Notes for this theme
Reading comfort
GRM 52.5
With the exception of the mothers of the young couple and of Mary, no woman is sitting at that table. All the women, who are making a din worthy of one hundred people, are sitting at the other table near the wall, and are served after the young couple and the guests of importance. Jesus is sitting near the landlord, in front of Mary, Whose place is near the bride.
At the wedding in Cana, Maria writes:
GRM 53.1-7
I see Jesus entering the enclosure of the Temple with Peter, Andrew, John, James, Philip and Bartholomew. There is a very large crowd both inside and outside the enclosure. Pilgrims are arriving in flocks from every part of the town.
From the top of the hill on which the Temple is built, one can see the narrow twisted streets of the town, swarming with people. It seems as though a mobile, multi-coloured ribbon has been laid between the white houses. The town looks like a rare toy indeed, a toy made of gaily-coloured ribbons between two white threads, all converging onto the point where the domes of the House of the Lord are shining.
Inside it is… a real market. The concentration of a holy place has been destroyed. Some run, some call, some bargain for lambs, shouting and cursing because of the extortionate prices, some drive the poor bleating animals into their enclosures (rough partitions made of ropes and pegs, at the entrance of which stand the merchants or owners, awaiting buyers). Blows with cudgels, bleatings, curses, shouts, insults to the boys who are not quick in gathering together or selecting the animals, abuses to the purchasers who haggle over prices or who go away, more serious insults to those who wisely brought their own lambs.
Near the benches of the money-changers there is more bawling. It is obvious that either always, or at Passover time, the Temple operated as a… stock exchange or black market. There was no fixed rate of exchange. There must have been a legal rate, but the money-changers imposed a different one, making whatever profit they fancied for exchanging the money. And I can assure you they were not joking in their usury transactions!… The poorer the people were and the farther they came from, the more they were fleeced: old people more than young people, those coming from beyond Palestine more than the old folk.
Some poor old men looked over and over again at the money they had saved in a whole year, I wonder with how much hard work, they took it out and put it back into their purses dozens and dozens of times, going from one money-changer to another and at times ending up by going back to the first one, who took avenge for their original desertion by increasing the premium for the exchange. And the big coins passed from the hands of the sighing owners into the clutches of the usurers and were changed into smaller coins. Then a further tragedy would take place with vendors over the choice and payment of their lambs, and the poor old men, particularly if they were half blind, were fobbed off with the most wretched little lambs.
53.2
I see an old couple, man and wife, come back pushing a poor little lamb which must have been found faulty by the sacrificers. They cried and begged the vendor, who, far from being moved, replied with nasty words and rude manners.
«Considering what you want to spend, Galileans, the lamb I gave you is even too good. Go away! Or if you want a better one, you must pay five more coins.»
«In the name of God! We are poor and old! Are you going to prevent us from celebrating this Passover which may be our last one? Are you not satisfied with what you wanted for a poor little lamb?»
«Go away, you filthy lot. Joseph the Elder is now coming here. I enjoy his favour. God be with you, Joseph! Come and make your choice!»
The man whose name is Joseph the Elder, that is Joseph of Arimathea, enters the enclosure and picks a magnificent lamb. He passes by, stately and proud, magnificently dressed, without even looking at the poor old people weeping at the gate, that is the enclosure entrance. He almost bumps into them when he goes out with the fat, bleating lamb.
53.3
But Jesus also is now nearby. He also has made His purchase, and Peter, who probably bargained for Him, is pulling a fairly good lamb.
Peter would like to go at once where they offer the sacrifices. But Jesus turns to the right, towards the dismayed, weeping, undecided old couple, who are knocked about by the crowds and insulted by the vendor.
Jesus, Who is so tall that the heads of the poor old souls reach only up to His heart, lays one hand on the shoulder of the woman and asks her: «Why are you crying, woman?»
The little old woman turns round and she sees the young, tall, stately man, wearing a beautiful new white tunic and a snow-white mantle. She must think He is a doctor because of His garments and His appearance and is greatly surprised, because doctors and priests pay no attention to the poor, neither do they protect them from the stinginess of merchants. She explains to Jesus the reason for their tears.
Jesus addresses the lamb vendor: «Change this lamb for these believers. It is not worthy of the altar, neither is it fair that you should take advantage of two poor old people, only because they are weak and unprotected.»
«And who are You?»
«A just man.»
«By Your way of speaking and Your companions’, I know You are a Galilean. Can there be a just man in Galilee?»
«Do what I told you, and be a just man yourself.»
