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Bible - Book of Ben Sira the Wise - Ecclesiasticus or Sirach

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GRM 7.8

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

7.8 What is reason? A gift of God. God can therefore give it as He wishes, to whom He wishes and when He wishes. Reason in fact is one of the things that makes you more like God, the Intelligent and Reasoning Spirit. Reason and intelligence were graces given by God to Man in the Earthly Paradise. How full of life they were, when Grace was alive, still intact and active in the spirit of the first two Parents!

The Book of Jesus Ben Sirach states: “All wisdom is from the Lord, and it is His own forever”. What wisdom, therefore, would men have had, had they remained children of God?

Annotation

Book of Ben Sira the Wise

Si 1, 1 : All Wisdom comes from the Lord, and remains with Him forever.

GRM 7.9

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

« Mary was not only the Pure, the new Eve created for the joy of God: She was the super Eve, the Masterpiece of the Most High, She was Full of Grace, the Mother of the Word in the mind of God.

Jesus Ben Sirach says: “Source of Wisdom is the Word”. Will the Son therefore not have put His wisdom on His Mother’s lips?

If the mouth of a Prophet was purified with embers, because he had to repeat to men the words that the Word, the Wisdom, entrusted to Him, will Love not have cleansed and exalted the speech of his infant Spouse Who was to bear the Word, so that She should no longer speak as a little girl and then as a woman, but only and always as a celestial creature melted in the great light and wisdom of God?

The miracle is not in the superior intelligence shown by Mary in Her childhood, as afterwards it was by Me. The miracle is in containing the Infinite Intelligence, that dwelled there, within suitable bounds, so that crowds should not be startled and satanic attention should not be awakened.

I will talk again about this subject which is part of the “remembrance” which saints have of God.»

Annotation

Book of Ben Sira the Wise 1, 1-8

Si 1, 1-8 : ALL WISDOM comes from the Lord, and abides with him forever. The sand of the seas, the drops of rain, and the days of eternity, who can count them? The height of heaven, the breadth of earth, the depth of the abyss, who can estimate them? Wisdom was created before all things, and the depth of intelligence has always been there. The source of wisdom is the word of God in the highest heaven. Its paths are the eternal commandments. The root of wisdom, who has had the revelation, and its subtleties, who has had the knowledge? The science of wisdom, to whom was it manifested, and who profited from its great experience? There is but one wise and most formidable being, He who sits on His throne. He is the Lord (...).

Book of Isaiah, 6, 6-7

Is 6, 6-7 : One of the seraphim flew to me, holding a burning coal which he had taken with tongs from the altar. He brought it close to my mouth and said, "This has touched your lips, and now your fault is removed, your sin is forgiven."

A prophet commissioned to speak the words that the Word (...) inspired in him, i.e. Isaiah, as we see in Isaiah 6:6-7. This fact is cited several times in "The Gospel as it was revealed to me", whether in direct form (as here and, for example, in EMV 166.8 and EMV 626.2) or indirectly (as in EMV 364.8). But it is above all the Messianic prophecies that are recalled (see notes at EMV 561.11 and EMV 577.4).

GRM 8.7-8

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

8.7 Jesus says:

«The High Priest had said: “Walk in my presence and be perfect”. The High Priest did not know that he was speaking to the Woman Who was inferior in perfection only to God. But he was speaking in the name of God, and therefore his order was a sacred one. It is always sacred, particularly with regards to the Virgin Full of Wisdom.

Mary had deserved that “Wisdom should precede Her and show Itself to Her first”, because “from the beginning of Her day She had watched at Its door, and wishing to be taught, out of love, She wanted to be pure to achieve perfect love and deserve to have Wisdom as Her teacher”.

In Her humility She did not know that She possessed Wisdom before being born and that the union with Wisdom was but the continuation of the divine pulsations of Paradise. She could not imagine that. And when God whispered sublime words to Her in the depths of Her heart, in Her humility She considered them thoughts of pride and raising Her innocent heart to God, She besought Him: “Lord, have mercy on Thy Servant!”

Oh! It is true that the True Wise Virgin, the Eternal Virgin, had only one thought from the dawn of Her day: to raise Her heart to God from the morning of life and to watch for the Lord, praying before the Most High, asking forgiveness for the weaknesses of Her heart, as Her humility convinced Her, and She was not aware that She was anticipating the request for forgiveness for sinners, which She would later make at the foot of the Cross, together with Her dying Son.

“When the great Lord will decide, She will be filled with the Spirit of intelligence” and will then understand Her great mission. For the time being She is only a child, who in the sacred peace of the Temple, establishes and re-establishes closer and closer connections, affections and memories with Her God.

This is for everybody.

