Bible - Gospel of Mark — notes (page 2/4)

GRM 64.1.3-4.5

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

64.1 I see the shore of the lake of Gennesaret. And I can see the boats beached by the fishermen; on the foreshore, leaning against the boats, are Peter and Andrew, intent on mending the nets, which their assistants bring them still dripping, having rinsed them in the lake to remove entangled rubbish. About ten yards away, John and James, bent over their boat, are busy at tidying it up, and they are helped by an assistant and by a man about fifty or fifty-five years old, who I think is Zebedee, because the assistant calls him «master» and also because he is very like James.
Peter and Andrew, with their backs to the boat, are working silently knotting the threads of the nets and fixing corks to them. Now and again they exchange a few words about their work, which, as far as I understand, has not been profitable.
Peter is sorry about it, not because of the loss of profit or the unprofitable work, but he says: «I am sorry, because… what shall we do to feed these poor people? We receive only occasional offerings and I am not going to touch the ten pieces of silver and the seven drachmas we collected during the last four days. Only the Master can tell me to whom and how that money is to be given. And He will not be back here until Sabbath! If we had had a good haul!… I would have cooked the small fish for the poor… and if anyone at home grumbled, I would not have cared. Healthy people can find food for themselves. But sick people!…»
«Above all that paralytic!… They have already travelled so much to bring him here…» says Andrew.
(...) [Jesus returns to his disciples, and the Master delivers a sermon in the home of one of his apostles.]
People crowd into the big room at the back of the house, which is used as a store for nets, ropes, baskets, oars, sails, and provisions. Peter must have put it at Jesus’ disposal, because everything has been piled up in one corner to make room. The lake cannot be seen from here. Only its gently lapping waves can be heard. Instead one can see the low greenish wall of the kitchen garden, with the old vine and the leafy fig-tree. There are people even on the road, as they pass from the room into the kitchen garden and hence onto the road.
64.4 Jesus begins to speak. In the front row, there are five… high-ranking people, who have elbowed their way through the crowd taking advantage of the fear they strike into poor people. Their sumptuous garments and their pride announce them as Pharisees and doctors.
(...) 64.5 «Master!» shouts Peter amidst the crowd, «the sick people are here. Two of them can wait until You come out, but this one is crushed amongst the crowd and… he cannot stay here any longer. It is impossible for us to come in. Shall I send him back?»
«No, lower him down through the roof.»
«You are right. We will do that at once.»
I can hear them shuffling on the low roof of the big room, the terrace of which is not built of cement, as the store-room is not really part of the house. The roof is formed with branches covered by chips of stone like slate. I do not know what stone it is. They make an opening through which, by means of ropes, they lower down the little stretcher on which the patient is lying. It is lowered in front of Jesus. The crowds throng closer to see.
«Both you and who brought you have great faith.»
«Oh! Lord! How could we have no faith in You?»
«Well, I say to you: son (he is a very young man) your sins are forgiven.»
The man looks at him, crying… perhaps he is somewhat disappointed because he was hoping to be healed in his body. The Pharisees and doctors whisper something to one another turning up their noses, foreheads and mouths in disdain.
«Why are you muttering, more in your hearts than with your lips? According to you, it is easier to say to the paralytic: “Your sins are forgiven” or “Get up, take your little bed and walk away”? You think that only God can forgive sins. But you cannot answer which of these things is greater, because this man, whose whole body is lost to him, has spent a lot of money without being healed. And he can only be healed by God. Now, that you may learn that I can do everything, that you may learn that the Son of man has authority both over bodies and souls, on the earth and in Heaven, I say to him: “Get up. Pick up your bed and walk. Go home and be holy”.»
The man jerks, he shouts, stands up, he throws himself at Jesus’ feet, kisses and caresses them, he cries and laughs, and his relatives and the crowd do likewise. The crowd divides into two to let him pass, as if he were triumphant, and they follow him rejoicing. The five resentful men go away, conceited and as stiff as sticks.

Annotation

Matthew 9:1-8

Jesus got into a boat, made the crossing again, and went to his town of Capernaum.

Behold, a paralyzed man was brought to him, lying on a stretcher. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Trust, my child, your sins are forgiven." And behold, some of the scribes were saying to themselves, "This one blasphemes."

But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, asked, "Why are you thinking evil thoughts? For what is easier? To say, "Your sins are forgiven", or to say, "Get up and walk"? Well, that you may know that the Son of Man has the power on earth to forgive sins... - Jesus then addressed the paralyzed man - get up, take your stretcher, and go home." He got up and went home.

