit. And how can you think that you are able to
speak well, since you are bad? Because a mouth speaks
of what fills its heart. Because it is out of the
superabundance of what is within us, that we act and
speak. A good man takes good things out of his good
treasure; a wicked man takes wicked things out of his
evil one and he speaks and behaves according to what is
within him.
I tell you solemnly that idleness is sinful. But it is better
to be idle than accomplish wicked deeds. And I also tell
you that it is better to be silent than speak idly and
wickedly. Even if to be silent is to be idle, do that rather
than sin with your tongues. I assure you that on
Doomsday justification will be requested for every word
spoken idly to men, and that men will be justified by the
words they have spoken, and by their words they will be
condemned. Be careful, therefore, because you speak
many words that are more than idle, as they are not only
idle but also harmful, and are spoken to drive hearts
away from the Truth speaking to you. »
The Pharisees and scribes consult one another and
afterwards, pretending to be kind, they ask: « Master, it
is easier to believe what one sees. Give us, therefore, a
sign so that we may believe that You are what You say
You are. »
« You can see that there is in you the sin against the
Holy Spirit, Who several times has pointed Me out to
you as the Word Incarnate. Word and Saviour, Who has
come in the predicted time, preceded and followed by
the signs prophesied, and operating what the Spirit
says. »
They reply: « We believe in the Spirit, but how can we
believe in You unless we see a sign with our own
eyes? »
« How can you believe in the Spirit Whose actions are
spiritual, if you do not believe in Mine that are
perceptible by your eyes? My life is full of them. Are
they not enough? No, they are not. I say so Myself. They
are not enough. One sign only will be given to this
adulterous wicked generation that seeks a sign: that of
the prophet Jonah. In fact as Jonah was in the belly of
the whale for three days, so the Son of man will be for
three days in the bowels of the earth. I tell you solemnly
that the Ninevites will rise on the Day of Judgement like
all men, and they will rebel against this generation and
condemn it. Because they did penance upon Jonah's
preaching, but you do not. And there is One here who is
greater than Jonah. And so the Queen of the South will
rise and stand up against you and will condemn you,
because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the
wisdom of Solomon. And there is One greater than
Solomon here. »
« Why do you say that this generation is adulterous and
wicked? It is not any worse than the others. There are the
same saints in it as in the others. The structure of Israel
has not changed. You offend us. »
« You offend yourselves by injuring your souls, because
you remove them from the Truth, and therefore from
Salvation. But I will reply to you just the same. This
generation is holy only in garments and outward
appearance. It is not holy inwardly. There are in Israel
the same names meaning the same things. But there is no
reality of things. There are the same habits, garments and
rites. But their spirit is missing. You are adulterers
because you rejected the supernatural marriage with the
Divine Law and you have married, in a second
adulterous union, the law of Satan. You are circumcised
only in a frail member. Your hearts are no longer
circumcised. And you are wicked because you have sold
yourselves to the Evil one. I have spoken. »
« You offend us too grievously. But, if it is so, why do
You not free Israel from its demon so that it may
become holy? »
« Is Israel willing to do that? No. Those poor people who
come here to be freed from the demon are willing,
because they feel it like a burden and a shame. But you
do not feel that. And you would be freed quite uselessly,
because as you are not anxious to be relieved, you would
be caught again at once and in a stronger way. Because
21
when an unclean spirit goes out of a man it wanders
through arid country looking for a place to rest and
cannot find one. The country is not materially arid, mind
you. It is arid because it is hostile to him as it will not
receive him, just as arid soil is hostile to seed. He then
says: "I will go back to the house from which I was
expelled by force and against his will. And I am sure that
he will welcome me and let me rest". In fact he goes
back to the one he possessed, and many times finds him
willing to welcome him, because I solemnly tell you that
man feels nostalgia more for Satan than for God and if
Satan does not oppress his body, he does not complain
of being possessed. He thus goes back and finds the
house empty, swept, tidied, smelling of purity. He then
goes off and collects seven other spirits, because he does
not want to lose it again, and with these seven spirits
more evil than himself he enters the house and they all
settle in there. And the present state of a man who was
converted once and is perverted a second time is worse
than it was before. Because the demon now knows
exactly how much that man loves Satan and is ungrateful
to God, and also because God will not go back where
they tread on His graces, and where people, after the first
experience of possession, open their arms to a greater
one. A relapse into satanism is worse than a relapse into
lethal phthisis already cured once. It cannot improve or
recover. The same will apply to this generation, which
although converted by the Baptist wanted to return to sin
because it loves the Evil one and does not love Me. »
A whispering, which is neither of approval nor of
protest, runs through the crowd which has become so
large that not only the kitchen garden and terrace are
full, but also the street. People are sitting astride the low
wall, many have climbed up the fig-tree and the trees of
the neighbouring orchards, because everybody wants to
listen to the dispute between Jesus and His enemies. The
whispering, like a wave that from the open sea arrives at
the shore, from mouth to mouth reaches the apostles who
are closer to Jesus, that is Peter, John, the Zealot and
Alphaeus' sons. Some of the other apostles are on the
terrace, some in the kitchen, except Judas who is in the
street, among the crowds.
Peter, John, the Zealot, Alphaeus' sons pick up the
whispering and say to Jesus: « Master, Your Mother is
here with Your brothers. They are out there, in the street,
and they are looking for You because they want to speak
to You. Tell the crowds to move away, so that they may
come to You, because a grave reason has certainly
brought them here looking for You. »
Jesus raises His head and at the end of the crowd He sees
the anguished face of His Mother, Who strives not to
weep, while Joseph of Alphaeus is speaking to Her
excitedly, and He sees Her repeated emphatic gestures of
denial notwithstanding Joseph's insistency. He sees also
the embarrassed face of Simon, who is openly grieved
and disgusted… But He does not smile, neither does He to forgive My Mother or be forgiven by Her, because
give any order. He leaves the Sorrowful One in Her grief Her judgement is just. Let the world do what it wants. I
and His cousins where they are. do what God wants. And with the blessing of My Father
and Mother I am happier than I would be if the whole
He lowers His head and looks at the crowd, and replying
world hailed Me king according to the world. Come,
to the apostles near Him, He replies also to those who
Mother. Do not weep. They do not know what they are
are far away and are endeavouring to make blood have
doing. Forgive them. »
more weight than one's duty. « Who is My Mother? Who
are My brothers? » He looks round with severe « Oh! Son! I know. You know. There is nothing else to
countenance, as His face becomes pale as a result of the be said… »
violent effort He has to make against Himself to set duty
« There is nothing else to be said except say to the
above family ties and blood, and to disavow His tie to
people: "Go in peace". »
His Mother in order to serve His Father, and pointing
with a large gesture to the crowd pressing round Him in And Jesus blesses the crowd, and holding Mary with His
the red light of torches and in the silvery light of the right hand and Joseph with His left one, He goes towards
almost full moon, He says: « This is My Mother and the staircase and is the first to climb it.
these are My brothers. Those who do the will of God are
My brothers and sisters, they are My Mother. I have
nobody else. And My relatives will be such if they are
the first to do the will of God with greater perfection
than anybody else to the extent of completely sacrificing
every other will or the call of blood or of affection. »
The crowds whisper in louder voices, like a sea made
rough by sudden gusts of wind.
The scribes begin to withdraw saying: « He is a demon!
He repudiates His own blood! »
His relatives come forward saying: « He is crazy! He
tortures His very Mother! »
The apostles say: « His word is really full of heroism! »
The crowds comment: « How much He loves us! »
Mary, Joseph and Simon elbow their way through the
crowd with difficulty. While Mary is thoroughly kind,
Joseph is very angry and Simon is utterly embarrassed.
They arrive near Jesus.
Joseph attacks Him at once: « You are crazy! You are
offending everybody. You do not respect even Your
Mother. But I am here now and I will stop You. Is it true
that You are wandering about as a workman? If it is true,
why do You not work in Your own shop, and thus
provide for Your Mother? Why do You lie saying that
Your task is to preach, You idle and ungrateful man,
when You work for money with other people? I think
that You are really possessed by a demon misleading
You. Reply to me! »
Jesus turns round and takes little Joseph by the hand, He
draws him close to Himself and holding him up by his
armpits He says: « I worked to provide food for this
innocent child and his relatives and persuade them that
God is good. It was a sermon on humility and charity for
Korazim. And not only for Korazim. But also for you,
Joseph, My unfair brother. But I forgive you because I
know that you have been bitten by snakes. And I forgive
you, too, Simon, who are so changeable. I have nothing

22

Thursday after First Sunday of Lent Matt 15:21-28
330. The Cananean Mother.
« Is the Master with you? » the old farmer Jonah asks
Judas Thaddeus who is entering the kitchen, where the
fire is already blazing to warm the milk and the room,
which is rather chilly in the early hours of a beautiful
end of January morning, I think, or early February.
« He must have gone out to pray. He often goes out at
dawn, when He knows He can be alone. He will be here
shortly. Why are you asking? »
« I have asked also the others, who have gone out
looking for Him, because there is a woman in the next
room, with my wife. She comes from a village on the
other side of the border, and I don't really know how she
found out that the Master is here. But she knows and she
wants to speak to Him. »
« All right. She will speak to Him. Perhaps she is the
woman He is expecting, with her little sick daughter.
Her spirit must have brought her here. »
« No. She is alone. There are no children with her. I
know her because our villages are close to each other...
and the valley belongs to everybody. In any case I do not
think that we should be rude to our neighbours, even if
they are Phoenicians, if we wish to serve the Lord. I may
be wrong, but... »
« Also the Master always says that we must be merciful
to everybody. »
« He is merciful, is He not? »
« He is indeed. »
« Annas told me that He was ill-treated even recently.
Always illtreated!... In Judaea, in Galilee, everywhere.
Why is Israel so bad to its Messiah? I am referring to the
mighty ones in Israel. Because the people love Him. »
« How are you aware of such things? »
« Oh! I live here, far away. But I am a faithful Israelite.
It is sufficient to go to the Temple on holy days of
obligation to learn all the good and all the evil! But one
hears more of evil things than of good ones. Because
good is humble and does not praise itself. Those who
receive it should proclaim it. But only few people are
grateful after receiving a grace. Man receives assistance
and forgets it... Evil instead blows its trumpets loud and
has its words heard even by those who do not want to
hear them. You, His disciples, are you not aware of how
much they run down and accuse the Messiah in the
Temple! In their teaching the scribes speak of nothing
else. I think they must have made a collection of lessons
on how to accuse the Master as well as a collection of
23
facts that they exhibit as plausible charges against Him.
And one's conscience must be righteous, firm and free to
be able to resist and judge wisely. Is He aware of such
manoeuvres? »
« He is aware of everything. And we are more or less
aware as well. But He does not worry. He continues His
work and disciples and believers in Him are increasing
day by day. »
« God grant they may persevere until the end. But man
changes his mind. And weak... Here is the Master
coming towards the house with three disciples. »
And the old man goes out, followed by Judas Thaddeus,
to pay his respects to Jesus, Whose appearance is
imposing while He walks towards the house.
« Peace be with you today and always, Jonah. »
« Glory and peace to You, Master, for ever. »
« Peace to you, Judas. Have Andrew and John not come
back yet? »
« No. I did not hear them go out. I did not hear anybody.
I was fast asleep. »
« Come in, Master. Come in, everybody. The air is cool
this morning. It must have been very cold in the wood.
There is warm milk for everybody over there. »
They are taking their milk and everybody, with the
exception of Jesus, dips large slices of bread into it,
when Andrew and John arrive with Annas, the shepherd.
« Ah! You are here! We had come back to tell the rest
that we had not found You... » exclaims Andrew.
Jesus wishes peace to the three and adds: « Quick. Take
your share and let us leave because I want to be at least
at the foot of the mountain of Achzib before evening.
The Sabbath begins this evening. »
« What about my sheep? »
Jesus smiles and replies: « They will recover after I bless
them. »
« But they are on the eastern side of the mountain! You
are going westwards to see that woman... »
« Leave it to God, and He will see to everything. »
The meal is over and the apostles go upstairs to get their
travelling bags and be ready to leave.
« Master... that woman in the next room... are You not
listening to her? »
« I have no time, Jonah. I have a long way to go and in
any case I have come for the sheep of Israel. Goodbye,
Jonah. May God reward you for your charity. I bless you
and all your relatives. Let us go... »
But the old man begins to shout at the top of his voice:
« Children Women! The Master is going away! Come,
quick! »
As a brood of chicks scattered in a stack-yard rush
towards the broody-hen calling them, so women and
men - some already busy, some still half asleep - rush
from every side, together with halfnaked children who
are smiling although they have just woken up... They all
gather round Jesus, Who is in the middle of the
threshing-floor, and the mothers envelop their children
in their wide skirts to protect them from the cool air, or
they hold them in their arms until a maid-servant brings
their clothes and puts them on them.
Also a woman, who is not of the household, comes forth.
A poor weeping shy woman... She stoops and comes
forward almost creeping and when she reaches the group
where Jesus is, she begins to shout: « Have mercy on
me, o Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented
very badly by a demon who makes her do shameful
things. Have mercy on -me because I am suffering so
much, as everybody sneers at me because of that, as if
my child were guilty of what she does... Have mercy, o
Lord, You can do everything. Raise Your voice and
Your hand and order the unclean spirit to go out of
Palma. She is my only daughter and I am a widow... Oh!
don't go away! Mercy!... »
Jesus, in fact, after blessing each member of the
household and reproaching the elder ones for telling
people of His arrival there - and they justify themselves
saying: « We have not said anything, believe us, Lord! »
- goes away; He is inexplicably hard towards the poor
woman, who is dragging herself along on her knees with
her arms stretched out in suppliant attitude, while she
says panting: « I saw You yesterday while You were
crossing the torrent and I heard them call You: "Master".
I followed You, among the bushes, and I heard what
these people were saying. I understood who You are...
And I came here this morning before daybreak and I
remained here, on the threshold, like a little dog, until
Sarah got up and made me go in. Have mercy, my Lord,
on a mother and a little girl! »
But Jesus is walking fast and turns a deaf ear to her
entreaties.
The people of the household say to her: « Resign
yourself! He will not listen to you. He said so Himself:
He has come for the children of Israel... »
She is desperate but at the same time full of faith, and
she stands up saying: « No. I will pray until He listens to
me. » And she follows the Master shouting her
entreaties, which draw to the doors of the houses in the
village all those who are already awake and who, like the
people of Jonah's household, begin to follow her to see
what happens.
24
In the meantime the apostles, seized with astonishment,
look at one another and whisper: « Why is He doing
that? He has never done it before!... »
And John says: « He cured also those two people at
Alexandroscene. »
« But they were proselytes » replies Thaddeus.
« And what about the woman He is going to cure now? »
« She is a proselyte as well » says the shepherd Annas.
« Oh! but how many times has He cured Gentiles or
heathens! And what about the Roman girl?... » says
Andrew desolately, as he cannot set his mind at rest
seeing Jesus' harsh behaviour towards the Cananean
woman.
« I will tell you what it is » exclaims James of Zebedee.
« The Master is angry. His patience has come to an end
before so many attacks of human wickedness. Can't you
see how changed He is? He is quite right! From now on
He will devote Himself only to those with whom He is
familiar. And He is doing the right thing! »
« Good. But in the meantime this woman is following us
howling and a train of people are coming behind her.
Although He does not want to be noticed, He has found
the way to draw even the attention of trees... » grumbles
Matthew.
« Let us go and tell Him to send her away... Look at the
lovely procession there is behind us! If we arrive at the
consular road like this, we will be in trouble! And she
will not leave us, unless He drives her away... » says
Thaddeus who is very annoyed. He even turns round and
says to the woman in a commanding voice: « Be quiet
and go away! ». And James of Alphaeus is solid for his
brother.
But she is not impressed by threats or orders and
continues to implore.
« Let us go and tell the Master to send her away, since
He does not want to hear her. This cannot go on! » says
Matthew, while Andrew whispers: « Poor woman! »,
and John repeats continuously: « I do not understand... I
do not understand... » John is dumbfounded at Jesus'
behaviour.
They quicken their pace and reach the Master Who is
walking as fast as if He were chased. « Master, please
dismiss that woman! It's a scandal! She is shouting after
us! She is pointing us out to everybody! The road is
getting more and more crowded with people... and many
are following her. Tell her to go away. »
« You can tell her yourselves. I have already replied to
her. »
« She will not listen to us. Please! You must tell her.
And very severely. »
Jesus stops and turns round. The woman takes it as a
sign of grace, she quickens her step, she raises the
already shrill tone of her voice while her face becomes
pale with her increased hope.
« Be quiet, woman. And go home. I have already told
you. I have come for the sheep of Israel. To cure the
ones that are ill and find the ones that are lost. You are
not from Israel. »
But the woman is already at His feet and she kisses
them, worshipping Him, holding His ankles tight, as if
she were a shipwrecked person who had found a rock of
salvation, and she moans: « Lord, help me! You can help
me, Lord. Give the order to the demon, since You are
holy... Lord, You are the master of everything, of graces
and of the world. Everything is subject to You, my Lord.
I know. I believe it. Take therefore Your power and use
it for my daughter. »
« It is not right to take the bread of the children of the
house and throw it to the dogs in the street. »
« I believe in You. And through my faith, from a dog of
the street I have become a dog of the house. I told You: I
came before daybreak to lie down on the threshold of the
house in which You were, and if You had come out
there, You would have trampled on me. But You went
out from the other side and did not see me. You did not
see this poor distressed dog, starving for Your grace,
waiting to go in, creeping, where You were, to kiss Your
feet, imploring You not to drive it away... »
« It is not right to throw the bread of the children to
dogs » repeats Jesus.
« But dogs go into the room where the landlord is eating
with his children, and they eat what falls from the table,
or the remnants of food, which the family gives them, as
they are of no further use. I am not asking You to treat
me as a daughter and let me sit at Your table. But give
me at least the crumbs... »
Jesus smiles. Oh! What a transfiguration that joyful
smile works on His face!...
The people, the apostles, the woman look at Him with
admiration... they realise that something is about to
happen.
And Jesus says: « Oh! woman! Great is your faith. And
you comfort My spirit by it. Go, therefore, and it will be
done to you as you wish. As from this moment, the
demon has gone out of your daughter. Go in peace. And
as from a stray dog you wanted to be a dog of the house,
endeavour in the future to be a daughter sitting at the
table of the Father. Goodbye. »
« Oh! Lord! My Lord!... I would like to run away and
see my beloved Palma... And I would like to stay with
You, and follow You! Blessed! Holy! »
« Go, woman. Go in peace. »
25
And Jesus resumes His way while the Cananean woman,
more agile than a young girl, runs away along the road
she came, followed by the crowd anxious to see the
miracle...
« But, Master, why did You make her implore You so
much, before listening to her? » asks James of Zebedee.
« Through your fault and the fault of all of you. That is
not a defeat, James. I was not expelled, derided or cursed
here... Let that be a relief to your disheartened spirits. I
have already had today My most delicious food. And I
bless God for it. And now let us go and see this other
woman who believes and can wait with firm faith. »
Ember Friday in Lent John 5:1-15
225. The Paralytic at the Pool of Bethzatha.
Jesus is in Jerusalem, in fact quite near the Antonia. All
the apostles are with Him, with the exception of the
Iscariot. Many people are hurrying towards the Temple.
They are all wearing their best clothes, both the apostles
and the pilgrims, and I think therefore that it is Pentecost
time. Among the people are many beggars, pitifully
lamenting over their miseries and directing their steps
towards the best places for seeking alms, near the gates
of the Temple, or at the crossroads from which people
come towards the Temple. Jesus, while passing, gives
alms to the poor wretches, who give meticulously every
detail of their misery.
I am under the impression that Jesus has already been to
the Temple, for I can hear the apostles talking of
Gamaliel, who pretended not to see them, although
Stephen, one of his pupils, had pointed out Jesus to him.
I can also hear Bartholomew asking his companions:
« What did that scribe mean by saying: "A herd of rams
for the slaughterhouse"? »
« He might have been talking of some business of his
own » replies Thomas.
« No. He was pointing at us. I saw him clearly. In any
case his next sentence confirmed the earlier remark. He
said sarcastically: "Before long also the Lamb will be
ready to be shorn and slaughtered". »
« Yes, I heard him, too » confirms Andrew.
« Of course! I am yearning to go back and ask the
scribe's companion what he knows about Judas of
Simon » says Peter.
« He knows nothing! This time Judas is not here because
he is really ill. We know that for certain. Perhaps he
really suffered too much during the trip we made. We
are hardier. He always lived here, in comfort, and he
tires easily » replies James of Alphaeus.
« Yes, we know. But that scribe said: "The chameleon is
missing from the group". Does the chameleon not
change colour any time it wants to? » asks Peter.
« Yes, Simon. But they were certainly referring to his
clothes, which are always new. He is proud of them. He
is young and we must bear with him… » remarks the
Zealot to reconcile them.
« That is true, too. But!… What a queer expression! »
concludes Peter.
« They are eternally threatening » says James of
Zebedee.
« The trouble is that we know we are threatened and yet
possibly imagine threats also where there are none… »
points out Judas Thaddeus.
« And we see faults where they do not exist » ends
Thomas.
« Of course! Suspicion is unpleasant… I wonder how
Judas is today? In the meantime he is enjoying that
paradise and those angels… I would not mind being ill
myself, to enjoy those delights! » says Peter, to which
Bartholomew adds: « Let us hope that he recovers soon.
We must finish our trip, for the warm weather is at our
heels. »
« Oh! He is well looked after, in any case… the Master
will see to it, if necessary » assures Andrew.
« He had a very high temperature when we left him. I
don't know how he got it, so… » says James of Zebedee.
Matthew replies to him: « Sure everybody gets it!
Troubles just come. But it is nothing serious. The Master
is not worried about it. If He had envisaged anything
grave, He would not have left Johanna's castle. »
Jesus in fact is not at all anxious. He is speaking to
Marjiam and John, walking ahead of the others and
giving alms. He is obviously showing and explaining
many things to the boy because I see Him pointing here
and there. He is going towards the end of the Temple
walls, towards the north-east comer. There are many
people making for a place where there is a number of
porches in the vicinity of a gate, which I hear being
called « the Sheep Gate ».
« This is the Probatica, the Bethzatha pond. Now look at
the water carefully. See how still it is? In a short while
you will see that it stirs, swells, reaching up to that damp
mark. Can you see it? It is the angel of the Lord who
descends, the water perceives him and venerates him as
best it can. He brings to the water the order to cure the
man who is ready to jump into it. See the crowd? But the
minds of many wander easily and thus they do not see
26
the first motion of the water; or the stronger ones
uncharitably push aside the weaker ones. One must
never divert one's attention in the presence of the signs
of God. We must ensure that our souls are always
vigilant, because we never know when God may show
Himself or send His Angel. And we must never be
selfish, not even for health reasons. Very often these
unhappy people lose the benefit of the Angel's visit,
because they waste time quarrelling over whose turn it is
or who is in greater need » Jesus patiently explains to
Marjiam, who looks at Him with attentive gaze, keeping
an eye at the same time on the water.
« Can one see the Angel? I would like to. »
« Levi, a shepherd, when he was about your age, saw
him. You should look carefully as well, and be ready to
praise him. »
The boy's mind is no longer diverted. He looks
alternatively at the water and above it, he hears nothing
else, and sees nothing else. Jesus in the meantime looks
at the small group of invalids, blind people, cripples,
paralytics, who are waiting. The apostles are also
watching carefully. The sunshine causes play of light on
the water and invades like a king the five porches
encircling the pond.
« There, there! » trills Marjiam. « The water is rising, it
is moving, it shines! How bright! The Angel! » and the
boy kneels down.
In fact the water, in its motion in the pond, seems to be
raised by a sudden huge wave swelling up to the edge of
the pond, and it shines like a mirror in the sun. A
dazzling flash for a moment.
A lame man is ready to dive into the water and he comes
out, shortly afterwards, with his leg, previously
contracted and marred by a large scar, completely cured.
The others complain and quarrel with him, stating that
after all he was not unable to work whereas they are.
And they continue arguing.
Jesus turns round and sees a paralytic lying in his little
bed and weeping. He approaches him, bends over and
caresses him asking: « Why are you weeping? »
« Master, nobody ever thinks of me. I stay here all the
time, everybody is cured, except me. I have been lying
on my back for thirty-eight years, I spent all I had, my
relatives are dead, I am now a burden to a distant
relation who carries me here in the morning and takes
me back in the evening… But what a burden I am to
him! Oh! I wish to die! »
« Do not grieve. You have had so much patience and
faith. God will hear you. »
« I hope so… but one has fits of depression. You are
good. But the others… Those who are cured, in order to
thank God, could remain here to assist their poor
brothers… »
« They should do that, in fact… Have no ill-feeling.
They do not think of it. They are not malevolent. It is the
joy of being cured that makes them selfish. Forgive
them… »
« You are kind. You would not do that. When the water
moves, I try to drag myself over there with my hands.
But there is always someone who precedes me, and I
cannot stay near the edge, because they would trample
on me. And even if I stayed there, who would lower me
into the water? If I had seen You before, I would have
asked You… »
« Do you really want to be cured? Then, stand up! Take
your bed and walk! » Jesus has stood up to give the
order, and while rising He seems to have raised also the
paralytic, who stands up on his feet, takes one, two, three
steps, almost incredulously, behind Jesus Who is going
away, and when he realises that he is really walking, he
utters a cry that makes everybody turn round.
« But who are You? In the name of God, tell me! Are
You perhaps the Angel of the Lord? »
« I am more than an angel. My name is Piety. Go in
peace. »
People gather round them. They want to see, to speak, to
be cured. But the guards of the Temple, who I think
were also watching the pond, arrive, and they disperse
the noisy gathering, threatening punishment.
The paralytic picks up his litter: two bars fitted with two
pairs of small wheels and a piece of torn cloth nailed on
them, and he happily goes away shouting to Jesus: « I
will find You. I will not forget Your name or Your
face. »
Jesus, mingling with the crowd, goes away in the
opposite direction, towards the walls. But He has not yet
gone through the last porch when He is caught up by an
excited group of Jews, of the worst castes, who seem to
be blown by a furious wind, and are all urged by the
same desire to insult Jesus. They look, they search, they
scan people's faces. But they are not successful in
finding out who it really is, and Jesus goes away, while
they, disappointed as they are, following the information
of the guards, rush at the poor but happy man who has
just been cured and they reproach him saying: « Why are
you taking this bed away? It is the Sabbath. You are not
allowed. »
The man looks at them and says: « I know nothing. I
know that He Who cured me said to me: "Take your bed
and walk". That's all I know. »
« He must certainly be a demon because he ordered you
to violate the Sabbath. What was he like? Who was he?
A Judaean? A Galilean? A Proselyte? »
27
« I don't know. He was here. He saw me weeping and He
approached me. He spoke to me and He cured me. He
went away holding a boy by the hand. I think it was His
son, because He is old enough to have a son of that
age. »
« A boy? Well it is not He!… What did He say His name
is? Did you not ask Him? Don't tell lies! »
« He told me that His name is Piety. »
« You are a fool! That's not a name! »
The man shrugs his shoulders and goes away.
The others say: « It was certainly He. Hania and
Zaccheus, the scribes, saw Him. »
« But He has no children! »
« And yet it is He. He was with His disciples. »
« Judas was not there. He is the one we know well. The
others… might be anybody. »
« No. It was them. »
And they continue arguing while the porches become
crowded once again with sick people…
Jesus enters the Temple again on another side, the
western side, which faces the town. The apostles follow
Him. Jesus looks around and at last sees him whom He
is looking for: Jonathan, who, in turn, was looking for
Jesus.
« He is better, Master. His temperature is going down.
Your Mother says that She hopes to come by next
Sabbath. »
« Thank you, Jonathan. You were punctual. »
« Not very, as Maximinus of Lazarus kept me. He is
looking for You. He has gone to Solomon's porch. »
« I will go and meet him. Peace be with you, and take
My peace to My Mother and the women disciples, and
also to Judas. »
And Jesus walks fast towards Solomon's porch, where in
fact He finds Maximinus.
« Lazarus heard that You are here. He wishes to see You
to tell You something important. Will You come? »
« Of course, I will. And soon. You can tell him to wait
for Me during the week. »
Maximinus also goes away after a few more words.
« Let us go and pray again, since we came back so far »
says Jesus and He directs His steps towards the hall of
the Hebrews.
But when He is near it, He meets the cured paralytic,
who has gone to thank the Lord. The happy man sees
Jesus among the crowd, greets Him joyfully and tells
Him what happened at the pond after He left. And he
concludes: « Then a man, who was surprised to see me
here and completely cured, told me who You are. You
are the Messiah. Are You not? »
« I am. But also if you had been cured by the water or by
any other power, you would still have the same duty
towards God. That is, to make use of your health for
good work. You are cured. Go, therefore, and resume
your activity in life with good intentions. And do not sin
any more, so that God may not have to punish you more
severely. Goodbye. Go in peace. »
« I am old… I know nothing… But I would like to
follow You and serve You. Do You want me? »
« I reject no one. Think about it before coming. And if
you make up your mind, come. »
« Where? I do not know where You are going… »
« I move about the world. You will find My disciples
everywhere and they will send you to Me. May the Lord
enlighten you for the best… »
Jesus now goes to His place and prays…
I do not know whether the cured man has gone
spontaneously to the Judaeans or the latter, being on the
look out, have stopped him to find out whether the man,
who was speaking to him, was the one who had cured
him. I know that the man speaks to the Judaeans and
then goes away, while they come towards the steps that
Jesus must come down, to go through the other yards
and go out of the Temple. When Jesus arrives they say to
Him abruptly, without greeting Him: « So You continue
to violate the Sabbath, notwithstanding You have been
reprimanded so many times? And You expect to be
respected as a messenger of God? »
« Messenger Much more: as Son. Because God is My
Father. If you do not wish to respect Me, you may
refrain from doing so. But I will not cease accomplishing
My mission because of that. God does not cease
operating for one moment. Even now My Father is
operating, and I operate as well, because a good son does
what his father does, and because I have come into the
world to operate. »
People have approached them to listen to the debate.
Among them, there are some who know Jesus, some
who have been helped by Him, some who see Him for
the first time. Some love Him, some hate Him, many are
uncertain. The apostles form a group with the Master.
Marjiam is almost frightened and looks as if he is going
to weep.
The Judaeans, a mixture of scribes, Pharisees and
Sadducees, shout at the top of their voices that they are
scandalised: « How dare You! Oh! He says He is the
Son of God! What sacrilege! God is He Who is, and has
28
no children! Call Gamaliel! Send for Sadoc! Gather the
rabbis that they may hear and confute Him. »
« Do not become excited. Call them, and they will tell
you, if it is true they know, that God is One and Trine:
Father, Son and Holy Spirit and that the Word, that is the
Son of Thought, has come, as prophesied, to save Israel
and the world from Sin. I am the Word. I am the foretold
Messiah. There is no sacrilege, therefore, if I say that the
Father is My Father. You are upset because I work
miracles and through them I attract crowds and convince
them. You accuse Me of being a demon, because I work
prodigies. But Beelzebub has been in the world for many
centuries, and he truly does not lack devout
worshippers… Why, then, does he not do what I do? »
The people whisper: « It is true! Very true! Nobody does
what He does. »
Jesus continues: « I will tell you: it is because I know
what he does not know and I can do what he cannot. If I
accomplish deeds of God, it is because I am His Son.
One can do by oneself only what one has seen being
done by others. I, the Son, can only do what I have seen
done by the Father, as I have been One with Him for
ever, and I am like Him in nature and power. Everything
the Father does, I do as well, as I am His Son. Neither
Beelzebub nor anybody else can do what I do, because
Beelzebub and the others do not know what I know. The
Father loves Me, His Son, and He loves Me immensely
as I love Him. He has therefore shown Me and still
shows Me everything He does, so that I may do what He
does, I on the earth, in this time of Grace, He in Heaven,
even before Time existed on the earth. And He will
show Me greater and greater deeds so that I may
accomplish them and you may be amazed. His Thought
is inexhaustible in depth. I imitate Him as I am
inexhaustible in accomplishing what the Father thinks
and, by thinking, wants. You do not yet know what Love
creates inexhaustibly. We are Love. And there is not
limit for Us, and there is nothing that cannot be applied
to the three grades of man: the inferior, the superior, the
spiritual grades. In fact as the Father raises the dead and
gives them life, I, the Son, can likewise give life to
whomsoever I wish, nay, because of the infinite love the
Father has for His Son, I can not only give life to the
inferior part but also to the superior one, by freeing the
minds and hearts of men from mental errors and evil
passions, and I can give life to the spiritual part by
giving back to the spirit its freedom from sin, because
the Father does not judge anybody, having left all
judgement to the Son, as the Son is He Who, through
His own sacrifice, acquired Mankind to redeem it: and
the Father does that according to justice, because it is
just that He, Who has purchased with His own money,
should be given what He purchased, so that everybody
may honour the Son as they already honour the Father.
You must know that if you separate the Father from the
Son, or the Son from the Father, and you do not
remember the Love, you do not love God as He is to be
loved, that is, in truth and wisdom, and you commit a sin
of heresy, because you worship One only, whilst They
are three in an admirable Trinity. Thus, he who does not
honour the Son, does not honour the Father either,
because the Father, God, does not want only One of the
Three Divine Persons to be worshipped, but He wants
Them all, as a Whole, to be worshipped. He who does
not honour the Son, does not honour the Father either,
Who sent Him out of a perfect thought of love. He
therefore denies that God can accomplish just deeds. I
solemnly tell you that he who listens to My word and
believes in Him Who sent Me, will have eternal life and
will not be condemned, but will pass from death to life,
because to believe in God and to accept My word means
to infuse into oneself the Life that does not die. The hour
is about to come, nay it has already come for many,
when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and
whoever hears its vivifying sound in the depth of his
heart, shall live. Scribe, what are you saying? »
« I am saying that the dead can no longer hear anything,
and that You are mad. »
« Heaven will persuade you that it is not so, and that
your knowledge is nothing as compared to God's. You
have humanised supernatural things to such an extent,
that you give words only an immediate and earthly
meaning. You have taught the Haggadah according to
fixed formulae, your formulae, without any effort to
understand the allegories in their true meaning, and now,
since your souls are tired of being urged by a human
mentality, which crushes your spirits, you do not even
believe what you teach. And that is the reason why you
can no longer fight against occult powers. The death of
which I am speaking is not the death of the flesh, but of
the soul. People will come who will listen to My word
with their ears, will accept it in their hearts, and will
practise it. Even if their spirits are dead, they will receive
life again, because My Word is Life that will be infused
into them. And I can give it to whomsoever I wish,
because in Me there is perfect Life. As the Father has in
Himself perfect Life, so also the Son had from the
Father, in Himself, perfect, complete, eternal,
inexhaustible, transfusable Life. And with Life, the
Father gave Me power to judge, because the Son of the
Father is the Son of Man, and He can and must judge
man. And do not be amazed at this first resurrection, the
spiritual one, which I work by My Word. You will see
stronger ones, which will appear stronger to your dull
senses, because I solemnly tell you that there is nothing
greater than the invisible but real resurrection of a spirit.
The hour will soon come when the voice of the Son of
God will penetrate tombs and those who are in them will
hear it. And those who did good actions will come out of
them to go to the resurrection of eternal Life, and those
29
who did evil deeds will to go the resurrection of eternal
damnation. I do not say that I will do that by Myself, by
My own will, but by the will of the Father joined to
Mine. I speak and judge according to what I hear and
My judgement is correct, because I do not seek My own
will, but the will of Him Who sent Me.
I am not separated from the Father. I am in Him and He
is in Me and I know His Thought and I express it in
word and action.
What I testify on My own behalf cannot be accepted by
your incredulous spirits, which refuse to see in Me
anything but a man like yourselves. But there is another
one who testifies on My behalf, whom you say you
venerate as a great prophet. I know that his testimony is
true. But although you say that you venerate him, you
will not accept his testimony, because it differs from
your thought, which is hostile to Me. You do not accept
the testimony of the just man, of the last Prophet in
Israel, because, with regard to what you do not like, you
say that he is only a man and can be mistaken. You sent
messengers to interrogate John, hoping he would say of
Me what you wanted, what you think of Me, what you
want to think of Me. But John gave his testimony to the
truth and you could not accept it. Because the Prophet
says that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, you are
saying in the secret of your hearts, as you are afraid of
the crowds, that the Prophet is insane, as Christ is. I,
however, do not depend on the testimony of man, not
even of the most holy one in Israel. I tell you: John was a
lamp alight and shining, but only for a short time you
wanted to enjoy the light that he gave. When his light
was cast on Me, to make the Christ known for what He
is, you allowed the lamp to be hidden under a bushel,
and before that, you had built up a wall between the
lamp and yourselves, in order not to see the Christ of the
Lord in its light. I am grateful to John for his testimony,
and the Father is grateful as well. And John will receive
a great reward for his testimony, shining in Heaven also
because of it, the first to shine like a sun, of all men up
there, and he will shine like all those, who have been
faithful to the Truth and hungry for God, will shine. But
I have a greater testimony than John's. The testimony of
My works. Because the works the Father has given Me
to carry out, those works I accomplish and they testify
that the Father has sent Me giving Me all power. And
thus, the Father Who sent Me, bears witness to Me
Himself.
You have never heard His Voice or seen His Face. But I
have seen it and I see it, I have heard it and I hear it. His
Word finds no home in you, because you do not believe
in the One He sent. You study the Scriptures, believing
that in their knowledge you have eternal Life. And do
you not realise that the very Scriptures testify to Me?
Why then do you continue to refuse to come to Me for
life? I will tell you: it is because you refuse what is
opposed to your inveterate ideas. You lack humility.
You are uncapable of saying: "I made a mistake. He, or
this book is right, and I am wrong". That is what you
have done with John, with the Scriptures, and that is
what you are doing with the Word Who is speaking to
you. You cannot see or understand, because you are
enveloped with pride and deafened by your own voices.
Do you think that I am speaking to you because I want to
be glorified by you? No, you must bear in mind that I
neither seek nor accept glory from men. What I seek and
want is your eternal salvation. That is the glory I seek.
My glory as Saviour cannot exist unless I have souls that
have been saved, and the greater their number, the
greater My glory, which is to be given to Me by the
souls saved and by the Father, the Most Pure Spirit. But
you will not be saved. I know you for what you are. You
have no love for God. You are without love. And that is
the reason why you do not come to the Love speaking to
you, and thus you will not enter the Kingdom of Love.
You are not known there. The Father does not know you,
because you do not know Me, Who am in the Father.
You do not want to know Me. I have come in the name
of My Father and you refuse to accept Me, whereas you
are willing to accept anyone who comes in his own
name, providing he says what is agreeable to you. You
say that you are faithful souls. No, you are not. How can
you believe, when you beg glory of one another, and you
do not seek the glory of Heaven, which proceeds only
from God? The glory of Heaven is Truth and not a
matter of worldly interests which end here on the earth
and attract only the vicious humanity of Adam's
degraded children. I will not accuse you before the
Father. You can be sure of that. There is already one
who will accuse you: Moses in whom you hope. He will
reproach you for not believing in him because you do
not believe in Me, as he wrote about Me, but you do not
acknowledge Me by what he wrote. You do not believe
in the words of Moses, the great Prophet in whose name
you swear. Thus, how can you believe in My words, in
the words of the Son of Man, in whom you have no
faith? From a human point of view that is logical. But
here we are in a spiritual sphere and your souls are at
stake. God scrutinises them in the light of My works and
He compares your actions with what I have come to
teach you. And God judges you.
I am going away. You will not see Me for a long time.
But do not consider that as a triumph of yours. On the
contrary it is a punishment. Let us go. »
Jesus pushes His way through the crowd. Some of the
people remain silent, some express their approval, but
only in a whisper for fear of the Pharisees, and they go
away.
30
Saturday after the 1st Sunday in Lent
For Gospel, see tomorrow…
349. Lesson to the Disciples after the Transfiguration.
vision of Maria Valtorta on 04-Dec-1945.
They are now once again in the house in Nazareth: or,
more precisely, they are scattered on the terrace of the
olive-trees, waiting to part and go to rest. And they have
lit a little bonfire to illuminate the night, because it is
already dark and the moon rises late. It is a warm
evening, «even too warm» state the fishermen, who
foresee rain. And it is pleasant to be there, all together,
the women in the flowery garden round Mary, the men
up here; and Jesus on the edge of the terrace, between
the two groups, replying to various questions of the
disciples, while the women listen attentively. They must
have spoken of the lunatic who was cured at the foot of
the mountain and they are still making comments.
«It took You to do it!» exclaims His cousin Simon.
«Oh! But those falcons were not convinced even when
they saw that their own exorcisers could not do anything,
although they admitted that they had used the strongest
formulae!» says Solomon, the ferryman, shaking his
head. «And even if they tell the scribes their
conclusions, they will not persuade them.»
«Of course not! I got the impression that they spoke
well, did they not?» asks one whom I do not know.
«Very well. They excluded all demoniac witchcraft from
Jesus' power stating that they felt they were pervaded
with a deep peace, when the Master worked the miracle,
whereas when it comes from a wicked power, they said
that they feel it is painful» replies Hermas.
«However, it was a strong spirit! It did not want to go
away! But why did it not always possess the boy? Was it
an expelled or lost spirit, or was the boy so holy that he
expelled it by himself?» asks another disciple whose
name I do not know.
Jesus, without being questioned, replies: «I have
explained several times to you that every disease, as it is
a torment and a disorder, may conceal Satan and Satan
may hide himself in a disease, causing it and making use
of it to torture a soul and make it curse God. The boy
was ill, he was not possessed. He is a pure soul. That is
why I was so pleased to free his soul from the most
cunning demon who wanted to dominate it and make it
impure.»
«In that case, if it was only a simple disease, why did we you will all be on the road to Cana, except Manaen and
not succeed in curing it?» asks Judas of Kerioth. the shepherd disciples. Go. Peace be with you.»

«Of course it is obvious that the exorcisers could not do
anything if he was not possessed! But we...» remarks
Thomas.
And Judas of Kerioth, who is not prepared to swallow
his humiliating failure, as he made several attempts with
the child with the only result of getting him into a frenzy
if not into a convulsive fit, says: «On the contrary, we
seemed to be making things worse. Do you remember,
Philip? You were helping me and you heard and saw
how he gibed at me. He even said to me: “Go away! Of
the two of us, you are the worse demon.” Which made
the scribes laugh at me behind my back.»
«And were you sorry for that?» asks Jesus with
indifference.
But He keeps Isaac and Manaen and gives them special
instructions for the following day, when the women
disciples and Mary will begin their Passover pilgrimage
with Simon of Alphaeus and Alphaeus of Sarah.
«You will go through Esdraelon, so that Marjiam may
see his old grandfather. You will give the peasants the
purse that I asked Judas of Kerioth to give you. And with
the other purse, which I gave you a short while ago, you
will assist any poor people you come across on your
way. When you arrive in Jerusalem go to Bethany and
tell them to wait for Me at the new moon of Nisan. I will
not be very late after that date. I entrust the person Who
is dearest to Me and the women disciples to you. But I
am not worried as I know they will be safe. Go. We will
meet at Bethany and will be together for a long time.»

«Of course! It is not pleasant to be gibed at. And it is not
useful when one is Your apostle. One loses one's
authority.»
«When you have God with you, you are authoritative
even if the whole World sneers at you, Judas of Simon.»
He blesses them, and while they disappear in the night,
He jumps clown into the kitchen garden and goes into
the house, in which the women disciples and His Mother
are already tying with Marjiam the strings of the
travelling bags and arranging everything for their
absence, which they do not know how long it will last.

«Very well. But increase our power, at least the power of

Your apostles, so that we may not suffer such defeats
again.»

«It is not right for Me to increase your power and it

would be of no avail. You must do that by yourselves, in
order to succeed. It is through your insufficiency that
you failed, and also because you diminished what I gave
you by means of unholy elements, which you wanted to
add hoping to attain greater triumphs.»

«Are You referring to me, Lord?» asks the Iscariot.

«You know whether you deserve it. I am speaking to

everybody.»

Bartholomew asks: «Then, what is necessary to cast out

such demons?»

«Prayer and fasting. Nothing else is required. Pray and

fast. And not only in your bodies. It is good for you that
your pride has been left devoid of satisfaction. Satisfied
pride makes mind and soul listless and prayer becomes
tepid and inert, just as the body, when it is too full,
becomes sleepy and sluggish. And now let us go and
have a well deserved rest. Tomorrow morning at dawn,
Second Sunday in Lent:
Matt 17: 1-9

31
Written by Maria Valtorta. From POEM OF THE
MAN-GOD, volume 3, chapter 348.
Just near the mountain, on the low short hills at its foot,
there are two little towns, one to the south and the other
to the north. The very fertile plain extends particularly
and more widely to the south.
Jesus, after a short rest in the cool shade of a group of
trees, a pause which He certainly granted out of pity for
Peter, who clearly has great difficulty in climbing,
resumes going up. He goes almost to the top, where
there is a grassy tableland with a semicircle of trees near
the side of the mountain.
« You may rest, My friends. I am going over there to
pray. » And He points to a large stone, a rock that
appears on the surface of the mountain and is not near
the slope, but it lies internally, towards the summit.
Jesus kneels on the grass and rests His hands and head
on the rock, in the posture that He will take also when
praying in Gethsemane. The top of the mountain
protects Him from the sun. The remaining part of the
grass-covered clearing is in the bright sun as far as the
bordering trees, where the apostles are sitting in the
shade.
Peter takes off his sandals, shakes off dust and grit and
remains barefooted, with his tired feet on the cool grass,
almost lying down, with his head resting on an emerald
green tuft, as a pillow. James does the same, but in
order to be comfortable he looks for a tree, against which
he leans his mantle and rests his back. John remains
sitting looking at the Master. But the calm of the place,
the fresh breeze, silence and fatigue overcome him also
and he droops his head and eyes. None of them are fast
asleep, but they are in the state of summer drowsiness
that stuns people.
They are roused by a brilliancy that is so striking that it
overwhelms the brightness of the sun and spreads and
penetrates even into the shade of bushes and trees where
the apostles are.
They open their eyes and are astonished at seeing Jesus
transfigured. He is exactly as I see in the visions of
Paradise. Of course He has no Wounds and there is no
banner of the Cross. But the majesty of His Face and
32
Body is the same, the brightness is also the same and His
garment, too, is identical: from deep red it has changed
into an immaterial fabric of diamonds and pearls, in
which He is clad in Heaven. His Face shines with an
extremely intense sidereal light in which His sapphire
eyes are beaming. He looks taller, as if His glorification
had increased His height. I cannot say whether the
brilliancy, which makes even the tableland
phosphorescent, emanates entirely from Him, or whether
His own is mingled with the brightness that all the light
of the Universe and of Heaven has concentrated on
Him. I can only say that it is something indescribable'
Jesus is now standing, I would say that He is raised off
the ground, because between Him and the green meadow
there is something like a luminous vapour, a space
consisting only of a light upon which He seems to be
standing. But it is so bright that I may be wrong, and the
fact that I no longer see any green grass under Jesus' feet
may be due to the bright light that vibrates and waves, as
is often seen in bonfires. It is a snow-white incandescent
light. Jesus is looking at the sky and smiling at a vision
that enraptures Him.
The apostles are almost afraid and they call Him, as He
is transfigured so much that He no longer appears to be
their Master. « Master, Master » they call in low voices,
full of anxiety.
He does not hear.
« He is in an ecstasy » says Peter trembling. « I wonder
what He sees? »
The three are now standing up. They would like to
approach Jesus, but they dare not.
The light increases further because of two lights that
descend from the sky and take place at Jesus' sides.
When they settle on the tableland, their veils open and
two majestic bright personages appear. One is more
elderly than the other, with a sharp severe countenance,
and he has a double-pointed beard. Two horns of light
depart from his forehead and make me understand that
he is Moses. The other one is emaciated, bearded and
hairy, more or less like the Baptist, whom I would say he
resembles in height, leanness, structure and severity.
While the light emanating from Moses is white, like that
of Jesus, particularly with regard to the beams issuing
from their foreheads, the light of Elijah is like the bright
flame of the sun.
The two Prophets take a reverential attitude before their
God Incarnate and although He speaks to them with
familiarity, they do not drop their respectful attitude. I
do not understand even one of the words they speak.
The three apostles fall on their knees trembling and
covering their faces with their hands. They would like to
look, but they are afraid. At last Peter says: « Master,
listen to me. » Jesus looks round smiling towards His
Peter, who takes heart again and says: « It is wonderful
to be here with You, Moses and Elijah. If You wish, we
will make three tents, one for You, one for Moses and
one for Elijah, and we will stay here to serve you... »
Jesus looks at him again and smiles more warmly. He
looks also at John and James. A glance that is a loving
embrace. Also Moses and Elijah stare at the three.
Their eyes flash fire. They must be like rays piercing
hearts.
The apostles dare not say anything more. Frightened as
they are, they lapse into silence. They look as if they
were inebriated, like people who are bewildered. But
when a veil, which is neither fog, nor a cloud, nor a ray,
envelops the Three glorious personages behind a screen
that is even brighter than the one that surrounded them
previously, and hides them from the sight of the
apostles, a powerful harmonious Voice vibrates filling
the air, the three bow down with their faces on the grass.
« This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.
Listen to Him. »
Peter, on falling flat on his face, exclaims: « Have mercy
on me, a sinner! It is the Glory of God descending! ».
James does not utter a single word. John whispers with a
sigh, as if he were about to swoon: « The Lord is
speaking! »
Even when there is total silence again, none of them dare
raise their heads. Thus they do not even see that the
light has come back to its natural state of daylight and
that Jesus is alone and has become the usual Jesus
wearing His red mantle. He walks towards them
smiling, touches them and calls them by their names.
« Stand up. It is I. Be not afraid » He says, because the
three dare not raise their faces and are imploring mercy
for their sins, fearing that the Lamb of God wants to
show them to the Most High. « Stand up, now. I order
you » repeats Jesus authoritatively. They look up and
see Jesus smile.
« Oh! Master, my God! » exclaims Peter. « How shall
we be able to live near You, now that we have seen Your
Glory? How shall we be able to live among men and
33
among ourselves, since we are sinners, and we have
heard the Voice of God? »
« You will have to live beside Me and see My glory until
the end. Be worthy of that because the time is close at
hand. Obey My Father and yours. Let us now go back
among men because I came to stay with them and to
bring God to them. Let us go. Be holy, strong and
faithful in remembrance of this hour. You will take part
in My greater glory. But do not speak now to anybody
of what you have seen. Do not tell your companions
either. When the Son of man has risen from the dead
and gone back to the glory of the Father, then you will
speak. Because it will be necessary to believe then, to
take part in My Kingdom. »
« But is Elijah not to come to prepare people for Your
Kingdom? So the rabbis say. »
« Elijah has already come to prepare the way for the
Lord. Everything is happening as was revealed. But
those who teach Revelation do not know and do not
understand it, neither do they see or recognise the signs
of the time or the messengers of God. Elijah has come
back once. He will come for the second time when the
last time is close at hand to prepare the last for God. He
now came to prepare the first for the Christ, and men
refused to acknowledge him, they tortured him and put
him to death. They will do the same to the Son of man,
because men do not want to acknowledge what is good
for them. »
The three lower their heads and become pensive and sad
while descending the mountain with Jesus by the same
road they came up.
--------------------
[3rd December 1945].
... And it is Peter again who says, while stopping half
way down: « Ah! Lord! I also say what Your Mother
said yesterday: "Why did You do that to us?", and I also
say: "Why did You tell us that?" Your last words have
destroyed in our hearts the joy of the glorious sight!
This has been a great day of fear! First we were
frightened by the great light that roused us, it was
stronger than if the whole mountain had been ablaze, or
the moon had descended to light up the tableland right in
front of us; then Your sight and Your rising from the
ground as if You were going to fly away. I was afraid
that You, being disgusted with the iniquity of Israel,
were going back to Heaven, perhaps by order of the
Most High. Then I was frightened when I saw Moses
appear, as the people of his days could not look at him
without a veil, so brightly the reflection of God shone on
his face, and he was still a man, whereas now he is a
blessed spirit inflamed with God, and Elijah... Divine
Mercy! I thought I had come to my last moment, and all
the sins of my life, since the time I was a child and used
to steal fruit in the pantry, to the last one, when some
days ago I gave You wrong advice, came to my mind.
And trembling with fear I repented! Then I got the
impression that those two just men were fond of me...
and I dared to speak. But even their love frightened me,
because I do not deserve the love of such spirits. And
then!... The most dreadful of all fears! The voice of
God!... Jehovah has spoken! He said to us: "Listen to
Him!". You! And He proclaimed You: "His Beloved
Son in Whom He is well pleased". What a fright!
Jehovah!... to us!... It was certainly Your power only
that kept us alive!... When You touched us, and Your
fingers burnt like points of fire, I had the last fright. I
thought that the hour had come when I was to be judged
and that the Angel touched me to take my soul to the
Most High... But how could Your Mother see... hear...
and live, in that hour that You told us yesterday, and not
die, and She was alone, a young girl, without You? »
« Mary, the Immaculate, could not be afraid of God.
Eve was not afraid, while she was innocent. And I was
there. I, the Father and the Spirit, We, Who are in
Heaven and on the earth and everywhere, and Who had
our Tabernacle in the heart of Mary » says Jesus gently.
« How wonderful!... But later You spoke of death... And
our joy came to an end... But why all that just to us
three? Was it not better to give the vision of Your glory
to everybody? »
« Just because you become senseless when you hear Me
speak of death, and death by torture, of the Son of man,
the Man-God decided to fortify you for that hour and for
the future, by means of the foreknowledge of what I will
be after Death. Remember all that, so that you may tell
people in due time... Have you understood? »
« Oh! yes, Lord. It is not possible to forget it. And it
would be quite useless to tell people. They would say
that we are "drunk". »
They resume their way down towards the valley. ...
Monday after Second Sunday in Lent
John 8; 21-29
505. Jesus Speaks in the Temple to the Incredulous
Judaeans.
30th September 1946.
Jesus goes back into the Temple with His apostles and
disciples. And some of the apostles, and not only the
apostles, point out to Him that it is not wise to go in. But
He replies: « By what right could they refuse to let Me
go in? Have I perhaps been condemned? No, not yet. So
34
I am going up to the altar of God like every Israelite who
fears the Lord. »
« But You intend to speak… »
« And is this not the place where rabbis usually gather to
speak? To speak and teach outside is an exceptional
case, such as the rest taken by a rabbi or a personal
necessity. But this is the place where everyone loves to
teach disciples. Do you not see people of every
nationality around rabbis to hear the famous ones at least
once? So that when they go back to their native countries
they may say: "We heard a master, a philosopher speak
according to the fashion of Israel". A master for those
who already are or intend to be Jews; a philosopher for
the true and proper Gentiles. Neither do the rabbis
disdain being listened to by the latter, as they hope to
make proselytes. Without such hope, which would be
holy if it were humble, they would not remain in the
Court of the Gentiles, but they would demand to speak
in that of Israel, and if it were possible, in the very
Sanctuary, because, according to the opinion they hold
of themselves, they are so holy, that God only is holier…
And I, the Master, will speak where teachers speak. But
be not afraid! It is not their hour as yet. When their hour
comes, I will tell you, that you may fortify your hearts. »
« You will not tell us » says the Iscariot.
« Why not? »
« Because You will not know. No sign will tell You.
There is no sign. I have been with You for almost three
years and I have always seen You threatened and
persecuted. Nay, You were alone then. Now You have
the support of the crowds who love You and of whom
the Pharisees are afraid. So You are in a stronger
position. How do You expect to know when the hour has
come? »
« By what I see in the hearts of men. »
Judas remains dumbfounded for a moment, then he says:
« And You will not mention it also because… You spare
us because You doubt our courage. »
« He keeps silent not to distress us » says James of
Zebedee.
« True. But You will certainly not tell us. »
« I will tell you. And until I tell you, whatever violence
and hatred you see against Me, be not afraid of it. They
will have no consequences. Go on. I am staying here to
wait for Manaen and Marjiam. »
The Twelve and those who are with them go on
halfheartedly. Jesus retraces His steps towards the gate
waiting for the two, He then goes out into the street and
walks towards the Antonia.
Some legionaries standing near the fortress point Him
out chatting to one another. There seems to be some
disagreement in opinion, then one of them says in a loud
voice: « I'll ask Him » and he departs from the group
coming towards Jesus. « Hail, Master. Are You speaking
in there also today? »
« May the Light enlighten you. Yes. I am going to
speak. »
« In that case… be careful. One who knows has warned
us. And a lady who admires You has ordered us to
watch. We shall be near the eastern underground. Do
You know where the entrance is? »
« I do. But both ends are closed. »
« Do You think so? » The legionary has a little laugh
and in the shadow of his helmet his eyes and teeth shine
making him look younger. He then salutes coming to
attention and says: « Hail, Master. Remember Quintus
Felix. »
« I will. May the Light enlighten you. »
Jesus resumes walking and the legionary goes back to
his place and talks to his fellow-soldiers.
« Master, are we late? The lepers were so many! »
exclaim together Manaen, who is wearing a plain dark
brown garment, and Marjiam.
« No. You have been quick. But let us go. The others are
waiting for us. Manaen, was it you who warned the
Romans? »
« Of what, Lord? I have not spoken to anybody. And I
would not know… The Roman ladies are not in
Jerusalem. »
They are once again near the gate of the enclosure. The
Levite Zacharias is there, as if he happened to be there
just by chance.
« Peace to You, Master. I want to tell You… I will try to
be always where You are, in here. And please do not
lose sight of me. And if there is a tumult and You see me
go away, try to follow me all the time. They hate You so
much! I cannot do any more… Please understand
me… »
« May God reward and bless you for the pity you take on
His Word. I will do what you say. And you may rest
assured that no one will be aware of your love for Me. »
They part.
« Perhaps he told the Romans. While in there he may
have heard… » whispers Manaen.
They go to pray passing through the crowds who look at
them with different feelings and who later gather behind
Jesus, when He comes away from the Court of Israel
after praying.
Outside the second enclosure Jesus is about to stop, but
He is surrounded by a mixed group of scribes, Pharisees
35
and priests. One of the officials of the Temple speaks on
behalf of them all.
« Are You here again? Do You not realise that we do not
want You? Are You not even afraid of the danger
impending over You? Go away. It is already a lot if we
allow You to come in to pray. But we do not allow You
to teach Your doctrine any more. »
« Yes, go away. Go away, You blasphemer! »
« Yes. I am going away, as you wish. And not only out
of these walls. I will go, I am already going farther,
where you will not be able to reach Me. And the time
will come when you also will be looking for Me, and not
just to persecute Me, but through a superstitious terror of
being struck for driving Me away, urged by a
superstitious anxiety to have your sin forgiven and
receive mercy. But I am telling you. This is the time of
mercy. This is the time to make friends with the Most
High. After the present time, no remedy will be of any
avail. You will not have Me any more and you will die
in your sin. Even if you travelled all over the Earth and
you succeeded in arriving at stars and planets, you would
no longer find Me, because you cannot come where I am
going. I have already told you. God comes and passes
by. Those who are wise receive Him with His gifts while
He passes by. Those who are foolish let Him go and no
longer can find Him. You come from down here. I come
from up there. You belong to this world. I am not of this
world. So, once I have gone back to the Abode of My
Father, out of this world of yours, you will not be able to
find Me any longer and you will die in your sins,
because you will not even be able to reach Me spiritually
through faith. »
« Do You want to kill Yourself, You devil? We will
certainly not be able to join You in Hell, where violent
souls descend, because Hell is the place of damned
cursed souls, whereas we are the blessed children of the
Most High » some of them say.
And others say approvingly: « He certainly wants to kill
Himself, because He says that we cannot go where He
goes. He realises that He has been found out and has
failed the test, and He is going to kill Himself, without
waiting to be killed like the other Galilean who was a
false Christ. »
And others say benevolently: « And if He really were the
Christ and should go back to Him Who sent Him? »
« Where? In Heaven? Abraham is not there, so how can
you expect Him to go there? The Messiah is to come
first. »
« But Elijah was taken up to Heaven in a chariot of
fire. »
« On a chariot, yes. But to Heaven!… Who can assure
that? »
And the dispute continues while Pharisees, scribes,
officials, priests, Judaeans obsequious to priests, scribes
and Pharisees pursue the Christ through the vast porches
as a pack of hounds chases roused game.
But some people, that is the good ones among the hostile
group, those urged by real honest intentions, elbow their
way through the crowd until they reach Jesus and ask
Him the anxious question, which has been heard being
asked so often with love or with hatred: « Who are You?
Tell us so that we may know how to behave. Tell us the
truth in the name of the Most High! »
« I am the Truth itself and I never tell lies. I am what I
have always declared to be since the first day I spoke to
the crowds, in every place in Palestine, what I said I am,
here, several times, near the Holy of Holies, of Whose
thunderbolts I am not afraid, because I speak the truth. I
have still many things to say and to judge during My day
and with regard to this people, and although My evening
seems to be close at hand, I know that I shall tell them
and I shall judge everybody, because that is what I have
been promised by Him Who sent Me and is truthful. He
spoke to Me in an eternal embrace of love, telling Me all
His Thought, so that I could repeat it by means of My
Word to the world, and I shall not be able to be silent,
neither will anybody be able to silence Me until I
announce to the world what I heard from My Father. »
« Are You still blaspheming? And are You continuing to
call Yourself the Son of God? But who do You expect to
believe You? Who will ever be able to see the Son of
God in You? » shout His enemies shaking their fists at
His face, deranged as they are by hatred.
The apostles, disciples and well-meaning people drive
them back forming a protective barrier round the Master.
Zacharias, the levite, steals slowly close to Jesus,
Manaen and Alphaeus' two sons with stealthy
movements in order not to attract the attention of the evil
ones.
They are now at the end of the Court of the Gentiles as
progress is slow owing to the hindering opposition and
Jesus stops at His usual place, at the last column of the
eastern side. He stops. They cannot eject a true Israelite
from the place where even pagans are allowed to stay,
unless they wish to rouse the masses. Which they craftily
avoid doing. And He resumes speaking replying to His
offenders and everybody else: « When you have lifted up
the Son of man… »
The Pharisees and scribes shout: « And who do You
expect is going to lift You up? Miserable is that Country
whose king is a silly charlatan and a blasphemer disliked
by God. None of us will lift You up, You may be sure of
that. And the little intelligence You are still left with has
made You realise that in time, when You were put to the
test. You know that we shall never be able to make You
our king! »
36
« I know. You will not raise Me to a throne, and yet you
will lift Me up. And while lifting Me up you will think
that you are lowering Me. And just when you think that
you have lowered Me, I shall be raised. Not only over
Palestine, not only over the people of Israel spread all
over the world, but over the whole world, even over
pagan countries, even over those countries of which the
learned people of the world are still unaware. And I shall
be raised not only for the lifetime of a man, but for the
whole life of the Earth and the shadow of My throne will
spread more and more over the Earth until it covers it
completely. Then only, I will come back and you will
see Me. Oh! You shall see Me! »
« Listen to His speech of a madman! We shall raise Him
by lowering Him, and we shall lower Him by raising
Him! He's mad! And the shadow of His throne all over
the Earth. Greater than Cyrus! Greater than Alexander!
Greater than Caesar! And what about Caesar? Do You
think he will allow You to take the Roman empire? And
He is going to last on His throne until the end of the
world! Ha! Ha! » Their words are more grievous than
slaps; their irony is more painful than scourging.
But Jesus lets them speak. He raises His voice to be
heard in the outcry of those who deride and of those who
defend, filling the place with the roar of a rough sea.
« When you have raised the Son of man, then you will
understand who I am and you will realise that I do
nothing by Myself, but I say what My Father taught Me
and I do what He wants. And He Who sent Me does not
leave Me all alone, but He is with Me. As a shadow
follows a body, so is the Father behind Me, watchful and
present, although invisible. He is behind Me and
comforts and helps Me and He does not go away
because I always do what He likes. God instead goes
away when His children do not obey His laws and His
inspirations. He then goes away and leaves them all
alone. That is why many people in Israel commit sin.
Because when man is left to himself, it is difficult for
him to remain just and he easily falls into the coils of the
Snake. I solemnly tell you that because of your sin in
resisting the Light and Mercy of God, He leaves you and
will no longer dwell in this place or in your hearts and
what Jeremiah grieved over in his prophecies and
lamentations will be fulfilled. Meditate on those
prophetical words, tremble and return to your senses
with good minds. Do not listen to the threats but to the
kindness of the Father Who warns His children while
they are still granted the possibility to make amends and
save themselves. Listen to God in His words and deeds,
and if you do not want to believe My words, because old
Israel is suffocating you, believe at least in old Israel.
Her prophets proclaim the dangers and misfortunes of
the Holy City and of all our Fatherland if she does not
convert to the Lord her God and does not follow the
Saviour. The hand of God weighed heavily on this
people in the past. But the past and present are nothing
as compared to the dreadful future, which is awaiting it
for not accepting the Messenger sent by God. What is
awaiting Israel who repudiates the Christ cannot be
compared with the past in severity and duration. I am
telling you, straining My eyes into future ages: like a
tree uprooted and thrown into a stormy river, the Hebraic
race will be struck by divine anathema. It will stubbornly
try to stop on the banks, here or there, and vigorous as it
is, it will sprout and take root. But when it thinks it has
settled, the violence of the flood will get hold of it again,
tearing it away and breaking its roots and shoots, and it
will be carried farther away, to suffer, to strike roots
again, and then be torn off and scattered once more. And
nothing will be able to give it rest, because the flood
pursuing it will be the wrath of God and the contempt of
peoples. Only by throwing itself into a sea of living
sanctifying Blood it could find peace. But it will shun
that Blood, because although its voice will be an inviting
one, it will sound like the voice of Abel's blood calling
it: the Cain of the heavenly Abel. »
A further widespread whispering runs through the large
enclosure like the noise of the sea. But the harsh voices
of Pharisees, scribes and of the Jews subjected to them,
are not part of the whispering. Jesus avails Himself of
the opportunity to try to go away.
But some people who were far from Him, approach Him
and say: « Master, listen to us. We are not all like them
(and they point at His enemies), but we find it difficult to
follow You also because Your voice is all by itself
against hundreds of voices which state the opposite of
what You say. And what they say is just what we have
heard from our fathers since our childhood. But Your
words induce us to believe in You. But how can we
believe fully and have life? We feel as if we were tied by
the thoughts of the past… »
«If you settle in My Word, as if you were being born
again now, your faith will be complete and you will
become My disciples. But you must divest yourselves of
the past and accept My Doctrine. It does not delete the
past completely. On the contrary it keeps and instils new
life into what is holy and supernatural in the past, and it
removes the superfluous human additions as it puts the
perfection of My Doctrine where now are human
doctrines, which are always imperfect. If you come to
Me you will know the Truth, and the Truth will make
you free. »
« Master, it is true what we said to You, that we feel as if
we were tied by the past. But that tie is neither
imprisonment nor slavery. We are Abraham's posterity
in spiritual matters, because, if we are not mistaken,
Abraham's posterity means spiritual posterity as opposed
to Hagar's, which is a posterity of slaves. So how can
You say that we shall become free? »
37
« I wish to point out to you that also Ishmael and his
children were Abraham's posterity, because Abraham
was the father of Isaac and of Ishmael. »
« But it was impure because he was the son of a woman,
who was a slave and an Egyptian. »
« I solemnly tell you: there is but one slavery, that of sin.
Only he who commits sin is a slave. And of a slavery
which no money can ransom; and he is the slave of an
implacable cruel master and loses all rights to the free
sovereignty in the Kingdom of Heaven. A slave, a man
who has become slave through war or misfortunes, may
also become the property of a good master. But his
welfare is always precarious because his master can sell
him to another cruel master. He is merchandise, nothing
else. Sometimes he is used as money to settle a debt.
And he is not even entitled to complain. A servant
instead lives in the house of his master until he is
dismissed. But a son remains in the house of his father
for good, and the father does not think of expelling him.
He can go out only of his own free will. And that is the
difference between slavery and servitude, and between
servitude and filiation. Slavery puts man in chains.
Servitude puts him at the service of a master. Filiation
puts him for ever, and with equal rights of life, in the
house of the father. Slavery destroys man. Servitude
subjects him. Filiation makes him free and happy. Sin
makes man the slave and for ever, of the most cruel
master: Satan. Servitude, in this case the Ancient Law,
makes man fear God as an intransigent Being. Filiation,
that is, to come to God with His First-Born, with Me,
makes man free and happy, as he knows and trusts in the
charity of his Father. To accept My Doctrine is to come
to God with Me, the First-Born of many beloved
children. I will break your chains, if you only come to
Me to have them broken and you will really be happy
and coheirs with Me to the Kingdom of Heaven. I know
that you are Abraham's posterity. But those among you
who seek My death no longer honour Abraham, but
Satan, and serve him as faithful servants. Why? Because
they reject My word which cannot get to the hearts of
many of you. God does not compel man to believe or to
accept Me. But He sent Me that I may show you His
will. And I tell you what I saw and heard near My
Father. And I do what He wants. But those among you
who persecute Me, do what they learnt from their father
and what he suggests. »
Like a paroxysm which revives after a remission of a
disease, the wrath of Judaeans, Pharisees and scribes is
roused violently again, although it seemed to have
abated. They penetrate like a wedge into the compact
circle of people pressing Jesus and they try to approach
Him. The crowd sways like opposed billows, as opposed
are the feelings of their hearts. The Judaeans, livid with
rage and hatred shout: « Abraharn is our father. We have
no other father. »
« God is the Father of men. Abraham himself is a son of recognise the language spoken in the House of the Only
the universal Father. But many repudiate the true Father Father? Why, then, do you not understand My language
for one who is not a father and has been chosen as such and you cannot bear My words?
by them because he seems more powerful and willing to
Because I come from God and you do not. You left the
satisfy their immoderate desires. Children do the works
paternal house and you have forgotten the face and the
that they see their father do. If you are sons of Abraham,
language of Him Who lives in it. You have
why do you not do the works that Abraham did? Do you
spontaneously gone to other regions, to other abodes,
not know them? Shall I enumerate them with regard to
where one who is not God reigns, and where another
their nature and symbol? Abraham obeyed by going to
language is spoken. And he who reigns there compels
the country pointed out to him by God, and is thus the
those who want to go in to become his children and obey
symbol -of man who must be prepared to leave
him. And you have done that and still do it. You abjure
everything to go where God sends him. Abraham was
and disown God the Father to choose another father for
obliging with his brother's son, whom he allowed to
yourselves. And that father is Satan. You have the
choose the region he preferred, thus symbolising respect
demon as father and you want to accomplish what he
for freedom of action and the charitable mind we must
suggests to you. And the wishes of the demon are for sin
have for our neighbour. Abraham was humble after the
and violence and you accept them. From the beginning
predilection of God, Whom he honoured in Mamre,
he was a homicide and he did not persevere in the truth,
always feeling that he was a mere nothing in comparison
because having rebelled against the Truth, he cannot
with the Most High, Who had spoken to him, a symbol
have in himself any love for the truth. When he speaks,
of the place of reverential love man must always keep
he speaks as he is, that is, as a liar and a gloomy being,
towards his God. Abraham believed and obeyed God
because he really is a liar and has procreated and given
also in the most difficult matters to believe and painful
birth to falsehood after being fecundated with pride and
to accomplish, and he did not become selfish in order to
nourished with rebellion. All concupiscence is in his
be safe, but he prayed for the people of Sodom.
bosom, and he spits it and inoculates it to poison
Abraham did not come to terms with the Lord, by
creatures. He is the gloomy, sneering, creeping cursed
requesting a reward for his manifold obedience, on the
reptile, the Disgrace and Horror. His deeds have
contrary, in order to honour Him till the very end, to the
tormented man for ages and their signs and fruits are
extreme limit, he sacrificed his beloved son to Him… »
clear to the intellects of men. And yet you listen to him,
« He did not sacrifice him. » although he lies and destroys, whereas if I speak and say
what is true and good, you do not believe Me and you
« He did sacrifice his beloved son because it is true that
say that I am a sinner. But among the many people who
his heart had already sacrificed him, during the journey,
have approached Me, with hatred or with love, who can
with his will to obey, which was arrested by the angel
say that he saw Me commit sin? Who can say so
when his heart of a father was already breaking, as he
truthfully? Where are the proofs to convince Me and
was on the point of rending the heart of his son. He was
those who believe in Me that I am a sinner? Which of
going to kill his son in order to honour God. You are
the ten commandments have I infringed? Who can swear
killing the Son of God to honour Satan. So, do you do
before the altar of God that he saw Me violate the Law
the works of Him Whom you call your father? No, you
and customs, the precepts, traditions and prayers? Who
do not. You are trying to kill Me because I tell you the
amongst all men can make Me blush, having convinced
truth as I heard it from God. Abraham did not behave
Me of sin with definite proofs? No one can do that. No
thus. He did not try to kill the voice coming from
one amongst men, no one amongst angels. God shouts in
Heaven, but he obeyed it. No, you do not do the works
the hearts of men: "He is the Innocent One". You are all
of Abraham, but those pointed out to you by your
convinced of that, and you who are accusing Me are
father. »
more firmly persuaded than these people who are
« We were not born of a prostitute. We are not undecided as to who is right, you or I. But only who
illegitimate children. You said Yourself that God is the belongs to God listens to the words of God. You do not
Father of men, and we are the chosen People and we listen to them, although they resound in your souls day
belong to the chosen castes of this People. So we have and night, and you do not listen to them because you do
God as our only Father. » not belong to God. »
« If you recognised God as your Father in spirit and truth « We, who live for the Law and in the most detailed
you would love Me because I proceed and come from observation of the precepts, to honour the Most High, we
God; I have not come of My own accord, but it is He do not belong to God? And You dare say that? Ah!!! »
Who sent Me. So, if you really knew the Father, you They seem to be suffocating with horror, as if a halter
would know also Me, His Son and your brother and were fastened round their necks. « And we are not to say
Saviour. Is it possible for brothers not to know one that You are possessed and a Samaritan? »
another? Can the children of One only father not
38
« I am neither, but I honour My Father, even if you deny « Be quiet! You are not yet fifty years old and You are
Him to revile Me. But your insults do not grieve Me. I telling us that Abraham has seen You and You have seen
do not seek My glory. There is One who takes care of it him? » and their scornful laugh spreads like a wave of
and judges. That is what I say to you who want to poison or corrosive acid.
humiliate Me. But to those of good will I say that he
« I solemnly tell you: before Abraham was born I am. »
who accepts My word, or has already accepted it, and
knows how to keep it, will never die. » « "I am"? God only can say that, as He is eternal. You
cannot! Blasphemer! "I am"! Anathema! Are You
« Ah! Now we can see very clearly that the demon
perhaps God, that You may say that? » shouts one, who
possessing You is speaking through Your lips! You said
must be an important personage, because, although he
that Yourself: "He speaks like a liar". What You said is a
has just arrived, he is already near Jesus, as everybody
lie, therefore it is a word of the demon. Abraham died
has moved aside, almost in terror, at his arrival.
and the prophets died. And You say that those who keep
Your word will never die. So You will not die? » « It is you who say it » replies Jesus in a thundering
voice.
« I shall die only as Man, to rise again in the time of
Grace, but I shall not die as the Word. The Word is Life Everything becomes a weapon in the hands of those who
and never dies. And he who receives the Word has Life hate. While the last man who has questioned Jesus gives
in himself and never dies, but rises in God because I will free course to a mimic display of scandalised horror and
resuscitate him. » tears his headgear off his head, ruffles his hair and beard
and unfastens the buckles holding his mantle round his
« Blasphemer Madman! Demon! Are You greater than
neck, as if he were about to faint with horror, handfuls of
Abraham and the prophets, who died? Who do You
earth and stones - used by the vendors of doves and
think You are? »
other animals to hold tight the ropes of the enclosures,
« The Beginning Who am speaking to you. » and by money-changers as a prudential protection for
their coffers, of which they are more jealous than of their
There is absolute pandemonium. And while it goes on,
own lives - are thrown at the Master and obviously fall
the Levite Zacharias pushes Jesus imperceptibly towards
upon the crowd, as Jesus is too far inside the arcade to
a corner in the court, helped by the sons of Alphaeus and
be struck, and the crowds curse and complain…
by other people, who perhaps assist Him without even
knowing what they are doing. Zacharias, the levite, gives Jesus a mighty push, the only
means to make Him reach a little low door, hidden in the
When Jesus is against the wall and is protected by His
wall of the court and already set to be opened, and
most faithful ones standing in front of Him and the
pushes Him inside with the two sons of Alphaeus, John,
tumult calms down a little, He says in His voice which is
Manaen and Thomas. The others are left outside in the
so incisive, beautiful and calm also in the most troubled
tumult… its noise arrives weakened in the underground
moments: « If I glorify Myself, My glory is of no value.
passage, among the mighty stone walls, the correct
Anyone can say of oneself what one wishes. But He
architectural name of which I do not know. The stones
Who glorifies Me is My Father, Who you say is your
are embedded, I would say, that is, there are large stones
God, although He is so little yours that you do not know
and smaller ones, and on top of the smaller ones there
Him, and you have never known Him, neither do you
are large ones and viceversa. I do not know whether I
want to know Him through Me, as I speak to you of Him
have made myself clear. They are dark and mighty,
because I know Him; and if I should say that I do not
coarsely chiselled, hardly visible in the dim light coming
know Him, to appease your hatred against Me, I would
from narrow loopholes placed high up at regular
be a liar like you who say that you know Him. I know
intervals to admit air and light so that the place may not
that I must not lie for any reason whatsoever. The Son of
be completely murky. It is a narrow tunnel, the purpose
man must not lie even if by telling the truth He will
of which I do not know, but I am under the impression
bring about His death. Because if the Son of man should
that it runs right round the court. Perhaps it was built as
lie, He would no longer be the Son of Truth and the
a protection, as a shelter place, or to double and thus
Truth would reject Him from Itself. I know God, both as
reinforce the walls of the courts, which form enclosures
God and as Man. And as God and as Man I keep His
round the true and proper Temple, the Holy of Holies. In
words and comply with them. Israel, think it over! It is
brief, I do not know. I am saying what I see. There is a
here that the Promise is fulfilled. It is accomplished in
smell of dampness, that kind of dampness that one
Me. Recognise Me for what I am! Abraham, your father,
cannot say whether it is cold or not, as in certain wine-
longed to see My day. He saw it, prophetically, through
cellars.
a grace of God, and he rejoiced. And you who really live
it… » « And what are we going to do here? » asks Thomas.