«Listen! Listen to the Galilean Who is defending His equals! And He wants to teach us of the Temple!» The man laughs and jeers, imitating the Galilean accent, which is more musical and softer than the Judaean, at least I think so.
Many people go near them and other merchants and money-changers take their companion’s side against Jesus.
Amongst the people present there are two or three ironical rabbis. One of them asks: «Are You a doctor?», in such a way that even Job would lose his temper.
«Yes, I am.»
«What do You teach?»
«This I teach: to make the House of God a house of prayer and not a usury or a market place. That is what I teach.»
53.4
Jesus is formidable. He looks like the archangel posted on the threshold of Eden. He has no flashing sword in His hand but the beams from His eyes strike the impious mockers like lightning. Jesus has nothing in His hands. All He has is His wrath. And full of wrath, He walks fast and solemn between the benches, He scatters the coins which had been sorted out so meticulously according to their values, He overturns the benches and tables, and everything falls on the ground with great noise, in the bustle of rebounding metals and beaten wood, angry cries, shrieks of terror and shouts of approval. He then snatches from the hands of the stable-boys some ropes with which they were holding oxen, sheep and lambs, and He makes a very hard lash, in which the slip-knots are real scourges: He lifts it, swings it and strikes mercilessly with it. Yes, I can assure you: mercilessly.
The unforeseen storm hits heads and backs. The believers move to one side admiring the scene; the guilty ones, chased as far as the external wall, take to their heels, leaving their money on the ground and abandoning in a great confusion of legs, horns and wings, their animals, some of which run and fly away. The bellows, bleatings, and fluttering of turtle doves and pigeons, added to the burst of laughter and shouting of the believers at the escaping usurers, overcome even the plaintive chorus of lambs, slaughtered in another yard.
53.5
Priests, rabbis and Pharisees rush to the spot. Jesus is still in the middle of the yard, on His way back from the chase. The lash is still in His hands.
«Who are You? How dare You do that, upsetting the prescribed ceremonies? From which school are You? We do not know You, neither do we know where You come from.»
«I am He Who is Mighty. I can do anything. Destroy this true Temple and I will raise it to give praise to God. I am not upsetting the holiness of the House of God or of the ceremonies, but you are perturbing it, allowing His House to become the centre of usurers and merchants. My school is the school of God. The same school that the whole of Israel had when the Eternal God spoke to Moses. You do not know Me? You will know Me. You do not know where I come from? You will learn.»
53.6
And turning towards the people, without noticing the priests any longer, tall in His white tunic, with His mantle open and blowing behind His back, His arms stretched out like an orator at the most important part of his speech, He says: «Listen, Israel! Deuteronomy[1] states: “You are to appoint judges and scribes at all the gates… and they must administer an impartial judgement to the people. You must be impartial; you must take no bribes, for a bribe blinds wise men’s eyes and jeopardises the cause of the just. Strict justice must be your ideal, so that you may live in rightful possession of the land that Yahweh your God is giving you”.
Listen, Israel. Deuteronomy states: “The priests and scribes and the whole of the tribe of Levi shall have no share or inheritance with Israel, because they must live on the foods offered to Yahweh and on His dues; they shall have no inheritance among their brothers, because Yahweh will be their inheritance”.
Listen, Israel. Deuteronomy states: “You must not lend on interest to your brother, whether the lack be of money or food or anything else. You may demand interest on a loan of a foreigner; you will lend without interest to your brother whatever he needs”.
The Lord said that.
But now you see that in Israel judgements are administered without justice for the poor. They are not inclined to justice, but they are partial with the rich, and to be poor, to be of the common people means to be oppressed. How can the people say: “Our judges are just” when they see that only the mighty ones are respected and satisfied, whereas the poor have no one who will listen to them? How can the people respect the Lord, when they see that the Lord is not respected by those who should respect Him more than everyone else? Does he who infringes the Lord’s commandment respect Him? Why then do the priests in Israel possess property and accept bribes from tax-collectors and sinners, who make them offerings to obtain their favours, while they accept gifts to fill their coffers?
God is the inheritance of His priests. He, the Father of Israel, is more than a Father to them and provides them with food, as it is just. But not more than what is just. He did not promise money and possessions to His servants of the sanctuary. In eternal life, they will possess Heaven for their justice, as Moses, Elijah, Jacob and Abraham will, but in this world they must have but a linen garment and a diadem of incorruptible gold: purity and charity, and their bodies must be subject to their souls, which are to be subject to the true God, and their bodies are not to be masters over their souls and against God.
I have been asked on what authority I do this. And on what authority do they violate God’s command and allow in the shade of the sacred walls usury on their brothers of Israel, who have come to obey the divine command? I have been asked from what school I come and I replied: “From God’s school” Yes, Israel, I have come from and I will take you back to that holy and immutable school.
