Notes for this theme
Reading comfort
GRM 48.5
«You must have seen that He is not like us… He must have something compelling!…»
«Oh! Yes.» John says. «His face! His eyes! What beautiful eyes, aren’t they, James?! And His voice!… Oh! What a voice! When He speaks, you seem to be dreaming of Heaven.
Peter talks about Jesus and says, referring to his physical appearance and the fact that he is the Messiah:
GRM 48.6
But Peter, after a few yards stops and gets hold of John’s arm and asks him. «Did you say that He knows everything, and hears everything?…»
«Yes, I did. Just think that when we saw the moon high up in the sky, I said: “I wonder what Simon will be doing now”, and He said: “He is casting his net and he cannot set his mind at rest because he has to do it all by himself, since you did not go out with the twin boat in such a good evening for fishing… he does not know that before long he will be fishing with different nets and catching different fish”.»
«Holy Mercy! It’s true! Well, He will also have heard… also that I called Him little less than a liar… I can’t go to Him!»
«Oh! He is so good. He certainly knows what you thought. He already knew. Because when we left Him saying that we were coming to you, He said: “Go. But don’t let the first words of contempt discourage you. He who wants to come with Me must be able to make headway against the sneering words of the world and the prohibitions of relatives. Because I am above blood and society, and I triumph over them. And he who is with Me will also triumph forever”. And He also said: “Don’t be afraid to speak. The man who hears will come, because he is a man of goodwill”.»
«Is that what He said? Well, I’ll come.»
Peter listened to James and John. Initially dubious, he declares that "anyone can say whatever suits them to impose themselves on gullible people." He also expresses his doubts ("Come on! The Messiah! And he's showing himself to you, James and Andrew! To three poor ignoramuses!"). But when he hears the sons of Zebedee, he changes his mind and the group sets off to see Jesus.
GRM 48.6
“Go. But don’t let the first words of contempt discourage you. He who wants to come with Me must be able to make headway against the sneering words of the world and the prohibitions of relatives. Because I am above blood and society, and I triumph over them. And he who is with Me will also triumph forever”.
GRM 48.7-8
48.7 «Speak, speak of Him, while we are going. Where is He?»
«In a poor house; they must be His friends»
«Is He poor?»
«A workman from Nazareth. So He said.»
«And how does He live now, if He does not work any longer?»
«We did not ask Him. Perhaps His relatives help Him.»
«It would have been better if we had brought some fish, some bread and fruit…, something. We are going to consult a rabbi, because He is like… He is more than a rabbi, and we are going empty-handed! Our rabbis don’t like that…»
«But He does. We had but twenty pennies between us, James and I, and we offered Him them, as is customary with rabbis. He did not want them. But since we insisted so much, He said: “May God reward you with the blessings of the poor. Come with Me” and He gave them to some poor people: He knew where they lived. And when we asked Him: “Master, are You not keeping anything for Yourself?” He replied: “The joy of doing the will of God and serving His glory”. We also said: “You are calling us, Master. But we are all poor. What shall we bring You?”, He replied with a smile which made us enjoy the delights of Paradise: “I want a great treasure from you”, and we said: “But we have nothing”. And He answered: “A treasure with seven names, which even the poorest may have, while the rich may not possess it. You have it, and I want it. Listen to the names: charity, faith, goodwill, right intention, continence, sincerity, spirit of sacrifice. That is what I want from My followers, only that, and You have it. It is dormant, like a seed under a winter clod, but the spring sunshine will make it sprout into a sevenfold spike”. That is what He said.»
«Ah! Now I feel that He is the true Rabboni, the promised Messiah! He is not harsh with the poor, He does not ask for money… It is enough to call Him the Holy Man of God. We can go safely.»
Peter asks John to tell him about the Messiah.
GRM 49.3
«He was somewhat afraid…»
«No! Not afraid of Me! I have come for good people and even more for those who stand in error. I want to save people, not to condemn them. I will be full of mercy with honest people.»
«And with sinners?»
«Also. By dishonest people I mean those who are spiritually dishonest and hypocritically they feign to be good, whereas they do ill deeds. And they do such things and in such a way for their own profit and to secure an advantage over their neighbours. I will be severe with them.»
GRM 49.4
49.4 They are near the village. Some children are playing in the road and one of them runs into Jesus’ legs and would have fallen if He were not quick in getting hold of him. The child cries just the same, as if he had been hurt and Jesus, holding him in His arms, says: «An Israelite who is crying? What should the thousands of children have done, who became men crossing the desert with Moses? And yet, the Most High Lord sent the sweet manna for them, rather than for the others, because He loves innocent children and looks after these little angels of the earth, these wingless little birds, just as He sees to the sparrows of woods and towns. Do you like honey? Yes? Well, if you are good, you will eat honey which is sweeter than the honey of your bees.»
«Where? When?»
«When, after a life of loyalty to God, you go to Him»
«I know that I cannot go there unless the Messiah comes. My mother says that now, we in Israel, are like many Moses and we die seeing the Promised Land. She says that we are there, waiting to go in, and that only the Messiah will make us go in.»
«What a clever little Israelite! Well, I tell you that when you die, you will go to Paradise at once, because the Messiah will already have opened the gates of Heaven. But you must be good.»
«Mummy! Mummy!» The child slides down from Jesus’ arms and runs towards a young woman, who is entering her house holding a copper amphora. «Mummy! The new Rabbi told me that I will go to Paradise at once when I die and. I will eat so much honey…. If I am good. I will be good!»
«God grant it! I am sorry, Master, if he troubled You. He is so lively!»
«Innocence does not trouble, woman. May God bless you, because you are a mother who is bringing her children up in the knowledge of the Law.»
The woman blushes at being praised and replies: «May the blessing of the Lord be with You, too.» And she disappears with her little one.
GRM 49.4
Innocence does not trouble.
Jesus said:
GRM 49.5
49.5 «Do You like children, Master»
«Yes, I do, because they are pure… sincere… and affectionate.»
GRM 49.5
«Have you any nephews, Master?»
«I have but My Mother… In Her there is purity, sincerity, the love of the most holy children, together with wisdom, justice and the fortitude of adults. I have everything in My Mother, John.»
«And You left Her?»
«God is above also the holiest mother.»
«Will I meet Her?»
«Yes, you will.»
«And will She love me?»
«She will love you because She loves whoever loves Her Jesus.»
GRM 49.5
«Have you any nephews, Master?»
«I have but My Mother… In Her there is purity, sincerity, the love of the most holy children, together with wisdom, justice and the fortitude of adults. I have everything in My Mother, John.»
«And You left Her?»
«God is above also the holiest mother.»
«Will I meet Her?»
«Yes, you will.»
«And will She love me?»
«She will love you because She loves whoever loves Her Jesus.»
«Then You have no brothers?»
«I have some cousins on My Mother’s husband’s side. But every man is My brother, and I have come for everybody.»