39
« Be quiet! Zacharias told me that he will come and we
must remain silent and still » replies Thaddeus.
« But… can we trust him? »
« I hope so. »
« Be not afraid. He is a good man » says Jesus
comforting them.
Outside the noise of the tumult fades away. Some time
goes by. Then the dull sound of steps and a tiny
flickering light coming from the dark depth.
« Are You there, Master? » asks a voice that wants to be
heard but is afraid of being heard.
« Yes, Zacharias, I am here. »
« Praised be Jehovah! Have I kept You waiting? I had to
wait for the others to rush to the other exits. Come,
Master… Your apostles… I have been able to tell Simon
to go all together towards Bezetha and wait there. We go
down here… There is not much light, but it's a safe way.
It takes us down to the cisterns… and we come out near
the Kidron. An old way. Not always used for a good
purpose. But this time it is… And that sanctifies it… »
They continue to go down in the deep shade broken only
by the flickering light of the lamp, until a different
gleam is seen down at the bottom… and beyond it some
green appears in the distance… A railing, so heavy and
thick that it looks like a door, is at the end of the tunnel.
« Master, I have saved You. You can go. But listen to
me. Do not come back for some time. I could not serve
You every time without being noticed. And… forget, all
of you must forget this passage and me who brought you
here » says Zacharias, working some devices of the
heavy railing, which he opens just enough to let them go
out. And he repeats: « Forget all about this, for my
sake. »
« Be not afraid. None of us will speak. And may God be
with you for your charity. » Jesus raises His hand and
lays it on the bowed head of the young man.
He goes out followed by His cousins and the others. He
finds Himself in a small wild open space, covered with
bramble, so small that it can hardly contain them all,
facing the Mount of Olives. A very steep path runs down
among the bramble towards the torrent.
« Let us go. We will climb up again to the height of the
Gate of the Sheep and I will go to Joseph's with My
brothers, whilst you will go to Bezetha to get the others
and will then join Me. We will go to Nob tomorrow
evening after sunset. »
40
Tuesday after Second Sunday of Matt 23:1-12
Lent
Jesus speaks on the Wednesday before His death.
… before speaking, He calls the apostles to come close
to Him and says to them:
« Come and listen carefully. Yesterday you wanted to
know many of the things that I will tell you today and
that I mentioned vaguely yesterday, when we were
resting in Joseph's kitchen garden. So pay attention,
because they are important lessons for everybody, and
for you in particular, as you are My ministers and
continuators.
Listen. Scribes and Pharisees sat on Moses' chair at the
right moment. They were sad days for our Fatherland.
Once the exile in Babylonia was over and the nation had
been restored through Cyrus' magnanimity, the leaders
of the people felt it necessary to restore also the cult and
the knowledge of the Law. Because woe to that people
that does not possess them for its defence, guide and
support, against the most powerful enemies of a nation,
which are the immorality of the citizens, rebellion
against leaders, disunion among classes and parties, the
sins against God and one's neighbours, irreligiousness,
which are all disgregating elements in themselves and
because of the punishments they provoke from Heaven!
So scribes or doctors of the Law arose to teach the
people who spoke the Chaldean language, the heritage of
the sore and weary exile, and thus could no longer
understand the Scriptures written in pure Hebrew. They
arose to help the priests, insufficient in number to fulfil
the task of teaching the crowds. Such laity, learned and
devoted to honouring the Lord, by taking the knowledge
of God to men and leading men to God, had its reason
for existence and it did also some good. Because, all of
you must bear this in mind, also those things that,
through human weakness, later degenerate, as it
happened to this one that became corrupt in the course of
time, always have something good and at least an initial
reason for existence, whereby the Most High allows
them to arise and last until, the measure of degeneration
being full, the Most High disperses them.
Then the other sect of the Pharisees arose from the
transformation of that of the Hasidaeans, formed to
support the Law of Moses and the spirit of independence
of our people by means of the most rigid morals and the
strictest obedience, when the Hellenistic party - that had
risen because of the pressure and seductions that had
begun in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes and that soon
changed into persecutions against those who did not
yield to the pressure of the shrewd king, who more than
on his arms relied on the breaking up of the faith in
hearts, in order to rule over our Fatherland -- was trying
to make us slaves.
Remember also this: be more afraid of easy alliances and
of the blandishments of a foreigner than of his legions.
Because, while if you are faithful to the laws of God and
of your Fatherland you will win, even if you are
surrounded by mighty armies, if instead you are
corrupted by the subtle poison, given as an inebriating
honey by the stranger who has made his plans
concerning you, God will abandon you because of your
sins, and you will be defeated and subjected, even if
your false ally does not wage a bloody battle with you.
Woe to him who is not as vigilant as a sentry and does
not repel the subtle snare of a false shrewd neighbour, or
ally, or conqueror, who begins his domination over
individuals, weakening their hearts and corrupting them
with usages and habits that are not ours and are not holy,
and consequently make us unpleasant to the Lord! Woe!
You must remember the consequences brought about to
our Fatherland by the fact that some of her children
adopted usages and habits of a foreigner to ingratiate
themselves with him and enjoy favours. It is a good
thing to be charitable with everybody, also with peoples
who are not of our faith, who have not our usages and
who have harmed us throughout ages. But our love for
these people, who are always our neighbour, must never
make us disown the Law of God and of our Fatherland,
for some premeditated benefit extorted from our
neighbours. No. Foreigners despise those who are so
servile as to disown the holiest things of their
Fatherland. It is not by denying one's Father and Mother
- God and the Fatherland - that one achieves respect and
freedom.
So it was a good thing that at the right moment the
Pharisees should arise to erect a barrier against the filthy
overflowing of foreign usages and customs. I repeat:
everything that begins and lasts has its reason for
existence. And it is to be respected for what it did, if not
for what it does. Because, if it is guilty by now, it is not
for men to insult it, and even less to strike it. There is
who knows how to do it: God and He Whom He sent,
and Whose right and duty is to open His mouth and to
open your eyes, so that you and they may know the
thought of the Most High, and you may act according to
justice. I and no one else. I, because I speak by divine
mandate. I, because I can speak as I have none of the
sins that shock you when you see them committed by
scribes and Pharisees, but which you also commit, if you
can. »
Jesus, Who had begun His speech in a low voice, has
gradually raised it, and when uttering these last words, it
41
is as powerful as the blare of a trumpet. Hebrews and
Gentiles are fully engrossed in listening to Him. And if
the former applaud when Jesus mentions their
Fatherland and clearly calls by name those foreigners
who subjected them and made them suffer, the latter
admire the oratorical form of His speech and they are
happy to be present at this oration really worthy of a
great orator, as they say to one another. Jesus lowers His
voice again when He resumes speaking:
« What I told you is to remind you of the reasons why
scribes and Pharisees exist, and how and why they have
sat on Moses' chair, and how and why they speak and
their words are not vain ones. So do what they say. But
do not imitate their actions. Because they say that things
are to be done in a certain manner, but they do not do
what is to be done. In fact they teach the humane laws of
the Pentateuch, then they burden other people with huge,
unbearable, inhuman weights, whereas they themselves
do not stir a finger even to touch those weights, let alone
carry them.
The rule of their life is to be seen, noticed and applauded
for their deeds, which they perform in a manner suitable
to be seen and thus praised. And they infringe the law of
love, because they like to define themselves the
distinguished ones and they despise those who do not
belong to their sect, and they demand the title of teachers
and from their disciples they exact such a cult as they do
not give to God. They consider themselves gods because
of their wisdom and power, and in the hearts of their
disciples they want to be superior to fathers and mothers,
and they claim that their doctrine is superior to God's
and they insist on its being practised literally, even if it is
a manipulation of the true Law, inferior to the same even
more than this mountain is to the Great Hermon that
dominates the whole of Palestine; and they are heretics,
since some believe, as heathens do, in metempsychosis
(reincarnation) and fatality, while others deny what the
previous ones admit and, in actual fact if not in effect,
what God Himself has given as a principle of faith, when
He defined Himself the only God to Whom cult is to be
given, and when He said that fathers and mothers are
second only to God, and as such they are entitled to be
obeyed more than a teacher who is not divine. Because if
now I say to you: "Those who love their fathers and
mothers more than they love Me are not suitable for the
Kingdom of God", I do not say so to instil indifference
towards your relatives into your minds, as you must
respect and help them, neither is it lawful to deprive
them of assistance saying: "It is money for the Temple",
or deny them hospitality saying: "My office forbids me",
or to take their lives saying: "I kill you because you love
the Master", but I say so that you may love your relatives
with just love, that is with love that is patient and strong
in its meekness - without hating a relative who sins and
gives sorrow, because he does not follow you on the way
of Life, that is, on My way - with love that knows how
to choose between My law and family selfishness and
violence. Love your relatives, obey them in everything
that is holy. But be ready to die, not to kill, but I say to
die, if they want to persuade you to betray the vocation
given you by God, to be citizens of the Kingdom of God,
that I have come to establish.
Do not imitate scribes and Pharisees, who are divided
among themselves, although they feign to be united.
You, disciples of the Christ, be really united, each one
for all the others, the leaders being kind to the subjects,
the subjects being kind to their leaders, all one in love
and in the purpose of your union: to conquer My
Kingdom and be at My right hand at the eternal
Judgement. Remember that a kingdom that is divided is
no longer a kingdom and cannot exist. Be therefore
united to one another in your love for Me and for My
doctrine. Let love and union, equality in garments worn,
community of property, brotherliness of hearts be the
uniform of the Christian, because that will be the name
of My subjects. Everybody for one, one for everybody.
Let those who own wealth give humbly. Let those who
do not own accept humbly, and let them humbly set
forth their needs to their brothers, knowing that they are
such; and let brothers kindly listen to the needs of their
brothers, feeling that they are such to them. Remember
that your Master was often hungry and cold and He had
other numberless necessities and troubles and He, the
Word of God, humbly set them forth to men. Remember
that a reward is given to those who are merciful by
giving even just a sip of water. Remember that it is
better to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). In these three
recollections let the poor find strength to ask without
feeling humiliated, remembering that I did so before
them, and let them forgive, if they are refused,
remembering that many a time the Son of man was
denied the place and the food that are given to sheep-
dogs. And let the rich be generous in giving their riches,
considering that the base money, that Satan instigates
men to crave for, and is nine tenths of the disasters of the
world, if it is given out of love, changes into a heavenly
immortal gem.
Be clothed in your virtues. Let them be manifold but
known only to God. Do not behave as the Pharisees who
wear the broadest phylacteries and the longest fringes
and want the front seats in synagogues and love to be
greeted obsequiously in market squares, and want to be
called "Rabbis" by the people. One alone is your Master:
the Christ. You who in future will be the new doctors, I
am referring to you, My apostles and disciples,
remember that I alone am your Teacher. And I will be
your only Teacher also when I am no longer among you.
Because Wisdom alone teaches. So do not allow
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yourselves to be called teachers, because you are
disciples yourselves. Do not pretend to be called fathers
and do not call father anyone on the Earth, because only
one is the Father of all men: your Father Who is in
Heaven. May this truth make you wise by really feeling
all like brothers to one another, both those who guide
and those who are guided, and so love one another like
good brothers. And none of those who guide must allow
themselves to be called guides, because only one is your
guide: the Christ.
Let the greatest among you be your servant. He who is
the servant of the servants of God does not humiliate
himself, but he imitates Me, as I was kind and humble,
always willing to love those who were My brothers in
the flesh of Adam, and to assist them by means of the
power that I have as God. Neither by serving men did I
humiliate what is divine in Me. Because he is a true king
who knows how to dominate not so much men, as the
passions of men, first of all foolish pride. Remember: he
who humbles himself will be exalted, and he who exalts
himself will be humbled.
The Woman of Whom the Lord has spoken in the second
chapter of Genesis, the Virgin mentioned by Isaiah, the
Virgin Mother of the Immanuel, prophesied this truth of
the new times, when She sang: "He has pulled down
princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly". The
Wisdom of God spoke through the lips of Her Who was
the Mother of Grace and the Throne of Wisdom. And I
repeat the inspired words that praised Me joined to the
Father and to the Holy Spirit, in Our wonderful works,
when, without offence to the Virgin, I, the Man, was
being formed in Her womb without ceasing being God.
Let them be a guide for those who want to bear the
Christ in their hearts and come to the Kingdom of Christ.
There will be no Jesus: the Saviour; no Christ: the Lord;
and there will be no Kingdom of Heaven for those who
are proud, fornicators, idolaters, who worship
themselves and their will.
Therefore woe to you, hypocritical scribes and Pharisees,
who think you can close by means of your unfeasible
maxims -- if they were confirmed by God, they would
really be an unbreakable bolt for most men -- who think
you can close the Kingdom of Heaven in the face of
those men who raise their spirits towards it to find
strength in their painful earthly day! Woe to you who do
not enter it, who do not want to enter it, because you do
not accept the Law of the heavenly Kingdom, and you
do not allow other people to enter, while they are in front
of that door, which you, intolerant as you are, reinforce
with bolts that God did not put there.
Woe to you, hypocritical scribes and Pharisees, who
swallow the property of widows under the pretext of
saying long prayers. Because of that you will receive a
severe sentence!
Woe to you, hypocritical scribes and Pharisees, who
travel over sea and land, using up riches that do not
belong to you, to make a single proselyte, and when you
have him, you make him twice as fit for hell as you are!
Woe to you, blind guides, who say: "If a man swears by
the Temple, it has no force, but if he swears by the gold
of the Temple, then he is bound by his oath". You are
foolish and blind! Which is of greater worth? The gold
or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? And you say:
"If a man swears by the altar, it has no force, but if he
swears by the offering on the altar, then his oath is valid
and he is bound by it". You blind men! What is greater?
The offering, or the altar that makes the offering sacred?
Therefore, he who swears by the altar, is swearing by it
and by everything on it, and he who swears by the
Temple, is swearing by it and by Him Who dwells in it,
and he who swears by Heaven, is swearing by the
Throne of God and by Him Who is seated on it.
Woe to you, hypocritical scribes and Pharisees, who pay
the tithes of mint and rue, of anise and cummin, and then
you neglect the weightier matters of the Law: justice,
mercy and faith. These are the virtues you should have
practised, without neglecting the other minor matters!
You blind guides, you filter your drinks, lest you may
become contaminated by swallowing a drowned gnat,
but you swallow a camel, without feeling unclean by
doing so. Woe to you, hypocritical scribes and Pharisees,
who wash the outside of cups and dishes, but interiorly
you are full of extortion and filth. O blind Pharisee, wash
the inside of your cup and dish first, so that also the
outside may be clean.
Woe to you, hypocritical scribes and Pharisees, who fly
in darkness like noctules for your sinful deeds, and at
night reach agreements with heathens, robbers and
traitors, and then, in the morning, after deleting the signs
of your concealed dealings, you go up to the Temple in
fine garments.
Woe to you, who teach the laws of charity and justice
contained in Leviticus, while you are greedy, thieves,
false, slanderers, oppressors, unjust, avengers, haters,
and you even overthrow those who annoy you, even if
they are of your own blood, and you repudiate the virgin
who has become your wife, and you disown the children
that you begot of her, because they are invalids, and
because you do not like your wife any more, you accuse
her of adultery or of an unclean disease, to get rid of her,
while you are unclean in your lustful hearts, even if you
43
do not appear to be such in the eyes of the people, 'who
are not aware of your deeds. You are like whitewashed
sepulchres that look handsome on the outside, but inside
are full of dead men's bones and corruption. The same
applies to you. Yes. The same! From the outside you
look like honest men, but inside you are full of
hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Woe to you, hypocritical scribes and Pharisees, who
build magnificent sepulchres for the prophets and
decorate the tombs of holy men saying: "Had we lived in
our fathers' days, we would never had joined those who
shed the blood of the prophets". And so you give
evidence against yourselves that you are the sons of
those who murdered your prophets. And you, moreover,
are finishing the work of your fathers… Serpents, brood
of vipers, how can you escape being condemned to
Gehenna?
So I, the Word of God, say to you: I, God, will send you
new prophets and wise men and scribes. Some you will
slaughter, some you will crucify, some you will scourge
in your law-courts, in your synagogues, outside the walls
of your towns, and some you will hunt from town to
town, until you draw on yourselves the blood of the just
men, that has been shed on the Earth, from the blood of
the just Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachian,
whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar,
because for your own sake he had reminded you of your
sin, that you might repent and go back to the Lord. It is
so. You hate those who want your welfare and lovingly
call you back to the paths of God.
I solemnly tell you that all that is about to happen, both
the crime and its consequences. I solemnly tell you that
all this will be accomplished on this generation.
Oh! Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Jerusalem, you that stone
those who have been sent to you and kill your prophets!
How often have I longed to gather your children, as a
hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you refused!
Now listen, Jerusalem! Now listen, you who hate Me
and hate everything that comes from God. Now listen,
you who love Me and who will be carried away by the
punishment laid aside for the persecutors of the
Messengers of God. And you also listen to Me, you who
do not belong to this people, but who listen to Me just
the same, listen and learn Who He is Who is speaking to
you and foretells without having to study the flight, the
warbling of birds, or celestial phenomena, or the viscera
of sacrificed animals, or the fire and smoke of
holocausts, because all the future is the present for Him
Who is speaking to you. "This House of yours will be
left desolate to you. And I say to you, says the Lord, that
you shall not see Me any more until you also say:
'Blessings on Him Who comes in the name of the
Lord"'. »
Jesus is clearly tired and hot, both because of the long
thundering speech, and of the sultriness of the windless
day. Pressed against the wall by a multitude of people,
avidly gazed upon by thousands of people, feeling all the
hatred of those who are listening to Him under the
porches of the court of the Gentiles, and all the love or at
least the admiration surrounding Him, indifferent to the
sun blazing down on backs and reddened perspiring
faces, He really looks exhausted. He needs solace and
He seeks it saying to His apostles and to the seventy-two
disciples, who like wedges have opened a passage
through the crowd and who are now in the front line,
forming a faithful loving barrier around Him: « Let us
leave the Temple and go out into the open, among trees.
I am in need of shade, silence and fresh air. This place
really seems to be already burning with the fire of
celestial wrath. »
They elbow their way with difficulty and are thus able to
go out through the nearest gate, where Jesus in vain
strives to dismiss many people. They want to follow
Him at all costs.
In the meantime the disciples are watching the cube of
the Temple shining in the sun, as it is almost midday,
and John of Ephesus points out the powerful
construction to the Master saying: « Look at the size of
the stones and of the construction! »
« And yet not a single stone here will be left on
another » replies Jesus.
Wednesday after the second Sunday in Lent
Matt 20: 17 - 28
575. (Gospel) The Third Prophecy of the Passion. The
Request of Zebedee's sons.
...
But John, after walking a few steps with the women,
seeing that the path is now wider and clearer, runs and
joins Jesus Who is saying: « So, be reassured, Judas. We
will do nothing, as we have done nothing, unreal. Even
now we are not doing anything unforeseeable. This is the
time when it is foreseeable that every true Israelite, who
is not prevented by diseases or very grave reasons, will
go up to the Temple. And we are going up to the
Temple. »
« But not all of us. I heard that Marjiam will not be
there. Is he perhaps ill? Why is he not coming? Do You
44
think You can replace him with the Samaritan? » Judas'
tone is unbearable…
Peter whispers: « O Prudence, hold my tongue fast, for I
am a man! » and he presses his lips together firmly in
order not to say anything else. His eyes, which are rather
deep set, are deeply touching, so clear is the effort of the
man to repress his indignation and distress hearing Judas
speak thus.
Jesus' presence holds all tongues. He is the only one who
speaks and with a really divine calm He says: « Come
ahead a little, so that the women may not hear us. For a
few days I have had something to tell you. Something I
promised you in the country of Tirzah. But I wanted all
of you to be present to hear Me. But not the women. Let
us leave them in their humble peace… What I am going
to tell you will explain why Marjiam will not be with us,
and the same applies to your mother, Judas of Kerioth,
and to your daughters, Philip, and to the women
disciples of Bethlehem in Galilee with the girl. It is not
for everybody to bear certain things. I, the Master, know
what is good for My disciples and what they can or
cannot stand. Not even you are strong enough to endure
the trial. And it would be a grace for you to be excluded.
But you will have to continue Me, and you must be
aware of how weak you are, so that in future you may
be merciful towards the weak. So you cannot be
excluded from this dreadful test that will give you the
measure of what you are, of what you have remained
after being with Me for three years, and of what you
have become after the three years you have been with
Me. You are twelve. You have all come to Me almost at
the same time. It is not the few days between My
meeting with James, John and Andrew and the day on
which you were received among us, Judas of Kerioth, or
the day on which you, My brother James and you,
Matthew, came to Me, that can justify so much
difference in your perfecting. You were, all of you, even
you, My learned Bartholomew, and you, My brothers,
very imperfect, absolutely imperfect with regard to what
is perfection in My doctrine. Nay, your education, better
than that of others among you in the doctrine of old
Israel, was an obstacle to your perfecting in Me. And yet
none of you have made so much progress as would have
been sufficient to bring you all to the same point. One
has reached it, others are close to it, others are farther
away, others much farther behind, others… yes, I must
say also this, instead of coming forwards, have gone
backwards. Do not look at one another! Do not try to
find out which of you is the first and which the last. He
who, perhaps, thinks he is the first and is considered to
be the first, has still to undergo probation. He who thinks
he is the last, is about to shine in his perfection like a star
in the sky. So, once again I say to you: do not judge.
Facts will judge with their evidence. For the time being
you cannot understand. But soon, very soon, you will
remember these words of Mine and you will understand
them. »
« When? You have promised to tell us, to explain to us
why the Passover purification will be different this year,
but You never do tell us » says Andrew complaining.
« It is just about that that I wanted to speak to you.
Because both those words and these are the same, as
they are rooted in one only principle. We are now going
up to Jerusalem for Passover. And all the things foretold
by the prophets concerning the Son of man will be
fulfilled there. Truly, as the prophets foresaw, as it was
already stated in the order given to the Hebrews in
Egypt, as Moses was ordered in the desert, the Lamb of
God is about to be sacrificed and His Blood is about to
mark the doorposts of hearts, and the angel of the Lord
will pass without striking those who have upon
themselves, and with love, the Blood of the sacrificed
Lamb, that is about to be raised on the cross bar, like the
precious metal snake, to be the sign for those wounded
by the infernal snake, to be salvation for those who look
at it with love. The Son of man, your Master Jesus, is
about to be handed over to the chief priests, to the
scribes and the elders, who will sentence Him to
death and will deliver Him to the Gentiles to be
sneered at. And He will be smacked, beaten, spat at,
dragged along the streets like a dirty rag, and then
the Gentiles, after scourging Him and crowning Him
with thorns, will condemn Him to die on the cross
reserved for criminals, as the Jewish people, gathered
in Jerusalem wanted His death in place of that of a
robber, and He will be put to death thus. But, as it is
mentioned in the signs of the prophecies, after three
days He will rise again. That is the trial awaiting you.
The one that will show you your spiritual
advancement. I solemnly tell you, who think that you
are so perfect as to despise those who do not belong
to Israel, and to despise even many of our own
people, I tell you solemnly that you, the chosen part
of My flock, once the Shepherd has been captured,
will be seized with fright and you will disperse fleeing
as if the wolves, which will fang Me all over, were set
on you. But, I tell you, be not afraid. You will not be
hurt in the least. I shall suffice to glut the wild
wolves… »
The apostles, while Jesus is speaking, look like people
under a shower of stones. They even bend more and
more as Jesus goes on speaking. And when He ends
saying: « And what I am telling you is impending. It is
not like the other times, when there was time before the
hour. The hour has now come. I am going, to be handed
over to My enemies and sacrificed for the salvation of
everybody. And the bud of this flower will have not yet
lost its petals, after flowering, when I shall be already
dead », some hide their faces in their hands and some
moan as if they had been wounded. The Iscariot is livid,
45
absolutely livid…
The first to collect himself is Thomas who proclaims:
« That will not happen to You because we will defend
you or we will die with You, and we will thus show that
we had reached You in Your perfection and that we were
perfect in loving You. »
Jesus looks at him without speaking.
Bartholomew after a long pensive silence says: « You
said that You will be handed over… But who can hand
You over to Your enemies? That is not mentioned in the
prophecies. No, it is not mentioned. It would be too
dreadful if one of Your friends, one of Your disciples,
one of Your followers, even the last one, should hand
You over to those who hate You. No! No one who has
heard You with love, even if only once, can commit that
crime. They are men, not wild beasts, not demons… No,
my Lord. And not even those who hate You will be
able… They are afraid of the people, and all the people
will be around You! »
Jesus looks also at Nathanael but does not say anything.
Peter and the Zealot are talking animatedly to each other.
James of Zebedee reproaches his brother because he sees
that he is not upset and John replies: « It's because I have
known all that these last three months » and two tears
stream down his face. The sons of Alphaeus speak to
Matthew who shakes his head downheartedly.
Andrew says to the Iscariot: ,Since you have so many
friends in the Temple…
« John knows Annas himself » replies Judas and he
concludes: « What can we do? What can the word of a
man do if that is destined? »
« Do you really think so? » ask Thomas and Andrew
together.
« No. I don't think anything. They are useless
apprehensions. Bartholomew is right. All the people will
be around Jesus. You can already see that by the
behaviour of those we meet. And it will be a triumph.
You will see that that is what will happen » says Judas of
Kerioth.
« In that case why does He… » says Andrew pointing at
Jesus Who has stopped waiting for the women.
« Why does He say that? Because He is impressed… and
because He wants to test us. But nothing will happen. In
any case I will go… »
« Oh! yes. Go and find out! » says Andrew imploring.
They become silent because Jesus is following them
once again, walking between His Mother and Mary of
Alphaeus.
Mary smiles lightly because Her sister-in-law shows Her
some seeds, got I do not know where, and says to Her
that she wants to sow them at Nazareth, after Passover,
just at the little grotto so dear to Mary: « When You
were a little girl, I always remember You with these
flowers in Your little hands. You called them the flowers
of Your coming. In fact when You were born Your
garden was full of them, and that evening when the
whole of Nazareth came to see Joachim's daughter, the
clusters of these little stars looked like diamonds because
of the water from the sky and of the last ray of the sun
that lit them up while setting, and since Your name was
"Star", everybody said looking at those tiny shining
stars: "The flowers have adorned themselves to give a
hearty welcome to Joachim's flower, and the stars have
left the sky to come to the Star", and they all smiled,
happy with the omen and with Your father's joy. And
Joseph, my husband's brother, said: "Stars and drops.
She is really Mary!". Who could have told him then that
You were to become his star? When he came back from
Jerusalem, after being chosen as Your spouse? The
whole of Nazareth wanted to celebrate the event with
him, because great was the honour that had come to him
from Heaven and because of his nuptials with You, the
daughter of Joachim and Anne, and everybody wanted to
feast with him. He kindly but firmly refused all
celebrations, amazing everybody. Because which man,
destined to such an honourable wedding and by such a
decree of the Most High, would not celebrate the
happiness of his soul, flesh and blood? But he used to
say: "A severe preparation is required for a great
appointment". And with sparing use of words and food,
because he had always practised all other continence, he
spent that time working and praying, because I believe
that every hammer-stroke, every chisel-mark became a
prayer, if it is possible to pray working. His face was
enraptured. I used to go to tidy up the house, to bleach
sheets and all other things left by Your mother and
which had yellowed with age, and I used to watch him
working in the kitchen garden and in the house, making
them as beautiful as if they had never been neglected,
and I used to speak to him, too… but he was engrossed
in thought. He used to smile. Not at me or at anybody
else, but at a thought of his, that was not the thought of
every man about to get married. That is a smile of
mischievous sensual pleasure… He… seemed to smile at
the invisible angels of God, and to speak to them and to
consult with them… Oh! I am sure they told him how to
treat You! Because later - and this amazed everybody in
Nazareth and almost irritated my Alphaeus - he put off
the wedding as long as possible, and we never
understood why he suddenly made up his mind before
the fixed time. And also when we heard You were a
mother, how surprised was Nazareth at his contained
joy!… Also my James is somewhat like that. And he is
becoming so more and more. Now that I watch him
carefully - I don't know why, but since we came from
46
Ephraim he seems to have changed completely - I see
him thus… just like Joseph. Look at him even now,
Mary, now that he turns round again to look at us. Does
he not have the pensive attitude so habitual to Your
spouse Joseph? He smiles, but I do not know whether his
smile is a sad or vague one. He looks, but he seems to be
looking far away, beyond us, as Joseph did so often. Do
You remember how Alphaeus used to tease him? He
used to say: "Brother, are you still looking at the
pyramids?". He would shake his head without speaking,
patient and engrossed in thought. He was never talkative.
But when You came back from Hebron! He did not even
come to the fountain by himself any longer, as he used to
do and as everybody does. He was either with You or at
his work. And with the exception of the Sabbaths, when
he went to the synagogue, or when he went somewhere
on business, no one can say that they saw Joseph
loitering about during those months. Then you went
away… How distressing it was to have no news of you
after the slaughter! Alphaeus went as far as Bethlehem…
"They went away" they said. But how could we believe
them, if they had a mortal hatred of you in town, where
the innocent blood was still red and the ruins were still
smoking and they blamed you for the blood that had
been shed? He went to Hebron and then to the Temple,
because it was Zacharias' turn. Elizabeth gave him
nothing but her tears, Zacharias only words of comfort.
They were both worried about John and fearing fresh
cruelties, they had hidden him and trembled for him.
They had no news of you and Zacharias said to
Alphaeus: "If they are dead, their blood is on me,
because I convinced them to remain in Bethlehem". My
Mary! My Jesus so beautiful at the Passover after His
birth! And to have no news of You for such a long time!
But why never any news?… »
« Because it was better to be silent. Where we were,
there were many Maries and Josephs, and it was wise to
be considered as a normal married couple » Mary replies
quietly, then with a sigh She says: « And even in their
sadness they were happy days. Evil was still so far
away! If as human beings we lacked so many things, our
spirits were sated with the joy of having You, My Son! »
« You have Your Son even now, Mary. Joseph is no
longer with You, that is true! But Jesus is here and with
His full love of an adult » remarks Mary of Alphaeus.
Mary raises Her head to look at Jesus. Although Her lips
smile faintly, Her eyes reveal Her torture. But She does
not utter another word.
The apostles have stopped waiting for them and they all
gather together, including James and John who were
behind with their mother. And while they rest after their
long walk and some eat a little bread, the mother of
James and John approaches Jesus Who has not sat down,
anxious as He is to set out again, and she prostrates
herself before Him.
Bartholomew does not speak, but his countenance
As her desire to ask for something is obvious, Jesus asks evidences his disapproval.
her: « What do you want, woman? Tell Me. »
In order to calm everybody's indignation, Simon Zealot
« Grant me a grace before You go away, as You say. » says: « We can all make mistakes… »
« Which? » Matthew, Andrew and James of Alphaeus do not say
anything, but they are clearly suffering because of the
« Arrange for these two sons of mine, who have left
incident that injures John's beautiful perfection.
everything for Your sake, to sit one at Your right hand
and the other at Your left, when You will be sitting in Jesus makes a gesture to impose silence and says:
Your glory, in Your Kingdom. » « What? Is one error going to bring about many? You,
who are reproaching with indignation, do you not realise
Jesus looks at the woman and then at the two apostles
that you are committing a sin as well? Leave these
and He says: « You have suggested this request to your
brothers of yours alone. My rebuke is sufficient. Their
mother, misinterpreting the promises I made yesterday.
humiliation is evident, and their repentance is humble
You will not receive in a kingdom on the Earth the one
and sincere. You must love one another, supporting one
hundredfold of what you have left. So are you becoming
another. Because none of you are yet perfect. You must
greedy and foolish, too? But it is not your fault. The
not imitate the world and the men of the world. In the
mephitic twilight of darkness is already advancing and
world, as you are aware, princes lord over their nations
the polluted air of Jerusalem is approaching and is
and their great men exert their power in the names of the
corrupting and blinding you… I tell you that you do not
princes. But that must not happen among you. You must
know what you are asking! Carl you drink of the cup
not be eager to lord over men and your companions. On
that I am going to drink? »
the contrary, anyone who wants to be great among you,
« We can, Lord. » must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first
among you, must be everybody's servant. Exactly as
« How can you say so if you have not understood the
your Master did. Did I come to lord over People and
bitterness of My cup? It will not be only the
oppress them? Or to be served? Certainly not. I came to
bitterness that I described to you yesterday, the
serve. Thus, as the Son of man did not come to be
bitterness of the Man of all sorrows. There will be
served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for
tortures that you would not be in a position to
many, you must do likewise, if you want to be as I am
understand even if I should describe them to you…
and where I am. Go now. And be at peace with one
And yet, yes, although you are still like two boys who
another as I am at peace with you. »
do not know the value of what they ask, as you are
--------------------
two just spirits who love Me, you will certainly drink
of My cup. But it is not for Me to grant you to sit at Jesus says to me:
My right or at My left. It is granted to those for
« Make the following sentence very clear: "… you will
whom it was prepared by My Father. »
certainly drink of My chalice". In translations you read:
The other apostles, while Jesus is still speaking, are very "My chalice". I said: "of My chalice", not "My chalice".
sharp in criticising the request of the sons of Zebedee No man could have drunk My chalice. I alone, the
and of their mother. Redeemer, had to drink all My chalice. My disciples, My
Peter says to John: « How could you?! I no longer imitators and lovers, are certainly allowed to drink of
recognise you for what you were! » that chalice from which I drank, with regard to that drop,
sip or sips, that God's predilection grants them to drink.
And the Iscariot with his demoniac smile says: « Truly But no one will ever drink all the chalice as I did. So it is
the first are the last! Surprises and discoveries right to say "of My chalice" and not "My chalice". »
nowadays… » and he laughs on the wrong side of his
mouth.
« Have we perhaps followed our Master to be
honoured? » asks Philip reproachingly.
Instead of replying to the two apostles, Thomas
addresses Salome saying: « Why did you have your sons
mortified? You should have pondered on the matter and
prevented all that, if they did not. »
Thursday after the Second Sunday in Lent
« That is true. Our mother would not have done that »
says Thaddeus.
47
191. The Parable of Rich Dives.
...
And now that we have separated the needs of the body
from those of the soul, by an act of love for the boy,
listen to the parable that I have thought out for you.
There was once a very rich man. He wore the most
beautiful garments, and in his purple and byssus clothes
he used to strut about in squares and at home, respected
by his citizens as the most powerful man in the country,
and by his friends, who gratified his pride to gain
benefits thereby. They feasted every day in his halls,
where the multitude of his guests, all rich and none
therefore needy, crowded flattering Dives. His banquets
were famous for the copiousness of food and of choice
wines.
In the same town there lived a beggar, a great beggar. He
was great in his misery as the other was great in his
wealth. But under the crust of the human misery of
Lazarus, the beggar, there was hidden a treasure, which
was even greater than Lazarus' misery and Dives' wealth.
And it was Lazarus' true holiness. He had never
infringed the Law, not even when urged by need, and
above all he had complied with the precept of love for
God and for his neighbour. He, as is wont with poor
people, used to go near the doors of rich people to ask
for alms, so that he would not starve to death. And every
evening he would go to Dives' house, hoping to receive
at least the crumbs of the pompous banquets which took
place in the magnificent halls. He would lie in the street,
near the door, and wait patiently.
But if Dives noticed him, he would have him driven
away because that underfed body, covered with sores
and ragged clothes, was too sad a sight for his guests.
That is what Dives used to say. In actual fact, it was
because the sight of so much misery and goodness was a
continuous reproach to him. His well fed dogs, adorned
with precious collars, were more pitiful than he was and
they used to go near poor Lazarus and lick his sores,
showing their great joy at being caressed by him. They
even took the remnants of the bountiful tables to him, so
that Lazarus survived malnutrition thanks to animals. If
he had relied on man he would have died, because man
did not even allow him to enter the halls, after the
banquet, to pick up the crumbs which had fallen from
the tables.
One day Lazarus died. No one on earth noticed it, no one
mourned him. Nay, Dives rejoiced not seeing on that day
or afterwards that misery which he called a "disgrace"
near his door. But the angels noticed it in Heaven. And
when he was about to breathe his last in his cold barren
cave, the celestial cohorts were present and in a bright
dazzling light they picked up his soul and singing
hosannas they took it to the bosom of Abraham.
48
Some time went by and Dives died. Oh! What a grand
funeral! The whole town, already aware of his agony,
crowded in the square, where his abode was, some to be
noticed as friends of the great man, some out of
curiosity, some to gain favour with the heirs, and they all
joined in the mourning, and their cries rose to the sky
and with their cries also the false praises of the "great,
just benefactor" who had died.
Can the word of man change God's judgement? Can
human apology cancel what is written in the book of
Life? No, it cannot. What has been judged is judged and
what has been written is written. And notwithstanding
the grand funeral, the soul of Dives was buried in hell.
Then, in that horrible jail, eating and drinking fire and
darkness, finding hatred and torture everywhere and in
every moment of eternity, he raised his eyes to heaven.
He raised his eyes to heaven which he saw in the
brightness of lightning, in the fraction of a second, and
the indescribable beauty of heaven remained present in
his mind and tormented him in the midst of atrocious
tortures. And he saw Abraham up there. Far, but bright,
happy… and in his lap, bright and happy there was also
Lazarus, poor Lazarus, once miserable, despised,
revolting… and now? He was handsome in the light of
God and of his holiness, full of God's love, admired not
by men but by the angels of God.
Dives weeping cried: "Father Abraham, have mercy on
me! Send Lazarus, as I cannot possibly hope that you
will do it yourself, send Lazarus to dip the tip of his
finger in water and touch my tongue with it, to cool it,
for I am in agony in these flames which pierce me
continuously and bum me!".
Abraham replied: "Remember, son, that you had all good
things during your life, whereas Lazarus had all bad
things. But he turned evil into good, whereas you did
nothing but evil of all the good things. It is therefore just
that now he should be comforted here and that you
should suffer. In any case it is not possible to do it. Holy
people are spread over the earth so that men may take
advantage of them. But if notwithstanding all the
opportunities, a man remains what he was - in your case:
a demon - it is useless to make recourse to saints. We are
now separated. Herbs are mixed when they are in the
field. But when they are cut, the good ones are separated
from the evil ones. That is what happens to you and to
us. We were together on the earth and you rejected and
tortured us in every possible way, you forgot us, acting
against the law of charity. We are now divided. There is
an abyss between you and us, and those who wish to
cross it and come to you, cannot do it, neither can you,
where you are, cross the dreadful abyss and come to us".
Dives, crying more loudly shouted: "Holy father, at least
please send Lazarus to my father's house. I have five
brothers. I have never understood what love is, not even
among relatives. But now I understand what a terrible
thing it is not to be loved. And since where I am there is
hatred, in the fraction of a second, when my soul saw
God, I understood what Love is. I do not want my
brothers to suffer the pains which I am suffering. I am
terrified because they are leading the same life as I did.
Oh! send Lazarus to tell them where I am, and why I am
here, and let them know that hell does exist, and it is
dreadful, and that those who do not love God and their
neighbour come to hell. Send him! So that they may
provide in good time, and may not come here, to this
place of eternal torture".
But Abraham replied: "Your brothers have Moses and
the Prophets. They should listen to them".
And with a deep groan of a tormented soul Dives
replied: "Oh! Father Abraham! They will be more
impressed by a dead person… Listen to me! Have
mercy!".
But Abraham said: "If they have not listened to Moses
and the Prophets, they will not believe either one who
has risen from the dead for one hour to speak words of
Truth to them. In any case it is not fair that a blessed
soul should leave my bosom to go and be insulted by the
sons of the Enemy. The time of insults is over for such
souls. They are now in peace by the order of God Who
sees that it is useless to endeavour to convert those who
do not even believe in the word of God and do not
practice it".
That is the parable and its meaning is so clear that no
clarification is required.
Friday after Second Sunday of Matt 21:33-46
Lent
590. The Monday before Passover. The Cursed Fig-
Tree and the Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen.
...
Some houses of peasants are scattered along the slopes,
and almost at the bottom, near the water of the torrent, a
ruffled figtree dangles over the stream. Jesus turns His
steps towards it and He searches among the large thick
leaves to see whether there are any ripe figs. But the fig-
tree is nothing but leaves, many useless leaves, but there
is not one fruit on its branches.
« You are like many hearts in Israel. You are neither
kind nor pitiful to the Son of man. May you never bear
fruit again and may no one ever eat of your fruit in
future » says Jesus.
The apostles look at one another. They are surprised at
Jesus' anger at the barren tree, which is probably a wild
49
one. But they do not say anything. Only later, after
crossing the Kidron, Peter asks Him: « Where did You
eat? »
« Nowhere. »
« Oh! Then You are hungry! There is a shepherd over
there pasturing some goats. I will go and ask for some
milk for You. I will not be long » and he strides away
and comes back cautiously with an old bowl full of milk.
Jesus drinks it and with a caress He hands the bowl back
to the young shepherd who had come with Peter…
They enter into the town and go up to the Temple and,
after worshipping the Lord, Jesus goes back to the court
where the rabbis teach.
People crowd round Him, and a mother, who has come
from Cintium, shows Him her little boy whom a disease,
I think, has made blind. His eyes are white, as if he had a
large cataract over his pupil or a leucoma. Jesus cures
him touching his eyes lightly with His fingers. And He
immediately begins to speak:
« A man bought a piece of ground and planted a
vineyard in it, he built a house for the husbandman, a
tower for the caretakers, wine-cellars and places where
to press the grapes, and he leased it to tenants whom he
trusted. Then he went abroad. When the time came that
the vineyard could bear fruit, as the vines had grown to
the extent of being fruit-bearing, the owner of the
vineyard sent his servants to the tenants to collect the
profit of the harvest. But the tenants surrounded the
servants and they beat some, they stoned some with
heavy stones wounding them seriously, and they killed
some of them. Those who had survived and had gone
back to the landowner, told him what had happened to
them. The owner cured and comforted them and sent
more servants, this time a larger number. And the
tenants dealt with them as they had done with the
previous ones. Then the owner of the vineyard said: "I
will send my son to them. They will certainly respect my
heir". But the tenants, when they saw him come and they
realised that he was the heir, said to one another: "Come.
Let us gather together in a large number. Let us take him
out, to a remote place, and kill him. His inheritance will
be left to us". And, receiving him with hypocritical
honours, they gathered round him as if they wished to
give him a hearty welcome, then, after kissing him, they
tied him, they gave him a good thrashing, and with
endless mocking words they took him to the place of
torture and killed him. Now tell Me. That father and
owner, who one day will realise that his son and heir to
his property is not coming back, and he finds out that his
servant tenants, to whom he had given his land to
cultivate in his name, enjoying a fair share of it and
giving what was fair to their master, are the murderers of
his son, what will he do? » and Jesus' sapphire eyes, as
bright as if they were lit by the sun, flash on the people
present, and particularly on the groups of the more
influential Judaeans, Pharisees and scribes, scattered
among the crowd.
No one speaks.
« So, speak up! At least you, rabbis of Israel. Speak the
word of justice to convince the people to be just. I might
speak a word that is not good, according to your minds.
So I ask you to speak, so that the people may not be led
into error. »
The scribes are compelled to reply and they say: « He
will punish the wicked men with a cruel death and will
give the vineyard to other tenants, so that they may
cultivate it in an honest manner giving him the fruit of
the land entrusted to them. »
« What you said is correct. In the Scriptures it is written:
"The stone rejected by the builders has become the
keystone. This is the work of the Lord and it is
wonderful to see". Therefore, as it is writ ten thus, and
you know, and you rightly judge that those tenants who
killed the son and heir of the owner of the vineyard
should be punished in a cruel manner and the vineyard
should be given to other tenants to be cultivated in an
honest way, well, that is why I say to you: "The
Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and will
be given to people to make it yield fruit. And he who
falls against this stone will break in pieces, and he upon
whom the stone falls, will be crushed". »
The chief priests, the Pharisees and scribes, with a
really… heroic attitude, do not react. So powerful is the
eagerness to reach one's aim! On past occasions they at
least opposed Him, whereas today, when Jesus openly
tells them that their power will be taken away from
them, they do not abuse Him, they do not react violently
against Him, they do not threaten Him, behaving like
false patient lambs, that under the hypocritical
appearance of meekness conceal the unchangeable hearts
of wolves.
Saturday after Second Gen 27:6- Luke 15:11-
Sunday of Lent 40 32
205. The Parable of the Prodigal Son.
...He says: « Come, let us go under that thicket of apple-
trees and gather our companions and the women. I will
speak to everybody, but I will tell you how God loves
you. »
50
They go down, assembling the others as they proceed,
and they all sit down in a circle in the shade of the apple
orchard. Also Lazarus, who was speaking to the Zealot,
joins the company. They are about twenty people in all.
« Listen. It is a beautiful parable that will guide you with
its light in many cases.
A man had two sons. The elder was a serious,
affectionate, obedient worker. The younger was more
intelligent than his brother who was actually somewhat
dull and preferred to be guided rather than tire himself
taking decisions by himself, but he was also rebellious,
absent-minded, fond of luxury, pleasure loving, a
squanderer and idle. Intelligence is a great gift of God.
But it is a gift to be used wisely. Otherwise it is like
certain medicines that, when taken in the wrong way,
kill instead of curing. His father, as it was his right and
duty, used to recall him to a more sensible life. But it
was all in vain, the only result was that he answered
back and became more obstinate in his wicked ideas.
Finally one day, after a fiercer quarrel, the younger son
said: "Give me my part of the estate. So I will no longer
hear your reproaches and my brother's complaints. Let
each have his own and no more about it". "Be careful"
replied the father, "because you will soon be ruined.
What will you do then? Consider that I will not be unfair
to favour you and I will not take a farthing off your
brother to give it to you". "I will not ask you for
anything. You may be sure. Give me my part".
The father had the estate and valuables assessed, and
since money and jewels were worth as much as the real
estate, he gave the elder brother the fields and vineyards,
the herds and olive trees, and the younger one the money
and jewels, which the young man changed immediately
into money. And after doing that in a few days, he went
to a distant country where he lived like a lord,
squandering all his money on a life of debauchery,
making people believe that he was the son of a king,
because he was ashamed to admit that he was a
countryman and thus he disowned his father. Banquets,
friends, women, robes, wines, games… he led a loose
life. He soon saw that his money was coming to an end
and that poverty was in sight. And to make matters
worse, the country experienced a severe famine, which
compelled him to spend his last penny. He would have
liked to go back to his father. But he was proud and
decided not to. So he went to a wealthy man of the
country, a friend of his in his happy days, and he begged
him saying: "Take me among your servants,
remembering the days when you enjoyed my wealth".
See how foolish man is! He prefers the lash of a master
rather than say to his father: "Forgive me. I made a
mistake!". The young man had learned many useless
things with his bright intelligence, but he did not want to
learn the saying of Ecclesiasticus: "How ill-famed is he
who deserts his father and how accursed of the Lord is
whoever angers his mother". He was intelligent, but not
wise.
The man to whom he had applied, in exchange for the
grand time he had enjoyed with the foolish young man,
sent him to look after his pigs, because it was a pagan
country and there were many pigs. So he was sent to
pasture the herds of pigs in the farm. Filthy, in rags,
stinking and starving - food in fact was scarce for all the
servants and particularly for the lowest ones and he, a
foreign ridiculed herdsman of pigs was considered such -
he saw the pigs glut themselves with acorns and sighed:
"I wish I could fill my stomach with this fruit! But they
are too bitter! Not even starvation can make them
palatable". And he wept remembering the sumptuous
banquets when he acted the "grand seigneur" only a
short while before, laughing, singing, dancing… and
then he would think of the honest substantial meals at his
far away home, of the portions his father used to make
impartially for everybody, keeping for himself the
smallest one, happy to see the healthy appetite of his
sons… and he remembered the helpings his just father
gave the servants and he sighed: "My father's servants,
even the lowest, have plenty bread… and I am dying
here of starvation… A long meditation, a long struggle
to subdue his pride…
At last the day came, when his humility and wisdom
revived and he got up and said: "I will go back to my
father! This pride of mine is silly, as it deprives me of
my freedom. And why? Why should I suffer in my body
and even more in my heart when I can be forgiven and
receive comfort? I will go back to my father. That is
settled. And what shall I say to him? What has matured
in my heart here, in this abjection, in this filth, suffering
the pangs of hunger! I will say to him: 'Father, I have
sinned against Heaven and against you, I am no longer
worthy of being called your son; treat me therefore as
the least of your servants, but bear me to stay under your
roof. That I may see you moving about… ' I cannot say
to him: '… because I love you'. He would not believe
me. But my behaviour will tell him and he will
understand and before dying he will bless me once
again… Oh! I hope so. Because my father loves me".
And when he went back to town in the evening he gave
up his job and begging along the way he went back
home. And he saw his father's fields… and the house…
and his father superintending the work… he was old,
emaciated by grief but always kind and good… The
guilty son seeing that ruin caused by him stopped
frightened… but the father, looking round, saw him and
ran to meet him, because he was still far away. And
when he reached him, he threw his arms round his neck
and kissed him. Only the father had recognised his son
in the dejected beggar and he was the only one to be
moved with love.
51
The son, clasped in his father's arms, with his head
resting on his father's shoulder, whispered sobbing:
"Father, let me throw myself at your feet". "No, son! Not
at my feet. Rest on my heart, which has suffered so
much because of your absence, and now needs to revive
feeling your warmth on my chest". And the son, crying
louder, said: "Oh! father! I have sinned against Heaven
and against you, I am no longer worthy to be called son
by you. But allow me to live among your servants, under
your roof, seeing you, eating your bread, serving you,
and you will be the breath of my life. Every time I take a
morsel of bread, every time you breathe, my heart,
which is so corrupt, will change and I will become
honest… "
But the father, embracing him all the time, led him
towards the servants, who had gathered together
watching in the distance and he said to them: "Quick,
bring here the best robe, and basins of scented water, and
wash him, spray him with scents, clothe him, put new
sandals on his feet and a ring on his finger. Bring a
fattened calf and kill it. And prepare a banquet. Because
this son of mine was dead and has come back to life, he
was lost and has been found. Now I want him to find
once again the innocent love of a child, and my love and
the celebration of the household for his return must give
it to him. He must realise that he is always my dear last-
born child, as he was in his childhood a long time ago,
when he used to toddle beside me making me happy
with his smile and his prattling". And the servants did so.
The elder son was out in the country and he did not
know anything until his return. Coming towards the
house in the evening, he saw that it was brightly lighted
and he heard the sound of instruments and dancing
coming from it. He called a servant who was bustling
about and asked him: "What is happening?". And the
servant replied: "Your brother has come back! Your
father had the fattened calf killed because his son has
come back to him safe and cured of his wickedness and
he ordered a celebration. They are only waiting for you
to start". But the first-born was angry because he thought
that such a feast for his younger brother was unfair, as he
was not only younger, but had been also wicked. And he
did not want to go in, on the contrary he was about to
walk away from the house.
But the father, informed of the situation, ran out and
reached him and endeavoured to convince him, begging
him not to spoil his joy. The elder brother replied to his
father: "And you expect me not to be upset? You are
unfair to your first-born and you hold him in contempt. I
have served you since I was able to work, and I have
done that for many years. I have never disobeyed an
order of yours, not even a simple desire. I have always
been near you, and I have loved you for two, to make
you recover from the wound inflicted on you by my
brother. And you have not given me even a lamb to have
a feast with my friends. You are now honouring my
brother and you have killed the best calf for him, who
offended and abandoned you, and has been a lazy
spendthrift, and has now come back because he was
driven by starvation. It is really worth while being a hard
honest worker! You should not have done that to me".
The father then, clasping him to his heart, said: "Son!
Can you believe that I do not love you, because I do not
celebrate your behaviour? Your deeds are holy by
themselves, and the world praises you because of them.
Your brother, instead, needs to be rehabilitated both in
the eyes of the world and in his own. And do you think
that I do not love you because I give you no visible
prize? But day and night, in every moment of my life,
you are present to my heart, and I bless you every
moment. You have the continuous reward of being
always with me, and what is mine is yours. But it was
fair to have a feast, a celebration for your brother who
was dead and has come back to good life, was lost and
has come back to our love". And the first-born yielded to
his father's desire.
And that, My friends, is what happens in the House of
the Father. And whoever feels that he is like the younger
son of the parable, must believe that if he imitates him in
going to the Father, the Father will say to him: "Not at
My feet. But rest on My heart, which has suffered
because of your absence and is now happy because you
have come back". Who is in the situation of the first-
born and without any fault against the Father, must not
be jealous of the Father's joy, but must take part in it and
love the redeemed brother.
Third Sunday in Lent Luke 11:14-28
52
268. The Dispute with the Pharisees and the Arrival of
Jesus' Mother and Brothers.
...
Jesus enters the house, He greets Judas who seems to be
busy sorting out the kitchenware, and He then goes
straight to a kind of low dark store-room beside the
oven.
« Get the sick man to come out » orders Jesus.
A Pharisee, who is not from Capernaum, but whose
standoffishness is even worse than that of the local
Pharisees, says: « He is not sick, he is possessed. »
« That is still a disease of the spirit… »
« But his eyes and tongue are bound… »
« It is always a disease of the spirit that expands to limbs
and organs. If you had allowed Me to finish you would
have realised that that is what I wanted to say. Fever is
in the blood when one is ill, but after the blood it attacks
this or that part of the body. »
The Pharisee does not know what to retort and becomes
silent.
The possessed man has been led before Jesus. He is
motionless. Matthew was quite right. He is greatly
impeded by the demon.
People are gathering in the meantime. It is incredible
how, particularly during the hours that I would call of
relaxation, people were so quick in gathering where
there was something to be seen. The notables of
Capernaum are now there, and among them there are
four Pharisees, Jairus is also there, and, in a comer, with
the excuse of supervising order, there is the Roman
Centurion, and citizens from other towns are with him.
« In the name of God, depart from the eyes and the
tongue of this man! I want it! Set him free! You are no
longer permitted to have him. Go away! » shouts Jesus
stretching out His hands while giving the order.
The miracle begins with a howl of rage from the demon
and ends with a cry of joy of the cured man who shouts:
« Son of David! Son of David! Holy and King! »
« How can this man know that it was He Who cured
him? » asks a scribe.
« It's all a farce! These people are paid to do that! » says
a Pharisee shrugging his shoulders.
« By whom? If you do not mind me asking you » asks
Jairus.
« By you, too. »
« And for what purpose? »
« To make Capernaum famous. »
« Do not mortify your intelligence by talking nonsense
and your tongue by making it foul with lies. You know
that it is not true, and you ought to realise that you are
talking nonsense. What has happened here has happened
in many parts of Israel. So there must be someone
paying everywhere? I did not really know that the
common people in Israel were very rich! Because you,
and with you all the mighty ones, do not certainly pay
for that. So it is the common people who pay, being the
only ones who love the Master. »
« You are the head of the synagogue and you love Him.
There is Manaen. At Bethany there is Lazarus of
Theophilus. They are not common people. »
« But they are honest, and I am honest, too. And we do
not cheat anybody, in no way. Much less in matters of
faith. We do not take the liberty of doing that, because
we fear God and we have understood what is pleasant to
God: honesty. »
The Pharisees turn their back to Jairus and they attack
the relatives of the cured man: « Who told you to come
here? »
« Who? Many people, who had already been cured, or
their relatives. »
« But what did they give you? »
« Give? The assurance that He would cure him. »
« Was he really ill? »
« Oh! Sly minds! Do you think that all this is feigned? If
you do not believe it, go to Gadara and inquire about the
misfortune of the family of Anna of Ismael. »
The irritated people of Capernaum are in tumult, while
some Galileans, who have come from near Nazareth say:
« And yet He is the son of Joseph, the carpenter! »
The citizens of Capernaum, being faithful to Jesus,
shout: « No. He is what He said and what the cured man
has just said: "Son of God and Son of David". »
« Do not increase the excitement of the population with
your statements! » says a scribe contemptuously.
« And what is He, then, according to you? »
« A Beelzebub! »
« Ugh! Tongues of vipers. Blasphemers! You are
possessed! Heartless men! You are our ruin. Do you
want to deprive us also of the joy of the Messiah?
Usurers! Arid stones! » A real uproar!
Jesus, Who had gone into the kitchen to drink some
water, appears on the threshold in time to hear once
again the stale stupid accusation of the Pharisees: « He is
a Beelzebub because demons obey Him. The great
Beelzebub, who is His father, helps Him and He drives
53
out demons only through the assistance of Beelzebub,
the prince of demons. »
Jesus descends the two little steps of the threshold and
comes forward. He stops erect, severe and calm in front
of the group of scribes and Pharisees and staring at them
with keen eyes He says to them:
« Also on the earth we see that a kingdom divided into
opposed parties becomes weak internally and can be
easily attacked and laid waste by nearby countries that
make it their slave. Also on the earth we see that a town
divided into conflicting parts does not flourish and the
same applies to a family, the members of which are
divided by mutual hatred. It falls to pieces and becomes
a useless nibble, which is of no use to anybody, and the
laughing stock of fellow citizens. Harmony is
shrewdness besides being necessary. Because it keeps
people independent, strong and loving. Patriots, citizens,
relatives ought to ponder on that when for the caprice of
an individual advantage they are tempted to have
separations or commit abuses, which are always
dangerous because they are alternative in parties and
they destroy love. And such shrewdness is practised by
those who are the masters of the world. Consider Rome
in its undeniable power, so painful to us. Rome rules the
world. But they are united by one mind and one will: "to
rule". Even amongst them there must be differences,
aversions, rebellions. But they lie at the bottom. On the
surface they are one block, without cracks or
perturbations. They all want the same thing and they are
successful because of that. And they will be successful
as long as they want the same thing.
Consider that example of human cohesive shrewdness
and say: if the children of this world are like that, what
will Satan be like? The Romans are demons, as far as we
are concerned. But their heathen satanism is nothing
compared to the perfect satanism of Satan and his
demons. In their eternal kingdom, without time, without
end, with no limits to cunning and wickedness, where
they rejoice in being detrimental to God and men, and to
be harmful is their very life and their only cruel painful
enjoyment, they have attained with cursed perfection the
fusion of their spirits in one will: "to be harmful". Now
if, as you state, to insinuate doubt about My power,
Satan is the one who helps Me because I am a minor
Beelzebub, does it not follow that Satan is divided
against himself and his demons, if he drives them out of
the people possessed by him? And if he is at variance
with his followers, can his kingdom last? No, it is not so.
Satan is very shrewd and does not damage himself in the
hearts of men. The aim of his life is "to steal - to damage
- to lie - to offend - to upset". To steal the souls of God
and the peace of men. To damage the children of the
Father grieving Him. To lie in order to mislead. To
offend in order to rejoice. To upset because he is
disorder and cannot change. He is eternal in his being against the Spirit will not be forgiven. He who has
and in his methods. spoken against the Son of man will still be forgiven,
because the weight of the flesh enveloping My Person
But answer this question: if I drive out demons in the
and the man who speaks against Me, can still mislead.
name of Beelzebub, in whose name do your sons drive
But he who has spoken against the Holy Spirit will not
them out? Are you willing to admit that they are
be forgiven, either in this or in future life, because the
Beelzebub as well? If you say that, they will consider
Truth is what it is: clear, holy, undeniable and
you slanderers. And if their holiness is such that they
manifested to the spirit in such a way that it cannot
will not react to your accusation, you will condemn
mislead. Only those err who deliberately want to err. To
yourselves confessing that you think that you have many
deny the Truth spoken by the Holy Spirit is to deny the
demons in Israel, and God will judge you in the name of
Word of God and the Love given by that word for the
the children of Israel accused by you of being demons.
sake of men. And the sin against Love is not forgiven.
Therefore whoever may pass judgement, in actual fact
they will be your judges, where judgement is not Every tree bears its fruit. You bear yours, but your fruit
suborned by human pressure. is not good. If you give a good tree to have it planted in
the orchard, it will give good fruit; but if you give a bad
If, instead, as it is true, I expel demons through the Spirit
tree, the fruit it will yield will be bad and everybody will
of God, that would be evidence that the Kingdom of God
say: "This is not a good tree". Because a tree is known
and the King of that Kingdom have come to you. Which
by its fruit. And how can you think that you are able to
King has such power that no adverse force can resist
speak well, since you are bad? Because a mouth speaks
Him. Thus I bind and compel the usurpers of the
of what fills its heart. Because it is out of the
children of My Kingdom to depart from the place they
superabundance of what is within us, that we act and
have occupied and give Me back the prey so that I may
speak. A good man takes good things out of his good
take possession of it. Is that not what is done by one who
treasure; a wicked man takes wicked things out of his
wants to enter a house inhabited by a powerful man, to
evil one and he speaks and behaves according to what is
take his property, rightly or wrongly acquired? It is. He
within him.
enters and ties him, and then he can plunder the house. I
tie the dark angel who has taken what is Mine, and I take I tell you solemnly that idleness is sinful. But it is better
away from him the good property he has stolen of Me. to be idle than accomplish wicked deeds. And I also tell
And I am the only one who can do it, because I alone am you that it is better to be silent than speak idly and
the Strong One, the Father of the future century, the wickedly. Even if to be silent is to be idle, do that rather
Prince of Peace. » than sin with your tongues. I assure you that on
Doomsday justification will be requested for every word
« Clarify for us what You mean by saying: "Father of the
spoken idly to men, and that men will be justified by the
future century". Do You think that You will live until the
words they have spoken, and by their words they will be
new century and, still more foolishly, do You think that
condemned. Be careful, therefore, because you speak
You, a poor man, will create time? Time belongs to
many words that are more than idle, as they are not only
God » asks a scribe.
idle but also harmful, and are spoken to drive hearts
« And are you, a scribe, asking Me? Do you not know away from the Truth speaking to you. »
that there will be a century that will have a beginning but
The Pharisees and scribes consult one another and
no end, and that it will be Mine? I shall triumph in it
afterwards, pretending to be kind, they ask: « Master, it
gathering round Me its children and they will live for
is easier to believe what one sees. Give us, therefore, a
ever like the century that I shall have created and I am
sign so that we may believe that You are what You say
already creating it, giving the spirit its true value above
You are. »
the flesh, the world, and above the infernal angels whom
I expel because I can do everything. That is why I say « You can see that there is in you the sin against the
that those who are not with Me are against Me, and those Holy Spirit, Who several times has pointed Me out to
who do not gather with Me, scatter. Because I am He you as the Word Incarnate. Word and Saviour, Who has
Who I am. And he who does not believe that, which was come in the predicted time, preceded and followed by
already prophesied, sins against the Holy Spirit, Whose the signs prophesied, and operating what the Spirit
word was announced by the prophets, and it is neither says. »
false nor wrong, and must be believed without
They reply: « We believe in the Spirit, but how can we
resistance.
believe in You unless we see a sign with our own
And I tell you: men will be forgiven everything, all their eyes? »
sins and their blasphemy. Because God knows that man
« How can you believe in the Spirit Whose actions are
is not only spirit, but also flesh and his flesh, when
spiritual, if you do not believe in Mine that are
tempted, is subject to sudden weakness. But blasphemy
perceptible by your eyes? My life is full of them. Are
54
they not enough? No, they are not. I say so Myself. They
are not enough. One sign only will be given to this
adulterous wicked generation that seeks a sign: that of
the prophet Jonah. In fact as Jonah was in the belly of
the whale for three days, so the Son of man will be for
three days in the bowels of the earth. I tell you solemnly
that the Ninevites will rise on the Day of Judgement like
all men, and they will rebel against this generation and
condemn it. Because they did penance upon Jonah's
preaching, but you do not. And there is One here who is
greater than Jonah. And so the Queen of the South will
rise and stand up against you and will condemn you,
because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the
wisdom of Solomon. And there is One greater than
Solomon here. »
« Why do you say that this generation is adulterous and
wicked? It is not any worse than the others. There are the
same saints in it as in the others. The structure of Israel
has not changed. You offend us. »
« You offend yourselves by injuring your souls, because
you remove them from the Truth, and therefore from
Salvation. But I will reply to you just the same. This
generation is holy only in garments and outward
appearance. It is not holy inwardly. There are in Israel
the same names meaning the same things. But there is no
reality of things. There are the same habits, garments and
rites. But their spirit is missing. You are adulterers
because you rejected the supernatural marriage with the
Divine Law and you have married, in a second
adulterous union, the law of Satan. You are circumcised
only in a frail member. Your hearts are no longer
circumcised. And you are wicked because you have sold
yourselves to the Evil one. I have spoken. »
« You offend us too grievously. But, if it is so, why do
You not free Israel from its demon so that it may
become holy? »
« Is Israel willing to do that? No. Those poor people who
come here to be freed from the demon are willing,
because they feel it like a burden and a shame. But you
do not feel that. And you would be freed quite uselessly,
because as you are not anxious to be relieved, you would
be caught again at once and in a stronger way. Because
when an unclean spirit goes out of a man it wanders
through arid country looking for a place to rest and
cannot find one. The country is not materially arid, mind
you. It is arid because it is hostile to him as it will not
receive him, just as arid soil is hostile to seed. He then
says: "I will go back to the house from which I was
expelled by force and against his will. And I am sure that
he will welcome me and let me rest". In fact he goes
back to the one he possessed, and many times finds him
willing to welcome him, because I solemnly tell you that
man feels nostalgia more for Satan than for God and if
Satan does not oppress his body, he does not complain
of being possessed. He thus goes back and finds the
55
house empty, swept, tidied, smelling of purity. He then
goes off and collects seven other spirits, because he does
not want to lose it again, and with these seven spirits
more evil than himself he enters the house and they all
settle in there. And the present state of a man who was
converted once and is perverted a second time is worse
than it was before. Because the demon now knows
exactly how much that man loves Satan and is ungrateful
to God, and also because God will not go back where
they tread on His graces, and where people, after the first
experience of possession, open their arms to a greater
one. A relapse into satanism is worse than a relapse into
lethal phthisis already cured once. It cannot improve or
recover. The same will apply to this generation, which
although converted by the Baptist wanted to return to sin
because it loves the Evil one and does not love Me. »
...287.
Blood also calls for love for those from whom we
originate, as we can see in that colt that is now running
braying towards its mother which is coming from the
market. It was playing in the herd, it saw its mother, it
remembers it was fed by her and licked with loving care,
defended and warmed by its mother, and see? It rubs her
neck with its tender nostrils and jumps joyfully rubbing
its young crupper against the sides that carried it. It is a
duty and a pleasure to love one's parents. And there is no
animal which does not love the mother which gave birth
to it. What? Will man be more vile than worms living in
mud?
A morally good man does not kill. He has a strong
dislike of Violence. He feels that it is not lawful to take
anybody's life, and that God only, Who gave it, has the
right to take it. He abhors homicide.
Likewise, he who is morally sound does not take
advantage of other people's property. He prefers to eat
plain bread with a clear conscience near a silvery
fountain, rather than have a rich roast which is the fruit
of a theft. He prefers to sleep on the ground with his
head on a stone and friendly stars above him, pouring
peace and comfort on his honest conscience, rather than
toss about in a stolen bed.
And if he is morally sound, he is not eager for more
women, which are not his, and he will not cowardly
disgrace the nuptial bed of his neighbour. And he will
consider his friend's wife as a sister and will not cast
lustful glances at her, as no one does at a sister.
A man with a righteous soul, even if only naturally
righteous, with no other knowledge of Good but what
comes to him from his honest conscience, will never
take the liberty of giving false witness, as he would
consider that the same as homicide and theft, which it is.
But his lips are as honest as his heart, and his glances are
honest, so he does not desire his neighbour's wife. He
does not crave for anything, as he knows that that is the
first incentive to sin. And he is not envious. Because he
is good. A good man is never envious. He is happy in his
lot.
Do you think that this law is so exacting as to be
impracticable? Do not wrong yourselves! I am sure that
you will not do that. And if you do not, you will
establish the Kingdom of God within yourselves and in
your town. And you will be happily joined one day to
those whom you loved and who like you have gained the
eternal Kingdom in the everlasting joy of Heaven.
But we have within us passions, which are like citizens
closed within the circle of town walls. It is necessary for
all the passions of men to want the same thing: that is,
holiness. Otherwise some will tend to Heaven in vain, if
others leave the doors unguarded and let the seducer
enter or counteract the actions of part of the spiritual
citizens through disputes or laziness, making the interior
part of the town perish and abandoning it to nettles,
poison, couchgrass, snakes, scorpions, mice and jackals,
and owls, that is, to wicked passions and to Satan's
angels. You must be unceasingly vigilant, like sentries
placed at the walls, to prevent the Evil one from entering
where we want to build the Kingdom of God.
I solemnly tell you that as long as the strong man
watches in arms the hall of his house, he is sure of
everything which is in it. But if one stronger than he is
comes, or if he leaves the door unguarded, then the
stronger man will defeat him and disarm him, and when
he is deprived of the weapons on which he relied, he
loses heart and surrenders and the stronger man makes
him a prisoner and takes his spoils. But if man lives in
God, through loyalty to the Law and justice practised
holily, God is with him, I am with him, and no harm can
befall him. Union with God is the weapon which no
strong man can overcome. Union with Me is certainty of
victory and of abundance of eternal virtues through
which he will be given an eternal seat in the Kingdom of
God. But he who turns his back on Me or becomes My
enemy, rejects thereby the weapons and certainty of My
Word. He who rejects the Word, rejects God. He who
rejects God invokes Satan. He who invokes Satan
destroys what he had to conquer the Kingdom.
Therefore, he who is not with Me is against Me. And he
who does not cultivate what I have sown, will reap what
the Enemy has sown. He who does not harvest with Me,
dissipates and will be poor and nude when he comes to
the Supreme Judge, Who will send him to the master to
whom he sold himself by preferring Beelzebub to Christ.
Citizens of Gerasa: build the Kingdom of God within
yourselves and in your town. »
The trilling voice of a woman is clearly heard like the
song of a skylark above the whispering of the admiring
crowd, and it sings a new beatitude, that is the glory of
56
Mary: « Blessed be the womb that bore You and the
breast that suckled You. »
Jesus turns towards the woman who extolled His Mother
admiring Her Son. He smiles, because He is pleased
with the praise for His Mother. But He then says: « More
blessed are those who listen to the word of God and
practise it. Do that, woman. »
He then blesses the crowds and goes towards the
country, followed by the apostles who ask Him: « Why
did You say that? »
« Because I tell you solemnly that in Heaven they do not
use the same measure as is used on the earth. And My
Mother will be blessed not so much because of Her
immaculate soul as for listening to the word of God and
practising it through obedience. It was a prodigy of the
Creator "that Mary's soul was immaculate". And He is to
be praised for that. But the "let what you have said be
done to Me" is a prodigy of My Mother. Her merit
therefore is great. So great that the Saviour of the world
came only because of Her capability of listening to God,
speaking through Gabriel's lips, and because of Her will
to practise the word of God, without weighing the
difficulties and the immediate and future sorrows
connected with Her assent. You can thus see that She is
My blessed Mother not only because She bore and
suckled Me, but because She listened to the word of God
and practised it through obedience. But let us go home
now. My Mother knew that I was going to be out for a
short while and She may be worried because of My
delay. We are in a half-pagan country. But in actual fact
it is better than others. But let us go. And let us go round
the walls to avoid the crowds which Would keep Me
back. Come down quick behind this thicket... »
Monday after Third Luke 4:23-30
Sunday of Lent
106. Jesus Is Driven Out of Nazareth
--------------------
I am once again in the synagogue in Nazareth. The rabbi
is now reading. I hear his singsong nasal voice, but I do
not understand the words, which are pronounced in a
language unknown to me.
Amongst the people there is also Jesus with His apostle-
cousins and with others who are obviously relatives, but
I do not know them.
After the reading the rabbi looks at the crowd in a mute
invitation.
Jesus comes forward and asks to preside at the meeting
today. I hear His beautiful voice reading the passage of
Isaiah quoted by the Gospel: « The spirit of the Lord has
been given to me… » And I hear the comment He
makes, calling Himself « the bearer of the Gospel, of the
law of love that replaces the previous rigour with mercy,
so that health will be granted to all those who on account
of the sin of Adam were diseased in their souls and
indirectly also in their bodies, because sin always gives
rise to vice and vice to bodily illness. Therefore all those
who are prisoners of the Evil Spirit will be freed. I have
come to break their chains, to reopen the way to Heaven,
to give light to blind souls and hearing to deaf ones. The
time of the Grace of the Lord has come. The Grace is
amongst you and is speaking to you. The Patriarchs
desired to see this day, the existence of which was
proclaimed by the Most High and its time was foretold
by the Prophets. And informed by a supernatural
inspiration, they already know that the dawn of this day
has risen and their entry to Paradise is now close at hand
and they exult in their souls, saints who require only My
blessing to be citizens of Heaven. You see it. Come to
the light which has risen. Divest Yourselves of your
passions to be agile in following Christ. Have a good
will to believe, to improve yourselves, to desire health
and you will be given health. It is in My hands. But I
only give it to those who have a good will to receive it.
Because it would be an offence to Grace to give it to
those who want to continue to serve Mammon. »
A murmur runs through the synagogue. Jesus looks
round. He reads on faces and into hearts and goes on: « I
understand your thoughts. Because I am from Nazareth,
you would like a privileged favour. But you want it not
out of power of faith, but out of selfishness. So I
solemnly tell you that no prophet is made welcome in his
own country. Other countries have accepted Me and will
accept Me with greater faith, also those, whose names
are a scandal for you. There I will gather My followers,
whereas I will not be able to do anything in this country,
because it is closed and hostile to Me. But I wish to
remind you of Elijah and Elisha. The former found faith
in a Phoenician woman, the latter in a Syrian. And they
were able to work a miracle for her and for him. The
people dying of starvation in Israel and the lepers in
Israel did not receive bread and cleanliness, because
their hearts had not the good will, the fine pearl, that the
Prophets could see. The same will happen also to you,
who are hostile to and incredulous of the Word of God. »
The crowds become enraged, they curse and endeavour
to lay hands on Jesus. But the apostle-cousins, Judas,
James and Simon, defend Him and the enraged
Nazarenes then hustle Jesus out of the town. They follow
Him as far as the brow of the hill, threatening Him, not
only with words. But Jesus turns round, immobilises
57
them with His magnetic glance and walks through them
uninjured and disappears along a mountain path.
--------------------
I see a small, very small village. A handful of houses. A
hamlet, as we would call it nowadays. It is higher up
than Nazareth which can be seen below and it is only a
few miles from it. A very poor hamlet.
Jesus is speaking to Mary sitting on a low wall near a
little house. It is perhaps the house of friends or perhaps
a hospitable one, according to the eastern laws of
hospitality. And Jesus has taken shelter there after He
was driven out of Nazareth, waiting for His apostles,
who have certainly scattered through the countryside,
while Jesus was with His Mother.
His three apostle-cousins are not with Him just now.
They are inside, in the kitchen, and they are talking to an
elderly woman whom Thaddeus calls « mother ». I thus
understand that she is Mary of Clopas. She is a rather
elderly woman and I recognise her as the woman who
was with the Most Holy Virgin at the wedding at Cana.
Mary of Clopas and her sons have certainly withdrawn
there to leave Jesus and Mary free to speak.
Mary is distressed. She has heard what happened at the
synagogue and She is sorrowful. Jesus comforts Her.
Mary entreats Her Son to keep away from Nazareth,
where everybody is ill-disposed towards Him, even their
other relatives, who consider Him a madman anxious to
give rise to ill-feeling and discussions. But Jesus makes
a gesture smiling. He seems to be saying: « It takes more
than that! Never mind! » But Mary insists.
He then answers: « Mother, if the Son of man should go
only where He is loved, He should turn His step from
this world and go back to Heaven. I have enemies
everywhere. Because the Truth is hated, and I am the
Truth. But I did not come to find easy love. I came to do
the will of the Father and to redeem man. You are love,
Mother, My love, that compensates Me for everything.
You, and this little herd, which grows in numbers every
day with some little sheep that I snatch from the wolves
of passions and I lead to the fold of God. All the rest is
duty. I have come to fulfill this duty and I must
accomplish it even to the extent of crashing against the
stony hearts unyielding to good. Nay, only after I have
fallen, wetting their hearts with blood, I will soften them,
stamping on them My Sign that will cancel the Enemy's
sign. Mother, I descended from Heaven for that. I can
only wish to accomplish that. »
« Oh! Son! My Son! » Mary's voice is heart-rending.
Jesus caresses Her. I notice that Mary is wearing on Her
head, besides a veil, also Her mantle. She is more than
ever veiled, like a priestess.
« I shall be away for some time, to make You happy.
When I am nearby, I will send someone to inform
You. »
« Send John. I seem to be seeing you, somehow, when I
see John. Also his mother is full of care for Me and for
You. It is true that she hopes to have privileged positions
for her sons. She is a woman and a mother, Jesus. We
must bear with her. She will speak also to You about it.
But she is sincerely affectionate. And when she is freed
from the humanity which ferments in her as in her sons,
as in the others, as in everybody, My Son, she will be
great in her faith. It is painful that everybody should
hope to receive worldly welfare from You, a welfare,
that even if it is not human, is selfish. But sin is in them
with its lust. The blessed hour, so much dreaded,
although the love of God and of man makes Me desire it,
when You will cancel Sin, has not yet come. Oh! that
hour! How your Mother's heart trembles because of that
hour! What will they do to You, Son? Son Redeemer, of
Whom the Prophets predict such a martyrdom? »
« Do not think about it, Mother. God will help You at
that hour. God will help Me and You. And after there
will be peace. I tell You once again. Now go, because it
is growing dark and You have a long way to go. I bless
You. »
--------------------
Jesus says:
« Little John: much work today. But we are one day late
and it is not possible to go slow. That is why I have
given you strength today. I granted you the four
contemplations to be able to speak to you of Mary's
sorrows and Mine, in preparation for My passion. I
should have spoken to you about them yesterday,
Saturday, the day dedicated to My Mother. But I had
pity on you. Today we must make up for the time lost.
After the sorrows which I have made known to you,
Mary had also these. And I with Her.
My eyes had seen into the heart of Judas Iscariot. No one
must think that the Wisdom of God has not been able to
understand that heart. But, as I told My Mother, he was
necessary. Woe to him for being the traitor! But a traitor
was necessary. Deceitful, shrewd, greedy, lustful,
dishonest, more intelligent and cultured than the masses,
he had been able to impose himself on everybody.
Daring as he was, he smoothed the way for Me, also
when the way was a difficult one. He was above all fond
of standing out and showing his position of trust near
Me. He was not obliging out of instinctive charity, but
only because he was one of those whom you would call
a "hustler". That enabled him also to look after the purse
