Places - Near Ascalon - Ashkelon in the theme “Places in The Gospel as it was revealed to me”

GRM 216

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

Chapter Title: The Disciples’ Unfaithfulness in the Parable of the Dandelion.

Date of the vision: Thursday, July 12, 1945

Calendar: Saturday, May 6, 28

Locations (map): Near Ashkelon

Cycle: Apostolate in Philistia

Summary: The apostles are walking across a sun-drenched plain. Before delving into the vision itself, Maria describes the seasons and their differences, as well as the variety of times and places. Just as the scent of dawn is not like that of noon, the scent of the shores is not comparable to the scent of storms or the sea. In this way, the Creator has imbued each of the things He created with its own distinctive character. Maria then returns to the vision and notes that the apostolic group is sweating profusely because it is so hot. They are thirsty and wish there were a stream, or that they were in the mountains or even on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus then encourages them, saying that they will soon reach the seashore and that the weather will be cooler there. Apparently, they were not welcomed in the previous village, where they would have had shade, water, and a place to rest.

Soon, Thomas admits he is hungry, and both Simon the Zealot and Jesus are willing to share their rations. They eat, and shortly afterward, the former leper and friend of Lazarus finds a thin trickle of water where they can come to drink and fill their water bottles. Then, exhausted, they doze off against a tree. Seeing the disciples like this, Jesus shakes his head and explains to Simon the Zealot that one day they will be glad to have walked in the scorching heat, exhausted and thirsty, following their persecuted Master. When the apostle points out that they are happy to follow him this way, Jesus replies that Simon the Zealot is always happy, yes, but not necessarily the others, and he gives the example of a dandelion. He blows on it and explains that very few of the seed heads reach its heart, and that even later, some still break away from it. The same will be true of the disciples: some will leave out of restlessness, others out of fickleness, sluggishness, pride, or frivolity.

Shortly afterward, Simon confesses to him that he cannot bring himself to love Judas and asks if he seems sincere to him. Jesus does not answer him right away and instead watches the dragonflies intently at the water’s edge. Faced with Simon’s insistence, he responds in a veiled manner.

Chapter Contents: 216 .1: Maria Valtorta dwells on describing the variety of scents and the beauty of the universe. 216.2: The apostles make their way under the sun, torn between hospitality, hunger, and thirst. The Zealot discovers a trickle of water. 216.3: Jesus speaks with the Zealot and compares the faithfulness of his disciples to a dandelion seed that scatters. 216.4: Jesus responds obliquely to his thoughts about Judas.

Old edition: Volume 3, Chapter 78

Keywords

GRM 218.1 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

The fresh dawn breath wakes the sleeping apostles. They rise from their sand beds, where they slept close to a dune strewn with small tufts of dry grass, and they climb to the top. A large sandy coast appears before them, whereas a little farther away and a little closer to them there are beautiful well cultivated fields. The white stones of a dry torrent are conspicuous against the golden sand and their whiteness — the whiteness of dry bones — stretches as far as the sea, the surface of which glitters in the distance, rippled by the morning tide and a light mistral. They walk on the edge of the dune as far as the dry torrent, which they cross, and they carry on walking across the dunes, which crumble under their feet and are so undulated that they seem a solid continuation of sea.
They reach the shore-line, where they can walk faster, and while John is hypnotised by the boundless ocean beginning to shine in the rising sun, and he seems to be drinking in its beauty as his eyes become bluer and bluer, Peter who is more practical, takes his sandals off, pulls up his tunic and paddles in the shallow water looking for little crabs or shells to suck. A beautiful sea town is about two miles away, stretched along the coast above a semilunar rocky barrier beyond which sands have been carried by storms and blown by winds. And the rocks of the barrier, now that the water recedes at low tide, appear here as well, compelling thus the apostles to walk on the dry sand in order not to cut their bare feet on the sharp rocks.
«Where is the entrance to the town, my Lord? I can only see a very solid wall from here. It is not possible to enter by sea. The town is in the inner most spot of the gulf» says Philip.
«Come. I know where the entrance is.»
«Have You already been here?»
«Once, when I was a child, but I would not remember. But I know where to go.»
«How strange! I have noticed that many a time… You never take the wrong road. Sometimes we make You go wrong. One would think that You have already been to the places we go to» remarks James of Zebedee.
Jesus smiles but does not reply.

Detail

Christ knows exactly where he is going during his public ministry, and James, son of Zebedee, points this out to him.