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Galilee region

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GRM 184

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

Chapter title: Little Benjamin of Magdala and two parables about the Kingdom of Heaven.

Date of vision: Saturday, August 12, 1944

Calendar: Wednesday, February 23, 28 (10 Adar I 3788) according to maria-valtorta.org; Saturday, March 4, 28 according to Valtorta.fr

Location (map): Magdala

Cycle: Apostolate in Galilee

Summary: Jesus heads for the poor neighborhood of Magdala and asks for the hospitality of a mother, who agrees to take him in. She is accompanied by a child who makes a lot of noise. His mother wants to listen to the Master, so she scolds him and gives him a slap, and the child goes to weep in Christ's lap. Jesus tries to find extenuating circumstances for his mother, but the child answers frankly that she simply wants to listen to him. Jesus then dialogues with her for a while, and when she implies that loose women have it easy, he replies that they're not happy, even if they seem to be. The woman then asks to stay, and Jesus offers to tell two parables that will appeal to little Benjamin. He tells Mary Magdalene, because the apostles doubt that she will return to good. Then he gives the parable where the divine Sower casts the seed. The seed grows, the grain is formed, and when it is ripe, the sower returns and passes on the scythe. In this way, the Word of God accomplishes the same work, but it is slow, and the soul must be allowed to work itself. At the Lord's request, Matthew confirms that it was Jesus' patience that helped him the most.

Benjamin's mother has left to fetch his brothers, and he continues to talk to the apostolic group. He ranks the apostles one by one and doesn't like Judas, so much so that the latter laughs yellow. Meanwhile, his mother has returned with a dozen people, including her husband, and as she begs him to speak, Jesus gives yet another parable about the Kingdom of Heaven. He gives the parable of the mustard seed and explains that it's through the small realities of each day that we build the Kingdom within us. Love, above all, is the means to peace and the glory of Heaven.

Jesus blesses this hospitable family, then sets off again.

Chapter contents: 184.1: A young boy receives a slap from his mother. 184.2: A mother should not envy the fate of a prostitute. 184.3 : You doubt that Mary (of Magdala) will return to the Good. 184.4 : The parable of the grain planted in the ground. 184.5 : Jesus' patience, rather than the Pharisees' reproaches, led Matthew to conversion. 184.6: Matthew was converted out of love. 184.7: Benjamin gives the good apostle test, which Judas fails. 184.8: The parable of the mustard seed. Love in hearts. 184.9: An astonished husband discovers his wife's merits.

Former edition: Volume 3, chapter 44

Keywords

GRM 184.1

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

In Magdala, the poor district lies on the outskirts of the city.

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Places - Magdala

GRM 185

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

Coming soon

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GRM 186.3 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

The view is beautiful. Only a few score of feet above the lake, it commands a view over the whole lake with the towns spread along its shores. Tiberias is splendid with its beautiful buildings on the opposite shore facing the apostles. Below this spot, at the foot the basaltic cliff, the short beach looks like a green pillow, whereas on the opposite shore, from Tiberias to the mouth of the Jordan, there is a rather widespread marshy plain due to the river having difficulty in resuming its course after delaying in the placid lake. But the plain looks like a garden, because it is so thick with marsh flora, and is densely populated with colourful variegated water fowl, which seem bedecked with jewels. The birds rise from the thick grass and from the reed-thickets, they fly over the lake, they dive into it to steal a fish from its water, and they rise even more brilliant, because the water has brightened up their plumage, and then they fly back to the plain where the wind plays swaying its many-coloured flowers.
Up here, instead, there are woods of very tall oak trees, under which the grass is soft and emerald-green, and beyond this strip of woods, on the other side of a large valley, the mountain climbs again, forming a very steep rocky summit, on which houses rise built on terraces. I think that the mountain side and the walls of the houses are all one, for its caves are used as dwellings, in a mixture of a troglodyte and ordinary village. It is a village characteristic of structures on large rising terraces, so that the roof of the house on the terrace below is at the height of the ground entrance of the terrace above it. On the sides where the mountain is very steep, so steep that no house can be built there, there are caves, deep crevices and descents dropping down to the valley. In the season of downpours the descents must become like many whimsical little torrents. All kinds of blocks, which the floods have rolled down to the valley, form a chaotic pedestal for the little mountain which is so wild and steep, hunchbacked and overbearing that it looks like a squire who wants to be respected at all costs.