and approach women. Two things which he loved
without restraint, together with a third one: position
amongst men.
58
The Pure, Humble Virgin, Detached from earthly wealth,
could but feel disgust for that serpent. I felt disgust, too.
And only I and the Father and the Spirit know what I had
to overcome to be able to endure him at My side. But I
will tell you later.
Likewise I was aware of the hostility of priests,
Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees. They were shrewd
foxes who endeavoured to drive Me into their dens to
tear Me to pieces. They were thirsty for My blood. And
they tried to set traps for Me everywhere to catch Me, to
bring accusations against Me and get rid of Me. Their
intrigue lasted three long years and it was appeased only
when they learned that I was dead. They slept happily
that night. The voice of the accuser had been silenced for
ever. That is what they thought. No. It was not yet dead.
It will never be and it thunders and thunders and curses
those who nowadays are like them. How much pain My
Mother suffered through their fault! And I cannot forget
that pain.
That the crowd was inconstant, was nothing new. It is
the beast that licks the hand of the tamer if it is armed
with a whip or offers a piece of meat to satisfy its
hunger. But if the tamer falls and can no longer make
use of the lash, or if he has no more food for its hunger,
then it rushes at him and tears him to pieces. It is
sufficient to tell the truth and to be good, to be hated by
the crowd, after the first moment of enthusiasm. The
truth is a reproach and a warning. Goodness deprives
one of the lash and causes those who are not good to be
no longer afraid. Thus: "crucify Him", after shouting:
"hosanna". My life as a Master is overwhelmed by these
two voices. And the last one was "crucify Him". The
hosanna is like the deep breath taken by a singer before
high notes. Mary, on Good Friday evening, heard once
again within Herself all the false hosannas, which had
turned into shouts for the death of Her Creature, and She
was pierced by them. I will not forget that either.
The humanity of the apostles! How much of it! I was
carrying in My arms, to lift them up to Heaven, stones
which weighed down towards the earth. Even those who
did not contemplate the possibility of becoming
ministers of an earthly king, as Judas Iscariot did, those
who did not think of coming to the throne in My place, if
need be, as he did, were still eager for glory. The day
came when also My John and his brother craved for that
glory, that dazzles you like a mirage also in celestial
matters. It is not the holy longing for Paradise, that I
want you to have. But it is a human desire that your
holiness may be known. Not only, but it is like the
greediness of a money-changer, of a usurer, whereby, in
exchange for a little love given to Him to Whom I told
you that you must give yourselves entirely, you claim a
place at His right hand side in Heaven.
No, My children. No. Before you must be able to drink
all the chalice that I drank. All of it: with its charity
given in return for hatred, its chastity against the
allurements of sensuality, with its heroism in trials, with
its holocaust for the love of God and one's brothers.
Then, when you have fulfilled your duty completely, you
must still say: "We are useless servants", and wait for
My Father and yours to grant you, out of His goodness, a
place in His Kingdom. You must strip yourselves, as you
saw Me stripped in the Praetorium, of everything that is
human, keeping only the indispensable, which is respect
towards the gift of God, that is life, and towards your
brothers to whom we may be more useful from Heaven
than on the earth, and leaving to God to clothe you with
the immortal stole, made immaculate in the blood of the
Lamb.
I have shown you the sorrows preparatory to My
Passion. I shall show you more. Although they are
sorrows, your soul rested contemplating them. That is
enough now. Be in peace. »
Tuesday after Third Sunday of Matt 18:15-22
Lent
276. In the Garden of Mary of Magdala: Love for
One's Neighbour.
...
« Peace be with you. Listen.
It is written: "Love your neighbour as you love
yourself". But who is our neighbour? The whole of
mankind, in a general meaning. In a narrower sense all
our countrymen; in an even narrower sense, all our
fellow citizens; then in a more and more narrow
meaning, all our relatives; finally, the last circle of this
crown of love closed like the petals of a rose round the
heart of the flower, the love for our full-brothers: our
first neighbour. God is the centre of the heart of the
flower of love, so love for Him is the first to be had.
Around His centre there is the love for our parents, the
second to be had, because father and mother are really
the little "God" on the earth, as they procreated us and
cooperated with God to our creation, besides taking care
of us with untiring love. The various love rings press
round that ovary which shines with pistils and exhales
the perfume of the most choice love. The first is the love
for our brothers born of the same womb and same blood
as ourselves.
How is our brother to be loved? Only because his flesh
and blood are the same as ours? Even the little birds
which are together in one nest can do that. In fact, this is
all they have in common: they were born in the same
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brood and have on their tongues the flavour of their
father's and mother's saliva. We men are worth more
than birds. We have more than flesh and blood. We have
the Father besides having a father and mother. We have
a soul and we have God, the Father of all men. So we
must love our brother as a brother, because of our father
and mother who gave birth to us, and as a brother
because of God Who is the universal Father.
We must love him, therefore, spiritually not only
corporeally. We must love him not only because of his
body and blood, but because of the spirit which we have
in common. And we must love, as it is to be loved, the
spirit of our brother more than his body. Because the
spirit is more important than the body. Because the
Father God is more important than the man father.
Because the spirit is worth more than the flesh. Because
our brother would be much more unhappy if he lost the
Father God than he would be if he lost his man father. It
is heart-rending to be deprived of the man father, but it is
only half an orphanhood. It is detrimental only to what is
earthly, that is to our need for help and caresses. But the
spirit, if it can believe, is not damaged by the death of
the father. On the contrary,-in order to join the just father
where he is, the spirit of the son rises as if it were
attracted by a loving force. And I tell you solemnly that
that is love, love for God and for the father, who has
ascended with his soul to the place of wisdom. He
ascends to the place where he is closer to God and acts
with greater rectitude, because he does not lack true
help, that is the prayers of the father whom he now loves
perfectly, neither does he lack restraint due both to the
certainty that the father does now see the deeds of his
son, better than he did in his lifetime, and to the desire to
be able to join him through a holy life.
That is why one must take greater care of the spirit than
of the body of the brother. It would certainly be a very
poor love if it took care of what is perishable, neglecting
what is not perishable and which, if neglected, may lose
eternal joy. Too many people tire themselves with
useless things and worry themselves about what is of
comparative merit, losing sight of what is really
necessary. Good sisters and brothers must not worry
only about keeping clothes tidy and having meals ready,
or helping their brothers with their work. But they must
bend over their spirits and listen to their voices, perceive
their faults, and with loving patience busy themselves to
give them a wholesome holy spirit, if in those voices and
faults they see a danger for their eternal lives. And if
their brother has sinned against them, they must forgive
him and get God to forgive him, through his return to
love, without which God will not forgive.
It is written in Leviticus: "You must not bear hatred for
your brother in your heart, you must openly tell him of
his offence, this way you will not take a sin upon
yourself because of him". But there is an abyss between
not hating and loving. You may think that aversion,
detachment, indifference are not sins, because they are
not hatred. No. I have come to bring new light to love,
and consequently, to hatred, because what makes the
former shine in every detail, makes every detail of the
latter shine as well. The very elevation to high spheres of
the former, brings out, as a consequence, a greater
detachment from the latter, because the higher love
ascends, the lower hatred seems to sink.
My doctrine is perfection. It is refinement of feelings
and judgement. It is truth without metaphors and
paraphrases. And I tell you that aversion, detachment
and indifference are already hatred. Simply because they
are not love. Hatred is the opposite of love. Can you find
another name for aversion? For being detached from a
being? For indifference? He who loves has a liking for
the person loved. So if he dislikes him, he no longer
loves him. He who loves, even if he is separated
materially from the person he loves, continues to be near
him with his spirit. So if one is detached with one's spirit
from the other, one no longer loves the other. He who
loves is never indifferent towards the person he loves, on
the contrary he is interested in everything concerning
that person. So if one is indifferent towards another, it
means that one does not love the other. You can thus see
that those three attitudes are branches of one plant:
hatred, Now what happens when we are offended by one
whom we love? In ninety per cent of cases, if hatred
does not arise, aversion, detachment or indifference will
result. No. Do not do that. Do not freeze your hearts by
means of those three forms of hatred. Love.
But you are asking yourselves: "How can we?". I reply
to you: "As God can, as He loves those who offend Him.
A sorrowful but still good love". You say: "How do we
do that?". I am giving a new law on the relationship with
a guilty brother, and I say: "If your brother offends you,
do not humiliate him by reproaching him in public, but
urge your love to cover up your brother's fault in the
eyes of the world". Because great will be your merit in
the eyes of God, by barring, out of love, every
satisfaction to your pride.
Oh! How man loves to let people know that he was
offended and grieved thereby! Like a foolish beggar he
does not go to a king asking for alms in gold, but he goes
to other foolish beggars like himself asking for handfuls
of ash and manure and mouthfuls of burning poison.
That is what the world gives to the offended person who
goes complaining and begging for comfort. God, the
King, gives pure gold to him, who, being offended, goes
without any grudge to weep only at His feet and ask
Him, Love and Wisdom, for comfort of love and how to
behave in the sorrowful circumstance. Therefore, if you
want comfort, go to God and act with love.
I say to you, correcting the old law: "If your brother has
sinned against you, go and correct him by yourself. If he
60
listens to you, you have gained your brother once again.
And at the same time you have gained many blessings
from God. If your brother does not listen to you, but he
rejects you persisting in his fault, take with you two or
three grave, clever, reliable witnesses, so that no one
may say that you are agreeable to his fault or indifferent
to the welfare of his soul, and go back to your brother
with them, and kindly repeat your remarks in their
presence, so that the witnesses may be able to repeat that
you have done everything in your power to correct your
brother in a holy way. Because that is the duty of a good
brother, since the sin committed by him against you is
detrimental to his soul, and you must take care of his
soul. If that is of no avail, inform the synagogue, so that
he may be called to order in the name of God. If even so
he does not make amends and he rejects the synagogue
or the Temple as he rejected you, consider him as a
publican and a Gentile".
Do that both with your full brothers and with the people
you love. Because also with your remote neighbour you
must behave with holiness, generosity, flexibility and
love. And when it is a law-suit and it is necessary to go
to court and you go with your adversary, I tell you, o
man, who often find yourself in greater evils through
your own fault, to do everything in your power while
you are on the way, to make your peace with him,
whether you are right or wrong. Because human justice
is always imperfect and a shrewd man generally defeats
justice and the offender might be considered innocent,
whilst you, who are innocent, might be found guilty.
And then not only your right would not be
acknowledged, but you would lose the case and from
being innocent you would be found guilty of slander and
so the judge would hand you over to the law-executor
who would not let you free until you had paid down to
the last penny.
Be conciliating. Does your pride suffer by it? Very well.
Is money squeezed out of you? Better still. Providing
your holiness increases. Do not feel nostalgia for gold.
Do not crave for praises. Let God praise you. Ensure that
you have your purse in Heaven. And pray for those who
offend you. That they may make amends. If that
happens, they themselves will give you back honour and
goods. If they do not, God will.
Go, now, because it is time for your meal. Let only the
beggars stay and sit at the apostolic table. Peace be with
you. »
Wednesday after Third Sunday of Matt 15:1-20
Lent
299. At Nain, in the House of Daniel Raised from the
Dead.
....
But a Pharisee calls Jesus to ask Him whether He was
aware of Daniel's disease.
« I was coming from Endor by mere chance, as I wanted
to please Judas of Kerioth as I had pleased John of
Zebedee. I did not even know I would be passing
through Nain when I set out on our Passover
pilgrimage » replies Jesus.
« Ah! Had you not gone to Endor deliberately? » asks an
amazed scribe.
« No. I had not the least intention of going there, at that
time. »
« Why did You go then? »
« I told you: because Judas of Simon wanted to go
there. »
« And why that fancy? »
« To see the cave of the sorceress. »
« Perhaps You had spoken about it... »
« Never! There was no reason why I should. »
« I mean... perhaps with that episode You explained
other witchcraft, to initiate Your apostles in... »
« In what? To initiate anyone in holiness, there is no
need of pilgrimages. A cell or a desert barren land, a
mountain top or a solitary house serve the same purpose:
providing there is austerity and holiness in the teacher,
and the will to become holy in the disciple. That is what
I teach and nothing else. »
« But the miracles which Your apostles now work what
are they if not wonders and... »
« The will of God. That is all. And the more holy they
become, the more miracles they will work, through
prayer, sacrifices and obedience to God. By no other
means. »
« Are You sure of that? » asks a scribe holding his chin
in his hand and looking Jesus up and down. His tone is
rather ironical and pitiful.
« I gave them those weapons and that doctrine. If among
them, and they are many, there should be anyone who
becomes corrupted through base practices, out of pride
or for other reasons, he will not have received such
advice from Me. I can pray to see the culprit redeemed. I
can undertake hard penance in expiation, imploring God
to help him particularly with the light of His wisdom so
that he may see his error. I can throw Myself at his feet
to entreat him with all My love of Brother, Master and
Friend to abandon his sin. And I would not consider that
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a humiliation, because the price of a soul is such that it is
worth suffering any humiliation to save that soul. But I
can do no more. And if after all he perseveres in his
fault, the eyes and heart of the betrayed and
misunderstood Master and Friend will shed tears and
blood. » How much kindness and sadness there is in
Jesus' voice and expression!
The scribes and Pharisees look at one another. They
exchange meaningful glances, but say no more on the
subject.
They instead ask young Daniel questions. Does he
remember what death is? What did he feel when he came
back to life? And what did he see in the gap between
death and life?
« I know that I was suffering from a mortal disease and I
suffered agony. Oh! what a dreadful thing! Don't make
me remember it!... And yet the day will come when I
will have to suffer it once again! Oh! Master... » He
looks at Him and is so terrified that he goes pale at the
idea of having to die once again.
Jesus kindly comforts him saying: « Death is in itself
expiation. By dying twice you will be completely
cleansed of faults and you will rejoice at once in Heaven.
Let this thought make you live a holy life, so that you
may have only involuntary and venial faults. »
But the Pharisees return to the attack: « But what did
you feel when you came back to life? »
« Nothing. I was alive and healthy as if I had awaked
from a long sound sleep. »
« But did you remember that-you had died? »
« I remembered that I was very ill, in agony, and that is
all. »
« And what do you remember of the other world? »
« Nothing. There is nothing. A black hole, an empty
space in my life... Nothing. »
« So, according to you, there is no Limbo, no Purgatory,
no Hell? »
« Who says there isn't? Of course there are. But I do not
remember them. »
« But are you sure that you were dead? »
The people of Nain lose their temper:« Was he dead?
What more do you want? When we put him into the
coffin, he was about to smell. In any case, with all those
balms and bandages even a giant would die! »
« But do you not remember that you were dead? »
« I have told that I don't » the young man is losing his
patience and he adds: « But what are you getting at with
all these questions? That the whole village was
pretending that I was dead, including my mother and my
fiancee, who was dying with grief in her bed, including
myself, all bandaged up and embalmed, while it was not
true? What are you saying? That in Nain we were all
children or idiots in a jesting mood? My mother's hair
turned white in a few hours. My fiancee had to be treated
because sorrow and joy had almost driven her mad. And
you doubt it? And why should we have done all that? »
« Why? That's true! Why should we have done it? »
exclaim those of Nain.
Jesus does not speak. He toys with the tablecloth as if He
were absent. The Pharisees do not know what to say...
But Jesus begins to speak all of a sudden, when the
conversation on the subject seemed to have come to an
end, and He says: « I will tell you why. They (and He
points at the Pharisees and scribes) want to prove that
your resurrection from the dead was a cleverly contrived
game to increase My reputation with the crowds. I, the
inventor, you the accomplices to deceive God and our
neighbour. No. I leave fraud to worthless people. I do
not need witchcraft, or tricks or accomplices to be what I
am. Why do you want to deny God the power of giving a
soul back to a body? If He creates a soul and gives it
when the body is being formed, will He not be able to
give it back to the body, when the soul, being restored to
the body through the prayer of His Messiah, is an
incentive for many people to come to the Truth? Can
you deny God the power of miracle? Why do you want
to deny it? »
« Are You God? »
« I am Who I am. My miracles and My doctrine testify
Who I am. »
« But why does he not remember while the spirits
evoked can tell what the next world is? »
« Because this soul speaks the truth, sanctified as it is by
the penance of a first death, instead what is spoken by
the lips of necromancers is not the truth. »
« But Samuel... »
« Samuel came by the order of God, not of the sorceress,
to bring to the traitor of the Law the verdict of the Lord,
Who is not to be derided in His commandments. »
« Then why do Your disciples do it? » The arrogant
voice of a Pharisee, who stung to the quick raises his
voice, draws the attention of the apostles, who are in the
opposite room, separated by a corridor a little more that
a yard wide, but not isolated by doors or heavy curtains.
When they hear themselves being referred to, they stand
up and come noiselessly into the corridor to listen.
« In what do they do it? Speak frankly, and if your
accusation is true, I will warn them not to do anything
against the Law. »
62
« I know in what they do it, and many others know as
well. But since You raise people from the dead and You
say that You are more than a prophet, find out for
Yourself. We shall certainly not tell You. In any case,
You have eyes to see also many other things which Your
apostles have done, when they are not to be done, or
they did not do, when they are to be done. And You do
not mind. »
« Tell Me some of them. »
« Why do Your disciples infringe the traditions of our
ancestors? We saw them today. Also today! Not more
than an hour ago! They went into the dining-room to eat
without purifying their hands beforehand! » If the
Pharisees had said: « and they slaughtered citizens
beforehand » they would not have spoken in such a
horrified manner.
« You have watched them, of course. There are so many
things to be seen. Good and beautiful things which make
us bless the Lord for creating or permitting such things
and for giving us our lives so that we may see them. And
yet you do not watch them. And many others do as you
do. But you waste your time and your peace running
after things which are not good.
You look like jackals, or better still, like hyenas running
in the trail of a stench, neglecting the waves of perfumes
brought by the wind from gardens full of aromatic herbs.
Hyenas do not love lilies and roses, jasmines and
camphor, cinnamon and cloves. They are unpleasant
smells to them. But the stench of a decomposing corpse
in the bottom of a ravine, or on a cart road, or buried
under bramble where a murderer threw it, or washed
ashore by stormy waves, swollen, violaceous, burst,
horrible, oh! that is a delightful smell for hyenas! And as
the evening wind condenses and carries all the smells
which the sun has distilled from the things it has
warmed, they sniff at it to smell that vague inviting
scent, and once they discover it and find where it comes
from, they run away, with their snouts in the air,
showing their uncovered teeth in their quivering jaws,
like a hysterical laugh, to go where there is putrefaction.
And be it the corpse of a man or a quadruped, or a snake
killed by a peasant, or a beech-marten killed by a
housewife, or be it a poor mouse, oh! they relish it! And
they sink their fangs into the revolting stench, they feast
and lick their lips...
But it is a matter of no interest, if some men improve in
holiness day by day! But if one only does wrong, or
more omit not a divine commandment, but a human
practice - you may call it tradition, precept, as you wish,
but it is always a human thing - then it is noticed. And
one runs after even a suspicion... to rejoice, if the
suspicion is true.
You who have come here not out of love, or faith or
honesty, but for a wicked purpose, tell Me: why do you
infringe the commandment of God, for the sake of your
tradition? Are you going to tell Me that a tradition is
more than a Commandment? And yet God said: "Honour
your father and your mother, anyone who curses father
or mother must die"! You instead say: "Anyone who
says to his father and mother: what you should have
from me is corban (1)
(1) Corban: offering to God, especially one made in
fulfilment of a vow.
is no longer obliged to give it to his father and mother".
So with your tradition you have cancelled the
commandment of God.
Hypocrites! Isaiah rightly said of you when he
prophesied: "This people honours Me only with lip-
service while its heart is far from Me, therefore they
honour Me in vain as they teach human doctrine and
commandments".
And while you neglect the precepts of God, you keep the
traditions of men, the ablutions of amphorae and
chalices, of dishes and hands and other such things.
While you justify the ingratitude and avarice of a son, by
offering him the excuse of a sacrifice so that he may not
give a piece of bread to those who gave birth to him and
need his help and whom it is his duty to honour, because
they are his parents, you are scandalised because one
does not wash one's hands. You alter and infringe the
word of God in order to obey words invented by you and
imposed by you as precepts. You therefore proclaim
yourselves more just than God. You arrogate to
yourselves the rights of legislators, whereas God alone is
the Legislator of His people. You... » and He would
continue, but the hostile group goes out, in the hail of
accusations, bumping into the apostles and those who
were in the house, guests or women helping the
landlady, and who had gathered in the corridor, attracted
by Jesus' thundering voice.
Jesus, Who had stood up, sits down again, beckoning to
all those present to enter where He is, and He says to
them: « Listen to Me and understand the truth. There is
nothing outside man which going into his mouth can
make him unclean. It is what comes out of the mouth
that makes him unclean. Let those who have ears hear
and use their reason to understand and their will to act.
And now let us go. People of Nain, persevere in good
and may My peace be always with you. »
He stands up, He greets the landlord and landlady in
particular and He sets out along the corridor. But He
sees the friendly women, who are enraptured looking at
Him and He goes towards them saying: « Peace to you
as well. May Heaven reward you for assisting Me with
such love that I did not regret My Mother's table. I
perceived your motherly love in every crumb of bread,
in every sauce and bit of roast, in the sweet honey and in
the cool scented wine. Love Me always thus, o good
63
women of Nain. But do not work so hard for Me the next
time. A piece of bread and a handful of olives, dressed
with your motherly smiles and your honest good looks,
are quite enough for Me. Be happy in your homes
because the gratitude of the Persecuted One is upon you
and He is leaving comforted by your love. »
The women, weeping in their happiness, are all on their
knees, and in passing by He lightly touches their white
or dark-haired heads, one by one, blessing them. He then
goes out and sets out again...
The early shades of evening hide the pallor of Jesus,
Who is embittered by too many things...
eyes do not stop for one moment piercing, like a probe,
the brown eyes of Judas.
« Which real facts are upsetting You, then? » insists the
Iscariot in a tone of confidence.
« The ones I see in the depths of hearts and on dethroned
foreheads. » Jesus lays stress upon the word.
Everybody becomes excited: « Dethroned Why? What
do You mean? »
« A king is dethroned when he is unworthy of remaining
on the throne, and the first thing they tear off him is the
crown, which is on his forehead, the most noble part of
man, the only animal with his forehead erect towards the
sky, as he is animal with regard to matter, but
supernatural as a being gifted with a soul. But it is not
necessary to be king on an earthly throne to be
dethroned... Every man is king because of his soul, and
his throne is in Heaven. But when a man prostitutes his
soul and becomes a brute and demon, he then dethrones
himself. The world is full of dethroned foreheads which
are no longer erect towards Heaven, but are stooped
towards the Abyss, weighed down by the word which
Satan has carved on them. Do you want to know it? It is
the one I read on foreheads. There is written: "Sold!".
And that you may have no doubt as to who the buyer is,
I tell you that it is Satan, by himself or through his
servants in the world. »
« I have understood! Those Pharisees, for instance, are
the servants of a servant who is greater than they are and
who is Satan's servant » says Peter earnestly.
Jesus does not reply.
« But... Do You know, Master, that those Pharisees, after
hearing Your words, were scandalised when they went
away? They said so, when they bumped into me while
going out... You were very resolute » remarks
Bartholomew.
And Jesus replies: « And very truthful. It is not My fault,
but theirs, if certain things must be said. And it was
charitable of Me to say them. Any plant which was not
planted by My Heavenly Father is to be uprooted. And
the useless moorland of parasitic, suffocating thorny
herbs, which destroy the seed of the holy Truth, was not
planted by Him. It is charitable to uproot traditions and
precepts which suffocate the Decalogue, misinterpreting
it, and making it inert and impossible to abide by. It is
charitable to do so for the sake of honest souls. As far as
those insolent obstinate persons are concerned, who are
deaf to every advice and action of Love, leave them
alone and let them be followed by those whose souls and
inclinations are like theirs. They are blind men leading
blind men. If one blind man leads another, both can but
fall into a pit. Let them feed on their own uncleanness,
which they call "cleanliness". It cannot contaminate
them any further, because it lies on the matrix from
which it originates. »
« What You are saying now is connected with what You
said in Daniel's house, is it not? That it is not what goes
into the mouth of man that makes him unclean, but what
comes out of it » asks Simon the Zealot gravely.
« Yes » replies Jesus briefly.
After a moment's silence, as Jesus' gravity freezes even
the most exuberant characters, Peter asks: « Master, I,
and I am not the only one, have not understood the
parable very well. Please explain it to us. How is it that
what goes in does not make unclean, and what comes
out does? If I take a clean amphora and I pour dirty
water into it, I will dirty it. So what goes into the
amphora makes it unclean. But if from an amphora full
of clean water I pour some of it on to the ground, I will
not make the amphora unclean, because clean water
comes out of it. So? »
And Jesus says: « We are not amphorae, Simon. We are
not amphorae, My friends. And not everything is clean
in man! Do even you not understand? Consider the case
with which the Pharisees charged you. They stated that
you were unclean because you were taking food to your
mouths with dusty, sweaty hands, that is, with unclean
hands. But where did that food go? From your mouths
into your stomachs, from your stomachs into your
intestines and from your intestines into the sewer. Can it
thus make your whole body unclean, and what is
contained in your body, if it only goes through the
passage destined to fulfil the task of nourishing the flesh,
and the flesh only, and then ending in a sewer, as it is
right it should? That is not what makes man unclean.
What makes man unclean is what is entirely and
exclusively his own, procreated and brought forth by his
ego. That is, what he has in his heart, and from his heart
rises to his lips and to his head, corrupting his thoughts
and words and making him wholly unclean. From the
heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication,
theft, false witness, blasphemy. From the heart come
avarice, lust, pride, envy, wrath, immoderate desires and
64
sinful idleness. From the heart come incentives to all
actions. And if the heart is wicked, they will be as
wicked as the heart. All actions: from idolatry to
insincere grumbling... All these wicked things, which
from inside come outside, make man unclean, not eating
without washing one's hands. The science of God is not
a base thing, mud upon which any foot can tread. It is
something sublime, which lives among stars, from which
it descends with rays of light to perfect the just. Do not,
at least you, tear it from Heaven to disgrace it in Mud...
Go and rest now. I am going out to pray. »
Thursday after Third Sunday Luke 4:38-44
of Lent
60. Cure of Simon Peter's Mother-in-law.
3rd November 1944.
Peter is speaking to Jesus. He says: « Master, I would
like to ask You to come to my house. I did not dare to
ask You last Sabbath. But… I would like You to come. »
« To Bethsaida? »
« No, here… to my wife's house. I mean her home. »
« Why do you want that, Peter? »
« Well, for many reasons… also because today I was
told that my mother-in-law is ill. If You would cure her,
perhaps she… »
« Tell Me, Simon. »
« What I wanted to say is… if You go to her, she would
stop… yes, well, You know, it is not the same thing to
hear people speak of someone and to see and listen to
someone, and if the person in question cures… well… »
« You mean also the ill-feeling would come to an end? »
« No, not exactly ill-feeling. But, You know… there are
many opinions in the village, and she… does not know
whom she should listen to. Come, Jesus. »
« I will come. Let us go. You will tell those who are
waiting for Me that I will speak to them from your
house. »
...
There are some women in the kitchen, some are busy
mending the nets, some are preparing the food. They
greet Peter and they bow embarrassed to Jesus, peering
up at Him curiously.
« Peace be to this house. How is the patient? »
« Tell Him, you who are the oldest daughter-in-law »
three of the women say to another one, who is drying her
hands on the edge of her dress.
« Her temperature is very high. The doctor has seen her
and he said she is too old to get better and that when the
disease goes from the bones to the heart, and gives a
temperature, one dies, particularly at an old age. She will
not eat any more… I try and prepare something good,
even now, see, Simon, I was preparing the soup she used
to like so much. I chose the best fish that I got from my
brothers-in-law. But I do not think she will be able to eat
it. And… she is so restless! She complains, and shouts,
and cries, and curses… »
« Be patient, as if she were your mother and God will
grant you merit for it. Take Me to her. »
« Rabbi… Rabbi… I don't know if she will be pleased to
see You. She does not want to see anybody. I dare not
say to her: "I am now bringing the Rabbi in to see
you". »
Jesus smiles calmly. He addresses Peter: « It is your
turn, Simon. You are a man and the oldest son-in-law,
you told Me. Go. »
Peter makes a significant grimace and obeys. He walks
across the kitchen, and goes into another room and
through the door which he closes, I can hear him talking
to a woman. He looks out and says: « Come, Master,
quick. » And he whispers in a very low, just audible
voice: « Before she changes her mind. »
Jesus walks across the kitchen and opens the door wide.
Standing on the threshold, He pronounces His sweet,
solemn greeting: « Peace be with you. » He goes in,
although He gets no reply. He goes near a low bed on
which there is lying a little old woman, grey-haired, thin,
panting because of the high temperature which causes
her wasted face to flush.
Jesus bends over the little bed, smiles at the old woman:
« Are you in pain? »
« I am dying! »
« No. You will not die. Do you believe that I can cure
you? »
« Why would You want to do that? You do not know
me. »
« For Simon, who asked Me… and for you, to give your
soul time to see and love the Light. »
« Simon? It would be better if he… How come Simon
thought of me? »
« Because he is better than you think. I know him and I
am sure. I know him, and I am happy to satisfy him. »
« Would You cure me, then? I will not die, then? »
« No, woman. You will not die as yet. Can you believe
in Me? »
« I believe, I believe. It is enough for me not to die! »
65
Jesus smiles once again. He takes her hand. Her hand,
wrinkled and with swollen veins, disappears in the
younger hand of Jesus, Who stands straight up, and takes
the attitude He normally assumes when working a
miracle. He shouts: « Be cured! I want it! Get up! » and
He lets her hand go. And her hand falls down without
any complaint, whereas before, notwithstanding Jesus
had taken it very gently, she groaned when it was
moved.
There is silence for a few moments. Then the old woman
cries out: « Oh! God of our fathers! But there is nothing
wrong with me! I am cured! Come! Come! » Her
daughters-in-law rush in. « Look! » says the old woman:
« I can move and I feel no pain! And I am no longer
feverish! Feel how cool I am. And my heart no longer
feels like the blacksmith's hammer. Ah! I am not dying
any longer! » Not one word for the Lord!
But Jesus does not mind. He says to the oldest daughter-
in-law: « Dress her that she may get up. She is fit to be
up. » And He makes for the door.
Simon, mortified, says to his mother-in-law: « The
Master has cured you. Have you nothing to say to
Him? »
« Certainly. I wasn't thinking of that. Thank You. What
can I do to thank You? »
« Be good, very good. Because the Eternal Father has
been good to you. And if it is not too much trouble for
you, allow Me to rest in your home today. I have been to
all the nearby villages the past week, and I arrived here
at dawn this morning. I am tired. »
« Certainly! Certainly! You may stay if You wish. » But
there is not much enthusiasm in her words.
Jesus, Peter, Andrew, James and John go and sit down in
the kitchen garden.
« Master!… »
« Yes, Peter? »
« I feel humiliated. »
Jesus makes a gesture, which meant: « Never mind. » He
then goes on: « She is not the first, and will not be the
last who do not feel immediate gratitude. But I do not
seek gratitude. All I want is to give souls the chance to
save themselves. I do My duty. Let them do theirs. »
« Ah! There have been other cases like this one?
Where? »
« Curious Simon! But I will please you, although I do
not like useless curiosity. At Nazareth. Do you
remember Sarah's mother? She was very ill when we
arrived in Nazareth and we were told that the little girl
cried. Since she is good and gentle, and I did not want
her to become an orphan and a stepdaughter in future, I
went to see the woman… I wanted to cure her… But I
had not yet set foot in the house, when her husband and
a brother drove Me away, saving: "Away! Go away! We
do not want to get into trouble with the synagogue". For
them, for too many, I am already a rebel… I cured her
just the same… for the sake of her children. And I said
to Sarah in the kitchen garden, caressing her: "I will cure
your mother. Go home. Do not cry any more". And the
woman was cured the same moment and the little girl
told her, and she told also her father and her uncle… and
she was punished for speaking to Me. I know, because
the child ran after Me when I was leaving the village…
But it does not matter. »
« I would have made her become ill again. »
« Peter! » Jesus is severe. « Is that what I teach you and
the others? What have you heard Me say from the very
first time you heard Me? Of what have I always spoken
as being the first condition to be My true disciples? »
« It is true, Master. I am a real beast. Forgive me. But…
I cannot bear the fact that they do not love You! »
« Oh! Peter! You will see much greater indifference!
You will have many surprises, Peter! People that the so
called "holy" world scorns as being money-changers,
who instead will set an example in the world, an
example which will not be followed by those who
despise them. Heathens who will be My most faithful
ones. Prostitutes who will become pure by strong will
power and penance. Sinners who amend their way of
living… »
« Listen: that a sinner amends his way… it may well be.
But a prostitute and a money-changer!… »
« You do not believe it? »
« I do not. »
« You are mistaken, Simon. But here is your mother-in-
law coming towards us. »
...
61. Jesus Preaches and Works Miracles in Peter's
House.
....
Because after the Prophets, God sends you His own Son
and I implore you, for your good, and because I love you
as only God can love , the God Who is in Me to work
the miracle of Redemption. Woe to those men who
lower themselves to a lower degree than animals! But if
it was possible to excuse those who committed sin up to
the present time - because too long a time has elapsed
since the Law was given and too much worldly dust has
settled on the Law - now it is no longer so. I have come
to bring once again the word of God. The Son of man is
66
amongst men to lead them back to God. Follow Me. I
am the Way, the Truth, the Life. »
The usual whispering of the crowd.
Jesus tells His disciples: « Let the poor come forward.
There is a rich offer for them made by one who begs to
obtain forgiveness from God. »
Three tattered old men come forward, two blind men and
a cripple; they are followed by a widow with seven
emaciated children.
Jesus stares at them, one by one, He smiles at the widow
and particularly at the children. Nay, He says to John:
« Put those over there in the kitchen garden. I want to
speak to them. » But He becomes stern, with blazing
eyes, when a little old man appears. But He says
nothing, for the time being.
He calls Peter, whom He asks for the purse received
shortly before and for another one containing smaller
coins, which are offerings collected from good-hearted
people. He empties the coins onto the bench near the
well, He counts them, and divides them. He makes six
parts. A very big one, all silver coins, and five smaller
ones in size, with many bronze coins and a few big ones.
He calls the poor, sick people and asks them: « Have you
nothing to tell Me? »
The blind men are silent; the cripple says: « May He
Who sent You, protect You. » Nothing else.
Jesus puts the offering into his good hand.
The man says: « May God reward You. But more than
this offering, I would like to be cured by You. »
« You did not ask for that. »
« I am poor, a worm trodden on by the mighty ones, I
dared not hope You would have mercy on a beggar. »
« I am Mercy that bends over all miseries calling Me. I
refuse no one. All I ask for is faith and love, that I may
say: I am listening to You. »
« Oh! My Lord! I believe You and I love You. Save me,
then! Heal Your servant! »
Jesus lays His hand on the crook-back, He moves it
gently, as if He were caressing the man and says: « I
want you to be healed. »
The man straightens up, agile and wholesome, uttering
endless blessings.
Jesus hands the offering to the blind men and waits an
instant before dismissing them… then He lets them go.
He calls the old people. He gives the alms to the first
one, and helps him to put the coins into his belt pouch.
He listens pitifully to the mishaps of the second one,
who informs Jesus of the disease of one of his daughters.
« I have but her! And she is dying. What will happen to
me? Oh! if only You came! She cannot come, she cannot
stand up. She would love to… but cannot. Master, Lord,
Jesus, have mercy on us! »
« Where do you live, father? »
« At Korazim. Ask for Isaac of Jonah, named the Adult.
Will You really come? Will You not forget our
misfortunes? And will You cure my daughter? »
« Do you believe I can cure her? »
« Oh! I do believe it. That is why I am speaking to You
about it. »
« Go home, father. Your daughter will be greeting you
on the doorstep. »
« But she is in bed and she has not been able to get up
for the last three… Ah! I now understand! Oh! Thank
You, Rabboni! Blessed are You and He Who sent You!
Praise be to God and His Messiah! » The old man goes
away, plodding along as fast as he can. But when he is
almost outside the kitchen garden he says: « Master, will
You come just the same to my poor house? Isaac will be
waiting for You to kiss Your feet and wash them with
His tears, and offer You the bread of love. Come, Jesus:
I will speak to the townsfolk about You. »
« I will come. Go in peace and be happy. »
The third old man comes forward, He seems to be the
most ragged. But Jesus has only the big pile of money
left. He calls in a loud voice: « Woman, come here with
your little ones. »
The young emaciated woman comes forward with her
head lowered down. She seems a sad hen with her sad
brood of chickens.
« How long have you been a widow, woman? »
« Three years at the moon of Tishry. »
« What age are you? »
« Twenty-seven. »
« Are they all your children? »
« Yes, Master… and I have nothing else. I finished
everything… How can I work if no one wants me with
all these little ones? »
« God does not abandon even the worm He created. He
will not abandon you, woman. Where do you live? »
« On the lake. Three stadia outside Bethsaida. He told
me to come here… My husband died on the lake; he was
a fisherman. » She Points to Andrew, who blushes and
would like to disappear.
« You did well, Andrew, telling the woman to come to
Me. »
67
Andrew takes heart and whispers: « The man was a
friend of mine, he was good, he died in a storm and lost
also his boat. »
« Take this, woman. It will help you for a long time,
then another sun will rise on your days. Be good, bring
your children up in the Law and you will not be without
God's help. I bless you: you and your little ones. » And
He pats them, one by one, with great pitiful love.
The woman goes away pressing her treasure to her heart.
« And what about me? » asks the old man who is left
last.
Jesus looks at him, but is silent.
« Nothing for me? You are not fair! You gave her six
times as much as the others, and nothing to me. Of
course… she was a woman! »
Jesus looks at him, but is silent.
« Look everybody, and tell me if there is justice! I have
come from far away, because I was told that money was
given here, and now I see that some get too much and I
get nothing. A poor, old, sick man! And He wants us to
believe in Him!… »
« My old man, are you not ashamed of telling such lies?
Death is behind your back and you lie and endeavour to
rob also who is hungry. Why do you want to rob your
brothers of the offering that I received to give it with
justice? »
« But I… »
« Be quiet! You should have understood by My silence
and My action that I had recognised you and you should
have followed My example and been silent. Why do you
want Me to shame you? »
« I am poor. »
« No, you are a miser and a thief. You live for money
and usury. »
« I have never lent on usury. God is my witness. »
« And is this not the most fierce usury, to rob those who
are in dire need? Go. Repent. That God may forgive
you. »
« I swear… »
« Be quiet! I tell you! It is said: "You shall not swear
falsehood". If I did not respect your old age, I would
search you and in your breast I would find a purse full of
gold: your real heart. Go away! »
The impudent old man, seeing that his secret has been
discovered, goes away without any need for Jesus'
thundering voice.
The crowd threaten and scorn him, and they insult him
as a thief.
« Be quiet! If he did wrong, do not do the same. He
lacks sincerity is dishonest. If you insult him, you lack
charity. A brother who makes a mistake is not to be
insulted. Everybody has his sins. No one is perfect but
God. I was compelled to shame him, because nobody
must ever be a thief, and much less steal from poor
people. But only the Father knows how much I suffered
having to do it. You must also be sorry, seeing that a
man in Israel infringes the Law endeavouring to defraud
the poor and a widow. Do not be greedy. May your
souls, not money, be your treasure. Do not be perjurers.
Let your language be as sincere and honest as your
actions. Life is not eternal and the hour of death will
come. Live in such a way that at the hour of your death
peace may be in your souls. The peace of those who
lived an honest life. Go home… »
« Have mercy, Lord! This son of mine is deaf because a
demon vexes him. »
« And this brother of mine is like an unclean animal, he
wallows in the mud and eats excrement. A malignant
spirit forces him to do that, and although against his will,
he does foul things. »
Jesus goes towards the imploring group. He lifts His
arms and orders: « Come out of them. Leave to God His
creatures. »
Amidst shouts and uproars the two unhappy men are
cured. The women leading them kneel down, blessing.
« Go home and be thankful to God. Peace to you all.
Go. »
The crowd leave, commenting on the events. The four
disciples gather round the Master.
« My friends, I solemnly tell you that all sins can be
found in Israel and the demons have taken up their abode
there. Neither are the possessed the only ones whose lips
are mute, or are driven to live like animals and eat filth.
But the most real and numerous possessions are those
that make hearts mute to honesty and love, and turn
hearts into a sink of filthy vices. Oh! Father! » Jesus sits
down depressed.
Friday after Third Sunday of Lent John 4:5-42
POEM 143-7
143. Photinai, the Samaritan Woman.
...
68
« Peace be with you, woman. Will you give Me some
water to drink? I have walked a long way and I am
thirsty. »
« Are You not a Judaean? And You ask me, a Samaritan
woman, to give You a drink? What has happened? Have
we been rehabilitated, or have you been routed? A great
event must have taken place, if a Judaean speaks kindly
to a Samaritan woman. But I should say to You: "I will
not give You anything, to punish in You all the insults
the Jews have been heaping on us for centuries". »
« You are right. A great event has taken place. And
because of it many things have changed and many more
will change. God has granted a great gift to the world
and through it many things have changed. If you knew
the gift of God and Who is saying to you:
"Give Me a drink", perhaps you would have asked Him
to give you a drink and He would have given you living
water. »
« Living water is in the veins of the earth. It is in this
well. But it is ours. » The woman's tone is derisory and
arrogant.
« Water comes from God. As bounty comes from God.
As life comes from God. Everything belongs to the One
Only God, woman. And all men come from God:
Samaritans and Judaeans. Is this not Jacob's well? And is
not Jacob the head of our race? If later on an error
divided us, that does not change our origin. »
« Of course, it was our error, was it not? » the woman
asks aggressively.
« Neither ours nor yours. It was the error of one who had
lost sight of Charity and Justice. I do not wish to offend
you or your race. Why do you wish to strike an offensive
attitude? »
« You are the first Judaean whom I hear speak thus. The
others… But reverting to the well, yes, it is Jacob's and
its water is so plentiful and clear that we in Sychar prefer
it to other fountains. But it is very deep. You have
neither amphora nor bucket. How could You, therefore,
draw living water for me? Are You greater than our holy
Patriarch Jacob, who found this abundant vein for
himself, his sons and his cattle and left it to us as his
souvenir and gift? »
« You are right. But whoever drinks this water, will be
thirsty again. I instead have a water and whoever drinks
it will not be thirsty again. But it is only Mine. And I
will give it to whoever asks Me for it. And I solemnly
tell you that whoever has the water I give him, will
always be satisfied and will never be thirsty again,
because My water will be an unfailing eternal spring. »
« What? I do not understand. Are You a magician? How
can a man become a well? A camel drinks and lays a
supply of water in his big stomach. But he then
consumes it and it does not last all his life. And You say
that Your water lasts a whole lifetime? »
« Even longer: it will last until eternal life. In those who
drink it, it will gush until eternal life and will give germs
of eternal life, because it is a spring of health. »
« Give me some of that water, if You really have it. I get
tired coming here. If I have it, I will not be thirsty any
more and I will never be ill or become old. »
« Is that the only thing of which you get tired? Of
nothing else? And you feel only the need of drawing
water to drink and satisfy Your poor body? Think about
it. There is something more important than your body.
Your soul. Jacob did not procure only the water of the
earth for himself and his sons. He was anxious to be holy
and to bestow holiness, the water of God. »
« You call us heathens… If what You say is true, we
cannot be holy… » The woman's tone is no longer
insolent and ironical and she is submissive and
somewhat confused.
« Also a heathen can be virtuous. And God, Who is just,
will reward him for the good he has done. It will not be a
complete reward, but I can tell you that between a guilty
believer and an innocent heathen, God looks at the latter
with less severity. And if you know you are such, why
do you not come to the True God? What is your name? »
« Photinai. »
« Well, tell me, Photinai, are you sorry that you cannot
aspire to holiness because you are a heathen, as you say,
or because you are in the haze of an old error, as I say? »
« Yes, I am sorry. »
« Well, then, why do you not live at least as a virtuous
heathen? »
« Lord!… »
« Yes, can you deny it? Go and call your husband and
come back here with him. »
« I have no husband. » The embarrassment of the
woman increases.
« You have spoken the truth. You have no husband. But
you have had five men and you have one with you now
who is not your husband. Was that necessary? Also your
religion condemns lewdness. You have the Decalogue,
too. Why, then, Photinai, do you live thus? Are you not
tired of the exertion of being flesh for everybody, instead
of being the honest wife of one man only? Are you not
afraid of the evening of your life, when you will be all
alone with your memories and regrets? And with your
fears? Yes, all those. Fear of God and of ghosts. Where
are your children? »
The woman lowers her head completely and does not
reply.
69
« You have none in this world. But their little souls,
whom you prevented from seeing the day of their birth,
are reproaching you. And they always will. Jewels…
beautiful dresses… a splendid house… a bountiful
table… But emptiness, and tears, and interior misery.
You are forlorn, Photinai. And only through sincere
repentance, through God's forgiveness and consequently
through your children's forgiveness, you can become
rich again. »
« Lord, I see that You are a prophet. And I am
ashamed… »
« And when you were doing evil things, were you not
ashamed of yourself before the Father Who is in
Heaven? Do not weep out of dejection before the Man…
Come here, Photinai. Come near Me. I will speak to you
of God. Perhaps you did not know Him well. And that is
why you have been so faulty. If you had known the True
God well, you would not have degraded yourself so
much. He would have spoken to you and supported
you… »
« Lord, our ancestors have worshipped on this mountain.
You say that one must worship only in Jerusalem. But
You said that there is only One God. Help me to see
what I must do and where… »
« Woman, believe Me. Before long the Father will be
worshipped neither on the mountain in Samaria nor in
Jerusalem. You worship Him Whom you do not know.
We worship Him Whom we know, because salvation
comes from the Judaeans. I remind you of the Prophets.
But the time will come, nay, it has already arrived, when
the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and
truth, no longer according to the ancient rite, but to the
new one, where there will be no sacrifice of animals
consumed by fire. There will be the eternal sacrifice of
the Immaculate Victim consumed by the Fire of Charity.
It will be a spiritual cult in a spiritual Kingdom. And it
will be understood by those who are able to worship in
spirit and truth. God is Spirit. Those who worship Him
must do so spiritually. »
« You speak holy words. I know, because we also know
something, that the Messiah is about to come: the
Messiah, He Who is called also "Christ". When He
comes, He will teach us everything. Not far from here
there is also one who is said to be His Precursor. And
many go and listen to him. But he is so severe!… You
are kind… and the souls of poor people are not afraid of
You. I think that Christ will be good. They say that He is
the King of Peace. Will it be long before He comes? »
« I have told you that His hour has already come. »
« How do You know? Are You perhaps one of His
disciples? The Precursor has many disciples. Also Christ
will have them. »
« I, Who am speaking to you, am Jesus Christ. »
« You!… Oh!… » The woman, who had sat down near
Jesus, stands up and is about to run away.
« Woman, why are you running away? »
« Because I am struck with terror at being near You.
You are holy. »
« I am the Saviour. I came here, although it was not
necessary, because I knew that your soul was tired of
wandering. You are disgusted with your food… I have
come to give you a new food, which will remove your
nausea and tiredness… Here are My disciples coming
back with My food. But I have already been fed by
giving you the first crumbs of your redemption. »
The disciples glance at the woman out of the corners of
their eyes, more or less prudently, but no one speaks.
She goes away forgetting about her amphora and the
water.
« Here, Master » says Peter. « The people have treated
us very well. Here is some cheese, fresh bread, olives
and apples. Take what You want. It's a good job that
woman left her amphora. We shall draw water with it
quicker than with our small flasks. We shall have a drink
and then we shall fill them. And we shall not have to ask
the Samaritans for anything else. Neither shall we have
to go near their fountains. Are You not eating? I wanted
to get some fish for You, but there was none. Perhaps
You would have preferred it. You look tired and pale. »
« I have a food which is unknown to you. I will have
some of it and it will restore Me considerably. »
The disciples look at one another inquisitively.
Jesus replies to their silent questions: « My food is to do
the will of Him Who sent Me and to accomplish the
work which He wants Me to complete. When a sower
sows the seed, can he say that he has done everything
and thus state that he can reap the harvest? Most
certainly not. How much more there is still to be done
before he may say: "My work is accomplished". And he
cannot rest until that moment. Look at these little fields
in the bright midday sunshine. Only a month ago, even
less than a month ago, the soil was bare and dark
because it was wet with rain. Look now. It looks as if it
were covered by a light whitish veil, because of the
many very pale-green corn stems, which have just come
up and look even lighter because of the bright sunshine.
That is the future crop and seeing it you say: "It will be
harvest time in four months. The sowers will employ
reapers, because if one man is quite sufficient to sow his
field, many men are required to reap the harvest. And
they are all happy. Both the man who sowed a small
sack of corn and now must prepare his granaries to store
the crop, and those who in a few days earn enough to
live on for a few months". Also in the spiritual field
those who reap what I have sown will rejoice with Me
and like Me, because I will give them the wages and
70
crops due to them. I will give them what to live on in My
eternal Kingdom. You have but to reap. I have done the
hardest work. And yet I say to you: "Come. Reap the
harvest in My field. I am glad that you burden
yourselves with the sheaves of My corn. When you have
harvested all the corn that I, without ever tiring, have
sown everywhere, then the will of God will be fulfilled
and I will sit at the banquet in the Celestial Jerusalem".
Here the Samaritans are coming with Photinai. Be kind
to them. They are souls coming to God. »
144. With the People of Sychar.
23rd April 1945.
A group of Samaritan dignitaries are coming towards
Jesus, led by Photinai. « God be with You, Rabbi. This
woman has told us that You are a prophet and that You
do not disdain speaking to us. We beg You to stay with
us and not to refuse to speak to us, because if it is true
that we are cut off from Judah, that does not mean that
only Judah is holy and that all the error is in Samaria.
Also amongst us there are some just people. »
« I told her exactly the same. I will not impose Myself,
neither will I reject those who seek Me. »
« You are just. The woman told us that You are Christ.
Is that true? Reply to us in the name of God. »
« I am. The Messianic epoch has come. Israel is united
by her King. And not only Israel. »
« But You will be the Messiah for those who… are not
in error, as we are » remarks an imposing elderly man.
« Man, I see that you are their leader and I also see that
you are honestly seeking the Truth. Now, listen to Me
since you are learned in the holy scriptures. I was told
what the Spirit said to Ezekiel, entrusting him with the
prophetic mission: "Son of man, I send you to the people
of Israel, to a nation of rebels, who have rebelled against
Me… They are impudent and stubborn children… They
may listen to you and then not keep your words, which
are My words, because they are a rebellious house, but at
least they will know that there is a prophet among them.
Therefore, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their
words, because they are unbelieving and rebellious…
And you shall speak My words to them, whether they
hear or refuse to hear you. Do what I tell you, hear what
I say to you, be not rebellious like them. Eat, therefore,
whatever food I give you". And I came. I do not flatter
Myself and I do not expect to be received as a
triumphant victor. But since the will of God is My
honey, here I am to fulfil it, and if you wish I will tell
you the words which the Spirit said to Me. »
« How can the Eternal Father have thought of us? »
« Because He is love, My children. »
« Not all the Rabbis in Judah say so. »
« But that is what the Messiah of the Lord tells you. »
« It is written that the Messiah is to be born of a virgin in
Judah. Of whom and where were You born? »
« In Bethlehem Ephrata, of Mary of the House of David,
by means of a spiritual conception. I ask you to believe
Me. » Jesus' beautiful voice is a declaration of
triumphant joy in proclaiming His Mother's virginity.
« Your face is shining with a bright light. No, it is not
possible for You to lie. The faces of the children of
darkness are gloomy and their eyes are grim. You are
bright; Your eyes are as bright as the morning star and
Your words are true. Please come to Sychar and teach
the children of this people. Then You will go away…
and we will remember the Star that appeared in our
sky… »
« Why would you not follow it? »
« How can we? » They are talking while walking
towards the town. « We are cut off. At least that is what
they say. But we were born in this faith and we do not
know whether it is right to abandon it. Further… well, I
feel I can tell You. After all we have eyes to see and
minds to think. When we pass through your country, on
journeys or on business, not everything we see is so holy
as to persuade us that God is with you Judaeans or with
you Galileans. »
« I solemnly tell you that the remainder of Israel will be
charged with not persuading and leading you back to
God by means of good examples and charity, instead of
offending and anathematising you. »
« How much wisdom there is in You. Have you all heard
Him? »
They all nod assent whispering their admiration.
They have in the meantime reached the town and many
people draw near while they walk towards a house.
« Listen, Rabbi. Since You are wise and good, please
resolve a doubt of ours. A great deal of our future
depends on it. As You are the Messiah and thus the
Restorer of David's Kingdom, You must be happy to
rejoin this severed limb to the body of the state. Are You
not? »
« I am taking care not so much to reunite the severed
parts of what is perishable and transient, as to lead back
to God all the souls, and I am happy when I restore the
Truth to a heart. But express your doubt. »
« Our fathers sinned. Since then the souls of Samaritans
have been disliked by God. What benefit will we receive
if we follow Good? We will always be like lepers in the
eyes of God. »
« Your regret is the eternal dissatisfaction of all
schismatics. Once again I will reply to you with Ezekiel:
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"All souls are Mine" says the Lord. "The soul of the
father as well as the soul of the son. Only the soul that
sins shall die. If a man is righteous, if he is not an
idolator, if he does not fornicate, or steal or lend at an
interest, if he has mercy both on the body and on the
soul of his neighbour, he is righteous in My eyes and
shall live a true life". And further on. "If a just man has a
rebellious son, shall that son live because his father was
a just man? He shall not live". And also: "If the son of a
sinner is a righteous man, will he die like his father,
because he is his son? No, he shall live eternal life
because he was just". It would not be fair if one had to
suffer for the iniquity of another. The soul that has
sinned shall die. The soul that has not sinned shall not
die. And if he who has sinned is repentant and comes to
the Justice, behold, he shall have true life, too. The Lord
God, the One and Only Lord, says: "I do not want the
death of the sinner, but I want him to repent and live".
That is why He sent Me, o wandering children: that you
may have true life. I am the Life. Who believes in Me
and in Him Who sent Me will have eternal life, even if
up to the present moment he was a sinner. »
« Here we are at my house, Master. Do You not detest
entering it? »
« I detest only sin. »
« Come in, then, and stay. We shall break our bread
together and then, if it is not a burden to You, You will
explain the word of God to us. That word has a different
flavour when it is explained by You… and we are
tortured by a doubt: we do not feel sure that we are
right… »
« Everything would be appeased if you dared to come
openly to the Truth. May God speak to your hearts. It is
getting dark. Tomorrow, at the third hour I will speak to
you at some length, if you wish so. Go now with the
Mercy which is close to you. »
145. Evangelization at Sychar.
24th April 1945.
Jesus is speaking to a large crowd in the centre of a
square. He has climbed on a stone bench near the
fountain. The crowds are around Him. Also the Twelve
are around Him… their faces are dismayed, or annoyed,
or they clearly show disgust at certain contacts.
Bartholomew and the Iscariot in particular clearly show
their embarrassment and to be as far as possible from the
Samaritans, the Iscariot is sitting astride the branch of a
tree as if he wanted to dominate the scene, while
Bartholomew is leaning against a door in a corner of the
square. The prejudice is evident and clearly visible in all
of them.
Jesus, on the contrary, has not changed His usual attitude
in the least. Nay, I would say that He is endeavouring to
prevent His majesty from frightening the people and at
the same time He tries to let it shine to remove all
doubts. He caresses two or three little ones and asks
them their names, He takes an interest in an old man to
whom He gives alms Himself, He replies to two or three
questions, which are put to Him on private matters, not
on general problems.
The first one is the request of a father whose daughter
had eloped and is now begging to be forgiven.
« Forgive her at once. »
« But I suffered because of her, Master. And I still
suffer. In less than a year I have grown ten years older. »
« Forgiveness will relieve you. »
« It is not possible. The wound is still there. »
« That is true. But in the wound there are two parts that
hurt. One is the undeniable affront you received from
your daughter. The other is the effort to cease loving her.
Remove at least the latter. Forgiveness, which is the
highest form of love, will remove it. You must consider,
poor father, that your daughter was born of you and is
always entitled to your love. If you knew that she was
suffering from a physical disease and that she would die,
unless you cured her yourself, would you let her die?
Most certainly not. Consider then that you, with your
forgiveness can put an end to her trouble and bring her
back to her wholesome instinct. Because you must
realise that she was overwhelmed by the basest material
instinct. »
« So You would advise me to forgive her? »
« You must. »
« How will I be able to see her move about the house,
and not curse her for what she has done? »
« In that case you would not forgive her. Your
forgiveness must not consist in opening once again the
door of your house to her, but in reopening your heart.
Be good, man. What? Shall we not have for our own
child the patience we have for a restless steer? »
A woman, instead, asks Jesus whether she ought to
marry her brother-in-law to give a father to her little
orphans.
« Do you think he will be a real father to them? »
« Yes, Master, I do. They are three boys. It takes a man
to guide them. »
« Marry him, then, and be a faithful wife to him, as you
were to your first husband. »
The third man asks Him whether he will be doing the
right thing or not by accepting an invitation to go to
Antioch.
« Man, why do you want to go there? »
72
« Because I have not enough means here for myself and
my large family. I met a Gentile who would employ me
because he saw how skilful I am in my work and he
would take on also my sons. But I would not like… the
scruple of a Samaritan may seem strange to You, but
there it is. I would not like to lose our faith. That man,
You know, is a heathen! »
« So? Nothing contaminates unless one wants to be
contaminated. Go to Antioch and be of the True God. He
will guide you and you will be the benefactor of your
master, who will acquire the knowledge of God through
your honesty. »
He then begins speaking to the crowd.
« I have heard many of you and I have -perceived that
each of your hearts is rent by a secret sorrow, a grief, of
which you are not even aware. Your sorrow has been
accumulating for centuries and neither the reasons
expressed by you nor the insults hurled at you can
dissolve it. On the contrary it becomes deeper and
deeper and weighs like snow that becomes ice.
I am not one of you, neither am I one of those who
accuse you. I am Justice and Wisdom. And once again I
will quote Ezekiel to solve your case. He speaks of
Samaria and Jerusalem in a prophetical style, and he
says that they are daughters of one mother and calls
them Oholah and Oholibah. The first to fall into idolatry
was the former, whose name is Oholah, because she was
already deprived of the spiritual help from union with
the Father of Heaven. Union with God is always
salvation. She changed true wealth, true power, true
wisdom with the poor wealth, power and wisdom of one
who was inferior to God, who was even lower than she
was, and she was seduced to such an extent as to become
the slave of the way of living of her seducer. She wanted
to be strong, and instead became weak. She wanted to be
superior, and became inferior. She became insane
because she was imprudent. It is not easy for one to get
rid of an infection, when one has imprudently become
infected by it. You may say: "Inferior? No. We were
great". Yes, you were great, but how? At what cost? You
know. How many people, also amongst women, become
rich at the dreadful cost of their honour! They achieve
something that may come to an end. They lose
something that never ends: their reputation.
When Oholibah saw that Oholah's folly had brought her
wealth, she wanted to imitate her and became more
deranged than her sister, and was twice as guilty,
because she had the True God with her and she should
never have trodden on the strength that she received
from that union. And a terrible severe punishment was
inflicted on the twice crazy fornicatrix Oholibah, and a
more severe punishment will be imposed. God will turn
His back on her. He is already doing so, in order to go to
those who do not belong to Judah. Neither can God be
accused of being unfair, because He does not impose
Himself. He opens His arms to everybody, He invites
everybody, but if one says to Him: "Go away", He goes
away. He goes to seek love elsewhere, to invite other
people, until He finds someone who says to Him: "I will
come". I therefore say to you that you can find relief
from your torture, you must find it, by meditating on
what I told you. Oholah, recover your consciousness.
God is calling you.
The wisdom of man consists in acknowledging his
faults, the wisdom of the spirit lies in loving the True
God and His Truth. Do not look at Oholibah, or
Phoenicia, or Egypt, or Greece. Look at God. That is the
Fatherland of every righteous soul: Heaven. There are
not many laws, but one only: God's. Through the law
one achieves Life. Do not say: "We sinned", but say:
"We do not want to sin any more". You have the proof
that God still loves you and that He has sent His Word to
say to you: "Come". I say to you: "Come". Have you
been offended and proscribed? By whom? By Your own
fellow creatures. But God is above them and He says to
You: "Come". The day will come when you will rejoice
because You were not in the Temple... Your hearts will
rejoice at that. But souls will rejoice even more because
God's forgiveness will already have descended upon the
righteous hearts scattered throughout Samaria. Prepare
His coming. Come to the universal Saviour, o children
of God, who have lost your way. »
« Some of us at least would come. But those on the other
side do not want us. »
« And once again with the priest and prophet I say to
you: "I am about to take the stick of Joseph, which is in
the hand of Ephraim and the tribes of Israel associated
with him and I will join it to the stick of Judah and make
them one stick… " Do not go to the Temple. Come to
Me. I do not reject anyone. I am called the King
dominating over everybody. I am the King of kings. I
will purify all peoples if they wish to be purified. I will
gather you together, o herds without shepherds or with
idol-shepherds, because I am the Good Shepherd. I will
give you one tabernacle only and I will place it in the
midst of My believers. That tabernacle will be the source
of life, the bread of life, it will be light, salvation,
protection, wisdom. It will be everything, because it will
be the Living One given as food to the dead to make
them live, it will be God Whose holiness will overflow
to sanctify. That is what I am and will be. The days of
hatred, of incomprehension, of fear have come to an end.
Come! People of Israel! People separated! People
afflicted! People remote! You are a dear people,
infinitely dear, because you are ill and weak, because
you have been wounded by an arrow that has opened the
veins of your souls and has let the vital union with your
God escape. Come! Come to the bosom where you were
born, come to the breast from which you received life.
73
Kindness and warmth are still here for you. Come!
Come to Life and to Salvation. »
...
Oh! Children of the Father, do not say: "Both our
Temple and yours have been rebuilt and are beautiful".
No. A tree split by a thunderbolt from its top down to the
roots will not survive. It may just vegetate in a miserable
manner through an effort to live by means of the shoots
coming from the roots, which are reluctant to die, but it
will be barren brushwood, it will no longer be a healthy
tree, laden with wholesome sweet fruit. The ruin that
started with the separation, grows worse and worse,
although the material structure does not appear to be
damaged, on the contrary it looks beautiful and new. It
crushes down the consciences that live in it. And then
the hour will come when every supernatural flame will
be extinguished and the Temple will be deprived of its
very life, the Temple, an altar of precious metal, which
can subsist only if it is continuously smelted by the
warmth of its ministers' faith and charity; and icy, dull,
soiled, full of dead bodies, it will become putrefaction
upon which foreign crows and the avalanche of divine
punishment will rush to ruin it completely.
Pray, children of Israel, weeping with Me, your Saviour.
May My voice support yours and reach up to the throne
of God, as it is able to. Who prays with Christ, the Son
of the Father, is heard by God, the Father of the Son. Let
us say the old just prayer of Baruch: "And now,
Almighty Lord, God of Israel, every soul in anguish,
every troubled heart cries to You. Listen and have pity, o
Lord. You are a Merciful God, have mercy on us for we
have sinned in Your sight. You sit enthroned for ever,
and shall we perish continually? Almighty Lord, God of
Israel, hear the prayer of the dead of Israel and of their
sons, who have sinned against You. They did not listen
to the voice of the Lord their God, hence the disasters
that have befallen us. Do not call to mind the misdeeds
of our ancestors, but remember instead Your power and
Your Name… Because we invoke Your Name and we
turn from the wickedness of our ancestors, have mercy
on us".
Pray thus and be truly converted, by returning to true
wisdom, which is the wisdom of God. It can be found in
the Book of God's commandments and in the Law that
lasts for ever, and that I, the Messiah of God, have now
come to bring to the poor of the world in its simple
unchangeable form, announcing them the Gospel of the
time of Redemption, of Forgiveness, of Love, of Peace.
Who believes in that Word will reach eternal life.
I leave you, citizens of Sychar, who have been good to
the Messiah of God. I leave you with My peace. »
...
Behind Him, the apostles are whispering to one another,
and I get the impression that they are not really speaking
in praise of the Master. All of a sudden Jesus turns round
and says: « Keep watching the wind and you will never
sow, stare at the clouds and you will never reap. It is an
old proverb and I follow it. And you can see that where
you were afraid of ill winds and did not want to stop, I
found a fertile soil and the possibility of sowing. And
notwithstanding "your" clouds, which, may I tell you,
you ought not to display where Mercy wants to show His
sunshine, I am sure I have already harvested. »
« However, no one asked You for a miracle. Their faith
in You is very odd! »
« And do you think, Thomas, that faith is evidenced only
by requesting miracles? You are wrong. It is the very
opposite. If a man wants a miracle to be able to believe,
it means that without the tangible proof of the miracle,
he would not believe. Who instead says: "I believe" in
somebody else's word, shows the greatest faith. »
« So the Samaritans are better than we are! »
« I am not saying that. But in their state of spiritual
disability they have shown a much greater capacity for
understanding God than the believers in Palestine. You
will find that very often in your lifetime, and I would ask
you to remember this instance, so that you will know
how to behave with the souls who turn to the faith in
Christ. »
« But, Jesus, forgive me for telling You, I think that with
all the hatred against You, it does You no good to give
rise to new accusations. If the members of the Sanhedrin
knew that You have… »
« You may very well say: "loved", because that is what I
have done and I do, James. And since you are My
cousin, you can understand that I can but love. I have
shown to you that I always love also those who were
against Me amongst My kinsfolk and countrymen. And
should I not love those people who respected Me,
although they did not know Me? The members of the
Sanhedrin can do all the harm they like. But it will not
be the thought of such future evil that will stop the
effusion of My omnipresent and omnieffective love. In
any case… even if I did… I would not prevent the
Sanhedrin from finding accusations in their hatred. »
« But, Master, You are wasting Your time in an
idolatrous country, whilst so many places in Israel are
expecting You. You say that every hour is to be
consecrated to the Lord. Are the hours spent here not
lost? »
« The day spent in gathering the lost sheep is not lost. It
is not lost, Philip. It is said: "A man multiplies offerings
by keeping the Law… but by having mercy he offers a
sacrifice". It is said: "Give the Most High as He has
given to you, generously as your means can afford". I do
74
that, My friend. And the time devoted to sacrifice is not
wasted. I show mercy and I make use of the means I
received by offering My work to God. Therefore be
calm. In any case…
Saturday after Third Sunday of John 8:1-11
Lent
492. The Pharisees and the Adulterous Woman.
I see the inside of the enclosure of the Temple, that is,
one of the many courts surrounded by porches. And I see
also Jesus, Who, well enveloped in His mantle that
covers His tunic - the latter is dark red and not white,
and seems to be made of a heavy woollen cloth - is
speaking to a crowd of people standing around Him.
I would say that it is a winter day because I notice that
everybody is muffled up, and that it must be rather cold
because people, instead of standing, are walking fast as
if they wished to warm themselves. The wind is blowing
shaking mantles and raising dust in the courts.
The group pressing round Jesus, the only one to be still,
whilst all the others standing around this or that master
are walking up and down, opens out to let a small group
of gesticulating venomous scribes and Pharisees pass.
They are spurting venom from their eyes, their livid
faces and mouths. What vipers they are! Rather than lead
they are dragging a woman, about thirty years old; her
hair is ruffled and her dress untidy and she is weeping,
as if she had been ill-treated. They throw her at Jesus'
feet as if she were a bundle of rags or a dead body. And
she remains there, crouched, with her face resting on her
arms, which hide it and are like a cushion between it and
the ground.
« Master, this woman was caught in the very act of
committing adultery. Her husband loved her and ensured
that she lacked nothing. She was the queen in her house.
And she has been unfaithful to him because she is a
vicious ungrateful sinner and profaner. She is an
adulteress and as such she is to be stoned. Moses ordered
so. In his law he orders us to stone such women like
unclean animals. And they are unclean. Because they
betray faith and the man who loves them and takes care
of them, and because like earth never sated, they always
crave for lust. They are worse than prostitutes because
without the sting of need they give themselves to satisfy
their lewdness. They are corrupted and corrupters. They
are to be sentenced to death. Moses said so. What have
You to say, Master? »
Jesus, Who had stopped speaking at the tumultuous
arrival of the Pharisees and had looked at the pack of
angry men with piercing eyes and then had lowered
them on the depressed woman thrown at His feet, is
silent. Still sitting, He has bent, and with His finger He
begins to write on the stones of the porch covered with
the dust raised by the wind. While they speak He writes.
« Master? We are speaking to You. Listen to us. Reply
to us. Have You not understood? This woman has been
caught in the very act of committing adultery. In her
house. In the bed of her husband. She has polluted it
with her lechery. »
Jesus is writing.
« But this man is a fool! Don't you see that He does not
understand anything and that He is drawing signs on the
dust like a poor fool? »
« Master, for the sake of Your name, speak. Let Your
wisdom reply to our question. We repeat it: this woman
lacked nothing. She had clothes, food, love. And she has
been unfaithful. »
Jesus is writing.
« She lied to the man who trusted her. With mendacious
lips she greeted him and went to the door with him,
smiling, she then opened the secret door and let her lover
in. And while her husband was away working for her,
like an unclean animal, she wallowed in her lewdness. »
« Master, she is a desecrator of the Law as well as of her
nuptial bed. She is a rebel, an impious person, a
blasphemer. »
Jesus is writing. He writes and cancels with His sandal-
shod foot what He has written and writes further on,
turning round slowly to find more room. He looks like a
little boy playing. But what He writes are not playful
words. He has written successively: « Usurer »,
« False », « Irreverent son », « Fornicator »,
« Murderer », « Desecrator of the Law », « Thief »,
« Libidinous », « Usurper », « Unworthy husband and
father », « Blasphemer », « Rebellious to God »,
« Adulterer ». The words are written over and over again
while fresh accusers speak.
« Well, Master! Your opinion. The woman is to be
judged. She must not contaminate the Earth with her
weight. Her breath is poison that upsets hearts. »
Jesus stands up. Good gracious! What a face! His eyes
flash like lightning striking the accusers. He holds His
head so upright that He looks even taller. And He is so
severe and solemn that He seems a king on his throne.
His mantle has fallen off one shoulder forming a short
train behind Him. But He does not mind that. With stern
countenance and not even the least trace of a smile on
His lips or in His eyes, He glares with such eyes at the
crowds which withdraw as they would before two sharp
75
blades. He stares at them one by one. With such
searching intensity that frightens. Those who are stared
at try to withdraw into the crowd and hide there. The
circle thus widens and breaks up as if it were mined by
an occult power.
He finally speaks: « If there is one of you who has not
sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her. » And
His voice sounds like thunder while His eyes flash even
more brightly. Jesus has folded His arms across His
chest and remains thus: as straight as a judge, awaiting.
His eyes give no peace: they search, penetrate and
accuse.
First one, then two, then five, then in groups, all the
people present go away with lowered heads. Not only
the scribes and the Pharisees, but also those who were
previously around Jesus, and others who had approached
Him to hear His opinion and the sentence, and both the
former and the latter had joined together to abuse the
guilty woman and demand her lapidation.
Jesus is left alone with Peter and John. I do not see the
other apostles.
Jesus has resumed writing, while the flight of the
accusers is taking place, and He now writes:
« Pharisees », « Vipers », « Sepulchres of rottenness »,
« Liars », « Traitors », « Enemies of God », « Revilers of
His Word »…
When the court is completely empty and there is a
solemn silence in it - only the rustling of the wind and
the murmur of a little fountain in a corner can be heard -
Jesus raises His head and looks. His countenance is now
placid. He is sad, but no longer angry. He casts a look at
Peter, who has moved away a little, leaning against a
column, and one at John, who almost behind Jesus, looks
at Him with his loving eyes. Jesus smiles slightly
looking at Peter and more brightly when He looks at
John. Two different smiles.
He then looks at the woman, still prostrated and weeping
at His feet. He gets up, He adjusts His mantle as if He
were about to set off. He beckons to the two apostles to
go to the exit.
When He is alone He calls the woman. « Woman, listen
to Me. Look at Me. » He repeats His order because she
dare not look up. « Woman, we are alone. Look at Me. »
The poor wretch raises her face that tears and dust have
turned into a mask of dejection.
« Woman, where are now those who were accusing
you? » Jesus is speaking in a low voice, with gravity full
of pity. His head and body are lightly bent forward,
toward so much misery, and His eyes are full of an
indulgent restoring expression. « Did no one condemn
you? »
The woman replies sobbing: « No one, Master. »
« Neither do I condemn you. Go. And do not sin any
more. Go home. And behave in such a way that you may
be forgiven by God and by the man you offended. And
do not trespass on the benignity of the Lord. Go. »
And He helps her to get up taking her by the hand. But
He does not bless, neither does He greet her with the
salutation of peace. He looks at her going away, her head
lowered and slightly staggering in her shame, and when
she disappears, He sets off Himself with the two
disciples.
--------------------
Jesus says:
« What hurt Me was the lack of charity and sincerity in
the accusers.
Not because they lied in accusing. The woman was
really guilty. But they were insincere being scandalised
at something they had committed thousands of times and
that only greater cunning and better luck had allowed to
remain concealed. The woman, at her first sin, had not
been so cunning and lucky. But none of the accusers,
both male and female - because also women accused her
in their hearts even if they did not raise their voices -
were free from sin.
He is an adulterer who commits the act and he who
desires the act and craves for it with all his might. Both
he who sins and he who wishes to sin are lustful. It is not
sufficient not to do evil. It is also necessary not to desire
to do it. Remember, Mary, the first word of your Master,
when I called you from the edge of the precipice where
you were: "It is not sufficient not to do evil. It is also
necessary not to desire to do it" He who cherishes
sensual thoughts and excites sensual feelings by means
of literature and performances sought for such purpose
and through pernicious habits, is equally impure as he
who commits the sin materially. I dare say: he is more
guilty. Because with his thoughts he goes against nature,
not only against morals. I am not referring to those who
commit real acts against nature. The only extenuating
circumstance for such person is an organic disease or
mental illness. He who does not have such an
extenuating circumstance is inferior to the filthiest beast
by ten degrees.
One ought to be free from sin in order to condemn with
justice. I refer you to past dictations, when I speak of the
essential conditions to be a judge.
I was not unaware of the hearts of those Pharisees and
scribes, or of the hearts of those people who had joined
them in insulting the guilty woman. Sinners against God
and their neighbour, they had sinned against faith,
against their parents, against their neighbour and above
all they had committed many sins against their wives. If
by means of a miracle I had ordered their blood to write
their sins on their foreheads, among the many charges
76
that of "adulterers" by deed or by desire would have
reigned supreme. I said: "It is what comes from the heart
that contaminates man". And with the exception of My
heart there was no one among the judges whose heart
was pure. They lacked sincerity and charity. Not even
their being like her in their hunger for lust induced them
to be charitable.
It was I Who was charitable to the dejected woman. I,
the Only One, Who should have been disgusted with her.
But remember this: "The kinder one is, the more
compassionate one is to culprits". One is not lenient to
the fault itself. No. But one is indulgent to weak people
who have not resisted temptation.
Man! Oh! More than a fragile reed and a thin bearbine,
he is easily inclined to yield to temptation and to cling to
whatever may make him hope to find solace. Because
many times sin is committed, particularly by the weaker
sex, owing to such search for comfort. I therefore say
that he who has no love for his wife, or for his own
daughter, is ninety per cent responsible for the sin of his
wife or of his daughter and will have to answer for them.
Both the stupid love, which is nothing but foolish
slavery imposed by a man on his wife or by a father on
his daughter, and the neglect of love or even worse, a sin
of lechery which leads a man to other love affairs and
parents to other cares than their children, are incentives
to adultery and prostitution and are condemned by Me as
such.
You are beings gifted with reason and guided by a divine
law and by a moral law. To degrade yourselves to the
behaviour of savages or of brutes should horrify your
great pride. But pride, which in this case would be also
useful, is used by you for completely different matters.
I looked at Peter and John in different ways, because I
wanted to say to the former: "Peter, make sure you are
not lacking in charity and sincerity as well", and I also
wanted to say to him as My future Pontiff: "Remember
this hour and in future judge as your Master did"; whilst
to the latter, a young man with the soul of a child, I
wanted to say: "You can judge, but you do not, because
your heart is like Mine. Thank you, My beloved, for
being so much Mine, as to be a second I". I sent the two
disciples away before calling the woman as I did not
wish to increase her mortification wit the presence of
two witnesses. Learn, o pitiless men. No matter how
guilty a man is, he is to be treated with respect and
charity. You must not rejoice at his annihilation, you
must not be pitiless, not even with curious glances. Have
mercy on those who fall!
I pointed out to the guilty woman the way she should
follow to redeem herself: to go back to her house, to ask
humbly to be forgiven and to obtain forgiveness through
an upright life; not to yield any more to the flesh; not to
trespass on divine Goodness and human kindness in
order not to expiate more severely than at present for Do not say "Thanks" to Me. Thank Her, Who did not
two or many sins. God forgives and He forgives because want to remember anything of you, except the little good
He is Goodness. But man, although I said: "Forgive your you have done and the love you have for Me, and that is
brother seventy times seven", is not capable of forgiving why She wanted you, to subdue under Her foot what
twice. your good will did not succeed in subjugating. Shout:
"Long live Mary!" And remain at Her feet at the foot of
I did not wish her peace and I did not give her My
the Cross. You will adorn your garment with the rubies
blessing because she was not fully detached from her
of My Blood and with the pearls of Her tears. You will
sin, as is required to be forgiven. In her flesh and
have a queen's robe for your entrance into My Kingdom.
unfortunately not even in her heart there was no nausea
for sin. When Mary of Magdala savoured My Word, she Go in peace. I bless you. »
became disgusted with sin and came to Me, full of good
will to change completely. But this woman still hesitated
between the voices of the flesh and those of the spirit.
And in the excitement of the moment, she had not yet
been able to use the axe against the stump of the flesh
and cut it off in order to go, once she was mutilated of
her greedy weight, to the Kingdom of God. Mutilated of
what is ruin, but increased with what is salvation.
Do you want to know whether she was saved? I was not
the Saviour for everybody. I wanted to be so, but I was
not because not everyone wanted to be saved. And that
was one of the most piercing arrows in My agony at
Gethsemane.
Go in peace, Mary of Mary, and do not sin any more, not
even in trifles. Under Mary's mantle there is nothing but
pure things. Bear that in mind.
One day Mary, My Mother, said to you: "I ask My Son
with tears to give you to Me". And another time: "I leave
it to My Jesus to have Me loved… When you love Me I
come. And My coming is joy and salvation".
Mother wanted you. And I gave you to Her. Nay, I took
you there, because I know that where I can bend with
authority, She takes you with the caress of love and She
takes you there even better than I do. Her touch is a seal
before which Satan runs away. Now you have Her dress
and if you are faithful to the prayers of the two Orders,
you will meditate on all the life of our Mother every day:
on Her joys and sorrows. That is, My joys and My
sorrows. Because since I, the Word, became Jesus, I
have rejoiced and wept with Her and for the same Fourth Sunday in Lent John 6:1-15
reasons.
So you can see that to love Mary is to love Jesus. It is to
love Him more easily. Because I make you carry the 272. First Miracle of the Loaves.
cross and I put you on the cross. Mother instead carries
you or stands at the foot of the cross to receive you on ...
Her heart that can only love. Also at the moment of The apostles point out to Jesus, Who always teaches
death Mary's bosom is more pleasant than a cradle. according to the subjects presented to Him. « Master,
Whoever breathes his last in Her, hears nothing but the evening is approaching. This is a desert place, far from
voices of the angelical choruses whirling round Mary. houses and villages, it is shady and damp. In a short
He does not see darkness, but sees the sweet ray of the while it will not be possible to see or walk here. The
Morning Star. He hears no weeping, but sees Her smile. moon rises late. Dismiss the people so that they may go
He knows no terror. Of Us who love Her, who would to Tarichea or other villages along the Jordan to buy
dare tear from Mary's arms a creature of Her's? food and find lodgings. »

