Notes for this theme
Reading comfort
GRM 193.4 · Volume 3
We will stop early and have a good rest and tomorrow we will leave at dawn to be at Gethsemane in the evening of the day after tomorrow. The day after Friday we will go to Bethany to see My Mother and we will leave John’s books there, as they have been quite a burden for you, and we will find Isaac there and will entrust him with this poor brother of ours…
Jesus is talking about John of Endor, whom he will entrust to Isaac.
GRM 193.5 · Volume 3
«Here we are at the gate of Shechem. Go ahead with your brother and with Judas of Simon and look for accommodation. I will go to the market square and wait for you there.»
They part and Peter goes away looking for a shelter, while the others walk with difficulty in the streets crowded with people shouting and gesticulating, with donkeys, wagons, all going to Jerusalem for the oncoming Passover. The shouting, calling cursing of people, added to the braying of donkeys cause a noise that resounds very loudly under the vaults, which link one house to another, a noise that resembles the rumble of certain shells when placed near one’s ear. The echo travels from vault to vault where the shades become darker and the crowds, like an impetuous torrent, rush into the streets, insinuating themselves everywhere, looking for a roof, a square, a meadow in which to pass the night…
Jesus, holding the child by the hand, leaning against a tree, is waiting for Peter in the square, which, for the occasion, is always full of vendors.
«Let us hope that no one sees us and recognises us!» says the Iscariot.
«How can you recognise a grain of sand among the sands?» replies Thomas. «Don’t you see the crowds?»
Peter comes back: «Outside the town there is a shed with some hay. I could not find anything else.»
«Neither shall we look for anything else. It is even too much for the Son of man.»
GRM 194
Chapter title: Revelation to little Yabeç (Jabé) during the journey from Shechem to Beerot.
Date of vision: Tuesday, June 19, 1945.
Calendar: Thursday, March 23, 28 (10 Nissan 3788)
Location (map): In Bethel, after leaving Shechem. Departure for Beerot.
Cycle: The second Paschal journey
Summary: John of Endor and Peter distract Yabeç along the way. As a result, he doesn't realize they're passing the mountain where his parents were buried. Then Jesus calls him and shows him the golden roofs of the Temple, and begins to ask him about the Word of God. The child cries as he remembers his parents, and Jesus reminds him of Jacob's dream, with the angels ascending to heaven and descending to earth. He promises him that at the end of his life, he won't have to climb that ladder, for he's already climbed it all his life. The Master also assures him that he will be loved by his Mother and the other Marys, and all his words console the little orphan.
Yabeç finally asks Christ about Limbo, and Jesus explains that he will open it once he has obtained the Father's forgiveness. Yabeç's mother will follow him to Heaven, and she will be there at the hour of her child's death. The boy is delighted by this thought, and they return to the examination the boy is to take.
After asking him about God and the Sabbath, Peter's protégé finally understands that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior, and is stunned. But Jesus assures him that he need not be afraid of him. The group takes a break to eat, after which the orphan asks to be given a new name from the feast of his majority. The Lord grants his request, and decides that his Mother will give him one.
Christ then questions Yabeç, asking which books speak of the Messiah. The child replies that they are Daniel and Isaiah, and confesses his preference for the former. John of Zebedee, meanwhile, joins in the conversation, noticing that the child has the same words as he does, and Jesus sets off for Berot.
Chapter contents: 194.1: Yabeç distracted by a bad memory. 194.2 : Dialogue between Jesus and Yabeç: what Jacob's ladder will be for Yabeç. 194.3 : Limbo will be emptied. Your father and mother will take care of you. 194.4: The importance of the Sabbath day. Yabeç recognizes God in Jesus. 194.5 : He will receive a new name. The Messiah in the Scriptures. 194.6: Departure for Berot.
Previous edition: Tome 3, chapter 55.
