Notes for this theme
Reading comfort
GRM 50.9
«We will now pray and then each of us will go and perform his duties.»
«What will You do, Master?»
«I will continue to pray. I am the Light of the world, but I am also the Son of man. I must, therefore, draw from the Light, to become the Man Who redeems man. Let us pray.»
Jesus declares to the disciples:
GRM 51.4
I bear no grudge against those who do not know Me. I am also without ill-feeling towards those who hate Me. But I feel sorry for them, because of the harm they do themselves.
GRM 53.6
Does he who infringes the Lord’s commandment respect Him?
GRM 53.7
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.
GRM 53.7
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.
John 14:6: I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through me.
Exodus 14, 21-22: "Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove back the sea all night with a strong east wind, and made it dry. The waters parted, and the sons of Israel entered the middle of the sea on dry ground, while the waters formed a wall on their right and left."
Deuteronomy 32, 36: The Lord will do justice to his people, he will pity his servants, when he sees that their hands are weakened, that there is neither slave nor free man left.
GRM 54.3
«Why are you looking for Me?»
«To follow You, if You will allow us, because You have words of truth.»
«Follow Me? But do you know where I am going?»
«No, Master, but certainly to glory.»
«Yes. But not to a glory of this world. I am going to a glory which is in Heaven and is conquered by virtue and sacrifice.»
GRM 54.6
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.
GRM 54.7
To obey the Law is to be united to God and that increases our capabilities.
GRM 54.8
Blessed are those who are sincere and persistent in their will. You are all blessed. You are more than relatives to Me, because you are My children and My brothers, not according to the blood, that dies, but according to the will of God and to your spiritual wishes. Now I tell you that I have no closer relative than those who do the will of My Father, and you do it, because you want what is good.»
The vision ends in this way.
GRM 55.1-2
«It is a long way, it is a dark night, the Roman patrols are around the town. I say: stay with us, if you wish.»
«Oh! Master!» Thomas is happy.
«Make room for him. And each of us will give something to our brother.» Jesus gives him the portion of cheese He had in front of Him. He explains to Thomas: «We are poor and our supper is almost over. But there is so much heart in those who offer.» And He says to John who is sitting beside Him: «Give your seat to our friend.»
John gets up at once and sits down at the end of the table near the landlord.
«Sit down, Thomas, and eat.»
55.2 And then He says to them all: «You will always behave like that, My friends, according to the law of charity. A pilgrim is already protected by the law of God. But now, in My name, you must love him even more. 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.»
«Alright! Perhaps it is so.» Peter does not speak any more. He sulkily rests his head on his hand.
Jesus addresses Thomas, then gives a lesson on hospitality.