53.7
He who wants to know the Light, the Truth, the Way, he who wants to hear once again the voice of God speaking to his people, let him come to Me. You followed Moses through the deserts, Israel. Follow Me, because I shall lead you through a far worse desert, to the true blessed Land. At God’s command, I will draw you to it, across an open sea. I will cure you of all evils lifting up My Sign.
The time of Grace has come. The Prophets expected it and died waiting for it. The Prophets prophesied it and died in that hope. The just have dreamt of it and died comforted by that dream. It is now here.
Come. “The Lord is about to judge His people and have mercy on His servants”, as He promised through Moses.»
The people crowding around Jesus stand open-mouthed listening to Him. Then they comment on the new Rabbi’s words and ask His companions questions.
Jesus goes to another yard, separated from this one only by a porch. His friends follow Him, and the vision ends.
First purification of the Temple.
John 2:13-25:
As the Passover drew near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the Temple, he found the merchants of oxen, sheep and doves, and the moneychangers. He made a whip of cords, and drove them all out of the Temple, along with the sheep and oxen; he threw the money changers' coins to the ground, overturned their counters, and said to the dove merchants, "Take this away from here. Stop making my Father's house a house of commerce." His disciples remembered that it is written: The love of your house will be my torment.
Some of the Jews asked him, "What sign can you give us for doing this?" Jesus replied, "Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I'll raise it up." The Jews replied, "It took forty-six years to build this sanctuary, and you would raise it up in three days!" But he was talking about the sanctuary of his body. So when he rose from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.
While he was in Jerusalem for the Passover feast, many believed in his name, seeing the signs he performed. Jesus, however, did not trust them, because he knew them all and needed no testimony about man; indeed, he himself knew what was in man.
GRM 66.2
«You want to follow Me for a human reason, Judas. But I must dissuade you. I have not come for that.»
«But are You not the designated King of the Jews? The one of whom the Prophets spoke? Others have come. But they lacked too many things and they fell like leaves no longer supported by the wind. But You have God with You, in fact You work miracles. Where there is God, the success of the mission is guaranteed.»
«You have spoken the truth. I have God with Me. I am His Word. I was prophesied by the Prophets, promised to the Patriarchs, expected by the people. But why, Israel, have you become so blind and deaf that you are no longer able to read and see, to hear and understand the reality of events? My Kingdom is not of this world, Judas. Allow yourself to be convinced of that. I have come to Israel to bring Light and Glory. But not the light and glory of the earth. I have come to call the just of Israel to the Kingdom. Because it is from Israel that the plant of eternal life is to come, and with Israel it is to be formed, the plant, the sap of which will be the Blood of the Lord, the plant that will spread all over the earth, until the end of time. My first followers will be from Israel. My first confessors will be from Israel. But also My persecutors will be from Israel. Also My executioners will be from Israel. And also My traitor will be from Israel.»
«No, Master. That will never happen. If everyone should betray You, I will remain with You and defend You.»
«You, Judas? And on what do you base your certainty?»
«On my honour as a man.»
«Which is more fragile than a cobweb, Judas. It is God we have to ask for the strength to be honest and faithful. Man!… Man accomplishes human deeds. To accomplish spiritual deeds — and to follow the Messiah with truthfulness and justice is to accomplish a spiritual deed — it is necessary to kill man and make him be born again. Are you capable of so much?»
«Yes, Master. And in any case… Not everybody in Israel will love You. But Israel will not give the Messiah executioners and traitors. Israel has been waiting for You for centuries!»
«I will be given them. Remember the Prophets… Their words… and their end. I am destined to disappoint many. And you are one of them. Judas, you have here in front of you a mild, peaceful poor man, who wishes to remain poor. I have not come to impose Myself and make war. I am not going to contend with the strong and mighty ones for any kingdom or any power. I contend only with Satan for souls and I have come to break the chains of Satan with the fire of My love. I have come to teach mercy, sacrifice, humbleness, continence. I say to you and to everybody: “Do not crave for human wealth, but work for eternal coins”. You are deceiving yourself if you think I am to triumph over Rome and the ruling classes. Herods and Caesars can sleep in peace, while I speak to the crowds. I have not come to snatch anybody’s sceptre,… and My eternal sceptre is already ready, but no one, unless one was love as I am, would like to hold it.»
