GRM 175.1-2 · Volume 3
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
Amongst the many flowers which perfume the earth and delight our eyes, I see the horrible spectre of a revolting, corroded leper, completely covered with sores.
The crowds shout with fear and rush back to the lower slopes of the mountain. Some of them gather stones to throw at the rash man.
But Jesus turns around with His arms fully stretched out and shouts: «Peace! Stay where you are: be not afraid. Put the stones down. Have mercy on a poor brother. He is a son of God, too.»
The crowds obey, overwhelmed by the power of the Master, Who moves forward through the tall grass in bloom to a few steps from the leper, who, as far as he is concerned, has understood that Jesus is protecting him, and has come nearer.
When he reaches Jesus, he prostrates himself, and the blooming grass wraps him like cool scented water. The flowers undulate and gather together, forming a veil over the miserable man concealed amongst them. Only the mournful voice that can be heard reminds people of the wretched creature lying there. It says: «Lord, if You want, You can cure me. Have mercy on me too!»
Jesus replies: «Raise your head and look at Me. A man who believes in Heaven must be able to look at it. And you do believe, because you are asking for a grace.»
The grass is shaken and opens out once again. Like the head of a shipwrecked person emerging from the sea, the head of the leper appears, stripped of hair and beard. His head is a skull not yet entirely deprived of all flesh.
And yet Jesus does not disdain touching that forehead with the tips of His fingers, where there are no sores on the skin. But the skin on that spot is ashen-grey, scaly, and lies between two putrid erosions, one of which has destroyed his scalp, and the other has opened a hole where his right eye was, so that I could not say whether the ball of his eye is still in the huge socket, which, between his temple and his nose, lays bare his cheek-bone and his nasal cartilage, full of corruption. And Jesus, holding the finger-tips of His lovely hand there, says: «I want it. Be cleansed.»
And as if the man were not eaten away and covered with sores, but only covered with dirt on which cleansing waters were poured, the leprosy disappears at once. First the wounds heal; then his skin becomes clear, his right eye appears between fresh eyelids, his lips close around his yellowish teeth. Only his hair and beard are missing, that is, there are only scanty tufts of hair where previously there was only a tiny piece of wholesome skin.
The crowds shout in amazement. And their joyful shouts tell the man that he is cured. He lifts his hands, so far concealed by the grass, he touches his eye, where the huge hole was; he touches his head, where the large sore showed the skull and feels his fresh skin. He stands up, looks at his chest, his hips… He is all wholesome and clean… He collapses once again on the flowery meadow weeping out of joy.
«Do not weep. Stand up and listen to Me. Go back to life according to the rite and do not tell anybody until you have accomplished it. Show yourself to the priest as soon as possible, make the offering prescribed by Moses as evidence of your miraculous cure.»
«It’s for You that I should witness, my Lord!»
«You will witness for Me by loving My doctrine! Go.»
Detail
Healing a leper.
Annotation
Exposing the zygoma: Maria Valtorta was a nurse in her youth, so she knows a thing or two about anatomy.
I want it. Be purified. This miracle, reported in Matthew 8:1-3, is often confused by biblical scholars with the healing of Abel the leper (Mark 1:40-42; Luke 5:12-13), which is described in EMV 63.1/5.
"Can I tell the priest that you healed me?
- No, you mustn't. Just tell him: 'The Lord had mercy on me. "That's the truth. Nothing else." From now on, Jesus' notoriety grows, and He wants to avoid any conflict with the temple notables for as long as possible.
Gospel of Matthew 8:1-4
Mt 8, 1-4 : When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him, bowed down before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can cleanse me." Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, "I am willing, be cleansed." And immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Jesus said to him: "Be careful, don't say anything to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest. And give the offering that Moses commanded: it will be a testimony to the people."
Gospel of Mark 1:40-45
Mk 1:40-45: A leper came to him, begged him and, falling to his knees, said, "If you are willing, you can cleanse me." Seized with compassion, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, "I am willing, be cleansed." Instantly, the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. With firmness, Jesus immediately sent him away, saying: "Be careful, don't say anything to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and give for your cleansing what Moses prescribed in the Law: it will be a testimony to the people." Once he had gone, this man began to proclaim and spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly, but stayed away in deserted places. But people came to him from everywhere.
Gospel of Luke 5:12-14
Lk 5:12-14: Jesus was in a town when a man covered in leprosy came up to him; when he saw Jesus, he fell face down and begged him, "Lord, if you are willing, you can cleanse me." Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I do, be cleansed." Instantly, the leprosy left him. Then Jesus ordered him not to tell anyone: "Instead, go and show yourself to the priest and give for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; it will be a testimony to all."