GRM 54.1
The Gospel as revealed to me
Translation in progress
Notes for this theme
Places in The Gospel as it was revealed to me
Page 12 of 51
Reading comfort
Aa
GRM 55
The Gospel as revealed to me
Detail
Andrew, Peter, James and John, Bartholomew, Philip, and Thomas are at the house of Jonah, the guardian of Gethsemane. Thomas tells how he came back to the scene. Jesus questions him, and offers him to stay. The apostle is happy, and Jesus takes the opportunity to teach the apostolic group a lesson about hospitality. Peter grumbles and makes a few remarks, saying that those we welcome are not always well-intentioned, and the Lord replies. Then he asks Thomas to go and find Simon the Zealot in the tombs, and to accompany him until he is purified. They meet again later. As for Judas, he encourages him not to go and see him, or even to seek his presence.
Peter grumbles again, and Christ asks him why. Simon of Jonah then points out that he gives missions to those who have just arrived, but not to the first disciples who followed him. The Master smiles at his words, and points out that, if he doesn't give such missions, it's because he knows them and is sure of them. The one who must be put to the test is the one who is not yet sure, the Savior asserts, and yet Christ esteemed them so much that he took his first apostles "without demanding proofs and without feeling the need to give you any". Peter is reassured and asks for forgiveness. Jesus, for his part, asks him not to argue about the places and merits of each. The Redeemer reminds them that He Himself is man's servant, and so He reminds them to remain humble.
Finally, Jesus gives Thomas the portrait of Simon the Zealot. All that remains is to find him...
GRM 55.1
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
55.1 This morning, as I recovered my senses after a very heavy torpor which had lasted many hours, while I was praying awaiting daylight, I saw the resumption of the vision.
I say resumption because we are still in the same place: the low, wide kitchen, with its dark, smoky walls, dimly lit up by the small flame of an oil lamp on the rustic table. It is a long narrow table at which eight people are sitting: Jesus and His six disciples, and the landlord, four on each side.
Jesus, sitting on a stool — the only seats here are three-legged stools, real country furniture — is still turned around speaking to Thomas.
GRM 56.1
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
You are beautiful, o banks of the Jordan, as beautiful as you were in the times of Jesus! I admire you and am enraptured by your solemn green-blue peace, resounding with flowing waters and leafy branches, as sweet as a melody.
I am on a road which is quite wide and also well maintained. It must be a highway, or more likely a military road, built by the Romans to link the various regions with the capital. It runs near the river, but not precisely along it. It is in fact separated from it by woodland, the function of which I think is to consolidate the river banks and contain the water in times of flood. The woodland continues on the other side of the road, so that the road looks like a natural tunnel over which the trees interlace their leafy branches, a beneficial protection for wayfarers in the hot climate of this country.
At the point where I am, the river, and consequently the road as well, form a wide bend, so that the leafy embankment appears to me like a huge green barrier built to enclose a basin of calm waters. It almost looks like a lake in a luxury park. But the water is not as still as the water of a lake. It flows, although slowly. This is evident from its rustling against the first reed thickets, the more daring ones that have grown down there, in the gravel bed, and also from the undulation of the long ribbon-like leaves of the canes, reaching down to the water by which they are sweetly lulled. Also a group of willows, with flexible falling branches, have entrusted the ends of their green foliage to the river, that combs the thin branches with a graceful caress, stretching them softly on the water surface.
There is peace and silence in the early morning. One can only sense the warbling of birds, the rustling of water and leaves, the glittering of dew drops on the tall green grass between the trees, a grass not yet hardened or parched by the summer sunshine, but tender and fresh, since it came up after the springtime showers, which nourished the earth, in its very depth, with moisture and rich juices.
Detail
Between Jericho and Docco.
Keywords
GRM 57
The Gospel as revealed to me
Detail
Jesus arrives in Nazareth with his apostles. He invites his disciples to accompany him home to meet his Mother. On his arrival, Christ is greeted by a flock of children. He responds to their greetings, then arrives at his home. His Mother is naturally happy to see him, but she is also anxious, because her relatives have told her what he did in the Temple. After their reunion, the disciples get to know him (except John, who has already met her) and they all sit down at table. Mary of Alphaeus is present in the house, and Jude tells her of his decision to follow Jesus. She is delighted, and the group shares anecdotes about Jesus' life. The vision ends.
GRM 57.1
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
57.1 Jesus is near Nazareth with His cousin and the six disciples. From the top of the hill where they are, the white village can be seen amongst the green of the trees, with its houses scattered up and down the sweetly undulating slopes, gently declining in some cases, more steep in others.
«Here we are, My friends. That is My house. My Mother is at home because there is smoke rising from the house. Perhaps She is baking. I will not ask you to stay with Me, because I imagine you will be anxious to go to your homes. But if you wish to share My bread with Me and meet My Mother, Whom John has already met, then I say to You: “Come”.»
