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Places in The Gospel as it was revealed to me

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GRM 171

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

Jesus is still on the Horns of Hattin, continuing the Sermon on the Mount. First of all, the Lord reminds us that He does not change the Law one iota, because it was He Himself who gave it together with the Most Holy Trinity. However, Christ completes it, without overloading it as men do.

After defining the holy man, Christ goes on to say that he who follows one of the least commandments will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven, and he who violates one of the Commandments will be one of the least in the Celestial Kingdom. The Master warns against the righteousness of the Pharisees and scribes, and also warns people to beware of false prophets.

Jesus then returns to the subject of neighborly love, and outlines a number of features that we find in the Gospel: loving and forgiving, turning the other cheek, thinking that it is better for him to hit us than to hit someone who cannot bear it, and so on. He invites us to be generous, to give our tunic so that our brother doesn't commit a double theft if someone tries to steal something from us. Finally, Christ goes back on the saying: "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth", replacing it with love, and encourages us to be perfect like our heavenly Father, not to get angry or hold a grudge against our neighbor, but to be reconciled with him.

When the Master concludes his discourse, Jesus speaks of someone who hates him, and who dares not ask for the miracle. But when his apostles question him, he tells them that the scales had fallen from his eyes, not from his heart.

GRM 172

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

Jesus talks about oaths, fasting and prayer. In his sermon, he dwells on man's difficulty in being honest and on his false oaths: all too often, man is a perjurer, and he who demands an oath does not himself have much confidence in his neighbor. When we take an oath and swear to something, invoking that which is dearest to us, we deceive our neighbor: we are thieves, sacrilegious, traitors and homicidal. But we don't deceive God, who is Truth itself. Jesus therefore encourages people not to take false oaths, as in the Gospel, and he enjoins others not to swear on the dead, nor on the head of our family, nor on our body, which belongs to God. Let our yes be a yes and a no be a no.

Secondly, Christ insists on prayer said from the heart, where we seek not to be noticed and are not overcome by scruples. We must stop counting the number of hours we spend in prayer: it's not so much soulless prayers that count, but actions and words said with love. Jesus declares that we can do anything by praying: whether it's making a loaf of bread or doing our work, as long as we seek to love in everything. We must also not be afraid to ask, for God is a Father who watches over us and our needs.

Then the Master explains why God may not answer our prayer. He may refuse us a grace because it would hurt us in the future. Sometimes, therefore, God says: "I cannot", because in His Wisdom, He sees that such a grace, which seems good to us now, would be harmful to us later.

Finally, Jesus applies what he says about prayer to fasting: we mustn't flaunt it in public or be sad, but be joyful and act as if we've eaten well. Hiding this fast from others will be an act of heroism, and God will reward us for not seeking praise from men. What's more, anyone who fasts out of love feeds on love.

The Savior then sends away the people who are listening and welcomes two poor people. One is Ishmael, a man rejected by his daughter who wants to make his last Easter; the other is a woman named Sarath who is ill. He heals the latter and Jesus asks him to look after the old man. Christ then asks Simon the Zealot if he can entrust them to Lazarus, since they are two poor men who have nothing, and Lazarus assures him that he can. The episode ends with the old man happily adopting a new daughter and finding a new protector.

GRM 173

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

Chapter title: Fifth Discourse on the Mount: the use of wealth, almsgiving, trust in God.

Date of vision: Sunday, May 27, 1945.

Calendar: Thursday, February 17, 28 (4 Adar I 3788)

Location (map): The Horns of Hattin

Cycle: Sermon on the Mount

Summary: The crowd is growing and Jesus continues his discourse. He begins by encouraging souls to treasure themselves in Heaven, where no thief can steal our riches. On earth, we need to make proper use of our possessions and gold, and remember that everything we own can be destroyed by fire, disease and misfortune. We must therefore transform these earthly possessions into supernatural goods, and use them to treasure the Kingdom.

Secondly, Jesus encourages us to be charitable out of a supernatural spirit, and not to seek human praise. We shouldn't show off our charity and good deeds, but always act with discretion. The same goes for almsgiving: Christ advises us to give with charity, and then forget about the act itself. We'll be left with God's smile and peace, and the Father will reward us.

