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GRM 1.1-3 · Volume 1

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

22nd August 1944.

1.1Jesus orders me: «Take a brand new notebook. Write down on the first page what I dictated on August the 16th. She will be spoken of in this book.» I obey and I write.

16th August 1944.

1.2Jesus says: «Today write only this. Purity has such a value, that the womb of a creature could contain the Uncontainable One, because She possessed the greatest purity that a creature of God could have. The Most Holy Trinity descended with Its perfections, inhabited with Its Three Persons, enclosed Its infinity in a small space. But It did not debase Itself by doing so, because the love of the Virgin and the will of God widened this space until they rendered it a Heaven. And the Most Holy Trinity made Itself known by Its characteristics:

The Father, being once again the Creator of the Creature, as on the sixth day1 of Creation, had a real, worthy daughter fashioned to His perfect image. The mark of God was impressed so completely and exactly on Mary, that only in the First-born was it greater. Mary can be called the Second-born of the Father because, owing to the perfection granted to Her and preserved by Her, and to Her dignity of Spouse and Mother of God and Queen of Heaven, She comes second after the Son of the Father and second in His eternal thought, which ab aeterno took delight in Her.The Son, being also “Her Son”, did teach Her, by the mystery of Grace, His truth and wisdom, when He was but an Embryo, growing in Her womb.The Holy Spirit appeared amongst men for an anticipated and prolonged Pentecost, Love for “Her Whom He loved”, Consolation to men for the Fruit of Her Womb, Sanctification for the Maternity of the Holy One.1.3God, to reveal Himself to men in the new and complete form, which starts the Redemption era, did not select for His throne a star in the sky, nor the palace of a powerful man. Neither did He want the wings of angels as the base of His feet. He wanted a spotless womb. Also Eve had been created spotless. But she wanted to become corrupt of her own free will. Mary, who lived in a corrupt world –Eve was in a pure world– did not wish to violate Her purity, not even with one thought remotely connected with sin. She knew that sin existed. She saw its various and horrible forms and implications. She saw them all, including the most hideous one: deicide. But She knew them solely to expiate them and to be, forever, the Woman who has mercy on sinners and prays for their redemption.1.4This thought will be the introduction to other holy things that I will give for your benefit and the welfare of many people.»

GRM 1.3 · Volume 1

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

God, to reveal Himself to men in the new and complete form, which starts the Redemption era, did not select for His throne a star in the sky, nor the palace of a powerful man. Neither did He want the wings of angels as the base of His feet. He wanted a spotless womb. Also Eve had been created spotless. But she wanted to become corrupt of her own free will. Mary, who lived in a corrupt world –Eve was in a pure world– did not wish to violate Her purity, not even with one thought remotely connected with sin. She knew that sin existed. She saw its various and horrible forms and implications. She saw them all, including the most hideous one: deicide. But She knew them solely to expiate them and to be, forever, the Woman who has mercy on sinners and prays for their redemption.

GRM 1.3 · Volume 1

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Also Eve had been created spotless. But she wanted to become corrupt of her own free will. Mary, who lived in a corrupt world –Eve was in a pure world– did not wish to violate Her purity, not even with one thought remotely connected with sin. She knew that sin existed. She saw its various and horrible forms and implications. She saw them all, including the most hideous one: deicide. But She knew them solely to expiate them and to be, forever, the Woman who has mercy on sinners and prays for their redemption.

GRM 2.4 · Volume 1

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Ah! If we had had a child, I would have liked him thus: with these eyes and this hair…» Anne bends down, in fact she is on her knees and with a deep sigh she kisses the two large grey-blue eyes.

Joachim, too, sighs. But he wishes to comfort her. He puts his hand on her thick curly grey hair and whispers to her: «We must continue to hope. God can do everything. While we are alive, the miracle may happen, especially when we love Him and we love each other.» Joachim stresses the final phrase.

But Anne is silent, dejected, and she is standing, her head bowed, to conceal two tears streaming down her face. Only little Alphaeus sees them and he is surprised and saddened by the fact that his great friend is crying, as he sometimes does. He lifts his hands and wipes the tears.

«Don’t cry, Anne! We are happy just the same. At least I am, because I have you.»

«And me you. But I have not given you a child… I think I have distressed the Lord, because He has made my womb barren…»

«O my wife! How can you have distressed Him, you holy woman? Listen. Let us go once more to the Temple. For this reason. Not only for the Tabernacles! Let us say a long prayer… Perhaps it will happen to you as it did to Sarah[1]… as it happened to Anne of Elkanah[2]. They waited for a long time and they considered themselves dejected because they were barren. Instead a holy son was maturing for them in the Heavens of God. Smile, my wife. Your crying is a greater sorrow to me than being without offspring… We shall take Alphaeus with us. We shall make him pray, since he is innocent… and God will hear his prayer and ours together and will grant it.»