GRM 73.5
The Messiah had been expected for such a long time! Centuries of expectation. And there had been many disappointments recently because of false Messiahs. One of them was a Galilean, like You, another one was named Theudas. Liars! They… Messiahs! They were nothing but greedy adventurers hunting for a stroke of luck! We should have learned the lesson. Instead…
GRM 77.8
77.8 Jesus goes straight along the road. He knocks at the synagogue.
A resentful old man looks out. He does not even give Jesus time to speak. «The synagogue is forbidden, in this holy place, to those who deal with prostitutes. Go away.»
Jesus turns away without replying and continues walking along the road. His disciples follow Him. They begin to speak when they are outside Hebron.
«You asked for trouble, Master» says Judas. «A prostitute, of all people!»
«Judas, I solemnly tell you that she will surpass you. And now, since you are reproaching Me, what do you say of the Judaeans? In the most holy places in Judaea we have been scoffed at and driven away… That is the truth. The day will come when Samaria and the Gentiles will worship the true God, and the people of the Lord will be soiled with blood and a crime… a crime in comparison with which the sins of prostitutes, who sell their bodies and their souls, will be a very small thing. I was not able to pray on the tomb of My cousins and of the just Samuel. It does not matter. Rest, holy bones, rejoice, souls, that dwelt in them. The first resurrection is near. Then the day will come when you will be shown to the angels as the souls of the servants of the Lord.»
Jesus stops speaking and the vision ends.
Jesus has just spoken with a prostitute. He didn't look at her once, but he inspired her to conversion (see EMV 77.7). Then he returns to the synagogue. He is rejected, and in the face of Judas's remarks, he predicts the future.
GRM 78.2-9
78.2 Judas comes out with a woman who is about fifty years old. She is rather tall, but not so tall as her son, who has her same dark eyes and curly hair. But her eyes are kind and rather sad, whereas those of Judas are imperious and shrewd.
«I greet You, King of Israel» she says prostrating herself in a real salutation of a subject. «Allow Your servant to give You hospitality.»
«Peace to you, woman. And may God be with you and your creature.»
«Oh! yes! With my creature.» It sounds more like a sigh than a reply.
«Stand up, mother. I have a Mother, too, and I cannot allow you to kiss My feet. I kiss you, woman, in My Mother’s name. She is a sister of yours… in love and in the painful destiny of the mother of those who are marked.»
«What do You mean, Messiah?» asks Judas somewhat worried.
But Jesus does not reply. He is embracing the woman, whom He has kindly raised up from the ground and is now kissing her cheeks. And, holding her hand, He walks toward the house.
They go into a cool room, which is shaded by light striped curtains. Cold drinks and fresh fruit are already laid out. But first of all Judas’ mother calls a maidservant who brings in water and the landlady would like to take off Jesus’ sandals and wash His dusty feet. But Jesus objects. «No, mother. A mother is too holy a person, particularly when she is honest and good, as you are, to be allowed to take an the attitude of a slave…»
The mother looks at Judas… an unusual look. She then goes away. Jesus has refreshed Himself. When He is about to put on His sandals, the woman comes back with a new pair. «Here, Messiah. I think I have done the right thing… as Judas wanted… He said to me: “A little longer than mine, but the same width”.»
«But why, Judas?»
«Will You not let me offer You a gift? Are You not my King and my God?»
«Yes, Judas. But you must not give so much trouble to your mother. You know what I am like…»
«I know. You are holy. But You must appear as a holy King. That is how one imposes oneself. In the world, where nine tenths of the folk are foolish people, we must impose ourselves with our appearance. Trust me.»
Jesus has fastened the red leather open straps of the new sandals, which reach up to His ankles. They are much nicer than His plain sandals of a workman, and they resemble Judas’ sandals, which are like shoes with open parts showing of his feet.
«Also the tunic, my King. I prepared it for Judas… But he makes a present of it to You. It’s a linen one: cool and new. Allow a mother to put it on You… as if You were her son.»
Jesus looks at Judas once again… but does not speak. He unties the lace of His tunic round His neck, and lets His wide tunic fall onto the floor and thus is left with only His short under-tunic. The woman puts the lovely new garment on Him. She offers Him a belt, which is richly embroidered braid, from which a cord hangs down, decorated with very thick tassels. Jesus must feel comfortable in the cool clean clothes, but He does not seem very happy. In the meantime the others have cleaned themselves.
«Come, Master. They come from my poor orchard. And this is honeyed water, prepared by my mother. Perhaps, Simon, you would prefer this white wine. Have some. It is the wine of my vineyard. And what about you, John? Will you have the same as the Master?» Judas is overjoyed at pouring the drinks into beautiful silver cups, thus showing his wealth.