GRM 194.2 · Volume 3
They are now climbing a very steep hill, because they have left the dusty crowded main road and have taken this short cut through woods. And when they reach the summit, they can distinctly see in the distance a huge bright light shining above an agglomeration, perhaps whitewashed houses.
«Jabez» calls Jesus «come here. Can you see that golden spot? It is the House of the Lord. There you will swear to obey the Law. But do you know it well?»
«My mother used to speak to me about it and my father taught me the precepts. I can read… and… and I think I know what “they” told me before they died…» The boy, who had come smiling when Jesus called him, is now weeping with his head lowered and his trembling hand in Jesus’ hand.
«Do not weep. Listen. Do you know where we are? This is Bethel. Holy Jacob dreamt of the angels here. Do you know? Do you remember?»
«Yes, Lord. He saw a ladder that from the earth reached up to Heaven and the angels went up and down, and my mother used to say that when one dies, if one has always been good, one sees the same thing and goes up that ladder to the House of God. My mother used to tell me many things… But now she does not tell me anymore… I have them all in here and that is all I have of hers…» Tears stream down his little sad face.
«Do not weep like that! Listen, Jabez. I also have a Mother and Her name is Mary and She is holy and good and can tell many things. She is wiser than a teacher and more gentle and beautiful than an angel. We are going to see Her now. She will love you so much. And She will tell you many things. And then John’s mother is with her and she is very good, too, and her name is Mary. And there is the mother of my brother Judas, and she is as sweet as a honey cake and her name is Mary, too. They will love you so much. Because you are a clever boy and for My sake, because I love you so much. And you will grow up with them and when you are big, you will be a holy man of God, like a doctor you will preach Jesus Who has given you a new mother here and Who will open the gates of Heaven to your dead mother and to your father, and will open them also to you when your hour comes. You will not even need to climb the long ladder of Heaven when you die. You will have climbed it during your lifetime, being a good disciple, and you will find yourself up there, at the gate of Paradise, and I will be there and I will say to you: “Come, My friend and son of Mary” and we shall be together.» Jesus’ bright smile, while walking slightly bent to be closer to the raised face of the child who is walking beside Him with his hand held by Jesus, and the wonderful story wipe his tears and make him smile.
Book of Genesis 28, 10-19
Gen 28, 10-19 : Jacob left Bersabee and went to Haran. He came to a place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. He took one of the stones and made it his bedside table, and lay down there. And he had a dream: and behold, a ladder was set upon the earth, and the top of it touched heaven; and behold, upon it angels of God ascended and descended, and at the top stood Yahweh. He said: "I am Yahweh, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac. This land on which you lie, I will give it to you and your descendants. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth; you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south, and all the families of the earth will be blessed in you and in your descendants. Behold, I am with you, and I will keep you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have told you. "
Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely Yahweh is in this place, and I did not know it! "Seized with fear, he added: "How dreadful this place is! This is indeed the house of God, this is the gateway to heaven. "Arising early in the morning, Jacob took the stone from which he had made his bedside, set it up as a monument and poured oil on its top. He named the place Bethel, but the original name of the town was Luz.
GRM 194.2 · Volume 3
They are now climbing a very steep hill, because they have left the dusty crowded main road and have taken this short cut through woods. And when they reach the summit, they can distinctly see in the distance a huge bright light shining above an agglomeration, perhaps whitewashed houses.
«Jabez» calls Jesus «come here. Can you see that golden spot? It is the House of the Lord. There you will swear to obey the Law. »
GRM 194.6 · Volume 3
But now we ought to go, so that we can be in Beeroth very early. The number of the people is increasing and the weather looks threatening. There will be a rush for shelters. And I do not want you to be taken ill.»
John calls his companions and they set forth again towards Beeroth, across a plain which is not very well cultivated, but is not so barren as the little mountain they climbed after Shiloh.
GRM 195
Chapter title: A lesson from Jean d'En-Dor to Judas. The entry into Jerusalem.
