Biblical facts and elements in the New Testament

«Simon! Andrew! Here I am… I am coming…» John is rushing towards them, panting. «Oh! Master! Have I kept You waiting?» John looks at Jesus with the eyes of a lover.

Peter answers: «To tell you the truth, I was beginning to think you were no longer coming. Get your boat ready quickly. And James?…»

«Well… we are late because of a blind man. He thought Jesus was in our house and he came there. We said to him: “He is not here. Perhaps He will cure you tomorrow. Just wait”. But he did not want to wait. James said to him: “You have been waiting so long to see the light, what does it matter if you have to wait another night?” But he will not listen to reason…»

«John, if you were blind, would you be anxious to see your mother?»

«Eh! .. most certainly!»

«Well then? Where is the blind man?»

«He is coming with James. He got hold of his mantle and will not let it go. But he is coming very slowly because the shore is covered with stones, and he stumbles against them… Master, will You forgive me for being hard?»

«Yes, I will, but to make amends, go and help the blind man and bring him to Me.»

John runs away.

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.»

58.7 «Here is the blind man.»

The poor man is coming forward between James and John. He is holding a walking stick in his hand, but is not using it at present. He walks better, supported by the two men.

«Here, man, the Master is in front of you.»

The blind man kneels down: «My Lord! Have mercy on me.»

«Do you want to see? Stand up. How long have you been blind?»

The four apostles gather around the other two.

«Seven years, Lord. Before, I could see well, and I worked. I was a blacksmith at Caesarea on Sea. I was doing well. The harbour, the good trading, they always needed me for one job or another. But while striking a piece of iron to make an anchor, and You can imagine how red hot it was to be pliable, a splinter came off it, and burnt my eye. My eyes were already sore because of the heat of the forge. I lost the wounded eye, and also the other one became blind after three months. I have finished all my savings, and now I live on charity…»

«Are you alone?»

«I am married with three little children… ; I have not even seen the face of one of them… and I have an old mother. And yet she and my wife earn a little bread, and with what they earn and the alms I take home, we manage not to starve. If I were cured!… I would go back to work. All I ask for is to be able to work like a good Israelite and thus feed those I love.»

«And you came to Me? Who told you?»

«A leper who was cured by You at the foot of Mount Tabor, when You were coming back to the lake after that beautiful speech of Yours.»

«What did he tell you?»

«That You can do everything. That You are the health of bodies and of souls. That You are a light for souls and bodies, because You are the Light of God. He, although a leper, had dared to mingle with the crowd, at the risk of being stoned, all wrapped in his mantle, because he had seen You passing by on the way to the mountain, and Your face had kindled hope in his heart. He said to me: “I saw something in that face that whispered to me: ‘There is health there. Go!’ And I went”. Then he repeated Your speech to me and he told me that You cured him, touching him with Your hand, without any disgust. He was coming back from the priest after his purification. I knew him. I had done some work for him when he had a store at Caesarea. I came, asking for You in every town and village. Now I have found You… Have mercy on me!»

58.8 «Come. The light is still too bright for one coming out of darkness!»

«Are you going to cure me, then?»

Jesus takes him to Peter’s house, in the dim light of the kitchen garden, he places him in front of Himself, in such a position that his cured eyes may not see, as first sight, the lake still sparkling with light. The man looks like a very docile child, he obeys without asking questions.

«Father! Your Light to this son of Yours!» Jesus has stretched His hands over the head of the kneeling man. He remains in that position for a moment. He then moistens the tips of His fingers with saliva and with His right hand He lightly touches the open, but lifeless eyes.

A moment. Then the man blinks, rubs his eyelids as if he were awakening from sleep, and his eyes were dimmed.

«What do you see?»

«Oh!… oh!… oh!… Eternal God! I think… I think… oh! that I can see… I see Your mantle… it’s red, isn’t it? And a white hand… and a woolen belt… oh! Good Jesus… I can see better and better, the more I get used to seeing… There is the grass of the earth… and that is certainly a well… and there is a vine…»

«Stand up, My friend.»

The man who is crying and laughing, stands up, and after a moment’s hesitation between respect and desire, he lifts his face and meets Jesus’ eyes: Jesus smiling full of merciful love. It must be beautiful to recover your sight and see that face as the first thing! The man screams and stretches out his arms. It is an instinctive action. But he controls himself.

But Jesus opens His arms and draws to Himself the man who is much shorter than He. «Go home, now, and be happy and just. Go with My peace.»

«Master, Master! Lord! Jesus! Holy! Blessed! The light… I see… I see everything… There is the blue lake, the clear sky, the setting sun, and then the horns of the waxing moon… But it is in Your eyes that I see the most beautiful and clear blue, and in You I see the beauty of the most real sun, and the chaste light of the blessed moon. You are the Star of those who suffer, the Light of the blind, the living active Mercy!»