77
« They need not go. Give them something to eat. They
can sleep here as they did when waiting for Me. »
« Master, You know that there are only five loaves left
and two fish. »
« Bring them to Me. »
« Andrew, go and look for the boy. He is looking after
the bag. A little while ago he was with the scribe's son
and two more boys, intent on making garlands of flowers
and playing at kings. »
Andrew goes away at once. John and Philip also look for
Marjiam among the crowds, who continuously change
place. They find him almost simultaneously, with the
bag of victuals across his back, a large shoot of clematis
around his head and a belt of clematis, from which an
offshoot hangs, as a sword, the top being the hilt, the
long stem its blade. There are seven boys with him, all
wearing the same decorations, paying court to the
scribe's son, a very thin child, with the grave
countenance of one who has suffered very much, who is
adorned with flowers more than the others and plays the
king.
« Come, Marjiam. The Master wants you! »
Marjiam leaves his friends and runs away without taking
off his… floral insignia. But the other boys follow him
and Jesus is soon surrounded by a circle of children
wreathed with flowers. He caresses them while Philip
takes a parcel out of the bag containing some loaves,
which are wrapped together with two big fish: two
kilograms of fish, or little more. They would not suffice
for the seventeen people, nay eighteen, including
Manaen, of Jesus' group. They take the food to the
Master.
« Very well. Now bring Me some baskets. Seventeen, as
many as you are. Marjiam will hand the food to the
children… » Jesus stares at the scribe who has always
been near Him and asks: « Will you give food to the
hungry people, too? »
« I would like to. But I have none myself. »
« Give Mine. I will let you have it. »
« But… are You going to satisfy five thousand men,
besides women and children, with those two fish and the
five loaves? » « Undoubtedly. Do not be incredulous.
Those who believe will see the miracle being
accomplished. »
« Oh! In that case I want to hand out the food, too! »
« Then, get someone to give you a basket as well. »
The apostles come back with baskets and hand-baskets,
some of which are low and wide, others are deep and
narrow. The scribe comes back with a rather small one.
78
Obviously his faith or his incredulity made him pick that
one as the largest required.
« Good. Leave everything here. Now get the crowds to
sit in an orderly way, in rows, as far as possible. »
And while they do that Jesus raises the loaves with the
fish on top of them, offers them, prays and blesses them.
The scribe does not take his eyes off Him for a moment.
Jesus breaks the five loaves into eighteen parts; He
makes also eighteen parts of the two fish, and puts a bit
of fish: a tiny bit indeed, into each basket. He then
breaks each of the eighteen bits of bread into morsels:
each bit into many morsels. Relatively many; about
twenty, not more. He then puts each bit which He has
broken into morsels, into a basket, with the bit of fish.
« Now take them and hand the food out to satiety. Go.
Marjiam, hand the food out to your companions. »
« Ah! How heavy it is! » says Marjiam lifting his basket.
He goes at once towards his little friends, walking like
one who carries a heavy weight.
The apostles, disciples, Manaen, the scribe watch him go
incredulously… They then pick up their baskets and
shaking their heads they say to one another: « The boy is
joking! They are the same weight as before. » And the
scribe looks inside his basket, puts his hand into it
searching for the bottom, because it is getting dark in the
thicket where Jesus is, whereas farther away, in the
glade, it is clear. However, notwithstanding their
remarks, they go towards the people and begin to hand
the food out. And they distribute… Now and again they
look back at Jesus thoroughly astonished, as they move
farther and farther away, and the Master leaning against
a tree with folded arms, smiles subtly at their
astonishment.
The distribution takes a long time and is plentiful… the
only one who show no surprise is Marjiam, who smiles
and is happy to be able to fill the laps of so many poor
children with bread and fish. He is also the first to go
back to Jesus saying: « I have dealt out so much, so
much!… because I know what it is to be hungry… » and
he raises his little face, which is no longer emaciated,
but, remembering, it blanches with wide open eyes…
But Jesus caresses him and a bright smile appears on his
face, while he leans trustfully against Jesus, His Master
and Protector.
The apostles and disciples come back slowly,
dumbfounded with amazement. Last is the scribe who
says nothing. But he makes a gesture that is more than a
sermon. He kneels down and kisses the hem of Jesus'
tunic.
« Take your share and give Me some. Let us eat the food
of God. »
They eat, in fact, bread and fish, each according to his
need…
In the meantime the people, who are now sated,
exchange their impressions. Also those around Jesus
make their comments watching Marjiam who finishes
his food and plays with other children.
« Master » asks the scribe, « why did the boy feel the
weight at once, and we did not? I searched also inside.
There were still the few morsels of bread and the only
bit of fish. I began to feel the weight when I moved
towards the crowd. But if it had weighed for what I gave
out, it would have taken a pair of mules to carry it, not a
basket, but a wagon packed with food. At the beginning
I was dealing it out sparingly… but later I gave and
gave… and as I did not want to be unfair, I went back to
the first ones and gave them more, because I had given
them little at first. And yet it was enough. »
« I also felt the basket was getting heavy when I set out,
and I gave plenty at once because I realised that You had
worked a miracle » says John.
« I, instead, stopped, I sat down and poured everything
on my lap to see… And I saw loaves and loaves. I then
went on » says Manaen.
« I even counted them, because I did not want to cut a
bad figure. There were fifty small loaves. So I said: I
will give them to fifty people and then I will go back ».
And I counted. But when I got to fifty, the weight was
still the same. I looked inside. They were so many. I
went on and I handed out hundreds of them. They never
diminished says Bartholomew.
« I, I must admit it, I did not believe, and I took the
morsels of bread and the bit of fish in my hand and I
looked at them saying: "What's the use of them? Jesus
must have been joking!… " and I looked at them over
and over again, hiding behind a tree, hoping and
despairing to see them grow. But they were always the
same. I was about to come back, when Matthew passed
by saying: "Have you noticed how beautiful they are?".
"What?" I asked him. "The loaves and fish!… "Are you
mad? I can only see morsels of bread". "Go and hand
them out with faith, and you will see". I threw back into
the basket the few morsels and I went reluctantly… And
then… Forgive me, Jesus, because I am a sinner! » says
Thomas.
« No. You are a worldly spirit. You reason according to
the world. »
« I as well, Lord. So much so that I was thinking of
giving a coin with the bread and I said to myself: "They
will eat somewhere else" » says the Iscariot. « I was
hoping to help You cut a finer figure. So what am I?
Like Thomas or more? »
« You are much more "worldly" than Thomas. »
79
« And yet I was thinking of giving alms to be
"heavenly"! It was my own personal money… »
« Alms to yourself, to your pride. And alms to God. But
the Latter does not need them and it is a sin to give alms
to your pride, not a merit. »
Judas lowers his head and becomes silent.
« I, instead, thought that I had to crumble the morsel of
fish and the morsel of bread, so that they would suffice. I
did not doubt they would be sufficient, both with regard
to numbers and nourishment. A drop of water given by
You can be more nourishing than a banquet » says
Simon Zealot.
« And what did you think? » Peter asks Jesus' cousins.
« We remembered Cana… and did not doubt » replies
Judas gravely.
« And you, James, My dear brother, were you only
thinking of that? »
« No, I thought it was a sacrament, as You told me… Is
it so or am I wrong? »
Jesus smiles: « It is and it is not. Your thought of a
remote figure is to be added to the truth concerning the
power of nourishment in a drop of water, mentioned by
Simon. But it is not yet a sacrament. »
The scribe is holding a crumb in his hand.
« What are you going to do with it? »
« A… souvenir. »
« I will keep one too. I will put it round Marjiam's neck
in a little bag » says Peter.
« And I will take it to our mother » says John.
« And what about us? We have eaten it all… » say the
others sorrowfully.
« Stand up. Go round again with the baskets and collect
the scraps remaining, select the poorest people and bring
them here with the baskets. And then, you, My disciples,
will go to the boats and set sail going to the plain of
Gennesaret. I will dismiss the crowds after assisting the
poorer people and I will join you later. »
The apostles obey… and they come back with twelve
baskets full of remnants of food and followed by about
thirty beggars or very poor people.
...
Monday after Fourth John 2:13-25
Sunday of Lent
53. Jesus Drives the Merchants out of the Temple.
...
Inside it is… a real market. The concentration of a holy
place has been destroyed. Some run, some call, some
contract for lambs, shouting and cursing because of the
extortionate prices, some drive the poor bleating animals
into their enclosures (rough partitions made of ropes and
pegs, at the entrance of which stand the merchants or
owners, awaiting buyers). Blows with cudgels, bleatings,
curses, shouts, insults to the boys who are not prompt in
gathering together or selecting the animals, abuses to the
purchasers who haggle over prices or who go away,
graver insults to those who wisely brought their own
lambs.
Near the benches of the money-changers, there is more
bawling. It is obvious that either always, or at Passover
time, the Temple functioned as a… stock exchange or
black market. There was no fixed rate of exchange.
There must have been a legal rate, but the money-
changers imposed a different one, making whatever
profit they fancied, for exchanging the money. And I can
assure you they were not joking in their usury
transactions!… The poorer the people were and the
farther they came from, the more they were fleeced: old
people more than young people, those coming from
beyond Palestine more than the old folk.
Some poor old men looked over and over again at the
money they had saved in a whole year, I wonder with
how much hard work, they took it out and put it back
into their purses dozens and dozens of times, going from
one money-changer to another and at times ending up by
going back to the first one, who avenged himself for
their original desertion by increasing the premium for
the exchange. And the big coins passed from the hands
of the sighing owners into the clutches of the usurers and
were changed into smaller coins. Then a further tragedy
would take place with vendors over the choice and
payment of their lambs, and the poor old men,
particularly if they were half blind, were fobbed off with
the most wretched little lambs.
I see an old couple, man and wife, come back pushing a
poor little lamb which must have been found faulty by
the sacrificers. They cried and begged the vendor, who,
far from being moved, replied with nasty words and rude
manners.
« Considering what you want to spend, Galileans, the
lamb I gave you is even too good. Go away! Or if you
want a better one, you must pay five more coins. »
« In the name of God! We are poor and old! Are you
going to prevent us from celebrating this Passover which
may be our last one? Are you not satisfied with what you
wanted for a poor little lamb? »
80
« Go away, you filthy lot. Joseph the Elder is now
coming here. I enjoy his favour. God be with you,
Joseph! Come and make your choice! »
The man whose name is Joseph the Elder, that is Joseph
of Arimathea, enters the enclosure and picks a
magnificent lamb. He passes by, stately and proud,
magnificently dressed, without even looking at the poor
old people weeping at the gate, that is the enclosure
entrance. He almost bumps into them when he goes out
with the fat, bleating lamb.
But Jesus also is now nearby. He also has made His
purchase, and Peter, who probably bargained for Him, is
pulling a fairly good lamb.
Peter would like to go at once where they offer the
sacrifices. But Jesus turns to the right, towards the
dismayed, weeping, undecided old couple, who are
knocked about by the crowds and insulted by the vendor.
Jesus, Who is so tall that the heads of the poor old souls
reach only up to His heart, lays one hand on the shoulder
of the woman and asks her: « Why are you crying,
woman? »
The little old woman turns round and she sees the young,
tall, stately man, wearing a beautiful new white tunic
and a snow-white mantle. She must think He is a doctor
because of His garments and His aspect and is greatly
surprised, because doctors and priests pay no attention to
the poor, neither do they protect them from the
stinginess of merchants. She explains to Jesus the reason
for their tears.
Jesus addresses the lamb vendor: « Change this lamb for
these believers. It is not worthy of the altar, neither is it
fair that you should take advantage of two poor old
people, only because they are weak and unprotected. »
« And who are You? »
« A just man. »
« By Your way of speaking and Your companions', I
know You are a Galilean. Can there be a just man in
Galilee? »
« Do what I told you, and be a just man yourself. »
« Listen! Listen to the Galilean Who is defending His
equals! And He wants to teach us of the Temple! » The
man laughs and jeers, imitating the Galilean accent,
which is more musical and softer than the Judaean, at
least I think so.
Many people go near them and other merchants and
moneychangers take their companion's part against
Jesus.
Amongst the people present there are two or three
ironical rabbis. One of them asks: « Are You a
doctor? », in such a way that even Job would lose his
temper.
« Yes, I am. »
« What do You teach? »
« This I teach: to make the House of God a house of
prayer and not a usury or a market place. That is what I
teach. »
Jesus is formidable. He looks like the archangel posted
on the threshold of Eden. He has no flashing sword in
His hand but the beams from His eyes strike the impious
mockers like lightning. Jesus has nothing in His hands.
All He has is His wrath. And full of wrath, He walks fast
and solemn between the benches, He scatters the coins
which had been sorted out so meticulously according to
their values, He turns over the benches and tables, and
everything falls on the ground with great noise, in the
bustle of rebounding metals and beaten wood, angry
cries, shrieks of terror and shouts of approval. He then
snatches from the hands of the stable-boys some ropes
with which they were holding oxen, sheep and lambs,
and He makes a very hard lash, in which the slip-knots
are real scourges: He lifts it, swings it and strikes
mercilessly with it. Yes, I can assure you: mercilessly.
The unforeseen storm hits heads and backs. The
believers move to one side admiring the scene; the guilty
ones, chased as far as the external wall, take to their
heels, leaving their money on the ground and
abandoning in a great confusion of legs, horns and
wings, their animals, some of which run and fly away.
The bellows, bleatings, and fluttering of turtle doves and
pigeons, added to the burst of laughter and shouting of
the believers at the escaping usurers, overcome even the
plaintive chorus of lambs, slaughtered in another yard.
Priests, rabbis and Pharisees rush to the spot. Jesus is
still in the middle of the yard, on His way back from the
chase. The lash is still in His hands.
« Who are You? How dare You do that, upsetting the
prescribed ceremonies? From which school are You? We
do not know You, neither do we know where You come
from. »
« I am He Who is Mighty. I can do anything. Destroy
this true Temple and I will raise it to give praise to God.
I am not upsetting the holiness of the House of God or of
the ceremonies, but you are perturbing it, allowing His
House to become the centre of usurers and merchants.
My school is the school of God. The same school as the
whole of Israel had when the Eternal God spoke to
Moses. You do not know Me? You will know Me. You
do not know where I come from? You will learn. »
And turning towards the people, without noticing the
priests any longer, tall in His white tunic, with His
mantle open and blowing behind His back, His arms
81
stretched out like an orator at the most important part of
his speech, He says: « Listen, Israel! In Deuteronomy it
is said: "You are to appoint judges and scribes at all the
gates… and they must administer an impartial
judgement to the people. You must be impartial; you
must take no bribes, for a bribe blinds wise men's eyes
and jeopardises the cause of the just. Strict justice must
be your ideal, so that you may live in rightful possession
of the land that Yahweh your God is giving you".
Listen, Israel. In Deuteronomy it is said: "The priests
and scribes and the whole of the tribe of Levi shall have
no share or inheritance with Israel, because they must
live on the foods offered to Yahweh and on His dues;
they shall have no inheritance among their brothers,
because Yahweh will be their inheritance".
Listen, Israel. In Deuteronomy it is said: "You must not
lend on interest to your brother, whether the lack be of
money or food or anything else. You may demand
interest on a loan of a foreigner; you will lend without
interest to your brother whatever he needs".
The Lord said that.
But now you see that in Israel judgements are
administered without justice for the poor. They are not
inclined to justice, but they are partial with the rich, and
to be poor, to be of the common people means to be
oppressed. How can the people say: "Our judges are
just" when they see that only the mighty ones are
respected and satisfied, whereas the poor have no one
who will listen to them? How can the people respect the
Lord, when they see that the Lord is not respected by
those who should respect Him more than everyone else?
Does he who infringes the Lord's commandment respect
Him? Why then do the priests in Israel possess property
and accept bribes from tax-collectors and sinners, who
make them offerings to obtain their favours, while they
accept gifts to fill their coffers?
God is the inheritance of His priests. He, the Father of
Israel, is more than a Father to them and provides them
with food, as it is
just. But not more than what is just. He did not promise
money and possessions to His servants of the sanctuary.
In eternal life, they will possess Heaven for their justice,
as Moses, Elijah, Jacob and Abraham will, but in this
world they must have but a linen garment and a diadem
of incorruptible gold: purity and charity, and their bodies
must be subject to their souls, which are to be subject to
the true God, and their bodies are not to be masters over
their souls and against God.
I have been asked on what authority I do this. And on
what authority do they violate God's command and allow
in the shade of the sacred walls usury on their brothers
of Israel, who have come to obey the divine command? I
have been asked from what school I come and I replied:
"From God's school" Yes, Israel, I have come from and I
will take you back to that holy and immutable school.
Who wants to know the Light, the Truth, the Way, who
wants to hear once again the voice of God speaking to
his people, let him come to Me. You followed Moses
through the deserts, Israel. Follow Me, because I shall
lead you through a far worse desert, to the true blessed
Land. At God's command, I will draw you to it, across
an open sea. I will cure you of all evils lifting up My
Sign.
The time of Grace has come. The Prophets expected it
and died waiting for it. The Prophets prophesied it and
died in that hope. The just have dreamt of it and died
comforted by that dream. It is now here.
Come. "The Lord is about to judge His people and have
mercy on His servants", as He promised through
Moses. »
The people crowding round Jesus stand open-mouthed
listening to Him. Then they comment on the new Rabbi's
words and ask His companions questions.
Jesus goes to another yard, separated from this one only
by a porch. His friends follow Him, and the vision ends.
Tuesday after Fourth Sunday of John 7:14-31
Lent
485. At the Temple: « Do You Know Me and Where I
Come from? ».
The Temple is even more crowded than on the previous
day. And among the excited crowd filling the first court
I see many Gentiles, many more than yesterday. They
are all waiting anxiously, both the Israelites and the
Gentiles. And the Gentiles are speaking to Gentiles, and
the Hebrews to Hebrews, in small groups, scattered here
and there, without losing sight of the doors.
The doctors under the porches are busy raising their
voices to draw the attention of people and show off their
eloquence. But the people are not paying attention and
they are preaching to few pupils. Gamaliel is there, in his
usual place. But he is not speaking. He is walking up and
down on his magnificent carpet, with folded arms,
lowered head, meditating, and his long tunic and longer
mantle which he has unfastened and is hanging held by
two silver rosettes, form a train which he pushes aside
with his foot every time he retraces his steps. His
disciples, the most faithful ones, leaning against the
wall, look at him in silence, intimidated as they are, and
they respect the meditation of their master.
Some Pharisees and priests seem to be very busy and
they come and go… The people, who are aware of their
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real intentions, point them out and an occasional remark
goes off like a rocket on fire to bum their hypocrisy. But
they feign they do not hear. They are few in number
compared with the many who do not hate Jesus and on
the contrary hate them, so they deem it wise not to react.
« There He is! There He is! He is coming from the
Golden Gate today! »
« Let us run! »
« I am staying here. He will come and speak here. I am
not going to lose my place. »
« Neither am I, nay, those who are going away are
making room for us. »
« But will they let Him speak? »
« If they have allowed Him to come in!… »
« Yes, but it is a different matter. As a son of the Law,
they cannot prevent Him from entering. But as a rabbi,
they can drive Him out if they wish so. »
« How many discriminations! If they let Him speak to
God, why should they not let Him speak to men? » says
a Gentile.
« That is true » replies another Gentile. « As we are
impure, you do not let us go there, but we can stay here,
as you hope that we will become circumcised… »
« Be quiet, Quintus. That is why they let Him speak to
us. They hope to prune us as if we were trees. Instead we
come here to graft His ideas like scions into our wild
minds. »
« You are quite right. He is the only one who does not
loathe us! »
« Oh! When we go shopping with purses full of money,
the others do not loathe us either. »
« Look! We Gentiles are the only ones left here. We
shall hear Him well and see Him better! I like to see the
faces of His enemies. By Jove! A battle of faces… »
« Be quiet! Don't let anyone hear you mentioning
Jupiter. It is forbidden here. »
« Oh! Between Jove and Jehovah there is only a tiny
difference. And between gods there will be no ill-
feeling… I have come urged by a good desire to hear
Him. Not to laugh at Him. They speak highly of the
Nazarene everywhere! So I said: the weather is fine and
I will go and listen to Him. Many people go farther to
hear the oracles… »
« Where have you come from? »
« From Perga. And you? »
« From Tarsus. »
« I am almost Jewish. My father was a Hellenist from
Iconium. But he married a Roman from Antioch in
Cilicia and he died before I was born. But the seed is
Hebrew. »
« He is late… Will they have caught Him? »
« Be not afraid. The shouts of the crowd would tell us.
These Jews shout like restless magpies, always… »
« Oh! there He is, over there. Will He really come
here? »
« Don't you see that they have taken all the places on
purpose, except this corner? Can't you hear how many
frogs are croaking pretending to teach? »
« But that one over there is silent. Is it true that he is the
greatest doctor in Israel? »
« Yes, but… how pedantic he is! I listened to him one
day, but to digest his science I had to drink many goblets
of Falemian wine at Titus' in Bezetha. » They both
laugh.
Jesus approaches slowly. He passes before Gamaliel,
who does not even raise his head, and then He goes to
the same place as yesterday.
The crowd, now a mixture of Israelites, proselytes and
Gentiles, understand that He is about to speak and they
whisper: « He is now going to speak in public, and no
one says anything to Him. »
« Perhaps the Princes and the Chiefs have recognised
Him as the Christ. After the Galilean went away
yesterday, Gamaliel spoke to the Elders for a long
time. »
« Is it possible? How could they recognise Him all of a
sudden, if only a short time ago they considered that He
deserved to be put to death? »
« Perhaps Gamaliel had some proofs… »
« What proofs? What proofs do you expect him to have
in favour of that man? » asks a man angrily.
« Be quiet, jackal. You are only the last of the
scriveners. Who spoke to you? » and they make fun of
him.
He goes away. But others take his place, they do not
belong to the Temple, but they are certainly incredulous
Jews: « We have the proofs. We know where He is from.
But when the Christ comes, no one will know where He
comes from. We will not know His origin. But this
one!!! He is the son of a carpenter of Nazareth, and the
whole village can witness against us if we are telling
lies… »
In the meantime the voice of a Gentile is heard saying:
« Master, speak a little to us today. We have been told
that You say that all men come from one God only,
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Yours. So much so, that You call them the children of
the Father. Some of our Stoic poets had a similar idea.
They said: "We are descendants of God". Your fellow-
countrymen say that we are more impure than animals.
How can You reconcile the two trends? »
The question is put according to the custom of
philosophical debates, at least I think so. And Jesus is
about to reply, when the incredulous Jews and the
believing ones begin to dispute more furiously and a
shrill voice repeats: « He is a common man. The Christ
will not be like him. Everything will be exceptional in
Him: His figure, nature, origin… »
Jesus looks in that direction and says in a loud voice:
« So you know Me and you know where I come from?
Are you sure? And the little you know, does it not mean
anything to you? Does it not confirm the prophecies?
But you do not know everything about Me, I solemnly
tell you that I did not come by Myself and from where
you think that I came. It is the very Truth, Whom you do
not know, Who sent Me. »
A cry of indignation rises from the enemies.
« The very Truth, Whose deeds you do not know.
Neither do you know His way, along which I came.
Hatred cannot be acquainted with the ways and deeds of
Love. Darkness cannot stand the sight of Light. But I
know Him Who sent Me because I belong to Him, I am
part of Him and one Whole with Him. And He sent Me
to fulfil what His Thought wants. »
There is an uproar. His enemies rush upon Him to lay
hands on Him, to capture and hit Him. The apostles,
disciples, people, Gentiles, proselytes react to defend
Him. Some rush to help the former and would perhaps
succeed in doing so, but Gamaliel, who so far seemed
remote from everything around him, departs from his
carpet and comes towards Jesus, and as he is driven back
by those defending Him under the porch, he shouts:
« Leave Him. I want to hear what He says. »
Gamaliel's voice achieves more than the squad of
legionaries who have come from the Antonia to put
down the riot. The tumult drops like a whirl that breaks
and the outcry abates to a whisper. The legionaries
remain as a precaution - quite unnecessary now near the
external enclosure.
« Speak » Gamaliel orders Jesus. « Reply to those
accusing You. » His tone is peremptory, but not
mocking.
Jesus moves forward, towards the Court. He calmly
resumes speaking. Gamaliel remains where he is and his
disciples are busy taking the carpet and stool to him, so
that he may be comfortable. But he remains standing,
with his arms folded, his head lowered, his eyes closed,
engrossed in listening.
« You have accused Me unfairly, as if I had blasphemed
instead of speaking the truth. I am speaking, not to
defend Myself, but to give you Light, so that you may
know the Truth. And I am not speaking on My own
behalf, but recalling the words in which you believe and
on which you swear. They bear witness to Me. I know
that you see in Me nothing but a man like yourselves,
inferior to yourselves. And you think that it is impossible
for a man to be the Messiah. Or at least you think that
the Messiah ought to be an angel, that his origin should
be so mysterious that he should be king only by the
authority excited by the mystery of his origin. But when
ever in the history of our people, in the books forming
that history, and which will last as long as the world,
because doctors of all countries and all times will draw
from them corroboration for their science and their
researches into the past by means of the enlightenment
of truth, when ever in those books is it said that God
spoke to one of His Angels to say to him: "From now on
you will be My Son because I begot you"? »
I see that Gamaliel has a tablet and some parchments
given to him and he sits down writing…
« The angels, spiritual creatures, servants of the Most
High and His messengers, were created by Him, as man,
as animals and everything that was created. But they
were not begotten by Him. Because God begets only
another Himself, as the Perfect One could but beget
another Perfect One, another being like Himself, in order
not to lower His perfection by begetting a creature
inferior to Himself. Now, if God cannot beget the angels
or elevate them to the dignity of sons of His, what will
the Son be to Whom He says: "You are My Son. I begot
You today"? And of what nature will He be, if begetting
Him, He says pointing Him out to His angels: "And let
all the angels of God adore Him"? And what will this
Son be like to deserve to hear the Father say to Him, the
Father by Whose grace men can mention His name with
their hearts humbled in adoration: "Sit at My right hand
and I will make Your enemies a footstool for You"? That
Son can but be God like His Father, with Whom He
shares attributes and power, and with Whom He enjoys
the Charity which gladdens them in the ineffable and
unknowable love of Perfection itself.
But if God did not find it appropriate to elevate an angel
to the rank of Son, could He ever have said of a man
what He said of Him Who is now speaking to you here -
and many of you who now oppose Me were present
when He said so - at the ford of Betharabah two years
go? You heard Him and trembled. Because the voice of
God is unmistakable, and without His, special grace it
crushes those who hear it and shakes their hearts. What
is therefore the Man Who is speaking to you? Is He
perhaps one born of human seed and by the will of man
like all of you? And could the Most High have placed
His Spirit to dwell in a body, devoid of grace, like those
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of men born of carnal will? And could the Most High be
satisfied with the sacrifice of a man to make amends for
the great Sin? Consider this: He does not choose an
angel to be the Messiah and Redeemer, can He therefore
elect a man? And could the Redeemer be only the Son of
the Father-without assuming human nature, but with
means and power exceeding human limitations? And
could the First-Born of the Father have parents if He is
the eternal First-Born? Are your proud thoughts not
upset by such questions which rise towards the realms of
Truth, closer and closer to it, and find a reply only in a
humble heart full of faith?
Who is to be the Christ? An angel? More than an angel.
A man? More than a man. A God? Yes, a God. But
joined to human flesh that it may complete the expiation
of the guilty flesh. Everything is to be redeemed through
the same matter by which it sinned. So God should have
sent an angel to expiate the sins of the fallen angels, to
expiate on behalf of Lucifer and his angelic followers.
Because, as you are aware, Lucifer also sinned. But God
did not send an angelic spirit to redeem the angels of
darkness. They did not worship the Son of God, and God
does not forgive the sin against His Word begotten of
His Love. But God loves man and He sends the Man, the
only perfect Man, to redeem man and obtain peace with
God. And it is according to justice that only a Man-God
may fulfil the redemption of man and appease God.
And the Father and the Son loved and understood each
other. And the Father said: "I want". And the Son said:
"I want". And then the Son said: "Give Me". And the
Father said: "Take", and the Word was made flesh, the
formation of which is mysterious and this flesh was
named Jesus Christ, the Messiah, He Who is to redeem
men, lead them to the Kingdom, defeat the demon, crush
slavery.
To defeat the demon! An angel could not, cannot
accomplish what the Son of man can do. That is why
God does not call angels but the Man to accomplish the
great work. Here is the Man Whose origin you doubt,
you deny or are worried about. Here is the Man. The
Man acceptable to God. The Man representing all His
brothers. The Man like you in appearance, superior to
and different from you by origin, begotten not of man
but of God and consecrated to His ministry, is in front of
the high altar to be Priest and Victim for the sins of the
world, supreme eternal Pontiff, High Priest of the order
of Melchizedek. Be not afraid! I am not stretching out
My hand toward the pontifical tiara. Another crown is
awaiting Me. Do not worry! I will not take the Rational
away from you. Another one is ready for Me. Fear only
that the Sacrifice of the Man and the Mercy of the Christ
be of no avail to you. I have loved you so much, I love
you so much that I obtained from the Father to annihilate
Myself. I have loved you and I love you so much that I
asked to consume all the Sorrow of the world in order to
give you eternal salvation.
Why do you not want to believe Me? Can you not
believe yet? Is it not said of the Christ: "You are Priest
of the order of Melchizedek for ever"? But when did
priesthood begin? Perhaps in the days of Abraham? No.
And you know. Does the King of Justice and Peace, who
appears to announce Me, with prophetical figure, at the
dawn of our people, not warn you that there is a more
perfect priesthood coming directly from God, just as
Melchizedek, whose origin was never ascertained by
anybody and who is called "the priest" and priest he will
remain for ever? Do you no longer believe inspired
words? And if you believe that, why, doctors, can you
not give an acceptable explanation of the words which
say, and they refer to Me: "You are Priest for ever after
the order of Melchizedek"? There is, therefore, another
priesthood, before and beside Aaron's. And it is said of it
"you are". Not "you were". Not "you will be". You are
priest for ever. So this sentence announces that the
eternal Priest will not belong to the well known stock of
Aaron or to any other sacerdotal stock. But it will be of
new origin, as mysterious as Melchizedek's. It is of such
origin. And if the power of God sends it, it means that
He wants to renew the Priesthood and the rite so that
they may become useful to Mankind. -
Do you know My origin? No. Do you know My deeds?
No. Do you realise which effects they will produce? No.
You know nothing of Me. So you can see that also thus I
am the "Christ" Whose Origin, Nature and Mission are
not to be known until it pleases God to reveal them to
men. Blessed are those who will be able to believe and
do believe before the dreadful Revelation of God crushes
them on the ground with its weight, and nails them there,
striking them with the dazzling powerful truth thundered
from Heaven, howled from the Earth: "He was the Christ
of God". You say: "He is from Nazareth. Joseph was His
father. Mary was His Mother". I have no father who
begot Me as man. I have no mother who gave birth to
Me as God. And yet I have a body which I assumed
through the mysterious deed of the Spirit, and I came
among you passing through a holy tabernacle. And I will
save you, after forming Myself according to the will of
God, I will save you, by letting My true self come out
from the Tabernacle of My Body to consume the great
Sacrifice of a God Who immolates Himself to save men.
Father, My Father! I told You at the beginning of time:
"Here I am to obey Your Will". And I told You at the
hour of grace before departing from You to take on a
body to be able to suffer: "Here I am to obey Your Will".
And I tell You once again to sanctify those for whom I
came: "Here I am to obey Your Will". And I will always
tell You until Your Will is accomplished… »
Jesus, Who had raised His arms towards heaven,
praying, now lowers them and folds them across His
85
chest, He bends His head, closes His eyes and becomes
engrossed in secret prayer.
The people whisper. Not everybody has understood, nay
most of them (including myself) have not understood.
We are too ignorant. But we realise that He has
enunciated great things. And we are silent, full of
admiration.
The evil-minded persons, who have not understood or
did not want to understand, sneer: « He is raving! » But
they dare not say more and they move aside or go to the
gates shaking their heads. I think that so much prudence
is due to the Roman lances and daggers shining in the
sunshine against the outer walls.
Gamaliel elbows his way through those who have
stayed. He arrives near Jesus, Who is still absorbed in
prayer, far from the crowd and the place, and calls Him:
« Rabbi Jesus! »
« What do you want, rabbi Gamaliel? » asks Jesus
looking up, His eyes still absorbed in an internal vision.
« An explanation from You. »
« Tell Me. »
« Go away, all of you! » orders Gamaliel, and in such a
tone that apostles, disciples, followers, curious people
and Gamaliel's very disciples, move aside quickly. Jesus
and Gamaliel are alone, facing each other. And they look
at each other. Jesus is, as usual, meek and kind, Gamaliel
unintentionally authoritative and proud looking. A
countenance certainly due to years of exaggerated
homage.
« Master… Some words of Yours have been related to
me. You spoke them at a banquet… of which I
disapproved because it was not a genuine one. I fight or I
do not fight, but always openly… I meditated on those
words. I compared them with the ones which are in my
memory… And I have been waiting for You, here, to ask
You about them… But first I wanted to hear You
speak… They have not understood. I hope I will be able
to understand. I wrote Your words while You were
speaking, so that I may meditate on them, not to injure
You. Do You believe me? »
« Yes, I do. And may the Most High make them blaze in
your spirit. »
« Let it be so. Listen. The stones which are to vibrate,
are they perhaps those of our hearts? »
« No, rabbi. These (and He points at the walls of the
Temple with a rotary motion of His hand). Why are you
asking Me? »
« Because my heart vibrated when the words You spoke
at the banquet and Your replies to the tempters were
related to me. I thought that throbbing was the sign… »
« No, rabbi. The throbbing of your heart and of the
hearts of a few more people is too little to be the sign
which leaves no doubts… Even if you, with rare
judgement of humble knowledge of yourself, define your
heart: stone. Oh! Rabbi Gamaliel, can you really not
make of your petrified heart a bright altar receiving
God? Not for My benefit, rabbi. But that your justice
may be complete… »
And Jesus looks kindly at the elderly master who ruffles
his beard and inserts his fingers under his head-dress
pressing his forehead and whispering with his head
lowered: « I cannot… Not yet… But I hope… Will You
still give that sign? »
« Yes, I will. »
« Goodbye, Rabbi Jesus. »
« May the Lord come to you, rabbi Gamaliel. »
They part. Jesus nods to His disciples and leaves the
Temple with them.
Scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, disciples, rabbis rush like
vultures around Gamaliel who is putting into his large
belt the sheets he has written.
« Well? What do you think of Him? Is He mad? You did
the right thing in writing His follies. We will need them.
Have you made up your mind? Yesterday… today…
More than is needed to convince you. » They are
speaking uproariously and Gamaliel is silent while he
adjusts his belt, he taps the ink-pot hanging from it, he
hands back to his disciple the tablet on which he leaned
to write on the parchments.
« Are you not answering? You have not spoken since
yesterday… » insists one of his colleagues.
« I am listening, not to you, to Him. And I am trying to
recognise in His present words the word which He spoke
to me one day, here. »
« And are you successful? » many of them say laughing.
« Like a thunder, which sounds differently, according to
whether it is closer or farther away. But still the roar of
thunder. »
« So, an inconclusive sound » jeers one.
« Do not laugh, Levi. The voice of God may be found
also in thunder, and we may be so stupid as to think that
it is the noise of clouds being rent… And you, Helkai,
and you, Simon, stop laughing, lest the thunder should
change into a thunderbolt and reduce you to ashes… »
« So… you… are almost saying that the Galilean is that
boy whom you and Hillel thought a prophet, and that the
boy and the man are the Messiah… » some of them ask
scoffingly, although slyly, because Gamaliel commands
respect.
86
« I am not saying anything. I am saying that the roar of
thunder is always the roar of thunder. »
« Closer or farther away? »
« Alas! The words are stronger, as befits His age. But
the twenty years which have gone by have made my
intellect twenty times more closed on the treasure which
it possesses. And the sound penetrates more weakly… »
And Gamaliel droops his head on his chest, meditating.
« Ha! Ha! Ha! You are getting old and foolish,
Gamaliel! You are mistaking phantoms for realities. Ha!
Ha! Ha! » they all say laughing.
Gamaliel shrugs his shoulders scornfully. He gathers his
mantle which was hanging from his shoulders, he
envelops himself in it several times, so large it is, he
turns his back on everybody, without replying one word,
full of contempt in his silence.
Wednesday after Fourth Sunday of John 9:1-38
Lent
508. The Cure of the Man Born Blind.
10th October 1946.
Jesus goes out with His apostles and Joseph of Sephoris,
turning His steps towards the synagogue. The clear
limpid day makes people glad, like a promise of
springtime after windy cloudy winter days. Thus many
people of Jerusalem are in the streets, some going to
synagogues, some coming back from them or from other
places, some with their families, wishing to leave the
town and enjoy the sunshine in the country. From
Herod's Gate, which is visible from the house of Joseph
of Sephoris, one can see people go out to enjoy
themselves beyond the walls, in the open: a plunge into
the green vegetation, into the free open space, away from
the narrow streets between high buildings. I think that
the rural strip which ran around Jerusalem was purposely
wanted by the citizens, who wanted to conciliate the
walking limitations of the Sabbath with their wish for air
and sunshine, to be enjoyed in the open, and not only on
roof-terraces of houses. But Jesus is not going towards
Herod's Gate. On the contrary He turns His back to it,
bending His steps towards the town centre.
But He has only taken a few steps in the wider street,
into which opens the little street where Joseph of
Sephoris' house is, when Judas of Kerioth draws His
attention to a young man who is proceeding towards
them feeling his way by touching the wall with a stick,
raising up his face deprived of eyes, in the gait typical of
blind people. His garments are poor, although clean, and
he must be well known to many people in Jerusalem,
because more than one point him out, and some go
towards him saying: « Man, you have lost your way
today. You have already passed the Moria streets and
you are in Bezetha. »
« I am not begging for alms today » replies the blind
man with a smile, and still smiling he proceeds towards
the northern part of the town.
« Master, look at him. His eyelids are sealed. Nay, I
would say that he has no eyelids at all. His forehead is
joined to his cheeks without any cavity and no eyeballs
appear to be underneath. The poor fellow was born like
that. And he will die like that without seeing even once
the light of the sun or the face of a man. Now tell me,
Master. He has certainly sinned to be punished so
severely. But if he was born blind, as he definitely was,
can he have sinned before being born? Perhaps his
parents committed sin and God punished them by
allowing him to be born thus? »
Also the other apostles and Isaac and Marjiam press
round the Master to hear His reply. And two well-to-do
men of Jerusalem, who were a little behind the blind
man, quicken their paces hastening towards Jesus, as if
they were attracted by the height of the Master, Who
towers above the crowd. There is also Joseph of
Arimathea, who remains at a distance, and leaning
against a main door raised on two steps, he looks around
watching all the faces.
Jesus replies and His words are clearly heard in the
silence which has been created: « Neither he nor his
parents have sinned more than any man sins, and
perhaps they have sinned less. Because poverty often
refrains from sin. But he was born thus, so that once
again the power and works of God may be revealed
through him. I am the Light which has come to the world
so that those of the world who have forgotten God, or
have lost His spiritual image, may see and remember
Him, and those who seek God, or already belong to Him,
may be confirmed in their faith and love. The Father sent
Me that I may complete the knowledge of God in Israel
and in the world, in the time still granted to Israel. I,
therefore, must accomplish the work of Him Who sent
Me, testifying that I can do what He can, because I am
one with Him, and the world may know and see that the
Son is not different to the Father, and may believe in Me
for what I am. Later the night will come when it will no
longer be possible to work, and it will be dark, and those
who have not engraved in themselves My sign and their
faith in Me, will no longer be able to do so in the
darkness, confusion, sorrow, desolation and ruin, which
will overwhelm these places and astonish spirits with the
with the agitation of anguish. But as long as I am in the
world, I am Light and Witness, Word, Way and Life,
Wisdom, Power and Mercy. So go, meet the man born
blind and bring him here to Me. »
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« Will you go, Andrew. I want to stay here and see what
the Master does » replies Judas pointing at the Master,
Who has bent down on the dusty road, has spat on the
ground and with His finger is mixing the dust with the
spittle forming a pellet of mud. While Andrew, who is
always obliging, goes to get the blind man, who is about
to turn into the narrow street where the house of Joseph
of Sephoris is, Jesus spreads the mud on both forefingers
and remains thus, with His hands raised, as priests hold
them at Holy Mass, at the Gospel or at the Epistle. Judas
withdraws from his place saying to Matthew and Peter:
« Since you are not very tall, come here and you will see
better. » And he stands at the back, almost concealed by
the sons of Alphaeus and by Bartholomew, who are tall.
Andrew comes back holding by the hand the blind man
who is anxiously repeating: « I don't want money. Let
me go. I know where the man named Jesus is. And I am
going to ask… »
« This is Jesus, He is here in front of you » says Andrew
stopping in front of the Master.
Jesus, contrary to His usual habit, does not ask the man
anything. He at once spreads the little mud, which He
has on His forefingers, on the closed eyelids and says:
« And now go, as quickly as you can, to the Pool of
Siloam, and do not stop to speak to anybody. »
The blind man, his face soiled with mud, remains
perplexed for a moment and moves his lips to speak. He
then closes them and obeys. His first steps are slow, as if
he were pensive or disappointed. Then he quickens his
pace, grazing the wall with his stick, walking faster and
faster, as far as it is possible for a blind man, as if he felt
being guided…
The two men of Jerusalem laugh sarcastically shaking
their heads and go away. Joseph of Arimathea, and this
amazes me, follows them without even a word of
greeting to the Master, retracing his steps, that is, going
towards the Temple, whilst he was coming from that
direction. Thus, the blind man, the two men and Joseph
of Arimathea go towards the southern part of the town,
while Jesus goes westwards and I lose sight of Him,
because the Lord wants me to follow the blind man and
his followers.
After passing through Bezetha they all enter the valley
which lies between Moria and Zion - I think that in the
past I heard it being called Tyropoeon - they go along it
as far as Ophel, they walk round it, they come out on the
street leading to the Siloam Pool, always in the
following order: first the blind man who must be well
known in that quarter of common people, then the two
men, last, at some distance, Joseph of Arimathea.
Joseph stops near a poor house, and he is half-hidden by
a box hedge that sticks out surrounding the little kitchen
garden of the poor house. The two men instead go near
the pool and watch the blind man who cautiously
approaches the large pool and feeling the damp wall puts
one hand into the cistern and withdraws it dripping water
and washes his eyes once, twice, three times. At the third
time he drops his stick and presses his face with the
other hand, uttering a cry which sounds like a painful
one.
He then removes his hands slowly and his previous
painful cry changes into a shout of joy: « Oh! Most
High! I can see! » and he throws himself on the ground
overwhelmed with emotion, his hands shielding his eyes
and pressing his temples, anxious to see but troubled by
the light, and he repeats: « I can see! I can see! So this is
the earth! And this is the light! This is the grass which I
knew only through its coolness… » He stands up and
stoops, like one carrying a weight, his weight of joy, he
goes to the stream of the overflowing water and looks at
it flowing brightly and joyfully and he whispers: « And
this is the water… There you are! That's how I felt it
with my fingers (he dips his hand into it) it is cold and
cannot be held, but I did not know you… Ah! Beautiful!
Beautiful! How beautiful everything is! » He looks up
and sees a tree… he approaches it, touches it, stretches
out a hand, draws a little branch to himself, looks at it
and laughs, laughs, he screens his eyes with his hand and
looks at the sky, at the sun, and two tears stream down
from his virgin eyelids open to contemplate the world…
And he lowers his eyes on the grass where a flower
undulates on its stem and sees himself reflected in the
water, and he looks at himself and says: « That's how I
am! » and he is amazed when he sees a dove come to
drink a little farther away, and a little goat tearing off the
last leaves of a wild rose bush, and a woman coming to
the pool with a baby on her breast. And that woman
reminds him of his mother, whose face is unknown to
him and raising his arms towards the sky he shouts:
« May You be blessed, Most High, because of light,
because of my mother, because of Jesus! » and he runs
away, leaving his now useless stick on the ground…
The two men have not waited to see all that. As soon as
they realised that the man could see, they ran towards the
town. Joseph instead remains until the end, and when the
blind man - who is no longer blind - darts past him
towards the labyrinth of lanes of the working-class
neighbourhood of Ophel, he leaves his place and retraces
his steps towards the town, looking very pensive…
The Ophel suburb, which is always very noisy, is now in
a real turmoil: people are running in all directions,
asking questions or replying to them.
« You may have mistaken him for somebody else… »
« No, I am sure. I spoke to him saying: "But is it really
you, Sidonia, nicknamed Bartholmai?", and he replied:
"It's me". I wanted to ask him how it happened, but he
ran away. »
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« Where is he now? »
« He is certainly with his mother. »
« Who has seen him? » ask some people who have just
arrived.
« I did. I did » reply many.
« But how did it happen? »
«… I saw him running without his stick, with two eyes
in his face and I said: "Look! Bartholmai would be like
that if… " »
« I tell you that I am still trembling. He came in
shouting: "Mother, I see you!". »
« A great joy for his parents. He will now be able to help
his father and earn his food… »
« That poor woman! She was so overwhelmed with joy
that she was not feeling well. Oh! There is one thing! I
had gone to ask for some salt and… »
« Let us go and hear the man himself… »
Joseph of Arimathea is caught in the uproar and, I do not
know whether out of curiosity or spirit of imitation, he
follows the crowd and ends up in a blind alley, which
would lead to the Kidron, if it continued. The people
crowd there overcoming with their voices the rustling
noise of the water of the torrent, swollen with the
autumn rains. And Joseph arrives there when, from
another lane joining with this one, the two men
previously mentioned come with three more: a scribe, a
priest and another one whom I cannot identify by his
garments. They elbow their way through the crowds
arrogantly and they try to enter the house crammed with
people.
The house consists of a large kitchen as black as tar,
with a corner cut off by a rustic wooden partition,
beyond which there is a couch and a door opening into
another room with a bigger bed. Through a door on the
opposite wall one can see a small kitchen garden only a
few square metres large. That is all.
The cured blind man is speaking leaning on a table,
replying to those asking him questions, all poor people
like himself, the common people of Jerusalem, of this
suburb, which is perhaps the poorest in town. His mother
is looking at him, standing beside him, and is weeping
drying her tears with her veil. His father, a man worn out
by work, is rubbing his beard with a shaky hand.
It is impossible also for the overbearing Judaeans and
doctors to go into the house and the five are compelled
to listen to the words of the cured man outside.
« How were they opened? That man whose name is
Jesus dirtied my eyes with some damp earth and He said
to me: "Go and wash yourself in the pool of Siloam". I
went there, I washed myself, my eyes opened and I
could see. »
« But how did you manage to find the Rabbi? You
always said that you were unlucky, because you never
met Him, not even when He used to pass here going to
Jonah at Gethsemane. And today, now that one never
knows where He is… »
« Eh! yesterday evening one of His disciples came and
he gave me two coins saying: "Why don't you try to
see?". I said to him: "I have tried. But I never find Jesus
Who works miracles. I have been looking for Him since
He cured Annaleah, a girl of my suburb, but if I come
here, He is there… and he said to me: "I am one of His
apostles and He does what I want. Come to Bezetha
tomorrow and look for the house of Joseph the Galilean,
the one who sells dried fish, Joseph of Sephoris, near
Herod's Gate and the arch in the square, on the eastern
side, and you will notice that sooner or later He will be
passing there or going into the house and I will mention
you to the Master". I said: "But tomorrow is the
Sabbath". I wanted to say that He would not do anything
on a Sabbath. He replied to me: "If you want to be cured,
that is the day, because afterwards we are leaving the
town and you do not know whether you will ever meet
Him again". I said also: "I know that they are
persecuting Him. I heard about it at the gates of the
Temple enclosure, where I go to beg. So I say that now
that they persecute Him, He will be less willing to be
persecuted and He will not cure me on a Sabbath". And
he replied: "Do as I tell you and on a Sabbath you will
see the sun". And I went. Who would not have gone,
when one of His apostles says so? He also said to me: "I
am the one to whom He listens most and I came
specially because I feel sorry for you and because I want
His power to be displayed brightly after they despised
Him. You, who were born blind, will make it shine. I
know what I am saying. Come and you will see". And I
went and I had not yet arrived at Joseph's house, when a
man took me by the hand, but by his voice I knew that
he was not the man who spoke to me yesterday, and he
said to me: "Come with me, brother" but I did not want
to go, I thought he wanted to give me some bread and
money, perhaps some clothes, and I repeatedly asked
him to let me go, because I had heard where I could find
the man named Jesus, and he said to me: "This is Jesus,
here, in front of you". But I could not see anything,
because I was blind. I felt two fingers, covered with wet
earth, touch me here and here, and I heard a voice say:
"Go to the Siloam pool quickly and wash yourself and
do not speak to anybody" and I did so. But I was down-
hearted, because I was hoping to see at once, and I
almost concluded that it was the joke of some heartless
youngsters and I almost decided not to go. But I heard a
kind of a voice within me say: "Hope and obey", so I
went to the pool and I washed myself and I could see. »
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And the young man stops ecstatically remembering the
joy of his first vision…
« Let that man come out. We want to question him »
shout the five men.
The young fellow elbows his way through the crowd and
goes to the door.
« Where is He Who cured you? »
« I don't know » replies the youth to whom a friend
whispered: « They are scribes and priests. »
« What do you mean you do not know? You were saying
just now that you knew. Do not lie to the doctors of the
Law and to the priest! Woe to those who try to deceive
the magistrates of the people! »
« I am not deceiving anybody. That disciple said to me:
"He is in that house" and it was true because I was near
it when I was taken by the hand and led to Him. But I
don't know where He is now. The disciple told me that
they were going away. He may be already outside the
gates. »
« But where was He going? »
« And what do I know about that?! Perhaps He is going
to Galilee… considering how He is treated here!… »
« You disrespectful fool, be careful how you speak, you
scum of the mob! I asked you which way did He go? »
« But how can you expect me to know, if I was blind?
Can a blind man say which way another man is going? »
« All right. Come with us. »
« Where are you taking me? »
« To the chiefs of the Pharisees. »
« Why? What have they got to do with me? Did they
perhaps cure me, and I have to thank them? When I was
blind and I used to beg, my hands never felt one of their
coins, my ears never heard a merciful word of theirs, and
my heart never felt their love. What shall I say to them? I
have only one person to thank, in addition to my father
and mother who have loved me, a poor wretch, for so
many years. And that is Jesus Who cured me, loving me
with His heart, as my parents loved me with theirs. I am
not coming to the Pharisees. I am staying with my
mother and father, enjoying the sight of their faces,
while they delight in looking at my newly born eyes, so
many springtimes after the one in which I was born but I
did not see the light. »
« Stop chattering. Come and follow us. »
« No! I am not coming! Have you ever wiped a tear of
my mother, depressed by my misfortune, or a bead of
perspiration of my father, exhausted with work? I can do
that now with my present appearance, and according to
you I should leave them and follow you? »
« We order you to come. Orders are not given by you,
but by the Temple and the chiefs of the people. If the
pride of being cured blunts your mind so that you do not
remember that we give orders, we will remind you.
Come on! Go on! »
« But why must I come with you? What do you want of
me? »
« We want you to give evidence of the fact. This is the
Sabbath. The deed was accomplished on the Sabbath. It
is to be recorded as a sin. A sin of yours and of that
satan. »
« You are satans! You are sinners! And I should come
and testify against Him Who helped me? You must be
drunk! I will come to the Temple. To bless the Lord. But
not more than that. I have been in the darkness of
blindness for many years. But my closed eyelids
obscured only my eyes. My intellect has seen the light
just the same, by the grace of God, and it tells me that I
must not harm the Only Holy One in Israel. »
« Man, that's enough! Don't you know that there are
punishments for those who oppose the magistrates? »
« I know nothing. I am here and I am staying here. And
you had better not injure me. You can see that the whole
of Ophel is on my side! »
« Yes. Leave him alone! Jackals! He is protected by
God. Don't touch him! God is with the poor! God is with
us, you profiteers and hypocrites! » The crowd shouts
and threatens in one of those spontaneous popular
demonstrations which are the outbreak of indignation of
humble people against their oppressors, or the explosion
of love for their protectors. And they cry out: « Woe
betide you if you injure our Saviour! The Friend of the
poor! The three times Holy Messiah. Woe to you! We
were not afraid of the wrath of Herod or of the Chiefs,
when we wanted. We are not afraid of yours, you old
toothless hyenas! You jackals with blunt claws! You
useless overbearing fellows! Rome does not want
tumults and does not oppress the Rabbi, because He is
peaceful. But Rome knows you. Go away! Away from
the quarters of those whom you oppress with tithes
exceeding their means, in order to have money and
satisfy your hunger for pleasure and accomplish
disgraceful negotiations. You are the descendants of
Jason! The descendants of Simon! The torturers of the
true Eleazars, of the holy Oniases. You despisers of the
prophets, go away! » The tumult becomes fiercer and
fiercer.
Joseph of Arimathea, who is crushed against a little wall
and so far has been a diligent but passive spectator of the
events, climbs on the little wall with agility
unforeseeable in an old man and what is more muffled in
garments and a wide mantle, and standing on the wall he
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shouts: « Silence, citizens. And listen to Joseph the
Elder! »
One, two, ten heads turn round in the direction of the
cry. They see Joseph. They shout his name. The
Arimathean must be well known and must stand high in
the people's favour because the cries of indignation turn
into shouts of joy: « Joseph the Elder is here! Long live
Joseph! Peace and long life to the just man! Peace and
blessings to the benefactor of the poor! Silence! Joseph
is going to speak! Silence! »
The crowd becomes silent with some difficulty and for
some moments the rustling of the Kidron can be heard
beyond the lane. Everybody is now looking at Joseph, as
they have all forgotten what made them look in the
opposite direction: the five wretched improvident men
who gave rise to the uproar.
« Citizens of Jerusalem, men of Ophel, why are you
allowing yourselves to be blinded with suspicion and
anger? Why lack respect and infringe the customs, since
you have always been so faithful to the laws of our
ancestors? What are you afraid of? Do you perhaps fear
the Temple is a Molech who does not give back what he
receives? Are you afraid that your judges are all blind,
blinder than your friend, blind in their hearts and deaf to
justice? Is it not our custom that prodigious events are
testified, written and kept by those who are responsible
for the Chronicles of Israel? So, also to honour the Rabbi
Whom you love, let the miraculously cured man go up to
the Temple to give evidence of the work He
accomplished. Are you still hesitant? Well I stand surety
that no harm will befall Bartholmai. And you know that
I do not lie. I will escort him up there like a son dear to
me, and then I will bring him back here. Believe me.
And do not turn the Sabbath into a day of sin by
rebelling against your chiefs. »
« What he says is right! We must not do that. We can
believe him. He is a just man. His voice is always
predominant in the good resolutions of the Sanhedrin. »
The people consult with one another and they end up
shouting: « Yes, we will trust our friend to you! » They
then address the young man: « Come! Be not afraid.
With Joseph of Arimathea you are as safe as you would
be with your father and even safer » and they open out
so that the young man may go to Joseph, who has come
down from his improvised pulpit, and while he passes by
they say to him: « We are coming as well. Don't be
afraid! »
Joseph, in his beautiful sumptuous woollen clothes, lays
one hand on the young man's shoulder and sets out. The
grey worn tunic of the young fellow, and his short
mantle rub against the dark red wide tunic and the even
darker sumptuous mantle of the old member of the
Sanhedrin. Behind them there are the five men, then a
large crowd from Ophel…
They are now at the Temple, after crossing the central
streets, attracting the attention of many people who point
out to one another the previously blind man saying: « It's
the blind fellow who used to beg! And now he has eyes!
Perhaps it's one like him! No. It's certainly the same man
and they are taking him to the Temple. Let's go and see »
and the train becomes longer and longer until they all
disappear within the walls of the Temple.
Joseph leads the young man into a hall, which is not the
Sanhedrin, where there are many Pharisees and scribes.
Joseph goes in with Bartholmai and the five men follow
them. The common people of Ophel are pushed back
into the court.
« This is the man. I brought him here myself, because I
was present, without being seen, at his meeting with the
Rabbi and at his recovery. And I can tell you that it was
completely accidental as far as the Rabbi is concerned.
The man, you will hear this yourselves, was led or rather
invited to go where the Rabbi was, by Judas of Kerioth,
who is known to you. And I heard, and these two who
were with me also heard because they were present, how
Judas induced Jesus of Nazareth to work the miracle. I
now testify here that if there is one who ought to be
punished, it is neither the blind man nor the Rabbi, but
the man from Kerioth who - God sees whether I am
lying in saying what I think - is the only one responsible
for what happened, as he provoked it with deliberate
manoeuvre. That is my statement. »
« What you state does not cancel the fault of the Rabbi.
If one of His disciples sins, the Master must not commit
sin. And He sinned by curing this man on a Sabbath. He
accomplished a servile work. »
« To spit on the ground is not a servile work. And to
touch the eyes of another person is not a servile work
either. I am touching the man as well, but I do not think
that I am committing a sin. »
« He worked a miracle on the Sabbath. That's why He
sinned. »
« To honour the Sabbath by means of a miracle is a
grace of God and a sign of His bounty. It is His day. Can
the Almighty not celebrate it with a miracle that makes
His power shine brightly? »
« We are not here to listen to you. You are not accused.
We want to question that man. It's for you to reply. How
did you get your eyesight? »
« I have explained that and these people heard me. The
disciple of that Jesus said to me yesterday: "Come and I
will have you cured". And I came. And I felt some mud
being put here and I heard a voice say to me to go to the
Siloam pool and wash myself. And I did it and now I
see. »
« But do you know who cured you? »
91
« Of course I do! Jesus. I told you. »
« But do you know exactly who Jesus is? »
« I know nothing. I am poor and ignorant. And up to a
short time ago I was blind. I know that. And I know that
He cured me. And if He was able to do that, God is
certainly with Him. »
« Don't blaspheme! God cannot be with those who do
not keep the Sabbath » shout some.
But Joseph and the Pharisees Eleazar, John and Joachim
remark: « Neither can a sinner work such prodigies. »
« Have you been seduced as well by that possessed
man? »
« No. We are just. And we say that if God cannot be
with those who work on the Sabbath, neither can man
make a fellow born blind see without the help of God »
says Eleazar calmly, and the others nod in assent.
« Are you forgetting about the demon? » shout the evil-
minded enemies irritably.
« I cannot believe, neither you believe, that the demon
may work a deed capable of making one praise the
Lord » says John the Pharisee.
« And who is praising Him? »
« This young man, his relatives, the whole of Ophel, and
I with them, and with me all those who are just and God
fearing in a holy way » replies Joseph.
The evil-minded ones, now held up to ridicule, not
knowing what to object, assail Sidonia nicknamed
Bartholmai: « What do you say of Him Who opened
your eyes? »
« As far as I am concerned He is a prophet. And He is
greater than Elijah with the son of the widow of
Zarephath. Because Elijah brought the soul back into the
boy. But this Jesus has given me what I had never lost,
because I never had it: my eyesight. And if He made my
eyes in a flash with nothing, except a little mud, whilst
my mother had not been able to make them in nine
months with flesh and blood, He must be as great as God
Who made man with mud. »
« Go away! Go away! You blasphemer. Liar!
Corrupted! » and they eject him as if he were possessed.
« The man is lying. It cannot be true. Everybody knows
that a person born blind cannot be cured. It must be one
like Bartholmai, and the Nazarene has prepared him…
or… Bartholmai has never been blind. »
Upon hearing such an astonishing statement Joseph of
Arimathea bursts out: « It is known since the days of
Cain that hatred blinds people. But that it makes them
fools was not yet known. Do you think it credible that a
man may reach maturity pretending that he is blind, just
to wait for… a probable and very remote clamorous
event? Or that Bartholmai's parents do not recognise
their son or that they lend themselves to this
deception? »
« Money can do everything. And they are poor. »
« The Nazarene is poorer than they are. »
« You are lying! Sums worthy a Satrap pass through His
hands! »
« But don't stay there for a moment. That money is for
the poor. It is used for a good purpose, not for
falsehood. »
« How you defend Him! And you are one of the
Elders! »
« Joseph is right. The truth is to be told whatever the
office a man may hold » says Eleazar.
« Go and call the blind man back. Make haste and bring
him here again. And let others go to his parents and
bring them here » shouts Helkai opening the door and
giving orders to some people waiting outside. And his
mouth is almost covered with foam, so much is he
choking with anger.
Some people run here, some there. The first to come
back is Sidonia nicknamed Bartholmai, who is surprised
and annoyed. They push him into a corner watching him
as a pack of hounds gaze at game… Later, after some
time, his parents arrive surrounded by a crowd.
« You two come in. All the others out! »
The two go in looking frightened. They see their son in
the corner, unharmed, but under arrest. His mother
moans: « Son! And this was to be a happy day for us! »
« Listen to us. Is that man your son? » asks one of the
Pharisees rudely.
« Of course he is our son! And who would it be if it were
not him? »
« Are you really certain? »
The father and mother are so amazed at the question, that
they look at each other before replying.
« Answer my question! »
« Noble Pharisee, do you think that a father and a mother
may be deceived with regard to their child? » says the
father humbly.
« But… can you swear that… Yes, that for no amount of
money you have been asked to say that this is your son,
whereas he is one like him? »
« Asked to say? And by whom? Swear? Yes, a thousand
times, in the name of the altar and in the Name of God,
if you wish so! » His assertion is so resolute that it
would discourage the most pigheaded person.
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But the Pharisees are not disheartened! They ask: « But
was your son not born blind? »
« Yes, he was. His eyelids were closed and there was
nothing under them… »
« How come he can now see, he has eyes and his eyelids
are open? You are not going to tell me that eyes grow
just like that, like flowers at springtime, and that an
eyelid opens just like the calyx of a flower!… » says
another Pharisee laughing sarcastically.
« We know that this man has really been our son for
almost thirty years and that he was born blind, but we do
not know how he can now see or who opened his eyes.
In any case, ask him. He is not an idiot or a little boy. He
is well on in age. Ask him and he will tell you. »
« You are lying. In your house he said how he was cured
and by whom. Why do you say that you do not know? »
shouts one of the two men who had always followed the
blind man.
« We were so dumbfounded with amazement that we did
not listen to him » the two reply apologetically.
The Pharisees turn to Sidonia nicknamed Bartholmai
saying: « Come here. And give glory to God, if you can!
Don't you know that He Who touched your eyes is a
sinner? Don't you know? Well, you had better know. We
are telling you because we know. »
« Who knows! It may well be as you say. I don't know
whether He is a sinner or not. I only know that
previously I was blind, and now I can see, and quite
clearly. »
« But what did He do to you? How did He open your
eyes? »
« I have already told you and you did not listen to me.
Now you want to hear it all over again? Why? Do you
want to become His disciples? »
« Fool! You can be the disciple of that man. We are the
disciples of Moses. And we know everything about
Moses and that God spoke to him. But of this man we
know nothing, where He comes from and who He is, and
no prodigy of Heaven points Him out as a prophet. »
« And that is just what is wonderful! That you do not
know where He comes from and you say that no prodigy
points Him out as a just man. But He opened my eyes
and none of us in Israel had ever been able to do that, not
even the love of a mother and the sacrifices of my father.
But there is one thing that we all know, both you and I,
that is, that God does not hear sinners, but only those
who fear God and do His will. In no part of the world it
has ever been heard that anyone was able to open the
eyes of a man born blind, but this Jesus has done that. If
He did not come from God, He would not have been
able to do it. »
« You were born a sinner through and through and you
are as disfigured in your spirit as you were in your body
and even more so, and you pretend to teach us? Go
away, cursed abortion and become a demon with your
seducer. Go away, all of you, foolish sinful populace! »
and they eject the son, father and mother, as if they were
three lepers.
The three go away quickly, followed by their friends.
But when he is outside the enclosure, Sidonia turns
round and says: « And you can stay where you are, and
say what you like. The truth is that I see and I praise God
for it. You may be demons, not the Good One Who
cured me. »
« Be quiet, son! Be quiet! Lest it should be detrimental
to us!… » moans his mother.
« Oh! mother! Has the air in that hall poisoned your
soul, as you used to teach me to praise God in my
misfortune, and now you cannot thank Him in our joy
and you are afraid of men? If God has loved me and you
so much as to grant us the miracle, will He not be able to
defend us from a handful of men? »
« Our son is right, woman. Let us go to our synagogue to
praise the Lord, since they have driven us out of the
Temple. And let us go at once before the Sabbath is
over… »
And hastening their paces they disappear in the lanes in
the valley.
Thursday after Fourth Sunday of Lent Luke 7:11-16
177. The Servant of the Centurion Is Cured.
2nd June 1945.
Jesus enters Capernaum coming from the country. Only
the Twelve are with Him, nay, only eleven apostles, as
John is not there. The usual greetings of the crowd form
a vast range of expressions, from the entirely simple
