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Jewish religion, castes, rites and festivals at the time of Christ

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Aa

GRM 11

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

Chapter title: Mary confides her vow to the High Priest.

Date of vision: Sunday, September 3, 1944

Calendar:November 7 (Elul 3754).

Location (map): Jerusalem

Cycle: Marriage to Joseph

Summary: Mary returns to her cell with other virgins. Just as she is about to enter her room, a mistress tells her that the High Priest wants to see her. So she goes, and discovers not only the priest, but also Zechariah and Anne of Phanuel. Simon ben Boethos tells her that he knows of her holiness, and would like her to stay in the Temple and pray to the Lord every morning. But the Law says otherwise, and she must marry. He reassures her by saying that he has not forgotten that she is of the line of David, and as she knows no one, they will rely on God to choose her husband. Mary then confided her vow of virginity to the high priest, who asked her when she had fulfilled it. The Mother of the Lord plunged into her memories to answer him. She tells him that she is not opposed to marriage, but still wants to remain a virgin. The high priest declares that God will give her a husband, who will be holy because she has entrusted herself to the Most High. She will tell her future husband about her vow.

Chapter contents: 11.1: Maria Valtorta is delighted by Mary's smile in the midst of a bombardment. 11.2: Mary returns to her cell with the virgins. 11.3: The Pontiff reminds her that she must marry. 11.4: But Mary has promised herself to the Lord and tells how. 11.5: You will tell your husband your vow.

GRM 11.2

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Mary is still in the Temple. She is now coming out with other virgins from the inner part of the Temple.

There must have been a ceremony because there is the scent of incense in the air of a red sunset. It must be late October, because the sky, already calmly restful as is usual in clear October days, is bending over the gardens of Jerusalem, where the yellow ochre leaves about to fall add gold red spots to the silvery green of the olive-trees.

The crowd, or rather the host of white dressed virgins, crosses the rear yard, then climbs the steps, goes through a porch and enters another square yard, not quite so splendid, without any other door except the one leading into it. It must be the yard allocated to the small dwellings of the virgins assigned to the Temple, because each girl moves towards her cell, like a little dove to its nest. They look like a flock of doves that separate after gathering together. They are all speaking in low but joyful voices, before separating. Mary is silent. Before leaving the other girls, She bids them goodbye affectionately and then goes to Her little room in a corner on the right hand side.

GRM 11.3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«You are no longer a girl, but a woman. And every woman must be a wife in Israel to bear a son to the Lord. You shall follow the commandment of the Law. Do not be afraid, do not blush. I am aware of Your royalty. The Law that prescribes that each man is to be given a woman of his own stock will protect You. But even if that were not the case, I would do so, so that Your magnificent blood might not be corrupted. Don’t You know anyone of Your stock, Mary, who might be Your husband?»

Mary lifts Her face full of blushes. Her eyes are shining with tears which begin to appear and with a trembling voice She replies: «No, nobody.»

«It is not possible for Her to know anyone, because She came here in Her childhood and David’s race has been struck too severely and scattered too widely to allow the various branches to gather like foliage around the royal palm» says Zacharias.

«We shall then leave the choice to God.»

Detail

The High Priest summoned Mary and told her the reason for his summons.

GRM 12

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

Chapter title: Joseph chosen as the Virgin's spouse.

Date of vision: Monday, September 4, 1944

Calendar:Friday, December 23, year -7

Location (map): Jerusalem

Cycle: Marriage to Joseph

Summary: The high priest gathered the men of the tribe of David at the Temple. We learn in this chapter that he asked everyone to bring an almond branch. It is from this group that the Virgin's husband will be chosen. Everyone is curious, and Zachariah is present. The high priest finally arrives and reveals that one of the branches has blossomed in the middle of winter, and that this is the one who will marry Mary. Joseph is chosen as the lucky one and the high priest sends for the future Mother of Christ. Meanwhile, Simon ben Boethos reveals that Mary has made a vow. Joseph must help the All-Pure to tell her. When she arrives, everyone withdraws and the two fiancés get to know each other. Joseph speaks of the house of Nazareth, of Anne, of Joachim, and this gives the Virgin confidence. Her husband reveals to her that he is a Nazir, and this encourages her to tell him her vow, which he accepts: he even asks her to unite his vow with hers. Finally, St. Joseph affirms that he will take care of the house in Nazareth until Mary leaves the Temple for good.