«I am the Light of souls. Be a son of the Light.»

«Yes, Jesus, always. Everytime I close my re-born eyes, I will renew my oath. May You and the Most High be blessed.»

«Blessed be the Most High Father! Go!»

And the man goes away, happy, sure of himself, while Jesus and the dumbfounded apostles get into two boats and begin their navigation manoeuvres.

And the vision ends.

• Healing and physical miracles
• Miracles of Jesus Christ

59.1 I see the synagogue of Capernaum. It is already crowded with people waiting. People near the door cast glances at the square, which is still sunny, though it is almost evening. At last there is a shout: «The Rabbi is coming.» They all turn towards the door, the shorter people stand on their toes or endeavour to push their way to the front. Some start discussing and shoving, notwithstanding the reproaches of those employed in the synagogue and of the elders of the town.

«May peace be with all those seeking the Truth.» Jesus is at the entrance and He greets them, blessing with His arms stretched forward. His tall figure stands out against the very bright light in the sunny square. He has taken off His white mantle and is wearing the usual deep blue one. He makes His way through the crowd, which opens out and then throngs around Him, like the waves round a ship.

59.2 «I am ill, heal me!» moans a young man who appears to be consumptive, and pulls Jesus by His mantle.

Jesus lays His hands on his head and says: «Have faith. God will listen to you. Let Me speak to the people now, then I will come to you.»

The young man lets Him go and calms down.

«What did He say to you?» asks a woman holding a child in her arms.

«He said that after He has spoken to the people, He will come to me.»

«Is He going to heal you then?»

«I don’t know. He said to me: “Have faith”. I can only hope.»

«What did He say? What did He say?»

The people want to know. Jesus’ answer is repeated through the crowd.

«In that case, I am going to get my child.»

«And I am bringing my old father here.»

«Oh! If Aggaeus would only come! I’ll try… but he will not come.»

59.3 Jesus has reached His place. He greets the head of the synagogue who exchanges the greeting. He is a small, stout, rather elderly man. When speaking to him Jesus bends down. It is like a palm bending over a shrub which is wider than it is taller.

«What shall I give You?» asks the little man.

«Whatever you wish, or anything at random. The Spirit will be our guide.»

«But… will You be prepared?»

«I am. Give me a roll at random. I tell you: the Spirit of the Lord will guide the choice for the sake of this people.»

The head of the synagogue stretches his hand out to the pile of rolls, he picks one and unrolls it, he stops at a certain point. «Here» he says.

Jesus takes the roll and starts reading at the shown point: «Joshua: “Rise and sanctify the people and say to them: ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because the Lord of Israel declares: the ban is now among you, Israel; you can never stand up to your enemies until you take from among you him who is contaminated by such crime’”.» He stops, He rolls the parchment and hands it back.

The crowd is most attentive. Only one whispers: «We shall hear some very nice words against our enemies!». «It is the King of Israel, the Promised One, Who gathers His people together!»

59.4 Jesus stretches out His arms in His usual oratorial attitude. Silence is now perfect.

«He who came to sanctify you has risen. He has come out from the secrecy of His house, where He prepared Himself for this mission. He purified Himself to give you an example of purification. He established His position with the mighty ones in the Temple and with the people of God, and is now amongst you. It is I. Not as some of you think and hope, with clouded minds and unrest in their hearts. The Kingdom of which I am the future King and to which I call you is more notable and greater.

I am calling you, Israel, before any other people, because in the fathers of your fathers you received the promise of this hour and of the alliance with the Most High Lord. But 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.

Israel! You are not asked to fight against external enemies, but against internal ones. Against those who are in all your hearts. In the hearts of thousands and thousands of your children. 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.

And I solemnly tell you that only twenty-seven of you here present will die and have to wait. The rest will be judged before their death, and their death will be a transition to God or Mammon without any delay because the Messiah has come, He is amongst you and calls you to give you the Gospel, to teach you the Truth and save you in Heaven.

Do penance! The “morrow” of the Kingdom of Heaven is impending. May it find you pure so that you may possess the eternal day.

Peace be with you.»

59.5 A bearded sumptuously dressed Israelite stands up to contradict Him. He says: «Master, what You have stated appears to be in contrast with what is said in the second book of Maccabees, glory of Israel. It is said there: “Indeed when evil-doers are not left for long to their own devices but incur swift retribution, it is a sign of great benevolence. In the case of the other nations, the Lord waits patiently for them to obtain the full measure of their sins, before He punishes them”. According to what You said, instead, the Most High would appear to be very slow in punishing us, waiting, as for the other nations, the time of Judgement, when the measure of sins is full. Events, indeed, give You the lie. Israel is punished as stated by the historian of the Maccabees. But if what You say is correct, is there no conflict between Your doctrine and the sentence I have quoted?»