8.8 But for you, My little Mary, has your Teacher nothing special to tell you? “Walk in My presence, be therefore perfect”. I am slightly modifying the sacred phrase and I am giving it to you as an order. Be perfect in love, perfect in generosity, perfect in suffering.

Look once again at Mother. And consider what so many ignore or wish to ignore, because sorrow is too irksome to their taste and their spirit. Sorrow. Mary suffered from the very first hour of Her life. To be perfect as She was, implied the possession of a perfect sensitivity. Consequently sacrifice was to be more piercing. And thus more meritorious. He who possesses purity possesses love, he who possesses love possesses wisdom, he who possesses wisdom possesses generosity and heroism, because he knows why he makes a sacrifice.

Raise your spirit, even if the cross bends you, breaks you and kills you. God is with you.

Annotation

Book of Wisdom 6, 13

Wis 6, 13 : She warns those who seek her, and shows herself to them first.

Book of Ben Sira the Wise 39, 6

Si 39, 6 : If the Sovereign Lord wills, he will be filled with the spirit of understanding, he will pour out his words of wisdom like a shower, and in prayer he will give thanks to the Lord.

GRM 9.1-5

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

9.1 Jesus says:

«Like a quick winter twilight when an ice-cold wind gathers clouds in the sky, the lives of My grandparents had a quick decline, after the Sun of their lives was placed to shine before the Sacred Veil of the Temple.

9.2 But is it not said: “Wisdom brings up her own sons, and cares for those who seek her… Whoever loves her loves life, those who wait on her will enjoy peace. Those who serve her, minister to the Holy One and the Lord loves those who love her. If he trusts himself to her he will inherit her and his descendants will remain in possession of her because she accompanies him in his trials. First of all she selects him, then she brings fear and faintness on him, ploughing him with her discipline, until she has tested him in his thoughts and she can trust him. In the end she will make him firm, will lead him back to the straight road and make him happy. She will reveal her secrets to him, She will place in him treasures of science, and knowledge of justice”?

Yes, all this has been said. The books of wisdom may be applied to all men, who will find guidance in them and a light for their behaviour. But happy are those who can be recognised amongst the spiritual lovers of Wisdom.

I surrounded Myself with wise people, in My human kinship. Anne, Joachim, Joseph, Zacharias, and even more Elizabeth, and then the Baptist, are they not real wise people? Not to mention My Mother, the abode of Wisdom.

9.3 Wisdom had inspired My grandparents to live in a way which was agreeable to God, from their youth to their death, and like a tent protecting from the fury of the elements, Wisdom had protected them from the danger of sin. The sacred fear of God is the root of the tree of wisdom, that thrusts its branches far and wide to reach with its top tranquil love in its peace, peaceful love in its security, secure love in its faithfulness, faithful love in its intensity: the total, generous, effective love of saints.

“He who loves her, loves life and will inherit Life” says Ecclesiasticus. This sentence is linked with Mine20: “He who loses his life for My sake, will save it”. Because we are not referring to the poor life of this world, but to the eternal life, not to the joys of one hour, but to the immortal ones.

Joachim and Anne loved Wisdom thus. And Wisdom was with them in their trials.

How many trials they experienced, whilst you, men, do not want to have to suffer and cry, simply because you think that you are not completely wicked! How many trials these two just people suffered, and they deserved to have Mary as their daughter! Political persecutions had driven them out of the land of David, and made them excessively poor. They had felt sadness in seeing their years fading through without a flower that would say to them: “I shall be your continuation”. And afterwards, the anxiety of having a daughter in their old age when they were certain they would never see Her grow into a woman. And then the obligation of tearing Her from their hearts to offer Her on the altar of God. And again: their life became an even more painful silence, now that they were accustomed to the chirping of their little dove, to the noise of Her little steps, to the smiles and kisses of their creature, having to wait for the hour of God, their only company being the memories of the past. And much more… Diseases, calamities of inclement weather, the arrogance of mighty ones of the earth… so many blows of battering rams on the weak castle of their modest possessions. And it is not enough: the pain for their far away creature, who was going to be left lonely and poor and, notwithstanding their cares and sacrifices, would get only the remains of Her father’s property. And how will She find such remains, since they will be left uncultivated for many years, awaiting Her return? Fears, trials, temptations. And yet, loyalty to God forever!

9.4 Their strongest temptation: not to deny their declining lives the consolation of their daughter’s presence. But children belong first to God and then to their parents. Every son can say what I said to My Mother: “Do you not know that I must be busy with My Father’s affairs?” And every father, every mother must learn the attitude to be maintained looking at Mary and Joseph in the Temple, at Anne and Joachim in the house of Nazareth, a house which was becoming more and more forlorn and sad, but where one thing never diminished, but increased continuously: the holiness of two hearts, the holiness of a marriage.

