Notes for this theme
Reading comfort
GRM 61.3
I am Mercy that bends over all miseries calling Me. I refuse no one. All I ask for is faith and love, that I may say: I am listening to you.
Jesus speaks to a hunchback hoping for a miracle, but afraid to ask for one.
GRM 61.3.5-6
Jesus tells His disciples: «Let the poor come forward. There is a rich offer for them made by one who begs to obtain forgiveness from God.»
Three tattered old men come forward, two blind men and a cripple; they are followed by a widow with seven emaciated children.
Jesus stares at them, one by one, He smiles at the widow and particularly at the children. He says to John: «Put those over there in the kitchen garden. I want to speak to them.» But He becomes stern, with blazing eyes, when a little old man appears. But He says nothing for the time being.
He calls Peter, whom He asks for the purse received shortly before and for another one containing smaller coins, which are offerings collected from good-hearted people. He empties the coins onto the bench near the well, He counts them, and divides them. He makes six parts. A very big one, all silver coins, and five smaller ones in size, with many bronze coins and a few big ones. (...) 61.5 The third old man comes forward, He seems to be the most ragged. But Jesus has only the big pile of money left. He calls in a loud voice: «Woman, come here with your little ones.»
The young emaciated woman comes forward with her head lowered down. She seems a sad hen with her sad brood of chickens.
«How long have you been a widow, woman?»
«Three years at the moon of Tishry.»
«How old are you?»
«Twenty-seven.»
«Are they all your children?»
«Yes, Master… and I have nothing else. I finished everything… How can I work if no one wants me with all these little ones?»
«God does not abandon even the worm He created. He will not abandon you, woman. Where do you live?»
«On the lake. Three stadia outside Bethsaida. He told me to come here… My husband died on the lake; he was a fisherman.» She points to Andrew, who blushes and would like to disappear.
«You did well, Andrew, telling the woman to come to Me.»
Andrew takes heart and whispers: «The man was a friend of mine, he was good, he died in a storm and lost his boat too.»
«Take this, woman. It will help you for a long time, then another sun will rise on your days. Be good, bring your children up in the Law and you will not be without God’s help. I bless you: you and your little ones.» And He pats them, one by one, with great pitiful love.
The woman goes away pressing her treasure to her heart.
61.6
«And what about me?» asks the old man who is left last.
Jesus looks at him, but is silent.
«Nothing for me? You are not fair! You gave her six times as much as the others, and nothing to me. Of course… she was a woman!»
Jesus looks at him, but is silent.
«Look everybody; and tell me if there is justice! I have come from far away, because I was told that money was given here, and now I see that some get too much and I get nothing. A poor, old, sick man! And He wants us to believe in Him!…»
«My old man, are you not ashamed of telling such lies? Death is behind your back and you lie and endeavour to rob also who is hungry. Why do you want to rob your brothers of the offering that I received to give it with justice?»
«But I…»
«Be quiet! You should have understood by My silence and My action that I had recognised you and you should have followed My example and been silent. Why do you want Me to shame you?»
«I am poor.»
«No, you are a miser and a thief. You live for money and usury.»
«I have never lent on usury. God is my witness.»
«And is this not the most fierce usury, to rob those who are in dire need? Go. Repent. That God may forgive you.»
«I swear…»
«Be quiet! I tell you! It is said: “You shall not swear falsehood”. If I did not respect your old age, I would search you and in your breast I would find a purse full of gold: your real heart. Go away!»
The impudent old man, seeing that his secret has been discovered, goes away without any need for Jesus’ thundering voice.
The crowd threaten and scorn him, and they insult him as a thief.
«Be quiet! If he did wrong, do not do the same. He lacks sincerity: he is dishonest. If you insult him, you lack charity. A brother who makes a mistake is not to be insulted. Everybody has his sins. No one is perfect but God. I was compelled to shame him, because nobody must ever be a thief, and much less steal from poor people. But only the Father knows how much I suffered having to do it. You must also be sorry, seeing that a man in Israel infringes the Law endeavouring to defraud the poor and a widow. Do not be greedy. May your souls, not money, be your treasure. Do not be perjurers. Let your language be as sincere and honest as your actions. Life is not eternal and the hour of death will come. Live in such a way that at the hour of your death peace may be in your souls. The peace of those who lived an honest life. Go home…»
Jesus gives a large sum of money to a twenty-seven-year-old widow with seven children. Behind him is a poor, ragged widow.
GRM 61.4
61.4 Jesus hands the offering to the blind men and waits an instant before dismissing them… then He lets them go. He calls the old people. He gives the alms to the first one, and helps him to put the coins into his belt pouch. He listens pitifully to the mishaps of the second one, who informs Jesus of the disease of one of his daughters.