«I do not know who you are, but I will give you My answer, whoever you are. There is no conflict in the doctrine, but only in the interpretation of the words. You interpret them in a human sense, I, instead, in a spiritual one. You see everything as referred to the present time and transient things, and you represent the majority of people who think likewise. I represent God and I explain and apply everything to eternal and supernatural matters. It is true, Yahweh did strike you at present because of your pride and because you considered yourselves a “nation” according to the world. But how much He loved you and how patient He is with you, more than with anyone else, granting you the Saviour, His Messiah, that you may listen to Him and be saved before the hour of the wrath of God! He does not want you to be sinners any longer. But if He struck you in the fleeting worldly things, seeing that the injury does not cure your souls, on the contrary it makes them duller and duller, He does not inflict a further punishment, but He grants you salvation. He sends you Him Who cures and saves you! I, Who am speaking to you.»

59.6 «Do You not consider Yourself bold in avowing Yourself a representative of God? None of the Prophets dared so much and You… Who are You, Who are speaking? And by whose order do You speak?»

«The Prophets could not say of themselves what I state of Myself. Who am I? The Expected One, The Promised One, the Saviour. You have already heard His Precursor say: “Prepare the way for the Lord… Here the Lord God is coming… Like a shepherd He will feed His flock, although He is the Lamb of the true Passover”. Many amongst you heard these words from the Precursor and they saw the heavens brighten with a light that descended in the shape of a dove and they heard a voice speak and say who I am. By whose order do I speak? By the order of Him Who is and Who sends Me.»

«You say that, but You may be a liar or a dreamer. Your words are holy, but Satan sometimes uses deceitful words painted with holiness to deceive people. We do not know You.»

«I am Jesus of Joseph of the House of David, I was born at Bethlehem Ephrathah, as was promised, named Nazarene, because I live at Nazareth. And that according to the world. According to God I am His Messenger. My disciples know.»

«Oh! They! They can say what they like or what You tell them to say.»

«Another will speak, who does not love Me, and will say Who I am. Wait till I call one of the people present here.»

59.7 Jesus looks at the crowd, who are astonished and annoyed at the dispute, and divided between the two opposite doctrines. He looks for someone with His sapphire eyes, and then in a loud voice He calls: «Aggaeus! Come here. It is an order.»

There is great excitement in the crowd. They open out to let a man pass, who is violently shaking all over his body and is supported by a woman.

«Do you know this man?»

«Yes, he is Aggaeus, of Malachi, of Capernaum. He is possessed by an evil spirit which tortures him with sudden fits of fury.»

«Does everybody know him?»

The crowd shout: «Yes, we do.»

«Can any of you say that he has spoken to Me, even for a few minutes?»

The crowd shout: «No, no, he is half-witted, he never leaves his house, and nobody has seen You in it.»

«Woman, bring him here in front of Me.»

The woman pushes and drags him, while the poor man trembles more than ever.

The head of the synagogue warns Jesus: «Be careful! The devil is about to torture him… and then he rushes at people, scratches and bites them.»

The crowd moves away thronging against the walls.

Jesus and the man are now facing each other. There is a moment’s struggle. The man, used to being dumb, seems to have difficulty in speaking, he moans, then his voice turns into words: «What is there between us and You, Jesus of Nazareth? Why have You come to torture us? Why do You want to destroy us, You, the Lord of Heaven and Earth? I know who You are: the Holy of God. No one, in human flesh, was ever greater than You, because in Your flesh of man is enclosed the Spirit of the Eternal Winner. You have already beaten me in…»

59.8 «Be quiet! I order you to come out of this man.»

The man has a fit of strange convulsions. He is tossed about by jerks and thrusts, as if someone pulled and pushed him, violently ill-treating him, he shouts in a wild voice, foams at his mouth, and is then thrown down onto the ground. He gets up, astonished and cured.

«Have you heard? What do you say now?» Jesus asks His opponent.

The bearded sumptuous man shrugs his shoulders and, obviously beaten, goes out without replying. The crowd scoff at him and applaud Jesus.

«Silence! This place is sacred!» says Jesus and He orders: «Bring Me the man to whom I promised help from God.»

The sick man comes forward. Jesus caresses him: «You believed Me! Be cured. Go in peace and be just.»

The young man lets out a yell. I wonder what he feels. He kneels down before Jesus, kisses His feet thanking Him: «Thanks from me and from my mother!»

