GRM 81.1-3.7
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
I see the Jordan ford once again: the green road coasting the river on both banks, beaten by many travellers on account of its shade. Lines of little donkeys come and go, as well as many people. On the bank of the river, three men are pasturing a few sheep.
Joseph is on the road, waiting, and he looks up and down.
Jesus appears in the distance, with His three disciples, at the junction of the river path with the main road. Joseph calls the shepherds, who lead the sheep onto the road, driving them along the grassy bank. They walk fast towards Jesus.
«I haven’t got the courage… What shall I say to greet Him?»
«Oh! He is so good! Say: “Peace be with You”. He always says that.»
«Yes, He… but we…»
«And what about me? I am not even one of His first worshippers. and He is so fond of me… oh! so fond!»
«Which one is it?»
«The tallest One, with fair hair.»
«Matthias, will we tell Him of the Baptist?»
«Of course we will!»
«Will He not think that we preferred the Baptist to Him?»
«No, Simeon. If He is the Messiah, He can see into the hearts of men, and in ours He will see that in the Baptist we were still looking for Him.»
«Yes, you are right.»
The two groups are now a few yards apart. Jesus is already smiling His smile that cannot be described. Joseph hastens his step. Also the sheep begin to run urged by the herdsmen.
«Peace be with you» says Jesus raising His arms as if He were embracing them. And He specifies: «Peace to you, Simeon, John and Matthias, faithful to Me, and faithful to John the Prophet! Peace to you, Joseph» and He kisses him on his cheeks. The other three are now on their knees. «Come, My friends. Under these trees, on the river-bank and let us talk.»
They go down and Jesus sits on a large protruding root, the others on the ground. Jesus smiles and looks at them intently, one by one: «Let Me become familiar with your faces. Your souls are already known to Me, souls that seek and love what is good contrary to all worldly yearnings. Isaac, Elias and Levi send you their regards, and there are other greetings, from My Mother.
81.2
Have You any news of the Baptist?»
The men, so far gagged by embarrassment, take heart. They find their words at last: «He is still in jail. Our hearts tremble for him, because he is in the hands of a cruel man who is dominated by an infernal creature and is surrounded by a corrupted court. We love him… You know that we love him and that he deserves our love. After you left Bethlehem, we were persecuted by men… but we were distressed and disheartened because we had lost You, rather than by their hatred, and we were like trees uprooted by the wind. Then, after years of suffering, like a man, whose eyelashes have been stitched, endeavours to see the sun, but cannot, also because he is closed in a prison, but feels the warmth of the sun on his body, we felt that the Baptist was the man of God, foreseen by the Prophets to prepare the way to His Christ and we went to him. We said: “If the Baptist precedes Him, if we go to the Baptist, we will find Him.” Because, my Lord, it was You we were looking for.»
«I know, and you found Me. And now I am with you.»
«Joseph told us that You came to the Baptist. But we were not there on that day. Perhaps he had sent us somewhere. We served him, in spiritual matters, when he asked us, with so much love, and we listened to him with love, although he was so severe, because he was not You — the Word — but he always spoke words of God.»
81.3
«I know. And do you know this man?» and He points to John.
«We saw him with the other Galileans in the crowds that were most faithful to the Baptist. And, if we are not mistaken, you are the one whose name is John, and of whom he used to say to us, his closest disciples: “Here: I am the first, he is the last. And then: he will be the first and I the last”. But we never understood what he meant.»
Jesus turns round to His left side where John is and He draws him against His heart and with a most kind smile He explains: «He meant that he was the first to say: “Here is the Lamb” and that John here will be the last of the friends of the Son of man, to speak of the Lamb to the crowds; but that in the heart of the Lamb, John is the first, because he is dearer than any other man to the Lamb. That is what he meant. But when you see the Baptist — You will see him again, and you will serve him again until the predetermined hour — tell him that he is not the last in Christ’s heart. Not so much because of the blood, as on account of his holiness, he is loved as much as John. And remember that. If the saint in his humbleness proclaims himself “last”, the Word of God proclaims him equal to the disciple who is dear to Me. Tell him that I love this disciple because he has the same name and because I find in him the signs of the Baptist, who prepares the souls for Christ.»
«We will tell him… But shall we see him again?»
«Yes, you will.» (...)
[Jesus discusses with the Shepherds the fact that John is in prison and that a certain amount of money is needed to free him. It is decided that Judas will sell Aglaé’s jewelry. When Judas Iscariot leaves, the Master continues, addressing the Shepherds:]
«I would like to see you happy» says Jesus.
«You will always make us happy, Master. May God bless You for it. Is that man a friend of Yours?»
«Yes, he is. Do you think he should not be?»
The shepherd John lowers his head, and keeps silent. Simon, the disciple, speaks: «Only who is good, can see. I am not good, and therefore I do not see what Bounty sees. I see the exterior. He who is good penetrates into the interior too. You, John, see as I do. But the Master is good… and sees…»