What light is left to Joachim, an invalid, and to his sorrowful wife, in the long and silent nights of two old people who feel they are about to die? Only the little dresses, the first pair of little sandals, the simple toys of their little daughter, now far away, and memories of Her, memories… And peace when they say: “We are suffering, but we have done our duty of love towards God”.

And then they were overcome by a supernatural joy shining with a celestial light, a joy unknown to the children of the world, a joy that does not fade away when heavy eyelashes close on two dying eyes: on the contrary, it shines brighter in the last hour, illuminating the truth that had been hidden within them throughout their lives. Like a butterfly in its cocoon, the truth in them gave faint indications of its presence, just soft flashes, whereas now it opens its wings to the sun and shows its beautiful decorations. And their lives passed away in the certainty of a happy future for themselves and their descendants, their trembling lips murmuring words of praise to God.

9.5 Such was the death of my grandparents. Such as their holy lives deserved. Because of their holiness, they deserved to be the first guardians of the Virgin Beloved by God, and only when a greater Sun showed itself at the end of their days, they realized the grace God had granted them.

Because of their holiness, Anne suffered no pain in giving birth to her child: it was the ecstasy of the bearer of the Faultless One. Neither of them suffered the throes of death, but only a weakness that fades away, as a star softly disappears when the sun rises at dawn. And if they did not have the consolation of having Me present, as Wisdom Incarnate, as Joseph had, I was invisibly present, whispering sublime words, bending over their pillows, to send them to sleep, awaiting their triumph.

Someone may ask: “Why did they not have to suffer when generating and dying, since they were children of Adam?” My answer is: “If the Baptist, who was a son of Adam, and had been conceived with original sin, was presanctified by Me in his mother’s womb, simply because I approached her, was no grace to be granted to the mother of the Holy and Faultless One, Who had been preserved by God and bore God in Her almost divine spirit, in Her most pure heart, and was never separated from Him, since She was created by the Father and was conceived in a womb, and then received into Heaven to possess God in glory forever and ever?” I also answer: “An upright conscience gives a peaceful death and the prayers of saints will obtain such a death for you”.

Joachim and Anne had a whole life of upright conscience behind them and such a life rose like a beautiful landscape and led them to Heaven, while their Holy Daughter was praying before the Tabernacle of God for Her parents far away, whom She had postponed to God, Supreme Goodness, and yet She loved them, as the law and Her feeling commanded, with a perfect supernatural love.»

Annotation

Book of Ben Sira the Wise 4, 11-18

Si 4, 11-18 : Wisdom leads her sons to greatness; she cares for those who seek her. To love her is to love life; those who seek her from the dawn will be filled with happiness; he who possesses her will obtain glory as an inheritance; where he enters, the Lord gives his blessing.

Those who worship wisdom celebrate the holy God, those who love her are loved by the Lord; he who listens to her will judge the nations, he who clings to her will be secure in his dwelling. If he trusts in her, he will possess her, and all his descendants will inherit her.

To begin with, she will lead him along winding paths, bringing fear and apprehension upon him, tormenting him with the severity of her education, until she can trust him; she will test him with her demands. Then she'll come straight back to him, filling him with happiness as she reveals her secrets.

Every son can say what I said to my Mother: "Don't you know that I must look after the interests of the Father in Heaven?" In Luke 2:49 (cf. EMV 41.12).

GRM 9.2

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

The books of wisdom may be applied to all men, who will find guidance in them and a light for their behaviour. But happy are those who can be recognised amongst the spiritual lovers of Wisdom.

Annotation

There are five wisdom books in the Bible: Proverbs - Ecclesiastes (Qohelet) - Song of Songs - Job - Wisdom (of Solomon) - Ecclesiasticus (Sirach).

GRM 9.3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

“He who loves her [Wisdom], loves life and will inherit Life” says Ecclesiasticus. This sentence is linked with Mine20: “He who loses his life for My sake, will save it”. Because we are not referring to the poor life of this world, but to the eternal life, not to the joys of one hour, but to the immortal ones.

Annotation

Book of Ben Sira the Wise 4, 12-13

Si 4, 12-13 : To love her is to love life; those who seek her from the dawn will be filled with happiness; he who possesses her will obtain glory as an inheritance; where he enters, the Lord gives his blessing.

Gospel of Matthew 16:25

Mt 16, 25 : For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Gospel of Mark 8:35 and Gospel of Luke 9:24

Mk 8:35 / Lk 9:24: For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake and the Gospel's will save it.

See EMV 346.9.

GRM 188.1-3.5-6 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

188.1

Jesus and the apostles have passed Mount Tabor and left it behind them. They are now walking on a plain lying between that mountain and another one facing it, talking of the climb made by them all, although at the beginning the elder ones had not been too keen. But now they are happy they had gone up to the top. The journey is now easy because they are on a main road which is quite comfortable for walking. It is early in the morning because I am under the impression that they have spent the night on the slopes of the Tabor.