Other sick people come: a little boy with paralysed legs. Jesus takes him in His arms, caresses him and puts him down… and leaves him. The child does not fall, but runs to his mother, who clasps him to her heart, weeping, and in a loud voice blesses «the Holy One of Israel». A little old blind man comes, led by his daughter. He also is cured with a caress on his diseased eyes.

There is a roar of blessing from the crowd.

Jesus makes His way through the crowd smiling, and although He is tall, He would not succeed in pushing through, if Peter, James, Andrew and John did not work generously with their elbows, to make their way and reach Jesus, and then escort Him to the exit onto the square, which is now dark.

The vision ends in this way.

• Bible - Gospel of Luke
• Bible - Gospel of Mark
• Jesus Christ preaches in Capernaum
• Preaching of Jesus Christ

59.2 «I am ill, heal me!» moans a young man who appears to be consumptive, and pulls Jesus by His mantle.

Jesus lays His hands on his head and says: «Have faith. God will listen to you. Let Me speak to the people now, then I will come to you.»

The young man lets Him go and calms down.

«What did He say to you?» asks a woman holding a child in her arms.

«He said that after He has spoken to the people, He will come to me.»

«Is He going to heal you then?»

«I don’t know. He said to me: “Have faith”. I can only hope.»

«What did He say? What did He say?»

The people want to know. Jesus’ answer is repeated through the crowd.

«In that case, I am going to get my child.»

«And I am bringing my old father here.»

«Oh! If Aggaeus would only come! I’ll try… but he will not come.»

[...] [Jesus preached in the synagogue and healed a man possessed by a demon. Then he said:]

«Bring Me the man to whom I promised help from God.»

The sick man comes forward. Jesus caresses him: «You believed Me! Be cured. Go in peace and be just.»

The young man lets out a yell. I wonder what he feels. He kneels down before Jesus, kisses His feet thanking Him: «Thanks from me and from my mother!»

Other sick people come: a little boy with paralysed legs. Jesus takes him in His arms, caresses him and puts him down… and leaves him. The child does not fall, but runs to his mother, who clasps him to her heart, weeping, and in a loud voice blesses «the Holy One of Israel». A little old blind man comes, led by his daughter. He also is cured with a caress on his diseased eyes.

There is a roar of blessing from the crowd.

Jesus makes His way through the crowd smiling, and although He is tall, He would not succeed in pushing through, if Peter, James, Andrew and John did not work generously with their elbows, to make their way and reach Jesus, and then escort Him to the exit onto the square, which is now dark.

The vision ends in this way.

«Have you heard? What do you say now?» Jesus asks His opponent.

The bearded sumptuous man shrugs his shoulders and, obviously beaten, goes out without replying. The crowd scoff at him and applaud Jesus.

«Silence! This place is sacred!» says Jesus and He orders: «Bring Me the man to whom I promised help from God.»

The sick man comes forward. Jesus caresses him: «You believed Me! Be cured. Go in peace and be just.»

The young man lets out a yell. I wonder what he feels. He kneels down before Jesus, kisses His feet thanking Him: «Thanks from me and from my mother!»

Other sick people come: a little boy with paralysed legs. Jesus takes him in His arms, caresses him and puts him down… and leaves him. The child does not fall, but runs to his mother, who clasps him to her heart, weeping, and in a loud voice blesses «the Holy One of Israel». A little old blind man comes, led by his daughter. He also is cured with a caress on his diseased eyes.

There is a roar of blessing from the crowd.

Jesus makes His way through the crowd smiling, and although He is tall, He would not succeed in pushing through, if Peter, James, Andrew and John did not work generously with their elbows, to make their way and reach Jesus, and then escort Him to the exit onto the square, which is now dark.

The vision ends in this way.

• Healing and physical miracles
• Miracles of Jesus Christ

59.6 «Do You not consider Yourself bold in avowing Yourself a representative of God? None of the Prophets dared so much and You… Who are You, Who are speaking? And by whose order do You speak?»

«The Prophets could not say of themselves what I state of Myself. Who am I? The Expected One, The Promised One, the Saviour. You have already heard His Precursor say: “Prepare the way for the Lord… Here the Lord God is coming… Like a shepherd He will feed His flock, although He is the Lamb of the true Passover”. Many amongst you heard these words from the Precursor and they saw the heavens brighten with a light that descended in the shape of a dove and they heard a voice speak and say who I am. By whose order do I speak? By the order of Him Who is and Who sends Me.»

«You say that, but You may be a liar or a dreamer. Your words are holy, but Satan sometimes uses deceitful words painted with holiness to deceive people. We do not know You.»