ones of children, to the rather shy ones of women, to the
enraptured ones of people cured miraculously, and those
which are either curious or ironical. There are enough to
satisfy all tastes. And Jesus replies to everybody
according to how He is greeted: caressing the little ones,
blessing the women, smiling at those cured
miraculously, and with deep respect for the others.
But this time the series is completed by the greeting of a
centurion of the town, I think. He greets Him: « Hail,
Master! » to which Jesus replies: « May God come to
you. »
While the crowd draws close to see the outcome of the
meeting, the centurion continues: « I have been waiting
for You for several days. You do not recognise me as
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one of those who were listening to You on the Mount. I
was wearing civilian clothes. Are You not asking me
why I went there? »
« No, I am not, but what do you want from Me? »
« I have instructions to follow those who hold meetings,
because too often Rome has had to regret having granted
permission for apparently honest meetings. But seeing
and listening to You, I thought of You as a… as a… I
have a servant who is ill, Lord. He is lying in my house,
in his bed, paralyzed by a disease of the bones and he
suffers dreadfully. Our doctors cannot cure him. Your
doctors refuse to come. I invited them to come because it
is a disease caused by the corrupt air of this area and you
know how to cure it with the herbs of the feversome soil
of the shore where the water stagnates before being
absorbed by the sand of the sea. I am very sorry because
he is a faithful servant. »
« I will come and cure him. »
« No, my Lord. I am not asking You to go to all that
trouble. I am a heathen, filth, as far as you are
concerned. If the Jewish doctors are afraid of becoming
contaminated by coming to my house, all the more
reason it would contaminate You, Who are divine. I am
not worthy that You should enter under my roof, but if
You say only one word here, my servant will be cured
because You rule over everything. Now if I, who am
subject to my authorities, the first being Caesar, for
whom I must act, think and behave as I am told, can in
turn order soldiers under me, and if I say to one: "Go", to
another: "Come" and to a servant: "Do that", the first one
will go where I send him, the other will come because I
call him, and the third will do what I tell him, You, as
You are Who You are, will be immediately obeyed by
the disease, which will vanish. »
« But the disease is not a man… » objects Jesus.
« Neither are You a man, You are the Man. You can
therefore give orders to elements and fevers, because
everything is subject to Your power. »
Some elders of Capernaum take Jesus aside and say to
Him: « He is a Roman, but listen to him because he is an
honest man who respects and helps us. It was he who
built our synagogue and he has given strict instructions
to his soldiers not to gibe at us on Sabbaths. Grant him,
therefore, the grace, for the sake of Your town, so that he
may not be disappointed and irritated, and his fondness
for us may not turn into hatred. »
And Jesus, after listening to them, turns round smiling at
the centurion and says: « Go ahead and I will come after
you. »
But the centurion says once again: « No, my Lord, I
have told You: it would be a great honour if You entered
under my roof, but I do not deserve so much; say only
one word and my servant will be cured. »
« Let it be so. Go and have faith. This very moment the
fever is leaving him and life is flowing back into his
limbs. Endeavour to get Life to come also to your soul.
Go. »
The centurion salutes, then bows and goes away.
Jesus watches him go away, then turns to the people
present and says: « I solemnly tell you that I did not find
so much faith in Israel. Oh! It is quite true! "The people
that walked in darkness saw a great light; on those who
live in a land of deep shadow a light has shone", and also
"The Messiah will hoist His flag over the nations and
gather them together". Oh! My Kingdom! They will
really flow to you in immense numbers! More numerous
than all the camels and dromedaries of Madian and
Ephah, than those who bring the gold and incense of
Sheba, more numerous than all the flocks of Kedar and
the rams of Nebaioth, will be those who come to you and
My heart will exult with joy seeing all the peoples of the
sea and the wealth of the nations coming to Me. The
islands are waiting for Me to adore Me, and the children
of foreigners will build the walls of My Church, the
gates of which will lie open continually to receive the
kings and the wealth of the nations and sanctify them in
Me. What Isaiah saw, will be accomplished! I tell you
that many will come from the east and the west and will
sit with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of
Heaven, whereas the children of the Kingdom will be
thrown out into the dark, where there will be weeping
and grinding of teeth. »
« You therefore foretell that the gentiles will be equal to
the children of Abraham? »
« Not equal, but greater. You can only regret that it is
due to your fault. Not I, but the Prophets say so, and the
signs already confirm it. Now some of you should go to
the house of the centurion and ascertain that his servant
is cured as the faith of the Roman deserved. Come.
Perhaps in the house there are some sick people waiting
for Me. »
Jesus with the apostles and a few more people turns His
steps towards the usual house where He stays when in
Capernaum, while most of the people, driven by
curiosity, rush towards the centurion's house making a
great noise.
189. The Son of the Widow of Nain.
14th June 1945.
Nain must have been a town of some importance in the
days of Jesus. It is not a large town, but is well built,
surrounded by its walls, lying on a low pleasant hill, an
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offshoot of the Little Hermon, commanding a very
fertile plain which stretches towards the north-east.
One arrives here coming from Endor, after crossing a
little river, which flows into the Jordan. But neither the
Jordan nor its valley can be seen any longer, because
they are concealed by hills which form an arch shaped
like a question mark in the east.
Jesus follows a main road which links the lake region to
the Hermon and its villages. Many inhabitants of Endor
walk behind Him talking to one another animatedly.
Only a short distance separates the group of the apostles
from the walls: about two hundred yards, at most. And
as the main road runs straight to one of the town gates,
which is wide open because it is broad daylight, it is
possible to see what is happening in the inner side of the
walls. Thus Jesus, Who is speaking to the apostles and
the new convert, sees a funeral coming towards them,
with a great noise of weepers and similar eastern
displays.
« Shall we go and see, Master? » ask many. And many
of the inhabitants of Endor are already rushing to see.
« Yes, let us go » says Jesus condescendingly.
« Oh! It must be a boy. See how many flowers and
ribbons there are on the bier » says Judas of Kerioth to
John.
« Or it is probably a virgin. » replies John.
« No, it is certainly a young man, because of the shades
they have used. And there is no myrtle either… » says
Bartholomew.
The funeral comes out to the other side of the walls. It is
not possible to see what there is on the bier, which is
carried shoulder high by the bearers. One understands
that there is a corpse, enveloped in bandages and
covered by a sheet, only because of its outline and that it
is the body of a fully grown person, because it is as long
as the bier.
A veiled woman is walking beside it, weeping,
supported by relatives or friends. The only sincere tears
in all that farce of mourners. And when a bearer trips on
a stone or rise in the ground or stumbles and causes the
bier to shake, the mother moans: « Oh! no! Be careful!
My boy has suffered so much! » and she raises her
trembling hand to caress the edge of the bier. And as she
is unable to do anything else, she kisses the veils and the
ribbons, which blown by a gentle breeze lightly touch
the immobile corpse.
Peter, sympathetic, his good keen eyes welling up with
tears whispers: « She is the mother. » But he is not the
only one whose eyes are shining with tears at the sight.
Also the Zealot, Andrew, John, and even the ever merry
Thomas have tears in their eyes. They are all deeply
moved. Judas Iscariot whispers: « If it were I! Oh! Poor
mother of mine… »
Jesus, the kindness of Whose eyes is so deep as to be
unbearable, directs His steps towards the bier.
The mother, who is now sobbing louder because the
funeral is about to turn towards the open sepulchre,
pushes Him aside resolutely, when she sees that Jesus
wants to touch the bier. I wonder what she is afraid of in
her grief. She shouts: « He is mine! » and looks at Jesus
with staring eyes.
« I know, mother. He is yours. »
« He is my only son! Why should he die, he was so good
and dear, he was my joy, and I am a widow. Why? » The
crowd of the hired mourners mourn more loudly,
forming a chorus with the mother who continues: « Why
he, and not I? It is not just that she who has borne a
child, should see her offspring perish. The offspring
must live, otherwise why was my womb torn to give
birth to a man? » and she strikes her abdomen wildly and
desperately.
« Do not do that! Do not weep, mother. » Jesus takes her
hands clenching them firmly in His left hand, while with
His right one He touches the bier saying to the bearers:
« Stop and put the bier down. »
The bearers obey and lower the little bed which rests on
its four legs.
Jesus takes the sheet covering the dead boy and pulls it
back uncovering the corpse.
The mother shouts her grief and the name of her son, I
think: « Daniel! »
Jesus, still clenching the mother's hands in His, stands
up, His eyes imposingly bright, the power of miracle
shining majestically on His face, lowering His right
hand, orders in the full strength of His voice: « Young
man! I tell you: get up! »
The dead boy, enveloped in bandages as he is, sits up on
the little bed and calls: « Mother! » He calls her with the
stammering frightened voice of a terrified child.
« He is yours, woman. I give him to you in the name of
God. Help him to get rid of the sudarium. And be
happy. »
And Jesus makes the gesture of withdrawing.
Impossible! The crowds rivet Him to the bier, on which
the mother has thrown herself groping for the bandages,
endeavouring to be quick, while the imploring childish
moaning repeats: « Mother! Mother! »
The sudarium and bandages are undone and mother and
son can embrace each other, and they do so without
bothering about the sticky balms, which the mother
removes from his dear face and hands, making use of the
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same bandages. As she has not clothes to put on him, she
takes off her mantle and envelops him in it, caressing
him all the time…
Jesus looks at her… he looks at the loving group, close
together on the edge of the little bed, no longer a bier,
and He weeps.
Judas Iscariot sees His tears and asks: « Why are You
weeping, my Lord? »
Jesus turns His face towards him and says: « I am
thinking of My Mother… »
The brief conversation draws the woman's attention to
her Benefactor. She takes her son by the hand, she
supports him because his limbs are still somewhat numb,
and kneeling down she says: « You, too, my son. Bless
this Holy man Who has restored you to life and to your
mother » and she bends to kiss Jesus' tunic while the
crowd sing hosannas to God and to His Messiah, Who
by now is well known for what He is, because the
apostles and the people of Endor have taken upon
themselves to tell Who He is Who worked the miracle.
And the crowds exclaim: « Blessed be the God of Israel.
Blessed be the Messiah, His Messenger! Blessed be
Jesus, Son of David! A great Prophet is risen among us!
God has really visited His people! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! »
At last Jesus can steal away and enter the town. The
crowd follow and pursue Him, exulting in their love.
A man rushes towards Jesus and bows deeply to Him.
« Please come and stay under my roof. »
« I cannot. Passover prevents Me from making any stop
except those programmed. »
« In a few hours it will be sunset and this is Friday… »
« Exactly, that is why I must reach My halting place
before sunset. I thank you just the same. But do not keep
Me back. »
« I am the head of the synagogue. »
« So you mean that you are entitled to have Me. Man, if
I had arrived here only one hour later, that woman would
not have had her son restored to her. I am going where
other unhappy people are waiting for Me. Do not be so
selfish as to delay their joy. I will certainly come again
and I will be with you in Nain for several days. Now let
Me go. »
The man does not insist any more. He only says: « As
You said. I will wait for You. »
« Yes. Peace to you and to the citizens of Nain. Also to
you, people of Endor, peace and blessings. Go back to
your homes. God has spoken to you through the miracle.
Endeavour, through the power of love, to have all your
hearts restored to Goodness. »
A last chorus of hosannas. Then the crowds let Jesus go
and He crosses the town diagonally and goes out into the
country, towards Esdraelon.
Friday after Fourth Sunday of John 11:1-45
Lent
546. Resurrection of Lazarus.
26th December 1946.
Jesus is coming towards Bethany from En-shemesh.
They must have marched really hard up the difficult
paths on the Adummim, mountains. The apostles, who
are out of breath, find it difficult to follow Jesus Who
walks rapidly, as if love carried Him on its ardent wings.
A smile brightens Jesus' face as He proceeds ahead of
them all, with His head raised, in the mild midday
sunshine.
Before they arrive at the first houses of Bethany, a
barefooted boy, who is going to the fountain near the
village with an empty copper pitcher, sees Him and
gives a shout. He lays the pitcher on the ground and runs
away, with all the speed of his little legs, towards the
centre of the village.
« He is certainly going to inform them that You are
arriving remarks Judas Thaddeus after smiling, like
everybody else, upon the quick… decision of the little
boy, who also left his pitcher at the mercy of the first
passer-by.
The little town, as seen from the fountain, which is a
little higher up, seems quiet as if it were deserted. Only
the grey smoke rising from chimneys indicates that in
the houses women are busy preparing the midday meal,
and the thick voices of men in the vast silent olive-
groves and orchards inform one that men are working.
Even so Jesus prefers to take a path that runs round the
rear of the village, so that He may arrive at Lazarus'
house without drawing the attention of the citizens.
They have gone almost half way when they hear the boy
mentioned previously come after them; he runs past
them and then stops thoughtfully in the middle of the
path looking at Jesus… »
« Peace to you, little Mark. Were you afraid of Me that
you ran away? » asks Jesus caressing him.
« No, Lord, I was not afraid. But as for many days
Martha and Mary have been sending servants on the
roads leading here to see whether You were coming,
when I saw You I ran to tell them that You were
coming… »
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« You did the right thing. The sisters will be preparing
their hearts to see Me. »
« No, Lord. The sisters are not preparing anything,
because they do not know. They would not let me tell
them. They got hold of me when I entered the garden
saying: " The Rabbi is here" and they drove me out
saying: "You are a liar or a fool. He is not coming any
more because He knows by now that He cannot work the
miracle any more". And as I said that it was really You,
they gave me two mighty slaps as I never had before…
Look how red my cheeks are. They are smarting! And
they pushed me away saying: "That will purify you for
looking at a demon". And I was looking at You to see
whether You had become a demon. But I can't see any…
You are always my Jesus, as beautiful as an angel, as my
mother tells me. »
Jesus bends to kiss his cheeks, which have been slapped,
saying: « They will no longer smart. I am sorry that you
had to suffer because of Me… »
« I am not sorry, Lord, because those two slaps made
You give me two kisses » and he clings to His legs
hoping to receive more.
« Tell me, Mark. Who was it that drove you away?
Those of Lazarus' household? » asks Thaddeus.
« No. The Judaeans. They come to condole every day.
They are so many! They stay in the house and in the
garden. They come early and go away late. They behave
as if they were the masters. They ill-treat everybody.
Can't you see that there is nobody in the streets? The
first days people remained to watch… then… Now only
children wander about to… Oh! my pitcher! My mother
is waiting for water… She will give me a beating as
well!… »
They all laugh at his distress over the prospect of further
smacks, and Jesus says: « Hurry up then… »
« The fact is… that I wanted to go in with You and see
You work the miracle… » and he concludes: « … and
see their faces… to avenge myself for the slaps… »
« No, that's wrong. You must not wish for revenge. You
must be good and forgive… But your mother is waiting
for the water… »
« I will go, Master. I know where Mark lives. I will tell
the woman and then join You… » says James of
Zebedee running away.
They set out again slowly and Jesus holds the delighted
boy by the hand…
They are now at the garden railing. They walk along it.
Many mounts are tied to it, watched by the owners'
servants. Their whispering draws the attention of some
Judaeans who turn towards the open gate just when
Jesus sets foot on the border of the garden.
« The Master! » exclaim the first to see Him, and the
word flies from group to group like the rustling of the
wind; it spreads, like a wave that comes from afar and
breaks on the shore as far as the walls of the house and
enters it, certainly carried by the many Judaeans present,
or by some Pharisees, rabbis or scribes or Sadducees,
scattered here and there.
Jesus advances very slowly while people, although
rushing from every directions, move away from the alley
along which He is walking. As no one greets Him, He
does not greet anybody, as if He did not know any of the
many people gathered there looking at Him with eyes
full of anger and hatred, with the exception of a few
who, being secret disciples or at least righteous-hearted,
even if they do not love Him as Messiah, respect Him as
a just man. And those are Joseph, Nicodemus, John,
Eleazar, the other John the scribe, whom I saw at the
multiplication of the loaves, and another John, the one
who fed the people that had come down from the
mountain of the beatitudes, Gamaliel with his son,
Joshua, Joachim, Manaen, the scribe Joel of Abijah, seen
at the Jordan in the episode of Sabea, Joseph Barnabas
the disciple of Gamaliel, Chuza who looks at Jesus from
afar, somewhat shy seeing Him again after the mistake
he had made, or perhaps fear of what people may think
prevents him from approaching Him as a friend. It is a
fact that neither friends nor those who look at Him
without hatred nor enemies greet Him. And Jesus does
not greet anyone either. He just bowed lightly when
setting foot in the alley. He has then moved straight on
as if He were a stranger to the large crowd around Him.
The little boy is walking beside Him all the time, in his
garments of a poor little peasant and barefooted, but with
the bright countenance of one who is really enjoying
himself, his lively dark eyes wide open to see
everything… and to defy everybody…
Martha comes out of the house with a group of Judaean
visitors among whom there are Helkai and Sadoc. With
her hand she shades her eyes tired of weeping from the
sun, as the light hurts them, so that she may see where is
Jesus. She sees Him. She departs from those
accompanying her and she runs towards Jesus Who is at
a few steps from the fountain shining in the sunshine.
She throws herself at Jesus' feet after bowing to Him and
kisses them, while bursting into tears she says: « Peace
to You, Master! »
Jesus also, as soon as she is close to Him, says to her:
« Peace to you! » and He raises His hand to bless her,
releasing the hand of the boy, who is taken by
Bartholomew and held a little back.
Martha goes on: « But there is no more peace for Your
servant. » Still on her knees she looks up at Jesus and
with a cry of grief that is clearly heard in the prevailing
silence she exclaims: « Lazarus is dead! If You had been
here, he would not have died. Why did You not come
97
sooner, Master? » There is an unintentional tone of
reproach in her question. She then reverts to the
depressed tone of one who no longer has the strength to
reproach and whose only comfort is to recollect the last
acts and wishes of a relative to whom one has tried to
give what he wanted, and there is therefore no remorse
in one's heart, and she says: « Lazarus, our brother, has
called You so much!… Now, see! I am grieved and
Mary is weeping and she cannot set her mind at rest.
And he is no longer here! You know how much we
loved him! We were hoping everything from You!… »
A murmur of pity for the woman and of reproach for
Jesus is heard, approving the understood thought: « …
and You could have satisfied our request because we
deserve it for the love we have for You, whereas You
have disappointed us » and the murmur passes from one
group to the next one as people shake their heads or cast
derisory glances. Only the few secret disciples mingled
with the crowd look compassionately at Jesus, Who, pale
and sad, listens to the grieved woman speaking to Him.
Gamaliel, his arms folded across his chest in his wide
rich robe of very fine wool adorned with blue tassels, a
little apart in a group of young men among whom is his
son and Joseph Barnabas, stares at Jesus, without hatred
and without love.
Martha, after wiping her face, resumes: « But even now I
hope because I know that whatever You ask of God, He
will grant You. » A sorrowful heroic profession of faith
uttered in a trembling weeping voice, with her eyes full
of anxiety and her heart throbbing with the last hope.
« Your brother will rise again. Stand up, Martha. »
Martha stands up, stooping out of respect before Jesus to
Whom she replies: « I know, Master. He will rise again
at the resurrection on the last day. »
« I am the Resurrection and Life. Whoever believes in
Me, even if he dies, will live. And whoever believes and
lives in Me will never die. Do you believe all that? »
Jesus, Who had previously spoken in a rather low voice,
addressing Martha only, raises His voice when saying
these sentences in which He proclaims His power of
God, and its perfect timbre resounds like a golden blare
in the vast garden. The people present quiver with an
emotion resembling fear. Then some sneer shaking their
heads.
Martha, into whom Jesus seems to wish to instill a
stronger and stronger hope by holding His hand on her
shoulder, raises her lowered head. She raises it towards
Jesus staring with her sad eyes at the Christ's bright ones
and pressing her hands against her breast with a different
anxiety she replies: « Yes, I do, my Lord. I believe all
that. I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of the
living God, that You have come to the world and that
You can do everything You want. I believe. I am now
going to tell Mary » and she disappears quickly into the
house.
Jesus remains where He was. That is, He takes a few
steps forward and approaches the flower-bed that
surrounds the basin of the fountain. The flower-bed is
strewn on one side with the diamond drops of the very
fine droplets of water of the jet, blown to that side by a
light breeze, like silver down, and Jesus seems to be lost
in contemplating the fish wriggle in the limpid water and
play describing silver commas and golden reflections in
the crystalline water shining in the sunshine.
The Judaeans are watching Him. They have
involuntarily divided into clearly distinct groups. On one
side, in front of Jesus, all those who are hostile to Him,
usually separated from one another by sectarian spirit,
but now concordant in opposing Jesus. Beside Him,
behind the apostles who have been joined by James of
Zebedee, there are Joseph, Nicodemus and others who
are well-disposed to Him. Farther away there is
Gamaliel, still in the same place and attitude, and all
alone, because his son and disciples have parted from
him and joined the two main groups to be closer to
Jesus.
With her usual cry: « Rabboni! » Mary runs out of the
house with her arms stretched out towards Jesus and
throws herself at His feet, which she kisses sobbing
deeply. Several Judaeans who were in the house with her
and who have followed her, weep with her with doubtful
sincerity. Also Maximinus, Marcella, Sara, Naomi have
followed Mary, as well as all the servants and their
wailing is loud and high-pitched. I think that there is no
one left in the house. When Martha sees Mary cry thus,
she cries copiously, too.
« Peace to you, Mary. Stand up! Look at Me! Why weep
thus, like one who has no hope? » Jesus stoops to say
these words in a low voice, His eyes staring at Mary's,
who on her knees, relaxing on her heels, stretches her
hands towards Him imploringly and is unable to speak,
so deep is her sobbing: « Did I not tell you to hope
beyond what is credible in order to see the glory of God?
Has your Master perhaps changed, that you are so
depressed? »
But Mary does not listen to the words that aim at
preparing her for too great a joy after so much anguish,
and being able to speak at last, she shouts: « Oh! Lord!
Why did You not come sooner? Why did You go away
from us? You knew that Lazarus was ill! If You had
been here my brother would not have died. Why did You
not come? I still had to prove to him that I loved him. He
should have lived. I had to show him that I persevered in
honesty. I afflicted my brother so much! And now! And
now that I could have made him happy, he has been
taken away from me! You could have left him with me.
You could have given poor Mary the joy of comforting
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him after grieving him so deeply. Oh! Jesus! Jesus! My
Master! My Saviour! My hope! » and she collapses
again, her forehead on Jesus' feet, which are washed
once again by her tears, and she moans: « Why have you
done that, Lord?! Also on account of those who hate
You and are now rejoicing at what has happened… Why
have You done that, Jesus?! » But there is no reproach in
Mary's tone as there was in Martha's, there is only the
anguish of a woman, who is grieved not only as a sister
but also as a disciple who feels that the opinion of her
Master is diminished in the hearts of many people.
Jesus, Who has bent very low to hear those words
whispered with her face near the ground, stands up and
says in a loud voice: « Mary, do not weep! Also your
Master is suffering for the death of His faithful friend…
for having had to let him die… »
Oh! How sneering and radiant with hateful joy are the
faces of the enemies of Christ! They feel that He is
defeated and rejoice, whilst His friends are becoming
sadder and sadder.
Jesus says in an even louder voice: « But I tell you: do
not weep. Stand up! Look at Me! Do you think that I,
Who loved you so much, have done this without a
reason? Can you believe that I have grieved you thus in
vain? Come. Let us go to Lazarus. Where have you put
him? »
Jesus' question, rather than to Mary and Martha, who
cannot speak as they are crying even louder, is addressed
to all the others and particularly to those who have come
out of the house with Mary and look more upset.
Perhaps they are older relatives, I do not know.
And they reply to Jesus, Who is clearly distressed:
« Come and see. » and they set out towards the place of
the sepulchre, which is at the end of the orchard, where
the ground is undulated and veins of calcareous rock
appear on its surface.
Martha, beside Jesus Who has forced Mary to stand up
and is now guiding her, as she is blinded by her copious
tears, points out to Jesus where Lazarus is, and when
they are near the place she also says: « It is there,
Master, that Your friend is buried » and she points at the
stone placed across the entrance of the sepulchre.
Jesus, followed by everybody, has to pass in front of
Gamaliel, in order to go there. But neither He nor
Gamaliel greet each other. Gamaliel then joins the others
stopping with all the more rigid Pharisees a few metres
from the sepulchre, while Jesus goes on, very close to it,
with the two sisters, Maximinus and those who are
perhaps relatives. Jesus looks at the heavy stone placed
as a door against the sepulchre, a heavy obstacle
between Him and His dead friend, and He weeps. The
wailing of the sisters grows louder, as well as that of
intimate friends and relatives.
« Remove that stone » shouts Jesus all of a sudden, after
wiping His tears.
Everybody is surprised and a murmur runs through the
crowd that has become larger as some people of Bethany
have entered the garden and have followed the guests. I
can see some Pharisees touch their foreheads and shake
their heads meaning: « He is mad! ». No one carries out
the order. Even the most faithful ones are hesitant and
feel repugnance to do it.
Jesus repeats His order in a louder voice astonishing
even more the people, who urged by opposed feelings
react at first as if they wanted to run away, but
immediately afterwards they wish to draw closer, to see,
defying the stench of the sepulchre that Jesus wants
opened.
« Master, it is not possible » says Martha striving to
restrain her tears to be able to speak. « He has been
down there for four days. And You know of what
disease he died! Only our love made it possible for us to
cure him… By now he will certainly smell
notwithstanding the ointments… What do You want to
see? His rottenness?… It is not possible… also because
of the uncleanness of putrefaction and… »
« Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the
glory of God? Remove that stone. I want it! » It is the
cry of divine will…
A subdued « oh! » is uttered by every mouth. Faces
grow pale. Some people shiver as if an icy wind of death
had blown over everybody.
Martha nods to Maximinus who orders the servants to
get the necessary tools to remove the heavy stone.
The servants run away and come back with picks and
sturdy levers. And they work inserting the points of the
shining picks between the rock and the stone, and then
replacing the picks with the sturdy levers and finally
lifting the stone carefully, letting it slide to one side and
dragging it cautiously against the rocky wall. An
infected stench comes out of the dark hole making
everyone withdraw.
Martha asks in a low voice: « Master, do You want to go
down there? If You do, torches will be required… » But
she is wan at the thought of having to go down.
Jesus does not reply to her. He raises His eyes to the sky,
He stretches out His arms crosswise and prays in a very
loud voice syllabising the words: « Father! I thank You
for hearing Me. I knew that You always hear Me. But I
said so for those who are present here, for the people
surrounding Me, that they may believe in You, in Me,
and that You have sent Me! »
He remains thus for a moment and He becomes so
transfigured that He seems to be enraptured, while
without uttering any sound He says more secret words of
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prayer or adoration. I do not know. What I know is that
He is so transhumanised that it is not possible to look at
Him without feeling one's heart quiver. His body seems
to become light, spiritualised, rising in height and also
from the earth. Although the shades of His hair, eyes,
complexion, garments remain unchanged - contrary to
what happened during the transfiguration on mount
Tabor when everything became light and dazzling
brightness - He seems to shed light and that His whole
body becomes light. Light seems to form a halo around
Him, particularly round His face raised to the sky,
certainly enraptured in the contemplation of His Father.
He remains thus for some time, then He becomes
Himself, the Man, but powerfully majestic. He proceeds
as far as the threshold of the sepulchre. He moves His
arms forward - so far He had held them crosswise, the
palms turned upwards - now with palms turned
downwards, so that His hands are already inside the hole
of the sepulchre and their whiteness is outstanding in the
darkness of the hole. His blue eyes are blazing and their
flash forecasting a miracle is today unsustainable, in the
silent darkness, and in a powerful voice and with a cry
louder than the one He uttered on the lake when He
ordered the wind to abate, in a voice that I never heard in
any other miracle, He shouts: « Lazarus! Come out! »
His voice is echoed by the sepulchral cave and coming
out of it, it spreads all over the garden, it is repeated by
the undulations of the ground of Bethany, I think it
travels as far as the first hills beyond the fields and then
comes back, repeated and subdued, like an order that
cannot fail. It is certain that from numberless directions
one can hear again: « out! out! out! »
Everybody is thrilled with emotion and if curiosity rivets
everyone in his place, faces grow pale and eyes are
opened wide while mouths are closed involuntarily with
cries of surprise already on their lips.
Martha, a little behind and to one side, seems fascinated
looking at Jesus. Mary, who has never moved away from
the Master, falls on her knees at the entrance of the
sepulchre, one hand on her breast to check her throbbing
heart, the other holding the edge of Jesus' mantle
unconsciously and convulsively, and one realises that
she is trembling because the mantle is shaken lightly by
the hand holding it.
Something white seems to emerge from the deep end of
the sepulchre. At first it is just a short convex line, then
it becomes ovalshaped, then wider and longer lines
appear. And the dead body, enveloped in its bandages,
comes slowly forward, becoming more visible, more
mysterious and more awful.
Jesus draws back, imperceptibly, but continuously, as
the other moves forward. Thus the distance between the
two is always the same.
Mary is compelled to drop the edge of the mantle, but
she does not move from where she is. Joy, emotion,
everything, nail her to the place where she is.
An « oh! » is uttered more and more clearly by the lips
previously closed by the anxiety of suspense: from a
whisper hardly distinguishable it changes into a voice,
from a voice into a powerful cry.
Lazarus is by now on the threshold of the sepulchre and
he remains there rigid and silent, like a plaster statue just
rough-hewed, thus shapeless, a long thing, thin at the
head and legs, thicker at the trunk, as macabre as death
itself, ghost-like in the white bandages against the dark
background of the sepulchre. As the sun shines on him,
putrid matter can be seen dripping already here and there
from the bandages.
Jesus shouts out in a loud voice: « Unbind him and let
him go. Give him clothes and food. »
« Master!… » says Martha, and perhaps she would like
to say more, but Jesus stares at her subduing her with
His bright eyes and He says: « Here! At once! Bring a
garment. Dress him in the presence of all the people and
give him something to eat. » He orders and never turns
round to look at those who are behind and around Him.
He looks only at Lazarus, at Mary who is near her
resurrected brother, heedless of the disgust caused to
everybody by the putrid bandages, and at Martha who is
panting as if she felt her heart break and does not know
whether she should shout for joy or weep…
The servants rush to carry out the instructions. Naomi is
the first to run away and to come back with garments
folded on her arm. Some untie the bandages after rolling
up their sleeves and tucking up their garments so that
they may not touch the dripping rot. Marcella and Sarah
come back with amphoras of perfumes followed by
servants carrying basins and jugs of water steaming hot
or trays with cups of milk, wine, fruit, honey-cakes.
The very long narrow bandages, which I think are of
linen, with selvedge on each side, obviously woven for
that purpose, unroll like rolls of tape from a reel and pile
up on the ground, heavy with spices and pus. The
servants move them to one side by means of sticks. They
have started from the head, but even there there is matter
that has certainly dripped from the nose, ears and mouth.
The sudarium placed on the face is soaked with putrid
matter and Lazarus' face, which is very pale and
emaciated, with his eyes closed with the pomade placed
in the eye-sockets, with his hair and thin short beard
sticking together, is soiled with it. The shroud placed
round his body falls off slowly as the bandages are
removed, freeing the trunk that they had enveloped for
days, restoring a human figure to what they had
previously transformed into something like a huge
chrysalid. The bony shoulders, the emaciated arms, the
ribs just covered with skin, the sunken stomach begin to
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appear slowly. And as the bandages fall off, the sisters,
Maximinus, the servants busy themselves removing the
first layer of dirt and balms and they insist continuously
changing the water made detergent with spices, until the
skin appears clean.
When they uncover Lazarus' face and he can look, he
directs his gaze towards Jesus before looking at his
sisters, and he seems absent-minded and does not pay
attention to what is happening while he looks at his Jesus
with a loving smile on his lips and tears shining in his
deep-sunken eyes. Jesus also smiles at him, His eyes
shining with tears, and without speaking He directs
Lazarus' gaze towards the sky; Lazarus understands and
moves his lips in silent prayer.
Martha thinks that he wishes to say something but has no
voice yet and she asks: « What are you saying to me, my
Lazarus? »
« Nothing, Martha. I was thanking the Most High. » His
pronunciation is steady, his voice loud.
The crowds utter an « oh! » of amazement once again.
He has now been freed and cleaned down to his sides.
And they can put on him his short tunic, a kind of a short
shirt that reaches below his inguen falling on his thighs.
They make him sit down to untie his legs and wash
them. As soon as they appear Martha and Mary utter a
loud cry pointing to the legs and bandages. And whilst
on the bandages tied round the legs and on the shroud
placed under the bandages the putrid matter is so
copious as to stream down the cloth, the legs are
completely healed. Only red cyanotic scars indicate the
parts affected by gangrene.
All the people shout their amazement more loudly; Jesus
smiles and Lazarus smiles, too, looking for a moment at
his healed legs, then he becomes engrossed again in
looking at Jesus. He never seems to gratify his desire to
see Him. The Judaeans, Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes,
rabbis come forward cautiously in order not to
contaminate their garments. They examine Lazarus
closely. They examine Jesus closely. But neither Lazarus
nor Jesus minds them. They look at each other and all
the rest means nothing to them.
They now put sandals on Lazarus' feet and he stands up,
agile and steady. He takes the tunic that Martha hands
him, he puts it on by himself, he fastens his belt and
adjusts the fold of the garment. And there he is, lean and
pale, but like everybody else. He washes again his hands
and arms as far as his elbows, after tucking up his
sleeves. And with clean water he washes his face and
head again, until he feels that he is thoroughly clean. He
dries his hair and face, hands the towel to the servant and
goes straight towards Jesus. He prostrates himself. He
kisses His feet.
Jesus bends, lifts him up, presses him to His heart
saying: « Welcome back home, My dear friend. May
peace and joy be with you. Live to accomplish your
happy destiny. Raise your face that I may greet you with
a kiss. » And He kisses Lazarus' cheeks and is kissed by
him.
Only after worshipping and kissing the Master, Lazarus
speaks to his sisters and kisses them; he then kisses
Maximinus and Naomi, who are weeping for joy, and
some of those who I think are related to the family or are
very close friends. He then kisses Joseph, Nicodemus,
Simon Zealot and a few more.
Jesus goes personally towards a servant who is carrying
a tray on which there is some food and He takes a
honey-cake, an apple, a goblet of wine, and He offers
them to Lazarus, after offering and blessing them, so that
he may nourish himself. And Lazarus eats with the
healthy appetite of one who is well. A further « Oh! » of
amazement is uttered by the crowd.
Jesus seems to see no one but Lazarus, but in actual fact
He observes everything and everybody and when He
sees with what furious gestures Sadoc, Helkai,
Hananiah, Felix, Doras and Cornelius and others are
about to go away, He says in a loud voice: « Wait a
moment, Sadoc. I want to have a word with you, with
you and your friends. »
They stop with the sinister look of criminals.
Joseph of Arimathea makes a gesture as if he were
frightened and beckons to the Zealot to restrain Jesus.
But He is already going towards the rancorous group and
is already saying loud: « Sadoc, is what you have seen
enough for you? One day you told Me that in order to
believe, you and your peers needed to see a decomposed
dead body be recomposed and in good health. Are you
satisfied with the rottenness you have seen? Can you
admit that Lazarus was dead and that now he is alive and
healthy, as he has never been for many years? I know.
You came here to tempt these people, to increase their
grief and their doubt. You came here looking for Me,
hoping to find Me hiding in the room of the dying man.
You did not come with feelings of love and with the
desire to honour the deceased man, but to ensure that
Lazarus was really dead, and you have continued to
come rejoicing all the more as time went by. If the
situation had evolved as you were hoping, as you
believed it would evolve, you would have been right in
exulting. The Friend Who cures everybody, but does not
cure His friend. The Master Who rewards everybody's
faith, but not the faith of His friends in Bethany. The
Messiah powerless against the reality of death. That is
what was making you exult. Then God gave you His
reply. No prophet had ever been able to put together
what was decomposed, in addition to being dead. God
did it. That is the living witness of what I am. One day it
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was God Who took some dust and made it into a form
and He breathed the vital spirit into it and man was. I
was there to say: "Let man be made in our own image
and likeness". Because I am the Word of the Father.
Today, I, the Word, said to what is even less than dust, I
said to rottenness: "Live", and decomposition was
recomposed into flesh, into wholesome, living, breathing
flesh. There it is looking at you. And to the flesh I joined
the spirit that had been lying for days in Abraham's
bosom. I called him with My will, because I can do
everything, as I am the Living Being, the King of kings
to Whom all creatures and things are subject. What are
you going to reply to Me now? »
He is in front of them, tall, ablaze with majesty, really
Judge and God. They do not reply.
He insists: « Is it not yet enough for you to believe, to
accept what is ineluctable? »
« You have kept but one part of Your promise. This is
not the sign of Jonah… » says Sadoc harshly.
« You shall have that one as well. I promised it and I
will keep My promise » says the Lord. « And another
person, who is present here, and is waiting for another
sign, shall have it. And as he is a just man, he will accept
it. You will not. You will remain what you are. »
He turns round and sees Simon, the member of the
Sanhedrin, the son of Elianna. He gazes at him. He
leaves the previous group and when He is face to face
with him, He says in a low but incisive voice: « You are
fortunate that Lazarus does not remember his stay
among the dead! What have you done with your father, o
Cain? »
Simon runs away with a cry of fear that he changes into
a howl of malediction: « May You be cursed,
Nazarene! » to which Jesus replies: « Your curse is
rising to Heaven and from Heaven the Most High throws
it back at you. You are marked with the sign, you
wretch! »
He goes back to the groups that are astonished, almost
frightened. He meets Gamaliel who is going towards the
road. He looks at Gamaliel, who looks at Him. Jesus
says to him without stopping: « Be ready, rabbi. The
sign will come soon. I never lie. »
The garden slowly becomes empty. The Judaeans are
dumbfounded, but most of them are bursting with wrath.
If glances could reduce one to ashes, Jesus would have
been pulverised a long time ago. They speak and discuss
among themselves while going away, and they are so
upset by their defeat that they are unable to conceal the
purpose of their presence here under the hypocritical
appearance of friendship. They go away without saying
goodbye to Lazarus or to the sisters.
Some remain behind as they have been conquered to the the Messiah, the Lord… and I could no longer put up
Lord by the miracle. Among them there is Joseph with all that suffering… Lazarus was so anxious to have
Barnabas, who throws himself on his knees before Jesus You. He called You so much… Forgive me, Jesus. »
worshipping Him. Another one is Joel of Abijah, the
« Are you not saying anything, Mary? » asks Jesus.
scribe, who does the same thing before departing. And
there are others as well, whom I do not know, but they « Master… I… I suffered then only as a woman. I
must be influential people. suffered because… Martha, swear, swear here, before
the Master that you will never tell Lazarus of his
In the meantime Lazarus, surrounded by his more
frenzy… my Master… I have known You completely, o
intimates, has withdrawn into the house. Joseph,
Divine Mercy, during Lazarus' last hours. Oh! my God!
Nicodemus and other good people greet Jesus and go
How much You have loved me, as You have forgiven
away. The Judaeans who were staying with Martha and
me. You, God, You, Pure, You… if my brother, who
Mary depart giving low bows. The servants close the
does love me, but is a man, only a man, has not forgiven
gate. The house becomes peaceful again.
me everything from the bottom of his heart?! No. I am
Jesus looks about Himself. He sees smoke and flames at wrong. He has not forgiven my past and when his
the end of the garden, towards the sepulchre. All alone, weakness on the point of death blunted his goodness,
standing in the middle of a path Jesus says: « Rottenness which I thought was oblivion of the past, he shouted his
that is being destroyed by fire… The rottenness of grief and his indignation against me… Oh!… » Mary
death… But no fire will ever destroy the corruption of weeps…
hearts… of those hearts… Not even the fire of Hell. It
« Do not weep, Mary. God has forgiven you and has
will last for ever… How horrible!… Worse than death…
forgotten. Lazarus' soul has also forgiven and forgotten,
Worse than putrefaction… And… But who will save
it wanted to forget. The man has not been able to forget
you, o Mankind, if you love so much to be corrupt? You
everything. And when the flesh overwhelmed the
want to be corrupt. And I… I have torn a man from his
weakened will with its last pangs, the man spoke. »
sepulchre with one word… And with a multitude of
words… and a multitude of sorrows I shall not be able to « I am not indignant at it, Lord. It helped me to love You
tear away from sin man, men, milions of men. » He sits more and to love Lazarus more. But it was from that
down and with His hands He covers His face moment that I also wished to have You here… because it
dejectedly… was too distressing to think that Lazarus should die
without peace through my fault… and later, when I
A servant, who is passing by, sees Him. He goes into the
heard the Judaeans deride You… when I saw that You
house. Shortly afterwards Mary comes out. She goes
were not coming even after his death, not even after I
towards Jesus walking so lightly that she does not seem
had obeyed You hoping beyond what is credible, hoping
to be touching the ground. She approaches Him and says
till the moment when the sepulchre was opened to
in a low voice: « Rabboni, You are tired… Come, my
receive him, then my spirit suffered. Lord, if I had
Lord. Your tired apostles have gone to the other house,
anything to expiate, and I certainly had it, I did
except Simon the Zealot… Are You weeping, Master?
expiate… »
Why?… »
« Poor Mary! I know your heart. You deserved the
She kneels at Jesus' feet… she watches Him…
miracle and let that confirm you in hoping and
Jesus looks at her. He does not reply. He stands up and believing. »
directs His steps towards the house followed by Mary.
« My Master, I will always hope and believe now. I will
They go into one of the halls. Lazarus is not there, never doubt again, Lord. I will live on faith. You have
neither is the Zealot. But Martha is there, she is happy, enabled me to believe what is unbelievable. »
transfigured by joy. She turns towards Jesus explaining:
« And what about you, Martha? Have you learned? No.
« Lazarus has gone to the bathroom. To purify himself
Not yet. You are My Martha. But you are not yet My
further. Oh! Master! Master! What shall I tell You? »
perfect worshipper. Why do you act and you do not
She adores Him with her whole being. She becomes
contemplate? It is holier. See? Your strength, as it is too
aware of Jesus' sadness and says: « Are You sad, Lord?
inclined towards earthly things, yielded to the
Are You not happy that Lazarus… » She becomes
ascertainment of earthly matters that at time seem
suspicious: « Oh! You are grave with me. I have sinned.
without remedy. In actual fact earthly matters are
It is true. »
without remedy, unless God intervenes. That is why
« We have sinned, sister » says Mary. human creatures must be able to believe and
contemplate, and love to the utmost power of their whole
« No. You did not. Oh! Master, Mary did not sin. Mary
being, with thought, soul, flesh, blood; I repeat: with all
obeyed. I only disobeyed. I sent for You… because I
the strength of man. I want you to be strong, Martha. I
could no longer bear their insinuations that You were not
102
want you to be perfect. You did not obey because you
did not believe and hope completely, and you did not
believe and hope because you did not love absolutely.
But I absolve you. I forgive you, Martha. I raised
Lazarus today. I will now give you a stronger heart. I
gave him life. I will instil into you the strength to love,
believe and hope perfectly. Be happy now and in peace.
Forgive those who offended you in the past days… »
« Lord, I have sinned against that. Not long ago I said to
old Hananiah, who had sneered at You in previous days:
"Who has triumphed? You or God? Your mockery or my
faith? Christ is the Living Being and the Truth. I knew
that His glory would shine more brightly. And you, old
man, make yourself a new soul, if you do not want to
know what death is. »
« You spoke the truth, but do not contend with the
wicked, Mary.
And forgive. Forgive if you want to imitate Me… Here
is Lazarus. I can hear his voice. »
Lazarus in fact comes in, wearing fresh clothes and
clean-shaven, his hair dressed and scented. Maximinus
and the Zealot are with him. « Master! » Lazarus kneels
down once again worshipping.
Jesus lays a hand on his head and smiles saying: « The
test is over, My friend. For you and for your sisters. Be
happy and strong now in serving the Lord. What do you
remember, Me friend, of the past? I mean of your last
hours? »
« A great desire to see You and a great peace in the love
of my sisters. »
« What did you regret most to leave dying? »
« You, Lord, and my sisters. You, because I would not
have been able to serve You, them… because they have
given my every joy… »
« Oh! me, brother! » says Mary with a sigh.
« You more than Martha. You have given me Jesus and
the measure of what is Jesus. And Jesus has given you to
me. You are the gift of God, Mary. »
« You said so also when you were dying… » says Mary
and she scrutinises her brother's face.
« Because it is my constant thought. »
« But I have grieved you so deeply… »
« Also my disease was painful. But through it I hope I
have expiated the faults of old Lazarus and that I have
risen purified to be worthy of God. You and I, the two
who have risen again to serve the Lord, and Martha
between us, as she has always been the peace of the
house. »
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« Do you hear that, Mary? Lazarus is speaking words of
wisdom and truth. I will now withdraw and leave you to
your joy… »
« No, Lord. Stay here with us. Stay in Bethany and in
my house. It will be lovely… »
« I will stay. I want to make up for what you have
suffered. Martha, do not be sad. Martha thinks that she
has grieved Me. But My grief is not brought about by
you, but by those who do not want to be redeemed. They
hate more and more. Their hearts are poisoned… Well…
let us forgive… »
« Let us forgive, Lord » says Lazarus with his mild
smile… and it all ends on that word.
--------------------
Jesus says: « The dictation dated 23rd March 1944 on
Lazarus' Resurrection can be put here. »
--------------------
23rd March 1944.
Jesus says:
« I could have intervened in time to prevent Lazarus'
death. But I did not want to do that. I knew that his
resurrection would be a double-edged weapon, because
it would convert the righteous-minded Judaeans and
would make the non-righteous-minded ones even more
rancorous. The latter, because of this final blow of My
power, would sentence Me to death. But I had come for
that and it was now time that that should be
accomplished. I could have gone at once, but I needed to
convince the most stubborn incredulous people by
means of a resurrection from advanced rottenness. And
also My apostles, destined to spread My Faith in the
world, needed a faith supported by miracles of the first
magnitude.
There was so much humanity in the apostles. I have
already said so. It was not an insurmountable obstacle,
on the contrary it was a logical consequence of their
condition of men called to be My apostles when they
were already grown-up. The mentality, the frame of
mind of a person cannot be changed between one day
and the next one. And, in My wisdom, I did not want to
choose and educate children bringing them up according
to My thought to make them My apostles. I could have
done that, but I did not want to, lest souls should
reproach Me for despising those who are not innocent
and should justify themselves with the excuse that I also
had made it clear that those whose characters are already
formed cannot change. No. Everything can be changed if
one is willing. In fact I turned cowardly, quarrelsome,
usurious, sensual, incredulous people into martyrs, saints
and evangelizers of the world. Only those who did not
want, did not change.
I loved and still love little and weak people - you are an
example - providing they are willing to love and follow
Me, and I turn such "nonentities" into My favourities,
My friends, My ministers. I still make use of them, and
they are a continuous miracle that I work to lead others
to believe in Me, and not to kill the possibility of
miracles. How languishing that possibility is at present!
Like a lamp lacking oil it is in the throes of death and it
dies, killed by the scanty or lacking faith in the God of
miracles.
There are two forms of insistence in requesting a
miracle. God yields to one with love. He turns His back
disdainfully to the other. The former asks, as I taught to
ask, without lack of confidence and without tiredness,
and does not admit that God may not grant the request,
because God is good and who is good grants, because
God is powerful and can do everything. That is love and
God hears those who love. The latter is the
overbearingness of rebels who want God to be their
servant and to lower Himself to their wickedness and to
give them what they do not give Him: love and
obedience. This form is an offence that God punishes by
denying His graces.
You complain that I no longer work collective miracles.
How could I work them? Where are the communities
that believe in Me? Where are the true believers? How
many true believers are there in a community? Like
surviving flowers in a wood burnt by a fire I can see a
believing spirit now and again. Satan has burnt the rest
with his doctrines. And he will burn them more and
more.
I beg you to bear in mind My reply to Thomas, as a
supernatural rule for yourselves. It is not possible to be
My true disciples if one cannot give human life the
importance it deserves: a means to conquer the true Life,
not an aim. He who wants to save his life in this world
will lose eternal Life. I have told you and I repeat it.
What are trials? Passing clouds. Heaven remains and is
waiting for you after the trial.
I conquered Heaven for you through My heroism. You
must imitate Me. Heroism is not laid aside exclusively
for those who are to suffer martyrdom. Christian life is
perpetual heroism because it is a perpetual struggle
against the world, the demon and the flesh. I do not
compel you to follow Me. I leave you free. But I do not
want you to be hypocrites. Either with Me and like Me,
or against Me. You cannot deceive Me. No, I cannot be
deceived, and I do not form alliances with the Enemy. If
you prefer him to Me, you cannot think that you can
have Me as your Friend at the same time. Either him or
Me. Make your choice.
Martha's grief is different from Mary's because of the
different psyche of the two sisters and because of their
different behaviour. Happy are those who behave in such
104
a way as to have no remorse for grieving one who is now
dead and can no longer be comforted for the sorrow
caused to him. But how much happier is he who has no
remorse for grieving his God, Me, Jesus, and is not
afraid of the day he will have to meet Me, on the
contrary he pines for it, as for a joy anxiously dreamt of
for a whole lifetime and at long last achieved.
I am your Father, Brother and Friend. So why do you
offend Me so often? Do you know how long you still
have to live? To live in order to make amends? No, you
do not know that. So act righteously hour by hour, day
by day. Always righteously. You will always make Me
happy. And even if sorrow comes to you, because
sorrow is sanctification, it is the myrrh that preserves
you from the putridity of sensuality, you will always be
certain that I love you - and that I love you also in that
grief - and you will always have the Peace that comes
from My love. You, My little John, know whether I can
comfort one also in grief.
In My prayer to the Father there is repeated what I said
at the beginning: it was necessary to rouse the opacity of
the Judaeans and of the world in general by means of a
main miracle. And the resurrection of a man who had
been buried four days and had gone down into the tomb
after a long, chronic, disgusting well-known disease is
not an event that can leave people indifferent or
doubtful. If I had cured him while he was alive, or if I
had infused the spirit into him as soon as he had
breathed his last, the acridity of enemies might have
raised doubts on the entity of the miracle. But the stench
of the corpse, the putrefaction of the bandages, the long
period in the sepulchre left no doubts. And, a miracle in
the miracle, I wanted Lazarus to be freed and cleaned in
the presence of everybody so that they could see that not
only life but also the wholesomeness of the limbs had
been restored where previously the ulcerated flesh had
spread the germs of death in the blood. When I grant a
grace I always give more than what you ask for.
I wept before Lazarus' tomb. And many names have
been given to My tears. In the meantime you must bear
in mind that graces are obtained through grief mixed
with unfaltering faith in the Eternal Father. I wept not so
much because of the loss of My friend and because of
the sorrow of the sisters, as because three thoughts that
had always pierced My heart like three sharp nails
surfaced then, more lively than ever, like depths stirred
up.
The ascertainment of the ruin that Satan had brought to
man by seducing him to Evil. A ruin the human
punishment of which was sorrow and death. Physical
death, the symbol and living metaphor of spiritual death
that sin causes to the soul, hurling it into infernal
darkness, whereas it was destined, like a queen, to live in
the kingdom of Light.
The persuasion that not even this miracle, worked almost
as a sublime corollary to three years of evangelization,
would convince the Judaic world of the Truth of which I
was the Bearer. And that no miracle would in future
convert the world to Christ. Oh! How grievous it was to
be so close to death for so few!
The mental vision of My imminent death. I was God.
But I was also Man. And to be the Redeemer I was to
feel the weight of expiation. Therefore the horror of
death and of such a death. I was a living healthy being
who was saying to himself: "I shall soon be dead, I shall
be in a sepulchre like Lazarus. Soon the most dreadful
agony will be my companion. I must die". God's
kindness spares you the knowledge of the future. But I
was not spared it.
Oh! believe Me, you who complain of your destiny.
None was more sad than Mine, because I always clearly
foresaw everything that was to happen to Me, joined to
the poverty, the hardships, the bitterness that
accompanied Me from My birth to My death. So, do not
complain. And hope in Me. I give you My peace. »
--------------------
[undated]
Marginal notes on Lazarus' resurrection and in
connection with a sentence of St. John. Jesus says:
« In the Gospel of John, as it has now been read for ages,
there is written: "Jesus had not yet come into the village
of Bethany" (John 9, 30). To avoid possible objections I
wish to point out that, with regard to this sentence and
the one of the Work which states that I met Martha a few
steps away from the fountain in Lazarus' garden, there is
no contradiction of events, but only a discrepancy of
translation and description. Three quarters of the village
of Bethany belonged to Lazarus. Likewise a large part of
Jerusalem belonged to him. But let us speak of Bethany.
As three quarters of it belonged to Lazarus, one could
say: Bethany of Lazarus. So the text would not be wrong
even if I had met Martha in the village or at the fountain,
as some people wish to say. In actual fact I had not gone
into the village, to prevent the people of Bethany, who
were all hostile to the members of the Sanhedrin, from
rushing towards Me. I had gone round the back of
Bethany to reach Lazarus' house, which was at the
opposite end with respect to one who entered Bethany
coming from En-shemes. So John rightly says that I had
not yet entered the village. And equally right is little
John who says that I had stopped near the basin
(fountain for the Jews) already in Lazarus' garden, but
still very far from the house. One should also consider
that during the period of mourning and uncleanness (it
was not yet the seventh day after Lazarus' death) his
sisters did not leave the house. So the meeting took place
within the enclosure of their property. Note that little
John states that the people of Bethany came into the
105
garden only when I had ordered the stone to be removed.
Previously the people of Bethany did not know that I
was in Bethany, and only when the news was spread
they rushed to Lazarus' house. »
Saturday after Fourth Sunday of John 8:12-20
Lent
504. Jesus, Light of the World.
28th September 1946.
Jesus is still in Jerusalem, but not in the courts of the
Temple. He is in a beautifully decorated vast room, one
of the many to be found within the enclosure, which is as
large as a village.
He has just gone in and is still walking beside the person
who invited Him to go in probably to protect Him from
the cold wind blowing on the Moriah, and He is
followed by the apostles and some disciples. I say
« some », because besides Isaac and Marjiam there is
Jonathan, and among the crowds, who also go in behind
the Master, there is the levite Zacharias, who a few days
previously told Him that he wanted to be His disciple,
and there are two more men, whom I have already seen
with the disciples, but whose names I do not know. But
among those well-disposed people there are also the
usual unavoidable unchangeable Pharisees. They stop
almost at the door, just as if they happened to be there by
chance to discuss business, but they are there to listen.
The people present are eager to hear the word of the
Lord.
He looks at the assembly of people of clearly different
nationalities, as they are not all Palestinians, although of
Jewish religion. He looks at all the people gathered,
many of whom will perhaps return tomorrow to the
regions from which they came and will relate His word
there saying: « We have heard the Man Who is said to be
our Messiah. » And He does not speak to them of the
Law, as they are already acquainted with it, as He often
does when He realises that His listeners are not familiar
with it or their faith is shaken; but He speaks of Himself,
that they may know Him.
He says: « I am the Light of the world and he who
follows Me will not walk in darkness but will have the
light of life. » And He becomes silent, after enunciating
the theme of His speech, as He usually does when He is
going to deliver a momentous speech. He keeps silent to
give the people time to decide whether they are
interested in the subject or not, and also to give them
time to go away if the subject is of no interest to them.
None of the people present go away; on the contrary the
Pharisees, who were near the door, intent on a forced
affected conversation, and who have become silent and
have turned towards the interior of the synagogue at
Jesus' first word, go in elbowing their way with their
unfailing arrogance.
When all the whispering is over, Jesus repeats the
aforesaid sentence in an even louder voice and He goes
on to say:
« I am the Light of the world because I am the Son of the
Father, Who is the Father of the Light. A son is always
like the father who begot him and is of the same nature.
Likewise I am like and I have the same nature as He
Who begot Me. God, the Most High, the perfect and
Infinite Spirit, is Light of Love, Light of Wisdom, Light
of Power, Light of Goodness, Light of Beauty. He is the
Father of the Lights, and he who lives of Him and in
Him can see, because he is in the Light, as it is God's
desire that men should see. And He gave man
intelligence and feelings, that he might see the Light,
that is, God Himself, and understand and love it. And He
gave man eyes, that he might see the most beautiful of
all things created, the perfection of elements, through
which Creation is visible and which is one of the first
actions of God Creator and bears the most visible sign of
Him Who created it: light, the incorporeal, bright,
beatific, consoling, necessary light, as is necessary the
Father of all: God Eternal and Most High.
By an order of His Thought He created the firmament
and the earth, that is, the mass of the atmosphere and the
mass of dust, the incorporeal and the corporeal, what is
very light and what is heavy, but both still barren, void
and shapeless, because they were enveloped in darkness,
devoid of stars and lifeless. But to give the earth and the
firmament their true features, to make of them two
beautiful things, useful and suitable for the continuation
of His creative work, the Spirit of God - that hovered
over the waters and was one thing with the Creator Who
was creating and with the Inspirer Who urged to create,
in order to be able to love not only Himself in the Father
and in the Son, but also an infinite number of creatures
named stars, planets, waters, seas, forests, plants,
flowers, animals that fly, wriggle, creep, run, jump,
climb, and finally man, the most perfect creature, more
perfect than the sun, because he is endowed with soul as
well as with matter, with intelligence as well as with
instinct, with freedom as well as with rules, man similar
to God because of his spirit, similar to animals because
of his body, the demigod who becomes god by the grace
of God and his own will, the human being who can
transform himself into an angel, if he wishes so, the
beloved being of sensible Creation, for whom, although
He knew that he would be a sinner, even before time
existed, He prepared the Saviour, the Victim in the
Being loved beyond measure, in the Son, in the Word,
for Whom everything was made - but to give the earth
and the firmament their true features, as I was saying,
the Spirit of God, hovering over the cosmos, shouts, and
106
it is the first time that the Word shows Himself: "Let
there be light" and there was light, good, beneficial,
strong during the day, dim at night, everlasting until the
end of time. From the ocean of wonders, which is the
throne of God, the bosom of God, God draws the most
beautiful gem, and it is the light preceding the most
perfect gem, that is, the creation of man, in whom there
is not a jewel of God, but God Himself, breathing over
the dust to make it living flesh and His heir to the
heavenly Paradise where He awaits the just, His
children, that He may rejoice in them and they in Him.
If at the beginning of creation God wanted light on His
works, if to make light He used His Word, if God grants
those, whom He beloves, His most perfect likeness:
light, material joyful incorporeal light, wise sanctifying
spiritual light, is it possible that He has not given the Son
of His love what He is Himself? Really the Most High
has given everything to Him in Whom He is well
pleased from eternity, and He wanted the Light to be the
first and the most powerful of everything, so that without
waiting to ascend to Heaven men might know the
wonder of the Trinity, that makes the blissful heavenly
choruses sing because of the harmonious joy they
admire, and that angels enjoy contemplating the Light,
that is, God, the Light that fills Paradise making all its
inhabitants blissful.
I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not
walk in darkness but will have the light of Life! As light
on the shapeless earth made life possible for plants and
animals, so My Light makes eternal Life possible for
spirits. I, being the Light that I am, create Life in you
and I preserve it, I increase it, I re-create you in it, I
transform you, I take you to the Abode of God along the
ways of wisdom, of love, of sanctification. He who has
the Light, possesses God, because the Light is one thing
with Charity and he who has Charity has God. He who
has the Light possesses the Life, because God is there
where His beloved Son is welcomed. »
« You are talking nonsense. Who has seen what is God?
Not even Moses saw God, because in Horeb, as soon as
he realised who was speaking from the blazing bush, he
covered his face; neither could he see Him on the other
occasions because of the dazzling lightning. And You
say that You saw God? The face of Moses, who had only
heard Him speak, remained brightly radiant. But what
radiance is there on Your face? You are a poor Galilean
with a pale face like most of Your countrymen. You are
ill, tired and thin. If You had really seen God and He did
love You, You would not look like a dying man. You
want to give Your life, when You have not got enough
for Yourself? » and they shake their heads pitying Him
ironically.
« God is Light and I know which is His Light, because
children know their father and each knows himself. I
know My Father and I know who I am. I am the Light of
the world. I am the Light because My Father is the Light
and He begot Me and gave Me His Nature. The Word
does not differ from the Thought because the word
expresses what the intellect thinks. In any case, do you
no longer know the prophets? Do you not remember
Ezekiel and above all Daniel? When the former
describes God, seen in the vision, on the chariot of the
four animals, he says: "On the throne there was one who
looked like a man and within him and around him I saw
a kind of yellow amber which resembled fire, and from
his loins upwards and downwards I saw a kind of fire
and a light all around; like a rainbow in the clouds on
rainy days, that is how the surrounding light appeared".
And Daniel says: "I was watching until the thrones were
set in place and the Ancient of days took his seat. His
robe was as white as snow, his hair as pure as wool; his
throne was a blaze of flames and the wheels of his throne
were a burning fire. A stream of fire poured out issuing
from his presence". God is like that and I shall be like
that when I come to judge you. »
« Your testimony is not valid. You bear witness to
Yourself. So what is the value of Your testimony? As far
as we are concerned it is false. »
« Although I bear witness to Myself, My witness is true,
because I know from where I came and where I am
going. But you know neither from where I come nor
where I am going. Your wisdom is what you see. I
instead know everything that is unknown to man, and I
have come that you may become acquainted with it as
well. That is why I said that I am the Light. Because
light reveals what was concealed by darkness. In Heaven
there is Light, on the Earth there is, above all, the reign
of Darkness, which conceals the truth from spirits,
because Darkness hates the spirits of men and does not
want them to become acquainted with the Truth and the
truths, so that they may not be sanctified. And that is
why I came. That you may have Light and consequently
Life. But you do not want to receive Me. You want to
judge what you do not know and you cannot judge it
because it is so much higher up than you are and cannot
be understood by anyone who does not contemplate it
with the eyes of the spirit, of a humble spirit nourished
with faith. Instead you judge according to the flesh. So
your judgement cannot be true. I instead do not judge
anybody, if I can abstain from judging. I look at you
mercifully and I pray for you. That you may open out to
Light. But when I have to judge, then My judgement is
true, because I am not alone, but I am with the Father
Who sent Me, and from His glory He can see the interior
of hearts. And as He sees yours, He can see Mine. And if
He saw an unjust judgement in My heart, for My sake
and for the honour of His Justice, He would inform Me.
But the Father and I judge in one way only and so we are
in two and I am not alone in judging and bearing
witness. In your Law it is written that the testimony of
107
two witnesses giving the same evidence is to be accepted
as true and valid. So I bear witness to My Nature and the
Father Who sent Me testifies the same thing. So what I
say is true. »
« We cannot hear the voice of the Most High. You say
that He is Your Father… »
« He spoke of Me at the Jordan… »
« All right. But You were not the only one at the Jordan.
There was also John. He might have spoken of him. He
was a great prophet. »
« You are condemning yourselves with your own lips.
Tell Me: who speaks through the lips of the prophets? »
« The Spirit of God. »
« And was John a prophet according to you? »
« One of the greatest, if not the greatest. »
« Well then, why did you not believe his words and why
do you not believe them? He pointed Me out as the
Lamb of God, Who had come to cancel the sins of the
world. When he was asked whether he was the Christ, he
replied: "I am not the Christ, I am one who precedes
Him. And behind me there is He Who actually precedes
me, because He existed before me, and I did not know
Him, but He Who took me from the womb of my mother
and invested me with my mission in the desert and sent
me to baptise, said to me: 'He upon Whom you will see
the Spirit descend, He is the One Who will baptise with
the Holy Spirit and fire'". Do you not remember? And
yet many among you were present… So why do you not
believe the prophet who pointed Me out after hearing the
words of Heaven? Have I to tell My Father this: that His
people no longer believes in the prophets? »
« And where is Your father? Joseph the carpenter has
been sleeping for years in his sepulchre. You no longer
have a father. »
« You know neither My Father nor Me. But if you
wanted to know Me, you would know also My true
Father. »
« You are possessed and a liar. You are a blasphemer as
You insist in maintaining that the Most High is Your
Father. You deserve to be stoned according to the Law. »
The Pharisees and the others of the Temple shout
threateningly while the people look at them grimly,
anxious as they are to defend the Christ.
Jesus looks at them without saying anything further, and
He then leaves the room by a little side door opening
onto a porch.

