Saul of Kerioth

78.8 An old man says: «Listen, my Lord. Some time ago, a long time ago, at the time of the edict, we heard here that the Saviour was born in Bethlehem… and I went there with other people… I saw a little Baby, exactly like all other new-born babies. But I adored Him with faith. Later I heard that there was a holy man, whose name is John. Which is the true Messiah?»

«The One you adored. The other is His Precursor: a great saint in the eyes of the Most High. But he is not the Messiah.»

«Was it You?»

«It was I. And what did you see around the new-born Child?»

«Poverty and cleanliness, honesty and purity… A kind serious carpenter, whose name was Joseph, a carpenter but of the House of David, a young mother, fair and kind, whose name was Mary, before whose grace the most beautiful roses of Engedi turn pale and the lilies of the royal flower beds seem mis-shapen, and a Child with large blue eyes and pale gold hair… I saw nothing else… And I can still hear the voice of the Mother say to me: “On behalf of My Creature I say to You: may the Lord be with you until the eternal meeting and may His Grace come towards you on your way”. I am eighty-four years old… my way is near its end. I was no longer expecting to meet the Grace of God. Instead I have found You… and now I do not wish to see any other light than Yours… Yes. I see You as You are in this merciful attire, which is the flesh You have taken. I see You! Listen to the voice of a man who sees the Light of God while dying!»

The people press around the old inspired man, who is in Jesus’ group. No longer leaning on his walking stick, he lifts his trembling arms and raises his white head, which, with its separated beard, seems the head of a patriarch or a prophet.

«I see Him: The Chosen, Supreme, Perfect One, Who descended here out of love, I see Him rise again to the right hand side of the Father and become One with Him. But… Oh! He is not just a Voice or an incorporeal Essence, as Moses saw the Most High, or as Genesis tells the First Parents heard Him and spoke to Him in the evening breeze. I see Him as real Flesh rising to the Eternal Father. Blazing Flesh! Glorious Flesh! Oh! Pomp of Divine Flesh! Oh! Beauty of the Man-God! He is the King! Yes. The King. Not of Israel: of the world. All the royalties of the earth bow to Him and all the sceptres and crowns fade away in the splendour of His sceptre and jewels. He has a crown on His head and a sceptre in His hand. He wears a rational on His chest: it is adorned with pearls and rubies, the brightness of which was never seen before. Flames issue from it as if it were a blazing furnace. There are two rubies on His wrists and buckles with rubies are on His holy feet. There is so much light from the rubies! Admire, peoples, the Eternal King! I see You! I see You! I am rising with You… Ah! Lord! Our Redeemer!… The light increases within my soul… The King is decorated with His own Blood! The crown is a wreath of bleeding thorns. The sceptre is a cross… Here is the Man! He is here! It is You!’… Lord, for the sake of Your sacrifice have mercy on Your servant, Jesus, I commend my soul to Your mercy.»

The old man, who so far had stood up, rejuvenated by the fire of prophecy, suddenly collapses and would fall if Jesus were not quick in holding him up against His chest.

«Saul.»

«Saul is dying!»

«Help!»

«Be quick.»

«Peace to the just man who is dying» says Jesus, Who has slowly knelt down to support the old man, who has become heavier and heavier.

There is silence.

Then Jesus lays him down on the ground. And He stands up. «Peace to his soul. He died seeing the Light. In his expectation, which will be a short one, he will already see the face of God and will be happy. There is no death, that is parting from life, for those who died in the Lord.»

78.9 The people, after a little while, go away commenting. The elders, Jesus, His disciples and the head of the synagogue remain.

«Did he prophesy, Lord?»

«His eyes saw the Truth. Let us go.» They go out.

«Master, Saul died enraptured by the Spirit of God. We touched him, are we clean or unclean?»

«Unclean.»

«And what about You?»

«I am just like the others. I do not change the Law. The Law is law and an Israelite fulfils it. We are unclean. Within the third and the seventh day we shall get purified. Till then, we are unclean. Judas, I am not going back to your mother’s. I do not want to take uncleanliness to her home. Send her word by someone who can go there. Peace to this town. Let us go.»

I do not see anything else.

• Character prophecies in the EMV
• Saul of Kerioth

• Aglaé (veiled woman from Belle-Eau)
• Jesus Christ
• Locations - Between Hebron and the Terebinth Valley
• Saul of Kerioth
• Shepherds of the Nativity
• Simon the Zealot (apostle)
• Summary of EMV

79.2 «We lost some days over that stupid incident. It spoiled everything… and my mother who had prepared so much, was disappointed. I cannot understand why You wanted to segregate Yourself with the purification…»

«Judas, why do you call something that was a grace for a true believer stupid? Would you not like such a death for yourself? He had waited all his life for the Messiah, and although an elderly man, he had gone along uncomfortable roads, to adore Him, when he was told: “He is here”. He had kept My Mother’s word for thirty years in his heart. He was enraptured by the fire of love and faith in the last hour granted to him by God. His heart broke out of joy and was burnt, like a pleasing holocaust, by the fire of God. Which destiny could be better? He spoiled the feast you had prepared? You can see the answer of God in that. The things of man are not to be mixed with the things of God… Your mother will have Me again. The old man would not have had Me again. The whole of Kerioth can come to Christ, the old man had no more strength to do so. I am happy that I held the old dying father against My heart and I commended his soul. With regards to the rest… Why give scandal lacking respect for the Law? One must walk in front of the others if one wants to say: “Follow me”. And to lead people on to a holy path, one must walk on the same path. How could I have said, or how could I say: “Be faithful”, if I were without faith?»

• Marie de Kérioth (mother of Judas)
• Saul of Kerioth

• Saul of Kerioth

El interior de la sinagoga de Keriot. Es el lugar en que cayó muerto Saúl, tras haber visto la gloria futura del Cristo. Formando un grupo bien compacto, del que descuellan Jesús y Judas — los dos más altos; de rostro resplandeciente ambos, uno por su amor, el otro por la alegría de ver que su ciudad es constante en su fidelidad al Maestro y que se está rindiendo honor con pomposo homenaje —, están las personalidades de Keriot; luego, más distantes de Jesús, apretujados como granos dentro de un saco, están los habitantes de la ciudad, que llenan completamente la sinagoga, donde, a pesar de que estén abiertas las puertas, no se respira. Cierto es que, queriendo rendir homenaje, queriendo oír al Maestro, al final terminan creando todos una gran confusión y un rumor que no permite oír nada.

Jesús soporta y guarda silencio. Los otros, sin embargo, se inquietan, hacen aspavientos y gritan: «¡Silencio!». Pero el grito se pierde en el estrépito como un grito lanzado en una playa en tempestad.

Judas no se anda por las ramas. Se encarama en un alto escaño y traquetea las lámparas, que penden en forma de racimo: el metal hueco retumba, las sutiles cadenas se entrechocan y suenan como instrumentos musicales. La gente se calma. Por fin se le puede escuchar a Jesús.

• Places - Kérioth
• Saul of Kerioth