«I am Jesus of Joseph of the House of David, I was born at Bethlehem Ephrathah, as was promised, named Nazarene, because I live at Nazareth. And that according to the world. According to God I am His Messenger.»

• Jesus Christ
• Messiah
• Redeemer
• Sauveur

«I am Jesus of Joseph of the House of David, I was born at Bethlehem Ephrathah, as was promised, named Nazarene, because I live at Nazareth. And that according to the world. According to God I am His Messenger.

• Nativity of Jesus Christ

59.6 «Do You not consider Yourself bold in avowing Yourself a representative of God? None of the Prophets dared so much and You… Who are You, Who are speaking? And by whose order do You speak?»

«The Prophets could not say of themselves what I state of Myself. Who am I? The Expected One, The Promised One, the Saviour. You have already heard His Precursor say: “Prepare the way for the Lord… Here the Lord God is coming… Like a shepherd He will feed His flock, although He is the Lamb of the true Passover”. Many amongst you heard these words from the Precursor and they saw the heavens brighten with a light that descended in the shape of a dove and they heard a voice speak and say who I am. By whose order do I speak? By the order of Him Who is and Who sends Me.»

«You say that, but You may be a liar or a dreamer. Your words are holy, but Satan sometimes uses deceitful words painted with holiness to deceive people. We do not know You.»

«I am Jesus of Joseph of the House of David, I was born at Bethlehem Ephrathah, as was promised, named Nazarene, because I live at Nazareth. And that according to the world. According to God I am His Messenger. My disciples know.»

«Oh! They! They can say what they like or what You tell them to say.»

«Another will speak, who does not love Me, and will say Who I am. Wait till I call one of the people present here.»

59.7 Jesus looks at the crowd, who are astonished and annoyed at the dispute, and divided between the two opposite doctrines. He looks for someone with His sapphire eyes, and then in a loud voice He calls: «Aggaeus! Come here. It is an order.»

There is great excitement in the crowd. They open out to let a man pass, who is violently shaking all over his body and is supported by a woman.

«Do you know this man?»

«Yes, he is Aggaeus, of Malachi, of Capernaum. He is possessed by an evil spirit which tortures him with sudden fits of fury.»

«Does everybody know him?»

The crowd shout: «Yes, we do.»

«Can any of you say that he has spoken to Me, even for a few minutes?»

The crowd shout: «No, no, he is half-witted, he never leaves his house, and nobody has seen You in it.»

«Woman, bring him here in front of Me.»

The woman pushes and drags him, while the poor man trembles more than ever.

The head of the synagogue warns Jesus: «Be careful! The devil is about to torture him… and then he rushes at people, scratches and bites them.»

The crowd moves away thronging against the walls.

Jesus and the man are now facing each other. There is a moment’s struggle. The man, used to being dumb, seems to have difficulty in speaking, he moans, then his voice turns into words: «What is there between us and You, Jesus of Nazareth? Why have You come to torture us? Why do You want to destroy us, You, the Lord of Heaven and Earth? I know who You are: the Holy of God. No one, in human flesh, was ever greater than You, because in Your flesh of man is enclosed the Spirit of the Eternal Winner. You have already beaten me in…»

59.8

«Be quiet! I order you to come out of this man.»

The man has a fit of strange convulsions. He is tossed about by jerks and thrusts, as if someone pulled and pushed him, violently ill-treating him, he shouts in a wild voice, foams at his mouth, and is then thrown down onto the ground. He gets up, astonished and cured.

«Have you heard? What do you say now?» Jesus asks His opponent.

The bearded sumptuous man shrugs his shoulders and, obviously beaten, goes out without replying. The crowd scoff at him and applaud Jesus.

«Silence! This place is sacred!» says Jesus and He orders: «Bring Me the man to whom I promised help from God.»

The sick man comes forward. Jesus caresses him: «You believed Me! Be cured. Go in peace and be just.»

The young man lets out a yell. I wonder what he feels. He kneels down before Jesus, kisses His feet thanking Him: «Thanks from me and from my mother!»

• Haggai of Malachi (possessed of Capernaum)
• Healing and miracles for the possessed
• Miracles of Jesus Christ

59.6 «Do You not consider Yourself bold in avowing Yourself a representative of God? None of the Prophets dared so much and You… Who are You, Who are speaking? And by whose order do You speak?»

«The Prophets could not say of themselves what I state of Myself. Who am I? The Expected One, The Promised One, the Saviour. You have already heard His Precursor say: “Prepare the way for the Lord… Here the Lord God is coming… Like a shepherd He will feed His flock, although He is the Lamb of the true Passover”. Many amongst you heard these words from the Precursor and they saw the heavens brighten with a light that descended in the shape of a dove and they heard a voice speak and say who I am. By whose order do I speak? By the order of Him Who is and Who sends Me.»

