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GRM 136

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

In Bethany, we celebrate the Feast of the Encenias - also known as the Feast of Light or the Feast of Dedication. It's Jesus' first birthday without his Mother. Christ wanders through the garden, listening to a nightingale. Then, after blessing the Father for this song, he spends some time with Simon, telling him about Heaven and the places there for the various saints and blessed. Then Martha arrives, grieving because Mary Magdalene has recently left, and she wanted to leave this "tomb" to return to her joys. They go to table and are joined by the shepherds from Bethlehem, which consoles Jesus for his Mother's absence. After the Lord has thanked Lazarus and Martha, being delicate enough to evoke Mary Magdalene and console Martha, they come to speak of the Infancy Gospel: from the Immaculate Conception, to his Presentation in the Temple, his betrothal to Joseph, the Nativity, the Flight into Egypt, the return to Galilee, the recovery in the Temple. Finally, Peter wants to remember all this, but is afraid he won't be able to: Matthew assures him he has a good memory and will tell him. Finally, Peter wishes to die while uttering the name of Jesus, and Jesus confirms that this will happen.

GRM 191.3 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«See this child. He is my grandson. He was left to me after the landslide of last winter. Doras does not even know that he has come to me, because I have to let him live like a wild animal in the wood and I see him only on the Sabbath. If he finds out he will either drive him away or compel him to work… and this tender offspring of mine will be treated worse than a pack animal. At Passover I am sending him to Jerusalem with Micah, to become a son of the Law… and after?… He is my daughter’s son…»

«Would you give him to Me, instead? Do not weep. I have many friends who are honest, holy and without any children. They will bring him up in a holy manner, in My Way…»

«Oh! Lord! That is what I have been wishing for since I heard of You. And I prayed that holy man Jonah to save my grandchild from this death, because he knows what it means to belong to this master…»

«Child, would you come with Me?»

«Yes, my Lord. And I will cause You no grief.»

«That is settled.»

GRM 192.3-4 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

They stop in a village, the name of which I hear is Mageddo, to take some food and rest near a very cool fountain, which is also noisy because of the abundance of water that gushes out into a dark stone basin. But no one in the village takes an interest in the travellers, anonymous among many other more or less rich pilgrims, who on foot or riding donkeys or mules are going towards Jerusalem for Passover. There is already a holiday atmosphere and there are many boys among the travellers, exhilarated at the idea of the ceremony for their coming of age.

Two boys, of well-to-do families, who have come to play near the fountain while Jabez is there with Peter — who takes the boy with him everywhere attracting him with a thousand little things — ask the boy: «Are you going also, to become a son of the Law?»

Jabez replies shyly: «Yes» almost hiding himself behind Peter.

«Is this man your father? Are you poor?»

«Yes, I am poor.»

The two boys, probably the sons of Pharisees, look him over ironically and curiously and then say: «One can see it.»

It can be seen, indeed… His tunic is really shabby! Perhaps the boy has grown, and although the hem of the tunic has been let down, the garment, a brown one faded by inclement weather, hardly reaches half way down his thin legs. His little feet are badly shod in two shapeless sandals held together by strings which must torture his feet.

The boys, with the ruthless selfishness typical of many children and with the cruelty of ill-mannered urchins, say: «Oh! In that case you will not have a new suit of clothes for your feast! We instead!… Is that right Joachim? Mine is all red with a mantle to match. His, instead, is sky blue and we will have sandals with silver buckles, a precious belt and a talet held by a pale gold leaf and…»

«…and a heart of stone, I would say!» bursts out Peter, who has finished cooling his feet and drawing water to fill all the flasks. «You are bad boys. The ceremony and your clothes are not worth a fig if your hearts are not good. I prefer my boy. Go away, you proud urchins! Go amongst the rich but respect the poor and the honest.

192.4

Come, Jabez! This water is good for your tired feet. Come here that I may wash them. You will walk better afterwards. Look how these strings have hurt you! You must not walk anymore. I will carry you in my arms until we reach Engannim. I will find a shoemaker there and I will buy you a new pair of sandals.» And Peter washes and dries the little feet which had not received so many caresses for a long time.

The boy looks at him, hesitates, then bends over the man who is tying his sandals and embraces him with his emaciated arms saying: «How good you are!» and kisses his grey hair.

Peter is moved. He sits on the damp ground, as he is, takes the boy in his lap and says to him: «Call me “father” then.»

They form a tender group. Jesus and the others approach them.

But before the two parties meet, the two proud little fellows already mentioned, who had remained there inquisitively, ask:«But is he not your father?»

«He is father and mother to me» replies Jabez without hesitation.

«Yes, dear! You are right: father and mother. And, my dear little gentlemen, I can assure that he will be properly dressed for the ceremony. He, too, will have a dress fit for a king, as red as fire and a belt as green as grass, and his talet will be as white as snow.»

And alhough the match is not a very harmonising one, it shocks the two conceited boys and drives them away.

«What are you doing, Simon, sitting on the wet ground?» asks Jesus smiling.