Date of vision: Wednesday, June 20, 1945
Calendar: Friday, March 24, 28 (Nissan 11, 3788)
Location (map): From Beerot to Jerusalem.
Cycle: The second Paschal journey
Summary: It's raining. Peter and Yabeç are in a good mood, but Judas is grumbling. John of Endor starts to argue with him, but the Iscariot is in no mood to be lectured, and points out that he is an apostle. John replies that you never know what you're going to become: he thought he'd end his life as an honest tutor in Cinthium, before turning into a murderer. Everyone can learn from the experience of others, and John is particularly fortunate to have found Jesus.
Judas feels that he knows no other wisdom than that of Israel, but the former prisoner believes that having God's wisdom is better, and that it's like a sunny day compared to a foggy one. He also believes that Jesus is God - for Judas points this out to him - but he does not yet dare to speak familiarly with the Master. He believes, however, that the Lord hears his soul weeping with gratitude. Jesus confirms this and encourages him to speak with himself. Judas then retorts that he once told him not to speak with his own self, which Christ confirms, but it was then because the man from Kerioth was inwardly slandering. In this case, John is speaking with himself to meditate, which is excellent.
Judas is agitated and aggressive, and Jesus points out that his heart is sullen like the weather. But he points out that the sun will soon return, and the apostle walks away in a bad mood. Bartholomew wonders what's wrong with him, and Peter hears that the Master has been disrespected, which immediately agitates Andrew's brother. But Jesus reassures him, and finally Simon of Jonah turns his attention back to the child. Finally, the apostolic group enters Jerusalem for Passover.
Chapter contents: 195.1: The experience of John of Gold and Judas clash in two conceptions. 195.2: Jesus confirms the wisdom of John of Gold. 195.3: The apostles react to Judas' anger. Jesus avoids provoking Peter's susceptibility. 195.4: The crowd and the apostolic group enter Jerusalem.
Previous edition: Tome 3, chapter 56
GRM 195.2-3 · Volume 3
«Jesus is God.»
«I know, and I believe it. More than you do. Because I have revived through His work, you have not. No matter how good He is, He is still God, and I, a poor wretch dare not treat Him with familiarity as you do. My soul speaks to Him… my lips dare not. My soul does, and I think that He perceives it weeping out of gratitude and repentant love.»
195.2 «That is true, John. I do perceive your soul.» Jesus comes into the conversation of the two. Judas blushes with shame, the man of Endor with joy. «I perceive your soul, that is true. And I perceive also the work of your mind. What you said is correct. When you have been formed in Me, your experience as a teacher and a diligent pupil will be of great help to you. Speak, do speak, also to yourself.»
«Once, Master, not long ago, you told me that it is wrong to speak to one’s ego» remarks Judas insolently.
«That is true, I did. But that was because you were grumbling with your ego. This man is not grumbling, he is meditating, and for a good purpose. He is not doing anything wrong.»
«In brief, I am wrong!» Judas is aggressive.
«No, your heart is impatient. But the weather cannot be always good. Farmers want rain. It is charity to pray that it may rain. And this is also charity. But look, there is a beautiful rainbow forming an arch from Ataroth to Ramah. We are already beyond Ataroth, we have passed the large sad valley, and here the country is cultivated and pleasant under the sun, which is breaking through the clouds. When we are in Ramah we shall be thirty-six stadia from Jerusalem. We shall see the Holy City again after that hill, which is the place of the horrid lewd crime committed by the men of Gibeah. What a terrible thing is the concupiscence of the flesh, Judas…»
Judas does not reply, instead he delays splashing angrily in the puddles.
Judas speaks to John of Endor.
- That's right, I said it. In EMV 183.1.