• Baptism of Jesus Christ
• Jean-Baptiste

60.1 Peter is speaking to Jesus. He says: «Master, I would like to ask You to come to my house. I did not dare to ask You last Sabbath. But… I would like You to come.»

«To Bethsaida?»

«No, here… to my wife’s house. I mean her home.»

«Why do you want that, Peter?»

«Well, for many reasons… also because today I was told that my mother-in-law is ill. If You would heal her, perhaps she…»

«Tell Me, Simon.»

«What I wanted to say is… if You go to her, she would stop… yes, well, You know, it is not the same thing to hear people speak of someone and to see and listen to someone, and if the person in question heals… well…»

«You mean also the ill-feeling would come to an end?»

«No, not exactly ill-feeling. But, You know… there are many opinions in the village, and she… does not know whom she should listen to. Come, Jesus.»

«I will come. Let us go. You will tell those who are waiting for Me that I will speak to them from your house.»

60.2 They go as far as a low house, even lower than Peter’s house at Bethsaida, and it is also closer to the lake. It is separated from the lake by the pebbly shore and I think that when there is a storm, the waves break against the walls of the house, which, while being low, is very wide, as if several people lived in it.

In the kitchen garden in front of the house, facing the lake, there is only an old gnarled vine, supported by a rustic pergola, and an old fig-tree which the winds, blowing from the lake, have bent towards the house. The ruffled foliage of the tree brushes the walls of the house and beats against the shutters of the little windows, which are now closed as a protection against the bright sunshine. There is nothing but the vine and the fig-tree and a greenish little wall of a low well.

«Come in, Master.»

There are some women in the kitchen, some are busy mending the nets, some are preparing the food. They greet Peter and they bow embarrassed to Jesus, peering up at Him curiously.

«Peace be to this house. How is the patient?»

«Tell Him, you who are the oldest daughter-in-law» three of the women say to another one, who is drying her hands on the edge of her dress.

«Her temperature is very high. The doctor has seen her and he said she is too old to get better and that when the disease goes from the bones to the heart, and gives a temperature, one dies, particularly at an old age. She will not eat any more… I try and prepare something good, even now, see, Simon, I was preparing the soup she used to like so much. I chose the best fish that I got from my brothers-in-law. But I do not think she will be able to eat it. And… she is so restless! She complains, and shouts, and cries, and curses…»

«Be patient, as if she were your mother and God will grant you merit for it.

60.3 Take Me to her.»

«Rabbi… Rabbi… I don’t know if she will be pleased to see You. She does not want to see anybody. I dare not say to her: “I am now bringing the Rabbi in to see you”.»

Jesus smiles calmly. He addresses Peter: «It is your turn, Simon. You are a man and the oldest son-in-law, you told Me. Go.»

Peter makes a significant grimace and obeys. He walks across the kitchen, and goes into another room and through the door which he closes, I can hear him talking to a woman. He looks out and says: «Come, Master, quick.» And he whispers in a very low, just audible voice: «Before she changes her mind.»

Jesus walks across the kitchen and opens the door wide. Standing on the threshold, He pronounces His sweet, solemn greeting: «Peace be with you.» He goes in, although He gets no reply. He goes near a low bed on which a little old woman is lying, grey-haired, thin, panting because of the high temperature which causes her wasted face to flush.

Jesus bends over the little bed, smiles at the old woman: «Are you in pain?»

«I am dying!»

«No. You will not die. Do you believe that I can heal you?»

«Why would You want to do that? You do not know me.»

«For Simon, who asked Me… and for you, to give your soul time to see and love the Light.»

«Simon? It would be better if he… How come Simon thought of me?»

«Because he is better than you think. I know him and I am sure. I know him, and I am happy to satisfy him.»

«Would You heal me, then? I will not die, then?»

«No, woman. You will not die as yet. Can you believe in Me?»

«I believe, I believe. It is enough for me not to die!»

60.4 Jesus smiles once again. He takes her hand. Her hand, wrinkled and with swollen veins, disappears in the younger hand of Jesus, Who stands straight up, and takes the position He normally assumes when performing a miracle. He shouts: «Be healed! I want it! Get up!» and He lets her hand go. And her hand falls down without any complaint, whereas before, notwithstanding Jesus had taken it very gently, she groaned when it was moved.

