Notes for this theme
Reading comfort
GRM 30.7
They go in, and the stable becomes brighter because of the light of the torches. The older men push the young ones in front of them.
Mary turns round and smiles. «Come,» She says. «Come!», and She invites them with Her hand and Her smile, and She takes the boy who saw the angel and She draws him to Herself, against the manger. And the boy looks, and is happy.
The shepherds have joined the crib.
GRM 30.7
«He should be given a mouthful of milk, better still, some water and honey. But we have no honey. We give it to little babies. I have seven children, and I know…»
«There is some milk here. Take it, Woman.»
«But it is cold. It should be warm. Where is Elias? He has the sheep.»
Elias must be the shepherd who gave the milk. But he is not there. He remained outside and is looking from the hole, but he cannot be seen in the dark night.
«Who led you here?»
«An angel told us to come, and Elias showed us the way. But where is he now?»
The sheep declares his presence with a bleat.
«Come in. You are wanted.»
He enters with his sheep, embarrassed because they all look at him.
«It’s you!» says Joseph, who recognises him, and Mary smiles at him saying: «You are good.»
The shepherds joined the crib and one of them said:
GRM 30.8-9
«But You can’t stay here. It’s cold and damp. And… there is too strong a smell of animals. It’s not good… it’s not good for the Saviour.»
«I know,» replies Mary with a deep sigh. «But there is no room for us in Bethlehem.»
«Take heart, Woman. We will look for a house for You.»
«I will tell my mistress,» says Elias. «She is good. She will receive You, even if she had to give You her own room. As soon as it is daylight, I will tell her. Her house is full of people. But she will find room for You.»
«For My Child, at least. Joseph and I can lie on the floor. But for the Little One…»
«Don’t worry, Woman. I will see to it. And we will tell many people what we were told. You will lack nothing. For the time being, take what our poverty can give You. We are shepherds…»
«We are poor, too. And we cannot reward you,» says Joseph.
«Oh! We don’t want it. Even if You could afford it, we would not want it. The Lord has already rewarded us. He promised peace to everybody. The angels said: ‘Peace to men of goodwill’. But He has already given it to us, because the angel said that this Child is the Saviour, Who is Christ, the Lord. We are poor and ignorant, but we know that the Prophets say that the Saviour will be the Prince of Peace. And he told us to come and adore Him. That is why He gave us His peace. Glory be to God in the Most High Heaven and glory to His Christ here, and You are blessed, Woman, Who gave birth to Him: You are holy, because You deserved to bear Him! Give us orders as our Queen, because we will be happy to serve You. What can we do for You?»
«You can love My Son, and always cherish the same thoughts as you have now.»
«But what about You? Is there anything You wish? Have You no relatives whom You would like to inform that He has been born?»
«Yes, I have them. But they are far away. They are at Hebron…»
«I will go,» says Elias. «Who are they?»
«Zacharias, the priest, and My cousin Elizabeth.»
«Zacharias? Oh! I know him well. In summer I go up those mountains because the pastures are rich and beautiful, and I am a friend of his shepherd. When I know you are settled, I will go to Zacharias.»
«Thank you, Elias.»
«You need not thank me. It is a great honour for me, a poor shepherd, to go and speak to the priest and say to him: ‘The Saviour has been born’.»
«No. You must say to him: ‘Your cousin, Mary of Nazareth, has said that Jesus has been born, and that you should come to Bethlehem’.»
«I will say that.»
«May God reward you. 30.9 I will remember you, Elias, and every one of you.»
«Will You tell Your Baby about us?»
«I certainly will.»
«I am Elias.»
«And I am Levi.»
«And I am Samuel.»
«And I Jonah.»
«And I Isaac.»
«And I Tobias.»
«And I Jonathan.»
«And I Daniel.»
«And I Simeon.»
«My name is John.»
«I am Joseph and my brother Benjamin, we are twins.»
«I will remember your names.»
«We must go… But we will come back… And we will bring others to worship Him.»
«How can we go back to the sheep-fold, leaving the Child?»
«Glory be to God Who has shown Him to us!»
«Will You let us kiss His dress?» asks Levi, with an angelic smile.
And Mary lifts Jesus slowly, and sitting on the hay, wraps the tiny little feet in linen, and offers them to be kissed. And the shepherds bow down to the ground and kiss the tiny feet, veiled by the linen. Those with a beard clean it first; almost everyone is crying, and when they have to go, they walk out backwards, leaving their hearts there…
The vision ends in this way, with Mary sitting on the straw with the Child on Her lap and Joseph who, leaning with his elbow on the manger, looks and adores.
GRM 30.8
Glory be to God in the Most High Heaven and glory to His Christ here, and You are blessed, Woman, Who gave birth to Him: You are holy, because You deserved to bear Him! Give us orders as our Queen, because we will be happy to serve You. What can we do for You?