When the crowds saw this, they were filled with fear, and gave glory to God who had given such power to men.

Mark 2, 1-12

A few days later, Jesus returned to Capernaum, and word spread that he was at home. So many people gathered that there was no room, not even in front of the door, and he proclaimed the Word to them.

Some people arrived and brought him a paralyzed man, carried by four men. As they were unable to approach him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof above him, made an opening, and lowered the stretcher on which the paralyzed man was lying. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "My child, your sins are forgiven."

Now there were some scribes sitting there, reasoning within themselves, "Why does this one speak like that? He blasphemes. Who then can forgive sins but God alone?" Immediately perceiving in his mind the reasonings they were making, Jesus said to them, "Why do you hold such reasonings? Which is easier? To say to this paralyzed man, 'Your sins are forgiven', or to say to him, 'Get up, take your stretcher and walk'? Well! So that you know that the Son of Man has the authority to forgive sins on earth... - Jesus addressed the paralyzed man - I tell you, get up, take your stretcher, and go home." He got up, immediately took his stretcher and went out in front of everyone. They were all amazed and gave glory to God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this."

Luke 5:17-26

One day when Jesus was teaching, there were Pharisees and teachers of the Law in the audience, from all the villages of Galilee and Judea, as well as from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was at work to make him perform healings.

People arrived, carrying on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they sought to bring him in to place him before Jesus. But, not seeing how to do this because of the crowd, they climbed up onto the roof and, pushing aside the tiles, lowered him and his stretcher right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." The scribes and Pharisees began to reason: "Who is this man? He speaks blasphemies! Who then can forgive sins, if not God alone?" But Jesus, catching their thoughts, answered them, "Why these thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier? To say, 'Your sins are forgiven you', or to say, 'Get up and walk'? Well! That you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins, - Jesus addressed the one who was paralyzed - I tell you, get up, take your stretcher and go back to your house."

Immediately the paralyzed man stood up in front of them, took up his bed and went home, giving glory to God. They were all amazed and gave glory to God. Filled with fear, they said, "We have seen extraordinary things today!"