His mother is not very talkative. She looks… looks… at Judas, and even more at Jesus, and when Jesus, before eating, offers her the nicest fruit (possibly very big apricots, they are yellow red fruits, certainly not apples) and He says to her: «First of all to mother, always», her eyes well with tears.
«Mother, is the rest ready?» asks Judas.
«Yes, son. I think I have done everything well. But I was brought up here and I have always lived here and I do not know… I do not know the habits of kings.»
«Which habits, woman? Which kings? What have you done, Judas?»
«Are You not the promised King of Israel? It is time that the world should salute You as such, and that must happen for the first time here, in my town, in my house. I revere You as such. For my sake, and for the respect due to Your names of Messiah, Christ, King, which the Prophets gave You by Yahweh’s command, do not give me the lie.»
78.3 «Woman, friends, please. I must speak to Judas. I have precise instructions to give him.»
The mother and the disciples withdraw.
«Judas: what have you done? Have you understood so little of Me so far? Why lower Me to the extent of making Me only a mighty man of the world, and what is more: a man intriguing to become mighty? And do you not understand that that is an offence, even an obstacle to My mission? Yes. Do not deny it. It is an obstacle. Israel is subjected to Rome. You know what happened when they raised against Rome someone who seemed a mob-leader and aroused the suspicion of creating an insurrection. Only a few days ago you heard how pitiless they were against a Child because they were afraid He might be a king according to the world. And yet you!…
Oh! Judas! What do you expect from the sovereignty of the flesh? What do you expect? I gave you time to think and decide. I spoke to you very clearly from the very first time. I also sent you away because I knew… because I know, I read and see what is in you. Why do you want to follow Me, if you do not want to be as I want you? Go away, Judas. Do not harm yourself and do not harm Me… Go away. It is better for you. You are not a suitable worker for this task. It is by far too much above you. In you there is pride, there is greed and all its three branches, there is arrogance… even your mother must be afraid of you… you are inclined to falsehood… No, My follower must not be like that. Judas, I do not hate you, I do not curse you. I only say to you, and I am saying it with the grief of one who knows he cannot change the person he loves, I only say to you: go your way, make your way in the world, since that is what you want, but do not stay with Me.
My life!… My royal palace! How small and mean they are! Do you know where I will be a King? When I will be proclaimed King? When I will be raised up, upon an ill-famed piece of wood and My own blood will be purple, and My crown will be a wreath of thorns and My insignia a mocking poster and the curses of all the people, of My people, will be the trumpets, the tambourines, the organs, the citherns saluting the proclamation of the King. And do you know by whose deed all this will happen? By the deed of one who did not understand Me. One who will have understood nothing. One, whose heart was a hollow piece of bronze, that pride, sensuality and avarice had filled with their humours, which will generate coils of snakes that will be used to chain Me and… and to curse him. The others are not so well aware of My destiny. Please do not tell them. Let us keep this to ourselves. In any case it is a reproach… and you will keep quiet to avoid saying: “I was reproached”… Is that clear, Judas?»
78.4 Judas has blushed so much, that he looks purple. He is standing before Jesus, mortified, his head lowered… He kneels down and he cries with his head on Jesus’ knees: «I love you, Master, Don’t reject me. Yes, I am proud and foolish, but don’t send me away. No. Master. I will never do it again. You are right. It was thoughtless of me. But there is some love in my mistake. I wanted to honour You… and I wanted the others to honour You as well… because I love You. You said so three days ago: “When you make a mistake without malice, out of ignorance, it is not an error, but an incorrect judgement: like the error of children, and I am here to make adults of you”. Here I am, here against Your knees… You said You would be a father to me… and I am here against Your knees as if they were my father’s, and I ask You to forgive me, and to make an “adult” of me, a holy adult… Don’t send me away, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus… Not everything is wicked in me. You know: I left everything for you and I have come. You are much more than the honours and victories I got serving other people. You are indeed the love of poor unhappy Judas who would like to give You nothing but joy, and is instead the cause of pain for You…»
«That is all right, Judas. I forgive you once again…» Jesus looks tired… «I forgive you, hoping… hoping that in future you will understand Me.»
«Yes, Master. But, now, do not give me the lie, otherwise I will be laughed at. Everybody in Kerioth knows that I was coming with David’s Descendant, the King of Israel… and the town has made preparations to welcome You… I thought I was doing a good thing… showing You what one must do to be respected and obeyed… and I also wanted to show John and Simon, and through them, all the others who love You but treat You as their equal… My mother too would be mocked at, as the mother of a mad liar. For her sake, my Lord,… And I swear that I…»
«Do not swear to Me. Swear to yourself, if you can, that You will not commit such a sin again. For the sake of your mother and your fellow citizens I will not shame you by going away without stopping here. Stand up.»