Passion Sunday I John 8:46-59
505. Jesus Speaks in the Temple to the Incredulous
Judaeans.
Jesus goes back into the Temple with His apostles and
disciples. And some of the apostles, and not only the
apostles, point out to Him that it is not wise to go in. But
He replies: « By what right could they refuse to let Me
go in? Have I perhaps been condemned? No, not yet. So
I am going up to the altar of God like every Israelite who
fears the Lord. »
« But You intend to speak… »
« And is this not the place where rabbis usually gather to
speak? To speak and teach outside is an exceptional
case, such as the rest taken by a rabbi or a personal
necessity. But this is the place where everyone loves to
teach disciples. Do you not see people of every
nationality around rabbis to hear the famous ones at least
once? So that when they go back to their native countries
they may say: "We heard a master, a philosopher speak
according to the fashion of Israel". A master for those
who already are or intend to be Jews; a philosopher for
the true and proper Gentiles. Neither do the rabbis
disdain being listened to by the latter, as they hope to
make proselytes. Without such hope, which would be
holy if it were humble, they would not remain in the
Court of the Gentiles, but they would demand to speak
in that of Israel, and if it were possible, in the very
Sanctuary, because, according to the opinion they hold
108
of themselves, they are so holy, that God only is holier…
And I, the Master, will speak where teachers speak. But
be not afraid! It is not their hour as yet. When their hour
comes, I will tell you, that you may fortify your hearts. »
« You will not tell us » says the Iscariot.
« Why not? »
« Because You will not know. No sign will tell You.
There is no sign. I have been with You for almost three
years and I have always seen You threatened and
persecuted. Nay, You were alone then. Now You have
the support of the crowds who love You and of whom
the Pharisees are afraid. So You are in a stronger
position. How do You expect to know when the hour has
come? »
« By what I see in the hearts of men. »
Judas remains dumbfounded for a moment, then he says:
« And You will not mention it also because… You spare
us because You doubt our courage. »
« He keeps silent not to distress us » says James of
Zebedee.
« True. But You will certainly not tell us. »
« I will tell you. And until I tell you, whatever violence
and hatred you see against Me, be not afraid of it. They
will have no consequences. Go on. I am staying here to
wait for Manaen and Marjiam. »
The Twelve and those who are with them go on
halfheartedly. Jesus retraces His steps towards the gate
waiting for the two, He then goes out into the street and
walks towards the Antonia.
Some legionaries standing near the fortress point Him
out chatting to one another. There seems to be some
disagreement in opinion, then one of them says in a loud
voice: « I'll ask Him » and he departs from the group
coming towards Jesus. « Hail, Master. Are You speaking
in there also today? »
« May the Light enlighten you. Yes. I am going to
speak. »
« In that case… be careful. One who knows has warned
us. And a lady who admires You has ordered us to
watch. We shall be near the eastern underground. Do
You know where the entrance is? »
« I do. But both ends are closed. »
« Do You think so? » The legionary has a little laugh
and in the shadow of his helmet his eyes and teeth shine
making him look younger. He then salutes coming to
attention and says: « Hail, Master. Remember Quintus
Felix. »
« I will. May the Light enlighten you. »
Jesus resumes walking and the legionary goes back to
his place and talks to his fellow-soldiers.
« Master, are we late? The lepers were so many! »
exclaim together Manaen, who is wearing a plain dark
brown garment, and Marjiam.
« No. You have been quick. But let us go. The others are
waiting for us. Manaen, was it you who warned the
Romans? »
« Of what, Lord? I have not spoken to anybody. And I
would not know… The Roman ladies are not in
Jerusalem. »
They are once again near the gate of the enclosure. The
Levite Zacharias is there, as if he happened to be there
just by chance.
« Peace to You, Master. I want to tell You… I will try to
be always where You are, in here. And please do not
lose sight of me. And if there is a tumult and You see me
go away, try to follow me all the time. They hate You so
much! I cannot do any more… Please understand
me… »
« May God reward and bless you for the pity you take on
His Word. I will do what you say. And you may rest
assured that no one will be aware of your love for Me. »
They part.
« Perhaps he told the Romans. While in there he may
have heard… » whispers Manaen.
They go to pray passing through the crowds who look at
them with different feelings and who later gather behind
Jesus, when He comes away from the Court of Israel
after praying.
Outside the second enclosure Jesus is about to stop, but
He is surrounded by a mixed group of scribes, Pharisees
and priests. One of the officials of the Temple speaks on
behalf of them all.
« Are You here again? Do You not realise that we do not
want You? Are You not even afraid of the danger
impending over You? Go away. It is already a lot if we
allow You to come in to pray. But we do not allow You
to teach Your doctrine any more. »
« Yes, go away. Go away, You blasphemer! »
« Yes. I am going away, as you wish. And not only out
of these walls. I will go, I am already going farther,
where you will not be able to reach Me. And the time
will come when you also will be looking for Me, and not
just to persecute Me, but through a superstitious terror of
being struck for driving Me away, urged by a
superstitious anxiety to have your sin forgiven and
receive mercy. But I am telling you. This is the time of
mercy. This is the time to make friends with the Most
High. After the present time, no remedy will be of any
109
avail. You will not have Me any more and you will die
in your sin. Even if you travelled all over the Earth and
you succeeded in arriving at stars and planets, you would
no longer find Me, because you cannot come where I am
going. I have already told you. God comes and passes
by. Those who are wise receive Him with His gifts while
He passes by. Those who are foolish let Him go and no
longer can find Him. You come from down here. I come
from up there. You belong to this world. I am not of this
world. So, once I have gone back to the Abode of My
Father, out of this world of yours, you will not be able to
find Me any longer and you will die in your sins,
because you will not even be able to reach Me spiritually
through faith. »
« Do You want to kill Yourself, You devil? We will
certainly not be able to join You in Hell, where violent
souls descend, because Hell is the place of damned
cursed souls, whereas we are the blessed children of the
Most High » some of them say.
And others say approvingly: « He certainly wants to kill
Himself, because He says that we cannot go where He
goes. He realises that He has been found out and has
failed the test, and He is going to kill Himself, without
waiting to be killed like the other Galilean who was a
false Christ. »
And others say benevolently: « And if He really were the
Christ and should go back to Him Who sent Him? »
« Where? In Heaven? Abraham is not there, so how can
you expect Him to go there? The Messiah is to come
first. »
« But Elijah was taken up to Heaven in a chariot of
fire. »
« On a chariot, yes. But to Heaven!… Who can assure
that? »
And the dispute continues while Pharisees, scribes,
officials, priests, Judaeans obsequious to priests, scribes
and Pharisees pursue the Christ through the vast porches
as a pack of hounds chases roused game.
But some people, that is the good ones among the hostile
group, those urged by real honest intentions, elbow their
way through the crowd until they reach Jesus and ask
Him the anxious question, which has been heard being
asked so often with love or with hatred: « Who are You?
Tell us so that we may know how to behave. Tell us the
truth in the name of the Most High! »
« I am the Truth itself and I never tell lies. I am what I
have always declared to be since the first day I spoke to
the crowds, in every place in Palestine, what I said I am,
here, several times, near the Holy of Holies, of Whose
thunderbolts I am not afraid, because I speak the truth. I
have still many things to say and to judge during My day
and with regard to this people, and although My evening
seems to be close at hand, I know that I shall tell them
and I shall judge everybody, because that is what I have
been promised by Him Who sent Me and is truthful. He
spoke to Me in an eternal embrace of love, telling Me all
His Thought, so that I could repeat it by means of My
Word to the world, and I shall not be able to be silent,
neither will anybody be able to silence Me until I
announce to the world what I heard from My Father. »
« Are You still blaspheming? And are You continuing to
call Yourself the Son of God? But who do You expect to
believe You? Who will ever be able to see the Son of
God in You? » shout His enemies shaking their fists at
His face, deranged as they are by hatred.
The apostles, disciples and well-meaning people drive
them back forming a protective barrier round the Master.
Zacharias, the levite, steals slowly close to Jesus,
Manaen and Alphaeus' two sons with stealthy
movements in order not to attract the attention of the evil
ones.
They are now at the end of the Court of the Gentiles as
progress is slow owing to the hindering opposition and
Jesus stops at His usual place, at the last column of the
eastern side. He stops. They cannot eject a true Israelite
from the place where even pagans are allowed to stay,
unless they wish to rouse the masses. Which they craftily
avoid doing. And He resumes speaking replying to His
offenders and everybody else: « When you have lifted up
the Son of man… »
The Pharisees and scribes shout: « And who do You
expect is going to lift You up? Miserable is that Country
whose king is a silly charlatan and a blasphemer disliked
by God. None of us will lift You up, You may be sure of
that. And the little intelligence You are still left with has
made You realise that in time, when You were put to the
test. You know that we shall never be able to make You
our king! »
« I know. You will not raise Me to a throne, and yet you
will lift Me up. And while lifting Me up you will think
that you are lowering Me. And just when you think that
you have lowered Me, I shall be raised. Not only over
Palestine, not only over the people of Israel spread all
over the world, but over the whole world, even over
pagan countries, even over those countries of which the
learned people of the world are still unaware. And I shall
be raised not only for the lifetime of a man, but for the
whole life of the Earth and the shadow of My throne will
spread more and more over the Earth until it covers it
completely. Then only, I will come back and you will
see Me. Oh! You shall see Me! »
« Listen to His speech of a madman! We shall raise Him
by lowering Him, and we shall lower Him by raising
Him! He's mad! And the shadow of His throne all over
the Earth. Greater than Cyrus! Greater than Alexander!
Greater than Caesar! And what about Caesar? Do You
110
think he will allow You to take the Roman empire? And
He is going to last on His throne until the end of the
world! Ha! Ha! » Their words are more grievous than
slaps; their irony is more painful than scourging.
But Jesus lets them speak. He raises His voice to be
heard in the outcry of those who deride and of those who
defend, filling the place with the roar of a rough sea.
« When you have raised the Son of man, then you will
understand who I am and you will realise that I do
nothing by Myself, but I say what My Father taught Me
and I do what He wants. And He Who sent Me does not
leave Me all alone, but He is with Me. As a shadow
follows a body, so is the Father behind Me, watchful and
present, although invisible. He is behind Me and
comforts and helps Me and He does not go away
because I always do what He likes. God instead goes
away when His children do not obey His laws and His
inspirations. He then goes away and leaves them all
alone. That is why many people in Israel commit sin.
Because when man is left to himself, it is difficult for
him to remain just and he easily falls into the coils of the
Snake. I solemnly tell you that because of your sin in
resisting the Light and Mercy of God, He leaves you and
will no longer dwell in this place or in your hearts and
what Jeremiah grieved over in his prophecies and
lamentations will be fulfilled. Meditate on those
prophetical words, tremble and return to your senses
with good minds. Do not listen to the threats but to the
kindness of the Father Who warns His children while
they are still granted the possibility to make amends and
save themselves. Listen to God in His words and deeds,
and if you do not want to believe My words, because old
Israel is suffocating you, believe at least in old Israel.
Her prophets proclaim the dangers and misfortunes of
the Holy City and of all our Fatherland if she does not
convert to the Lord her God and does not follow the
Saviour. The hand of God weighed heavily on this
people in the past. But the past and present are nothing
as compared to the dreadful future, which is awaiting it
for not accepting the Messenger sent by God. What is
awaiting Israel who repudiates the Christ cannot be
compared with the past in severity and duration. I am
telling you, straining My eyes into future ages: like a
tree uprooted and thrown into a stormy river, the Hebraic
race will be struck by divine anathema. It will stubbornly
try to stop on the banks, here or there, and vigorous as it
is, it will sprout and take root. But when it thinks it has
settled, the violence of the flood will get hold of it again,
tearing it away and breaking its roots and shoots, and it
will be carried farther away, to suffer, to strike roots
again, and then be torn off and scattered once more. And
nothing will be able to give it rest, because the flood
pursuing it will be the wrath of God and the contempt of
peoples. Only by throwing itself into a sea of living
sanctifying Blood it could find peace. But it will shun
that Blood, because although its voice will be an inviting
one, it will sound like the voice of Abel's blood calling
it: the Cain of the heavenly Abel. »
A further widespread whispering runs through the large
enclosure like the noise of the sea. But the harsh voices
of Pharisees, scribes and of the Jews subjected to them,
are not part of the whispering. Jesus avails Himself of
the opportunity to try to go away.
But some people who were far from Him, approach Him
and say: « Master, listen to us. We are not all like them
(and they point at His enemies), but we find it difficult to
follow You also because Your voice is all by itself
against hundreds of voices which state the opposite of
what You say. And what they say is just what we have
heard from our fathers since our childhood. But Your
words induce us to believe in You. But how can we
believe fully and have life? We feel as if we were tied by
the thoughts of the past… »
«If you settle in My Word, as if you were being born
again now, your faith will be complete and you will
become My disciples. But you must divest yourselves of
the past and accept My Doctrine. It does not delete the
past completely. On the contrary it keeps and instils new
life into what is holy and supernatural in the past, and it
removes the superfluous human additions as it puts the
perfection of My Doctrine where now are human
doctrines, which are always imperfect. If you come to
Me you will know the Truth, and the Truth will make
you free. »
« Master, it is true what we said to You, that we feel as if
we were tied by the past. But that tie is neither
imprisonment nor slavery. We are Abraham's posterity
in spiritual matters, because, if we are not mistaken,
Abraham's posterity means spiritual posterity as opposed
to Hagar's, which is a posterity of slaves. So how can
You say that we shall become free? »
« I wish to point out to you that also Ishmael and his
children were Abraham's posterity, because Abraham
was the father of Isaac and of Ishmael. »
« But it was impure because he was the son of a woman,
who was a slave and an Egyptian. »
« I solemnly tell you: there is but one slavery, that of sin.
Only he who commits sin is a slave. And of a slavery
which no money can ransom; and he is the slave of an
implacable cruel master and loses all rights to the free
sovereignty in the Kingdom of Heaven. A slave, a man
who has become slave through war or misfortunes, may
also become the property of a good master. But his
welfare is always precarious because his master can sell
him to another cruel master. He is merchandise, nothing
else. Sometimes he is used as money to settle a debt.
And he is not even entitled to complain. A servant
instead lives in the house of his master until he is
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dismissed. But a son remains in the house of his father
for good, and the father does not think of expelling him.
He can go out only of his own free will. And that is the
difference between slavery and servitude, and between
servitude and filiation. Slavery puts man in chains.
Servitude puts him at the service of a master. Filiation
puts him for ever, and with equal rights of life, in the
house of the father. Slavery destroys man. Servitude
subjects him. Filiation makes him free and happy. Sin
makes man the slave and for ever, of the most cruel
master: Satan. Servitude, in this case the Ancient Law,
makes man fear God as an intransigent Being. Filiation,
that is, to come to God with His First-Born, with Me,
makes man free and happy, as he knows and trusts in the
charity of his Father. To accept My Doctrine is to come
to God with Me, the First-Born of many beloved
children. I will break your chains, if you only come to
Me to have them broken and you will really be happy
and coheirs with Me to the Kingdom of Heaven. I know
that you are Abraham's posterity. But those among you
who seek My death no longer honour Abraham, but
Satan, and serve him as faithful servants. Why? Because
they reject My word which cannot get to the hearts of
many of you. God does not compel man to believe or to
accept Me. But He sent Me that I may show you His
will. And I tell you what I saw and heard near My
Father. And I do what He wants. But those among you
who persecute Me, do what they learnt from their father
and what he suggests. »
Like a paroxysm which revives after a remission of a
disease, the wrath of Judaeans, Pharisees and scribes is
roused violently again, although it seemed to have
abated. They penetrate like a wedge into the compact
circle of people pressing Jesus and they try to approach
Him. The crowd sways like opposed billows, as opposed
are the feelings of their hearts. The Judaeans, livid with
rage and hatred shout: « Abraharn is our father. We have
no other father. »
« God is the Father of men. Abraham himself is a son of
the universal Father. But many repudiate the true Father
for one who is not a father and has been chosen as such
by them because he seems more powerful and willing to
satisfy their immoderate desires. Children do the works
that they see their father do. If you are sons of Abraham,
why do you not do the works that Abraham did? Do you
not know them? Shall I enumerate them with regard to
their nature and symbol? Abraham obeyed by going to
the country pointed out to him by God, and is thus the
symbol -of man who must be prepared to leave
everything to go where God sends him. Abraham was
obliging with his brother's son, whom he allowed to
choose the region he preferred, thus symbolising respect
for freedom of action and the charitable mind we must
have for our neighbour. Abraham was humble after the
predilection of God, Whom he honoured in Mamre,
always feeling that he was a mere nothing in comparison
with the Most High, Who had spoken to him, a symbol
of the place of reverential love man must always keep
towards his God. Abraham believed and obeyed God
also in the most difficult matters to believe and painful
to accomplish, and he did not become selfish in order to
be safe, but he prayed for the people of Sodom.
Abraham did not come to terms with the Lord, by
requesting a reward for his manifold obedience, on the
contrary, in order to honour Him till the very end, to the
extreme limit, he sacrificed his beloved son to Him… »
« He did not sacrifice him. »
« He did sacrifice his beloved son because it is true that
his heart had already sacrificed him, during the journey,
with his will to obey, which was arrested by the angel
when his heart of a father was already breaking, as he
was on the point of rending the heart of his son. He was
going to kill his son in order to honour God. You are
killing the Son of God to honour Satan. So, do you do
the works of Him Whom you call your father? No, you
do not. You are trying to kill Me because I tell you the
truth as I heard it from God. Abraham did not behave
thus. He did not try to kill the voice coming from
Heaven, but he obeyed it. No, you do not do the works
of Abraham, but those pointed out to you by your
father. »
« We were not born of a prostitute. We are not
illegitimate children. You said Yourself that God is the
Father of men, and we are the chosen People and we
belong to the chosen castes of this People. So we have
God as our only Father. »
« If you recognised God as your Father in spirit and truth
you would love Me because I proceed and come from
God; I have not come of My own accord, but it is He
Who sent Me. So, if you really knew the Father, you
would know also Me, His Son and your brother and
Saviour. Is it possible for brothers not to know one
another? Can the children of One only father not
recognise the language spoken in the House of the Only
Father? Why, then, do you not understand My language
and you cannot bear My words?
Because I come from God and you do not. You left the
paternal house and you have forgotten the face and the
language of Him Who lives in it. You have
spontaneously gone to other regions, to other abodes,
where one who is not God reigns, and where another
language is spoken. And he who reigns there compels
those who want to go in to become his children and obey
him. And you have done that and still do it. You abjure
and disown God the Father to choose another father for
yourselves. And that father is Satan. You have the
demon as father and you want to accomplish what he
suggests to you. And the wishes of the demon are for sin
and violence and you accept them. From the beginning
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he was a homicide and he did not persevere in the truth,
because having rebelled against the Truth, he cannot
have in himself any love for the truth. When he speaks,
he speaks as he is, that is, as a liar and a gloomy being,
because he really is a liar and has procreated and given
birth to falsehood after being fecundated with pride and
nourished with rebellion. All concupiscence is in his
bosom, and he spits it and inoculates it to poison
creatures. He is the gloomy, sneering, creeping cursed
reptile, the Disgrace and Horror. His deeds have
tormented man for ages and their signs and fruits are
clear to the intellects of men. And yet you listen to him,
although he lies and destroys, whereas if I speak and say
what is true and good, you do not believe Me and you
say that I am a sinner. But among the many people who
have approached Me, with hatred or with love, who can
say that he saw Me commit sin? Who can say so
truthfully? Where are the proofs to convince Me and
those who believe in Me that I am a sinner? Which of
the ten commandments have I infringed? Who can swear
before the altar of God that he saw Me violate the Law
and customs, the precepts, traditions and prayers? Who
amongst all men can make Me blush, having convinced
Me of sin with definite proofs? No one can do that. No
one amongst men, no one amongst angels. God shouts in
the hearts of men: "He is the Innocent One". You are all
convinced of that, and you who are accusing Me are
more firmly persuaded than these people who are
undecided as to who is right, you or I. But only who
belongs to God listens to the words of God. You do not
listen to them, although they resound in your souls day
and night, and you do not listen to them because you do
not belong to God. »
« We, who live for the Law and in the most detailed
observation of the precepts, to honour the Most High, we
do not belong to God? And You dare say that? Ah!!! »
They seem to be suffocating with horror, as if a halter
were fastened round their necks. « And we are not to say
that You are possessed and a Samaritan? »
« I am neither, but I honour My Father, even if you deny
Him to revile Me. But your insults do not grieve Me. I
do not seek My glory. There is One who takes care of it
and judges. That is what I say to you who want to
humiliate Me. But to those of good will I say that he
who accepts My word, or has already accepted it, and
knows how to keep it, will never die. »
« Ah! Now we can see very clearly that the demon
possessing You is speaking through Your lips! You said
that Yourself: "He speaks like a liar". What You said is a
lie, therefore it is a word of the demon. Abraham died
and the prophets died. And You say that those who keep
Your word will never die. So You will not die? »
« I shall die only as Man, to rise again in the time of
Grace, but I shall not die as the Word. The Word is Life
and never dies. And he who receives the Word has Life
in himself and never dies, but rises in God because I will
resuscitate him. »
« Blasphemer Madman! Demon! Are You greater than
Abraham and the prophets, who died? Who do You
think You are? »
« The Beginning Who am speaking to you. »
There is absolute pandemonium. And while it goes on,
the Levite Zacharias pushes Jesus imperceptibly towards
a corner in the court, helped by the sons of Alphaeus and
by other people, who perhaps assist Him without even
knowing what they are doing.
When Jesus is against the wall and is protected by His
most faithful ones standing in front of Him and the
tumult calms down a little, He says in His voice which is
so incisive, beautiful and calm also in the most troubled
moments: « If I glorify Myself, My glory is of no value.
Anyone can say of oneself what one wishes. But He
Who glorifies Me is My Father, Who you say is your
God, although He is so little yours that you do not know
Him, and you have never known Him, neither do you
want to know Him through Me, as I speak to you of Him
because I know Him; and if I should say that I do not
know Him, to appease your hatred against Me, I would
be a liar like you who say that you know Him. I know
that I must not lie for any reason whatsoever. The Son of
man must not lie even if by telling the truth He will
bring about His death. Because if the Son of man should
lie, He would no longer be the Son of Truth and the
Truth would reject Him from Itself. I know God, both as
God and as Man. And as God and as Man I keep His
words and comply with them. Israel, think it over! It is
here that the Promise is fulfilled. It is accomplished in
Me. Recognise Me for what I am! Abraham, your father,
longed to see My day. He saw it, prophetically, through
a grace of God, and he rejoiced. And you who really live
it… »
« Be quiet! You are not yet fifty years old and You are
telling us that Abraham has seen You and You have seen
him? » and their scornful laugh spreads like a wave of
poison or corrosive acid.
« I solemnly tell you: before Abraham was born I am. »
« "I am"? God only can say that, as He is eternal. You
cannot! Blasphemer! "I am"! Anathema! Are You
perhaps God, that You may say that? » shouts one, who
must be an important personage, because, although he
has just arrived, he is already near Jesus, as everybody
has moved aside, almost in terror, at his arrival.
« It is you who say it » replies Jesus in a thundering
voice.
Everything becomes a weapon in the hands of those who
hate. While the last man who has questioned Jesus gives
free course to a mimic display of scandalised horror and
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tears his headgear off his head, ruffles his hair and beard
and unfastens the buckles holding his mantle round his
neck, as if he were about to faint with horror, handfuls of
earth and stones - used by the vendors of doves and
other animals to hold tight the ropes of the enclosures,
and by money-changers as a prudential protection for
their coffers, of which they are more jealous than of their
own lives - are thrown at the Master and obviously fall
upon the crowd, as Jesus is too far inside the arcade to
be struck, and the crowds curse and complain…
Zacharias, the levite, gives Jesus a mighty push, the only
means to make Him reach a little low door, hidden in the
wall of the court and already set to be opened, and
pushes Him inside with the two sons of Alphaeus, John,
Manaen and Thomas. The others are left outside in the
tumult… its noise arrives weakened in the underground
passage, among the mighty stone walls, the correct
architectural name of which I do not know. The stones
are embedded, I would say, that is, there are large stones
and smaller ones, and on top of the smaller ones there
are large ones and viceversa. I do not know whether I
have made myself clear. They are dark and mighty,
coarsely chiselled, hardly visible in the dim light coming
from narrow loopholes placed high up at regular
intervals to admit air and light so that the place may not
be completely murky. It is a narrow tunnel, the purpose
of which I do not know, but I am under the impression
that it runs right round the court. Perhaps it was built as
a protection, as a shelter place, or to double and thus
reinforce the walls of the courts, which form enclosures
round the true and proper Temple, the Holy of Holies. In
brief, I do not know. I am saying what I see. There is a
smell of dampness, that kind of dampness that one
cannot say whether it is cold or not, as in certain wine-
cellars.
« And what are we going to do here? » asks Thomas.
« Be quiet! Zacharias told me that he will come and we
must remain silent and still » replies Thaddeus.
« But… can we trust him? »
« I hope so. »
« Be not afraid. He is a good man » says Jesus
comforting them.
Outside the noise of the tumult fades away. Some time
goes by. Then the dull sound of steps and a tiny
flickering light coming from the dark depth.
« Are You there, Master? » asks a voice that wants to be
heard but is afraid of being heard.
« Yes, Zacharias, I am here. »
« Praised be Jehovah! Have I kept You waiting? I had to
wait for the others to rush to the other exits. Come,
Master… Your apostles… I have been able to tell Simon
to go all together towards Bezetha and wait there. We go
down here… There is not much light, but it's a safe way.
It takes us down to the cisterns… and we come out near
the Kidron. An old way. Not always used for a good
purpose. But this time it is… And that sanctifies it… »
They continue to go down in the deep shade broken only
by the flickering light of the lamp, until a different
gleam is seen down at the bottom… and beyond it some
green appears in the distance… A railing, so heavy and
thick that it looks like a door, is at the end of the tunnel.
« Master, I have saved You. You can go. But listen to
me. Do not come back for some time. I could not serve
You every time without being noticed. And… forget, all
of you must forget this passage and me who brought you
here » says Zacharias, working some devices of the
heavy railing, which he opens just enough to let them go
out. And he repeats: « Forget all about this, for my
sake. »
« Be not afraid. None of us will speak. And may God be
with you for your charity. » Jesus raises His hand and
lays it on the bowed head of the young man.
He goes out followed by His cousins and the others. He
finds Himself in a small wild open space, covered with
bramble, so small that it can hardly contain them all,
facing the Mount of Olives. A very steep path runs down
among the bramble towards the torrent.
« Let us go. We will climb up again to the height of the
Gate of the Sheep and I will go to Joseph's with My
brothers, whilst you will go to Bezetha to get the others
and will then join Me. We will go to Nob tomorrow
evening after sunset. »
Monday after Passion Sunday
John 7: 32-39
489. On the Last Day of the Feast of the Tabernacles.
The Living Water.
1 The temple is really crowded with people. But there
are not many women and children. The persistence of a
windy season with heavy though short showers must
have dissuaded women from setting out with children.
But men from all over Palestine and proselytes from the
Diaspora are literally crowding the Temple for the last
prayers and offerings and to listen to the last lessons of
the scribes.
The Galilean followers of Jesus are all there, with the
most important chiefs in the first row, and Joseph of
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Alphaeus, highly conscious of his position as a relative,
is in the middle of the group with his brother Simon.
Another thick group which is waiting is that of the
seventy-two disciples, I mean the disciples chosen by
Jesus to evangelize, a group which has changed in
number and faces, because some of the older ones are no
longer in it, after the defection following the sermon on
the Bread of Heaven, whilst new ones, such as Nicolaus
of Antioch have joined it. A third group which is also
compact and numerous is that of the Judaeans, among
whom I see the archsynagogues of Emmaus, Hebron and
Kerioth; from Juttah there is Sarah's husband and from
Bethzur Eliza's relatives.
They are near the Beautiful Gate and they clearly intend
to surround the Master as soon as He appears. In fact
Jesus cannot take one step inside the walls without being
pressed round by these three groups which almost isolate
Him from evil-minded persons and even from people
who are simply curious.
Jesus turns His steps towards the Court of Israel to pray
there, and the others follow Him compactly, as far as the
over-crowding allows them, deaf to the discontent of
those who have to move aside and make room for the
large number of people around Jesus. He is between His
brothers. And the glances of Joseph of Alphaeus, who
looks meaningfully at some Pharisees, are not so kind as
Jesus', neither is his bearing so humble...
They pray and then go back to the Court of the Gentiles.
Jesus sits humbly on the floor with His back to the wall
of the porch and with a semicircle, which is becoming
thicker and thicker with people, drawing up behind the
rows closer to Him, sitting down or thronging together
standing up: a multitude of faces and glances converging
on one Face only. The curious and evil-minded people
and those who have come from afar and are
unacquainted with the Master, are beyond the barrier of
believers and they strive to see stretching their necks,
standing on the tips of their toes.
Jesus in the meantime listens to this one and that one
asking Him for advice or relating information. Eliza's
relatives speak of her, asking whether she may come to
serve the Master. And He replies: « I am not staying
here. She will come later.» And the relative of Mary of
Simon, the mother of Judas of Kerioth, says that he
remained to look after the farm, whereas Mary is almost
always with Johanna's mother. Judas opens his eyes
wide in amazement, but does not speak. And Sarah's
husband says that he will soon have another son and asks
what name he should give it. Jesus replies: « John, if it is
a boy, Anne if a girl.» And the old archsynagogue of
Emmaus whispers a case of conscience and Jesus replies
in a low voice. And so on.
2 In the meantime the crowd grows larger and larger.
Jesus raises His head and looks around. As the porch is a
few steps higher than the floor of the court, although He
is sitting, He commands a large part of the court, on that
side and can thus see many faces.
He stands up and in loud voice, at the top of His well
tuned strong voice, He says: « Let those who are thirsty
come to Me and drink! Rivers of living water will spring
from the bosoms of those who believe in Me.»
His voice fills the wide court, the splendid arcades, it is
certainly heard beyond those on this side and spreads
elsewhere, it overwhelms every other voice, like a
harmonious thunder full of promises. He speaks and then
is silent for a moment, as if He wanted to enunciate the
theme of His speech and then give time to those not
interested in listening to Him, to go away without
disturbing later. The scribes and doctors become silent,
that is, they lower their voices to a murmur, which is
certainly malevolent. I do not see Gamaliel.
Jesus moves forward, through the semicircle which
opens out as He approaches it, and then closes up behind
Him changing from a semicircle to a ring. He walks
slowly, majestically. He seems to be gliding on the
polychrome marbles of the floor, with His mantle
slightly loose forming a kind of train behind Him. He
goes to the corner of the porch, on the step overlooking
the court, and stops there. He thus commands two sides
of the first enclosure. He raises His right arm in the
gesture customary to Him when He begins to speak,
while with His left hand on His chest He holds His
mantle.
He repeats His initial words: « Let those who are thirsty
come to Me and drink! Rivers of living water will spring
from the bosoms of those who believe in Me!
3 He who saw the theophany of the Lord, the great
Ezekiel, a priest and prophet, after he had prophetically
seen the impure acts in the desecrated house of the Lord,
and after he had seen, once again in a prophetical way,
that only those marked with the Tau will be living in the
true Jerusalem, whilst the others will know more than
one slaughter, more than one condemnation, more than
one punishment − and the time is close at hand, o you
who are listening to Me, it is close at hand, closer than
you may think, so that I, as Master and Saviour, exhort
you not to delay further to mark yourselves with the Sign
that saves, not to delay further to put the Light and
Wisdom into yourselves, not to delay further to repent
and weep, on your own and other people's behalf, so that
you may save yourselves − Ezekiel, after seeing all that
and even more, speaks of a terrible vision. That of the
dry bones.
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The day will come when on a dead world, under a dark
vault of heaven, bones and bones of dead people will
appear at the angelical blare. Like a womb that opens to
give birth, the Earth will eject from its bowels every
bone of man who died on it and is buried in its mud,
from Adam down to the last man. And then it will be the
resurrection of the dead for the great supreme
judgement after which, like an apple of Sodom, the
world will become empty, turning into nullity and the
vault of heaven with its stars will come to an end.
Everything will come to an end, with the exception of
two things which are eternal, remote, at the extremes of
two abysses of immeasurable depth, in complete
antithesis with regard to form, aspect and way in which
the power of God will continue forever in them:
Paradise: light, joy, peace, love; Hell: darkness, sorrow,
horror, hatred.
4 But do you think that the immense field of the Earth is
not covered with lifeless, very dry, inert, separated, dead
bones, simply because the world is not yet dead and the
angelical trumpets are not sounding to gather the dead? I
solemnly tell you that it is so. Among the living, because
they still breathe, there are numberless people who are
like corpses: like the dry bones seen by Ezekiel. Who are
they? Those who do not possess the life of the spirit.
Such people are in Israel, and all over the world. And it
is natural that among Gentiles and idolaters there are but
dead people awaiting to be vitalised by the Life, and it
grieves only those who possess true Wisdom, because It
makes them understand that the Eternal Father created
human creatures for Himself and not for idolatry and He
grieves at seeing so many dead. But if the Most High has
such sorrow, and it is great indeed, what will His sorrow
be like for those of His People who are white, lifeless,
spiritless bones?
Why should those chosen, beloved, protected, nourished,
taught by Him directly or by His servants and prophets
be culpably dry bones, as He always trickled a fine
stream of vital water from Heaven for them and
nourished them with the water of Life and Truth? Why
did they dry up, considering that they were planted in the
Land of the Lord? Why did their spirits die when the
Eternal Spirit put a full sapiential treasure at their
disposal, that they might draw from it and live? Who,
and by which prodigy, will be able to come back to Life,
if they left the springs, the pastures, the lights granted by
God and are groping in darkness, are drinking at impure
sources and are feeding on unholy food?
So will they never become alive again? Yes, they will. I
swear to it in the name of the Most High. Many will rise
again. God has the miracle ready, nay, it is already
active, it has already been worked on some, and arid
bones have been reclothed with life because the Most
High, Who is forbidden nothing, has kept and keeps His
promise and completes it more and more. From the
height of Heaven He shouts to these bones awaiting
Life: “Now, I shall infuse the spirit into you and you
shall live.” And He took His Spirit, He took Himself, and
He formed flesh to clothe His Word, and He sent Him to
these dead people, so that by speaking to them, Life
should be infused into them once again.
How many times Israel has shouted throughout ages:
“Our bones are dried up, our hope is dead, we are
separated!” But every promise is sacred, every prophecy
is true. Now, the time has come when the Messenger of
God opens tombs to draw the dead out and vivify them
and lead them to the true Israel, to the Kingdom of the
Lord, to the Kingdom of your Father and Mine.
5 I am Resurrection and Life! I am the Light which came
to enlighten those lying in darkness! I am the Fountain
which spurts eternal Life.
Those who come to Me will not know Death. Let those
who thirst after Life come to Me and drink. Let those
who want to possess Life, that is, God, believe in Me
and rivers of living water, not drops, will flow from their
bosoms. Because those who believe in Me will form
with Me the new Temple from which the wholesome
water, of which Ezekiel speaks, flows.
Come to Me, peoples! Come to Me, creatures! Come and
form one only Temple, because I do not reject anybody,
but out of love, I want you with Me, in My work, in My
merits, in My glory.
“And I saw the waters flow from under the door of the
house eastwards... And the waters flowed from under the
right side, south of the altar.”
The believers in the Messiah of the Lord, in the Christ,
in the New Law, in the Doctrine of the time of Salvation
and Peace, are that Temple. As the walls of this Temple
are built with stones, so the mystical walls are formed
with living spirits and it will live forever and will rise
from the Earth to Heaven, like its Founder, after the
struggle and the test.
That altar from which the water spouts, that altar facing
east is I. And My waters spring from the right hand side,
because that side is the place for those elected to the
Kingdom of God. They spring from Me to flow into
those I have elected, to enrich them with the vital waters,
that they may bear them and spread them to the north,
south, east and west, to give Life to the Earth in its
people who are waiting for the hour of Light, the hour
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that will come, will definitely come for every place
before the Earth ceases being.
My waters spring and spread out mingled with those
which I personally gave and will give to My followers,
and although they are spread out to better the Earth, they
will be united in only one river of Grace, which will
become deeper and deeper, wider and wider, growing
day by day, step by step, with the waters of the new
followers, until it becomes like a sea that will wash
every place to sanctify the whole Earth.
6 God wants that and does that. A deluge washed the
world killing sinners. A new deluge, of a different liquid
from rain, will wash the world giving Life. And through
a mysterious act of grace, men will be able to take part
in that sanctifying deluge, by joining their wills to Mine,
their fatigue to Mine, their sufferings to Mine. And the
world will become acquainted with the Truth and Life.
And those who want to participate in it, will be able to
do so. And only those who do not want to be nourished
with the waters of Life will become a marshy pestiferous
place, or will remain such, and will not know the rich
harvest of the fruits of grace, wisdom, health, with which
those living in Me will be acquainted.
I solemnly tell you once again that those who are thirsty
and come to Me, will drink and will never be thirsty
again, because My Grace will open springs and rivers of
living water in them. And those who do not believe in
Me will perish like a saline where life cannot exist.
I solemnly tell you that the Fountain will not cease after
Me, because I shall not die, but I will live, and after that
I have gone, gone but not dead, to open the Gates of
Heaven, Another will come, Who is like Me, and will
complete My work making you understand what I told
you and setting you on fire to make you “lights”,
because you received the Light.»
7 Jesus is silent. The crowd, so far silent, held
spellbound by the speech, now whispers making
different comments.
Some say: « What words! He is a real prophet!»
Some say: « He is the Christ. I am telling you. Not even
John spoke like that. And no prophet is so strong.»
« And He makes us understand the prophets, even
Ezekiel, whose symbols are so obscure.»
« Did you hear that? The waters! The altar! It is
evident!»
« And the dry bones?! Did you see how the scribes,
Pharisees and priests became upset? They understood
the psalm!»
« Of course! And they sent the guards, who... forgot to
capture Him and remained like children to whom angels
appear. Look at them over there! They seem to be
dumbfounded.»
« Look! Look! An official is calling them and
reproaching them. Let us go and hear him!»
Meanwhile Jesus is curing some sick people who have
been brought to Him and does not pay attention to
anything else until He is reached by a group of priests
and Pharisees, elbowing their way through the crowd,
led by a man about thirty or thirty-five years old, whom
everybody shuns so fearfully that they seem to be
terrified.
« Are You still here? Go away! In the name of the High
Priest!»
Jesus straightens up − He was bent over a paralytic −
and looks at them calmly and mildly. He then bends
again to impose His hands on the invalid.
« Go away! Have You understood? You seducer, of
crowds. Or we will have You arrested.»
« Go and praise the Lord living holily » says Jesus to the
invalid who stands up cured, and that is His only reply,
while those threatening Him spit venom and the crowds
warn them with their hosannas not to harm Jesus.
Tuesday after Passion Sunday John 7:1-13
476. Jesus Converses with Joseph of Alphaeus.
....
Jesus follows him with Simon. John remains on the road,
but Jesus calls him saying: « You may come, John. You
are My witness. »
« But… » says the apostle looking perplexedly at
Alphaeus' two sons.
« No. Do come. Nay, we want you to listen to our
words » says Joseph and John then goes down into the
vineyard where they all proceed so far, following the
curve of the rows of vines, that they cannot be seen from
the road.
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« Jesus, I was happy to see that You love me » says
Joseph.
« Could you doubt it? Have I not always loved you? »
« And I have always loved You. But… in our love, for
some time, we have not been understanding each other.
I… could not approve of what You were doing, because
I thought that You were ruining Yourself, Your Mother
and us. You know… We, the elderly Galileans, we all
remember how Judas the Galilean was struck and how
his relatives and followers were scattered and their
property confiscated. Those who were not killed were
sent to the galleys and their goods were confiscated. I
did not want that to happen to us. Because… Well, I
thought that it was not true that just from us, of the stock
of David, of course, but so… We are not short of bread,
definitely not, and may the Most High be praised for
that. But where is the regal grandeur which all the
prophecies ascribe to Him Who will be the Messiah?
Are You the rod that strikes in order to dominate? You
were not the light when You were born. You were not
even born in Your house!… Oh! I know the prophecies
well! We are withered trees now, but nowhere it was
said that the Lord would cover them again with leaves.
And what are You but a just man? Those are the
thoughts which made me oppose You moaning our ruin.
And while I was moaning thus, tempters came to make
my ideas of grandeur, of royalty flare up even-more…
Jesus, Your brother was foolish. I believed them and I
displeased You. It is hard to admit it, but I must
acknowledge it. And consider that all Israel was in me,
as foolish as I was, as certain as I was that the figure of
the Messiah is not like the one which You give us… It is
unpleasant to say: "I was wrong! We were wrong and we
are wrong! We have been wrong for ages". But Your
Mother explained the words of the prophets to me. Oh!
yes! James is right. And Judas, too. When one hears the
prophecies explained by Her, as they did when they were
children, one sees that You are the Messiah. That is it.
My hair is growing hoary, because I am no longer a boy,
neither I was when Mary came back from the Temple
and was engaged to Joseph. And I remember those days.
And the astonished criticism of my father when he saw
that his brother was not completing the marriage in a
short time. He was amazed, and Nazareth was amazed.
And people spoke slightly. Because it is not customary
to let so many months pass before the wedding, putting
oneself in condition of sinning and of… Jesus, I think
highly of Mary and I honour the memory of my relative.
But the world… It was not a good moment according to
the world… You… Oh! now I know. Your Mother
explained the prophecies. That is why God wanted them
to delay the wedding, so that Your birth might coincide
with the great Edict and You should be born in
Bethlehem of Judah. And… yes… Mary explained
everything to me and it was like a light that made me
understand also what She did not mention, out of
humility. And I say: You are the Messiah. That is what I
said, that is what I will say. But to say that did not imply
changing my mind… because my mind considers the
Messiah a King. The prophecies speak… and it is
difficult to understand a different character in the
Messiah than that of king… Are You following me? Are
You tired? »
« No, I am listening. »
« Well… Those who were tempting my heart came back
and wanted me to force You… And as I did not agree,
the veil fell off their faces and they appeared as they are:
false friends and true enemies… And more people came,
weeping like sinners, and I heard them. They repeated
the words which You spoke in Chuza's house… Now I
know that You will reign over spirits, that is, You will
be the One in Whom all the wisdom of Israel will
assemble so that You may give new universal laws. You
have the wisdom of the patriarchs, of the judges, and of
the prophets, and the wisdom of our ancestors David and
Solomon, and the wisdom which led the kings,
Nehemiah and Ezra and supported the Maccabees. All
the wisdom of a people, of our people, of the People of
God. I understand that You will give the world,
completely subjected to Your power, Your very wise
laws. And Your people will really be a people of saints.
But, my dear Brother, You cannot do that by Yourself.
Moses, for much less, chose some assistants. And it was
but one people! You… All the world! All the world at
Your feet!… Ah! But to do that You must make
Yourself known… Why are You smiling with Your lips,
and closing Your eyes? »
« Because I am listening and I am saying to Myself: "My
brother is forgetting that he reproached Me because I
was making Myself known, saying that I would harm the
whole family!". That is why I am smiling. And I am also
thinking that for two and a half years I have done
nothing but make Myself known. »
« That is true. But… Who knows You? The poor.
Peasants. Fishermen. Sinners. And women! You can
count on the fingers of one hand those who are not
valueless nonentities among those who know You. I say
that You must make Yourself known to the great ones in
Israel! To the Priests, to the High Priests, to the Elders,
the scribes, the great Rabbis of Israel, to all those, who,
although few, are worth a multitude. They must know
You! They, those who do not love You, among their
charges which I now realise are false, have one which is
true and just: that You neglect them. Why do You not
present Yourself for what You are and conquer them
with Your wisdom? Go up to the Temple and install
Yourself in Solomon's Porch - You are of the stock of
David and a prophet, and You are entitled to that place
and nobody is rightfully entitled to it as You are - and
speak. »
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« I did speak. That is why they hate Me. »
« Insist. And speak as a king. Do You not remember the
power, the majesty of Solomon's deeds? If (what a
wonderful "if"!) You are really the One predicted by the
prophets, as the prophecies show if one looks at them
with the eyes of the spirit, You are more than a Man. He,
Solomon, was but a man. So show Yourself for what
You are, and they will worship You. »
« Will the Hebrews, the princes, the heads of the
families and the tribes of Israel adore Me? Not
everybody, but some who do not adore Me, will adore
Me in spirit and truth. But that will not happen now.
First I must assume the crown, take the sceptre and put
on the purple. »
« Ah! So You are king, You will soon be king! You are
saying so! It is just as I thought! As many people
think! »
« You really do not know how I shall reign. Only the
Most High and I, and few souls to whom the Spirit of the
Lord was pleased to reveal it, now and in the past, know
how the King of Israel, the Anointed of God, will
reign. »
« But listen also to me, Brother. Joseph is right. How can
You expect them to love You or fear You if You always
avoid astonishing them? Do You not want to call Israel
to arms? Do You not want to utter the cry of war and
victory? But at least become king by public acclamation,
by being able to gain such an acclamation through Your
power of Rabbi and Prophet, as it is not the first time
that kings have been hailed thus in Israel » says Simon
of Alphaeus.
« I already am king. I have always been king. »
« Yes. One of the Temple leaders told us. You were born
king of the Hebrews. But You do not love Judaea. You
are a deserter king, because You do not go there. You
are not a holy king if You do not love the Temple, where
the will of a people will anoint You king. Without the
will of a people You cannot reign, unless You wish to
impose Yourself on them through violence » replies
Simon.
« You mean without the will of God, Simon. What is the
will of the people? What is the people? For whom is the
people? Who supports it as such? God. Do not forget
that, Simon. And I shall be what God wants Me to be.
By His will I shall be what I must be. And nothing can
prevent Me from being so. It will not be My concern to
utter the cry to gather the people. The whole of Israel
will be present at My proclamation. Neither shall I have
to go up to the Temple to be proclaimed. They will carry
Me there. All the people will carry Me there that I may
ascend My throne. You accuse Me of not loving
Judaea… In its heart, in Jerusalem, I shall become the
"King of the Jews". Saul was not proclaimed king in
Jerusalem, neither was David nor Solomon. But I shall am its Doctor and Medicine and like a madman it would
be anointed King in Jerusalem. But I will not go to the like to destroy Me in order not to be cured. The world
Temple in public now and I will not install Myself there, does not want to persuade itself yet that I am the Master
because it is not yet My hour. » because what I say is the opposite of what it says. And
so it tries to stifle the Voice which speaks to the world in
Joseph resumes speaking. « You are letting Your hour
order to lead it to God and show it the true nature of its
pass by. I am telling You. People are tired of foreign
wicked actions. There is an abyss between Me and the
oppressors and of our leaders. This is the hour. I am
world. And it is no fault of Mine. I have come to give
telling You. The whole of Palestine, with the exception
the world the Light, the Way, the Truth, the Life. But the
of Judaea, but not all of it, is following You as a Rabbi,
world will not receive Me and My light becomes
and even more than that. You are like a flag hoisted on a
darkness for it because it will bring about the
mountain top. Everybody is looking at You. You are like
condemnation of those who rejected Me. In the Christ is
an eagle and everybody follows Your flight. You are like
all the Light for those men willing to receive it, but in
a revenger. And everybody is waiting for You to shoot
the Christ is also all the darkness for those who hate Me
the arrow. Go. Leave Galilee, the Decapolis, Perea, the
and reject Me. That is why, at the beginning of My
other regions, and go to the heart of Israel, to the citadel
human life I was prophetically pointed out as a "sign of
in which all evil is enclosed and from which all good is
contradiction". Because according to how I am received,
to come, and conquer it. You have disciples there as
there will be salvation or condemnation, death or life,
well. But they are tepid because they do not know You
light or darkness.
well. They are few, because You do not stay there. And
they are somewhat doubtful because You did not work But I solemnly tell you that those who receive Me will
there the deeds which You worked elsewhere. Go to become the children of the Light, that is, of God, born to
Judaea so that they also may see who You are through God, because they received God. So if I came to make
Your deeds. You reproach the Hebrews for not loving men the children of God, how can I make Myself king,
You. But how can You expect to be loved by them if as many in Israel wish, out of love or hatred, out of
You hide Yourself from them? No man seeking or simplicity or wickedness? Do you not realise that I
wishing to be acclaimed in public performs his works would destroy Myself, the real Myself, that is, the
secretly, but he does them in such a way that people may Messiah, not the Jesus of Mary and Joseph of Nazareth,
see them. So if You can work wonders in hearts, bodies that I would destroy the King of kings, the Redeemer,
and elements, go there and make Yourself known to the the One born of a Virgin and called Immanuel,
world. » Admirable, Counsellor, Strong, the Father of the future
century, the Prince of Peace, God, Whose empire and
« I told you: it is not My hour. My time has not yet
peace will have no end, sitting on the throne of David
come. You think that it is the right moment, but it is not
with regard to His human descent, but having as His
so. I must act in My time. Not before. Not after. It would
footstool the world and all His enemies, and the Father
be useless before. I would make the world and hearts
at His side, as it is written in the book of Psalms, by the
obliterate Me before I accomplish My work. And the
superhuman right of His divine origin? Do you not
work already done would bear no fruit because it is not
understand that God cannot be Man but through
completed and helped by God, Who wants Me to fulfil it
perfection of goodness, in order to save man, but He
without omitting one word or one deed. I must obey My
cannot and must not lower Himself to poor human
Father. And I will never do what you hope for because it
things? Do you not understand that if I should accept the
would prejudice the design of My Father. I understand
crown and the kingdom as you conceive it, I would
you and I pity you. I bear you no grudge. I am not even
admit that I am a false Christ, I would lie to God, I
tired of or annoyed at your blindness… You do not
would disown Myself and the Father and I would be
know. But I know. You do not know. You see the
worse than Lucifer, because I would deprive God of the
surface of the face of the world. I see its depth. The
joy of having you, I would be worse than Cain for you,
world shows you a face which is still kind. It does not
because I would condemn you to perpetual exile from
hate you, not because it loves you, but because you do
God in a Limbo without hope of Paradise?
not deserve its hatred. You are a mere trifle. But it hates
Me because I am a danger to the world. A danger to the Do you not understand all that? Do you not see the
falseness, the greed, the violence which is the world. snares of men to make Me fall? The trap of Satan to hit
the Eternal Father in His Beloved Son and in His
I am the Light and light enlightens. The world does not
creatures: men? Do you not see that this is the sign that I
love light because it reveals the actions of the world. The
am more than a man, that I am the Man-God? This
world does not love Me, it cannot love Me because it
craving of Mine only for spiritual matters in order to
knows that I have come to defeat it in the hearts of men
give you the spiritual Kingdom of God?… Do you not
and in the gloomy king who dominates it and leads it
understand that the sign that I… »
astray. The world does not want to convince itself that I
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« Gamaliel's words! » exclaims Simon.
«… that I am not a king, but the King, is all this hatred
from hell and of all the world towards Me? I must teach,
suffer and save you. That is what I must do. But Satan
and his like do not want that. One of you said:
"Gamaliel's words". Now. He is not My disciple and will
never be while I am in this world. But he is a just man.
Well: is Gamaliel perhaps among those who tempt you
and Me with regard to the poor human kingdom? »
« Oh! no! Stephen said that the rabbi, when he heard
what happened at Chuza's house, exclaimed: "My spirit
startles as I ask myself whether He can really be what He
says. But no such question would ever cross my mind, if
He had agreed to that proposal. The Child Whom I heard
said that slavery and royalty will not be as we believed
them, misunderstanding the prophets, that is, material,
but spiritual, thanks to the Christ, the Redeemer from
Sin and founder of the Kingdom of God in souls. I
remember those words. And I judge the Rabbi by them.
If in judging Him I should find out that He is inferior to
that height, I would reject Him as a sinner and a lier.
And I trembled seeing the hope, which the Child had put
into them, dissolve into nothing" » says Simon.
« Yes, but in the meantime he does not say that He is the
Messiah » remarks Joseph.
« He is waiting for a sign, so he says » replies Simon.
« Give him it, then! And make it a powerful one. »
« I will give him what I promised him. But not now. In
the meantime you may go to the feast. I am not coming
publicly, as a rabbi, as a prophet, to impose Myself,
because it is not yet My hour. »
« But at least You will go to Judaea? You will give the
Hebrews proofs that will convince them? So that they
may not say… »
« Yes. But do you think that they will be of any avail to
My peace? Brother, the more I do that, the more I shall
be hated. But I will satisfy you. I will give them such
proofs that more incontrovertible ones cannot be
produced… and I will speak to them words capable of
changing wolves into lambs and hard stones into soft
wax. But they will be of no avail… » Jesus is sad.
« Have I grieved You? I was speaking for Your own
good. »
« You are not grieving Me… But I would like you to
understand Me, My dear brother, and to see Me for what
I am… I would like to go away with the happy certainty
that you are My friend. A friend understands and
protects the interests of his friend… »
« And I tell You that I will do that. I know that they hate
You. I am certain by now. That is why I came. But You
know. I will watch over You. I am the oldest. I will
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rebuff slander and I will see to Your Mother » promises
Joseph.
« Thank you, Joseph. My burden is heavy and you are
relieving it. Sorrow, like a sea, is advancing with its
waves to submerge Me and hatred is with it… But it is
nothing if I have your love. Because the Son of man has
a heart… and this heart needs love… »
« And I will give You it. Yes. In the eyes of God Who
sees me I tell You that I will give You it. Go in peace,
Jesus, to Your work. I will help You. We were fond of
each other. Then… But let us go back to those days. One
for the other. You: the Saint, I: the man, but united for
the glory of God. Goodbye, Brother. »
« Goodbye, Joseph. »
They kiss each other and then Simon asks: « Bless us
that our hearts may open to all the Light. »
Jesus blesses them and before leaving them He says
once again: « I entrust My Mother to you… »
« Go in peace. We shall be like two sons to Her. »
They part.
Jesus goes back to the road and begins to walk fast with
John beside Him.
After quite a long time John breaks the silence asking:
« But is Joseph of Alphaeus convinced by now or is he
not? »
« Not yet. »
« Then, what are You as far as he is concerned?
Messiah? Man? King? God? The situation is not clear to
me. I think that he… »
« Joseph is like one of those morning dreams when the
mind draws near reality relieving itself of the heavy
slumber which caused unreal dreams and at times
nightmares. Night phantoms recede, but the mind
fluctuates in the dream which one would like never to
come to an end, because it is beautiful… He is like that.
He is approaching the moment when one awakes. But
for the time being he is still caressing the dream. He is
almost holding it back, because, for him, it is beautiful…
But one must learn to take what man can give. And we
must praise the Most High for the transformation which
has taken place so far. Blessed be children! It is so easy
for them to believe! » and Jesus passes an arm round the
waist of John, who knows how to be a child and to
believe, to make him feel His love.
Wednesday after Passion Sunday John 10:22-38
535. At the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple.
...
In the meantime many Judaeans, who have come out
from here and there - but there is neither a Pharisee, nor
a scribe, nor a priest in their group - approach Jesus and
surround Him, and one of them comes forward saying:
« You have done great things today! The real work of a
prophet, of a great prophet. And the spirits of the abyss
have said great things of You. But their words cannot be
accepted unless Your word confirms them. We are
dismayed at those words. But we are seriously afraid of
being deceived because Beelzebub is known to be the
spirit of falsehood. We would not like to be mistaken or
to be deceived. So tell us who You are, speaking the
truth and justice. »
« Have I not told you many times who I am? I have been
telling you for almost three years, and before Me, John
told you at the Jordan and the Voice of God from
Heaven. »
« That is true. But we were not there then. We… Since
You are just, You must understand our worry. We would
like to believe that You are the Messiah. But too often
the people of God has been deceived by false Christs.
With an unerring word comfort our hearts that are
hoping and waiting, and we will worship You. »
Jesus looks at them severely. His eyes seem to be
piercing their flesh and laying their hearts bare. He then
says: « Very often men can really tell lies better than
Satan. No, you will not worship Me. You never will, no
matter what I tell you. And even if you did, whom would
you worship? »
« Whom? Our Messiah! »
« Would you be worth so much? Who is the Messiah
according to you? Tell Me, that I may know what you
are worth. »
« The Messiah? The Messiah is he who by God's order
will gather together the scattered people of Israel making
it the triumphant people under whose power the whole
world will be subject. What? Do You not know what the
Messiah is? »
« I know, but not as you know. So according to you is
He a man Who excelling David and Solomon and Judas
Maccabee will make Israel the Nation that will rule over
the world? »
« That is what He is. God promised it. All vengeance, all
glory, all vindication will come from the promised
Messiah. »
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« It is written: "You shall worship no one but the Lord
your God". Why then should you worship Me if in Me
you can only see the Man-Messiah? »
« What else should we see in You? »
« What? And have you come to question Me with such
feelings? Race of sly and venomous vipers! And
sacrilegious as well. Because if you could see in Me
only the human Messiah and you worshipped Me, you
would be idolaters. God only is to be adored. And I
solemnly tell you once again that He Who is speaking to
you is greater than the Messiah, who you pretend has the
missions and duties and powers that you, devoid of spirit
and wisdom, imagine. The Messiah is not coming to
give His people a kingdom such as you believe, He is
not coming to take vengeance upon other powerful
people. His Kingdom is not of this world and His power
exceeds all the limited power of the world. »
« You are humiliating us, Master. If You are a Master
and we are ignorant, why do You not want to teach us? »
« I have been doing that for three years, and you are
more and more in darkness because you reject the
Light. »
« It is true. Perhaps it is true. But what happened in the
past, may not take place in the future. What? You Who
pity publicans and prostitutes and You absolve sinners,
are You going to be merciless towards us, only because
we are stubborn people and we find it difficult to
understand who You are? »
« It is not that you find it difficult. The trouble is that
you do not want to understand. To be dull-witted would
not be a fault. God has so much light that He could
enlighten the dullest intellect providing it were full of
good will. You lack that will. Nay you have the very
opposite will. That is why you do not understand who I
am. »
« It may be as You say. You can see how humble we
are. But we beg You in the name of God. Answer our
questions. Do not keep us in doubt any longer. How long
must our minds be uncertain? If You are the Christ, tell
us openly. »
« I have told you. I told you in your houses, in your
squares, in the streets, in villages, upon the mountains,
along rivers, in front of the sea and the deserts, in the
Temple, in your synagogues, in your markets, and you
do not believe Me. There is no place in Israel where My
voice has not been heard. Even the places that abusively
have borne the name of Israel for ages, but are separated
from the Temple, even the places that gave the name to
this Land of ours, but from rulers have become subjects,
and never got completely rid of their errors to come to
the Truth, even Syro-Phoenicia, shunned by rabbis as the
land of sin, have heard My voice and known who I am. I
told you, and you do not believe My words. I acted, and
you have not paid attention to My action with good
spirit. If you had done that, with the right intention of
making sure about Me, you would have ended by having
faith in Me, because the deeds I accomplish in the name
of My Father bear witness to Me. Those of good will
who have followed Me because they recognised Me as
the Shepherd, have believed in Me and in the witness
that My deeds bear. What? Do you perhaps think that
what I do has no beneficial purpose for you? No
beneficial purpose for all creatures? Do not believe it.
And do not think that the benefit consists in the health of
the individual, recovered through My power, or in being
freed from being possessed or from the sin of this one or
that one. That is a benefit limited to individuals. Too
little compared with the power emanated from the
supernatural source, from the source which is divine,
rather than supernatural, to be considered as the only
benefit. There is the collective benefit of the deeds I
perform. The benefit of removing all doubts in uncertain
people, of convincing opponents in addition to
reinforcing the faith in believers. My Father gives Me
the power to do what I do for that collective benefit, in
favour of all men, present and future, because my works
will bear witness to Me with all future generations and
will convince them of Me. Nothing is done in the works
of God without a good purpose. Always bear that in
mind. Meditate on the truth. »
Jesus stops for a moment. He gazes at a Judaean who is
standing with his head lowered and then He says:
« You who are so pensive over there, you with the tunic
the shade of ripe olives, you are wondering whether even
Satan has good purposes. Do not be foolish in order to
oppose Me and find errors in My words. My reply to you
is that Satan is not the work of God, but of the free will
of the rebellious angel. God had made him His glorious
minister and thus had created him for a good purpose.
Now, speaking to your own ego, you are saying: "Then
God is foolish because He gave glory to a future rebel
and entrusted His Will to a disobedient angel". I reply to
you: "God is not foolish but He is perfect in His thoughts
and deeds. He is the Most Perfect One. Creatures are
imperfect, even the most perfect ones. There is always a
point of inferiority in them, as compared with God. But
God, Who loves them, has granted them free will so that
through it the creature may be perfected in virtue and
thus become more like God Father". And I also tell you,
o mocker and shrewed seeker of sin in My words, that
God draws a good purpose also from Evil brought about
voluntarily: that of making men possess a glory they
deserved. The victories over Evil are the crowns of the
chosen ones. If Evil could not give rise to good
consequences for people full of good will, God would
have destroyed it. Because nothing in Creation must be
completely devoid of incentives or good consequences.
122
Are you not replying to Me? Is it hard for you to have to
admit that I read your heart and I defeated the unfair
illations of your twisted thought? I will not compel you
to do so. In the presence of so many people I will leave
you to your own pride. I do not claim to be declared
winner by you. But when you are alone with these
people, who are like you, and with those who sent you,
then do admit that Jesus of Nazareth read the thoughts of
your mind and choked your objections in your throat
with the only weapon of His word of truth. But let us
leave this personal interruption and revert to the many
people who are listening to Me. If one person only
among many should convert his spirit to the Light after
hearing My words, My fatigue of speaking to stones,
nay, to sepulchres full of vipers, would be recompensed.
I was saying that those who love Me have recognised
Me as the Shepherd because of My words and My deeds.
But you do not believe, you cannot believe, because you
are not My sheep.
What are you? I am asking you. Ask yourselves in the
depth of your hearts. Do not be foolish. You can know
yourselves for what you are. It is enough to listen to the
voices of your souls that are not happy to continue
offending the Son of Him Who created them. Even if
you know what you are, you will not admit it. You are
neither humble, nor sincere. But I will tell you what you
are. You are partly wolves and partly wild goats. But
none of you, notwithstanding that you wear the skins of
lambs pretending to be lambs, are true lambs. Under the
soft white fleece you have all the cruel colours, the
pointed horns and the fangs and claws of billygoats or
wild beasts, and you want to remain such, because you
delight in being such, and you dream of ferocity and
rebellion. That is why you cannot love Me and you
cannot follow and understand Me.
If you come into the flock, you do so to harm, to cause
sorrow and to create disorder. My sheep are afraid of
you. If they were like you, they should hate you. But
they are not capable of hating. They are the lambs of the
Prince of peace, of the Master of love, of the merciful
Shepherd. And they cannot hate. They will never hate
you as I will never hate you. I leave hatred to you, as it is
the wicked fruit of the treble concupiscence with the
unrestrained ego in the animal man, who lives forgetting
that he is also a spirit, besides being flesh. I keep for
Myself what is Mine: love. And I transmit it to my lambs
and I offer it also to you, to make you good. If you
became good, you would understand Me and you would
belong to My flock, like the others who are already in it.
We would love one another. I and My sheep love one
another. They listen to Me, they recognise My voice.
You do not understand what it really means to know My
voice. It means that one has no doubts about its origin
and one can distinguish it among a thousand other voices
of false prophets as the true voice that came from
Heaven. Now and always, also among those who depression, darkness, death, through the fault of false
consider themselves followers of the Wisdom, and they teachers who have only the appearance of teachers and
partly are, there will be many who will not be able to tell the pride of being called such. And for those poor souls,
My voice from other voices speaking of God, more or as He sent the prophets for His people, as He sent Me for
less with justice, but which will be voices inferior to the whole world, so later, after Me, He will send the
Mine… » servants of the Word, of Truth and Love to repeat My
words. Because My words give the Life. Therefore My
« You always say that You will be going away soon,
sheep of the present times and of the future will have the
then You say that You will always speak? If You go
Life that I give them through My Word, and it is eternal
away, You will not be able to speak any more » objects a
Life for those who accept it, and they shall never perish
Judaean in the scornful tone in which one would speak
and no one will ever be able to snatch them from My
to a person of unsound mind.
hands. »
Jesus replies again in His patient sorrowful tone that
« We have never rejected the words of the true prophets.
sounded severe only when He began to speak to the
We have always respected John, who was the last
Judaeans and later, when He replied to the internal
prophet » replies a Judaean angrily, and his companions
objections of a Judaean:
echo him.
« I will always speak, that the world may not become
« He died in time not to be hated and persecuted also by
completely idolatrous. And I will speak to My disciples,
you. If he were still alive, his "it is against the Law"
who have been chosen to repeat My words to you. The
uttered for an incest, would be repeated also to you as
Spirit of God will speak, and they will understand what
you commit spiritual adultery by fornicating with Satan
even wise men will not be able to understand. Because
against God. And you would kill him as you intend to
scholars will study the word, the sentence, the manner,
kill Me. »
the place, the how, the instrument through which the
Word speaks, whereas My chosen ones will not get lost The Judaeans become angrily uproarious and are ready
in such useless studies, but, lost in love, they will listen to strike, as they are tired feigning to be meek.
and they will understand because the Love will speak to
But Jesus is not worried. He raises His voice to dominate
them. They will distinguish the ornate pages of learned
the tumult and He shouts: « And you have asked Me
people or the false pages of false prophets, of the rabbis
who I am, hypocrites? You said that you wanted to know
of hypocrisy, who teach polluted doctrines or teach what
to be certain? And now you say that John was the last
they do not practise, from the simple, true deep words
prophet? And twice you condemn yourselves for lying.
coming from Me. But the world will hate them because
Once because you say that you have never rejected the
of that, because the world hates Me-Light and it hates
words of the true prophets, and then because, by saying
the children of the Light, the dark world that loves
that John is the last prophet and that you believe the true
darkness propitious for its sins. My sheep know and will
prophets, you deny that I also am a prophet, at least a
know Me and will always follow Me, also on the ways
prophet, and a true one. Lying lips! Deceitful hearts!
of blood and sorrow, along which I will be the first one
Yes, I solemnly tell you, here in the house of My Father,
to go, and they will come along them after Me. The
that I am more than a Prophet. I have what My Father
ways that lead souls to Wisdom. The ways that the blood
gave Me. What My Father gave Me is more precious
and tears of those, who are persecuted because they
than everything and everybody, because it is something
teach justice, will illuminate so that they may stand out
on which the will and power of men cannot lay their
in the dark fumes of the world and of Satan, and they
rapacious hands. I have what God gave Me and although
may be like trails of stars leading those who seek the
it is in Me, it is still God, and no one can snatch it from
Way, the Truth, the Life, but do not find who can take
the hands of My Father or from Me, because it is the
them there. Because that is what souls are in need of: of
same Divine Nature. My Father and I are One. »
a guide who may lead them to the Life, to the Truth, to
the right Way. God is merciful towards the souls that « Ah! How horrible! Blasphemy! Anathema!! » The
seek and do not find, not through their fault, but because howling of the Judaeans resounds in the Temple, and
of the laziness of shepherds who are like idols. God is once again the stones used by the money-changers and
merciful towards the souls that get lost when they are vendors of animals to hold their enclosures fast, supply
abandoned to themselves and are received by Lucifer's those who are looking for suitable weapons to strike.
ministers, who are always ready to welcome those who But Jesus rises with His arms folded on His chest. He
have lost their way, to make them proselytes of their has climbed on a stone bench to be taller and more
doctrines. God is merciful towards those who have been visible and He thus dominates the crowds with His
deceived only because the rabbis of God, the so-called sapphire eyes. He dominates and darts piercing glances
rabbis of God, have taken no interest in them. God is at them. He is so solemn that He paralyses them. Instead
merciful towards all those who come up against of throwing the stones, they drop them or hold them in
123
their hands, no longer daring to throw them at Him. Also
their shouting subsides in a strange bewilderment. It is
really God flashing in His Christ. And when God flashes
thus, even the most arrogant man becomes mean and
frightened. I wonder what mystery is concealed in the
fact that the Judaeans could be so cruel on Good Friday.
What mystery there was in the fact that the Christ lacked
that power of domination on that day. It was really the
hour of Darkness, the hour of Satan, and they were the
only ones who reigned… The Divinity, the Paternity of
God had abandoned the Christ, Who was nothing but the
Victim…
"Jesus remains thus for a few moments. He then resumes
speaking to that corrupt and pusillanimous rabble that
has lost all arrogance seeing only a divine flash. « Well?
What do you want to do? You asked Me who I was. I
told you. You became furious. I reminded you of what I
have done, I have shown you and reminded you of many
good deeds coming from My Father and accomplished
with the power given to Me by My Father. For which of
those deeds are you going to stone Me? Because I taught
justice? Because I brought the Gospel to men? Because I
came to invite you to the Kingdom of God? Because I
cured your sick people, making the blind see, the
paralytic walk, the dumb speak, because I freed those
who were possessed, I raised the dead, I assisted the
poor, I forgave sinners, I loved everybody, also those
who hate Me, you and those who sent you? So, for
which of these deeds do you want to stone Me? »
« It is not because of the good actions You have done,
that we want to stone You, but because of Your
blasphemy, because You, Who are a man, are making
Yourself God. »
« Is it not written in your Law: "I said: you are gods, and
children of the Most High"? Now if God called "gods"
those to whom He spoke, giving an order: to live so that
the likeness and image of God existing in man may
appear clearly, and man may not be a demon or a brute;
if men are called "gods" in the Scriptures, all inspired by
God, whereby they cannot be modified or cancelled
according to the will and interest of man; why do you
say to Me that I blaspheme, I Whom the Father
consecrated and sent to the world, because I say: "I am
the Son of God"? If I did not work the deeds of My
Father, you would be right in not believing Me. But I do
them. And you do not want to believe Me. Believe at
least those deeds, so that you may know and
acknowledge that the Father is in Me and that I am in the
Father. »
The storm of shouts and violence begins all over again
and is louder than previously. From one of the terraces
of the Temple, on which priests, scribes and Pharisees
were certainly concealed to listen, many voices shout:
« Get hold of that blasphemer. His sin is now a public
one. We have all heard Him. Death to the blasphemer
124
who proclaims Himself God! Punish Him as you
punished the son of Shelomith of Dibri. Take Him out of
town and stone Him! It is our right! It is written: "He
who blasphemes must die". » The incitements of the
leaders stimulate the wrath of the Judaeans, who try to
seize Jesus, tie Him up and hand Him over to the
magistrates of the Temple, as they are already rushing
there followed by the Temple guards.
Thursday after Passion Sunday Luke 7:36-50
235. Mary Magdalene in the House of Simon, the
Pharisee.
...
The landlord and the most important guests are on the
opposite side, that is, the farthest side from the door. The
landlord is elderly, wearing a wide white tunic tied
round his waist by an embroidered belt. Round the
collar, the cuffs and the hem of the tunic there are strips
of embroidered work, which have been attached as if
they were embroidered ribbons or strips. But I do not
like his expression. It is malicious, cold, proud and
greedy.
On the opposite side, facing him, there is my Jesus. I see
Him sideways, almost from behind His back. He is
wearing His usual white tunic, sandals, and His long hair
is parted on His forehead.
I see that both He and all the guests are not sitting up to
the table, as I thought one would on those couches,
instead they are reclined parallelly. In the vision of the
wedding at Cana I did not pay much attention to this
detail. I saw that they were eating leaning on their left
elbows, but they did not appear to be so reclined,
probably because the couches were shorter and not so
sumptuous. Those I see now are real beds, and look like
modern Turkish divans.
John is near Jesus and since Jesus is leaning on His left
elbow, like everybody else, John is between the table
and Jesus' body, with his elbow at the height of the
Master's groin, so that he does not hinder Him while
eating, but if he wishes, he can lie confidentially on His
chest.
There is no woman at the table. They are all talking and
the landlord now and again addresses Jesus with evident
affected condescension. It is obvious that he wants to
show to Him and to all those present as well, that he has
greatly honoured Him, a poor and rather hot-headed
prophet, as many people consider Him, by inviting Him
to his wealthy house… I see Jesus reply kindly and
quietly. He smiles faintly at those who ask Him
questions, but His smile becomes bright when John
speaks to Him or even looks at Him.
I see the magnificent curtain covering the door-space
being raised and a young woman come in. She is
beautiful, sumptuously dressed and her hair is splendidly
arranged. The artistically interlaced locks of her very
thick blond hair form a beautiful ornament on her head.
Her hair is so bright and abundant that she seems to be
wearing a golden helmet wrought in relief. If I should
have to compare the dress she has on with the ones I
have always seen the Blessed Virgin Mary wear, I would
say that it is very peculiar and complicated. There are
buckles on the shoulders, jewels to hold together the
pleats at the top of the breast, little gold chains to outline
the breast, and the belt is adorned with studs and gems.
It is a provoking dress, which emphasises the features of
her beautiful body. The veil on her head is so light
that… it veils nothing: it is an additional charm and
nothing else. Her sandals are very expensive ones, of red
leather with gold buckles and strips interlaced round her
ankles.
Everybody, except Jesus, turns round to look at her. John
watches her for a moment, then looks at Jesus. The
others stare at her with evident malicious avidity. But the
woman does not look at them, neither does she pay
attention to the whispering that has arisen at her
entrance, or to the winking of the people present, with
the exception of Jesus and His disciple. Jesus pretends
He has seen nothing. He continues His conversation with