Keywords

GRM 186.8

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

In EMV 186, the configuration of the site is reproduced in this image(click on link) as Maria Valtorta drew it on the last page of the handwritten notebook. From left to right, the names of the towns bordering the lake are: Tarichée, Tiberias, Magdala, Capernaum, Bethsaida, Gerguesa, Hippos. South of Hippos, after the torrent, it says "landing place" and Gamla in the hinterland. Between these are small dots, explained at the bottom of the page as follows: "To the north lies Chorazeïn.

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GRM 187.3-4 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«And where do we go from here? I am not familiar with this area» says Thomas.
«We will reach Tabor, we will coast part of it and will go to Nain via Endor; from there to the plain of Esdraelon. Be not afraid!… Doras, the son of Doras, and Johanan are already in Jerusalem.»
187.4
«Oh! It will be beautiful! They say that from the summit, from a certain spot, one can see the Great Sea, the Sea of Rome. I like it so much! Will You take us to see it?» John begs with his kind childish face raised towards Jesus.
«Why do you like to see it so much?» asks Jesus caressing him.
«I do not know… Because it is huge and you cannot see its end… It makes me think of God… When we were up on Lebanon I saw the sea for the first time, because I had never been anywhere else, except along the Jordan or on our little sea… and I was moved so much that I wept. So much blue! So much water! And it never overflows!… What a wonderful thing! And the stars make paths of light on the sea… Oh! do not laugh at me! I looked at the golden way of the sun until I was dazzled, at the silvery way of the moon, until I could see nothing but whiteness and I saw them getting lost far far away. Those ways spoke to me. They said: “God is in that infinite distance and these are the ways of fire and purity, which a soul must follow to go to God. Come. Dive into the infinite, travelling on these two ways, and you will find the Infinite One”.»
«You are a poet, John» says Thaddeus admiringly.
«I do not know whether this is poetry. I know that it inflames my heart.»
«But you have seen the sea also at Caesarea and at Ptolomais, and quite close, too. We were on the beach! I do not see the need to go all that way to see some more sea water. After all… we were born on the water…» remarks James of Zebedee.
«And we are in it now as well, unfortunately!» exclaims Peter, who diverting his mind for a moment to listen to John, has not noticed a treacherous puddle and has got soaked… They all laugh, and he laughs too.
But John replies: «That is true. But from high above it is more beautiful. You see more and farther. You think that it is deeper and vaster… You wish… you dream…» and John is already dreaming… He looks in front of himself and smiles at his dream… He looks like a flesh-coloured rose spread with minute dew drops, so downy becomes his smooth clear skin of a young fair-haired man and as it gets sprinkled with a light perspiration it looks more like the petal of a rose.
«What do you wish? What are you dreaming?» Jesus asks His favourite disciple in a low voice and He looks like a father who questions a dear son speaking in his sleep. Jesus speaks to John’s soul, questioning him so gently as not to spoil the dream of His loving disciple.
«I wish to go onto the infinite sea… towards other lands beyond it. I wish to go and speak of You. I am dreaming… of going towards Rome, towards Greece, towards dark places to take the Light there… so that those living in darkness may get in touch with You and may live in communion with You, Light of the world… I am dreaming of a better world… to be bettered through the knowledge of You, that is, through the knowledge of the Love that makes people good, pure, heroic, of the Love that makes the world love and raise Your Name, Your Faith, Your Doctrine above hatred, sin, flesh, above the vices of the mind, above gold, above everything… and I dream of going with my brothers on the sea of God, on the road of light to take You… as Your Mother once brought You down to us from Heaven… I dream that I am a child, who knowing nothing but love, is happy also when facing trouble… and sings to comfort the adults who ponder too much, and moves forward… facing death smiling… towards glory with the humility of one who does not know what he is doing, but knows only that he is coming to You, Love…»
The apostles have not breathed during John’s ecstatic confessions… They remained still where they were, looking at the youngest one speaking with his eyes covered by his eyelids, like a veil thrown over the ardour rising from his heart, and looking at Jesus Who is enraptured finding Himself so completely in His disciple…
When John stops speaking, slightly bent forward – he reminds me of the gracefulness of the humble Mary of Nazareth – Jesus kisses his forehead saying: «We shall go and contemplate the sea, to let you dream My future Kingdom in the world once again.»