Keywords

GRM 80.8-11

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Listen. Once a man asked Me whether I had ever been tempted. He asked[1] Me whether I had ever committed sin, and whether, when tempted, I had ever given in. And he was surprised because, in order to resist temptation, I, the Messiah, had asked the Father for help, saying: “Father, lead Me not into temptation”.»
Jesus speaks slowly, calmly as if He were relating an event with which none of them was acquainted… Judas lowers his head as if he were embarrassed. But the others are so intent on looking at Jesus, that they do not notice him.
Jesus goes on: «Now, My friends, you will learn something of which that man had only a faint idea. After My Baptism I came here: I was clean, but one is never clean enough with regards to God, and the humility in saying: “I am a man and a sinner” is already a baptism which makes the heart clean. I had been called “the Lamb of God” by the holy prophet who saw the Truth and saw the Spirit descend upon the Word and anoint Him with its chrism of love, while the voice of the Father filled the Heavens saying: “This is My beloved Son in Whom I am very pleased”. You, John, were present when the Baptist repeated those words… After being baptised, although I was clean both by My nature and by appearance, I wanted to “prepare”. Yes, Judas. Look at Me. May My eyes tell you what My mouth does not yet speak. Look at Me, Judas. Look at your Master, Who although was the Messiah, did not consider Himself superior to man, on the contrary, knowing He was the Man, He wanted to be so in everything, except in yielding to evil. Exactly so.»
Judas has now raised his head and looks at Jesus in front of him. The light of the stars causes Jesus’ eyes to sparkle as if they were two stars fixed in a pale face.
80.9
«If one wants to prepare to be a teacher one must have been a pupil. I, as God, knew everything. My intelligence enabled Me to understand also the struggles of man, both by intellectual power and in an intellectual way, that is without any practical experience. But then some poor friend of Mine, some poor son of Mine, could have said to Me: “You do not know what it is to be a man and have senses and passions”. And it would have been a fair reproach. I came here, or rather on that mountain, to prepare… not only for My mission… but also for temptation. See? I was tempted where you are now sitting. By whom? By a mortal being? No. His power would have been too limited. I was tempted by Satan himself.
I was exhausted. I had not eaten for forty days… But while I was engrossed in prayer, everything had been forgotten in the joy of speaking to God, rather than forgotten, it had been made endurable. I felt it as a discomfort of a material nature, confined to matter only… I then came back to the world… I was back in the ways of the world… And I felt the needs of those who are in the world. I was hungry. I was thirsty. I felt the biting cold of the desert night. My body was worn out due to lack of rest, of a bed and with a long journey made in such a state of weariness that I could go no farther…
Because I am made of flesh too, My dear friends. Real flesh. And my flesh is subject to the weakness common to all flesh. And, with My flesh, I have a heart. Yes, I took the first and second of the three parts that form man. I took the physical part with all its needs and the morals with their passions. And whilst, with My will, I subdued all the bad passions at birth, I let the holy passions grow like mighty age-old cedars, that is filial love, love for the fatherland, friendship, work, everything that is best and holy. And here I felt nostalgia for My far away Mother, here I felt the need for Her care for My human frailty, here I felt once again the pain of parting from the Only One Who loved Me with perfect love, here I realised what sorrow is laid aside for Me and I was grieved at Her sorrows, poor Mother, Who will have to shed so many tears for Her Son and because of the wickedness of men, that She will be left tearless. And here I experienced the weariness of the hero and of the ascetic who in an hour of forewarning realise the uselessness of their efforts… I cried… Sadness… a lure for Satan. It is not a sin to be sad in painful circumstances. It is a sin to go beyond sadness and fall into inertness and despair. But Satan comes at once when he sees anyone in spiritual languor.
He came. Dressed as a kind traveller. He always takes on a kind appearance… I was hungry… and thirty years old. He offered to help Me. First he said to Me: “Tell these stones to become bread”. But before… yes… even before, he spoke to Me about woman. Oh! He knows how to speak of her. He knows her very well. He corrupted her first, to make her his ally in corruption. I am not only the Son of God. I am Jesus, the workman of Nazareth. I said to that man, who was speaking to Me then, the one who asked Me whether I had experienced temptations and almost accused Me for being unjustly blessed, because I had not sinned: “The act subsides when satisfied. A rejected temptation does not fade away, but becomes stronger also because Satan instigates it”. I resisted the temptation both of lust for woman and hunger for bread. And you must know that Satan proposed woman to Me as the best ally to succeed in the world, and he was quite right, from a human point of view.
Temptation did not give up because of My comment: “Man does not live on his senses only” and he spoke to Me of My mission. He wanted to seduce the Messiah after failing with the young Man. And he incited Me to crush the unworthy ministers of the Temple with a miracle… A miracle, the fire of Heaven, is not to be bent to form a wicker wreath to crown ourselves… And we must not put God to the test, asking for miracles for human purposes. That is what Satan wanted. The reason mentioned by him was an excuse: the truth was: “Boast of being the Messiah”, as he wanted to lead Me to another lust: the lust for pride.
He was not daunted by My reply: “You must not put the Lord your God to the test” and he circumvented Me with the third power of his nature: gold. Oh! gold. Bread is a great thing, and woman an even greater one for those longing for food or pleasure. To be acclaimed by the crowds is a very great thing for man. How many crimes are committed for these three things! But gold… gold! It is a key that opens, a circle that joins, it is the beginning and end of ninety-nine percent of human actions. For bread and a woman man becomes a thief. For power he also becomes a murderer. But for gold he becomes an idolator. The king of gold, Satan, offered Me his gold if I adored him. I pierced him with the eternal words:
“You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only”.
It happened here.»
80.10
Jesus is now standing. He seems taller than usual in the flat nature surrounding Him, in the slightly phosphorescent light of the stars. The disciples also get up. Jesus carries on speaking, staring intently at Judas.
«Then the angels of the Lord came… The Man had won the triple battle. The Man knew what it meant to be a man and had won. He was exhausted. The struggle had been more exhausting than the long fast… But the spirit was triumphant… I think that Heaven was startled at My becoming a perfect creature endowed with knowledge. I think that from that moment I got the power of working miracles. I was God. I had become the Man. Now, by defeating the animal nature connected with man’s nature, I was the Man-God. And I am. And as God I am omnipotent. And as Man I am omniscient. Do as I did, if you want to do what I do. And do it in memory of Me.
That man was amazed at My asking for the Father’s help, and at My praying not to be led into Temptation. That is, not to be left at the mercy of temptation beyond My strength. I think that that man will no longer be amazed, now that he knows. I ask you to do the same in My memory and to win as I did. And never doubt My nature of true Man and true God, seeing how strong I was in all the temptations of life, and how I won the battles of the five senses, of sensuality and of sentiments. Remember all of that.
80.11
I promised to take you where it would be possible for you to know the Master… from the dawn of His day, a dawn which is as pure as the one which is now rising, to the noon of His life. The noon which I left to go and meet My human evening… I said to one of you: “I also prepared”; you now see it is true. I thank you for your company in the return to the place of My birth and the place of My penance. My first contacts with the world had sickened and depressed Me. It is too ugly. My soul has now been nourished with the lion’s marrow: the union with the Father in prayer and solitude. And I can go back to the world and take My cross upon Me once again, the first cross of the Redeemer: the cross of the contact with the world. With the world, in which there are too few souls called Mary, called John…»