«That is Endor» says Jesus pointing to a poor village built on the first heights of the other mountain. «Do you really want to go there?»

«If You wish to make me happy…» responds the Iscariot.

«Let us go, then.»

«But is it a long way?» asks Bartholomew, who, because of his age, is not very keen on walking tours.

«Oh! no! But if you wish to stay…» says Jesus.

«Yes! You may stay. I will go with the Master» says Judas of Kerioth immediately.

«Listen, before making up my mind, I would like to know what there is to be seen… From the top of Mount Tabor we saw the sea and after the boy’s speech I must admit that I saw it properly for the first time and I saw it as You see: with my heart. Here… I would like to know whether there is anything to learn, because in that case I will come even if it is tiresome…» says Peter.

«Do you hear that? You have not yet said what you intend doing. Be kind to your companions and tell us now» says Jesus invitingly.

«Did Saul not go to Endor[1] to consult the necromancer?»

«Yes, he did. So?»

«Well, Master, I would like to go there and hear You speak of Saul.»

«In that case I will come, too!» exclaims Peter full of enthusiasm.

«Let us go then.»

They walk fast along the last stretch of the main road, which they leave to follow a secondary road, which takes straight to Endor.

188.2

It is a poor village, as Jesus said. The houses cling to the slopes which, beyond the village become steeper. Poor people live in them. Most of them must be shepherds who pasture their flocks on the sides of the mountain and in the woods of old oak-trees. There are a few small fields of barley, or similar fodder grains, in favourable sites and some apple and fig-trees. There are only a few vines around the houses, decorating the walls, which are dark because the place is obviously a damp one.

«We will now ask where the place of the necromancer was» says Jesus. And He stops a woman who is coming back from the fountain with pitchers.

She looks at Him curiously, then replies impolitely: «I don’t know. I have much more important things to worry about than such nonsense!» and she goes away.

Jesus turns to an old man who is carving a bit of wood.

«The necromancer?… Saul?… Who bothers about them now? But, wait… There is one here who has studied and perhaps he knows… Come with me.»

And the old man climbs laboriously up a stony lane to a very poor and shabby looking house. «He lives here. I will go in and call him.»

Peter, pointing at some poultry scratching about in a dirty yard, says: «This fellow is not an Israelite.» But he says no more because the old man comes back followed by a man blind in one eye, who is as dirty and untidy as everything around his house.

The old man says: «See? This man says that it is over there beyond that dilapidated house. There is a path, a stream, a wood and some caves, the one at the top, where there are still traces of ruined walls on one side, is the one you are looking for. Is that right?»

«No. You have muddled everything. I will go with these strangers.» The man’s voice is harsh and guttural, which increases everybody’s feeling of uneasiness.

188.3

He starts walking. Peter, Philip and Thomas make repeated signs to Jesus to advise Him not to go. But Jesus does not pay attention. He walks with Judas behind the man, and the others follow Him… unwillingly. (...)

188.5

They arrive at a cavern made of rubble and mountain caves. The man endeavours to steady his voice and says: «Here it is. You may go in.»

«Thank you, My friend. Be good.»

The man does not say anything and remains where he was, while Jesus with His apostles, passing over large stones which must have been part of very strong walls, upsetting green lizards and other ugly looking insects, enters a large smoky grotto, on the walls of which there are still graffiti signs of the zodiac and similar things. In a corner blackened by smoke there is a niche and under it a hole which looks like a gully-hole for water. Bats hanging in disgusting bunches decorate the ceiling and an owl, upset by the light of a branch which James has lit to ensure they do not tread on scorpions or asps, complains by flapping its wadded wings and closing its ugly eyes which cannot bear the light. It is perched in the niche, and the foul smell of dead mice, of weasels and birds in decomposition at its feet is mixed with the stench of dung and of the damp soil.

«It is really a lovely place!» says Peter. «Your Tabor and your sea were much better, my boy!» And then addressing Jesus: «Master, satisfy Judas at once because this is not… Antipa’s royal hall!»

«Certainly. What is it that you want to know?» He asks Judas of Kerioth.

«Well… I would like to know whether and why Saul sinned coming here… I would like to know whether it is possible for a woman to evoke the dead. I would like to know whether… Oh! It is better if You speak. I will ask You questions.»

«It’s a long story. At least let us go out there, in the sunshine, on the stones… We will get away from the dampness and the stench» begs Peter.

And Jesus agrees. They sit as best they can on the ruins of the walls.