Keywords

GRM 187.3 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Where are we going exactly?» asks Peter.
«To give Passover to those who suffer. I have been wanting to do it for a long time. But I could not. I would have done it going back to Galilee. Now that they compel us to go along roads that we have not chosen, I am going to bless Jonah’s poor friends.»
«We will be wasting a lot of time! Passover is near! There are always delays for various reasons.» Another chorus of complaints rises to the sky. I do not know how Jesus can be so patient…
Without reproaching anyone He says: «Please, do not hinder Me! Endeavour to understand My need to love and to be loved. I have but this solace on the earth: to love and do the will of God.»
«And are we going from here? Was it not better to go from Nazareth?»
«If I had suggested that, you would have rebelled. No one will suspect that I am here… and I am doing it for you… because you are afraid.»
«Afraid? Ah! No! We are ready to fight for You.»
«Pray the Lord not to put you to the test. I know that you are quarrelsome, resentful, anxious to offend those who offend Me and to humble your neighbour. I know all that. But I do not know you to be brave. As far as I am concerned, I would have also gone by Myself and along the main road and nothing would have happened because it is not yet the time. But I feel sorry for you. I have to obey My Mother, yes, but I do not want to upset Simon the Pharisee. I will not disgust them. But they will disgust Me.»
«And where do we go from here? I am not familiar with this area» says Thomas.
«We will reach Tabor, we will coast part of it and will go to Nain via Endor; from there to the plain of Esdraelon. Be not afraid!… Doras, the son of Doras, and Johanan are already in Jerusalem.»

Keywords

GRM 187.5 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

And they carry on along the road towards Mount Tabor, the huge mass of which appears to be nearer and nearer, while the marshy aspect of the ground changes, as the soil becomes solid and dry and the vegetation thinner, making room for taller plants and bushes of clematis and blackberries, the new leaves and early flowers of which are a pleasant sight.

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GRM 188.1 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Jesus and the apostles have passed Mount Tabor and left it behind them. They are now walking on a plain lying between that mountain and another one facing it, talking of the climb made by them all, although at the beginning the elder ones had not been too keen. But now they are happy they had gone up to the top. The journey is now easy because they are on a main road which is quite comfortable for walking. It is early in the morning because I am under the impression that they have spent the night on the slopes of the Tabor.
«That is Endor» says Jesus pointing to a poor village built on the first heights of the other mountain. «Do you really want to go there?»
«If You wish to make me happy…» responds the Iscariot.
«Let us go, then.»
«But is it a long way?» asks Bartholomew, who, because of his age, is not very keen on walking tours.
«Oh! no! But if you wish to stay…» says Jesus.
«Yes! You may stay. I will go with the Master» says Judas of Kerioth immediately.
«Listen, before making up my mind, I would like to know what there is to be seen… From the top of Mount Tabor we saw the sea and after the boy’s speech I must admit that I saw it properly for the first time and I saw it as You see: with my heart. Here… I would like to know whether there is anything to learn, because in that case I will come even if it is tiresome…» says Peter.
«Do you hear that? You have not yet said what you intend doing. Be kind to your companions and tell us now» says Jesus invitingly.
«Did Saul not go to Endor[1] to consult the necromancer?»
«Yes, he did. So?»
«Well, Master, I would like to go there and hear You speak of Saul.»
«In that case I will come, too!» exclaims Peter full of enthusiasm.
«Let us go then.»
They walk fast along the last stretch of the main road, which they leave to follow a secondary road, which takes straight to Endor.

Detail

Emphasis on Bartholomew, Judas, Philip and Simon Peter. The other apostles are present.

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GRM 188.5 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

The man does not say anything and remains where he was, while Jesus with His apostles, passing over large stones which must have been part of very strong walls, upsetting green lizards and other ugly looking insects, enters a large smoky grotto, on the walls of which there are still graffiti signs of the zodiac and similar things. In a corner blackened by smoke there is a niche and under it a hole which looks like a gully-hole for water. Bats hanging in disgusting bunches decorate the ceiling and an owl, upset by the light of a branch which James has lit to ensure they do not tread on scorpions or asps, complains by flapping its wadded wings and closing its ugly eyes which cannot bear the light. It is perched in the niche, and the foul smell of dead mice, of weasels and birds in decomposition at its feet is mixed with the stench of dung and of the damp soil.
«It is really a lovely place!» says Peter. «Your Tabor and your sea were much better, my boy!» And then addressing Jesus: «Master, satisfy Judas at once because this is not… Antipa’s royal hall!»
«Certainly. What is it that you want to know?» He asks Judas of Kerioth.

Detail

Judas wanted to go to En-Dor, where Saul consulted a sorceress in the book of Samuel.