Gibeah or Guibeah: In the days of the judges, an old man invited a Levite from Ephraim and his concubine to lodge with him for the night. Shortly afterwards, men from Gibeah, scoundrels, surrounded the house, demanding that the Levite be handed over to them so they could have relations with him. The old man offered them his daughter, but they refused. The Levite gave them his concubine. They abused her all night, so much so that she died in the morning. Pieces of her body were sent to the tribes of Israel as a token of infamy (Judges 19:15-30). As the tribe of Benjamin sided with the guilty men of Gibeah, the other tribes went to war with them. Twice, they suffered heavy losses before finally defeating the Benjaminites and delivering Gibeah to the fire (Judges 20).
Judges 19, 10-30
Jg 19, 10-30 : The husband did not consent to spend the night; he got up and left. He came as far as Jebus, which is Jerusalem, with the two pack donkeys and his concubine. By the time they were near Jebus, it was very dark. So the servant said to his master, "Come, please, let us turn aside to this city of the Jebusites, and spend the night there." His master replied, "We will not turn aside to a foreign city, where there are no children of Israel; we will go as far as Gibeah." again he said to his servant, "Come, let us try to reach one of these places to spend the night, either Gibeah or Ramah." They walked on, and the sun set when they were near Gabaa, which belongs to Benjamin. They turned this way, to spend the night at Gabaa.
When the Levite entered, he stopped in the town square, and there was no one to receive them into his house to spend the night. 16But, behold, an old man returned in the evening from working in the field; he was a man of the hill-country of Ephraim, who sojourned in Gibeah, and the people of the place were Benjamites. When he looked up, he saw the traveler in the town square, and the old man said, "Where are you going and from where have you come?" He replied, "We are going from Bethlehem of Judah to the end of the mountain of Ephraim, where I come from. I had been to Bethlehem of Judah, and now I am going to Yahweh's house, and there is no one to receive me in his house. However, we have straw and fodder for our donkeys, and also bread and wine for me, for your maid and for the young man who is with your servants; we lack nothing." The old man said, "Peace be with you! Only I will provide for all your needs; but don't spend the night in the square." He let him into his house, and gave fodder to the donkeys; the travelers washed their feet, then ate and drank.
While they were gladdening their hearts, behold, men from the city, perverse people, surrounded the house and, knocking loudly at the door, they said to the old man, master of the house, "Bring out the man who came into your house, so that we may know him." The master of the house went out to them and said, "No, my brothers, please don't do evil; since this man has entered my house, don't commit this infamy. Here is my daughter, who is a virgin, and her concubine; I will bring them out to you, and you shall do violence to them and treat them as you please; but do not commit such an infamous deed upon this man." The men would not listen. So the man took his concubine and brought her outside. They got to know her and abused her all night until morning, then sent her away at dawn.
Towards morning, the woman fell at the door of her husband's house, and stayed there until daylight. Her husband got up in the morning and, having opened the door of the house, went out to continue his journey. And behold, the woman, his concubine, was lying at the entrance of the house, with her hands on the threshold. He said to her, "Get up and let's get out of here." But no one answered. So the husband put her on his donkey and set off for his home.
When he got home, he took a knife and, seizing his concubine, cut her limb from limb into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout the land of Israel. All who saw this said, "Nothing like this has ever happened or been seen since the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt to this day; ponder it, consult and pronounce."
GRM 195.3-4 · Volume 3
Peter’s attention is completely diverted by the apparition of the Holy City, which is now near and is visible in all the beauty of hills, olive-groves, houses, and above all of the Temple, a sight which must always have been a source of emotion and pride for Israelites. The warm April sun of Judaea has soon dried up the slabstones of the consular road. Puddles of water have disappeared completely. The apostles are tidying themselves on the side of the road, they let down the tunics which they had pulled up, they wash their muddy feet in a clear stream, they tidy their hair and drape their mantles. Also Jesus does that. I see them all doing it.