the landlord.
The woman goes towards Jesus and kneels down at the
feet of the Master. She lays on the floor a little vase,
shaped like a potbellied amphora, takes off her veil after
removing a long valuable pin, which fastened it to her
hair, she removes rings from her fingers and lays
everything on the couch near Jesus' feet. She then takes
His feet in her hands, first the right one and then the left
one, unlaces His sandals and lays them on the floor. She
then kisses His feet bursting into tears, she rests her
forehead on them, caresses them, while tears stream
down her face like drops of rain, shining in the light of
the chandelier and wetting those adorable feet.
Jesus turns His head round very slightly and slowly, and
His deep eyes rest for a moment on the woman's reclined
head. An absolving glance. He then looks again at the
centre of the hall, leaving her free in her outburst.
But the others do not: they scoff, wink and sneer. The
Pharisee sits up for a moment to have a better view and
his eyes express desire, vexation and irony. He desires
the woman, and that feeling is evident. He is vexed
because she has come in so freely, which may cause the
others to think that she is a habitual guest in the house.
And he is ironical with regard to Jesus…
125
But the woman is not aware of anything. She continues
to shed torrents of tears noiselessly. She weeps and now
and again she sobs. She then lets her hair down, after
removing the gold hairpins, which held up her
complicated hairdress and she puts also the hairpins near
the rings and the long veil-pin. Her golden locks roll
down her back. She takes them with both hands, brings
them in front of her and rubs them on Jesus' wet feet,
until she sees that they are dry. She dips her fingers into
the little vase and takes out a yellowish highly scented
ointment. A sweet-smelling perfume, a mixture of lily
and tuberose, spreads throughout the hall. The woman
uses it profusely, she spreads it, kissing and caressing
His feet at the same time.
Jesus looks at her now and again with so much loving
pity. John, who looked round in amazement when she
burst into tears, cannot detach his eyes from Jesus and
the woman and looks at them alternately.
The face of the Pharisee has become more and more
sullen. I now hear the well known words of the Gospel
and I hear them uttered in a tone and with a look, which
cause the old resentful man to lower his head.
I hear the words absolving the woman, who goes away
leaving her jewels at Jesus' feet. She has tied her veil
round her head, thus gathering together her dishevelled
hair as best she can. Jesus, while saying to her: « Go in
peace », lays His hand on her reclined head for a
moment. A very gentle gesture.
--------------------
Jesus now says to me:
« What made the Pharisee and his companions lower
their heads and is not mentioned in the Gospel, are the
words that My spirit, in one glance darted at him and
drove into his arid avid soul. I answered him much more
than has been reported, because none of the thoughts of
those men was concealed from Me. And he understood
My mute language, which was more meaningful and
reproachful than My words were.
I said to him: "No. Do not make wicked insinuations to
justify yourself to yourself. I am not affected by
lewdness as you are. She does not come to Me attracted
by sensuality. I am not you or like those who are like
you. She comes to Me because My countenance and My
word, which she heard by chance, have enlightened her
soul, which lust had left in utter darkness. And she
comes because she wants to overcome her sensuality and
she realises, poor creature, that she will never succeed by
herself. She loves My spirit, nothing but My spirit,
which she perceives is supernaturally good. After so
much evil that she received from you all, who have taken
advantage of her weakness for your own vices,
rewarding her with your lashing scorn, she comes to Me,
because she realises that she has found Goodness, Joy
and Peace, which she sought in vain in the pomps and
vanities of this wicked world. Cure the leprosy of your
soul, o hypocritical Pharisee, that you may have the right
view of things. Forsake pride of mind and lust of flesh.
Their leprosy is much more fetid than the leprosy of
your bodies. My touch can cure you of the latter,
because you beg Me to cure you, but I cannot cure you
of the leprosy of your souls, because you do not wish to
be cured, as you like it. But she wants to recover. And
thus I cleanse her, and I free her from the chains of her
slavery. The sinner is dead. She is still over there, in
those ornaments that she is ashamed to offer Me that I
may sanctify them, using them for the needs of My
disciples and Mine and for the poor, whom I help by
means of the surplus of other people, because I, the
Master of the universe, possess nothing now that I am
the Saviour of man. She is still here, in the perfume
spread on My feet, the perfume that has been humiliated
like her hair, on that part of My body that you disdained
to refresh with the water of your well, notwithstanding I
have walked so far to bring light to you also. The sinner
is dead. And Mary is reborn, as beautiful as a modest
girl, through her deep sorrow and her righteous love. She
washed herself in her tears. And I solemnly tell you, o
Pharisee, that between this young man who loves Me in
the purity of his youth, and that woman who loves Me in
the sincerity of repentance of a heart reborn to Grace, I
make no difference. And to the Pure young man and the
Repentant woman I entrust the task of understanding My
thought as no one else can, as well as the task of
rendering the last honours to My Body, and the first
greetings (I am not taking into account My Mother's
special greetings) when I will rise from the dead". That
is what I wanted to tell the Pharisee by means of My
countenance.
But I will draw your attention to something else: for
your joy and the joy of many. Also at Bethany Mary
repeated the gesture that marked the dawn of her
redemption. There are personal gestures, which are
repeated and are peculiar to a person like the person's
style. They are unmistakable gestures. But, as it was fair,
at Bethany the gesture was not humiliated so much and it
was more confidential in its reverent adoration.
Mary has gone a long way since that dawn of her
redemption. A very long way. Love, like a high wind,
has blown her high up and far ahead. Love has burnt her
like a fire, destroying her impure flesh and making a
purified spirit her new master. And Mary, now different
in her revived womanly dignity, as she is different in her
clothing, which is now as simple as My Mother's, in her
hair-style, her looks, her behaviour, her words, this new
Mary has a new way to honour Me by means of the same
gesture. She takes the last of her vases of perfume,
which she kept for Me, and pours it on My feet and My
head, without shedding any tears, with a happy
countenance due to love and the certainty that she had
126
been forgiven and saved. Mary can now touch My head
and anoint Me. Repentance and love have cleansed her
by means of the fire of seraphim and she is a seraph.
Repeat that to yourself, Mary, My little "voice" and
repeat it to souls. Go, tell the souls that dare not come to
Me because they feel guilty. He who loves much is
pardoned much. That is, He who loves Me. You, poor
souls, do not know how much the Saviour loves you! Be
not afraid of Me. Come. Confidently. Courageously. I
open My Heart and My arms to you.
Always remember: "I make no difference between him
who loves Me with his spotless purity and him who
loves Me in the sincere contrition of a heart reborn to
Grace". I am the Saviour. Always remember that.
Go in peace. I bless you. »
--------------------
22nd January 1944.
I have been thinking all day of Jesus' dictation of
yesterday evening and of what I saw and understood,
even if it was not said.
In the meantime, by the way, I tell you that the
conversation of the commensals, as far as I could
understand, that is, the part addressed to Jesus, was
about daily events: the Romans, the Law opposed by
them, and then the mission of Jesus as Master of a new
school. But under the seeming benevolence it was clear
that they asked vicious and captious questions to
embarrass Him. A difficult task, because Jesus in a few
words gave the right and conclusive answer to each
subject.
For instance, when they asked Him of which particular
school or sect He had become the new master, He
replied simply: « Of God's school. It is He Whom I
follow in His holy Law and to Whose interests I devote
Myself, ensuring that it may be renewed for these little
ones (and He lovingly looked at John and in John at all
honesthearted people) in all its essence, as it was on the
day that the Lord God promulgated it on Sinai. I take
men back to the Light of God. »
To the other question, as to what He thought of the abuse
of power by Caesar, who had become the ruler of
Palestine, He replied: « Caesar is what he is because that
is what God wants. Remember the prophet Isaiah.
Through divine inspiration, does he not call Asshur "the
rod" of His anger? The rod that punishes the people of
God, because it has become too detached from God and
its outer appearance and spirit are hypocrisy? And does
He not say that after using him as a punishment, He will
destroy him because he will have abused his task, by
becoming too proud and cruel? »
Those are the two replies that impressed me most.
Then this evening my Jesus says to me smiling:
« I should call you as I called Daniel. You are the
woman of wishes and you are dear to Me because you
want your God so much. And I could continue saying to
you what was said to Daniel by My angel: "Be not
afraid, because from the first day when you applied your
heart to understand and grieve in the presence of God,
your prayers have been heard and they are the reason
why I have come". But here it is not the angel who is
speaking. I am speaking to you: Jesus.
Mary, I always come when "a heart is anxious to
understand". I am not a hard severe God. I am Living
Mercy. And I come faster than thought to those who
apply to Me. And I went immediately to poor Mary of
Magdala, so immersed in sin, with My spirit, as soon as I
perceived that the desire to understand was rising in her.
The desire to understand the light of God and her own
state of darkness. And I became her Light.
I was speaking to many that day, but in actual fact I was
speaking only for her. I saw but her who had approached
us driven by the vehemence of her soul, which rebelled
against the flesh enslaving it. I saw but her with her poor
face in turmoil, her forced smile, which endeavoured to
hide so much weeping of her heart, under the appearance
of false confidence and joy, which were a challenge to
the world and herself. I saw but her, more entangled in
the bramble than the lost sheep of the parable and she
was drowning in the disgust of her own life, a disgust
brought to the surface like those deep waves that bring
up the water of the bottom.
I did not say great words, neither did I touch any specific
subject concerning her, a well known sinner, as I did not
wish to mortify her, compelling her to run away, to be
ashamed or to come to Me. I left her in peace… I let My
word and My look descend into her, fermenting there to
turn the impulse of a moment into her glorious holy
future. I spoke by means of one of the most gentle
parables: a beam of light and kindness flashing just for
her. And that evening, while I was setting foot in the
house of the proud rich Pharisee, where My word could
not fermentate into future glory because it was killed by
Pharisaic pride, I already knew that she would come
after weeping bitterly in her room of vice and that she
had already decided on her future in the light of her
tears.
Both the flesh and the thoughts of the men were
inflamed with lust when they saw her enter. Everybody
looked at her lustfully, except the two "pure ones"
present at the banquet: John and I. They all thought that
she came because of one of her usual caprices, a true
diabolic possession, which drove her to extemporaneous
affairs. But Satan was already defeated. And when they
all noticed that she did not look at them, they enviously
thought that she had come for Me. Man always fouls
also the purest things, when he is but flesh and blood.
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Only the pure have the right view because there is no sin
in them upsetting their thoughts.
But there is no reason to be frightened because man does
not understand, Mary. God understands. And that is
enough for Heaven. The glory that comes from men does
not add an ounce to the glory that is the destiny of the
blessed souls in Paradise. Always remember that. Poor
Mary of Magdala was always wrongly judged in her
good deeds. But she was not wrongly judged in her bad
deeds because they were lustful mouthfuls offered to the
insatiable hunger of lewd men. She was criticised and
wrongly judged at Nain, in the house of the Pharisee and
she was criticised and reproached at Bethany, in her own
home.
But John, who says a great word, has the key to the last
bit of criticism: "Judas… because he was a thief". I say:
"The Pharisee and his friends because they were lewd".
See? Lust for sensuality, greed for money raise their
voices to criticise good deeds. Good people do not
criticise. Never. They understand.
But, I would repeat it, the criticism of the world is of no
importance. What matters is the judgement of God. »
Friday after Passion Sunday John 11:47-54
547. In Jerusalem and in the Temple after the
Resurrection of Lazarus.
If the news of the death of Lazarus had shaken and
agitated Jerusalem and a large part of Judaea, the news
of his resurrection ended by shaking and penetrating also
where the news of the death had not caused any
excitement.
Perhaps the few Pharisees and scribes, that is the
members of the Sanhedrin present at the resurrection,
did not mention it to the people. But the Judaeans
certainly have spoken about it, and the news has spread
in a flash, and the voices of women repeat it from house
to house, from terrace to terrace, while the common
people propagate it in the streets with great jubilation for
Jesus' triumph and for Lazarus. People fill the streets
running here and there, thinking they are the first to give
the news, but they are disappointed because it is already
known in Ophel as well as in Bezetha, in Zion as at the
Sixtus market. It is known in synagogues, in
warehouses, in the Temple and in Herod's palace. It is
known at the Antonia and from there, or vice versa, it
spreads to the guard-rooms at the gates. It fills mansions
and hovels: « The Rabbi of Nazareth has raised from the
dead Lazarus of Bethany, who died the day before
Friday and was buried before the beginning of the
Sabbath and he rose again today at the sixth hour. » The
Jewish acclamations to the Christ and to the Most High
mingle with the various « By Jove! By Pollux! By
Libitina! » etc. of the Romans.
The only ones I do not see among the crowds talking in
the streets are the members of the Sanhedrin. I do not see
even one of them, whereas I see Chuza and Manaen
come out from a stately mansion and I hear Chuza say:
« Wonderful Wonderful! I sent word to Johanna at once.
He is really God! »; and Manaen replies to him: « Herod,
who came from Jericho to pay his respects to… the
chief, Pontius Pilate, seems to have gone mad in his
palace, while Herodias is frantic and she presses him to
have the Christ arrested. She trembles dreading His
power; he is torn with remorse. With chattering teeth he
tells his devoted followers to defend him from… ghosts.
He got drunk to muster up courage and the wine eddying
in his head makes him see phantasms. He shouts saying
that the Christ has raised also John who is now yelling
God's maledictions close to him. I ran away from that
Gehenna. I was content with saying to him: "Lazarus has
been raised from the dead by Jesus the Nazarene. Mind
you do not touch Him, because He is God". I stimulate
his fear so that he may not yield to her murderous
intents. »
« On the contrary, I shall have to go there… I must go.
But I wanted to call on Eliel and Elkanah first. They live
in seclusion, but their opinions are always highly
thought of in Israel! And Johanna is pleased that I
honour them. And I… »
« A good protection for you. That is true. But not so
good as the Master's love. That is the only protection
that matters… » Chuza does not reply. He is pensive… I
lose sight of them.
Joseph of Arimathea comes forward hurriedly from
Bezetha. He is stopped by a group of citizens who are
still uncertain whether they should believe the news.
They ask him.
« It's true. Very true. Lazarus has risen and he has also
been cured. I saw him with my own eyes. »
« So… He is really the Messiah! »
« His deeds are such. His life is perfect. This is the right
time. Satan fights Him. Let each man conclude in his
own heart who is the Nazarene » says Joseph wisely and
fairly at the same time. He greets them and goes away.
They continue to discuss and end up by saying: « He is
really the Messiah. »
There is a group of legionaries and one of them says: « I
will go to Bethany tomorrow if I can. By Venus and
Mars, the gods I prefer! I may travel all over the world,
from the hot deserts to the icy German lands, but never
again shall I find a man who comes to life again after
being dead for days. I want to see what a man, who
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comes back from death, is like. He will be black with the
water of the rivers of the beyond… »
« If he was a virtuous man, he will be bluish after
drinking the sky-blue water of the Elysian Fields. There
is not only the Styx there… »
« He will tell us what the meadows of asphodels in
Hades are like… I will come as well… »
« If Pontius will allow us… »
« Of course he will! He sent a messenger to Claudia at
once telling her to come. Claudia loves these things. I
have heard her more than once converse, with the other
women and her Greek freedmen, about souls and
immortality. »
« Claudia believes in the Nazarene. According to her He
is greater than any other man. »
« Yes, but according to Valeria He is more than a man.
He is God. A kind of Jupiter and Apollo with regard to
power and handsomeness, they say, and wiser than
Minerva. Have you seen Him? I came here with Pontius
and it is the first time that I have been here, so I do not
know… »
« I think that you have arrived in time to see many
things. Not long ago Pontius was shouting as loud as
Stentor saying: "Everything is to be changed here. They
must understand that Rome is the ruler and that they, all
of them, are servants. And the greater they are, the more
servile they are, because they are more dangerous". I
think it was because of that tablet that Annas' servant
took to him… »
« Of course. He will not listen to them… And he keeps
shifting us… because he does not want us to be friendly
with them. »
« Friendly with them? Ah! Ah! With those big-nosed
types stinking like billy-goats? Pontius suffers from
indigestion because he eats too much pork. If anything…
we are friendly with some of the women who do not
disdain the kisses of clean-shaven lips… » says a
mischievous one laughing.
« It is a fact that after the unruliness at the feast of the
Tabernacles he insisted in having all the troops changed
with the result that we have to go away… »
« That is true. The arrival of the galley bringing
Longinus and his century was already notified at
Caesarea. New officers and new troops… and all
because of those crocodiles of the Temple. I liked this
place. »
« I preferred Brindisi… But I shall get accustomed to
this place » says the one who arrived in Palestine
recently.
They also move away.
Some guards of the Temple pass by with wax-tablets.
People watch them and say: « The Sanhedrin is meeting
with urgency. What are they going to do? »
A man replies: « Let us go up to the Temple and see… »
They set out towards the street leading to the Moriah.
The sun disappears behind the houses in Zion and the
western mountains. Night falls and the streets are soon
cleared of curious people. Those who went up to the
Temple come down looking upset because they have
been driven away from the gates, where they had
lingered to see the members of the Sanhedrin pass by.
The inside of the Temple, now empty, desert, enveloped
in moonlight, seems immense. The members of the
Sanhedrin slowly gather in their meeting hall. They are
all there, exactly as they were for Jesus' death sentence,
but those who were then acting as clerks are not present
(1). Only the members of the Sanhedrin are there, some
sitting in their places, some in groups near the doors.
Caiaphas comes in with his face and body resembling
those of an excessively fat and wicked frog, and he goes
to his seat.
They begin to discuss the events at once and they
become so impassioned of the matter that the session is
soon animated. They leave their seats, they go down into
the empty space gesticulating and speaking in loud
voices.
Some counsel calm and circumspection before taking a
decision. Others answer back: « But have you not heard
those who came here after the ninth hour? If we lose the
most important Judaeans, what is the use of
accumulating charges? The longer He lives, the less we
shall be believed if we accuse Him. »
« And this fact cannot be denied. We cannot say to the
many people who were there: "What you have seen is
not true. It is a make-believe. You were drunk". The man
was dead. Putrid. Decomposed. The corpse was placed
in a closed sepulchre and the sepulchre was properly
walled up. The corpse had been enveloped in bandages
and covered with balms for several days. And it was
tied. And yet it came out of its place, it came as far as
the entrance by itself without walking. And when it was
freed, the body was no longer dead. It breathed. There
was no putrefaction. Whereas before, when it was alive,
it was covered in sores, and when it died it was rotten. »
« Have you heard the most influential Judaeans, whom
we urged to go there to have them completely on our
side? They came and said to us: "As far as we are
concerned He is the Messiah". Almost every one of them
has come! Not to mention the people!… »
« And those cursed Romans full of nonsense! What
about them? They say that He is Jupiter Maximus. And
if they get that idea into their heads! They made us
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acquainted with their stories, and it was a curse. Cursed
be those who wanted Hellenism among us and out of
flattery desecrated us with foreign usages! But it helps
us to know people. And we know that the Romans are
quick in demolishing and elevating by means of plots
and coups d'etat. Now if anyone of these mad people
goes into raptures over the Nazarene and proclaims Him
Caesar, and therefore, divine, who will ever dare touch
Him? »
« Certainly not! Who do you think would dream of
doing that? They do not give a fig for Him or for us. No
matter how great is what He does, He is always "a Jew"
as far as they are concerned. So nothing but a miserable
wretch. Fear has turned your brain, dear son of Annas! »
« Fear? Did you hear how Pontius replied to my father's
invitation? He is upset, I tell you. He is upset by this last
event, and he is afraid of the Nazarene. How wretched
we are! That man has come to ruin us! »
« I wish we had not gone there and we had not almost
ordered the most mighty Judaeans to go as well! If
Lazarus had risen without witnesses… »
« So? What would have changed? We certainly could
not have made him disappear for good to make people
believe that he was always dead! »
« Certainly not. But we could have said that it was
apparent death. You can always find witnesses bribed to
commit perjury. »
« But why so much excitement? I can see no reason for
it! Has He perhaps provoked the Sanhedrin and the
Pontificate? No, He has not. He just worked a miracle. »
« Just?! But are you mad or has He bribed you, Eleazar?
Did He not provoke the Sanhedrin and the Pontificate?
What else do you want? The people… »
« People can say what they like, but the situation is
exactly as Eleazar said. The Nazarene has only worked a
miracle. »
« That's another one defending Him! You are no longer
fair, Nicodemus! You are no longer just! That is an
action against us. Against us, do you realise it? Nothing
will convince the crowds any longer. Ah! How
miserable we are! Today some Judaeans scoffed at me!
At me they scoffed! »
« Be quiet, Doras! You are only a man. It's the principle
that is attacked! Our laws! Our prerogatives! »
« You are right, Simon, and we must defend them. »
« How? »
« By offending and destroying His! »
« That is easily said, Sadoc. But how can you destroy
them if with your own power you cannot even make a
midge come to life again? What is required here is a
miracle greater than His. But none of us can work it
because… » The speaker cannot explain why.
Joseph of Arimathea completes the sentence: « Because
we are just men, only men. »
They rush upon him asking: « And what is He, then? »
Joseph of Arimathea replies without hesitation: « He is
God. If I still had had any doubt… »
« But you had no doubt. We know, Joseph. We are well
aware. You may state clearly that you love Him! »
« There is nothing wrong if Joseph loves Him. I also
admit that He is the greatest Rabbi in Israel. »
« Are you, Gamaliel, saying that? »
« Yes, I maintain that. And it is an honour to me to be…
dethroned by Him, because so far I had kept the tradition
of the great rabbis, the last one of whom was Hillel, but
after me I do not know who was able to receive the
wisdom of centuries. Now I shall go away happily,
because I know that it will not be lost, on the contrary it
will grow greater, as it will be increased by His own
wisdom, in which the Spirit of God is certainly
present. »
« But what are you saying, Gamaliel? »
« I am speaking the truth. It is not by closing our eyes
that we can ignore what we are. We are no longer wise,
because the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and
we are sinners without the fear of God. If we had such
fear we would not trample on the just, neither would we
be foolishly greedy for the wealth of the world. God
gives and God takes away, according to merits and
demerits. And if God deprives us of what He had given
us, in order to give it to other people, may He be blessed
because holy is the Lord and holy are all His deeds. »
« But we were talking of miracles and we meant that
none of us can work them because Satan is not with us. »
« No. Because God is not with us. Moses parted the
waters and he struck the rock, Joshua stopped the sun,
Elijah raised the boy from death and made the sky give
rain, but God was with them. I remind you that there are
six things that God hates and the seventh He abhors: a
haughty look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent
blood, a heart that weaves wicked plots, feet that hurry
to do evil, a false witness who lies and he who sows
dissension among brothers. We do all these things. I say:
we. But you only do them. Because I refrain from
shouting "Hosanna" and from crying "Anathema". I am
waiting. »
« For the sign! Of course! You are waiting for the sign!
But what sign can you expect from a poor madman, even
if we want to forgive Him all the rest? »
130
Gamaliel stretches his hands and arms forward, and with
closed eyes and lightly lowered head, looking most
grave, he says in a slow distant voice: « I have anxiously
asked the Lord to show me the truth, and He enlightened
for me the words of Jesus the son of Sirach. These ones:
"The Creator of all things spoke to me and gave me His
instructions, and He Who created me rested in my
Tabernacle and said to me: 'Dwell in Jacob, make Israel
your inheritance, take root among My chosen people…
And He enlightened also the following words and I have
acknowledged them: "Approach Me, you who desire
Me, and take your fill of My fruits because My spirit is
sweeter than honey and My inheritance is sweeter than
the honeycomb. The memories of Me will last for ever.
They who eat Me will hunger for more, they who drink
me will thirst for more; whoever listens to Me will never
have to blush, whoever works for Me will never sin,
whoever explains Me will have eternal life". And the
light of God became brighter in my spirit while my eyes
were reading these words: "All these things are
contained in the book of Life, the will of the Most High,
the doctrine of Truth… God promised David that from
him would descend the most powerful King Who is to sit
on the throne of glory for ever. His wisdom brims like
the Pishon and the Tigris in the season of fruit, like the
Euphrates He brims with intelligence, He rises like the
Jordan at harvest time. He diffuses wisdom like light…
He was the first to become perfectly aware of it". That is
what God had enlightened for me! Alas! I say that the
Wisdom among us is too great to be understood by us,
neither can we contain a thought vaster than oceans nor
an advice deeper than the great abyss. And we hear Him
shout: "Like an immense watercourse I gushed out of
Paradise and I said: 'I am going to water My garden', and
then my watercourse became a river, and the river a sea.
Like dawn I shed My doctrine on everybody, and I shall
make it known to the remotest peoples. I shall descend
into the lowest parts, I shall cast glances on those who
are sleeping, I shall enlighten those who hope in the
Lord. I shall pour out teaching like prophecy and I shall
leave it to those who seek wisdom, I shall not stop
announcing it until the holy century. I have not toiled for
Myself alone, but for all who are seeking the truth". This
is what God, the Most High God, made me read » and he
lowers his arms and raises his head.
« So, according to you He is the Messiah?! Tell us! »
« He is not the Messiah. »
« He is not? Then what is He according to you? Not a
demon. Not an angel. Not the Messiah… »
« He is He Who is. »
« You are raving! Is He God? Is that madman God
according to you? »
« He is He Who is. God knows what He is. We see His
works. God sees also His thoughts. But He is not the
Messiah because Messiah to us means King. He is not
and never will be king. But He is holy. And His works
are those of a holy man. And we cannot threaten the
Innocent without committing sin. I will not assent to
sin. »
« But with your words you have almost said that He is
the Expected One! »
« I have said so. While the light of the Most High lasted
I saw Him as such. Then… as the hand of the Lord no
longer held me uplifted in His light, I became man again,
the man of Israel, and the words were only those to
which the man of Israel, I, you, those before us, and,
God forbid it, those after us, attach the meaning of their,
of our thoughts, not the meaning they have in the eternal
Thought that dictated them to His servant. »
« We are talking, digressing, wasting time. And the
crowds in the meantime are excited » says Hananiah in a
croaking voice.
« You are right! It is necessary to take a decision and act,
to save ourselves and to triumph. »
« You say that Pilate would not listen to us when we
asked his help against the Nazarene. But if we informed
him… You said previously that if the troops become
excited they may proclaim Him Caesar… Eh! A good
idea! Let us go and point this danger out to the
Proconsul. We shall be honoured as faithful servants of
Rome and… and if he takes action we shall get rid of the
Rabbi. Let us go! Since you, o Eleazar of Annas, are
more friendly with him than we are, be our guide » says
Helkai laughing malingnantly.
There is some hesitancy, then a group of the most
fanatics leaves to go to the Antonia. Caiaphas remains
with the others.
« At this time! He will not receive them » remarks one.
« On the contrary! It's the best time. Pontius is always in
high spirits after eating and drinking as a pagan does… »
I leave them there discussing, and I see the scene at the
Antonia.
They cover the short distance quickly and without
difficulty, so bright is the moonlight that is so different
from the red light of the lamps lit in the entrance-hall of
the praetorium building.
Eleazar is successful in sending in his name to Pilate,
and they are led into a large empty hall. It is completely
empty. There is only a heavy chair with low back
covered with a purple cloth that stands out strongly
against the complete whiteness of the hall. They remain
in a group, somewhat timid and cold, standing on the
white marble floor. No one comes in. There is dead
silence, broken at intervals by remote music.
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« Pilate is at table. He is certainly with friends. The
music is played in the triclinium. There will be dances in
honour of the guests » says Eleazar of Annas.
« They are corrupt. I will purify myself tomorrow. Lust
oozes from these walls » says Helkai with disgust.
« Why did you come, then? It was your idea » replies
Eleazar.
« For the honour of God and the welfare of our
fatherland I can make any sacrifice. And this is a great
one! I had purified myself after approaching Lazarus…
and now!… A dreadful day, this one!… »
There is no sign of Pilate. Eleazar, being familiar with
the place, tries the doors. They are all closed. The
Judaeans in the hall are seized with fear. Frightening
stories come to light again. They regret having come.
They feel that they are already lost.
At long last, on the side opposite to them, who are near
the door through which they came in and thus close to
the only chair available in the hall, a door is opened and
Pilate comes in, wearing a tunic as white as the hall. He
comes in speaking to some guests. He is laughing. He
turns round to instruct a slave, who is holding up the
curtain beyond the door, to throw essences into a brazier
and to bring scents and water for their hands and a slave
to come with mirror and combs. He pays no attention to
the Hebrews, as if they were not there. They get enraged
but they dare not react…
Over there, in the meantime, they bring braziers, they
spread resins on the fire and pour scented water on the
hands of the Romans. And a slave, with skilful
movements, tidies their hair according to the fashion of
rich Romans of those days. And the Hebrews get
enraged.
The Romans laugh and jest among themselves looking
now and again at the group waiting at the other end, and
one of them speaks to Pilate who has never turned round
to look; but Pilate shrugs his shoulders making gesture
of boredom and he claps his hands to call a slave whom
he orders in a loud voice to bring sweets and to let in the
dancers. The Hebrews tremble with rage and are
scandalised. Just imagine Helkai compelled to watch
girls dancing! His countenance is a poem of suffering
and hatred.
The slaves come back with sweets in precious cups, and
they are followed by the dancers wearing garlands of
flowers and hardly covered with fabrics that are so light
as to seem veils. Their very white bodies appear through
their light garments dyed pink and blue, when they pass
before the burning braziers and the many lights placed at
the other end. The Romans admire the gracefulness of
bodies and movements and Pilate asks them to repeat a
dance that he particularly liked. Helkai, imitated by his
companions, turns indignantly towards the wall not to
see the dancers move as lightly as butterflies with their
dresses fluttering indecorously.
When the short dance is over Pilate dismisses them
putting in the hand of each a cup full of sweets and he
throws a bracelet into each cup nonchalantly. And at last
he condescends to turn round and look at the Hebrews
saying to his friends in a weary voice: « And now… I
must pass from dreams to reality… from poetry… to
hypocrisy… from gracefulness to the filthy things of
life. The miseries of being a Proconsul!… Hail, friends,
and have pity on me. »
He is left alone and he slowly approaches the Hebrews.
He sits down, he examines his well-cared for hands and
he discovers something wrong under one nail. He
attends to it anxiously taking from under his tunic a tiny
thin golden stick with which he remedies the great
damage of an imperfect nail…
He is then so kind as to turn his head round slowly. He
sneers seeing the Hebrews still bowing servilely and he
says: « You! Here! And be quick. I have no time to
waste on trifles. »
The Hebrews approach Pilate in an attitude that is
always servile until he shouts: « That's enough. Don't
come too close » and his words seem to nail them to the
floor. « Speak! And stand up straight because animals
only stoop towards the ground » and he laughs.
The Hebrews straighten themselves at the sneering
words and remain stiff.
« So? Speak! You insisted on coming. Speak, now that
you are here. »
« We wanted to tell you… We are told… We are faithful
servants of Rome… »
« Ah! Ah! Faithful servants of Rome! I will let divine
Caesar know and he will be happy! He will certainly be
happy! Speak up, you clowns! And be quick! »
The members of the Sanhedrin quiver with indignation,
but they do not react. Helkai speaks on behalf of
everybody: « We must inform you, o Pontius, that a man
was raised from the dead today at Bethany.. »
« I know. Is that why you have come? I was informed
several hours ago. He is a lucky man as he already
knows what it is to die and what the next world is like!
What can I do if Lazarus of Theophilus has been raised
from the dead? Has he perhaps brought me a message
from Hades? » He is ironic.
« No. But His resurrection is a danger… »
« For him? Of course! The danger of having to die again.
Not a very pleasant event. So? What can I do? Am I
perhaps Jupiter? »
« A danger not for Lazarus. But for Caesar. »
132
« For?… Domine! Am I perhaps drunk? Did you say: for
Caesar? And how can Lazarus be harmful to Caesar?
Are you afraid that the stench of the sepulchre may
infect the air that the Emperor breathes? Do not worry!
He is too far away! »
« No, not that. The fact is that Lazarus by rising from the
dead may have the Emperor dethroned. »
« Dethroned? Ah! Ah! That's a bigger fib than the whole
world! So you are drunk, not I. Perhaps the fright has
deranged your minds. To see a man rise… I think it may
upset one. Go, go to bed. And have a good rest. And a
warm bath. A very warm one. It is very good against
deliriums. »
« We are not delirious, Pontius. We are telling you that
unless you take a decision you will go through a sad
time. You will certainly be punished, if not killed, by the
usurper. The Nazarene will soon be proclaimed king,
king of the world, do you understand? Your very
legionaries will proclaim Him. They have been enticed
by the Nazarene and today's event has elated them. What
servant of Rome are you, if you do not take care of her
peace? So, do you want to see the Empire upset and
divided because of your inertness? Do you want to see
Rome defeated, the ensigns pulled down, the Emperor
killed, everything destroyed… »
« Be silent! I will now speak. And I say to you: you are
mad! You are even worse. You are liars. You are
criminals. You deserve death. Get out of here, you filthy
servants of your own interests, of your hatred, of your
meanness. You are servants, not I. I am a Roman citizen
and Roman citizens are not subject to anybody. I am an
imperial official and I work for the welfare of our
fatherland. You… are our subjects. You… are under our
rule. You… you are the galleyslaves tied to the benches
and you fret in vain. The lash of the chief is over you.
The Nazarene!… Would you like me to kill the
Nazarene? Would you like me to put Him in prison? By
Jove! If for the safety of Rome and of the divine
Emperor I should imprison dangerous subjects or kill
them here where I am the governor, I should leave free
and alive the Nazarene and His followers, and them
alone. Go away. Clear off and never come back here
again. You riotous fellows, instigators, thieves and
accomplices of thieves! I am well aware of all your
manoeuvres. You had better know that. And bear in
mind that new weapons and fresh legionaries have
served to discover your snares and your instruments.
You complain of Roman taxes. But how much have you
paid for Melkiah of Gilead, and Jonah of Scythopolis,
and Philip of Shochoh, and John of Beth-aven and
Joseph of Ramoth, and for all the others who will soon
be caught? And do not go towards the caves in the valley
because there are more legionaries there than stones, and
the law and galley are the same for everybody. For
everybody! Do you understand? For everybody. And I
hope to live long enough to see you all in chains, slaves
among slaves under the heel of Rome. Get out! Go and
report - you as well, Eleazar of Annas whom I do not
wish to see any more in my house - that the time of
clemency is over, and that I am the Proconsul and you
the subjects. The subjects. And I give orders. In the
name of Rome. Go out! You night snakes and vampires!
And the Nazarene wants to redeem you? If He were
God, He ought to strike you by lightning! Thus the most
revolting stain would disappear from the world. Out!
And dare not conspire, or you will become acquainted
with sword and whip. »
He stands up and goes away slamming the door before
the dismayed members of the Sanhedrin, who have no
time to come to themselves because an armed squad
comes in and drives them out of the hall and of the
building as if they were dogs.
They go back to the hall in the Sanhedrin. They make
their report. The excitement is great. The news of the
arrest of many highwaymen and of raids into caves to
catch more upsets very much all the members who have
remained. Many, in fact, tired of waiting, have gone
away.
« And yet we cannot let Him live » shout some of the
priests.
« We cannot leave Him alone. He is active. We are
doing nothing. And we are losing ground day by day. If
we leave Him free, He will continue to work miracles
and everybody will believe in Him. And the Romans
will end up by opposing us and destroying us all
together. Pontius says so. But if the crowds should
proclaim Him king, oh! Pontius will have to punish all
of us. We must not allow that » shouts Sadoc.
« All right. But how? The attempt… by Roman law has
failed. Pontius is sure of the Nazarene. The attempt…
through our law is impossible. He does not commit
sin… » points out one of the members.
« If no sin exists, one can be invented » insinuates
Caiaphas.
« It's a sin to do that! To swear what is false! To have an
innocent condemned! It's… too much!… » say most of
them in horror. « It's a crime, because it would be His
death. »
« So? Does that frighten you? You are foolish and you
understand nothing. After what happened Jesus must die.
Do you not consider that it is better for us if one man
dies instead of many? So let Him die to save His people
so that all our country may not perish. In any case… He
says that He is the Saviour. So let Him sacrifice Himself
to save everybody » says Caiaphas with disgusting cold
sly hatred.
« But… Caiaphas! Consider! He… »
133
« I have spoken. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, the
High Priest. Woe to those who do not respect the Pontiff
of Israel. The thunderbolts of the Lord upon them! We
have waited enough! We have had enough flurry! I order
and decree that whoever knows where the Nazarene is
must come and inform us of the place, and anathema on
those who will not obey my word. »
« But Annas… » say some objecting.
« Annas said to me: "Whatever you do will be holy". Let
us close the meeting. We shall all be here on Friday
between the third and the sixth hour to decide what to
do. All of us, I said. Inform those who are absent. And
ensure that all the heads of families and classes, all the
cream of Israel are summoned. The Sanhedrin has
spoken. Go. »
And he is the first to withdraw to the place from which
he came, whilst the others go in different directions and
they leave the Temple speaking in low voices while
going home.
Saturday after Passion Sunday John 12:10-36
587. From Bethany to Jerusalem.
Jesus is walking through orchards and olive-groves all in
blossom. Even the silvery leaves of the olive-trees look
like flowers, pearled as they are with dew, which
shimmers in the first light of dawn as the leaves quiver
in a gentle scented breeze. Each leafy branch seems the
work of a goldsmith and one looks at them admiring
their beauty. The almond-trees, which are all already
covered with their green foliage, stand out from the
white-rosy masses of the other fruit-trees, and under
them the vines show their first tender indented leaves, so
shiny and silky that they look like very thin scales of
emerald or bits of precious silk. High above, the sky is
like deep turquoise, clear, placid, solemn. Songs of birds
and scents of flowers everywhere. The fresh air restores
and makes people happy. The delight of April is really
smiling everywhere.
Jesus is in the middle of His twelve apostles. And He
speaks.
« I sent the women ahead because I want to speak to you
alone. During the first days that I was with you I said to
you, to those who were with Me: "Do not upset My
Mother informing Her of the evil deeds against Her
Son". Those deeds seemed so grave… Now, you three
witnesses of those deeds that were the beginning of the
chain by which the Son of man was to be lead to death -
you, John, you, Simon, and you, Judas of Kerioth - can
clearly see that they were comparable with a grain of
sand that falls from above, in comparison with the
boulder, the boulders, as such are the present deeds. But
then, you, My Mother and I were unprepared for human
wickedness. In Good as in Evil man does not become
supreme all of a sudden. But he rises or sinks by
degrees. The same happens in sorrow. Now, you who are
good, have risen in Good and you can realise, without
being scandalised as you would have been then, to what
point of perversion man can lower himself, when he
becomes a demon, just as My Mother and I can bear all
the grief coming from man, without dying because of it.
We have strengthened our souls.
All of us. In Good, in Evil or in Sorrow. And we have
not yet reached the summit. We have not yet reached the
summit… Oh! if you knew what and how high is the
summit of Good, of Evil, of Sorrow! But I repeat to you
the words that I spoke then. Do not repeat to My Mother
what the Son of man is about to tell you. She would be
grieved too deeply. He who is about to be killed drinks
the pitiful mixture that stuns him, enabling him to await
the hour of torture, without having to tremble every
moment. Your silence will be like the pitiful drink for
Her, the Mother of the Redeemer! Now I want to explain
the meaning of the prophecies to you, so that nothing
may still be obscure to you. And I ask you to be very,
very close to Me. During the day I shall belong to
everybody. I beg you to be with Me at night, because I
want to be with you. I need to feel that I am not
alone… »
Jesus is very sad. The apostles notice it and are worried.
They gather round Him. Judas also presses against the
Master, as if he were the most affectionate of the
disciples.
Jesus caresses them and continues: « In this hour that is
still granted to Me, I want to complete the knowledge of
the Christ in you. At the beginning I made John, Simon
and Judas acquainted with the truth of the prophecies
concerning My birth. The prophecies have depicted Me
better than the greatest painter could possibly do, from
the dawn of My life to its end. Nay, that dawn and end
are just the two periods most clearly elucidated by the
prophets. Now the Christ Who descended from Heaven,
the Just One Whom the clouds rained on the Earth, the
sublime Shoot, is about to be killed. Crushed like a
citron-tree struck by a thunderbolt. So let us speak of His
death. Do not sigh, do not shake your heads. Do not
grumble in your hearts, do not curse men. It would serve
no purpose.
We are going up to Jerusalem. Passover is now close at
hand. "This month will be for you the first month of the
year". This month will be for the world the beginning of
a new era. It will never end. In vain now and again man
will try to fix new ones. Those who want to establish a
new era bearing their idolatrous names, will be struck by
lightning. There is but one God in Heaven and one
Messiah on the Earth: the Son of God, Jesus of Nazareth.
134
As He gives His whole Self, He can desire everything,
and He puts His royal seal not on what is flesh and filth,
but on what is time and spirit.
"On the tenth day of this month each man must take a
lamb, one for each family, one for each household. And
if the number of people in the household is not sufficient
to consume the whole lamb, a man must join his
neighbour's family, so that they may be able to consume
the whole lamb". Because the sacrifice and the victim
must be complete and consumed. Not even a tiny bit of it
must be left over. None will be left. Too many are those
who are about to feed on the lamb. A countless number,
for a banquet with no time limit,
and no more fire is required to consume the remains,
because there are no remains. Those parts that are
offered and rejected by hatred will be consumed by the
very fire of the Victim, by His love. I love you, men.
You, My twelve friends, whom I chose personally, you
in whom are the twelve tribes of Israel and the thirteen
veins of Mankind. I have gathered everything in you and
I see everything gathered in you… Everything. »
« But in the veins of Adam's body there is also the vein
of Cain. None of us has lifted his hand against his
companion. So where is Abel? » asks the Iscariot.
« What you said is true. In the veins of Adam's body
there is also the vein of Cain. And I am the Abel, the
meek Abel, the shepherd of flocks, pleasant to the Lord
because he offered his early fruits and what was
faultless, and himself before all his offerings. I love you,
men. Even if you do not love Me, I love you. Love
hastens and completes the work of the sacrificers.
"It must be a lamb without blemish, a male one year
old". There is no time for the Lamb of God. He is. The
same on the last day as He was on the first day of this
Earth. He Who is like His Father does not know ageing
in His divine nature. And His person knows only one old
age and only one tiredness: the disappointment of having
come in vain for too many. When you learn how I was
killed - and the eyes that will see their Lord changed into
a leper covered with sores are now shining with tears
beside Me, and they can no longer see this pleasant hill
because tears blind them with their liquid veil - you may
say: "He did not die of that. He died because He had
been unknown to His dearest ones and He had been
rejected by too many men". But if the Son of God has no
time-limit, and thus differs from the lamb of the rite, He
is equal to it because He is without blemish and a male
sacred to the Lord. Yes. In vain the executioners, those
who will kill Me with weapons, or with their will or their
betrayal, will endeavour to excuse themselves saying:
"He was guilty". No one who is sincere can accuse Me
of sin. Can you do so?
We are facing death. I am. Others also are. Who? Do
you want to !low who, Peter? Everybody. Death
advances hour by hour and snatches those who less
expect it. But also those who still have a long life to live,
are in front of death every moment, because time is a
flash compared with eternity, and because at the hour of
death even the longest life is reduced to nothing, and
actions dozens and dozens of years old, even those of
one's early childhood, come back in crowds saying:
"Well, you were doing this yesterday". Yesterday! It is
always yesterday when one is dying! And honours and
gold for which men long so much are always dust! And
the fruit after which one was mad loses all flavour!
Women? Money? Power? Science? What is left?
Nothing! Only one's conscience and the judgement of
God, before Whom goes the conscience, poor and
stripped of human protection and wealth, and laden only
with its actions.
Some of the blood must be taken and put on the
doorposts and lintel, and the Angel passing over will not
strike the houses marked with the blood". Take My
blood. Do not put it on dead stones, but on dead hearts.
It is the new circumcision. And I circumcise Myself on
behalf of the whole world. I do not sacrifice the useless
part, but I break off My magnificent, wholesome, pure
virility, I sacrifice it completely, and I take My blood
from My mutilated limbs and from the opened veins and
I draw rings of salvation on Mankind, rings of eternal
nuptials with God Who is in Heaven, with the Father
Who is waiting, and I say: "See. Now You can no longer
reject them, because You would reject Your blood".
"And Moses said: '… and then dip a spray of hyssop in
the blood and sprinkle the doorposts' ". So is the blood
not sufficient? It is not. Your repentance is to be joined
to My blood. Without bitter beneficial repentance, I shall
have died for you in vain.
That is the first word in the Book about the Redeeming
Lamb. But the Book is strewn with it. As at each new
sunrise the blossoms become thicker and thicker on
these branches, so, as a new year follows an old one and
the time of Redemption draws near, then blossoming
becomes more and more luxuriant.
And now with Zechariah I say to you, to you in
Jerusalem: "Here is the King Who comes full of
meekness riding on a donkey and colt. He is poor". But
He will disperse the mighty ones who oppress men. He
is meek, and yet His arm raised to bless will defeat the
demon and death. "He will announce peace, because He
is the King of peace". Although crucified, He will stretch
His domination from sea to sea. "He Who does not
shout, Who does not break, Who does not put out those
who are not light but smoke, those who are not strength
but weakness, those who deserve all reproach, He will
do justice according to truth". Your Messiah, o city of
135
Zion, your Messiah, o people of the Lord, your Messiah,
o people of the Earth.
"Without being sad or turbulent", and you can see how
there is not in Me the resentful sadness of the defeated,
or the rancorous sorrow of the perverted, but only the
seriousness of one who sees to what extent the
possession of Satan in men can go, and you see how for
three years I have incessantly stretched out My hands
inviting everybody to love, and My hands will be
stretched out again and they will be wounded, although I
could reduce My enemies to ashes and disperse them
with a simple act of My will! "Without being sad or
turbulent I will be successful in establishing My
Kingdom". That Kingdom of Christ in which is the
salvation of the world.
The Eternal Lord My Father says to Me: "I have called
You, I have taken You by the hand, I have appointed
You alliance between peoples and God, I have made
You the light of the nations". And I have been light.
Light to open the eyes of the blind, word to give speech
to the deaf, key to open the underground prisons of those
who were in the darkness of error.
And now, I Who am all that, am going to My death. I
will enter the darkness of death. Death, do you
understand?… The first things announced, are now
being fulfilled, I also say with the prophet. I will tell you
the rest before the Demon separates us.
There is Zion over there. Go and get the donkey and the
colt. Say to the man: "Rabbi Jesus needs them". And tell
My Mother that I am about to arrive. She is up there, on
that slope, with the Maries. She is waiting for Me. It is
My human triumph… Let it be Her triumph. Always
joined together. Oh! joined!… »
And who is the heart of a hyena that with his claw tears
the heart of a mother's heart: Me, Her Son? A man? No.
Every man is born of a woman. And by instinct and
moral consideration he cannot be pitiless towards a
mother, because he thinks of "his own". So it is not a
man. Who, then? A demon. But can a demon offend the
Victress? He must touch Her to offend Her. And Satan
cannot bear the virginal light of the Rose of God. So?
Whom do you say it is? Are you not speaking? Then I
will tell you. The most cunning demon has blended with
the most corrupt man, and like the poison enclosed in the
teeth of an asp, the demon is closed in him who can
approach the Woman and thus bite Her treacherously.
Cursed be the hybrid monster that is Satan and is man!
Shall I curse it? No. It is not the word of a Redeemer.
Then I say to the soul of this hybrid monster what I said
to Jerusalem, the monstrous city of God and of Satan:
"Oh, if in this hour still granted to you, you could come
to the Saviour!"
There is no love greater than Mine! Neither is there a
greater power. Also My Father agrees if I say: "I want",
and I can speak but compassionate words for those who
have fallen and stretch their arms towards Me from their
abyss. O soul of the greatest sinner, your Saviour on the
threshold of death bends over your abyss and invites you
to take His hand. My death will not be avoided… But
you… but you… would be saved, you whom I still love,
and the soul of your Friend would not be horrified at the
thought that He is aware of the horror of death and of
such death through the deed of his friend…
Jesus is silent… exhausted…
The apostles whisper to one another and they ask: « But
who is He speaking of? Who is it? »
And Judas, lying shamelessly, says: « It is certainly one
of the false Pharisees… I think it must be Joseph or
Nicodemus, or Chuza and Manaen… Every man is
anxious to save his life and his property… I know that
Herod… And I know that the Sanhedrin. He trusted
them too much! You know that even yesterday they
were not present?! They haven't the courage to face
Him… »
Jesus does not hear him. He has gone ahead and has
joined His Mother, Who is with the Maries and with
Martha and Susanna. Only Johanna of Chuza is absent
from the group of the pious women.
...I see the people in the crowd getting mixed up
continuously, and known faces appear and disappear: all
the disciples from all the places in Palestine, all the
followers… I see Jairus for a moment, and Jaia, the
youth from Pella (I think), who was blind like his mother
and was cured by Jesus, I see Joachim from Bozrah and
the peasant from the plain of Sharon with his brothers, I
see lonely old Matthias from a place near the Jordan, on
the eastern bank, where Jesus took shelter when the
place was all flooded, I see Zacchaeus with his
converted friends, I see old John from Nob with almost
all the citizens, I see the husband of Sarah from Juttah…
But who can cope with faces and names, if it is a
kaleidoscope of known and unknown faces, seen several
times or only once?… Now there is the face of the little
shepherd brought from Enon. And, near him, is the
disciple from Korazim who did not bury his father to
follow Jesus; and close to him, for a moment, the father
and mother of Benjamin from Capernaum with their son,
who almost falls under the hooves of the little donkey
when he throws himself forward to receive a caress from
Jesus.
And - unfortunately - there are faces of Pharisees and
scribes, livid with rage because of this triumph, and they
overbearingly elbow their way through the circle of love
that is pressing round Jesus and they shout to Him:
« Make these mad people keep quiet! Make them reason!
Hosannas are to be sung to God only. Tell them to be
quiet! »
136
And Jesus replies to them kindly: « Even if I told them
to be silent and they obeyed Me, the stones would extol
the wonders of the Word of God. »
In fact the people - in addition to shouting: « Hosanna,
hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He Who comes
in the name of the Lord. Hosanna to Him and to His
Kingdom! God is with us! The Immanuel has come. The
Kingdom of the Christ of the Lord has come! Hosanna!
Hosanna from the Earth to the highest Heaven! Peace!
Peace, my King! Peace and blessings to You, holy King!
Peace and glory in Heaven and on the Earth! Glory to
God for His Christ! Peace to the men who know how to
welcome Him. Peace on Earth to men of good will and
glory in the highest Heaven, because the hour of the
Lord has come » (and this last cry is uttered by the
whole group of the shepherds who are repeating the
Christmas song) - in addition to these uninterrupted
cries, the people of Palestine inform the pilgrims from
the Diaspora of the miracles they have seen, and to those
who do not know what is happening, because they are
strangers passing by chance through the town and ask:
« But who is He? What is happening? » they reply: « He
is Jesus! Jesus, the Master from Nazareth in Galilee! The
Prophet! The Messiah of the Lord! The Promised, the
Holy Messiah! »
...
They are at the gates of the enclosure of the Temple.
Jesus dismounts from the little donkey that is taken into
custody by a man from Bethphage.
It is necessary to bear in mind that Jesus did not stop at
the first gate of the Temple, but He went round the
enclosure, and He stopped only at the northern side, near
the Antonia. That is where He dismounted and went into
the Temple, as if He wished to let people see that He
was not hiding from the ruling powers, feeling that He
had always behaved in an innocent way.
The first court of the Temple shows the usual uproar of
moneychangers and vendors of doves, sparrows and
lambs, with the only difference that the vendors have
been left alone, because everybody has gone to see
Jesus. And Jesus enters, solemn in His purple garment,
and He looks around at the market and at a group of
Pharisees and scribes, who are watching Him from a
porch.
His eyes are flashing with anger. He rushes to the centre
of the court. An unexpected leap that looks like a flight.
The flight of a flame, because His garment is as bright as
a flame in the sunshine flooding the court. And in His
voice as powerful as thunder He says: « Away from the
house of My Father! This is no place for usury or
markets. It is written: "My house will be called the house
of prayer". So why have you turned into a robbers' den
this house, in which the Name of the Lord is invoked?
Go away! Leave My House clean. That it may not
happen to you, that instead of using ropes, I may strike
you with the thunderbolts of heavenly wrath. Go away!
Get out, you thieves, swindlers, lewd people, murderers,
impious persons, idolaters of the worst idolatry, that of
one's proud ego, corrupters and liars. Out! Get out! Or
the Most High God, I warn you, will sweep away this
place for good and will take vengeance upon all the
people. » He does not repeat the lashing of the last time,
but seeing that the merchants and money-changers are
slow in obeying, He goes to the nearest bench and turns
it over spreading scales and money on the ground.
The vendors and money-changers make haste and carry
out Jesus' order, after witnessing the first example. And
Jesus shouts after them: « And how many times shall I
have to say that this must not be a place of filth, but a
place of prayer? » And He looks at those of the Temple
who, obeying the orders of the Pontiff, do not make any
gesture of reprisal.
After cleansing the court, Jesus goes towards the porches
where blind, paralytic, mute, crippled and other sick
people are gathered and are invoking Him at the top of
their voices.
« What do you want Me to do for you? »
« My sight, Lord! My limbs! That my son may speak!
That my wife may recover her health. We believe in
You, Son of God! »
« May God hear you. Rise and sing hosannas to the
Lord! »
He does not cure the many sick people one by one. But
He makes a wide gesture with His hand, and grace and
health descend from it upon the poor wretches, who
stand up completely cured with cries of joy that mingle
with those of the many children, who are pressing
against Him repeating: « Glory, glory to the Son of
David! Hosanna to Jesus of Nazareth, the King of Kings
and the Lord of Lords! »
Some Pharisees, with feigned deference, shout to Him:
« Master, do You hear them? These children are saying
what is not to be said. Reproach them! That they may
keep quiet! »
« Why? The king prophet, the king of My stock, did he
not say: "You made the perfect praise flow from the
mouths of children and sucklings to confuse Your
enemies"? Have you not read these words of the
psalmist? Let children sing My praises. They are
prompted to sing them by their angels, who see My
Father incessantly and are aware of His secrets, which
they suggest to these innocents. And now let Me go and
pray the Lord » and, passing in front of the people, He
goes into the court of Israel to pray…
...
137
Palm Sunday (or Passion Matt 21:1-9 & Matt Ma
Sunday II) 26:1-75; 27:1-66 Ma
27:
588. Jesus Enters into Jerusalem.
30th March 1947 (Palm Sunday).
Jesus says: « You will put here the vision: "From
Bethany to Jerusalem" (dated 3rd March 1945). And
now: look! »
--------------------
Jesus embraces with His arm the shoulders of His
Mother, Who has stood up when John and James of
Alphaeus have reached Her to say to Her: « Your Son is
coming », and then they have come back to join their
companions who are proceeding slowly, talking, while
Thomas and Andrew have rushed towards Bethphage to
look for the donkey and the colt and take them to Jesus.
In the meantime Jesus is speaking to the women. « Here
we are near the city. I advise you to go. And go without
being afraid. Enter the town before I do. All the
shepherds and the most faithful disciples are near En
Rogel. They have been told to escort and protect you. »
« The fact is that… We have spoken to Aser of Nazareth
and Abel of Bethlehem in Galilee and also to Solomon.
They had come as far as here to watch for Your arrival.
The crowd is preparing a great celebration. And we
wanted to see… See how the tops of the olivetrees are
shaken? It is not the wind that is shaking them thus. But
it is the people who are gathering branches to spread
them on the road and to protect You from the sun. And
over there?! Look over there, they are stripping the
palm-trees of their fan-shaped leaves. They look like
clusters and they are men who have climbed up the
trunks to gather more and more… And, on the slopes,
You can see children bending to pick flowers. And the
women certainly strip gardens of corollas and scented
herbs to strew Your way with flowers. We wanted to
see… and imitate the gesture of Mary of Lazarus, who
picked up all the flowers pressed by Your feet when You
went into Lazarus' gardens » says imploringly Mary of
Clopas on behalf of them all.
Jesus caresses the cheek of His old relative, who looks
like a little girl anxious to see a show, and He says to
her: « You would not be able to see anything among the
large crowd. Go on, to Lazarus I house, the one whose
keeper is Matthias. I shall be passing there and you will
see Me from on high. »
« Son… and are You going all alone? Can I not be near
You? » asks Mary, raising Her very sad face and staring
with Her sky-blue eyes at Her meek Son.
« I would beg You to remain hidden. Like a dove in the
cleft of a rock. Rather than Your presence, My beloved
Mother, I need Your prayer! »
« If so, Son, we will all pray for You. »
« Yes. And after you have seen Him pass by, you will
come with me to my mansion in Zion. And I will send
servants to the Temple, with instructions to follow the
Master all the time, so that they may bring us His orders
and His news », says Mary of Lazarus resolutely, always
quick in realising what is the best thing to do and to do it
without delay.
« You are right, sister. Although it grieves me not to
follow Him, I understand that it is a just order. In any
case Lazarus told us not to contradict the Master in
anything, and to obey Him even in the least matters. And
we will do that. »
« Go, then. See? The roads are getting busy. The
apostles are about to join Me. Go. Peace be with you. I
will make you come when I think it is a suitable
moment. Goodbye, Mother. Peace to you. God is with
us. » He kisses Her and dismisses Her. And the obedient
women disciples go away quickly.
The ten apostles join Jesus. « Have You sent them
ahead? »
« Yes, I have. They will see My entry from a house. »
« From which house? » asks Judas of Kerioth.
« Eh! the friendly houses are so many now! » says
Philip.
« Not from Annaleah's? » says the Iscariot insisting.
Jesus replies in the negative and He sets out towards
Bethphage, which is not far.
He is near the village when the two apostles, who had
been sent to get the donkey and the colt, come back.
They shout: « We found what You told us and we would
have brought the animals. But the owner wanted to curry
them and adorn them with the best trappings to honour
You. And the disciples, with those who have spent the
night in the streets of Bethany to honour You, wish to
have the honour of bringing them to You, and we
agreed. We thought that their love deserved a reward. »
« You did the right thing. Let us go on in the
meantime. »
« Are there many disciples? » asks Bartholomew.
« Oh! a great crowd. It is impossible to pass along the
streets in Bethphage. That is why I told Isaac to take the
donkey to Cleanthes, the cheese-monger » replies
Thomas.
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« You acted rightly. Let us go as far as that rising of the
hill, and we shall wait a little in the shade of those
trees. »
They go to the place pointed out by Jesus.
« But we are going farther away! You are going beyond
Bethphage passing round the back! » exclaims the
Iscariot.
« And if I want to do so, who can forbid Me? Am I
perhaps already a prisoner and not allowed to go where I
want? Or is it urgent that I should be so, and is anybody
afraid that I may avoid being captured? And if I should
decide to go away along safer routes, is there anybody
who could prevent Me from doing so? » Jesus darts a
glance at the Traitor, who dare no longer open his mouth
and shrugs his shoulders, as if to say: « Do as You
like. »
They go, in fact, round the back of the little village, I
should say a suburb of the town, as its western side is
really not far from the town, being part of the slopes of
the Mount of Olives, which surrounds the eastern side of
Jerusalem. Farther down, between the slopes and the
town, the Kidron is shining in the April sunshine.
Jesus sits down in the green silent place and concentrates
on His thoughts. He then stands up and goes towards the
rising, stopping just at its edge.
--------------------
Jesus says: « You will put here the vision of 31st July
1944: "Jesus weeps over Jerusalem", from the sentence
that I gave you as the beginning of the vision. » He then
resumes showing me the phases of His triumphal entry.
--------------------
30th July 1944.
I do not know how I shall manage to write because I am
suffering so much from heart trouble that I can hardly sit
up. But it cannot be helped. I must write what I see.
...
Jesus and His apostles are sitting under a group of trees,
in the shade. They are resting after a long walk. Then
Jesus stands up, He leaves the clearing where they were
sitting and He goes towards the hillock and stops just at
its edge. His tall person stands out clearly in the empty
space around Him. He looks even taller as He stands
upright, all alone. His arms are folded across His chest,
on His blue mantle, and He looks around very seriously.
The apostles watch Him. But they leave Him alone, they
neither move nor speak. They must think that He has
moved aside to pray.
But Jesus is not praying. After looking for a long time at
the town, at each district, at each hillock, at each detail,
at times letting His eyes dwell upon this or that point, at
times watching less insistently, Jesus begins to weep
without sobbing or making any noise. Tears fill His
eyes, then gush forth and stream down His cheeks and
fall… Silent very sad tears. The tears of a man who
knows that he must weep, all alone, without hoping to be
consoled or understood by anybody. Tears brought about
by grief that cannot be cancelled and must be suffered
absolutely.
Because of his position John's brother is the first to
notice those tears and he tells the others, who look at one
another and are seized with astonishment.
« None of us has done anything wrong » says one, and
another: « The crowds did not insult us either. Among
them nobody was hostile to Him ». « Why is He
weeping, then? » asks the oldest of them all.
Peter and John stand up together and they approach the
Master. They think that the only thing to be done is to
make Him feel that they love Him and ask Him what the
matter is with Him. « Master, are You weeping? » asks
John laying his fair-haired head on the shoulder of Jesus,
Who is taller than he is by a neck and a head. And Peter,
laying his hand round Jesus' waist, almost embracing
Him to draw Him to himself, says to Him: « What is
grieving You, Jesus? Tell us who love You. »
Jesus rests His cheek on John's fair-haired head and
opening out His arms, He passes His arm round Peter's
shoulder. The three of them are thus embraced to one
another in such a loving posture. But tears continue to
drop.
John feels them run down through his hair and he asks
once again: « Why are You weeping, Master? Are we
perhaps the cause of Your sorrow? »
The other apostles have gathered round the loving group
and are anxiously awaiting a reply.
« No » says Jesus. « Your are not. You are My friends
and friendship, when it is sincere, is a balm and a smile,
never tears. I would like you to remain My friends for
ever. Even now that we shall enter into the corruption,
that ferments and contaminates those who are not
resolutely willing to remain honest. »
« Where are we going, Master? Are we not going to
Jerusalem? The crowds have already greeted You
joyfully. Do You want to disappoint them? Are we going
to Samaria to work some miracle? Just now that
Passover is close at hand? » The questions are asked by
several of the apostles at the same time.
Jesus raises His hands imposing silence and then with
His right one He points to the town. A wide gesture like
that of a man sowing seeds ahead of himself. And He
says: « That is the Corruption. We are going into
Jerusalem. We are going there. And only the Most High
knows how I would like to sanctify the town taking there
the Holiness that comes from Heaven. I would like to re-
139
sanctify it, as it should be the Holy City. But I shall not
be able to do anything for it. It is corrupt, and will
remain corrupt. And the streams of holiness that gush
from the living Temple, and will gush even more in the
next few days to the extent of leaving it lifeless, will not
be sufficient to redeem it. Samaria and the heathen world
will come to the Holy One. The temples of the true God
will be erected on the false temples. The hearts of the
Gentiles will worship the Christ. But this people, this
town will always be hostile to Him, and their hatred will
lead them to the greatest sin. That must happen. But woe
to those who will be the instruments of that crime.
Woe!… » Jesus stares at Judas, who is almost in front of
Him.
« That will never happen to us. We are Your apostles
and we believe in You, and we are ready to die for
You. » Judas lies shamelessly and meets Jesus' eye
without embarrassment. The others join in protesting.
Jesus replies to all of them, avoiding to reply to Judas
directly.
« Would to Heaven that you may be so. But you are still
very weak, and temptation may make you like those who
hate Me. Pray fervently and watch diligently over
yourselves. Satan is aware that he is about to be defeated
and he wants to avenge himself by tearing you away
from Me. Satan is around us all. He is around Me to
prevent Me from doing the will of My Father and from
fulfilling My mission. And he is around you to make you
his servants. Be vigilant. Within those walls Satan will
take those who are not strong. He will take him whose
curse will be the fact that he was elected, because he
made use of his election for a human purpose. I chose
you for the Kingdom of Heaven, not for that of the
world. Bear that in mind. And you, o city, that want your
ruin and over which I am shedding tears, be aware that
your Christ is praying for your redemption. Oh! if at
least in this hour still left to you, you came to Him Who
would be your peace! If in this hour you understood the
Love passing through you and you divested yourself of
the hatred that makes you blind and insane, and cruel
against yourself and your welfare! But the day will come
when you will remember this hour! But it will be too late
to weep and repent! The Love will have passed and
disappeared from your streets, and the Hatred that you
preferred will remain. And Hatred will be on you and on
your children. Because one has what one wanted, and
hatred is paid with hatred. And then it will not be the
hatred of the strong against the defenceless, but it will be
hatred against hatred, thus war and death. Surrounded by
trenches and armed men, you will languish before being
destroyed, and you will see your children killed by
weapons and famine, and the survivors taken prisoners
and derided, and you will ask for mercy, but will never
find it, because you refused to acknowledge your
Salvation. I am weeping, My friends, because I have the
heart of a man, and the ruin of My fatherland makes Me
shed tears. But it is just that this takes place because
within those walls corruption exceeds all limits and
draws the punishment of God. Woe betide the citizens
who bring about the ruin of their fatherland! Woe betide
the leaders who are the main cause of it! Woe betide
those who should be saints to guide the others to be
honest and instead they desecrate the House of their
ministry and themselves! Come. My action will be of no
avail. But let us make the Light shine once again in the
Darkness! »
And Jesus goes down followed by His apostles. He
walks fast along the road with a serious countenance, I
would say, almost looking sullen. He speaks no more.
He goes into a little house at the foot of the hill, and I
see nothing else.
--------------------
....
Monday of Holy Week John 12:1-9
584. The Sabbath before the Entry into Jerusalem. The
Supper at Bethany.
...
Jesus also bends a little to look at John who is at one of
the comers of the U-shaped table, thus a little behind the
back of the Lord, Who is at the middle of the central
side, with His cousin James on His left and Lazarus on
His right; after Lazarus there is the Zealot and
Maximinus, and after James there is the other James and
then Peter. John, instead, is between Andrew and
Bartholomew, then there is Thomas, with in front of him
Judas, Philip, Matthew and Thaddeus, who is at the
corner, at the beginning of the long central table.
Mary of Lazarus leaves the hall while Martha is putting
on the table trays full of early green figs, green fennel
stalks, fresh shelled almonds, strawberries or raspberries,
I do not know, that look even redder among the pale
emerald green of the fennels and of the figs and the
white of the almonds, of the little melons or other fruit of
the kind… I think they look like the green melons of
southern Italy, and golden oranges.
« These fruits already? I have not seen any ripe ones
anywhere » says Peter opening his eyes wide and
pointing at the strawberries and the melons.
« Some of them came from the shores beyond Gaza
where I have a market garden of these products, and
some from the sunny terraces on the house, the nursery
140
for the more delicate plants that need to be protected
from frost. A Roman friend taught me how to grow
them… The only good thing he taught me… » Lazarus
becomes gloomy. Martha sighs… But Lazarus becomes
at once the perfect host who does not sadden his guests.
« It is a wide spread custom in the villas at Baia and
Syracuse and along the Sybaris gulf to cultivate such
delights with that method to have them prematurely. Eat
them: the last fruits are the oranges from Libya, the
earliest the melons of Egypt grown in the solaria and
these Latin fruits and the white almonds of our
fatherland, the tender broad beans, the digestive stalks
tasting of anise… Martha, have you seen to the boy? »
« Yes, I have seen to everybody. Mary was deeply
moved remembering Egypt… »
« We had some plants in our poor kitchen garden. In dog
days it was a great joy to dip the melons into the well of
our neighbour, as it was deep and cool, and eat them in
the evening… I remember… I had a little greedy goat
and we had to watch her because she was fond of tender
plants and fruits… » Jesus, Who was speaking with His
head somewhat lowered, raises it and looks at the palm-
trees rustling in the breeze of the evening that is falling
J and says: « When I see those palm-trees… Every time I
see palm-trees I see Egypt again, its yellow sandy soil
blown so easily by the wind, and far away the pyramids
trembled in the rarefied air… and the tall trunks of the
palm-trees… and the house where… But it is no use
speaking of them. Each period has its anxiety… And its
joy with its anxiety… Lazarus, would you give me some
of those fruits? I should like to take them to Mary and
Matthias. I do not think that Johanna has any. »
« She has not. She said so yesterday and she intends to
plant some at Bether and have solaria built. But I shall
not give them to You now. I picked as many as I had and
for some days there will be no ripe ones. I will send
them to You or send for them by Thursday. We will
prepare a lovely basket of them for those children. Is that
right, Martha? »
« Yes, brother. And we will add some little lilies of the
valley that Johanna likes so much. »
Mary Magdalene comes back in. She is holding in her
hands a thin-necked amphora, ending in a little bill, as
pretty as the neck of a bird. The alabaster is of a precious
rosy yellow hue, like the complexion of some blondes.
The apostles look at her thinking, perhaps, that she is
bringing some rare delicacy. But Mary does not go to the
centre, inside the U of the table, where her sister is. She
goes behind the seat-beds and stops between that of
Jesus and Lazarus and that of the two Jameses.
She uncorks the alabaster vase and places her hand under
the little bill to receive a few drops of a viscous liquid
that flows slowly from the open amphora. A strong smell
of tuberoses and other essences, a very intense pleasant
scent spreads in the hall. But Mary is not satisfied with
the little quantity of perfume that flows. She stoops and
with a sharp blow she breaks the neck of the amphora
against the comer of Jesus' little bed. The thin neck falls
on the floor shedding scented drops on the marble
pavement. The amphora now has a wide aperture
through which plenty unguent flows in thick gushes.
Mary places herself behind Jesus and spreads the thick
oil on her Jesus' hair, she sprinkles all His locks with it,
she stretches them and then puts them in order with the
comb taken from her own hair, tidying them on the
adored head. Jesus' fair-red hair shines now like dark
gold and is very bright after the unction. The light of the
chandelier, lit by the servants, is reflected on Jesus fair
hair like a beautiful copper-coloured bronze helmet. The
scent is exhilarating. Through the nostrils it rises to the
head and, spread as it is without restraint, it is so intense
that it is almost as exciting as sternutatory powder.
Lazarus, with his head turned round, smiles watching
how carefully Mary anoints and arranges Jesus' locks so
that His hair may look tidy after the scented massage,
while she does not worry about her plaits, which, no
longer supported by the wide comb that helps the
hairpins to hold them in place, are falling lower and
lower on her neck, and are about to loosen completely
on her shoulders. Martha also looks at her smiling. The
others are talking to one another in low voices with
different expressions on their faces.
But Mary is not yet satisfied. There is still plenty
ointment in the broken vase, and Jesus' hair, although
thick, is already saturated with it. Mary then repeats the
loving gesture of an evening of longago. She kneels
down at the foot of the bed, she unties the buckles of
Jesus' sandals and takes them off, and dipping the long
fingers of her beautiful hand into the vase, she takes as
much ointment as she can and spreads it on His bare
feet, toe by toe, then on the soles and heels, then up, on
the malleoli, which she uncovers by throwing back His
linen tunic, and lastly on the insteps, she delays on the
metatarsi, which will be pierced by the dreadful nails,
she insists until she finds no more balm in the hollow
vase. Then she shatters it on the floor and with her hands
now free she removes her big hairpins, she quickly
looses her heavy plaits and with that golden, bright, soft,
flowing bundle of hair she removes the excess of
ointment from Jesus' feet that are dripping balm.
Judas, who so far has been silent watching with lewd
envious eyes the beautiful woman and the Master Whose
head and feet she was anointing, raises his voice, the
only voice of open reproach; some of the others, not all
of them, had murmured something or had made gestures
of surprised but also calm disapproval. But Judas, who
has stood up to have a better view of the ointment spread
on Jesus' feet, says with ill grace: « What a useless
heathen waste! Why do that? And then we expect the
141
Chiefs of the Sanhedrin not to speak of sin! Those are
deeds of a lustful courtesan and they do not become the
new life you are leading, woman. They are too strong a
recollection of your past! »
The insult is such that everybody is dumbfounded. It is
such that everybody stirs, some sit up on the beds, some
jump to their feet, everyone looks at Judas, as if he had
suddenly become insane.
Martha flares up. Lazarus springs to his feet striking the
table with his fist and says: « In my house… », then he
looks at Jesus and controls himself.
« Yes. Are you all looking at me? You have all
murmured in your hearts. But now that I echoed your
words and I openly said what you thought, you are all
ready to say that I am wrong. I will repeat what I said. I
do not mean that Mary is the Master's lover. But I say
that certain actions do not become Him or her. It is an
imprudent action. And an unjust one. Yes. Why such
waste? If she wanted to destroy the memories of her
past, she could have given that vase and ointment to me.
It was at least a pound of pure nard! And of high value. I
could have sold it for at least three hundred denarii, as
that is the price for nard of that quality. And I could have
sold the vase, which was beautiful and precious. I would
have given the money to the poor who crowd round us.
We never have enough. And those asking for alms
tomorrow in Jerusalem will be numberless. »
« That is true » say the others assenting. « You could
have used a little for the Master and the rest… »
Mary of Magdala seems to be deaf. She continues
wiping Jesus' feet with her loose hair that now, at its end,
is also heavy with the ointment and darker than on the
top of her head. Jesus' feet are smooth and soft in their
shade of old ivory, as if they were covered with fresh
skin. And Mary puts the sandals on the Christ's feet
again, kissing each foot before and after putting the
sandal on, deaf to everything that is not her love for
Jesus.
Jesus defends her laying His hand on her head bent in
the last kiss and saying: « Leave her alone. Why are you
annoying and upsetting her? You do not realise what she
has done. Mary has accomplished and action that is
rightful and good with regard to Me. The poor will
always be among you. I am about to go away. You will
always have them, but you will soon not have Me any
longer. You will always be able to give alms to the poor.
Shortly to Me, to the Son of man among men, it will no
longer be possible to give any honour, through the will
of men, and because the hour has come. Love is light to
her. She feels that I am about to die and she wanted to
anticipate the burial anointing for My body. I tell you
solemnly that wherever the Good News is proclaimed,
this prophetic action of love of hers will be remembered.
All over the world. Throughout ages. I wish God would
turn every human being into another Mary who does not
value things, who entertains no attachment for anything,
who does not cherish the least memory of the past, but
destroys and treads on everything that is flesh and world,
and breaks and spreads herself, as she did with the nard
and the alabaster, on her Lord and out of love for Him.
Do not weep, Mary. In this hour I repeat to you the
words I spoke to Simon the Pharisee and to your sister
Martha: "You are forgiven everything, because you have
loved completely". You have chosen the better part. And
it will not be taken away from you. Go in peace, My
kind little sheep found again. Go in peace. The pastures
of love shall be your food for ever. Stand up. Kiss also
My hands that have absolved and blessed you… How
many people these hands of Mine have absolved,
blessed, cured, assisted! And yet I tell you that the
people whom I have assisted are preparing torture for
these hands… »
There is deathlike silence in the air sultry with the
intense scent. Mary, her loose hair clothing her shoulders
and veiling her face, kisses the right hand that Jesus
offers her and cannot detach her lips from it…
Martha, deeply moved, approaches her and gathers her
loose hair, which she braids caressing her, and then she
wipes the tears on her cheeks endeavouring to dry
them…
No one feels like eating any more… Christ's words make
them pensive.
Judas of Alphaeus is the first to get up. He asks leave to
withdraw. His brother James imitates him and Andrew
and John follow suit. The others remain, but they are
already standing, intent on purifying their hands in silver
basins handed to them by the servants. Mary and Martha
do the same with the Master and Lazarus.
A servant comes in and he bends to speak to Maximinus,
who, after listening to him, says: « Master, there are
some people who would like to see You. They say that
they come from afar. What shall we do? »
Jesus calls Philip, James of Zebedee and Thomas and