«Wet? Ah! yes. I have just noticed. What am I doing? I am becoming a lamb again having innocence on my heart. Ah! Master. Well, let us go. But you must leave this boy in my hands. Afterwards I will surrender him. But he is mine until he becomes a true Israelite.»

«All right! And you will be his guardian, like an old father. Is that all right? Let us go, so that we shall be at Engannim before evening, without making the boy run too much.»

«I will carry him. My fishing net is heavier. He cannot walk with these broken soles. Come here.» And with his godson astride his shoulders Peter takes happily to the road again. The road is now more shady, through woods of various kinds of trees, gently ascending hills, from which one’s eyes rove over the fertile plain of Esdraelon.

Annotation

We'll have sandals with silver buckles, a precious belt and a thalet held in place by a golden blade and... Taleth or Talit: Prayer shawl that Jews cover their heads with. It usually has colored bands and is edged with tsitsit (bangs).

GRM 194.2 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

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 197.4 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«In any case I do not know how much he knows of the Law, of the Halascia, the Haggadha and of the Midrasciots. Jesus says that he knows quite a lot…»

«Well, if Jesus says so! Don’t be afraid!»

Detail

Pierre speaks of Marziam. See annotation.

Annotation

To safeguard the Law, the religious and legal basis of the Jewish community, the rabbis, after the exile, surrounded it with an exegesis called Midrash (Interpretation). Midrashim are commentaries on passages of Scripture. Renowned authors of these midrashic traditions include Hillel, Schammei and Gamaliel.

Midrash also refers to the branch of rabbinic knowledge that deals with the rules of traditional (written) law, as opposed to the Mishnah (oral tradition). This interpretation of the Mosaic Law gave rise to new prescriptions, rules of conduct to be followed in worship and law (the Halâkoth). The interpretation of the historical parts of the Pentateuch gave rise to stories and legends(the Haggadah). However, in deference to the Mosaic Law, these midrashim were only to be transmitted orally from generation to generation, although their authority came to practically equal that of the Law.

GRM 199.1 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

The beautiful morning invites people to leave their homes and beds and go for a walk, and the people living in the Zealot’s house get up very early, and like bees at sunrise they go out to breathe the pure air in Lazarus’ orchard around the hospitable house. They are soon joined by Lazarus’ guests, that is, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, Andrew and James of Zebedee. The sun shines in joyfully through all the windows and wide open doors and illuminates the simple tidy rooms with a golden hue, which brightens the shades of clothes and enlivens the hues of hair and eyes.

Mary of Alphaeus and Salome are busy serving the men who enjoy a hearty appetite. Mary instead is watching one of Lazarus’ servants who is sorting Marjiam’s hair, cutting it with greater skill than his first barber ever did. «That will do for the time being» says the servant. «Later, when you have offered God the curls of your childhood, I will cut it shorter. The warm season is coming and you will feel better without any hair on your neck. And your hair will grow stronger. It is dry, weak and has been neglected. See, Mary? It needs some attention. I will now put some oil on it to keep it in place. Can you smell the lovely scent, my boy? It is oil that Martha uses. It is very good. Almond, palm and medulla of the finest quality with a rare essence. My mistress told me to keep this little jar for the boy. Oh! Here you are! You now look like the son of a king» and the servant, who is probably the barber of Lazarus’ house, pats Marjiam on the cheek, greets Mary and goes away looking quite satisfied.

Annotation

Later, when you've given God your children's hair, I'll cut it even shorter. This is related to the Bar Mitzvah. Some Bar Mitzvah rituals, for which young Marziam is preparing, involve purifying the future son of the Law by ritually bathing and cutting his hair. This offering continued the rite of circumcision. After this, "the child was religiously ready to join the synagogue officiants, where he recited the Thursday morning prayer, followed by the Sabbath prayer" (Joëlle Balhoul, La maison de mémoire : ethnologie d'une demeure judéo-arabe en Algérie, 1937-1961, page 179). According to Maria Valtorta, this is an ancient rite.

What's more, according to Maria Valtorta, Galileans (e.g. Jesus, John, etc.) wear their hair rather long, while Judeans (e.g. Judas) wear it rather short. The heat to which the servant refers just afterwards may explain this.

GRM 201.2 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

They are all wearing their best clothes. Peter, especially, is really magnificent. He is showing off brand new snow-white headgear, adorned with a galloon embroidered in red and gold. He is wearing his best tunic, a very dark garnet-red, adorned with a new belt identical in style with the decoration of his headgear. A knife, like a dagger, with an engraved hilt and an open-work brass sheath, through which the blade shines, hangs from his belt. The others are also armed more or less in the same fashion. Only Jesus is without a weapon. He is wearing a pure white linen tunic and a fleur-de-lis blue mantle, which Mary has certainly woven for Him during the winter months. Marjiam’s dress is pale red with a festoon in a darker shade around the neck, cuffs and hem. A similar galloon is embroidered around the waist and the hem of the mantle, which the boy is carrying on his arm and caresses happily. Now and again he raises his head and his little face looks half smiling and half worried… Also Peter has a little parcel in his hand and he holds it very carefully.

Detail

The clothes of the apostles and Marziam for her coming-of-age party during Passover.