«I have but her! And she is dying. What will happen to me? Oh! if only You came! She cannot come, she cannot stand up. She would love to… but cannot. Master, Lord, Jesus, have mercy on us!»
«Where do you live, father?»
«At Korazim. Ask for Isaac of Jonah, named the Adult. Will You really come? Will You not forget our misfortunes? And will You heal my daughter?»
«Do you believe I can heal her?»
«Oh! I do believe it. That is why I am speaking to You about it.»
«Go home, father. Your daughter will be greeting you on the doorstep.»
«But she is in bed and she has not been able to get up for the last three… Ah! I now understand! Oh! Thank You, Rabboni! Blessed are You and He Who sent You! Praise be to God and His Messiah!» The old man goes away, plodding along as fast as he can. But when he is almost outside the kitchen garden he says: «Master, will You come just the same to my poor house? Isaac will be waiting for You to kiss Your feet and wash them with His tears, and offer You the bread of love. Come, Jesus: I will speak to the townsfolk about You.»
«I will come. Go in peace and be happy.»
Healing of an old man's daughter, who can no longer walk. His name is Isaac de Jonas.
GRM 61.6
61.6 «And what about me?» asks the old man who is left last.
Jesus looks at him, but is silent.
«Nothing for me? You are not fair! You gave her six times as much as the others, and nothing to me. Of course… she was a woman!»
Jesus looks at him, but is silent.
«Look everybody; and tell me if there is justice! I have come from far away, because I was told that money was given here, and now I see that some get too much and I get nothing. A poor, old, sick man! And He wants us to believe in Him!…»
«My old man, are you not ashamed of telling such lies? Death is behind your back and you lie and endeavour to rob also who is hungry. Why do you want to rob your brothers of the offering that I received to give it with justice?»
«But I…»
«Be quiet! You should have understood by My silence and My action that I had recognised you and you should have followed My example and been silent. Why do you want Me to shame you?»
«I am poor.»
«No, you are a miser and a thief. You live for money and usury.»
«I have never lent on usury. God is my witness.»
«And is this not the most fierce usury, to rob those who are in dire need? Go. Repent. That God may forgive you.»
«I swear…»
«Be quiet! I tell you! It is said: “You shall not swear falsehood”. If I did not respect your old age, I would search you and in your breast I would find a purse full of gold: your real heart. Go away!»
The impudent old man, seeing that his secret has been discovered, goes away without any need for Jesus’ thundering voice.
The crowd threaten and scorn him, and they insult him as a thief.
«Be quiet! If he did wrong, do not do the same. He lacks sincerity: he is dishonest. If you insult him, you lack charity. A brother who makes a mistake is not to be insulted. Everybody has his sins. No one is perfect but God. I was compelled to shame him, because nobody must ever be a thief, and much less steal from poor people. But only the Father knows how much I suffered having to do it. You must also be sorry, seeing that a man in Israel infringes the Law endeavouring to defraud the poor and a widow. Do not be greedy. May your souls, not money, be your treasure. Do not be perjurers. Let your language be as sincere and honest as your actions. Life is not eternal and the hour of death will come. Live in such a way that at the hour of your death peace may be in your souls. The peace of those who lived an honest life. Go home…»
Jesus has just given a purse to a widow and her seven needy children. All that's left is a ragged old man.
Leviticus 19:12: You shall not swear by my name, lying, for you would profane the name of your God. I am Yahweh.
GRM 61.7
61.7 «Have mercy, Lord! This son of mine is deaf because a demon vexes him.»
«And this brother of mine is like an unclean animal, he wallows in the mud and eats excrement. A malignant spirit forces him to do that, and although against his will, he does foul things.»
Jesus goes towards the imploring group. He lifts His arms and orders: «Come out of them. Leave to God His creatures.»
Amidst shouts and uproars the two unhappy men are healed. The women leading them kneel down, blessing.
«Go home and be thankful to God. Peace to you all. Go.»
The crowd leave, commenting on the events. The four disciples gather around the Master.
«My friends, I solemnly tell you that all sins can be found in Israel and the demons have taken up their abode there. Neither are the possessed the only ones whose lips are mute, or are driven to live like animals and eat filth. But the most real and numerous possessions are those that make hearts mute to honesty and love, and turn hearts into a sink of filthy vices. Oh! Father!» Jesus sits down depressed.
«Are You tired, Master?»
«Not tired, My dear John, but afflicted because of the state of hearts and the lack of will to grow better. I have come… but man… man… Oh! Father!…»
«Master, I love You. We all love You…»
«I know. But you are so few… and My eagerness to save is so great!»
Jesus has embraced John, and is resting His head on His disciple’s. He is sad. Peter, Andrew and James are near Him, and they look at Him with love and sadness.
And the vision ends in this way.