Jesus is interrupted by a Pharisee, who accuses him of not practicing what he says. In fact, Jesus had taken in Ishmael and Sarah in EMV 172, and the man reproaches him for not reassuring them as he had said he would. Jesus corrects his words, and then the old man Ishmael himself intervenes. His words make the inappropriate man flee, and the Savior continues his speech. All he asks is that the man be forgiven.

The Master tells us not to be afraid of tomorrow. God will always give what is needed. He himself is poor, and he relies on the rich to give charity in God's name. We mustn't worry about having little, nor worry about the future: the Father himself feeds the birds, and we are more than birds. We must have faith in the fatherhood of the Lord and seek first the virtues. The rest will be given to us as a bonus, and tomorrow will take care of itself.

Chapter contents: 173.1: The crowd is always growing. 173.2 : The fructification of material and spiritual wealth. 173.3 : Make for yourselves treasures in Heaven where thieves cannot enter. 173.4 : When you give alms, don't blow the trumpet to attract the attention of passers-by. 173.5 : An insulting man calls out to Jesus: Master, you deny your words! The old man Ishmael rebukes him. 173.6 : Don't do good to get a reward, to have a guarantee for tomorrow. 173.7 : Do not worry about tomorrow, seek the Kingdom of God.

Old edition: Volume 3, chapter 33

GRM 174

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

Chapter title: Sixth Sermon on the Mount: choosing between good and evil, adultery, divorce. The unwelcome arrival of Mary Magdalene.

Date of vision: Tuesday, May 29, 1945 (174.1-10); Saturday, August 12, 1944 (EMV 174.11-14); Tuesday, May 29, 1945 (174.15-22).

Calendar: Friday, February 18, 28 (5 Adar I 3788)

Locations (map): The Horns of Hattin

Cycle: Sermon on the Mount

Summary: There's a crowd. Thomas and Judas divide them into several groups: one for the sick, one for those waiting for an obolus, another for those waiting for Jesus' teachings. Peter is with children, some of the apostles like to bring the sick and infirm to the Lord, while Andrew and John collect alms from the faithful. They are accosted by a woman who needs to speak to the Master about personal concerns, neither health nor illness. John takes her to a tent while André goes to tell the Master, and two other unfortunates join the woman in presenting their miseries. Before going to them, the Master heals the sick and a little girl with a spinal injury. Then he goes to listen to these three souls who are waiting for him. The woman has her husband who has gone off with a prostitute: she obtains his conversion. The second has a daughter who became a lecher after a visit to Tiberias: the father went to Jeanne de Kouza and she invited him to find Jesus. The father obtained his daughter's conversion, but had to take it upon himself to forgive. Finally, the third tells of a quarrel with his brothers over their inheritance. They accuse him of stealing the money, but it was the deceased father who moved the cassette without warning them. Jesus tells him that his brothers found the money while he was away and that they have repented. But the man prefers to listen to Jesus rather than leave immediately.

Jesus then gives a sermon. The man has the choice of taking the path that leads upwards, i.e. towards God, or taking the path that leads downwards, i.e. towards Satan. He has free will. Of course, Satan tempts, but God tempts souls too, by his Word, by his promises, by his love. So if someone says they wanted to convert a soul, but allowed themselves to be corrupted by the evil of their neighbor, it's because their heart was conducive to welcoming that evil or sin. Christ therefore encourages us to resist sensuality, the world, science and the devil. We must seek not to be inconsistent and to choose only one Master, for we cannot serve God or mammon.

After briefly describing Eve and her corruption, Christ speaks of the body's lamp. If our eye is pure, everything will be pure. As for temptation, it is not an evil: we suffer for resisting it, but through victory we acquire an eternity of peace. That said, we must always be merciful to our fallen brothers and sisters.

Jesus is interrupted by the untimely arrival of Mary Magdalene, then a great sinner. She is accompanied by several men, including a Roman whom she seems to prefer. Lazarus' sister is really acting outrageously, and after looking at her for a moment, Jesus turns his head away and no longer looks at her. Instead, he resumes his discourse: he speaks of adultery, impurity, and reproaches the rich and wealthy. Mary Magdalene, offended, leaves under the murmurs of the crowd, and Christ announces that they are going to leave the Horns of Hattin, since they have been disturbed by Satan's whistling for two days. He indicates, however, that he will speak once more, after the crowd has taken shelter from the heat and restored themselves. Jesus then speaks briefly to Peter, then to Judas, to whom he renews his promise to go to Judea. Finally, Simon of Jonah forces his Master to eat.

