Benjamin of Bethlehem (shepherd of the Nativity) — notes and quotations

GRM 30.9

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«I will remember you, Elias, and every one of you.»
«Will You tell Your Baby about us?»
«I certainly will.»
«I am Elias.»
«And I am Levi.»
«And I am Samuel.»
«And I Jonah.»
«And I Isaac.»
«And I Tobias.»
«And I Jonathan.»
«And I Daniel.»
«And I Simeon.»
«My name is John.»
«I am Joseph and my brother Benjamin, we are twins.»
«I will remember your names.»
«We must go… But we will come back… And we will bring others to worship Him.»
«How can we go back to the sheep-fold, leaving the Child?»
«Glory be to God Who has shown Him to us!»
«Will You let us kiss His dress?» asks Levi, with an angelic smile.
And Mary lifts Jesus slowly, and sitting on the hay, wraps the tiny little feet in linen, and offers them to be kissed. And the shepherds bow down to the ground and kiss the tiny feet, veiled by the linen. Those with a beard clean it first; almost everyone is crying, and when they have to go, they walk out backwards, leaving their hearts there…
The vision ends in this way, with Mary sitting on the straw with the Child on Her lap and Joseph who, leaning with his elbow on the manger, looks and adores.

Keywords

GRM 75.4

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

75.4 And what about the others? You were twelve: Elias, Levi, Samuel, Jonah, Isaac, Tobias, Jonathan, Daniel, Simeon, John, Joseph, Benjamin. My Mother always mentioned your names to Me. Because you were My first friends.»
«Oh!» The shepherds are more and more moved.
«Where are the others?»
«Old Samuel died of old age about twenty years ago. Joseph was killed because he fought at the gate of the enclosure to give time to his wife, who had just become a mother a few hours before, to escape with this man, whom I took with me for the sake of my friend… also to have children around me once again. I took Levi also with me… He was persecuted. Benjamin is a shepherd on Lebanon with Daniel. Simeon, John and Tobias, who now wants to be called Matthew in memory of his father, who was also killed, are disciples of John. Jonah works on the plain of Esdraelon for a Pharisee. Isaac suffers very much from his back that is bent in two, he lives in dire poverty, all by himself at Juttah. We help him as much as we can, but we have all been badly hit and our help is like dew drops on a fire. Jonathan is now the servant of one of Herod’s big men.»
«How could you, and particularly Jonathan, Jonah, Daniel and Benjamin get such jobs?»
«I remembered Your relative Zacharias… Your Mother had sent me to him. When we were in the mountain gorges in Judaea, fugitives and cursed, I took them to him. He was good to us. He sheltered and fed us. And he found work for us. He did what he could. I had already taken all Anne’s herd for the Herodian… and I remained with him… When the Baptist, grown into a man, began to preach, Simeon, John and Tobias went to him.»
«But now the Baptist is in jail.»
«Yes, and they are keeping watch near Machaerus, with a few sheep, to avoid arousing suspicion. They were given the sheep by a rich man, a disciple of Your relative John.»
«I would like to see them all.»
«Yes, My Lord. We will go and say to them: “Come, He is alive. He remembers us and loves us”.»
«And He wants you to be His friends.»
«Yes, my Lord.»
«But we will go first to Isaac. And where are Samuel and Joseph buried?»
«Samuel in Hebron. He remained in Zacharias’ service. Joseph… has no tomb. He was burned with the house.»
«He is no longer in the cruel fire, but in the flames of God’s love and will soon be in His glory. I am telling you, and particularly you, Joseph, son of Joseph. Come here, that I may kiss you to thank your father.»
«And my children?»
«They are angels, Elias. Angels who will repeat the “Gloria” when the Saviour is crowned.
«King?»
«No, Redeemer. Oh! What a procession of just people and saints! And in front there will be the white and purple phalanges of the martyrs! As soon as the gates of Limbo are opened, we shall ascend together to the eternal Kingdom. And then you will come and will find your fathers, mothers and children in the Lord! Believe Me.»
«Yes, my Lord.»
«Call Me: Master.»

Detail

Summary: Jesus has found Elijah and Levi, two shepherds from the Nativity. He explains where the other shepherds are, what Zechariah did for them, and who followed John the Baptist when he began his mission as Forerunner.

I had already taken all of Anne's trouveau passed to the Herodian... and stayed with it... a note in the second etidtion makes the following clarification.

It means: *the herd I was tending on Anne's behalf had been taken by the herodist, so I went over to the latter's service.

Keywords

GRM 102.1

The Gospel as revealed to me

Translation in progress

Keywords

GRM 103

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

Jesus travels with Jonathas and the disciples to find Benjamin and Daniel, two shepherds from the Nativity. They talk about Herod and his brother Philip, as well as Kouza, who serves the Tetrarch. Then they come to speak of the martyrs who will give their lives for Christ, and Jesus speaks of Peter's martyrdom. Later, the vision continues, and the group talks about Doras and how he made Jonah a slave. Finally comes the meeting with the shepherds Daniel and Benjamin, who are obviously overjoyed to see their Lord again.

Keywords

GRM 103.3-5

The Gospel as revealed to me

Translation in progress

Keywords

GRM 198.9 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

And during their absence the various groups continue their conversations. They narrate, comment and sigh on human harshness. Isaac tells what he has been able to find out about the Baptist. Some say he is at Machaerus, some at Tiberias. His disciples have not yet come back…
«But did they not follow him?»
«Yes. But near Doco those who had captured him crossed the river with their prisoner and no one knows whether they went up to the lake or down to Machaerus. John, Matthias and Simeon are moving around to find out and they will certainly not abandon him.»
«And you, Isaac, will certainly not abandon this new disciple. He will stay with Me for the time being. I want him to celebrate Passover with Me.»
«I will celebrate it in Jerusalem, in Johanna’s house. She saw me and offered a room for me and my companions. They are all coming this year. And we shall be there with Jonathan.»
«Those from Lebanon too?»
«Yes. Perhaps John’s disciples will not be able to come.»
«Johanan’s men are coming, did you know?»
«Are they? I will be at the door, near the priests offering sacrifices. I will see them and take them with me.»
«They will be arriving at the last moment. Their time is very limited. But they have a lamb.»
«I have one, too. A marvellous one. Lazarus gave me it. We will sacrifice this one and they can keep theirs for their journey back home.»

Annotation

The shepherds of Lebanon, i.e. Daniel and Benjamin.

Keywords

GRM 207.7 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Mary, Who has been pacing to and fro while recalling the past, pointing out the places, panting with love, with bright tears shining in Her blue eyes and a smile of joy on Her lips, bends over Her Jesus, Who is sitting on a huge stone listening to Her recollection, and kisses His head, weeping, adoring as She did then…
«And then the shepherds… they were in here, adoring with their good souls and with the deep sigh of the earth which entered with them, with their scent of humanity, of herds and hay; and outside there were the angels, everywhere, who adored with their love, with their songs which no human creature can repeat, and with the love of Heaven, with the air of Heaven which came in with them, which they brought in, in all their brightness… Your birth, Blessed Son!…»
Mary has knelt down beside Her Son and weeps emotionally with Her head resting on His knees. No one dare speak for some time. More or less moved they all look around as if they expected to see the scene painted among the cobwebs and rough stones…

Detail

Mary recounts the Nativity of her Son in the manger of Bethlehem. She goes on to talk about the angels and shepherds.