195.4
The entrance into Jerusalem must have been an important matter. To present oneself at the walls on these feast-days was like presenting oneself to a sovereign. The Holy City was the «real» queen of Israelites. I realise that this year, because I can notice the crowds and their behaviour on the consular road. The processions of the various families form here, the women in one group, the men in another, the children in either, but all very serious and serene at the same time. Some fold up their old mantles and pull out a new one from their travelling bags, or change sandals. Their gait then becomes solemn, it is already hieratic. In each group there is a soloist who gives the tone, and the hymns, the glorious old hymns of David, are intoned. And people look at one another more lovingly, as if they had been pacified by the sight of the House of the Lord and they look at the Holy House, a huge cube of marble surmounted by golden domes, placed like a pearl in the centre of the imposing enclosure of the Temple.
The apostolic procession is formed as follows: Jesus and Peter in front, with the boy between them; behind them Simon, the Iscariot and John; then Andrew, who has forced John of Endor to stay between him and James of Zebedee; in the fourth row the two cousins of the Lord and Matthew; last Thomas, Philip and Bartholomew. It is Jesus Who intones in His beautiful powerful voice of a light baritone, a mellow voice with refined tenor vibrations, and Judas Iscariot, a pure tenor, answers together with John, with his limpid voice typical of young people, the two baritone voices of Jesus’ cousins and the almost bass voice of Thomas, whose baritone voice is so deep that it can hardly be classifed as such. The others, who are not gifted with such beautiful voices, follow the chorus of the virtuosi singing in low voices. (The psalms are the known ones, called gradual psalms[3]). Little Jabez, the voice of an angel among the strong voices of men, sings very well, probably because he knows Psalm 121 better than the others: «How I rejoiced when they said to me: “We shall go to the house of the Lord”.» His little face, which only a few days ago was so sad, is now bright with joy.
The walls are now close at hand. Here is the Gate of the Fish. And the overcrowded streets.
They go straight to the Temple to say the first prayer. And then peace in the peace of Gethsemane, then supper and rest.
The journey towards Jerusalem is over.
Peter is distracted by the appearance of the Holy City.
The psalms are the well-known psalms, known as graduals. These are Ps 120 to 134, also known as "canticles of ascent", according to the new numbering. Ps 121, quoted below, has become Ps 122.
Additional note from maria-valtorta.org:
THE 15 GRADUALS: are Psalms 119 (Hebrew 120) to 133 (Hebrew 134), also known as CANTIQUES DES MONTÉES. They were sung on the three pilgrimage feasts by pilgrims or priests on the fifteen steps leading up to the Temple in Jerusalem.
Little Yabeç, with his angelic voice amidst the robust voices of men, sings Psalm 121 very well - because he perhaps knows it better than the others: "I rejoiced because it was said to me, 'We will go to the house of the Lord. " Psalm 121 (Hebrew 122): 'How glad I was when it was said to me, "We will go to the house of the Lord!" ...
This is the Pisces Gate. North of Jerusalem, right next to the Temple.
GRM 196
Chapter title: The Sabbath in Gethsemane. Jesus recalls his Mother's childhood and classifies the different loves according to their power.
Date of vision: Thursday June 21, 1945
Calendar: Saturday, March 25, 28 (12 Nisan 3788).
NB: March 25 is the day the Church commemorates the Annunciation.
Location (map): Gethsemane
Cycle: The Second Easter Journey
Summary: To come
Chapter contents: 196.1: Yabeç will have a new garment. 196.2: What will Mary say about this child? 196.3: Recollection of Joachim explaining, through the parable of the bird that fell from the nest, how the Savior loved him without sin. 196.4: The three powers of love: that of God, of parents, of spouses. 196.5: These three loves as they were before the Fault. 196.6: Then love of neighbor, science and work, and that's all. Altercation between Peter and Judas. 196.7: Where does Jesus get his knowledge of Mary's childhood? A lesson in chastity from the very young Mary. 196.8: Joachim prophesied great truths about Mary, his daughter. 196.9: Yabeç will meet Mary before going to the Temple.
Old edition: Tome 3, chapter 57.