There is silence for a few moments. Then the old woman cries out: «Oh! God of our fathers! But there is nothing wrong with me! I am healed! Come! Come!» Her daughters-in-law rush in. «Look!» says the old woman: «I can move and I feel no pain! And I am no longer feverish! Feel how cool I am. And my heart no longer feels like the blacksmith’s hammer. Ah! I am not dying any longer!» Not one word for the Lord!

But Jesus does not mind. He says to the oldest daughter-in-law: «Dress her that she may get up. She is fit to be up.» And He makes for the door.

Simon, mortified, says to his mother-in-law: «The Master has healed you. Have you nothing to say to Him?»

«Certainly. I wasn’t thinking of that. Thank You. What can I do to thank You?»

«Be good, very good. Because the Eternal Father has been good to you. And if it is not too much trouble for you, allow Me to rest in your home today. I have been to all the nearby villages the past week, and I arrived here at dawn this morning. I am tired.»

«Certainly! Certainly! You may stay if You wish.» But there is not much enthusiasm in her words.

60.5 Jesus, Peter, Andrew, James and John go and sit down in the kitchen garden.

«Master!…»

«Yes, Peter?»

«I feel humiliated.»

Jesus makes a gesture, which meant: «Never mind.» He then goes on: «She is not the first, and will not be the last who do not feel immediate gratitude. But I do not seek gratitude. All I want is to give souls the chance to save themselves. I do My duty. Let them do theirs.»

«Ah! There have been other cases like this one? Where?»

«Curious Simon! But I will please you, although I do not like useless curiosity. At Nazareth. Do you remember Sarah’s mother? She was very ill when we arrived in Nazareth and we were told that the little girl cried. Since she is good and gentle, and I did not want her to become an orphan and a stepdaughter in the future, I went to see the woman… I wanted to heal her… But I had not yet set foot in the house, when her husband and a brother drove Me away, saying: “Away! Go away! We do not want to get into trouble with the synagogue”. For them, for too many, I am already a rebel… I healed her just the same… for the sake of her children. And I said to Sarah in the kitchen garden, caressing her: “I will heal your mother. Go home. Do not cry any more”. And the woman was healed the same moment and the little girl told her, and she told also her father and her uncle… and she was punished for speaking to Me. I know, because the child ran after Me when I was leaving the village… But it does not matter.»

«I would have made her become ill again.»

«Peter!» Jesus is severe. «Is that what I teach you and the others? What have you heard Me say from the very first time you heard Me? Of what have I always spoken as being the first condition to be My true disciples?»

«It is true, Master. I am a real beast. Forgive me. But… I cannot bear the fact that they do not love You!»

«Oh! Peter! You will see much greater indifference! You will have many surprises, Peter! People that the so called “holy” world scorns as being money-changers, who instead will set an example in the world, an example which will not be followed by those who despise them. Heathens who will be My most faithful ones. Prostitutes who will become pure by strong will power and penance. Sinners who amend their way of living…»

«Listen: that a sinner amends his way… it may well be. But a prostitute and a money-changer!…»

«You do not believe it?»

«I do not.»

«You are mistaken, Simon.

60.6 But here is your mother-in-law coming towards us.»

«Master, I beg You to come and sit at my table.»

«Thank you, woman. May God reward you.»

They go into the kitchen and sit at the table. The old woman serves them with plenty of fish, both as soup and roasted. «I have nothing else but this» she apologises. And, to keep up the habit, she says to Peter: «Your brothers-in-law are doing even too much, all alone as they are, since you went to Bethsaida! If it had only helped to make my daughter richer… But I hear that you are very often absent and you do not go fishing.»

«I follow the Master. I have been to Jerusalem with Him and I am with Him on Sabbaths. I do not spend my time in revelries.»

«But you don’t earn any money. Since you want to be the Prophet’s servant, you had better come back here again. At least that poor daughter of mine will be fed by her relatives while you are acting the saint.»

«But are you not ashamed of speaking like that in front of Him Who healed you?»

«I am not criticising Him. He is doing His job. I am criticising you, you are a sluggard. In any case, you will never be a prophet or a priest. You are an ignorant sinner, a good for nothing.»

«You are lucky that He is here, otherwise…»

«Simon, your mother-in-law gave you very good advice. You can go fishing even here. I am told that you used to go fishing also at Capernaum. You can come back again.»

«And live here again? But Master, You do not…»

«Be good, Peter. If you are here, you will be either on the lake or with Me. So what difference is it for you if you are or you are not in this house?» Jesus has laid His hand on Peter’s shoulder and His calmness seems to pass into the fiery apostle.

«You are right. You are always right. I will do that. But… what about these?» and he points to his partners John and James.

«Can they not come, too?»

«Oh! Our father and above all our mother will be happier if they know we are with You, rather than with them. They will not object.»

