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

GRM 30.9

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

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

Keywords

GRM 75.4

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

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

Detail

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

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

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

Keywords

GRM 102.1

The Gospel as revealed to me

Translation in progress

Keywords

GRM 103

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

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

Keywords

GRM 103.3-5

The Gospel as revealed to me

Translation in progress

Keywords

GRM 181.2 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

They enter Korazim when it is broad daylight. All the stems twinkle with dewy gems. Birds are singing everywhere. The air is pure and cool, it seems to savour of milk, of a vegetable milk rather than animal milk. The scent of the corn coming into ears, of the almond-groves laden with fruit… is the scent I could smell in cool mornings in the rich fields in the Po Valley.
They soon reach Elias’ house. Many people in Korazim already know that the Master has arrived, and while Jesus is about to enter the house, a mother rushes towards Him shouting: «Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on my daughter!» She is carrying in her arms a little girl, about ten years old, who is very thin and waxen, or yellowish rather than waxen.
«What is the matter with your daughter?»
«She is feverish. She caught a disease at the pastures along the Jordan. Because we are the shepherds of a rich man. Her father sent for me when she was taken ill. He has gone back to the mountains. But You know that with this kind of disease one cannot stay up in high places. But how can I stay here? Our master has allowed me so far. But I look after the wool and the litters. This is the busy season for shepherds. If I stay here we shall be dismissed or separated. And if I go back to the Hermon I will see my daughter die.»
«Do you believe that I can cure her?»
«I have spoken to Daniel, Elisha’s shepherd. He said to me: “Our Child cures all diseases. Go to the Messiah”. I have come from beyond Merom carrying her in my arms and looking for You. I was going to walk until I found You…»
«You need walk no farther, but go home, to your peaceful work. Your daughter is cured because that is what I want. Go in peace.»
The woman looks at her daughter and at Jesus. She is perhaps hoping to see her daughter become fat and rosy all at once. Also the girl stares at Jesus with her tired eyes wide open and smiles.
«Do not be afraid, woman. I am not deceiving you. Her fever has gone forever. Day by day she will become a healthy girl. Let her go. She will no longer stagger neither will she feel tired.»
The mother puts the child down and she stands upright. She becomes more and more cheerful and at last she trills in her silvery voice: «Bless the Lord, mother! I am cured! I can feel it» and with the naivety of a little shepherd girl, she throws her arms around Jesus’ neck and kisses Him. Her mother, reserved as her age demands, prostrates herself and kisses His tunic blessing the Lord.
«Go. Remember the gift of God and be good. Peace be with you.»

Annotation

"What's wrong with your daughter?" "Fevers. She caught them in the pastures along the Jordan." Most likely yellow fever, or swamp fever, which wreaked havoc on populations throughout antiquity. See footnote in EMV 177: Swamp fevers (yellow fever or malaria) caused serious epidemics in antiquity. They are mentioned several times in the work. For centuries, these fevers were attributed to unhealthy air (aria cattiva, from which the Italian word mala aria = bad air), without ever making the connection with mosquitoes. Maria Valtorta reports here an opinion perfectly in line with Roman belief and not related to her knowledge as a nurse."

I was called to the sick girl by her father. Now he's gone back to the mountains. But you know that with this disease, you can't go to altitude. This medical indication deserves to be examined by competent people.

Keywords

GRM 198.9 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

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

Annotation

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

Keywords

GRM 207.7 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

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

Detail

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