GRM 62
Jesus goes out to pray. His prayer is very fervent. But Peter seeks him out, and they begin to talk: Jesus is now giving us a beautiful lesson on prayer. He promises to teach them to pray the Lord's Prayer when they are trained.
Simon of Jonah then explains that some people came to him, but he sent them away. But Jesus says he comes for everyone. Peter worries that his kindness will make him sick, but Christ would be happy if all mankind came to him, and he predicts that the Son of Man won't have anywhere to lay his head.
Finally, the Master asks where those who sought him have come from, and he tells his disciples to stay in Capernaum to send the crowds to him, and then he'll return.
GRM 62.1-2
I see Jesus coming out of Peter’s house at Capernaum, making as little noise as possible. He obviously spent the night there to make Peter happy.
It is the dead of night. The sky is a starry canopy. The lake faintly reflects the glitter of the sky and, rather than see it, one guesses the peaceful lake is there sleeping under the stars, because of the gentle lapping of the water on the gravel shore.
Jesus sets the door ajar, looks at the sky, the lake and the road. He is thinking. Then He starts walking, not along the lake, but towards the village. He passes through part of it towards the country. He goes into the country, along a little path that leads to the first undulations of an olive-grove. He enters the green, silent peace and prostrates Himself in prayer.
A fervent prayer! He prays kneeling down, and then, as if He were fortified, He stands straight up, His face raised to Heaven, a face made more spiritual by the rising light of a clear, summer dawn. He prays smiling now, whereas before He was sighing, probably because of some moral grief. His arms are fully outstretched. He seems a living, tall, angelical cross, so gentle is His attitude. He seems to be blessing the whole country, the rising day, the fading stars and the lake, now becoming visible.
62.2
«Master! We have been looking for You all over! We saw the door ajar, when we came back with the fish, and we thought You had gone out. But we could not find You. And at last, a peasant, who was loading his baskets to take them to town, told us. We were calling: “Jesus, Jesus!”, and he said: “Are you looking for the Rabbi Who speaks to the crowds? He went up that path, up towards the mountain. He must be in Micah’s olive-grove, because He often goes there. I have seen Him there before”. He was right. Why did You come out so early, Master? Why did You not rest? Was the bed not comfortable?…»
«No, Peter. The bed was comfortable and the room was lovely. But I often do that. To raise My spirit and be united to the Father. Prayer is a strength for oneself and for others. We achieve everything by praying. If we do not receive a grace, which the Father does not always grant — and we must not think it is due to lack of love, instead we must believe that it is the will of an Order which governs the destiny of every man for a good purpose —, prayer certainly gives us peace and contentment, to enable us to bear so many vexing things, without going off the holy path. It is easy, you know, Peter, to have a clouded mind and an agitated heart because of what is around us! And how can a clouded mind or an agitated heart perceive God?»
«It’s true. But we do not know how to pray! We are not capable of saying the lovely words You say.»
«Say the words you know, as best you can. It is not the words, but the sentiments with which they are uttered that make your prayers pleasant to the Father.»
«We would like to pray as You do.»
«I will teach you also to pray. I will teach you the most holy prayer. But to prevent it from being only a void formula on your lips, I want your hearts to have at least a minimum of holiness, light and wisdom… That is why I instruct you. Later, I will teach you the holy prayer.»
GRM 62.3
I am Love, Light and Health every day of the week.
GRM 62.3
62.3 Why were you looking for Me, is there anything you want of Me?»
«No, Master. But there are many who want so much from You. There were already people coming from Capernaum, and they were poor, sick, depressed people, people of goodwill and anxious to be taught. When they inquired about You, we said: “The Master is tired and is sleeping. Go away and come back next Sabbath”.»
«No, Simon. You must not say that. There is not one day only for mercy. I am Love, Light and Health every day of the week.»
«But… so far You have spoken only on Sabbaths.»
«Because I was still unknown. But as I become known, every day there will be effusions of Grace and graces. I tell you solemnly that the time will come when even the moment of time which is granted to a sparrow to rest on a branch and eat some little grains will not be granted to the Son of man for His rest and meals.»
«But You will be taken ill! We will not allow that. Your kindness must not make You unhappy.»
«And do you think that could make Me unhappy? Oh! If all the world came to Me to listen to Me, to bewail its sins and sorrow on My heart, to be healed in its bodies and souls, and I were worn out speaking and forgiving and pouring forth My power, I would be so happy, Peter, that I would not even regret Heaven, where I was in the Father!…
GRM 62.3
Oh! If all the world came to Me to listen to Me, to bewail its sins and sorrow on My heart, to be healed in its bodies and souls, and I were worn out speaking and forgiving and pouring forth My power, I would be so happy, Peter, that I would not even regret Heaven, where I was in the Father!…