«Perhaps Zebedee will come, too» says Peter.

«Quite likely. And others with him. We will come, Master.»

• Bible - Gospel of Luke
• Bible - Gospel of Mark
• Bible - Gospel of Matthew
• Healing and physical miracles
• Miracles of Jesus Christ
• Pierre's mother-in-law
• Pierre's relatives
• Simon-Pierre - Simon de Jonas (apostle)

Jesus has climbed on top of a pile of baskets and ropes at the entrance to the kitchen garden of the house of Peter’s mother-in-law. The kitchen garden is crowded with people, and other people are on the lake shore, some sitting on the shore, some on the beached boats. It looks as if He has been speaking for some time, because the sermon has started.

I hear: «… Certainly many times you have thought so in your hearts. But it is not so. The Lord has not lacked in kindness of heart towards His people. Notwithstanding His people lacked in loyalty to Him thousands of times.

Listen to this parable. It will help you to understand.

A king had many wonderful horses in his stables. But he was particularly fond of one of them. He gazed fondly at it, even before he had it. Afterwards, when he got it, he put it in a delightful place and he often went to admire his favourite horse, both with his eyes and with his heart, dreaming it would become the wonder of his kingdom. And when the horse rebelled against commands, disobeyed and ran away under another master, the king, in his sorrow and his severity, promised he would forgive the rebel after it had been punished. And loyal as he was, although far away, he watched over his favourite and sent gifts and guardians to it, hoping they would keep his remembrance in the horse’s heart.

But the horse, although suffering from the exile from the kingdom, was not steady, as the king was, in loving and wishing complete forgiveness. At times it was good, at times bad; neither was its goodness greater than its badness. In fact, it was the other way round. And yet the king was patient and, with reproaches and caresses, he endeavoured to turn his horse into a dearer and more docile friend. As time went by, the horse became more and more loath. It invoked its king, it cried under the whip of other masters, but it did not really want to belong to the king. It simply did not want to. Oppressed, exhausted, moaning, it did not say: “I am such through my own fault”. Instead; it accused its king for it.

The king, after trying everything, decided to make one last effort. “So far” he said, “I have sent messengers and friends. Now I will send my own son. His heart is like my own and will speak the same love as I would, and will make use of the same caresses and gifts as I used, indeed, he will be even kinder, because my son is like myself, but made more sublime by love”. And he sent his son.

That is the parable.

61.2

Now tell Me: do you think that king loved his favourite horse?»

The crowd together reply: «He loved it with infinite love.»

«Could the animal complain of its king about all the ill it had suffered after leaving him?»

«No, it could not» reply the people.

«Answer also this question: how do you think that horse will have received the king’s son who went to rescue and cure it and take it back once again to the delightful land?»

«With great joy, of course, with gratitude and love.»

«Now, if the king’s son said to the horse: “I have come for this reason, to do such and such a thing for you, but now you must be good, obedient, willing and loyal to me”, what do you think the horse replied?»

«Oh! There is no need to ask! Now that it was aware of how much it cost to be expelled from the kingdom, it will have said that it wanted to be as the king’s son suggested.»

«Well, then, what was the duty of that horse, according to you?»

«To be even better than it was requested, more affectionate, more docile, to be forgiven for past faults, and out of gratitude for all the good received.»

«And if it did not do that?»

«It would deserve death, because it was worse than a wild beast.»

«My friends, you have judged correctly. But do exactly yourselves as you would have liked that horse to do. I beseech you, men, the favourite creatures of the King of Heaven, of God, My Father and yours, to be at least as you judge that horse to be. Because after the Prophets, God sends you His own Son and I implore you, for your good, and because I love you as only God can love, the God Who is in Me to work the miracle of Redemption. Woe to those men who lower themselves to a lower degree than animals! But if it was possible to excuse those who committed sin up to the present time — because too long a time has elapsed since the Law was given and too much worldly dust has settled on the Law — now it is no longer so. I have come to bring the word of God once again. The Son of man is amongst men to lead them back to God. Follow Me. I am the Way, the Truth, the Life.»

• Free will
• Freedom
• Goodwill
• Jesus Christ - God-Man
• Jesus Christ preaches in Capernaum
• Man - God's creature
• Man's destiny
• Parables
• Preaching of Jesus Christ
• Will

Woe to those men who lower themselves to a lower degree than animals! But if it was possible to excuse those who committed sin up to the present time — because too long a time has elapsed since the Law was given and too much worldly dust has settled on the Law — now it is no longer so. I have come to bring the word of God once again. The Son of man is amongst men to lead them back to God. Follow Me. I am the Way, the Truth, the Life.

• Jesus Christ - Son of Man
• Old and new law