Chapter contents: 12.1: A gathering of men in festive dress. 12.2: Joseph speaks with an old man. 12.3: A Levite brings a bundle of dry branches with a flowering branch. 12.4: Joseph is designated Mary's husband thanks to the miraculously flowering branch. 12.5: The Pontiff presents Joseph to Mary. 12.6: Joseph is a Nazirite. 12.7: Mary entrusts her consecration to God to Joseph, who accepts it. They will live in chastity. 12.8 : In Nazareth, the couple will live separately, with Joseph taking care of everything.

GRM 12.1

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

12.1 I see a rich hall with a beautiful floor, curtains, carpets and inlaid furniture. It must be still part of the Temple: there are priests in it, including Zacharias, and many men of every age, from twenty to fifty approximately.

Detail

Room where Mary's husband is chosen.

GRM 12.4-5

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

12.4 A trumpet is heard beyond the curtain. They all become quiet and turn in an orderly way towards the door, which is now completely clear as the curtain has been pulled to one side. The High Priest enters surrounded by elders. They all make a deep bow. The Pontiff goes to the table and begins to speak, standing up.

«Men of the race of David, gathered here at my request, please listen. The Lord has spoken, glory be to Him! From His Glory a ray has descended and, like the sun in springtime, it has given life to a dry branch which has blossomed miraculously, whereas no other branch on earth is in bloom today, the last day of the Feast of Dedication, and the snow that fell on the mountains in Judah has not yet melted and everything is white between Zion and Bethany. God has spoken and has made Himself the father and the guardian of the Virgin of David Who has Him alone as Her protection. A holy girl, the glory of the Temple, She deserved the word of God to learn the name of a husband agreeable to the Eternal One. And he must be very just to be chosen by the Lord as the protector of the Virgin so dear to Him! For this reason our sorrow in losing Her is alleviated and all worries about Her destiny as a wife cease. And to the man appointed by God we entrust with full confidence the Virgin blessed by God and by ourselves. The name of the husband is Joseph of Jacob of Bethlehem, of the tribe of David, a carpenter in Nazareth in Galilee. Joseph: come forward. It is an order of the High Priest…»

(...)

«Come, Mary» says the Pontiff. «Here is the spouse that God has destined to You. He is Joseph of Nazareth. You will therefore go back to Your own town. I will leave You now. May God give You His blessing. May the Lord protect You and bless You, may He show His face to You and have mercy on You. May He turn His face to You and give You peace.

Detail

The high priest summoned the men of David's race. It was he who organized the preparations for the Virgin's wedding and renewed Aaron's staff test (Num 17:16-20).

Annotation

Book of Numbers, 27, 8

Num 27, 8 : If a man dies without a son, the daughter becomes the heir.

GRM 13

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

Chapter title: Marriage of the Virgin with Joseph, instructed by Wisdom that he would be the guardian of the Mystery.

Date of vision and dictation: Tuesday, September 5, 1944

Calendar: March 6 A.D.

Location (map): Jerusalem

Cycle: Marriage with Joseph

Summary: Joseph and Mary are engaged at the Temple in Jerusalem. Mary looks beautiful in her bride's trousseau. The virgins around her are ecstatic at her beauty, and it's her mistresses who come to their protégée's rescue. The maidens leave, and Elisabeth arrives. She tells her about Anne's wedding trousseau, and then the Virgin speaks of Joseph, who is described as a young saint. The bridegroom arrives, and the two fiancés meet again. Joseph is superb, and confides that he has been thinking about the Virgin's vow. He understands it and joins her in a perpetual naziréat. The high priest then betroths them. After this, Mary and Joseph leave Jerusalem for Nazareth... Jesus then gives a dictation about his putative father.