As Bartholomew reminds us that it's the Sabbath in a few hours' time, Jesus urges those who do not trust in the Father's Providence to leave. Fifty people leave, and he resumes his speech. He again insists on adultery, divorce and repudiation, reminding them that only death can break a marriage. In fact, it's the children who suffer most when their father or mother remarries, so the Lord urges us to be faithful to our spouse.

Finally, to conclude his words, Christ encourages souls to charity and prudence: it's not a question of giving eternal truths to men who would distort them and play the prophet. Pearls should not be thrown to swine. Finally, he concludes by saying that he who puts his words into practice builds his house on rock, and he who does not listen to him builds his foundations on sand. Then he takes leave of the crowd, but they follow him and don't leave him...

Chapter contents: 174.1: The horizon on a spring morning. 174.2 : Jesus asks the apostles to gather together those seeking help. 174.3: The apostles bustle about in the crowd. 174.4: Andrew warns Jesus that three people in particular want to see him. 174.5: Jesus reassures a woman abandoned by her husband. 174.6: He promises a father his daughter's conversion. 174.7 : He guides an inheritance dispute towards a solution. 174.8 : You cannot belong equally to God and Mammon. 174.9 : How Satan seduced Eve. 174.10 : Do not be led into temptation and be merciful to the sinner. 174.11: The same morning blossomed on the mountain. 174.12: Mary Magdalene's pompous and provocative arrival. 174.13 : Woe betide you, you wealthy and enjoyers! 174.14: Under indirect reproach, Mary Magdalene flees. 174.15: Jesus gives the crowd time to rest. 174.16: Judas, troubled by the Magdalene, is comforted by Jesus, who goes to his mother in Judea. 174.17: Peter makes Jesus drink an egg. 147.18: Teaching on adultery. 174.19 : Whoever sends away his own wife, exposes her to adultery. 174.20 : Engrave in your hearts the Sermon on the Mount, it is your guide. 174.21 : Listen to my words and put them into practice. 174.22 : Jesus and the crowd go down to Capernaum.

Former edition: Volume 3, chapter 34

GRM 174.1 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

It is a glorious morning and the air is clearer than usual. Distances seem to be shortened and remote things seem to be seen through a magnifying lens, so clear and neat are the tiniest details. The crowds are getting ready to listen to the Master. Day by day the country is becoming more beautiful in its luxurious dress at the height of the spring season, which in Palestine I think is at the end of March and beginning of April, because later it has the typical look of summer, with ripe crops and thick fully developed foliage.

The whole country is now in bloom. From the height of the mountain, which is adorned with its own flowers even in spots which would appear least suitable for blossom growth, one can see the flexuous corn undulating down in the plain, blown by the breeze making it look like sea-green waves, with a pale golden hue at the top of the ears now seeding in their bristly awns. The fruit trees, completely covered with petals stand straight above the crops undulating in the light breeze, and look like as many huge powder-puffs or balls of white, pale pink, dark pink, bright red gauze. The olive-trees by contrast, in their dress of penitent ascetics seem to be praying and their prayers are already changing into an attempted snowfall of tiny white flowers.

The top of Mount Hermon is like pink alabaster and is kissed by the sun. Two diamond threads – they look like threads from here – run down from the alabaster top twinkling in an unbelievable fashion in the sun, and disappear into the green woods; they appear once again down in the valley where they form water-courses which flow towards Lake Merom, which cannot be seen from here. They then flow out with the beautiful waters of the Jordan and later drop into the light sapphire sea of Galilee, which twinkles like chips of precious stones set in and lit up by the sun. The sails moving on the lake, calm and splendid in its frame of gardens and wonderful countryside, seem driven by the small light clouds sailing in the sea of the sky.

Nature really seems to be smiling in this early hour of a spring day.

GRM 174.1 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

The top of Mount Hermon is like pink alabaster and is kissed by the sun. Two diamond threads – they look like threads from here – run down from the alabaster top twinkling in an unbelievable fashion in the sun, and disappear into the green woods; they appear once again down in the valley where they form water-courses which flow towards Lake Merom, which cannot be seen from here. They then flow out with the beautiful waters of the Jordan and later drop into the light sapphire sea of Galilee, which twinkles like chips of precious stones set in and lit up by the sun. The sails moving on the lake, calm and splendid in its frame of gardens and wonderful countryside, seem driven by the small light clouds sailing in the sea of the sky.