«Yes, let us make a vow to the Lord. The offspring will be His. As long as He grants it. Oh to hear me being called “mamma”!»

And Alphaeus, an astonished and innocent spectator, exclaims: «I call you so!»

«Yes, my darling… but you have your mummy, and I have no baby…»

The vision ceases here.

Detail

Anne and Joachim watch little Alphée, and Anne reveals her pain at not having a child.

GRM 3.2.4

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

3.2 I am beginning to see and I write.

Outside the walls of Jerusalem, on the hills and among the olive trees, there is a large crowd. It looks like a large market. But there are no stalls. There are no shouting charlatans or pedlars. No games. There are coarse wool tents, certainly waterproof, hanging on posts fixed to the ground, and tied to the posts there are green branches, providing both ornamental decoration and practical coolness. Other tents, instead, are made entirely of branches fixed to the ground and tied, thus forming small green tunnels. Under each tent there are people of every age and condition, speaking quietly and earnestly, with the cry of a child breaking the quietness now and again.

It is nightfall and the lights of small oil lamps are glittering here and there throughout the odd camp. Around the lights some families are eating their supper on the ground, the mothers holding the little ones in their laps. Many of these tired infants fall asleep holding pieces of bread in their tiny pink fingers while their small heads fall on their mothers’ breasts, like little chicks under hens. The mothers finish their meals, as best they can, each with only one hand free, while the other hand is holding the child against her heart. Meanwhile other families are not yet having supper and are talking in the dimness of twilight, waiting for the food to be ready to eat. Small fires are lit here and there and women are busy around them. Slow, somewhat plaintive, lullabies soothe children who are having difficulty in going to sleep.

High above there is a beautiful clear sky, which is becoming a deeper and deeper blue until it looks like an enormous black-bluish soft velvet velarium. On this cloth, a little at a time, invisible craftsmen and decorators fix gems and night lights, some isolated, some in odd geometrical patterns, amongst which the Great Bear and the Little Bear stand out, in the shape of a cart, with its shaft resting on the ground after the oxen have been freed from the yoke. The Pole Star is smiling in all its brightness.

I realise it is October because the loud voice of a man says so: «This month of October is beautiful as very rarely in past years!» (...)

3.4 The night is more and more crowded with stars and the camp with lights. Then little by little many lights go out. They are the lamps of those who were the first to have supper and who now go to sleep. Also the buzzing slowly decreases. No more children’s voices are heard. Only some babies still unweaned raise their lamb-like little voices seeking their mothers’ milk. The night blows her breath over places and people and obliterates pains and memories, hopes and ill-feelings. Or perhaps these last two survive in dreams, although alleviated by sleep.

Detail

The Tent Festival seemed to take place in October. Maria describes the atmosphere.

Annotation

Outside the walls of Jerusalem, a large crowd is found on the hills and among the olive trees. The "Field of the Galileans" on the Mount of Olives. This is where the Galileans gather for the feasts (see Tome 4, chapter 143 /vo 279.1).

There are many rough woollen tents, certainly waterproof, spread out on stakes fixed to the ground. On the feast of Sukkot, also known as the Feast of Tents or the Feast of Tabernacles, each family builds a hut (or sukkha) made of four kinds of branches tied together. Their name evokes the huts under which people camped during the harvest.

I understand that it's October, because a big man's voice says so: "A beautiful month of October, the likes of which you rarely see!" October: The Feast of Tents (Sukkot) is celebrated in early autumn from 15 to 21 Tishri (24/9 to 2/10 in 22BC). Sometimes," writes Maria Valtorta on a typed copy, "the names are expressed in Italian so that the reader can understand better."

Our month of October straddles the Hebrew months of Tisri (or Etanim) and Marchesvan (or Bul). The Jewish calendar was in fact based on the lunar year, which begins in spring (as shown in 68.4), and ours on the solar year, so the correspondences are approximate.

GRM 3.3-4

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

3.3 Here is Anne coming from a fire with something in her hands, spread over a loaf of bread which is large and flat like a cake and serves also as a tray. Little Alphaeus is holding onto her skirt and is prattling in his little voice. Joachim, when he sees Anne approaching, hastens to light his lamp; he is at the entrance of his little hut made of branches and is speaking to a man of about thirty years old, whom Alphaeus greets from a distance in his shrill voice saying: «Daddy.»

Anne in her stately walk passes along the rows of huts. She is stately, yet humble. She is not haughty with anyone. She picks up the child of a very poor woman, as the urchin had fallen at her feet while running like a little scamp. Since he has dirtied his face and is crying, Anne cleans him, comforts him and hands him to his mother who has run towards them and is apologising. Anne says to her: «Oh! It’s nothing. I am glad he did not hurt himself. He is a lovely child. What age is he?»