says to them: « Go, evangelize, cure, act in My name.
Tell them that I shall be going up to the Temple
tomorrow. »
« Is it wise to tell them that, Lord? » asks Simon Zealot.
« There is no sense in being silent about it, because it is
already mentioned in the Holy City, more by enemies
than by friends. Go! »
« H'm! As long as friends know… we know. But they do
not betray. I do not know how the others can be
informed. »
« Among the many friends there are always some
enemies, Simon of Jonas. Now the friends are… too
many and they are accepted as such too easily. When I
142
think how long I had to wait and pray!… But those were
the early days and one was cautious. Then the triumphs
dazzled us and we were not longer wary. And that was
wrong. But it happens to all winners. Victories prevent
one from seeing clearly and enfeeble one's prudence in
acting. I am speaking of us disciples, of course, not of
the Master. He is perfect. If we had remained only
twelve, we should not have to tremble for fear of
betrayals! » says Judas of Kerioth lying shamelessly.
It is impossible to describe the glance Christ casts at the
perfidious apostle. A glance of warning and infinite
sorrow. But Judas pays no attention to it. He passes by
the table to go out… Jesus follows him with His eyes
and when He sees him go out, He asks him: « Where are
you going? »
« Out… » replies Judas evasively.
« Out of this room, or out of the house? »
« Out… So… For a little walk. »
« Do not go, Judas. Stay with Me, with us… »
« Your brothers have gone away with John and Andrew.
Why must I not go? »
« You are not going to have a rest as they did… »
Judas does not reply, but he goes out obstinately. Not a
word is uttered in the hall. Lazarus and his sisters and
the four apostles who have stayed: Peter, Simon,
Matthew and Bartholomew, look at one another.
Jesus looks outside. He has got up and has gone to a
window to follow Judas' movements and when He sees
him go out of the house wearing his mantle and set out
towards the gate, which cannot be seen from here, He
calls him in a loud voice: « Judas! Wait for Me. I have
something to tell you » and He gently frees Himself
from Lazarus who, realising that the Master was grieved,
had passed his arm round His waist embracing Him, and
He leaves the hall, joining Judas, who had continued
walking although more slowly.
He reaches him at about one third of the distance
between the house and the garden wall, near a thicket of
plants with thick leaves that look like green baked clay
sprayed with clusters of little flowers, and each flower is
a small cross with heavy petals as if they were made of
light yellow wax, with a strong scent. I do not know
their name. He draws him behind the thicket and holding
his forearm tight with His hand, He asks him again:
« Where are you going, Judas? Please, stay here! »
« Since You know everything, why do You ask me?
What need is there for You to ask, since You can read
the hearts of men? You know that I am going to my
friends. You do not allow me to go there. They press me
to go. And I am going. »
« Your friends! You should say your ruin! That is where
you are going. You are going to your true murderers.
Don't go, Judas! Don't go! You are going to commit a
crime… You… »
« Ah! You are afraid?! Are You afraid at last?! You
realise at last that You are a man! You are a man!
Nothing more than a man! Because man only is afraid of
death. God knows that He cannot die. If You felt that
You were God, You would know that You could not die
and You would not be afraid. Because now that You feel
death close at hand, You are afraid like all men and You
are trying with every possible means to avert it and You
see danger everywhere and in everything. Where is Your
lovely boldness? Where are Your confident protestations
that You were happy and thirsting for accomplishing the
Sacrifice? There is not even an echo of them left in Your
heart! You thought that this hour would never come, so
You feigned power, generosity and You spoke solemn
sentences. Go away! You are as bad as those whom You
reproach as being hypocrites! You have enticed us and
betrayed us. And we had left everything for Your sake!
And because of You we are hated! You have brought
about our ruin… »
« That is enough. Go! Go away! Not many hours have
gone by since you said to Me: "Help me to stay. Defend
me!". I have done that. To what avail? Tell Me one thing
more, and think about it before telling Me. Is this your
sincere will? To go to your friends, to prefer them to
Me? »
« Yes. It is. I do not have to think about it, because for a
long time I have wanted nothing but that. »
« Then go. God does not do violence to man's will » and
Jesus turns His back on him and goes slowly back to the
house.
When He is close to it He raises His head, attracted by
the eyes of Lazarus, who standing where he was before,
is looking fixedly at Him. It is a very pale face that
endeavours to smile at the faithful friend.
He goes back into the hall where the four apostles are
speaking to Maximinus, while Martha and Mary are
directing the work of the servants, who are tidying up
the hall removing the dishes and table-linen used at the
banquet.
Lazarus has gone to the door and once again he has
embraced Jesus' waist with his arm, and passing near a
servant he says to him: « Bring me the roll that is on the
table in my workroom. »
He takes Jesus to one of the wide seats placed in the
cavities of the windows, so that He may sit down. But
Jesus remains standing, striving to pay attention to what
Lazarus is saying to Him… but it is evident that His
mind is elsewhere and His heart is grieved, although
when He realises that the apostles are watching Him, He
143
smiles to dispel the suspicions of those who have
approached Him surrounding Him and are whispering to
one another, winking and pointing at the Master.
The servant comes back with the roll and Peter, seeing
that the parchments contain things that are higher than
what his head can understand, withdraws saying: « Fish
do not bite certain baits. It is better to speak with
Maximinus of plants and cultivations. »
Martha continues with her work. "Maria, although silent,
takes part in the conversation of Lazarus, who points out
certain passages of the parchments to the Master, saying:
« Has this heathen not got a rare foresight? More than
many of us. Perhaps… if he had been here, while You
are our Master, he would have been one of Your
disciples, and one of the best. And he would have
understood You as many of us have not been able to
understand You. And what a poem would have been
inspired to his genius by his admiration for You! Your
words gathered and preserved by a spirit that is bright
although it belongs to a heathen! Your life described by
this open and limpid intellect! We no longer have writers
and poets. You were born late. When the selfishness of
life and religious-social corruption have extinguished
poetry and genius among us. What our wise men and
prophets have written about You, without knowing You,
has not found an echo in the living voice of one of Your
followers. Your favourites, Your faithful followers are
mostly people without education. And the others… No.
We no longer have any Qohelet to hand down to the
crowds Your wisdom and Your figure. We no longer
have them because the spirit and will are lacking more
than the ability to do so. The humanly more chosen part
of Israel is as deaf as a broken trumpet, and it can no
longer sing the glories and wonders of God. My worry is
that everything may be lost or adulterated, partly through
inability, partly through ill-will… »
« That will not happen. When the Spirit of the Lord is
settled in hearts, it will repeat My words and explain
their meaning. It is the Spirit of God Who speaks
through the lips of the Christ. Then… Then It will speak
to the spirits directly and will recall My words. »
« Oh! I wish that would happen soon! Soon, because
they listen so little to Your words and understand them
even less. I think that the roaring of the Spirit of God
will be as violent as blazing fire to engrave with violence
in the minds of men what they would not accept because
it was kind and mild. I think that the flaming Spirit will
burn the tepid or torpid consciences with Its fire, writing
Your words on them. The world will have to love You!
It is the will of the Most High! But when will it
happen? »
« When I shall be consumed in the Sacrifice of love.
Then Love will come. It will be like the beautiful flame
rising from the sacrificed Victim. And that flame will
never go out, because the Sacrifice will never end. Once
it is accomplished, it will last throughout the time of the
Earth. »
« But then… You would really have to be sacrificed so
that that may happen? »
« It is so » Jesus makes His usual gesture of adherence to
His own destiny. He stretches out His arms with His
hands pointed outwards and lowers His head. He then
raises it to smile at distressed Lazarus and says: « But
the immaterial voice of the Spirit of love will not be so
violent as a roar, but it will be as sweet as love, which is
as mild as a Nisan breeze and yet is as strong as death.
The ineffable ministry of Love! The complement, the
completion of My ministry. The perfection of My
ministry as Master… I am not afraid, as you are, that
anything of what I have given may be lost. On the
contrary, I solemnly tell you that beams of light will be
cast on My words and you will see their spirit. I am
going away serenely because I am entrusting My
doctrine to the Holy Spirit and My spirit to My Father. »
He lowers His head pensively, then, after laying the roll,
which gave rise to the conversation, on a kind of tall
dresser or chest of ebony, or other dark wood, all inlaid
with yellowish ivory, that has been brought by four
servants from the next room, and in which Martha is
arranging the more valuable tableware, He says:
« Lazarus, come outside. I want to speak to you! »
« At once, Lord » and Lazarus gets up from the seat on
which he was sitting and follows Jesus into the garden,
where it is beginning to get dark, as the last daylight is
fading away in the sky, and the early moonlight, which
is just beginning to appear, is still too faint.
--------------------
Tuesday of Holy Week Mark 14:1-72; 15:1-46
Wednesday of Holy Luke 22:1-71; 23:1-53
Week
Good Friday – John 18:1-40; 19:1-42
The Crucifixion
See these links summarising the Stations according to
Valtorta:
https://sites.google.com/site/poemvaltorta/passion
Mary’s amazing lamentation:
144
https://sites.google.com/site/poemvaltorta/holy-sat-to-
easter-morn
Prologue to the Passion. " And now come. Although
this evening you are like one who is about to breathe his
last, come, so that I may lead you towards My sufferings.
Long is the way we shall have to cover together,
because I was not spared any sorrow: neither the pain of
the flesh, nor the grief of the mind, of the heart, of the
spirit. I tasted all of them, I fed on all of them, I
quenched My thirst with all of them, to the extent that I
died of them. If you laid your lips on Mine, you would
taste the bitterness that they still retain of so much
sorrow. If you could see My Human nature in its
appearance, which is now refulgent, you would see that
that refulgence emanates from the countless wounds that
like a garment of living purple covered My limbs,
lacerated, exsanguinated, beaten, pierced for your sake.
My Human nature is now refulgent. But one day it was
like that of a leper, so fiercely it had been struck and
humiliated. The Man-God, Who had in Himself the
perfection of physical handsomeness, being the Son of
God and of the Immaculate Woman, to those who cast
loving, curious, or scornful, or evil glances at Him,
seemed a "worm", as David says, the scorn of mankind,
the jest of people (Psalm 22:6)... ".... "Although you are
in agony, follow Me. As I am the Merciful One, I shall
be able to put also the scented honey of more serene
contemplations before your lips, poisoned by My
sorrow. But you must still prefer these ones, smeared
with blood, because it is through them that you have the
Life, and you will be able to take the Life to other
people. Kiss My bleeding hand and be vigilant when
meditating on Me, the Redeemer." Vol. 5, pages 520
& 522
Holy Thursday - The John 13:1-15
Lord's Supper
John
598. The18:1-40;
Passover Supper.
19:1-42
The suffering of Maundy Thursday is beginning.
The apostles, there are ten of them, are bustling about
preparing the Supper-room.
Judas, who has climbed on the table, is watching
whether there is oil in all the lamps of the big chandelier
that looks like the corolla of a double fuchsia, because
its stem is surrounded by five lamps in small vessels
similar to petals, and under them, there is another circle
or crown of small flames, and finally, there are three thin
lamps hanging from tiny chains resembling the pistils of
the bright flower. He then jumps down on the floor and
helps Andrew to lay the tableware in an artistic style on
the table, on which a very fine table-cloth has been
spread.
I hear Andrew say: « What a wonderful linen
tablecloth! » And the Iscariot says: « One of Lazarus'
best ones. Martha insisted in bringing it. »
« And what about these chalices and these amphorae? »
remarks Thomas, who has poured some wine into the
precious amphorae and is admiring them, looking at
himself in their slim bellies, and he caresses the chiselled
handles with the eye of a connoisseur.
« Phew! I wonder how much they are worth! » exclaims
Judas Iscariot.
« It is worked by hammer. My father would go mad for
it. Silver and gold-foils are shaped easily when heated.
But done with such craft… Everything can be spoiled in
a moment. One wrong blow is enough. It takes strength
and a light hand at the same time. See the handles? They
have been shaped out of the block. They are not
soldered. Things for rich people… Just consider that all
the filings and cast-off parts are lost. I don't know
whether you understand me. »
« Phew! I understand you very well. In short, it is like
sculpture. »
« Exactly. »
They all admire and then go back to their work. Some
arrange the seats, some prepare the sideboards.
Peter and Simon come in together.
« Oh! You have come at last! Where have you been
again? After you came with the Master and us, you ran
away again » says the Iscariot.
« We had another errand before supper-time » replies
Simon briefly.
« Are you suffering from depression? »
« I think there is every reason to be so, considering what
we have heard these past days, and from those lips that
we have never found to be false. »
« And with that stench of… Well, be quiet, Peter »
grumbles Peter between his teeth.
« And you as well!… You seem to have gone mad for
some time. Your face is like that of a wild rabbit that
realises it is being chased by a jackal » replies Judas
Iscariot.
« And your face is like the snout of a weasel. You have
not been very handsome either, these last few days. You
look in such a way… You are even cross-eyed… What
do you expect or do you hope to see? You seem to be
145
self-confident, you want to appear so, but you look like
one who is afraid » retorts Peter.
« Oh! With regard to being afraid!… You are not a hero
either! »
« None of us is, Judas. You have the name of the
Maccabee, but you are not such. I, with my name, say
"God grants graces", but I swear to you that I tremble
like a man who knows that he brings mischance and
above all that he has lost God's favour. Simon of Jonah,
renamed "the stone", is now as soft as wax near a fire.
He no longer gets the weather-gauge of his own free-
will. And yet I have never seen him frightened in the
most violent storms! Matthew, Bart and Philip look like
sleep-walkers. My brother and Andrew do nothing but
sigh. The two cousins, who are grieved because of their
family ties and of their love for the Master, look at them.
They already look like old men. Thomas has lost his
cheerfulness. And Simon seems to have become again
the exhausted leper of three years ago, so much is he
worn out by grief, I would say that he is worn away,
deathly pale, dejected » John replies to him.
« Yes. He has influenced us all with His melancholy »
remarks the Iscariot.
« My cousin Jesus, my Master and Lord and yours, is
and is not melancholy. If you mean, by that word, that
He is sad because He is being excessively grieved by the
whole of Israel, as we are aware, and because of the
other hidden sorrow that He alone sees, I say to you:
"You are right". But if you use that word to say that He
is mad, I forbid you to do so » says James of Alphaeus.
« And is a fixed melancholy idea not madness? I have
studied also profane matters and I know. He has given
too much of Himself. Now He is mentally tired. »
« Which means insane. Is that right? » asks the other
cousin Judas, who is apparently calm.
« Exactly! How right was your father, a man of blessed
memory, whom you resemble so much in justice and
wisdom! Jesus, the sad destiny of an illustrious family
now too old and struck by psychic senility, has always
had a disposition to this illness. Mild at first, then more
and more aggressive. You have seen how He attacked
Pharisees and scribes, Sadducees and Herodians. He has
made His life impossible, like a road strewn with quartz
splinters. And He spread them Himself. We… we have
loved Him so much that our love veiled our eyes. But
those who did not love Him in an idolatrous manner -
your father, your brother Joseph and at first also Simon -
saw right… When we heard their words we should have
opened our eyes. Instead we were all enticed by His
meek charm of a sick person. And now… Who knows! »
Judas Thaddeus, who is as tall as the Iscariot, and is
standing just in front of him and seems to be listening to
him peacefully, has an outburst of rage and, with a
mighty backhanded blow, knocks Judas down with his
back on one of the seats, and with anger repressed in his
voice, bending over the face of the coward who does not
react, as he is probably afraid that Thaddeus may be
aware of his crime, he whispers: « This is for His
insanity, you reptile! And only because He is in the other
room, and this is Passover evening, I will not strangle
you. But remember this, and remember it carefully! If
any evil befalls Him, and He is not there to check my
strength, no one will save you. The halter is as good as
round your neck, and these strong honest hands of mine,
the hands of a Galilean artisan and of a descendant of
Goliath's slinger, will do the job for you. Get up, you
spineless debauchee! And watch how you behave. »
Judas stands up, he is livid, but does not react in the
least. And, what amazes me, no one reacts to the new
gesture of Thaddeus. On the contrary!… It is obvious
that they all approve of it.
The room has just become calm again when Jesus come
in. He appears on the threshold of the little door, through
which His tall person can just pass, He sets foot on the
small landing, and with His meek sad smile He says,
opening His arms: « Peace be with You. » His voice is
tired, like that of one who is languishing physically and
morally.
He comes down. He caresses the fair-haired head of
John, who has rushed towards Him. He smiles at His
cousin Judas, as if He did not know anything, and He
says to His other cousin: « Your mother asks you to be
kind to Joseph. He asked the women after you and Me a
little while ago. I am sorry I have not greeted him. »
« You will do it tomorrow. »
« Tomorrow?… I shall always have time to see him…
Oh! Peter! We shall be together for a little while at last!
Since yesterday you seem a will-o'-the-wisp. I see you,
then I no longer see you. Today I can almost say that I
lost you. And you, too, Simon. »
« Our hair, which is more white than dark, can assure
You that we were not absent craving for flesh » says
Simon gravely.
« Although… at all ages it is possible to suffer from that
hunger… The old! Worse than the young… » says the
Iscariot offensively.
Simon looks at him and is about to reply. But Jesus also
looks at him and says: « Have you a toothache? Your
right cheek is swollen and red. »
« Yes, it is aching. But it is not worth worrying about. »
The others do not say anything, and the matter dies
away.
146
« Have you done everything that was to be done? You,
Matthew? And you, Andrew? And you, Judas, have you
seen to the offer for the Temple? »
Both the first two and the Iscariot say: « Everything You
said was to be done today, has been done. Do not
worry. »
« I took the early fruits of Lazarus to Johanna of Chuza.
For the children. They said to me: "Those apples were
better!" They had the savour of hunger, those ones! And
they were Your apples » says John smiling and
dreaming.
Jesus also smiles at the recollection…
« I have seen Nicodemus and Joseph » says Thomas.
« You have seen them? Did you speak to them? » asks
the Iscariot with excessive interest.
« Yes, I did. What's strange about it? Joseph is a good
customer of my father. »
« You never mentioned it before… That is why I was
amazed!… » Judas tries to make up for the impression,
he had given previously, of his worry about Thomas'
meeting with Joseph and Nicodemus.
« It seems strange to me that they have not come to
venerate You. They did not, neither did Chuza, nor
Manaen… None of… »
But the Iscariot laughs sneeringly, interrupting
Bartholomew, and he says: « The crocodile hides itself
at the right moment. »
« What do you mean? What are you insinuating? » asks
Simon aggressively as never before.
« Peace, peace! What is the matter with you? It is
Passover evening! We have never had such a worthy
display for the consumption of the lamb. So let us
consume the supper in the spirit of peace. I see that I
have upset you considerably with My instructions of
these last evenings. But, see? I have finished! Now I will
not upset you any more. Not everything has been said of
what refers to Me, but only the essential part. The rest…
you will understand later. You will be told… Yes. There
will come Who will tell you! John, go with Judas and
somebody else to get the basins for the purification. And
then let us sit at the table. » Jesus is heart-rendingly
kind.
John with Andrew, Judas Thaddeus with James, bring
the large basin, they pour water into it and offer the
towel to Jesus and to their companions, who do the same
for them. The basin (which is a metal wash-hand-basin)
is placed in a corner.
« And now to your seats. I here, and here (at His right
side) John, and on the other side My faithful James. The
first two disciples. After John My strong Stone, and after
James he who is like the air. He is never noticed, but is
always present and comforting: Andrew.
Beside him, My cousin James. You are not sorry, My
kind brother, if I give the first place to the first ones?
You are the nephew of the Just One, whose spirit
palpitates and quivers over Me this evening, more than
ever. Have peace, father of My childish weakness, oak-
tree in whose shadow the Mother and Son had solace!
Have peace!… Beside Peter, Simon… Simon, come here
a moment. I want to fix My eyes on your loyal face.
Later I shall not see you well, because others will cover
your honest face. Thank you Simon, for everything »
and He kisses him.
Simon, when he is left free, goes to his seat, covering his
face with his hands for a moment, with a gesture of
distress.
« Facing Simon, My Bart. Two honest wise men
reflecting each other. They match very well. And beside
him, you, Judas, My brother. So I can see you… and I
seem to be at Nazareth… when some festivity gathered
us all together round one table… Also at Cana… Do you
remember? We were together. A party… a wedding
party… the first miracle… water changed into wine…
Also today a festivity… and also today there will be a
miracle… the wine will change its nature and will
be… »
Jesus becomes engrossed in His thoughts, His head
lowered and isolated in His secret world. The others look
at Him and do not speak.
He raises His head again and stares at Judas Iscariot, to
whom He says: « You will sit in front of Me. »
« So much You love me? More than Simon, since You
always want me in front of You? »
« So much. As you said. »
« Why, Master? »
« Because you are the one who has done more than
everybody for this hour. »
Judas casts and ever-changing glance at the Master and
at his companions. At Jesus with ironical commiseration,
at the others with an air of triumph.
« And near you, on one side Matthew, on the other
Thomas. »
« So, Matthew on My left and Thomas on My right
side. »
« As you wish, as you like » says Matthew. « It is
enough for me to have my Saviour in front of me. »
« Last, Philip. Now, see? Who is not beside Me in the
place of honour, has the honour of being in front of
Me. »
147
Jesus, standing in His place, pours wine into the large
chalice placed in front of Him (they all have tall
chalices, but He has a much larger one, in addition to
one like those of the others. It must be the ritual chalice).
He pours wine into it, He raises it, He offers it and lays it
on the table.
Then all together they ask in the tone of a psalm: « Why
this ceremony? » A formal question, obviously, a ritual
one.
To which Jesus, as head of the family, replies: « This
day reminds us of our liberation from Egypt. Blessed be
Jehovah Who created the fruit of the vineyard. »
He takes a sip of the wine He has offered and passes the
chalice to the others. He then offers the bread, He breaks
it into morsels and hands it round with the herbs dipped
in the reddish sauce contained in four sauce-boats.
When this part of the meal is over, they sing some
psalms, all together.
The large tray with the roasted lamb is brought from the
sideboard to the table and placed in front of Jesus.
Peter, who acts as… first voice of the chorus, if you
wish so, asks: « Why this lamb, as it is? »
« In remembrance of the time when Israel was saved
through the sacrificial lamb. No first-born died where
the blood shone on doorposts and lintels. And
afterwards, while the whole of Egypt, from the royal
palace to hovels, was mourning the dead first-born
males, the Hebrews, led by Moses, moved towards the
land of liberation and of the promise. With their sides
girded, their feet shod, the pilgrim's staffs in their hands,
the people of Abraham started off promptly, singing
hymns of joy. »
They all stand up and intone: « When Israel came out of
Egypt and the house of Jacob from a barbarous people,
Judah became his sanctuary » etc. (if I have found the
right one, it is psalm 113).
Jesus now cuts the lamb, He pours wine into the chalice
again, and He passes it round after drinking of it. Then
they sing also: « Children, praise the Lord, blessed be
the Name of the Eternal now and for ever throughout
ages. From east to west it is to be praised » etc. (but I
cannot find it).
Jesus hands out the portions, ensuring that everybody is
well served, just like a father of a family among his
children who are all dear to him. He is solemn,
somewhat sad, when He says: « I have longed to eat this
Passover with you. It has been the desire of My desires
since, from eternity, I was "the Saviour". I knew that this
hour precedes that one. And the joy of giving Myself,
brought this relief, in advance, to My suffering… I have
longed to eat this Passover with you, because never
again shall I taste the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom
of God has come. Then I will sit again with the elect at
the Banquet of the Lamb, for the wedding of the Living
Ones with the Living One. But only those who have
been lowly and pure in heart, as I am, will come to it. »
« Master, a short while ago You said that he who has not
the honour of the seat, has that of being in front of You.
So, how can we know who is the first among us? » asks
Bartholomew.
« Everybody and nobody. Once… we were coming back
and we were tired and… nauseated at the bitter hatred of
the Pharisees. But you were not so tired as to be
prevented from discussing among yourselves who was
the greatest… A little boy ran up to Me… a little friend
of Mine… And his innocence mitigated My disgust for
so many things. Your obstinate humanity not being the
last. Where are you now, little Benjamin gifted with the
wise reply, that came to you from Heaven because, as
you were an angel, the Spirit spoke to you? Then I said
to you: "If anyone wants to be the first, he must be the
last and the servant of everybody". And I gave you the
wise boy as an example. Now I say to you: "The kings of
nations dominate them. And although the peoples
oppressed hate them, they acclaim them and kings are
called 'Benefactors', 'Fathers of the Fatherland'. But
hatred smoulders under the false homage". But do not let
it be so with you. The greatest must be like the smallest,
the head like him who serves. Who is in fact greater? He
who sits at the table, or he who serves? It is he who sits
at the table. And yet I serve you. And before long I will
serve you even more. You are the ones who have been
with Me in My trials. And I will arrange a place for you
in My kingdom, in the same manner as I shall be King in
it according to the will of the Father, that you may eat
and drink at My eternal table and you may sit on thrones
judging the twelve tribes of Israel. You have remained
with Me in My trials… This is the only thing that makes
you great in the eyes of the Father. »
« And what about those who will come? Will they have
no place in the Kingdom? We alone? »
« Oh! How many princes in My House! All those who
have been faithful to the Christ in the trials of life, will
be princes in My Kingdom. Because those who have
persevered to the end in the martyrdom of life will be
like you, who have remained with Me in My trials. I
identify Myself with those who believe in Me. The
Sorrow that I embrace for you and for all men, I give it
as insignia to those who are particularly chosen. He who
is faithful to Me in Sorrow will be one of My souls in
bliss, My beloved. »
« We have persevered until the end. »
« Do you think so, Peter? And I tell you that the hour of
trial is still to come. Simon, Simon of Jonas, Satan has
asked to sift you all like wheat. I have prayed for you,
148
that your faith may not vacillate. When you have
recovered, strengthen your brothers. »
« I know that I am a sinner. But I will be faithful to You
until death. I do not have that sin and I will never have
it. »
« Do not be proud, My Peter. This hour will change an
infinite number of things, which previously were so and
will now be different. How many!… They bring and
impose new necessities. You are aware of that. I have
always said to you, even when we were going along
remote places infested by highwaymen: "Be not afraid.
No evil will befall us, because the angels of the Lord are
with us. Do not worry about anything". Do you
remember when I used to say to you: "Do not worry
about what you must eat and about your clothes. The
Father knows what we need"? I also used to say to you:
"Man is much more than a sparrow and a flower that
today is grass and tomorrow is hay. And yet the Father
takes care both of the flower and of the little bird. So can
you doubt that He will not take care of you?" I also used
to say: "Give to anyone who asks, and if anyone offends
you, offer him the other cheek as well". I also used to
say: "Take no bag or stick". Because I taught love and
trust. But now… Now the times have changed. Now I
say to you: "Have you ever been short of anything so
far? Have you ever been offended?". »
« Nothing, Master. You alone were offended. »
« So you can see that My word was true. But now the
angels have all been recalled by their Lord. It is the hour
of demons… With their golden wings the angels of the
Lord are covering their eyes and enveloping themselves
and they regret that the colour of their wings is not a
gloomy one, because it is time of mourning, of cruel
sacrilegious mourning… There are no angels on the
Earth this evening. They are near the throne of God, to
drown the blasphemies of the deicide world and the
weeping of the Innocent. And we are alone… You and I:
alone. And the demons are the masters of the hour. So
we shall now take the appearances and the measures of
poor men who do not trust and do not love. Now, he who
has a purse should take also a haversack, he who has no
sword should sell his cloak and buy one. Because this
also is said of Me in the Scriptures and must be fulfilled:
"He has been counted among the wicked". Truly
everything that concerns Me has its purpose. »
Simon, who has got up and gone to the chest where he
put his rich mantle - because this evening they are all
wearing their best clothes, and so on their sumptuous
belts they are carrying daggers, damaskened but very
short ones, more like knives than daggers - takes two
swords, two real, long, slightly bent swords and
returning to Jesus with them he says: « Peter and I have
armed ourselves this evening. We have these, but the
others have only short daggers. »
Jesus takes the swords, examines them, He unsheathes
one of them and tests its edge on His nail. It is a strange
sight, and even more strangely impressive to see that
cruel weapon in Jesus' hands.
« Who gave them to you? » asks the Iscariot, while Jesus
is examining them and is silent. And Judas seem to be on
tenter-hooks…
« Who? I remind you that my father was a nobel and
mighty man. »
« But Peter… »
« So? Since when have I to give an account of the
presents that I want to give my friends? »
Jesus raises His head after sheathing the sword again. He
hands it back to the Zealot.
« All right. They are enough. You did well in taking
them. "But now, before drinking the third chalice, wait a
moment. I told you that the greatest is the same as the
smallest and that I am acting as a servant at this table,
and I will serve you even more. So far I have given you
food. A service for your bodies. Now I want to give you
food for your spirits. It is not a dish of the ancient rite. It
belongs to the new rite. I wanted to be baptised before
being the "Master". That baptism was sufficient to
spread the Word. Now His Blood will be shed. Another
ablution is required for you, although you have been
purified by the Baptist, in his days, and also today in the
Temple. But it is not yet sufficient. Come, that I may
purify you. Interrupt your meal. There is something
more elevated and necessary than the food given to the
stomach to fill it, even if it is holy food as the present
one of the Passover rite. And it is a pure spirit, ready to
receive the gift of Heaven, which is already descending
to make its throne in you and give you the Life. To give
the Life to those who are pure. »
Jesus stands up, He makes John stand up to come out of
His place more easily, He goes to the chest and takes off
His red tunic and folds it placing it on His mantle, which
is there already folded, He girds Himself with a large
towel and He goes towards another basin, which is
empty and clean. He pours some water into it, He takes
it to the middle of the room, near the table, and puts it on
a stool. The apostles look at Him dumbfounded.
« Are you not asking Me what I am doing? »
« We do not know. I tell You that we are already
purified » replies Peter.
« And I repeat to you that it does not matter. My
purification will serve him, who is already pure, to
become purer. »
He kneels down. He unties the Iscariot's sandals and
washes his feet, one at a time. It is easy to do so, because
the couches are made in such a way that the feet are in
149
the outer side. Judas is astonished and does not say
anything. Only when Jesus, before putting the sandal on
the left foot and getting up, makes the gesture of kissing
his right foot, that has already been shod, Judas
withdraws his foot violently and with the sole strikes the
divine mouth. He does so unintentionally. It is not a
strong blow. But it grieves me so much. Jesus smiles,
and to the apostle who asks Him: « Did I hurt You? I did
not intend to… Forgive me », He says: « No, My friend.
You did it without malice and it does not hurt. » Judas
looks at Him… A worried elusive look…
Jesus passes on to Thomas, then to Philip… He goes
round the narrow side of the table and arrives at His
cousin James. He washes his feet and when getting up
He kisses him on his forehead. He passes on to Andrew,
who blushes with shame and makes efforts not to weep,
He washes his feet and kisses him like a baby. Then
there is James of Zebedee, who goes on grumbling:
« Oh! Master! Master! Master! You are lowering
Yourself, my sublime Master! » John has already untied
his sandals and while Jesus is bent drying his feet, he
kisses His head.
But Peter!… It is not easy to convince him to submit to
the rite! « You want to wash my feet? Do not even think
about it! As long as I live, I will never allow You to do
that. I am a worm, You are God. Each to his own
place. »
« You cannot understand now what I am doing. Later
you will understand. Let Me do it. »
« You can do anything You like, Master. Do You want
to cut my neck? Do so. But You will never wash my
feet. »
« Oh! My Simon! Do you not know that if I do not wash
you, you will take no part in My Kingdom? Simon,
Simon! You are in need of this water for your soul and
for the long journey you have to take. Do you not want
to come with Me? If I do not wash you, you will not
come to My Kingdom. »
« Oh! my blessed Lord! Then, wash all my body! Feet,
hands and head! »
« Anyone who, like you, has had a bath, needs only to
have his feet washed, as he is completely pure. The
feet… Man walks with his feet on filth. And it would not
be much either, because, as I told you, it is not what
enters and comes out with food that dirties, and it is not
what settles on his feet on the roads that contaminates
man. But it is what smoulders and matures in his heart
and comes out from it, which contaminates his actions
and limbs. And the feet of a man with an impure spirit
go to orgies, to lust, to illicit business, to crimes…
Therefore, among the various parts of the body they are
the ones that have much to be purified… with the eyes
and mouth… Oh! man! man! A perfect being for one
day: the first one! And then so corrupted by the Seducer!
And there was no malice in you, man, no sin!… And
now? You are all malice and sin, and there is no part in
you that does not sin! »
Jesus has washed Peter's feet, He kisses them, and Peter
weeps and takes Jesus' two hands in his own big ones
and he rubs them against his eyes and then kisses them.
Simon also has taken off his sandals, and without one
word he lets Jesus wash his feet. Then, when Jesus is
about to pass on to Bartholomew, Simon kneels down
and kisses His feet saying: « Cleanse me from the
leprosy of sin, as You cleansed me from the leprosy of
my body, that I may not be confused in the hour of
judgement, my Saviour! »
« Be not afraid, Simon. You will come to the heavenly
City as white as mountain snow. »
« And what about me, Lord? What are You going to say
to Your old Bart? You saw me in the shade of the fig-
tree and You read my heart. And now what do You see,
and where do You see me? Reassure a poor old man,
who is afraid he may not have strength arid time to
become what You want him to be. » Bartholomew is
deeply moved.
« You must not be afraid either. I then said: "Here is a
true Israelite in whom there is no deceit". Now I say:
"Here is a true Christian worthy of the Christ". Where do
I see you? On an eternal throne, dressed in purple. I shall
always be with you. »
It is Judas Thaddeus' turn. When he sees Jesus at his
feet, he cannot control himself, he rests his head on his
arm laid on the table and weeps.
« Do not weep, My sweet brother. You are now like one
who must endure the extirpation of a nerve and you
think that you will not be able to stand it. But it will be a
short pain. Then… oh! you will be happy, because you
love Me. Your name is Judas. And you are like our great
Judas: like a giant. You are the one who protects. Your
actions are those of a lion and of a young roaring lion.
You will rouse the impious who will withdraw when you
face them, and the wicked will be terrified. I know. Be
brave. An eternal union will strengthen and make perfect
our kinship in Heaven. » He kisses his forehead as well,
as He did for His other cousin.
« I am a sinner, Master. Not me… »
« You were a sinner, Matthew. You are now the Apostle.
You are one of My "voices". I bless you. How far have
these feet walked to come more and more forward,
towards God… Your soul urged them and they left every
way that was not My way. Proceed. Do you know where
the path ends? On the bosom of your Father and Mine. »
Jesus has finished. He takes the towel off and washes
His hands in clean water, He puts His clothes on, goes
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back to His seat, and while sitting down He says: « You
are now pure, but not all of you. Only those who wanted
to be so. »
He stares at Judas of Kerioth, who feigns he does not
hear Him, intent as he is on explaining to his companion
Matthew how his father decided to send him to
Jerusalem. A useless conversation, the only purpose of
which is to give an attitude to Judas, who, however bold,
must feel ill at ease.
Jesus pours wine into the common chalice for the third
time. He drinks and makes the others drink. He then
intones, and the others sing in chorus: « I love because
the Lord hears the voice of my prayer, because He turns
His ear towards me. I will invoke Him throughout my
life. The throes of death had surrounded me » etc.
(Psalm 114, I think).
A moment's pause. He then resumes singing: « I had
faith, that is why I spoke. But I was deeply humiliated.
And in my dismay I said: "Every man is untruthful". »
He looks fixedly at Judas.
My Jesus' voice, which is tired this evening, regains
vigour when He exclaims: « The death of holy people is
precious in the eyes of God » and « You have broken my
chains. I will sacrifice a victim of praise to You invoking
the name of the Lord » etc. (Psalm 115).
Another short pause and He then resumes: « Praise the
Lord, all nations, praise Him, all peoples. Because His
mercy has been asserted upon us and the truth of the
Lord lasts for ever. »
Another short pause and then a long hymn: « Sing
praises to the Lord because He is good, because His
mercy lasts for ever… »
Judas of Kerioth sings so much out of tune, that twice
Thomas brings him back into tune with his powerful
loud baritone voice and stares at him. The others also
look at him, because he is generally in tune, and I have
had the impression that he is proud of his ()ice as he is of
everything else. But this evening! Certain sentences
upset him so much that he sings false notes, and certain
glances of Jesus underlining those sentences have the
same effect. One of them is: « It is better to confide in
the Lord than to confide in man. » Another one is:
« When I was pushed, I staggered and was about to fall.
But the Lord supported me. » Another is: « I shall not
die, I shall live and narrate the deeds of the Lord. » And
finally, these two, that I am going to relate now, strangle
the Traitor's voice in his throat: The stone rejected by the
builders has become the cornerstone and « Blessed is He
Who comes in the name of the Lord! »
When the psalm is over, while Jesus is cutting and
handing the lamb round again, Matthew asks Judas of
Kerioth: « Are you not feeling well? »
« No. Leave me alone. Don't worry about me. »
Matthew shrugs his shoulders.
John, who has heard, says: « The Master is not well
either. What is the matter with You, my Jesus? Your
voice is weak, like the voice of a sick person or of one
who has wept much » and he embraces Him, resting his
head on Jesus' chest.
« He has only spoken a lot, as I have only walked a lot
and got cold » says Judas nervously.
And Jesus, without replying to him, says to John: « You
know Me by now… and you know what makes Me
tired… »
The lamb is almost consumed. Jesus, Who has eaten
very little, and has only had a sip of wine at each chalice,
but to compensate for that, has drunk a lot of water, as if
He were feverish, resumes speaking: « I want you to
understand My gesture of a short while ago. I told you
that the first is like the last, and that I am going to give
you a food that is not corporeal. I have given you a
nourishment of humility, for your spirits. You call Me:
Master and Lord. You are right, because so I am. So if I
have washed your feet you should wash each other's feet.
I have given you an example, so that you may do what I
have done. I tell you solemnly: no servant is greater than
his master, no apostle is greater than He Who appointed
him. Try to understand these things. Then, if you
understand them and put them into practice, you will be
blessed. But not all of you will be blessed. I know you. I
know whom I chose. I am not speaking of everybody in
the same way. But I say what is true. On the other hand,
what has been written concerning Me, is to be fulfilled:
"He who eats the bread with Me, rebels against Me". I
am telling you everything before it happens, that you
may have no doubts about Me. When everything has
been accomplished, you will believe even more that I am
I. He who receives Me, receives Him Who sent Me: the
Holy Father Who is in Heaven; and he who receives
those whom I send, will receive Me. Because I am with
the Father and you are with Me… But now let us finish
the rite. »
He pours more wine into the common chalice and before
drinking of it and letting the others drink, He stands up,
and everybody stands up with Him, and He sings one of
the previous psalms again: « I had faith and that is why I
spoke… » and then He sings a psalm that never comes to
an end. Beautiful… but eternal! I think I have found it,
by its beginning and its length, as psalm 118. They sing
it as follows. They sing one part in chorus. Then, in
turns, one recites a couplet, and the others in chorus sing
another part, and so forth till the end. No wonder they
are thirsty at the end!
Jesus sits down. He does not lie down. He sits as we do.
And He says: « Now that the old rite has been
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accomplished, I will celebrate the new one. I have
promised you a miracle of love. It is time to work it.
That is why I have longed for this Passover. From now
on this is the Victim that will be consumed in a perpetual
rite of love. My beloved friends, I have loved you
throughout the whole life of the Earth. I have loved you
for the whole eternity, My children. And I want to love
you till the end. There is nothing greater than this. Bear
that in mind. I am going away. But we shall remain for
ever united through the miracle that I will now work. »
Jesus takes a loaf still entire and places it on the chalice
that has been filled. He blesses and offers both, He then
breaks the bread and takes thirteen morsels of it, and
gives one to each apostle saying:« Take this and eat it.
This is My Body. Do this in remembrance of Me, Who
am going away. » He gives the chalice and says: « Take
this and drink it. This is My Blood. This is the chalice of
the new alliance in My Blood and through My Blood,
that will be shed for you, to remit your sins and give you
the Life. Do this in remembrance of Me. »
Jesus is very sad. There is no smile, no trace of light, no
colour on His face. It is already an agonizing face. The
apostles look at Him utterly anguished.
Jesus stands up saying: « Do not move. I shall be back at
once. »
He takes the thirteenth morsel of bread and the chalice,
and He goes out of the Supper-room.
« He is going to His Mother » whispers John.
And Judas Thaddeus says with a sigh: « Poor woman! »
Peter asks in a very low voice: « Do you think She
knows? »
« She knows everything. She has always been aware of
everything. »
They all speak in very low voices, as if they were in
front of a corpse.
« But do you think that really… » asks Thomas, who
does not want to believe yet.
« And do you doubt it? It is His hour » replies James of
Zebedee.
« May God grant us strength to be faithful » says the
Zealot.
« Oh! I… » says Peter who is about to speak. But John,
who is on the look-out, says: « Silence! He is here. »
Jesus comes back in. He has the empty chalice in His
hands. Only at its bottom there is a trace of wine, and in
the light of the chandelier it looks just like blood.
Judas Iscariot, in front of whom is the chalice, looks at it
as if he were enchanted, then he averts his eyes. Jesus
watches him and shudders, and John, leaning as he is on
His chest, feels it. « Why not say so! You are
shivering… » he exclaims.
« No. I am not shivering because I am feverish… I have
told you everything, and I have given you everything. I
could not have given you anything else. I have given you
Myself. »
He makes His usual kind gesture with His hands, which,
previously joined, now separate and stretch out, while
He bows His head as if He wished to say: « Excuse Me
if I cannot give you more. It is so. »
« I have told you everything and I have given you
everything. And I repeat. The new rite has been
accomplished. Do this in remembrance of Me. I have
washed your feet to teach you to be humble and pure
like your Master. Because I solemnly tell you that
disciples must be like their Master. Remember that, bear
it in mind. Also when you are in high offices, remember
that. There is no disciple greater than his Master. As I
washed you, do the same to one another. That is, love
one another like brothers, helping and respecting one
another, setting an example to one another. And be pure,
to be worthy of eating the living Bread that descended
from Heaven, and have the strength, in yourselves and
through It, to be My disciples in the hostile world that
will hate you because of My Name. But one of you is
not pure. One of you will betray Me. My Spirit is deeply
perturbed by that… The hand of him who will betray Me
is here with Me on this table, and neither My love, nor
My Body and Blood, nor My word make him mend his
ways and repent. I would forgive him going to My death
also on his behalf. »
The disciples cast terrified glances at one another. They
scrutinise one another suspiciously. Peter stares at the
Iscariot in a revival of all his doubts. Judas Thaddeus in
his turn jumps to his feet to look at the Iscariot above
Matthew's body.
But the Iscariot is so sure of himself! In his turn he looks
at Matthew, as if he suspected him. He then looks
fixedly at Jesus and smiling he asks: « Is it I perhaps? »
He seems to be the one who is most certain of his
honesty and to say so, not to let the conversation drop.
Jesus repeats His gesture saying: « You are saying so,
Judas of Simon, not I. You are saying so. I have not
mentioned your name. Why are you accusing yourself?-
Ask your internal warner, your conscience of a man, the
conscience that God the Father gave you that you might
behave as a man, and listen whether it accuses you. You
will be the first to know. But if it reassures you, why do
you utter a word and speak of a deed that is anathema
even to mention or to think of as a joke? »
Jesus is speaking calmly. He seems to be supporting a
proposed thesis as a learned man may do with his pupils.
The confusion is great, but Jesus' calm appeases it.
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But Peter, who is the most suspicious of Judas - perhaps
Thaddeus also is so, but he does not look so, disarmed as
he is by the Iscariot's easy manners - plucks John's
sleeve, and when John, who has pressed against Jesus
upon hearing Him speak of betrayal, turns round, he
whispers to him: « Ask Him who it is. »
John takes his previous position again, he only raises his
head slightly, as if he wanted to kiss Jesus, and in the
meantime he whispers in His ear: « Master, who is it? »
And Jesus in a very low voice, kissing him, in His turn,
on his head, says: « It is he to whom I shall give a piece
of bread dipped in the dish. »
And taking another entire loaf, not the remains of the
one used for the Eucharist, He detaches a large morsel,
He dips it into the lamb's sauce left in the tray, and says:
« Take it, Judas. You like this. »
« Thank You, Master. I do like it » and unaware of what
that morsel is, he eats it, while John, horrified, closes
even his eyes not to see the horrid smile of the Iscariot,
as he bites the accusing bread with his strong teeth.
« Well. Now that I have made you happy, go » says
Jesus to Judas. « Everything has been accomplished,
here (He lays much stress on the word). What is still left
to be done elsewhere, do it quickly, Judas of Simon. »
« I will obey You at once, Master. Then I will join You
at Gethsemane. You are going there, are You not? As
usual? »
« Yes… I am going there… as usual. »
« What has he got to do? » asks Peter. « Is he going by
himself? »
« I am not a baby » says Judas scoffingly, as he puts on
his mantle.
« Let him go. He and I know what must be done » says
Jesus.
« Yes, Master. » Peter is silent. Perhaps he thinks he has
committed a sin suspecting his companion. Resting his
forehead on the palm of his hand, he becomes pensive.
Jesus presses John to His heart and whispers again
through his hair: « Say nothing to Peter for the time
being. It would be a useless scandal. »
« Goodbye, Master. Goodbye, friends » says Judas
greeting them.
« Goodbye » replies Jesus.
And Peter says: « Goodbye, boy. »
John, his head almost on Jesus' lap, whispers: « Satan! »
Jesus alone hears him and sighs.
Everything comes to an end here, but Jesus says: « I am
interrupting the vision out of pity for you. I will give you
the end of the Supper later. »
--------------------
(the Supper continues)
There are a few moments of dead silence. Jesus has
lowered His head, caressing John's fair hair
mechanically.
Then He rouses Himself. He raises His head, He looks
around, and He smiles in such a way that encourages the
disciples. He says: « Let us leave the table and sit all
close to one another, like many children round their
father. »
They take the couches that were behind the table (those
of Jesus, John, James, Peter, Simon, Andrew and His
cousin James) and they put them on the other side.
Jesus sits on His own, still between James and John. But
when He sees that Andrew is about to sit in the place left
by the Iscariot, He shouts: « No, not there. » An
impulsive shout, that His great prudence does not
succeed in preventing. He then modifies His expression
saying: « We do not need so much room. If we sit down,
we can stay only on these. They are enough. I want you
to be very close to Me. »
Now, with respect to the table, they are placed in a U
shaped disposition, with Jesus in the centre and the table,
on which there are no victuals now, and Judas' place in
front of Him.
James of Zebedee calls Peter saying: « Sit here. I will sit
on this little stool, at Jesus' feet. »
« May God bless you, James! I wanted it so much! »
says Peter and he presses against his Master, Who is
now squeezed by John and Peter, with James at His feet.
Jesus smiles and says: « I see that the word spoken
earlier is beginning to work. Good brothers love one
another. James, I also say to you: "May God bless you".
Also this action of yours will not be forgotten by the
Eternal, and you will find it up there.
I can obtain everything I ask for. You have seen that. A
desire of Mine was sufficient for the Father to allow His
Son to give Himself in Food to man. The Son of man has
been glorified by what has happened now, because the
miracle that is possible only to God's friends is a witness
of power. The greater the miracle, the surer and deeper is
this divine friendship. This is a miracle that, because of
its form, duration and nature, and of the extremes and
limits it attains, is so great that a greater one cannot
possibly exist. I tell you: it is so powerful, supernatural,
inconceivable by proud men, that only very few will
understand it as it is to be understood, and many will
deny it. So what shall I say? Condemn them? No. I will
say: have mercy on them!
153
But the greater the miracle, the greater the glory of its
author. It is God Himself Who says: "See, My beloved
wanted it, had it, and I granted it, because great is His
grace in My eyes". And here He says: "His grace has no
limits, as infinite is the miracle performed by Him". The
glory that from God comes to the author of the miracle is
the same as the glory that from the author returns to the
Father. Because every supernatural glory, as it comes
from God, returns to its source. And the glory of God,
although it is already infinite, increases and shines more
and more through the glory of His saints. So I say: as the
Son of man has been glorified by God, so God has been
glorified by the Son of man. I have glorified God in
Myself. In His turn, God will glorify His Son in Himself.
He will glorify Him shortly.
Exult, o spiritual Essence of the Second Person, Who are
going back to Your See! Exult, o Body Who are going to
ascend again after such a long exile in degradation. And
not Adam's Paradise, but the sublime Paradise of the
Father is about to be given to You as Your abode. If it
has been said that the amazing order of God, given
through the lips of a man, stopped the sun, what will
happen among the stars when they see the wonder of the
Body of the Man ascend and sit at the right hand of the
Father in the Perfection of His glorified being?
My little children, I will remain with you for a short
time. And afterwards you will be looking for Me as
orphans look for their dead parent. And weeping, you
will go about speaking of Him and in vain you will
knock at His silent tomb, and you will also knock at the
blue gates of Heaven, with your souls elevated in
suppliant search for love, saying: "Where is our Jesus?
We want Him. Without Him there is no more light in the
world, no joy, no love. Either give Him back to us, or let
us come in. We want to be where He is". But for the
time being you cannot come where I am going. To the
Judaeans also I said: "Later you will look for Me, but
you cannot come where I am going". I say the same to
you.
Think of My Mother… Neither can She come where I
am going. And yet, I left the Father to come to Her and
become Jesus in Her immaculate womb. And yet, I came
from the Inviolate Woman in the bright ecstasy of My
Birthday. And I was nourished with Her love, that
became milk. I am made of purity and love, because
Mary nourished Me with Her virginity fecundated by the
perfect Love Who lives in Heaven. And yet, I have
grown up through Her, costing Her fatigue and tears…
And yet, I ask of Her such heroism as no one has ever
accomplished, and in comparison with which the
heroism of Judith and that of Jael are the heroisms of
poor women quarrelling with the rival at the village
fountain. And yet, no one loves Me as She does. And,
notwithstanding all that, I will leave Her and go where
She will come only after a long time. The commandment
I give you: "Sanctify yourselves year by year, month by
month, day by day, hour by hour, to be able to come to
Me when it is your hour" does not apply to Her. She is
full of grace and holiness. She is the creature who has
had everything and has given everything. There is
nothing to be added or to be taken away. She is the most
holy witness of what God can do.
But in order to be sure that you are able to join Me and
to forget the grief in mourning the separation from your
Jesus, I give you a new commandment. And it is: love
one another. As I have loved you, you must love one
another. By this love it will be known that you are My
disciples. When a father has many sons, how does one
know that they are such? Not so much by their physical
appearance - because there are men who are in
everything like another man, with whom there is no
blood-tie and they are not even of the same country - as
by their common love for the family, for their father and
for one another. And even when the father dies, a good
family does not break up, because one is their blood and
it is the same they had from the seed of their father, and
it ties in knots that not even death loosens, because love
is stronger than death. Now, if you love one another after
I have left you, everybody will acknowledge you as My
children, and therefore as My disciples, and as brothers
to one another, having had only one father. »
« Lord, but where are You going? » asks Peter.
« I am going where at present you cannot follow Me.
But you will follow Me later. »
« And why not now? I have always followed You since
You said to me: "Follow Me". I left everything without
regret… Now, to go away without Your poor Simon,
leaving me without You, Who are everything to me,
after that for Your sake I left the little property I had
previously, is not fair or nice of You. Are You going to
Your death? All right. I will come as well. We shall go
to the next world together. But I will have defended You
before that. I am ready to give my life for You. »
« You will give your life for Me? Now? Not now. I
solemnly - oh! I do solemnly tell you - before the cock
crows, you will have disowned Me three times. This is
the first watch. Then the second will come… and then
the third. Before the cock crows loudly, you will have
disowned your Lord three times. »
« Impossible, Master! I believe everything You say, but
not that. I am sure of myself. »
« Now, at present you are sure. Because you still have
Me. You have God with you. Before long, the Incarnate
God will be caught, and you will no longer have Him.
And Satan, after making you heavy - your very certainty
is a trick of Satan, ballast to weigh you down - will
frighten you. He will insinuate to you: "God does not
exist. I do". And as you will still be able to reason,
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although made dull by fear, you will understand that,
when Satan is the master of the hour, Good is dead and
Evil is active, the spirit is dejected and the human is
triumphant. You will then be like warriors without a
leader, chased by the enemy, and in the dismay of being
defeated you will bow your necks to the conqueror, and
in order not to be killed you will disown the fallen hero.
But, please do not let your hearts be upset. Believe in
God. And believe also in Me. Believe in Me, against all
appearances. Let him who remains and him who runs
away believe in My mercy and in the Father's. Both he
who is silent and he who moves his lips to say: "I do not
know Him". And likewise believe in My forgiveness.
And believe that, whatever your actions may be in
future, in Good and in My Doctrine, consequently in My
Church, they will give you equal places in Heaven. In
the house of My Father there are many abodes. If it were
not so, I would have told you. Because I am going
ahead, to prepare a place for you. Do good fathers not do
likewise when they have to take their little children
elsewhere? They go ahead, they prepare the house, the
furnishings, the provisions. They then go back to get
their dearest ones. They do so out of love, so that the
little ones may lack nothing and may not be
uncomfortable in the new place. I do the same and for
the same reason. I am going now. And when I have
prepared a place for each of you in the celestial
Jerusalem, I will come again and take you with Me so
that you may be where I am, where there is no death or
mourning, no tears, no shouting, no hunger, no pain, no
darkness, no parching thirst, but only light, peace,
happiness and singing. Oh! song of the Highest Heavens
when the twelve chosen ones will sit on thrones with the
twelve patriarchs of the tribes of Israel and in the ardour
of the fire of spiritual love, standing upright over the sea
of beatitude, they will sing the eternal song accompanied
by the arpeggio of the eternal alleluia of the angelical
host… I want you to be where I shall be. And you know
where I am going and you know the way. »
« But, Lord! We know nothing. You are not telling us
where You
are going. How can we know the way to be taken to
come towards you and curtail the wait? » asks Thomas.
« I am the Way, the Truth, the Life. You have heard Me
say so and explain it several times, and really some
people, who did not even know that there is a God, have
walked ahead, along My way, and they are already ahead
of you. Oh! where are you, lost sheep of God, brought
back to the fold by Me? And where are you, whose soul
has been raised? »
« Who? Of whom are you speaking? Of Mary of
Lazarus? She is in the other room, with Your Mother.
Do You want her? Or do You want Johanna? She is
certainly in her mansion, but if You wish so, we will go
and call her for You… »
« No. Not them… I am thinking of the one who will be
revealed only in Heaven… and of Photinai… They
found Me. And they have never left My way again. To
one I pointed out the Father as the true God and the
Spirit as a Levite in this individual adoration. To the
other, who did not even know she had a soul, I said: "My
name is Saviour, I save whoever has the good will to be
saved. I am the One Who looks for those who are lost, I
give Life, Truth and Purity. Those who look for Me, will
find Me". And they both found God… I bless you, weak
Eves who have become stronger than Judith… I am
coming, I am coming where you are… You comfort
Me… May you be blessed!… »
« Show us the Father, Lord, and we shall be equal to
them » says Philip.
« I have been with all of you for such a long time, and
you, Philip, still do not know Me? He who sees Me, sees
the Father. So, how can you say: "Let us see the Father"?
Can you not believe that I am in the Father and the
Father is in Me? The words that I say to you, I do not
say them by Myself. It is the Father, living in Me, Who
accomplishes all My work. And do you, all of you, not
believe that I am in the Father and He is in Me? What
must I say to make you believe? If you do not believe
My words, believe at least in My deeds. And I say to you
and I truly say to you: he who believes in Me will
perform the deeds that I do, and will perform even
greater ones, because I am going to the Father. Whatever
you ask of the Father in My name, I will do it, so that the
Father may be glorified in His Son. And I will do
anything you ask in behalf of My Name. My Name is
known for what it really is, only to Me and to the Father
Who generated Me and to the Spirit Who proceeds from
our love. And everything is possible to that Name. He
who thinks of My Name with love, loves Me and
obtains. But it is not sufficient to love Me. It is necessary
to keep My commandments in order to have true love.
Feelings are testified by deeds. And because of your love
I will pray the Father, and He will give you another
Comforter, so that He may remain with you for ever,
One against Whom Satan and the World cannot act
cruelly, the Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot
receive or strike, because it cannot see Him and does not
know Him. The world will deride Him, but He is so
sublime that derision will not be able to offend Him,
while being so merciful as to exceed all limits, He will
always be with those who love Him, even if they are
poor and weak. You will know Him, because He already
dwells with you and will soon be in you. I will not leave
you orphans. I have already told you that I will come
back to you. But I will come before it is time to come to
take You and go to My Kingdom. I will come to you.
Before long the world will no longer see Me. But you
see Me and will see Me. Because I live and you live.
Because I will live and you will live. On that day you
155
will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me and
I in you. Because he, who accepts My precepts and
observes them, loves Me, and he who loves Me will be
loved by My Father and will possess God, because God
is love, and he who loves has God in himself. And I will
love Him, because I shall see God in him, and I will
show Myself to him, making him acquainted with the
secrets of My love, of My wisdom, of My Incarnate
Divinity. They will be My returns among the children of
man, whom I love notwithstanding that they are weak
and even hostile. But these will be only weak. And I will
fortify them; I will say to them: "Rise!", I will say:
"Come out!", I will say: "Follow Me", I will say:
"Listen", I will say: "Write"… and you are among
them. »
« Why, Lord, are You showing Yourself to us and not to
the world? » asks Judas Thaddeus.
« Because you love Me and you keep My words. He
who does that will be loved by My Father, and we shall
come to him and make our home with him, in him.
Whereas he who does not love Me, does not keep My
words and acts according to the flesh and the world.
Now remember that what I said to you is not the word of
Jesus of Nazareth, but it is the word of the Father,
because I am the Word of the Father Who sent Me. I told
you these things, speaking to you thus, because I want to
prepare you Myself for the complete possession of the
Truth and Wisdom. But you cannot yet understand or
remember. But when the Comforter, the Holy Spirit
Whom the Father will send to you in My name, comes to
you, then you will be able to understand, and He will
teach you everything, and He will remind you of what I
told you.
I leave you My peace. I give you My peace. I give it to
you not as the world gives it. And not even as I have
given it to you so far: the blessed greeting of the Blessed
One to the blessed ones. The peace I am giving you now
is more profound. In this farewell I communicate
Myself, My Spirit of peace to you, as I communicated
My Body and My Blood to you, so that you may have
strength for the imminent battle. Satan and the world are
stirring up a war against your Jesus. It is their hour.
Have Peace within you, My Spirit, which is spirit of
peace, because I am the King of peace. Have it so that
you may not be too forlorn. He who suffers with the
peace of God within himself, suffers, but does not
blaspheme and does not despair.
Do not weep. You have also heard Me say: "I am going
to the Father and then I will come back". If you loved
Me beyond the flesh, you would rejoice, because I am
going to the Father after such a long exile… I am going
to Him Who is greater than I am and Who loves Me. I
have told you now, before it takes place, as I informed
you of all the sufferings of the Redeemer, before going
to them, so that, when everything is fulfilled, you may
believe more and more in Me. Do not be so upset! Do
not be frightened. You hearts are in need of balance…
I have not much more time to speak to you… but I have
so much to say! Now that I have come to the end of My
evangelization, I feel that I have not said anything yet,
and that there is still so much to be done. Your mood
increases My feeling. So, what shall I say? That I failed
in My task? Or that you are so hard-hearted that My
work has been of no avail? Shall I be in doubt about
you? No. I rely on God and I entrust you, My beloved
ones, to Him. He will complete the work of His Word. I
am not like a father who dies without having any other
light but the human one. I hope in God. And, although
within Myself I feel the urgency of all the advice, of
which I see you are in need, and I realise that time flies, I
am going towards My destiny with a quiet mind. I know
that the dew is about to descend on the seeds sown in
you and it will make all of them spring up, then the sun
of the Paraclete will come and they will become mighty
trees. The prince of this world, with whom I have
nothing to do, is about to come. And if it were not for
the purpose of redemption, he would not have had any
power over Me. But that is happening so that the world
may know that I love My Father and I love Him so much
that I will obey Him even to death, and I will, therefore,
do what He ordered Me to do.
It is time to go. Stand up. And listen to My last words. I
am the true Vine. The Father is the Vinedresser. Every
branch that bears no fruit He cuts, and the one that does
bear fruit He prunes, to make it bear even more. You are
already purified by My word. Remain in Me and I will
remain in you to continue to be so. The branch cut off
from the vine cannot bear fruit. The same applies to you,
if you do not remain in Me. I am the Vine and you are
the branches. Whoever remains united to Me bears fruit
in plenty. But if one is cut off, one becomes a dry branch
and is thrown on the fire and burns there. Because, if
you are not united to Me, you can do nothing. So remain
in Me and let My words remain in you, then ask for
whatever you want, and it will be done to you. My
Father will always be the more glorified, the more you
bear fruit and are My disciples.
As the Father has loved Me, so I have loved you.
Remain in My love that saves. By loving Me you will be
obedient, and obedience increases mutual love. Do not
say that I am repeating Myself. I am aware of your
weakness. And I want you to be saved. I have told you
this so that the joy I wanted to give you may be in you
and may be complete. Love one another, love one
another! This is My new commandment. Love one
another more than each of you loves himself. There is no
greater love than that of a man who lays down his life
for his friends. You are My friends and I will lay down
my life for you. Do what I teach and order you to do. I
will no longer call you servants, because a servant does
156
not know what his master does, whereas you know what
I do. You know everything about Me. I have made
known to you not only Myself, but also the Father and
the Paraclete, and everything I heard from God. You did
not choose yourselves. But I chose you and I elected
you, so that you may go among peoples and you may
bear fruit in yourselves and in the hearts of those who
are evangelized, and your fruit may remain, and the
Father may give you everything you will ask of Him in
My name.
Do not say: "So, if You chose us, why did You choose a
betrayer. If You know everything, why did You do
that?" Do not even ask who he is. He is not a man. He is
Satan. I said so to My faithful friend and I let My
beloved son say so. He is Satan. If Satan, the eternal
mimic of God, had not become incarnate in human flesh,
this possessed man could not have escaped My power of
Jesus. I said: "possessed". No. He is much more: he is
annihilated in Satan. »
« Since You have driven demons away, why did you not
free him? » asks James of Alphaeus.
« Are you asking that for your own sake, fearing that
you are the one? Be not afraid of that. »
« I, then? »
« I? »
« I? »
« Be quiet. I am not mentioning that name. I am being
merciful, do likewise. »
« But why did You not defeat him? Could You not do
that? »
« I could. But in order to prevent Satan from taking
bodily form to kill Me, I should have had to exterminate
the human race before Redemption. So what would I
have redeemed? »
« Tell me, Lord, tell me! » Peter has fallen on his knees
and he shakes Jesus phrenetically as if he were a prey to
frenzy. « Is it I? Is it I? Shall I examine my own
conscience? I do not think so. But You… You said that I
will disown You… And I am quivering… Oh' how
horrible if it is I!… »
« No, Simon of Jonah. It is not you. »
« Why are You depriving me of my name "Peter"? So
am I Simon again? See? You are saying so!… It is I! But
how could I? Tell me tell me, all of you When was it that
I became a traitor?… Simon?… John"… Tell me! »
« Peter, Peter, Peter! I am calling you Simon because I
am thinking of our first meeting, when you were Simon.
And I am thinking how you have always been loyal
since the first moment. It is not you. I, the Truth, am
telling you. »
« Who, then? »
« It is Judas of Kerioth! Have you not yet understood
that? » shouts Thaddeus, who can no longer restrain
himself.
« Why did you not tell me before? Why? » shouts Peter
as well.
« Silence. It is Satan. He has no other name. Where are
you going, Peter? »
« To look for him. »
« Leave that mantle and that weapon at once. Or shall I
drive you away and curse you? »
« No, no! Oh! my Lord! But I… but I… Have I become
delirious, have I? Oh! Oh! » Peter has thrown himself on
the ground and is weeping at Jesus' feet.
« I give you My commandment: love and forgive one
another. Have you understood? Even if in the world
there is hatred, let only love be in you. For everybody.
How many traitors you will find on your way! But you
must not hate them and return evil for evil. Otherwise
the Father will hate you. I have been hated and betrayed,
long before you. And yet, as you can see, I do not hate.
The world cannot love what is different from it.
Therefore it will not love you. If you belonged to it, it
would love you; but you are not of the world, as I took
you away from the world. And that is why you are hated.
I said to you: a servant is not greater than his master. If
they have persecuted Me, they will persecute you as
well. If they have listened to Me, they will listen to you,
too. But they will do everything because of My Name,
since they do not know, they do not want to know Him
Who sent Me. If I had not come and I had not spoken,
they would not be guilty. But now their sin has no
excuse. They have seen My deeds, they have heard My
words, and yet they have hated Me, and the Father with
Me. Because the Father and I are one Unit only with the
Love. But it was written: "You hated me for no reason".
But when the Comforter comes, the Spirit of truth Who
proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me,
and you also will witness for Me, because you have been
with Me since the beginning.
I am telling you this so that, when the hour comes, you
may not be depressed and scandalised. The time is about
to come when they will expel you from synagogues, and
those who kill you will think that they are doing a holy
duty for God. They have not known either the Father or
Me. That is their excuse. I have not told you these things
so extensively, before this hour, because you were just
like new-born babies. But the mother is now leaving
you. I am going away. You must become accustomed to
other food. I want you to know.
Not one of you has asked Me again: "Where are You
going?". Sadness is making you dumb. And yet My
157
going away is a good thing also for you. Otherwise the
Comforter will not come. I will send Him to you. And
when He has come, through the wisdom and the words,
the deeds and the heroism that He will infuse into You,
He will convince the world of its deicide sin, and of
justice with regard to My holiness. And a clear cut will
divide the world into reprobates, enemies of God, and
believers. The latter will be more or less holy, according
to their will. But judgement will be passed on the prince
of the world and his servants. I cannot tell you more,
because you are not yet able to understand. But He, the
Paraclete, will give you the whole Truth, because He
will not speak as from Himself. But He will tell you
everything He heard from the Mind of God and will
announce the future to you. He will take what comes
from Me, that is, what is still of the Father, and will tell
you.
There is still a short time to see one another. Then you
will no longer see Me. And then a short time later you
will see Me.
You are grumbling among yourselves and in your hearts.
Listen to a parable. The last one of your Master.
When a woman has conceived and the hour of delivery
comes, she is in great distress, because she suffers and
groans. But when her little child is born and she presses
it to her heart, all her pain comes to an end and her
sorrow changes into joy, because a man has come into
the world.
The same applies to you. You will weep and the world
will laugh at you. But later your sorrow will change into
joy. A joy that the world will never know. You are sad
now. But when you see Me again, your hearts will be
filled with a joy of which no one will ever be able to
deprive you. Such a full joy, that it will obliterate every
need of yours to ask for anything for your minds, hearts
and bodies. You will feed on seeing Me again, and you
will forget everything else. And just from that moment
you will be able to ask for anything in My name, and it
will be given to you by the Father, so that your joy may
be greater and greater. Ask, do ask. And you will
receive.
The time is coming when I shall be able to speak to you
of the Father in plain words. That will happen because
you will have been faithful in the trial and everything
will have been overcome. So your love will be perfect,
as it will have given you strength in the trial. And what
you are short of, I will add it for you, taking it from My
immense treasure and saying: "Father, as You can see,
they have loved Me believing that I came from You".
Having descended into the world, now I leave it and I
am going to the Father, and I will pray for you. »
« Oh! now You are explaining things clearly. Now we
know what You mean and that You know everything
and that You give answers without being questioned by
anybody. You really come from God! »
« Do you believe now? At the last hour? I have spoken
to You for three years! But the Bread that is God and the
Wine that is Blood that did not come from man is
already working in you, and is giving you the first thrill
of deification. You will become gods if you persevere in
My love and in My possession. Not as Satan said to
Adam and Eve, but as I say to you. It is the true fruit of
the tree of Good and of Life. Evil is defeated in him who
feeds on it, and Death is dead. He who eats of it will live
for ever and will become "god" in the Kingdom of God.
You will be gods if you remain in Me. And yet now…
although you have this Bread and this Blood in
yourselves, as the hour is coming in which you will be
scattered, you will go away on your own account and
will leave Me all alone… But I am not alone. I have the
Father with Me. Father, Father! Do not abandon Me! I
have told you everything… To give you peace. My
peace. You will still have trouble. But have faith. I have
conquered the world. »
Jesus stands up, He opens His arms out crosswise and
with His face shining brightly He says the sublime
prayer to the Father. John quotes it integrally.
The apostles are shedding tears more or less openly and
noisily. As a last thing, they sing a hymn.
Jesus blesses them. He then says to them: « Let us put on
our mans now. And let us go. Andrew, tell the owner of
the house to leave everything as it is, as I want that.
Tomorrow… you will be pleased see this place again. »
Jesus looks at it. He seems to be blessing walls,
furniture, everything. He then puts on His mantle and Ls
out, followed by the disciples. Beside Him there is John
on whom He leans.
« Are you not saying goodbye to Your Mother? »
Zebedee's son asks Him.
« No. Everything has already been done. Furthermore,
make no noise. »
Simon, who has lit a torch at the chandelier, illuminates
the wide corridor that leads to the door. Peter opens the
main door cautiously and they all go out into the street,
and then, working a gadget, they close the door from
outside. And they start off.
--------------------
158
Easter Sunday:
http://www.valtorta.org/the_resurrection_defaultpage.ht
ml
614. Jesus Appears to His Mother.
Mary is prostrated with Her face on the floor. She looks
like a poor wretch. She looks like that withered flower
of which She has spoken.
The closed window is opened with a violent banging of
the heavy shutters, and with the first ray of the sun,
Jesus enters.
Mary, Who has been shaken by the noise and has raised
Her head to see which wind has opened the shutters,
sees Her radiant Son:
handsome, infinitely more handsome than He was
before suffering, smiling, lively, brighter than the sun,
dressed in a white garment that seems woven light, and
Who is advancing towards Her.
She straightens Herself up on Her knees and crossing
Her hands on Her breast, She says with a sob that is joy
and grief: « Lord, My God ». And She remains thus,
enraptured in contemplating Him, with Her face all
washed by tears, but made serene, pacified by His smile
and by the ecstasy.
But He does not want to see His Mother on Her knees,
like a servant. And He calls Her, stretching out His
hands, from the wounds of which emanate rays that
make His glorious Flesh even brighter: « Mother! » But
it is not the sorrowful word of the conversations and the
farewells before His Passion, or the heart-rending
lament of the meeting on Calvary and of the agony. It is
a cry of triumph, of joy, of freedom, of rejoicing, of
love, of gratitude. And He bends over His Mother, Who
dare not touch Him, and He places His hands under Her
bent elbows, and He lifts Her up, He presses Her to His
Heart and kisses Her.
Oh! Mary realises then that it is not a vision, that it is
Her Son Who has really risen, that it is Her Jesus, the
Son Who still loves Her as a Son. And with a cry, She
flings Her arms round His neck, and She embraces and
kisses Him, laughing in Her weeping. She kisses His
Forehead, where there are no longer any wounds, His
Head no longer unkempt and bloody, His shining Eyes,
His healed Cheeks, His Mouth no longer swollen. She
then takes His Hands and kisses their backs and palms,
their radiant wounds, and She suddenly bends down to
His Feet and uncovers them from under His bright
garment and kisses them. Then She stands up, looks at
Him, but dare not.
But He smiles and understands. He uncovers His chest
a little and says: « And this one, Mother, are You not
kissing it, this one that grieved You so much and that
You alone are worthy to kiss? Kiss My Heart, Mother.
Your kiss will cancel the last remembrance of what is
sorrowful and will give Me that joy, which My Joy of
having risen from the dead still lacks. » And He takes
the face of His Mother in His Hands and He lays Her
lips on the lips of the wound of His Chest, from which
streams of a very bright light are flowing.
Mary's face is haloed by that light, flooded as it is with
its beams. She kisses and kisses, while Jesus caresses
Her. She never tires kissing. She looks like a thirsty
woman whose mouth is attached to a fountain and who
drinks from it the life that was escaping her.
Jesus speaks now.
« It is all over, Mother. You no longer have to weep
over Your Son The trial is over. Redemption has taken
place.
Mother, thanks for conceiving Me, for bringing Me up,
for helping Me in life and in death.
I heard Your prayers come to Me. They have been My
strength in My grief, My companions in My journey on
the Earth and beyond the Earth. They came with Me on
the Cross and to Limbo. They were the incense that
preceded the Pontiff, Who was going to call His
servants and take them to the temple that does not die: to
My Heaven. They have come with Me to Paradise,
preceding, like an angelical voice, the procession of the
redeemed led by the Redeemer, so that the angels should
be ready to greet the Conqueror, Who was returning to
His Kingdom. They have been seen and heard by the
Father and by the Spirit, Who smiled at them, as if they
were the most beautiful flower and the sweetest song
born in Paradise. They have been recognised by the
Patriarchs and by the new Saints, by the new, first,
citizens of My Jerusalem, and I bring You their thanks,
Mother, together with the kisses of their relatives, with
their blessings and with that of Joseph, the spouse of
Your soul.
The whole of Heaven sings its hosanna to You, Mother,
Holy Mother! A hosanna that does not die, that is not a
false one like the one given to Me a few days ago.
I will now go to the Father in My human appearance.
Paradise must see the Conqueror in His appearance of
Man, by means of which He defeated the Sin of Man.
159
But I will come again. I must confirm in the Faith those
who do not yet believe and are in need to believe to lead
the others to believe, I must fortify the pusillanimous
ones who will need so much strength to resist the world.
Then I will ascend to Heaven. But I will not leave You
alone. Mother, can You see that veil? In My
annihilation, I still exhaled the power of miracle on
Your behalf, to give You that comfort. But for You I
will work another miracle. You will have Me, in the
Sacrament, as real as when You carried Me.
You will never be alone. But these past days You have
been alone. But also that sorrow of Yours was required
for My Redemption. Much is continuously to be added
to Redemption, because much will be continuously
created in the way of Sin. I will call all My servants to
this redeeming participation. You are the one who by
Yourself will do more than all the others together. But
also this long abandonment was required.
Now no longer so. I am no longer separated from the
Father. You will no longer be separated from Your Son.
And, by having Your Son, You have our Trinity. A
living Heaven, You will bring the Trinity to men on the
Earth, and You will sanctify the Church, You, Queen of
the Priesthood and Mother of the Christians.
Then I will come to get You. And no longer shall I be
in You, but You will be in Me, in My Kingdom, to
make Paradise more beautiful.
I am going now, Mother. I am going to make the other
Mary happy. Then I will ascend to the Father. Thence I
will come to those who do not believe. Mother, Your
kiss as a blessing. And My Peace to You as a
companion. Goodbye. »
And Jesus disappears in the sunshine that streams down
from the early morning clear sky.
AMDG!
 7 PARTS 10 VOLUMES, THE GOSPEL AS
REVEALED TO ME,
The Birth and Hidden Life of Mary and Jesus the new 2nd English Edition, by Maria
Chapters 1-43 Valtorta.

The first year of the Public Life of Jesus Volume One, chapters 1-78
Chapters 44-140
Volume Two, chapters 79-159
The second year of the Public Life of Jesus
Chapters 141-312 Volume Three, chapters 160-225

The third year of the Public Life of Jesus Volume Four, chapters 226-295
Chapters 313-540
Volume Five, chapters 296-363
Preparation for the Passion of Jesus
Chapters 541-600 Volume Six, chapters 364-432

Passion and Death of Jesus Volume Seven, chapters 433-500

Chapters 601-615
Volume Eight, chapters 501-554
Glorification of Jesus and Mary
Chapters 616-651 Volume Nine, chapters 555-600

Farewell to the Work Volume Ten, chapters 601-652

Chapter 652
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