Detail

Summary: A lesson on the temptation of Christ. It covers Satan, the Lord’s temptation, the fact that He is the God-Man and therefore the Son of Man...

Annotation

Matthew 3:13–17 and 4:1–11: Then Jesus appeared. He had come from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. John tried to stop him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me!” But Jesus replied, “Let it be so for now, for it is proper for us to fulfill all righteousness.” So John allowed it. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up out of the water, and behold, the heavens were opened: he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he became hungry.

The tempter approached him and said, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus replied, “It is written: ‘Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took him to the Holy City, set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Jesus said to him, “It is also written: ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

The devil took him again to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. He said to him, “I will give you all this, if you will fall down and worship me.” ’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For it is written: “You shall worship the Lord your God, and him alone shall you serve.”’

Then the devil left him. And behold, angels came and ministered to him.

Mark 1:9–13

In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth, a town in Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And as soon as he came up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn open and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove. A voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.” ” Immediately the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness, and there he remained for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He lived among the wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.

Luke 3:21–22 and 4:1–13: As all the people were being baptized, and after Jesus had also been baptized and was praying, the heavens opened. The Holy Spirit, in bodily form like a dove, descended upon Jesus, and a voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.”

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the banks of the Jordan; led by the Spirit, he went into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when that time was over, he was hungry.

The devil then said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” Jesus replied, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’”

Then the devil took him to a high place and showed him, in an instant, all the kingdoms of the earth. He said to him, “I will give you all this power and the glory of these kingdoms, for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. So if you will worship me, all this will be yours.” Jesus replied, “It is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him alone.’”

Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here; for it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you,’ and again, ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is written: ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Having thus exhausted every form of temptation, the devil left Jesus until the appointed time.

John 1:29–34: The next day, seeing Jesus coming toward him, John declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world; it is of him that I said, ‘The one who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.’ And I did not know him; but I came baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.” Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. And I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain—that is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen, and I testify: this is the Son of God.”

Keywords

GRM 80.8

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Now, My friends, you will learn something of which that man had only a faint idea. After My Baptism I came here: I was clean, but one is never clean enough with regards to God, and the humility in saying: “I am a man and a sinner” is already a baptism which makes the heart clean. I had been called “the Lamb of God” by the holy prophet who saw the Truth and saw the Spirit descend upon the Word and anoint Him with its chrism of love, while the voice of the Father filled the Heavens saying: “This is My beloved Son in Whom I am very pleased”. You, John, were present when the Baptist repeated those words… After being baptised, although I was clean both by My nature and by appearance, I wanted to “prepare”. Yes, Judas. Look at Me. May My eyes tell you what My mouth does not yet speak. Look at Me, Judas. Look at your Master, Who although was the Messiah, did not consider Himself superior to man, on the contrary, knowing He was the Man, He wanted to be so in everything, except in yielding to evil. Exactly so.»

Annotation

Matthew 3:13–17 and 4:1–11: Then Jesus appeared. He had come from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. John tried to stop him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me!” But Jesus replied, “Let it be so for now, for it is proper for us to fulfill all righteousness.” So John let him be. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up out of the water, and behold, the heavens were opened: he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he became hungry.

The tempter approached him and said, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus replied, “It is written: ‘Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took him to the Holy City, set him on the pinnacle of the Temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Jesus said to him, “It is also written: ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

The devil took him again to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. He said to him, “I will give you all this, if you will fall down and worship me.” ’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For it is written: “You shall worship the Lord your God, and him alone shall you serve.”’

Then the devil left him. And behold, angels came and ministered to him.

Mark 1:9–13

In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth, a town in Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And as soon as he came up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. A voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.” ” Immediately the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness, and there he remained for forty days, tempted by Satan. He lived among the wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.

Luke 3:21–22 and 4:1–13: As all the people were being baptized, and after Jesus had also been baptized and was praying, the heavens opened. The Holy Spirit, in bodily form like a dove, descended upon Jesus, and a voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.”