«Saul’s sin was only one of his sins. It was preceded and followed by many more. All of them serious. Double ingratitude towards Samuel who had annointed him king and who subsequently disappeared so as not to share with the king the admiration of the people. He was several times ungrateful to David who saved him from Goliath and spared him in the caves at Engedi and Hachilah. He was guilty of many acts of disobedience and of scandalising his people. He was guilty of grieving his benefactor Samuel by lacking in charity. He was guilty of jealousy, of making attempts on David’s life, David being another benefactor of his, and finally, of the crime he committed here.»

«Against whom? He did not kill anyone here.»

«He killed his soul in here, he finished killing it.

188.6

Why are you lowering your head?»

«I am thinking, Master.»

«You are thinking. I can see that. What are you thinking about? Why did you want to come? You must admit it was not out of mere curiosity of a scholar.»

«We always hear someone talk of magicians, necromancers, evoked spirits… I wanted to see whether I could discover anything… I would like to know how it is done… I think that since we are destined to amaze people in order to attract them, we should be, somehow, necromancers too. You are You and You do things by means of Your power. But we must ask for power, for help in order to perform exceptional deeds, which are necessary…»

«Are you mad? What are you saying?» shout many.

«Be quiet. Let him speak. He is not mad.»

«Yes, I thought that by coming here a little of the magic of gone by days would assume possession of me and make me greater. In Your interest, believe me.»

«I know that your present desire is a sincere one. But I will reply to you with eternal words, because they are words of the Book, and the Book will exist as long as man exists. Believed or mocked at, employed to defend the truth or scorned at, it will always exist. It states: “And Eve, seeing that the fruit of the tree was good to eat and pleasing to the eye, took it and ate it and gave some to her husband… Then their eyes were opened and they realised that they were naked and they made themselves loin-cloths… And God said: ‘How did you realise that you were naked? Only because you ate the forbidden fruit’. And He expelled them from the garden of delights”. And in the book of Saul, it states: “Samuel appearing said: ‘Why have you disturbed me, conjuring me up? Why do you consult me when the Lord has abandoned you? The Lord will deal with you as I told you… because you did not obey the voice of the Lord’ “. Son, do not stretch your hand towards the forbidden fruit. It is imprudent even to go near it. Do not be curious to know ultramundane things, lest its satanic poison should conquer you. Avoid the occult and what cannot be explained. One thing only is to be accepted with holy faith: God. But avoid what is not God and what cannot be explained by man’s reason or cannot be done by man’s power, so that the sources of wickedness may not be opened for you and you may realise that you are “naked”. Naked: repellent in your humanity mixed with satanism. Why do you wish to amaze people by means of obscure prodigies? Amaze them through your holiness, which should be as bright as things coming from God. Do not be anxious to tear the veils which separate the living from the dead. Do not disturb the deceased. Listen to them, if they are wise, while they are on the earth, venerate them by obeying them also after their death. But do not upset their second life. He who does not obey the voice of the Lord, loses the Lord. And the Lord has forbidden occultism, necromancy, satanism in all its forms. What more do you wish to know than the Word already tells you? What more do you wish to perform than your goodness and My power enable you to perform? Do not crave for sin, but for holiness, son. Do not feel mortified. I am glad that you disclose your humanity. Many people, too many, like what you like. But the purpose of your desire: “to be power to attract people to Me” removes a heavy weight from that humanity and puts wings on it. But they are the wings of a night bird. No, My dear Judas. Put wings as bright as the sun, wings of an angel on your spirit. By the simple breeze caused by flapping them you will attract hearts and will lead them in your wake to God. Can we go?»

«Yes, Master! I was wrong…»

«No. You have been an inquirer… The world will always be full of them. Come. Let us get away from the stench of this place. Let us go towards the sun! In a few days it will be Passover, and afterwards we will go to your mother’s. I conjure her up for you: your honest home, your holy mother. How peaceful it is!»

As usual, the recollection of his mother and the Master’s praise for her, cheer Judas.

Annotation

Wasn't it in En-Dor that Saul wanted to go and consult the Pythia? As we read in : 1 Samuel 28:3-25 | 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 | Sirach 46:20. Analogies are found in 2 Kings 21:6 | Isaiah 8:19-20.

The story of Saul and his "many other" sins, as told in EMV 188.5 (as well as in other passages such as EMV 263.2) is found essentially in 1 Samuel 9-31.

The practice of divination (or magic, or necromancy) is forbidden in Leviticus 19, 26.31 | Leviticus 20, 6.27 | Deuteronomy 18, 9-14.

The term "pythoness" given to the magician goes back to a pagan god (Pythian Apollo). The "Pythian spirit" given to the magician is peculiar to pagans (as seen in EMV 59.4 and EMV 129.3). Satan "speaks through the lips of the Pythias" (as we read in EMV 420.10). It is clear from the Work that the Sadducean sect, strongly hostile to Jesus and opposed to his teaching (as can be seen in EMV 356.5 | EMV 409.6 and EMV 594.6/7), indulged in such practices, to which Judas Iscariot also felt drawn (as can be seen in EMV 334.8 and EMV 357.6). An invective against necromancers can be found in EMV 503.7.