The six disciples, who were already sad because of the impending separation, are all happy again and they accept the invitation wholeheartedly.
«Let us go, then.»
They go down the hillock quickly and take to the main road. It is evening. It is still warm, but the shades of evening are falling over the country, where the crops are beginning to ripen.
They go into the village. Women are coming and going from the fountain, men standing on the thresholds of their little workshops or working in the kitchen gardens wave to Jesus and James.
Keywords
GRM 58
The Gospel as revealed to me
Detail
Jesus is in Capernaum: he goes fishing with Peter and Andrew. John and James are in the other boat.
Peter explains his work to Christ, who makes an analogy with souls. He explains that a fault is not irreparable in itself, but that the accumulation of such faults can turn into a habit and even a capital vice. We must always be vigilant to avoid falling into sin.
Simon of Jonah asks if the Father won't be too harsh on him, and Jesus assures him that he won't be too harsh on Peter, the new man. He also assures Andrew of his love, and speaks of all the disciples who will come after them, evoking the Kingdom of Heaven and the abundant catch the Savior will make. He also encourages his apostle not to be jealous, for everyone has a place in his heart. Peter is moved by his words; as for Andrew, Jesus tells him of his blessed death.
John arrives in the meantime and reveals that a blind man has come to be healed by Christ. Jesus wants to heal him right away, and in the face of Peter's thoughts of not having a good catch, he assures him of God's help whenever we are charitable.
Finally, the Lord heals the blind man. And it's a beautiful healing.
GRM 58.1-2
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
58.1 Jesus says, and I become calm at once and the joy of such bright peace makes my heart cheerful: «See. He is so fond of episodes of blind people. Let us give him another one.» And I see.
58.2 I see a beautiful summer sunset. The sun has inflamed the whole of the western sky and the Lake of Gennesaret looks like a huge disc aflame, under a sky ablaze.
The streets in Capernaum are just beginning to become crowded; women go to the fountain, fishermen prepare their nets and boats to go fishing at night, children run playing in the streets, little donkeys carrying hampers go towards the country, probably to get vegetables.
Jesus appears at a door which opens onto a little yard completely shaded by a vine and a fig-tree. Beyond it there is a stoney lane, that runs along the lake. It must be Peter’s house, because he is on the shore with Andrew, arranging the fish baskets and nets in the boat, and sorting the seats and coils of rope. He is preparing everything to go fishing, and Andrew is helping him, coming and going from the house to the boat.
Detail
In a note to the second edition, it is written: in reality, this is the house of Peter's mother-in-law, is a correction by Maria Valtorta on a typed copy. De sa belle-mère, at the beginning of 58.8, is an addition by her hand on the same copy. Various passages in chapter 60 will mention Peter's two houses: his own in Bethsaida, and that of his mother-in-law in Capernaum.
GRM 59
The Gospel as revealed to me
Detail
Jesus comes to preach at the Capernaum synagogue. Jairus welcomes him and Jesus asks him for a scroll: the Spirit will guide him. So Jesus makes a commentary on the Book of Joshua and talks about the Kingdom of God, the need to sin no more, to repent, and to prepare for Heaven and the eternity to come. A man contradicts him at the end of his preaching, and sites the second book of the Maccabees. He says that God struck Israel, and Jesus replies that he is applying a human view to these words, whereas the Lord interprets them supernaturally. He says that, while God has struck down his people, he has nevertheless deeply loved Israel by sending them the salvation that is his Messiah.
The man then criticizes Christ and doubts that he is the Redeemer. In response, Jesus evokes the Forerunner and the dove that descended at his baptism: he affirms in all simplicity that he is the promised Redeemer. Since his interlocutor doubts this, he calls in a demon-possessed man to whom he has never spoken. The demon becomes agitated when he stands before the Son of God, and asserts that he is the Holy One of God. Jesus orders him to shut up and go away. The man is healed, and his interlocutor, defeated, leaves to the mockery of the crowd.
Jesus performs several physical miracles and then leaves the synagogue with difficulty.
GRM 59.1
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
I see the synagogue of Capernaum. It is already crowded with people waiting. People near the door cast glances at the square, which is still sunny, though it is almost evening. At last there is a shout: «The Rabbi is coming.» They all turn towards the door, the shorter people stand on their toes or endeavour to push their way to the front. Some start discussing and shoving, notwithstanding the reproaches of those employed in the synagogue and of the elders of the town.
«May peace be with all those seeking the Truth.» Jesus is at the entrance and He greets them, blessing with His arms stretched forward. His tall figure stands out against the very bright light in the sunny square. He has taken off His white mantle and is wearing the usual deep blue one. He makes His way through the crowd, which opens out and then throngs around Him, like the waves round a ship.