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the banks of the Jordan; led by the Spirit, he went into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when that time was over, he was hungry.

The devil then said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” Jesus replied, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’”

Then the devil took him to a high place and showed him, in an instant, all the kingdoms of the earth. He said to him, “I will give you all this power and the glory of these kingdoms, for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. So if you will worship me, all this will be yours.” Jesus replied, “It is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him alone.’”

Quotation

173.2«Peace be with you all!
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 goodwill 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, so 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 skillful handling of business, so that by means of mortgage deeds and interest loans, 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”.
173.3And here is the method to reach 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 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 your treasures in Heaven, where thieves cannot break them, 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.
173.4But in order not to diminish the fruit of charity, take care to be charitable in a supernatural spirit. What I said with regards 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! He who does not do them, commits a sin of harshness. He 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?”, he sins against charity because he humbles the beneficiary by making his name known, and commits a sin of spiritual avarice as he wants to accumulate 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 passers-by 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 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. I can…»
173.5«Master, You lie with Your own words!»
The sudden resentful remark comes from the centre of the crowd. They all turn around in the direction of the voice. There is some confusion.
Peter says: «I told You! Eh! When there is one of those over there… everything goes wrong!» Many people in the crowd hiss and grumble against the reviler.
Jesus is the only one who remains calm. He has folded His arms and is standing, tall as He is, on His rock, with the sun in front of Him, in His dark blue tunic.
The reviler, heedless of the reaction of the crowd, goes on: «You are a bad Master because You teach what You do not do and…»
«Be quiet! Go away! Shame!» shout the crowd. And again: «Go back to your Scribes! The Master is quite enough for us! Let the hypocrites go with the hypocrites! You false masters! Usurers!…» and they continue but Jesus thunders out: «Silence! Let him speak» and the crowds no longer shout but they whisper their insults glaring at him at the same time.
«Yes. You teach what You do not do. You told us that we should give alms without being seen, and yesterday in the presence of a whole crowd You said to two poor people: “Stay and I will appease your hunger”.»
«I said: “Let the two poor people stay here. They will be the blessed guests who will give flavour to our bread”. Nothing else. I did not say I wanted to satisfy their hunger. Which poor man has not at least some bread? It was My joy to extend our good friendship to them.»
«Of course! You are cunning and You can play the part of the lamb!…»
The old man stands up, turns around and raising his walking stick he shouts: «Infernal tongue who are accusing the Holy One, do you think that you know everything and that you can accuse Him of what you know? As you do not know who God is and who He is Whom you are insulting, so you do not know His deeds. Only the angels and my overjoyed heart know. Listen, men, listen everybody and see whether Jesus is the liar and the proud man as this traitor to the Temple is saying. He…»
«Be quiet, Ishmael! Be quiet for My sake! If I made you happy, please make Me happy by being silent» Jesus begs him.
«I obey You, Holy Son. But let me say only this: the blessing of an old faithful Israelite is on Him Who assisted me in the name of God and God put that blessing on my lips for me and for Sarah, my new daughter. But there will be no blessing on your head. I will not curse you. I will not foul, with a curse, my mouth which must say to God: “Receive me”. I did not do it to her who disowned me, and I have already received a divine reward for it. But there is One who will take the place of the Innocent you are accusing and of Ishmael, the friend of God, Who assists Him.»
A chorus of shouts closes the speech of the old man who sits down again, while a man sneaks away, followed by insults. The crowds then shout to Jesus: «Go on, go on, Holy Master! We will listen only to You. Listen to us, not to those cursed birds of evil omen! They are jealous, because we love You more than we love them! But You are holy, they are wicked. Go on, speak to us. You can see that we have no other wish but to hear You. Our homes, our business? They are nothing, we left them to hear You.»
«I will speak to you. But do not be upset by what happened. Pray for those poor people. Forgive them as I do. Because if you forgive men their faults, your Father Who is in Heaven will forgive you your sins as well. But if you bear men a grudge and do not forgive them, neither will your Father forgive you your shortcomings. And everybody needs to be forgiven.
173.6I was saying to you that God will give you a reward, even if you do not ask to be rewarded for the good you have done. But do not do good to be rewarded, to have a security for tomorrow. Do not do good restricted within narrow limits by fear: “And after, shall I have enough for myself? And should I have nothing, who will help me? Shall I find anyone who will do what I did? And when I shall no longer be able to give, shall I still be loved?”.