Ingratitude towards David, who had rid him of Goliath and spared him in Engadi's cave (1 Samuel 24.1-23 ) and at Hakilah (1 Samuel 26.1-25).

It says: "When Eve saw that the fruit of the tree was good to eat and beautiful to look at, she picked it, ate some and gave some to her husband... Then their eyes were opened and they saw that they were naked, and they made themselves girdles... And God said: 'And who told you that you were naked? So you ate from the tree I forbade you to eat from. And he drove them out of the paradise of delights. "In Genesis 3:6.

It is written in the book of Saul: "Samuel said, appearing: 'Why have you troubled me by making me call? Why question me after the Lord has withdrawn from you? The Lord will deal with you as I have told you... because you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord. ' " In 1 Samuel 28:15-19.

In a few days, it will be Passover: 14 Nisan.

First book of Samuel 28, 3-25

1 Sam 28, 3-25: Samuel was dead; all Israel had mourned for him, and they had buried him in Ramah, in his city. And Saul had driven out of the land those who evoked the dead and the soothsayers.

And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and encamped at Sunam; and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped at Gelboe. When Saul saw the Philistines' camp, he was afraid and his heart was greatly troubled. Saul consulted Yahweh, but Yahweh did not answer him, neither by dreams, nor by the Urim, nor by the prophets. Then Saul said to his servants, "Seek me out a woman who conjures up the dead, and I will go to her and consult with her." His servants told him, "There is a woman in Endor who conjures up the dead." Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and set off, accompanied by two men. They arrived at the woman's house by night, and Saul said to her, "Tell me the future by evoking a dead person, and bring me up whomever I tell you." The woman replied, "Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off from the land those who evoke the dead and diviners; why do you lay a trap for me, to kill me?" Saul swore to her by Yahweh, saying, "As Yahweh lives! no harm shall come to you because of this." And the woman said, "Whom shall I bring you up?" He replied, "Bring me up Samuel."

At the sight of Samuel, the woman gave a great cry; and the woman said to Saul, "Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!" The king said to her, "Do not fear; but what did you see?" The woman said to Saul, "I see a god rising from the earth." He said to her, "What figure is he?" And she answered, "It is an old man ascending, and he is wrapped in a cloak." Saul understood that it was Samuel, and he threw himself with his face to the ground and bowed down.

Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you troubled me, bringing me up?" Saul answered, "I am in great distress: the Philistines make war on me, and God has withdrawn from me; he has not answered me either by prophets or by dreams. I have summoned you to let me know what I have to do." Samuel said, "Why do you consult me, since Yahweh has withdrawn from you and become your adversary? Yahweh has done as he foretold through me: Yahweh has snatched the kingship out of your hand, and given it to your companion, to David. Because you did not obey the voice of Yahweh, and did not deal with Amalek according to the fierceness of his anger, that is why Yahweh has done this to you this day. And even Yahweh will deliver Israel with you into the hands of the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me, and Yahweh will deliver the camp of Israel into the hands of the Philistines." Immediately Saul fell to the ground to his full height, for Samuel's words had filled him with dread; moreover, he lacked strength, for he had taken no food all day and all night.

The woman came to Saul and, seeing his great trouble, said to him: "Your handmaid has obeyed your voice; I have laid down my life, obeying the words you spoke to me. Now you too must listen to the voice of your handmaid, and let me offer you a morsel of bread; eat of it, that you may have strength when you go on your way." But he refused, saying, "I will not eat." His servants and the woman urged him, and he complied. He got up from the ground and sat down on the couch. The woman had a fatted calf at home, so she hastened to kill it, and taking some flour, she kneaded it and baked unleavened bread from it. She set them before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they got up and left that same night.

First Book of Chronicles 10, 13-14

1 Ch 10, 13-14 : Saul died because of his transgression against Yahweh, for he had not kept Yahweh's word, and for asking and consulting those who call up the dead. So he did not consult Yahweh, and Yahweh put him to death, and transferred the kingship to David, son of Jesse.

Book of Sirach 46, 20

Si 46, 20: And when he had fallen asleep, he prophesied and told the king of his approaching end. From the earth he lifted up his voice in prophecy, that he might blot out the iniquity of the people.

Second Book of Kings 21, 6

2 Kings 21, 6: He made his son pass through the fire; he practiced augury and divination; he instituted necromancers and sorcerers: thus doing more and more what is evil in the eyes of Yahweh, so as to irritate him.

Isaiah 8, 19-20

Is 8, 19-20: When they say to you: "Consult those who call up the dead, and the diviners who murmur and whisper," answer: "Should not a people consult their God? Will they consult the dead for the sake of the living? Here's to teaching and witnessing! "If the people speak otherwise, there is no dawn for them.