Chapter contents: 13.1: Mary's beauty in her bridal attire. 13.2: Her companions admire her. 13.3: Your clothes are your mother's caress. 13.4: Joseph arrives in his best clothes. His welcoming speech. 13.5: Joseph speaks of the vow of absolute chastity. 13.6: The Pontiff presides over the wedding. 13.7: The bride and groom leave in a chariot with Zechariah and Elizabeth. 13.8: Praise for Wisdom. 13.9: Joseph, guardian of the Bride and the Son of God. 13.10: Joseph, a new Aaron who believed without seeing. 13.11 : Joseph, a co-redemptive example of purity, fidelity and perfect love.

GRM 20

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

Chapter title: Leaving Jerusalem. The beatific aspect of Mary. Importance of prayer for Mary and Joseph.

Date of vision: Tuesday, March 28, 1944

Calendar: Sunday, March 24, A.D. -5

Location (map): Jerusalem to Hebron

Cycle: Birth and childhood of Jesus

Summary: Joseph and Mary arrive in Jerusalem. They head for the Temple, stopping at a stable where Joseph left his horse during the Presentation in the Temple. They then go to an acquaintance's house for a bite to eat. Mary rests for a while, and Joseph returns with an old man who takes the same route as her. So she had to travel only a short distance on her own. Together they go to another gate of the Holy City, and then the couple say goodbye. The old man is very talkative, and Marie responds patiently. When he falls silent, she recollects herself in prayer.

Maria then describes the Virgin as she sees her in her bedroom, with her glorified body. La Pleine de Grace is very beautiful. Maria concludes with a dictation, drawing attention to the ardent prayer of Joseph and Mary. It invites the soul never to divest itself of the protection of prayer. She urges us to invoke the name of the Lord, even if we are imperfect, to call upon him to communicate his holiness to us. We must imitate the people who endlessly sing the Sanctus.

Chapter contents: 20.1: Joseph presents Mary with a travelling companion. 20.2: The talkative old man ends up dozing off. Mary prays. 20.3: Maria Valtorta lingers to contemplate the chaste Mary. 20.4: Contrast with the tragic hours of the Passion. 20.5: Presence gives great peace. Maria Valtorta recalls Jesus' suffering in Gethsemane. 20.6: Mary and Joseph always give first place to prayer. 20.7 : In weakness or holiness, always invoke the Lord's holiness. 20.8 : Living prayer has its source in love and suffering united to that of Mary and Jesus.

GRM 20.1-2

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

20.1 We are in Jerusalem. I know the town very well now, with its streets and gates.

The first thing Mary and Joseph do is to go to the Temple. I recognise the stable where Joseph left his donkey on the day of Jesus’ presentation in the Temple. Also now he leaves the two donkeys there, after feeding them, and then he goes with Mary to worship the Lord.

When they come out, they enter a house which apparently belongs to people they know. They take some refreshment there and Mary rests until Joseph comes back with a little old man. «This man is going Your way. You will not have to travel a long way by Yourself to get to Your relatives. You can trust him because I know him.»

20.2

They get on their donkeys again and Joseph goes with Mary as far as the Gate (it is not the one they entered but a different one) and they part there. Mary proceeds with the little old man who is as chatty as Joseph was silent and takes an interest in many things. Mary answers him patiently. In front of the saddle She now has the little trunk which Joseph’s donkey had carried earlier and She is no longer wearing the large mantle.

Detail

Joseph accompanied Mary to the Holy City. His wife then went to Hebron, to Elisabeth's home, where she experienced the visitation.