GRM 54.6
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
We need one another in this world, the good are mixed with the wicked, just like flowers in a field. Hemlock grows beside the salutary mallow.
Notes for this theme
The Decalogue and the Old Testament Commandments
Page 6 of 36
Reading comfort
Aa
GRM 54.7
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
«Holiness does not bar obedience. On the contrary, it makes obedience perfect. Besides everything else, there is a good example to be given. What would you say of a father, of an elder brother, of a teacher, of a priest who did not give good examples?»
GRM 55.2
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
When anyone asks you for some bread, a drop of water or a shelter in the name of God, you must give it in the same name. And you will receive your reward from God. You must behave so with everybody. Even with your enemies. And that is the new Law. Up until now you were told:
“Love those who love you and hate your enemies”. I say: “Love also those who hate you”. Oh! if you only knew how much you will be loved by God, if you love as I am telling you! And when anyone says: “I want to be your companion in serving the true Lord God and following His Lamb”, then he must be dearer to you than a brother by blood, because you will be joined by an eternal bond: the bond of Christ.»
«But if someone comes who is not sincere? It is easy to say: “I want to do this or that”. But words do not always correspond to the truth» says Peter, rather irritated. I do not know why, but he is not in his usual jovial mood.
«Peter, listen. What you say is sensible and fair. But, see: it is better to exceed in bounty and trust rather than exceed in distrust and hardness. If you help an undeserving person, what harm will befall you? None. In fact, God’s reward will always be active for you, whereas the person will be guilty of betraying your trust.»
«No harm? Eh! Very often a worthless person is not satisfied with ingratitude, but goes much further, even to the extreme of ruining one’s reputation, wealth and one’s very life.»
«True. But would that diminish your merit? No, it would not. Even if the whole world should believe in slander, even if you became poorer than Job, even if the cruel person should take your life, what would change in the eyes of God? Nothing. Or rather, something would change. But to your advantage. God, to the merits of your bounty, would add the merits of your intellectual, financial, physical martyrdom.»
GRM 58.6
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
Peter shakes his head, but does not say anything. He looks at the sky which is becoming blue after being a deep copper hue, he looks at the lake and the other boats which are already out fishing and he sighs.
«Simon?»
«Master?»
«Don’t be afraid. You will have a good haul, even if you are the last one to go out.»
«Also this time?»
«Every time you are charitable, God will grant you the grace of abundance.»
Detail
Peter, Jesus and Andrew are waiting for John to finish fishing. John arrives to say that a blind man is asking to be healed. Jesus wants to meet him right away, and Peter is torn, because he feels he's losing the fruit of his catch. Jesus then gives us a lesson on charity, and promises that whenever we are charitable, the Father's help will not fail us.
Keywords
GRM 59.4
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
Remove the barrier of sin from all your hearts, if you want God to gather you together tomorrow and say to you: “My people, yours is the Kingdom that will never be defeated, or invaded, or undermined by enemies”.
Tomorrow. Which tomorrow? In a year or a month’s time? Oh! Do not be inquisitive! Do not allow an unhealthy thirst to inquire into the future by means which taste of guilty witchcraft. Leave the Python spirit to the heathens. Leave to Eternal God the secrecy of time. As from tomorrow, the morrow that will rise after this evening, and the morrow that will come after tonight and will rise at cock-crow, come and be purified by sincere penance.
Repent of your sins to be forgiven and to be ready for the Kingdom. Remove from yourselves the barrier of sin. Each of you has his own. Each has the one against the ten commandments of eternal salvation. Examine your consciences with sincerity and you will find your errors. Repent with sincere humbleness. You must repent. Not just with your mouths. You cannot laugh at or deceive God. But repent with a firm will, that will make you change your ways of living and return to the Law of the Lord. The Kingdom of Heaven is waiting for you. Tomorrow.
Tomorrow? you may ask. Oh! the hour of God is always an early morrow, even when it comes at the end of a life as long as the Patriarchs’. Eternity does not use as a measure of time the slow flowing of a sandglass. And the measures of time which you call days, months, years, centuries are but heartbeats of the Eternal Spirit that keeps you alive. But your souls are eternal and you must adopt the same measure of time for your souls as your Creator does. You must, therefore, say: “Tomorrow will be the day of my death”. No, not death for the faithful. But rest of expectation, waiting for the Messiah to open the gates of Heaven.
GRM 59.4
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
Remove from yourselves the barrier of sin. Each of you has his own. Each has the one against the ten commandments of eternal salvation. Examine your consciences with sincerity and you will find your errors. Repent with sincere humbleness. You must repent. Not just with your mouths. You cannot laugh at or deceive God. But repent with a firm will, that will make you change your ways of living and return to the Law of the Lord. The Kingdom of Heaven is waiting for you. Tomorrow.
Tomorrow? you may ask. Oh! the hour of God is always an early morrow, even when it comes at the end of a life as long as the Patriarchs’. Eternity does not use as a measure of time the slow flowing of a sandglass. And the measures of time which you call days, months, years, centuries are but heartbeats of the Eternal Spirit that keeps you alive. But your souls are eternal and you must adopt the same measure of time for your souls as your Creator does. You must, therefore, say: “Tomorrow will be the day of my death”. No, not death for the faithful. But rest of expectation, waiting for the Messiah to open the gates of Heaven.
GRM 59.4
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
His Kingdom will not be established with armed multitudes or wild blood shedding and neither the violent nor the overbearing, the proud, the wrathful, the envious, the lustful, the greedy will enter it but only the good, the meek, the continent, the merciful, the humble, the patient and those who love God and their neighbours will be admitted.
Detail
Jesus speaks of the Kingdom and says:
GRM 61.3.5-6
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
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…»
Detail
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 61.6
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
And is this not the most fierce usury, to rob those who are in dire need?
GRM 61.6
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
Nobody must ever be a thief, and much less steal from poor people.