First book of Samuel 9-31

Given the number of chapters (nearly 12), we will not reproduce them in this note.

Book of Leviticus 19, 26.31

Lev 19, 26.31: You shall eat nothing with blood. You shall not practice divination or magic. Do not speak to those who call up spirits, nor to diviners; do not consult them, so as not to be defiled by them. I am Yahweh, your God.

Book of Leviticus 20, 6.27

Lev 20, 6.27: If anyone speaks to those who call up spirits and diviners, to play the harlot after them, I will turn my face against that man and cut him off from among his people. Any man or woman who evokes spirits or engages in divination will be put to death; they will be stoned: their blood is on them.

Deuteronomy 18, 9-14

Dt 18, 9-14 : When you enter the land given to you by Yahweh, your God, you must not learn to imitate the abominations of those nations. Let no one be found among you who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire, who engages in divination, augury, superstition and enchantments, who resorts to charms, who consults evocators and sorcerers, and who questions the dead. For every man who does these things is an abomination to Yahweh, and because of these abominations Yahweh your God will drive out these nations from before you. You will be upright with Yahweh, your God. For these nations, whom you will drive out, listen to augurs and soothsayers; but Yahweh your God will not allow you to do so.

Book of Genesis 3, 6

Gn 3, 6 : The woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good to eat, pleasing to the eye and desirable for acquiring understanding; she took of its fruit and ate; she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

First Book of Samuel 24, 1-23

1 Samuel 24, 1-23: David went up from there and settled in the strongholds of Engaddi. When Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, someone came and told him, "Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engaddi." Saul took three thousand elite men from among all Israel, and went in search of David and his men as far as the rocks of the wild goats. He came to the sheep pens by the road; there was a cave there, where Saul went in to cover his feet; and David and his men were sitting at the bottom of the cave. David's men said to him, "This is the day of which Yahweh said to you, 'Behold, I deliver your enemy into your hand; deal with him as you please." David got up and cut Saul's cloak by stealth. After that, David's heart pounded, because he had cut off the front of Saul's cloak. And he said to his men, "Yahweh forbid that I should do such a thing against my lord, Yahweh's anointed, as to lay my hand on him, for he is Yahweh's anointed!" With his words, David rebuked his men and did not allow them to throw themselves at Saul. Saul got up to leave the cave and continued on his way.

After this David got up and, coming out of the cave, began to shout at Saul, saying, "O king, my lord!" Saul looked behind him, and David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself. And David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the talk of people who say: Behold, David seeks to harm you? Behold, today your eyes have seen how Yahweh has delivered you into my hands this very day in the cave. They told me to kill you; but my eye had pity on you, and I said, I will not lay my hand on my lord, for he is Yahweh's anointed. See, then, my father, see in my hand the skirt of your cloak. Since I have cut off the edge of your cloak and have not killed you, acknowledge and see that there is no wickedness or rebellion in my conduct, and that I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt for my life to take it from me. Let Yahweh be judge between me and you, and let Yahweh avenge me on you! But my hand will not be upon you. From the wicked comes wickedness, says the old proverb; so my hand will not be upon you. After whom did the king of Israel set out? Who are you after? A dead dog? A flea? Let Yahweh judge and decide between you and me. Let him look on and defend my cause, and let his sentence deliver me from your hand!"

When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. And he said to David, "You are more righteous than I. For you have done me good, and I have done you evil. You have shown kindness to me today, for Yahweh has delivered me into your hands and you have not killed me. If someone meets his enemy, does he let him go on his way in peace? May Yahweh do you good in return for what you have done to me this day! Now, behold, I know that you will be king and that the kingship of Israel will be stable in your hands. So swear to me by Yahweh that you will not destroy my descendants after me, nor cut off my name from my father's house." David swore to Saul. And Saul went to his house, and David and his men went up to the strong place.

First Book of Samuel 26, 1-25

1 Sam 26:1-25: The Ziphaeans came to Saul at Gabaa, and said, "David is hidden on the hill of Hachilah, east of the moor." Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph with three thousand of Israel's elite men, to search for David in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul camped on the hill of Hachilah, east of the heath, near the road, and David dwelt in the desert. When David realized that Saul was searching for him in the desert, he sent spies and learned that Saul had really arrived. David got up and came to the place where Saul was camped. David saw the place where Saul was lying, with Abner, son of Ner, chief of his army: - now Saul was lying in the middle of the camp, and the people were encamped around him. - So David addressed Ahimelech the Hittite and Abisai, son of Sarvia and brother of Joab, and said, "Who wants to go down with me to the camp to Saul?" And Abisai answered, "I will go down with you."