«What will You tell the others?»
«The truth…»
«No, don’t.»
«The truth: that I gave you instructions for today. It is always possible to tell the truth in a charitable way. Let us go. Call your mother and the others.»
Jesus is rather severe. He smiles again only when Judas comes back with his mother and the disciples. The woman gazes at Jesus, but she gains confidence when she sees His kind disposition. I get the impression she is in great distress.
«Shall we go to Kerioth? I have rested and I wish to thank you, mother, for all your kindness. May Heaven reward you and grant rest and peace to your late husband for all your charity to Me.»
The woman tries to kiss His hand, but Jesus caresses her head and thus prevents her from doing so.
«The wagon is ready, Master. Come.»
Outside, in fact, an ox cart is just arriving. It is a comfortable cart, on which they have placed cushions as seats and a red tent as a cover.
«Get on, Master.»
«Your mother, first.»
The woman gets on and then Jesus and the others.
«Sit here, Master. (Judas no longer calls Him king).
Jesus sits in front, and Judas sits beside Him. The woman and the disciples are behind. The man driving the cart goads the oxen walking beside them.
78.5
It is a short journey, about four hundred metres, probably a little more. The first houses of Kerioth are now visible and it looks like a decent little town. A little boy on the sunny road is watching and he immediately dashes away. When the cart reaches the first houses, the important people and the people welcome Him; the houses are decorated with draperies and branches. The people shout with joy and bow down deeply. Jesus, from the height of His shaking throne, can but greet them and bless them.
The cart moves on and after crossing a square it turns into a street, where it stops before a house the door of which is already wide open. Two or three women are standing at the door. They stop and get off.
«My house is Yours, Master.»
«Peace to it, Judas. Peace and holiness.»
They go in. Beyond the hall there is a large room with low divans and inlaid furniture. The important people of the place and other people go in with Jesus. There is a lot of bowing and curiosity: a showy joyfulness.
An impressive elderly man delivers a speech: «It is a great honour for the land of Kerioth to receive You, my Lord. A great fortune! A happy day! It is a great fortune to have You and to see that a son of Kerioth is Your friend and assistant. May he be blessed because he met You before everyone else! And may You be blessed ten times ten because you have revealed Yourself: You are the One Who has been expected for generations and generations.
Speak, my Lord and King. Our hearts are anxious to hear Your word, just as the land parched by a fiery summer awaits the first soft showers in September.»
«Thank you, whoever you are. Thank you. And thanks to these citizens whose hearts have honoured the Word of the Father, and the Father Whose Word I am. Because You must understand that thanks and honour are due not to the Son of man, Who is speaking to you, but to the Most High Lord, for this time of peace during which He re-establishes the broken paternity with the sons of man. Let us praise the true Lord, the God of Abraham Who had mercy on and loved His people and granted them the promised Redeemer. Glory and praise not to Jesus, the servant of the Eternal Will, but to the loving Will.»
«Your words are the words of a holy man: I am the chief of the synagogue. Today it is not a Sabbath. But come to my house, to explain the Law, since You are anointed with Wisdom, rather than with royal oil.»
«I will come.»
«Perhaps my Lord is tired…»
«No, Judas, I am never tired of speaking of God and I am never anxious to disappoint the hearts of men.»
«Come, then» the synagogue chief insists. «The whole of Kerioth is out there waiting for You.»
«Let us go.»
They go out. Jesus is between Judas and the head of the synagogue, around them there are the important people and the crowds. Jesus passes through them blessing.
78.6
The synagogue is on the square. They go in. Jesus goes to the lectern. He begins to speak, bright in His beautiful robes, His face inspired, His arms stretched out in His usual attitude.
«People of Kerioth, the Word of God is speaking to you. Listen. He Who is speaking to you is but the Word of God. His sovereignty comes from the Father and will return to the Father after Israel has been evangelised. May your hearts and minds be opened to the truth, so that you may be freed from errors and confusion.
Isaiah said[1]: “For all the footgear of battle, every cloak rolled in blood is burnt and consumed by fire. For there is a Child born to us, a Son given to us, and dominion is laid on His shoulders; and this is the name they give Him: Wonder-Counsellor, Mighty-God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace”. That is My Name. We leave to Caesar and the Tetrarchs their preys. I will commit a robbery. But not a robbery deserving to be punished by fire. On the contrary I will snatch from Satan’s fire many of his preys and I will take them to the Kingdom of peace, of which I am the Prince, and to the future century: the eternal time of which I am the Father.