GRM 174.6

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

One of the men comes: «I have a daughter, Lord. Unfortunately she went to Tiberias with some girl friends and it was as if she had taken some poison. When she came back to me she was like a mad woman. She wants to go away with a Greek man… and then… Why was she born? Her mother is heartbroken and perhaps will die of grief… I… only Your words, which I heard last winter, keep me from killing her. But, I tell You, my heart has already cursed her.»

«No. God, Who is a Father, only curses an accomplished and obstinate sin. What do you want from Me?»

«That You get her to mend her ways.»

«I do not know her and she will certainly not come to Me.»

«But You can change her heart also from far away! Do You know who sent me to You? Johanna of Chuza. She was leaving for Jerusalem when I went to her mansion to ask her whether she knew that wretched Greek. I was afraid she might not know him, because she is good, although she lives at Tiberias, but since Chuza has contacts with the Gentiles… She does not know him. But she said to me: “Go to Jesus. He called my soul back from very far away and He cured me, by that call, of my phthisis. He will cure your daughter’s heart as well. I will pray and you must have faith”. I have faith. You can see it. Have mercy on me, Master.»

«Your daughter this evening will weep on her mother’s knees asking to be forgiven. You must be as good as her mother and forgive her. The past is dead.»

«Yes, Master. As You wish and may You be blessed.»

He turns around to go away… but retraces his steps: «Forgive me, Master… But I am so afraid. Lust is such a demon! Give me a thread of Your tunic. I will put it in my daughter’s pillow. The demon will not tempt her while she is asleep.»

Jesus smiles and shakes His head… but satisfies the man saying: «That your mind may be quieter. But you must believe that when God says: “I want it” the demon goes away without any further need. So keep this as a souvenir of Mine», and He gives him a small tuft from His fringe.

Detail

A man tells how he went to see Jeanne de Kouza in Tiberias, after his daughter had been seduced by a Greek.

GRM 174.8 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

I explain the ways of the Lord to you, that you may follow them. Could you follow the path that goes down on the right hand side, and at the same time follow the one on the left hand side? You could not. Because if you take one you must leave the other. Even if the two paths were close together you could not walk any length with one foot in one and one in the other. You would end up by being tired and making a mistake, even if there was a wager. But between the path of God and Satan’s there is a great distance, which becomes greater and greater, just like the two paths that come out up here, but as they run down the valley they become farther and farther from each other, as one goes towards Capernaum and the other towards Ptolomais.

Such is life, it bestrides past and future, good and evil. Man is in the centre with his willpower and free will; at the ends, on one side there is God and His Heaven, on the other side Satan and his Hell. Man can choose. Nobody forces him.

Annotation

These two paths (...) diverge more and more from each other, one going towards Capernaum, the other towards Ptolemais. Correct: These are the paths to the northeast (the road to Magdala), and to the southwest (the road to Cana).

GRM 174.11 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Jesus is standing on a rock and is speaking to a large crowd. It is a mountainous place. A lonely hill, between two valleys. The top of the hill is shaped like a yoke, or rather, like a camel’s hump, so that a few yards from the top there is a natural amphitheatre where voices resound clearly as in a well-built concert hall.

The hill is all in flower. It must be summer. The crops down in the plain are beginning to ripen and are getting ready to be cut. The glacier of a high mountain in the north is shining in the sun. Directly below, to the east, the Sea of Galilee looks like a mirror broken into numerous fragments, each of which is a sapphire lit up by the sun. Its blue-gold twinkling is dazzling and it reflects a few fluffy clouds in a very clear sky and the shadow of some swift sails. Beyond the lake of Gennesaret there is a vast extent of plain ground, which because of a light mist near the earth, caused perhaps by evaporation of dew — in fact it must be early morning as the grass on the mountain still has a few dewy diamonds glittering on its stems — looks like a continuation of the lake with an opal-like hue veined with green. Further back there is a chain of mountains, the side of which is so bizarre as to give the impression of clouds sketched on the clear sky.