David and Abisai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul was lying in the middle of the camp and sleeping, his spear stuck in the ground at his bedside; Abner and the people were lying around him. Abisai said to David, "God has locked up your enemy in your hands today; now, I beg you, let me strike him with the spear and nail him to the ground with a single blow, without my having to return." But David said to Abisai, "Don't kill him! For who would lay hands on Yahweh's anointed and go unpunished?" And David said, "As true as Yahweh lives! It will only be Yahweh who strikes him; either his day will come and he will die, or he will go down to war and perish; but may Yahweh preserve me from laying hands on Yahweh's anointed! Now, take the spear that is at his bedside, with the pitcher of water, and let us go."

And David took the spear and the pitcher of water that were at Saul's bedside, and they went. No one saw, no one knew, no one awoke, for they were all asleep, Yahweh having caused a deep slumber to fall upon them.

David passed over to the other side, and stood far away on the top of the mountain; a great space separated them. And David cried out to the people and to Abner, son of Ner, saying, "Will you not answer, Abner!" Abner answered, saying, "Who are you, you who cry out to the king?" David said to Abner, "Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept the king, your lord? For one of the people has come to kill the king, your lord. What you have done here is not right. As Yahweh lives! You have deserved death, for not keeping your master, Yahweh's anointed. Now look where the king's spear and the jug of water that was at his bedside are."

Saul recognized David's voice and said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" And David answered, "It is my voice, O king, my lord." He added: "Why does my lord pursue his servant? What have I done, and what crime has my hand committed? Let the king, my lord, now deign to hear the words of your servant: if it is Yahweh who stirs you up against me, let him accept the fragrance of an offering; but if it is men, let them be accursed before Yahweh, since they have driven me out now, to take away my place from Yahweh's inheritance, saying: Go serve foreign gods! And now let not my blood fall upon the earth, far from the face of Yahweh! For the king of Israel has set out to seek a flea, as one would pursue a partridge in the mountains."

Saul said, "I have sinned; return, my son David, for I will harm you no more, since my life has been precious in your sight this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly and made a great mistake." David replied, "Here is the spear, O king; let one of your young men come and take it. Yahweh will render to every man according to his righteousness and faithfulness; for Yahweh had delivered you into my hand this day, and I would not lay hands on Yahweh's anointed. Behold, as your life was this day of great price in my sight, so shall my life be of great price in Yahweh's sight, and he shall deliver me from all anguish!" Saul said to David: "Blessed be my son, David! You will surely succeed in your endeavors." David went on his way, and Saul returned home.

GRM 205.3-7 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«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 making 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 fierce 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.

205.4

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 that he turned to, 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 and he remembered the helpings his just father gave the servants and he sighed: “My father’s servants, even the lowest, have plenty of bread… and I am dying here of starvation…”. A long meditation, a long struggle to subdue his pride…

205.5

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 supervising 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 around, saw him and ran to meet him, because he was still far away. And when he reached him, he threw his arms around 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.

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 the best robe, and basins of scented water here, 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 the innocent love of a child once again, 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.

205.6

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 also been 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 even given me 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, who was lost and has come back to our love”. And the first-born yielded to his father’s desire.

205.7

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”. He 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.»

Annotation

Book of Sirach 3, 16

Si 3, 16 : He is like a blasphemer who forsakes his father; he is cursed by the Lord who angers his mother.

Gospel of Luke 15, 11-32

Lk 15, 11-32 : Jesus said: "A man had two sons. The younger said to his father, "Father, give me my share of fortune." And the father divided his property between them. A few days later, the younger son gathered up everything he had and left for a distant country, where he squandered his fortune by living a life of disorder. He had spent it all, when a great famine occurred in that country, and he began to find himself in need. He went to work for a local, who sent him to his fields to tend the pigs. He would have liked to fill his belly with the pods eaten by the pigs, but no one would give him anything.

So he turned inward and said to himself: "How many of my father's workers have plenty of bread, and I'm starving here! I'll get up, go to my father and tell him: Father, I've sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your workers." He got up and went to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was seized with compassion; he ran to throw himself around his neck and covered him with kisses. The son said to him: "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son." But the father said to his servants, "Quickly, bring the finest garment to clothe him in, put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet, fetch the fatted calf, kill it, let's eat and feast, for my son here was dead, and has come back to life; he was lost, and is found." And they began to feast.

Now the eldest son was out in the fields. When he returned and was near the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling one of the servants, he asked what was going on. The servant replied, "Your brother has arrived, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has found your brother in good health." Then the eldest son became angry, and refused to enter. His father went out to beg him. But he replied to his father: "I've been in your service for so many years without ever transgressing your orders, and you've never given me a kid to feast on with my friends. But, when your son here returned after devouring your property with harlots, you had the fatted calf killed for him!" The father replied, "You, my child, are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. You should have feasted and rejoiced; for your brother here was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found!""