“God”, says David[2], from whose stock I descend, as was prophesied by those who saw the future because of their holiness which was so pleasing to God, that He chose them as His messengers, “God elected one only… my son… but the work is great: this palace is not for man but for God”. It is so. God, the King of kings, elected one person only: His Son, to build His house in the hearts of men. And He has already prepared the materials. Oh! How much gold of charity! and copper, silver, iron, rare wood and precious stones! They are all gathered in his Word Who makes use of them to build God’s abode in you. But if man does not help the Lord, the Lord will build His dwelling place in vain. One must reply to gold with gold, to silver with silver, to copper with copper, to iron with iron. That is, love is to be given for love, continence to serve Purity, perseverance to be loyal, strength to be steadfast. And one must carry stones today, wood tomorrow: a sacrifice today, a deed tomorrow and thus build. You must always build the Temple of God in your hearts.
The Master, the Messiah, the King of everlasting Israel and of God’s eternal people, calls you. But He wants you to be pure for the work. Relinquish pride: praise is due to God. Relinquish human thoughts: the Kingdom belongs to God. Be humble and say with Me: “All things are Yours, Father. Everything that is good is Yours. Teach us how to know You and serve You in truth”. Say: “Who am I?” And acknowledge that you will be something only when you become purified dwellings into which God may descend and rest.
You are all pilgrims and strangers in this world, learn how to gather together and proceed towards the promised Kingdom. The road: the commandments fulfilled not because of fear of a punishment, but out of love for You, holy Father. The Ark: a perfect heart in which the nourishing manna of wisdom is treasured and the branch of a pure will is certain to bloom. And come to the Light of the world, that your houses may be bright with light. I bring you the Light. Nothing else. I have no riches and I do not promise worldly honours. But I possess all the supernatural wealth of My Father and I promise the eternal honour of Heaven to those who will follow God with love and charity.
Peace be with you.»
78.7
The people, who have listened attentively, begin to murmur somewhat agitated. Jesus speaks to the head of the synagogue. Other people, perhaps the important people, join the group.
«Master, but are You not the King of Israel? We were told…»
«I am.»
«But You said…»
«That I neither possess nor promise worldly wealth. I can speak but the truth. Yes, it is so. I know what you think. But the error is due to a misinterpretation and your great respect for the Most High. You were told: “The Messiah is coming” and you thought, like many in Israel, that Messiah and king were the same thing. Raise your minds higher up. Look at this beautiful summer sky. Do you think it ends there, where the air seems a sapphire vault? No, the most pure, the most azure spheres are beyond it, up as far as Paradise, which no one can imagine, where the Messiah will lead all the just who die in the Lord. The same difference exists between the Messiah’s royalty, as understood by men, and His true Royalty: which is entirely divine.»
«But will we, poor men, be able to raise our minds so far up?»
«Yes, if you only want to. And if you want to, I will help you.»
«How shall we call You, if You are not a king?»
«Call Me Master, or Jesus, as you wish. I am a Master and I am Jesus, the Saviour.»
78.8
An old man says: «Listen, my Lord. Some time ago, a long time ago, at the time of the edict, we heard here that the Saviour was born in Bethlehem… and I went there with other people… I saw a little Baby, exactly like all other new-born babies. But I adored Him with faith. Later I heard that there was a holy man, whose name is John. Which is the true Messiah?»
«The One you adored. The other is His Precursor: a great saint in the eyes of the Most High. But he is not the Messiah.»
«Was it You?»
«It was I. And what did you see around the new-born Child?»
«Poverty and cleanliness, honesty and purity… A kind serious carpenter, whose name was Joseph, a carpenter but of the House of David, a young mother, fair and kind, whose name was Mary, before whose grace the most beautiful roses of Engedi turn pale and the lilies of the royal flower beds seem mis-shapen, and a Child with large blue eyes and pale gold hair… I saw nothing else… And I can still hear the voice of the Mother say to me: “On behalf of My Creature I say to You: may the Lord be with you until the eternal meeting and may His Grace come towards you on your way”. I am eighty-four years old… my way is near its end. I was no longer expecting to meet the Grace of God. Instead I have found You… and now I do not wish to see any other light than Yours… Yes. I see You as You are in this merciful attire, which is the flesh You have taken. I see You! Listen to the voice of a man who sees the Light of God while dying!»
The people press around the old inspired man, who is in Jesus’ group. No longer leaning on his walking stick, he lifts his trembling arms and raises his white head, which, with its separated beard, seems the head of a patriarch or a prophet.