GRM 31
Chapter title: Zechariah's visit. Joseph's holiness and obedience to priests.
Date of vision and dictation: Thursday, June 8, 1944 (Corpus Christi)
Calendar: Monday, December 30, year -5
Location (map): Bethlehem
Cycle: Birth and childhood of Jesus
Summary: Zachariah arrives in Bethlehem. Joseph comes to greet him, as Mary is giving Jesus milk. The carpenter checks on John, who is growing very well, but is suffering from teething troubles: so he hasn't taken him with him. Elisabeth didn't come either, not only to look after her son, but also because it was very cold. Joseph understands, and describes to the priest the difficult conditions they experienced after Jesus' birth. As Mary's husband says, everything was ready in Nazareth, but they had nothing here.
In the meantime, the Virgin arrives and presents the Child, after greeting the priest. Zechariah worships Jesus with the utmost respect. The old man then gives gifts from himself and Elizabeth. The Immaculate regrets that she was unable to come with John, and Zacharias assures her that she will see them soon. Indeed, the old man thinks they should live in Bethlehem, so that when the time comes, he will be better accepted by the Sanhedrin, and Zechariah can serve as his teacher.
Joseph and Mary look at each other, not particularly agreeing with Zechariah's vision. One is thinking of his work, the other of his home and everything they've left behind. That's what Mary says, especially as it's difficult to get their things, since they have no house to store everything in Bethlehem. Above all, Mary thinks of Joseph and Joseph thinks of Mary. Her chaste husband, however, is willing to work double time if it's for Jesus.
At last, Mary tries to object one last time, pointing out that the Messiah will be called Nazarene, but Zechariah doesn't listen to reason, and the holy parents comply with her wish...
Mary then gives a dictation on the holiness of Joseph, who doesn't mind working harder, giving up everything if it's for his two treasures: Mary and Joseph. She then talks about Zechariah, who is a priest, but who is less heavenly-minded than Joseph. Zechariah thinks humanly and believes himself to be more knowledgeable than Mary, even to the point of being able to serve as the Master's teacher. Of course, Mary objects to what he says, and could have triumphed in their conversation, but she withdraws because of the priest's dignity.
After pointing out that a priest is generally enlightened by God, Mary finally emphasizes that obeying always saves, even if the advice one receives is not absolutely perfect. Staying in Bethlehem and Judea was a good thing when the flight to Egypt came: from Nazareth, it would have been much more difficult.
Finally, Mary teaches us that respect for priests is always a sign of good Christian training. Even if they lose their apostolic flame, they are still the ones who bring down the Bread from Heaven, and this contact makes them "as holy as a sacred chalice". We must therefore consider them as such, and pray for them if their souls are paralyzed and sick. We must pray to Christ for their sanctification, for to save one priestly soul "is to save a great number of souls".
Chapter contents: 31.1: Arrival of Zechariah alone, to whom Joseph recounts the events of the Nativity. 31.2: "The Host" in Zechariah's arms. 31.3: Gifts from Elisabeth for the child. 31.4: The Messiah must grow up in Bethlehem. 31.5: Zechariah convinces the couple to settle in Bethlehem. 31.6: Joseph's holiness. 31.7: Zechariah versus Joseph. 31.8: True priests and others. 31.9: Obedience always saves. 31.10: Respect for the priest is always a mark of Christian integrity.
GRM 31.1
«The man you sent me told me that you were homeless when He was born. You must have suffered a lot.»
«Yes, quite a lot. But our fears were greater than our discomfort. We were afraid the Child’s health might be injured. And we had to stay there for the first days. We lacked nothing, for ourselves, because the shepherds gave the good news to the people of Bethlehem, and many of them brought us gifts. But we had no house, not even a decent room, a bed… and Jesus cried so much, particularly at night, because the wind was blowing in from all directions. I used to light a little fire. Only a little one, because the smoke made Jesus cough… and it was still cold in any case. Two animals do not give out much heat, especially when the cold air comes in from all directions! We had no warm water to wash Him, nor dry clothes to change Him. Yes, He suffered quite a lot! And Mary suffered seeing Him suffer. I suffered.. so you can imagine His Mother’s anguish! She fed Him with milk and tears, milk and love… Now here it is much better. I had made such a comfortable cradle for Him and Mary had fitted it with a soft little mattress. But it is in Nazareth! Ah! If He were born there, it would have been different!»
«But Christ was to be born in Bethlehem. It was prophesised.»
GRM 31.2
31.2 Mary comes in, She heard their voices. She is all dressed in white wool. She has taken off the dark dress She was wearing during the journey and in the grotto, and She is all white, as I have seen Her dressed before. She is not wearing anything on Her head, and She is holding Jesus in Her arms: He is sleeping, sated with milk, in His pure white swaddling clothes.
