GRM 78.7
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
I can speak but the truth.
Notes for this theme
Reading comfort
GRM 78.7
I can speak but the truth.
GRM 79
Jesus walks with his disciples towards Hebron. John, Judas and Simon the Zealot are present. His goal is to reach the shepherds, especially Levi and Isaac. Judas grumbles about the incident at Kerioth, where Saul died against Jesus' heart, but the Lord rebukes him. He also affirms that we must be faithful to the Law and set an example. The apostolic group meets up with the shepherds again, and Elijah relates that Aglaia gave him her jewels in Hebron. They discuss what to do with them, but Christ gives no orders for the moment. He gives a short parable about Aglaia and the souls who repent like them. The apostles would like to turn back and go back to her, but Jesus doesn't want them to and decides that they should leave right away for the Temptation Mountain.
GRM 80
Jesus arrives at the Temptation Site, accompanied by John, Judas and Simon the Zealot. It's a desolate place. Judas thinks he's only been there a few hours, but the Lord disabuses him. He explained that he had come there to prepare for his Mission. The Iscariot thought he'd been with a few teachers and rabbis, but who could teach the Word of God anything?
Jesus goes on to explain that men have a destiny and must choose between the Friend or Satan. Finally, he suggested that the apostles stay here for a few days, to teach them the power of penance. John and Simon the Zealot readily accept. Judas is less enthusiastic, but doesn't dare leave.
After a few days, Maria's vision continues. Jesus explains that his stay in the desert lasted forty days and took place during winter. He explains his baptism, given by John, and the Temptation by the Devil. In particular, he talks about his God-man nature, and also answers Judas' question as to whether or not he could have been tempted. At the end of his speech, he asks the disciples not to tell Mary about the world's hostility to Jesus. She would suffer too much...
GRM 80.9
I am made of flesh too, My dear friends. Real flesh. And my flesh is subject to the weakness common to all flesh. And, with My flesh, I have a heart. Yes, I took the first and second of the three parts that form man. I took the physical part with all its needs and the morals with their passions. And whilst, with My will, I subdued all the bad passions at birth, I let the holy passions grow like mighty age-old cedars, that is filial love, love for the fatherland, friendship, work, everything that is best and holy.
Jesus tells the apostles about his temptation and says,
GRM 80.9
I, as God, knew everything. My intelligence enabled Me to understand also the struggles of man, both by intellectual power and in an intellectual way, that is without any practical experience. But then some poor friend of Mine, some poor son of Mine, could have said to Me: “You do not know what it is to be a man and have senses and passions”. And it would have been a fair reproach. I came here, or rather on that mountain, to prepare… not only for My mission… but also for temptation. See? I was tempted where you are now sitting. By whom? By a mortal being? No. His power would have been too limited. I was tempted by Satan himself.
GRM 80.9
And here I felt nostalgia for My far away Mother, here I felt the need for Her care for My human frailty, here I felt once again the pain of parting from the Only One Who loved Me with perfect love, here I realised what sorrow is laid aside for Me and I was grieved at Her sorrows, poor Mother, Who will have to shed so many tears for Her Son and because of the wickedness of men, that She will be left tearless.
Jesus speaks about his temptation in the desert.
GRM 80.9
(...) Here I felt nostalgia for My far away Mother, here I felt the need for Her care for My human frailty, here I felt once again the pain of parting from the Only One Who loved Me with perfect love, here I realised what sorrow is laid aside for Me and I was grieved at Her sorrows, poor Mother, Who will have to shed so many tears for Her Son and because of the wickedness of men, that She will be left tearless. And here I experienced the weariness of the hero and of the ascetic who in an hour of forewarning realise the uselessness of their efforts… I cried… Sadness… a lure for Satan. It is not a sin to be sad in painful circumstances. It is a sin to go beyond sadness and fall into inertness and despair. But Satan comes at once when he sees anyone in spiritual languor.
Jesus speaks about his temptation in the desert.
GRM 80.9
I am not only the Son of God. I am Jesus, the workman of Nazareth.
GRM 80.11
My first contacts with the world had sickened and depressed Me. It is too ugly. My soul has now been nourished with the lion’s marrow: the union with the Father in prayer and solitude. And I can go back to the world and take My cross upon Me once again, the first cross of the Redeemer: the cross of the contact with the world. With the world, in which there are too few souls called Mary, called John…
GRM 81
Jesus meets the shepherds Simeon, Matthias and John for the first time. He is also accompanied by the shepherd Joseph, Simon the Zealot, and John. Intimidated at first, the shepherds are soon put at ease and tell of John's imprisonment. They could free him with a sufficient sum of money. But the group has Aglaia's jewels. Judas is sent to sell them with John. Simon the Zealot confesses his discomfort with the Iscariot.