Look: I have mighty friends among rich people and I have friends amongst the poor people of the earth. And I solemnly tell you that the mighty ones are not the most loved. I go to them not for My own sake or profit. But because they can give Me much for those who have nothing. I am poor. I have nothing. I would like to have all the treasures in the world and change them into bread for those who are hungry, into homes for the homeless, into clothes for the naked and into medicines for the sick. You may say: “You can cure people”. Yes, I can do that and other things. But I do not always find faith in men, and I cannot do what I would do and would like to do, if the hearts of men had faith in Me. I would like to help also those who have no faith. And as they do not ask the Son of man for miracles, I would like, as a man to man, to help them. But I have nothing. That is why I stretch out My hand to those who are rich and I ask them: “Give Me some alms, in the name of God”. That is why I have high-placed friendships. Tomorrow, when I am no longer on the earth, there will still be poor people, but I shall not be there to work miracles for those who have faith, nor to give alms to lead to faith. But then My rich friends, who are in touch with Me, will have learned how to help, and My apostles, after their experience with Me, will have learned how to give alms out of love for their brothers. And the poor will always receive assistance.
Yesterday, I received from one who has nothing, more than all those who are rich have given Me. He is a friend, and as poor as I am. But he gave Me something that no money can buy, and which made Me happy, bringing back to Me so many serene hours of My childhood and youth, when every evening the hands of a Just One were laid on My head and I went to rest with his blessing as the guardian of My sleep. Yesterday this poor friend of Mine made Me king with his blessing. You thus see that none of My rich friends has given Me what he gave Me. Therefore, be not afraid. Even if you no longer have the power of money, providing you have love and holiness, you can still assist those who are poor, tired and distressed.
173.7And I therefore say to you: do not worry too much because you are afraid of having too little. You will always have what is necessary. Do not worry too much about your future. Nobody knows how much future there is ahead of him. Do not worry about what you will eat to support yourselves in life or what clothes you will put on to keep your bodies warm. The life of your souls is by far more precious than your stomachs and your limbs, it is much more valuable than your food and your clothes, exactly as material life is more valuable than food and the body more precious than its clothes. And your Father knows. You ought to know, too. Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet they do not starve to death because the heavenly Father feeds them. And you men, the favourite creatures of the Father, are worth much more than they are.
Which of you, with all his talent, can add one single cubit to his height? If you cannot raise your height even by a span, how can you possibly change your future conditions, increasing your wealth, to ensure that you will live to a long and happy old age? Can you say to death: “You shall come for me when I want”? You cannot. Why, then, worry about your future? And why go to so much trouble lest you should be left without clothes? Think of the lilies growing in the fields: they do not work or spin, they do not buy any cloth from vendors, yet I assure you that not even Solomon in all his regalia was robed like one of them. Now if that is how God clothes the grass in the field, which is there today and will be thrown into the furnace tomorrow or used to feed the cattle and will thus end up in ash or dung, how much more He will see to you, His children?
Do not be of little faith. Do not worry about an uncertain future saying: “What shall I eat when I am old? What shall I drink? How will I clothe myself?”. Leave such worries to the Gentiles, who do not have the lofty certainty of the divine paternity. You have it and you know that the Father is aware of your needs and loves you. Therefore trust Him. Seek first what is really necessary: faith, goodness, charity, humility, mercy, purity, justice, meekness, the three and four main virtues, and all the others as well, in order to be the friends of God, and have a right to His Kingdom. And I can assure you that all the rest will be given to you as well, without having to ask for it. There is no rich man richer than a saint or any man safer than he is. God is with the saint and the saint is with God. He does not ask anything for his body, and God supplies what is necessary. But he works for his soul, and God gives Himself to him in this world, and Paradise in the next one.
So do not go to any trouble for what is not worth your trouble. Let your imperfections grieve you, not your scanty earthly means. Do not worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will take care of itself, and you will take care of it when you live it. Why worry today? Is life not already quite full of yesterday’s sad memories and of today’s troubles, that we should feel the need to add the nightmares of tomorrow’s uncertainties? Leave to each day its own trouble! There will always be in life more pains than we would wish, without adding the present pains to future ones! Always say the great word of God: “Today”. You are His children, created to His likeness. So say with Him: “Today”.
And today I give you My blessing. May it accompany you until the beginning of a new today: of tomorrow, that is when, I will once again give My peace in the name of God.»

Detail

During Jesus' speech, he is interrupted by a Pharisee. The Pharisee refers to a passage in EMV 172, where Jesus invites old Ishmael and the woman Sarah to share their bread.