Physical description of Mary after the Nativity.
GRM 31.3
31.3 They all sit down, and Zacharias explains once again to Mary the reason why Elizabeth has not come and how upset she was. «During the past months she has prepared some linen for Your blessed Son. I have brought them to You. They are downstairs in the waggon.»
He rises and goes out, then comes back with a large parcel and a smaller one. Joseph relieves him of the heavier one and Zacharias starts pulling his gifts from both of them: a soft handwoven woollen blanket, some linen and little dresses. Then from the other one, some honey, some snow-white flour, butter, apples for Mary and bread baked by Elizabeth and many more little things which are a token of the motherly love of the grateful cousin for the young Mother.
«Please tell Elizabeth that I am very grateful to her, as I am grateful to you, too. I would have been so happy to see her, but I understand the situation. And I would also have loved to see little John…»
«But You will see him in spring. We will come and see You.»
«Nazareth is too far away,» remarks Joseph.
GRM 31.4-5
31.4 «Nazareth? But you must stay here. The Messiah must grow up in Bethlehem. It is David’s town. The Most High, through Caesar’s will, brought Him to the town in David’s land, the holy land of Judaea. Why take Him to Nazareth? You know in what opinion the Jews hold the Nazarenes. This Child is to be in future years the Saviour of His people. The capital town must not scorn its King because He comes from a despised land. You know as well as I do how captious the Sanhedrin is and how disdainful its three main castes are… And then, here, near me, I will be able to help you somehow, and put everything I have, not so much in the way of material things, but of moral gifts, at the service of this New-Born Baby. And when He is old enough to understand, I will be very happy to be His teacher, as I will be for my own son, so that later, when He is grown up, He will bless me. We must consider that He is destined for great things and, consequently, He must be in a position to present Himself to the world with all the necessary means to win His game. He will certainly possess Wisdom. But also the simple fact that He was educated by a priest, will make Him more accepted by the difficult Pharisees and Scribes and will render His mission easier.»
31.5 Mary looks at Joseph, and Joseph looks at Mary. Above the rosy innocent head of the Child, sleeping unaware of it all, there is a silent exchange of questions. And they are questions full of sadness. Mary is thinking of Her little house, Joseph is concerned about his work. Here, where only a few days ago they were completely unknown, they must start from scratch. Here they have none of the dear things they left at home, and which they had prepared with so much love for the Child.
And Mary says so: «How can we do that? We have left everything there. Joseph had worked so hard for My Jesus, without sparing labour or money. He worked at night, so that during the day he could work for other people and thus earn enough to buy the best wood, the softest wool, the finest linen, and prepare everything for Jesus. He built beehives, and he even worked as a mason to make certain modifications in the house, so that the cradle could be placed in My room and remain there until Jesus had grown up and the cradle could then be replaced by a bed, because Jesus will stay with Me until He is an adolescent.»
«Joseph can go and get what you left there.»
«And where will we put it? You know, Zacharias, that we are poor. We have only our work and our home. And they both enable us to live without starving. But here… perhaps we will find some work. But we shall always have the problem of a house. This good woman cannot give us hospitality forever. And I cannot sacrifice Joseph more than he has already sacrificed himself for My sake!»
«Oh! Me! It’s nothing for me! I am concerned with Mary’s grief. Her grief in not living in Her own house…»
Two big tears well from Mary’s eyes.
«I think that house must be as dear to Her as Paradise, because of the mystery which was accomplished in it. I speak little, but I understand a lot. If it wasn’t for that, I would not be upset. I will work twice as much, that’s all. I am young and strong enough to work twice as much as I used to and see to everything. And if Mary does not suffer too much… and if you say that we must do so… well, here I am. I will do whatever you think is best. Provided that it will help Jesus.»
«It will certainly help. Think it over, and you will see the reasons.»
«It is also said that the Messiah will be called Nazarene…» objects Mary.
«True. But at least, until He is grown up, let Him grow up in Judaea. The Prophet says: ‘And you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, will be the greatest, because out of you will come the Saviour’. He does not speak of Nazareth. Perhaps that title was given to Him for some reason unknown to us. But this is His land.»
«You say so, you, priest, and we… we listen to you with sad hearts, and we believe you. But how painful it is!… When shall I see that house where I became a Mother?» Mary is weeping, silently. And I understand Her grief. Oh! I do understand.
The vision ends with Mary’s weeping.
After the Nativity, Zacharias goes to visit Joseph and Mary. He is opposed to the Holy Family returning to Nazareth.
GRM 31.6
I had all the gifts of God, in My condition of Immaculate. I did not know I was such. But the gifts were active in My soul, and gave Me spiritual strength.