«I see Him: The Chosen, Supreme, Perfect One, Who descended here out of love, I see Him rise again to the right hand side of the Father and become One with Him. But… Oh! He is not just a Voice or an incorporeal Essence, as Moses saw the Most High, or as Genesis tells the First Parents heard Him and spoke to Him in the evening breeze. I see Him as real Flesh rising to the Eternal Father. Blazing Flesh! Glorious Flesh! Oh! Pomp of Divine Flesh! Oh! Beauty of the Man-God! He is the King! Yes. The King. Not of Israel: of the world. All the royalties of the earth bow to Him and all the sceptres and crowns fade away in the splendour of His sceptre and jewels. He has a crown on His head and a sceptre in His hand. He wears a rational on His chest: it is adorned with pearls and rubies, the brightness of which was never seen before. Flames issue from it as if it were a blazing furnace. There are two rubies on His wrists and buckles with rubies are on His holy feet. There is so much light from the rubies! Admire, peoples, the Eternal King! I see You! I see You! I am rising with You… Ah! Lord! Our Redeemer!… The light increases within my soul… The King is decorated with His own Blood! The crown is a wreath of bleeding thorns. The sceptre is a cross… Here is the Man! He is here! It is You!’… Lord, for the sake of Your sacrifice have mercy on Your servant, Jesus, I commend my soul to Your mercy.»
The old man, who so far had stood up, rejuvenated by the fire of prophecy, suddenly collapses and would fall if Jesus were not quick in holding him up against His chest.
«Saul.»
«Saul is dying!»
«Help!»
«Be quick.»
«Peace to the just man who is dying» says Jesus, Who has slowly knelt down to support the old man, who has become heavier and heavier.
There is silence.
Then Jesus lays him down on the ground. And He stands up. «Peace to his soul. He died seeing the Light. In his expectation, which will be a short one, he will already see the face of God and will be happy. There is no death, that is parting from life, for those who died in the Lord.»
78.9
The people, after a little while, go away commenting. The elders, Jesus, His disciples and the head of the synagogue remain.
«Did he prophesy, Lord?»
«His eyes saw the Truth. Let us go.»
Judas has invited Jesus to his town, Kerioth, and wants to honor him as King of Israel. But that's not what Jesus wants... And he has to rebuke him sharply in 78.3, again explaining his spiritual kingship.
GRM 78.6-7
«I bring you the Light. Nothing else. I have no riches and I do not promise worldly honours. But I possess all the supernatural wealth of My Father and I promise the eternal honour of Heaven to those who will follow God with love and charity.
Peace be with you.»
78.7 The people, who have listened attentively, begin to murmur somewhat agitated. Jesus speaks to the head of the synagogue. Other people, perhaps the important people, join the group.
«Master, but are You not the King of Israel? We were told…»
«I am.»
«But You said…»
«That I neither possess nor promise worldly wealth. I can speak but the truth. Yes, it is so.
I know what you think. But the error is due to a misinterpretation and your great respect for the Most High. You were told: “The Messiah is coming” and you thought, like many in Israel, that Messiah and king were the same thing. Raise your minds higher up. Look at this beautiful summer sky. Do you think it ends there, where the air seems a sapphire vault? No, the most pure, the most azure spheres are beyond it, up as far as Paradise, which no one can imagine, where the Messiah will lead all the just who die in the Lord. The same difference exists between the Messiah’s royalty, as understood by men, and His true Royalty: which is entirely divine.»
«But will we, poor men, be able to raise our minds so far up?»
«Yes, if you only want to. And if you want to, I will help you.»
«How shall we call You, if You are not a king?»
«Call Me Master, or Jesus, as you wish. I am a Master and I am Jesus, the Saviour.»
Jesus preached in Kerioth and said:
GRM 79.2
«Why give scandal lacking respect for the Law? One must walk in front of the others if one wants to say: “Follow me”. And to lead people on to a holy path, one must walk on the same path. How could I have said, or how could I say: “Be faithful”, if I were without faith?»
«I think that error is the cause of our decay. The rabbis and Pharisees crush the people with their precepts and then… then they behave like the man who desecrated John’s house, making it a place of sin» remarks Simon.
«He is one of Herod’s…»
«Yes, Judas, but the same faults are to be found also in the classes which are said — by themselves of course — to be holy. What do you think about it, Master?» asks Simon.
«I say that only if there is a handful of true yeast and true incense in Israel, the bread will be made and the altar perfumed.»
«What do you mean?»
«I mean that if there is anyone coming to the Truth with a sincere heart, the Truth will spread like the yeast in the mass of flour and like incense all over Israel.»
Jesus declares:
GRM 91.2
GRM 91.5
Translation in progress