«Three years. He is my second youngest and I am expecting another one shortly. I have six boys. Now I would like to have a girl… A girl is a lot for her mother…»

«The Most High has consoled you very much, woman!» sighs Anne.

And the woman goes on: «Yes. I am poor, but the children are our joy and the bigger ones already help with the work. And, Madam, (it is very obvious that Anne is of a higher social standing and the woman realises it), how many children have you got?»

«None.»

«None.» Isn’t this one yours?»

«No, he is the son of a very good neighbour. He is my consolation…»

«Did yours die or…?»

«I never had any.»

«Oh!» The poor woman looks at her pitifully.

Anne says goodbye to her, sighing very heavily, and goes to her hut.

«I have kept you waiting, Joachim. I was held up by a poor woman, the mother of six boys. Fancy that! And she is expecting another child shortly.»

Joachim sighs.

Alphaeus’ father calls him, but he answers: «I am staying with Anne. I will help her.» Everybody laughs.

«Leave him. He does not disturb us. He is not bound by the Law yet. Here or there he is but a little bird eating» states Anne. And she sits down with the child in her lap and gives him some bread and, I think, some roasted fish. I can see that she does something before giving it to him; perhaps she removes a fishbone. She has served her husband first. She eats last.

3.4 The night is more and more crowded with stars and the camp with lights. Then little by little many lights go out. They are the lamps of those who were the first to have supper and who now go to sleep. Also the buzzing slowly decreases. No more children’s voices are heard. Only some babies still unweaned raise their lamb-like little voices seeking their mothers’ milk. The night blows her breath over places and people and obliterates pains and memories, hopes and ill-feelings. Or perhaps these last two survive in dreams, although alleviated by sleep.

Anne says so to her husband while lulling Alphaeus who is falling asleep in her arms: «Last night I dreamt that next year I will be coming to the Holy City for two feasts, instead of one only. And one will be the offering of my creature to the Temple… Oh! Joachim!…»

«Keep on hoping, Anne. Did you not perceive anything else? Did the Lord not whisper anything to your heart?»

«Nothing. Only a dream…»

«Tomorrow is the last day of prayer. All the offerings have already been made. But we will renew them again tomorrow, solemnly. We shall gain our favour from God by our faithful love. I always think that it will happen to you as it did to Anne of Elkanah.»

«May God grant it… and I wish I had someone say to me now: “Go in peace. The God of Israel has granted the grace you asked for!”»

«If the grace comes, your child will tell you turning over for the first time in your womb; and it will be the voice of an innocent, therefore the voice of God.»

The camp is now silent in darkness. Anne also takes Alphaeus to the adjoining hut, and puts him on the straw near his little brothers, who are already asleep. Then she lies down beside Joachim and their lamp also goes out: one of the last little stars on earth. More beautiful, the stars in the vault of heaven remain watching over mankind asleep.

Annotation

Anne took Alphée back to the next hut and laid him on the hay bed next to his brothers, who were already asleep. So Alphée had brothers.

GRM 3.3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Alphaeus’ father calls him [his son], but he answers: «I am staying with Anne. I will help her.» Everybody laughs.

«Leave him. He does not disturb us. He is not bound by the Law yet. Here or there he is but a little bird eating» states Anne.

Annotation

He is not yet bound by the observance of the Law. Cf. Leviticus 23:36; Numbers 29:35. The end of the festival was a day of rest. The eighth day (Shemini Atzereth) is the Feast of the Joy of Torah (Sim'Hath Torah). It's a day of rest. The rain prayer is recited on this day. This festival closes the series of three pilgrimage festivals.

Book of Leviticus 23, 36

Lv 23, 36 : Seven days you shall offer sacrifices made by fire to Yahweh. On the eighth day, you shall have a holy assembly, and you shall offer sacrifices made by fire to Yahweh; it is a closing feast: you shall do no servile work.

Book of Numbers, 29, 35

Num 29, 35 : On the eighth day, you shall have a solemn assembly: you shall do no servile work.

GRM 3.4

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

3.4 The night is more and more crowded with stars and the camp with lights. Then little by little many lights go out. They are the lamps of those who were the first to have supper and who now go to sleep. Also the buzzing slowly decreases. No more children’s voices are heard. Only some babies still unweaned raise their lamb-like little voices seeking their mothers’ milk. The night blows her breath over places and people and obliterates pains and memories, hopes and ill-feelings. Or perhaps these last two survive in dreams, although alleviated by sleep.

Anne says so to her husband while lulling Alphaeus who is falling asleep in her arms: «Last night I dreamt that next year I will be coming to the Holy City for two feasts, instead of one only. And one will be the offering of my creature to the Temple… Oh! Joachim!…»

«Keep on hoping, Anne. Did you not perceive anything else? Did the Lord not whisper anything to your heart?»

«Nothing. Only a dream…»

«Tomorrow is the last day of prayer. All the offerings have already been made. But we will renew them again tomorrow, solemnly. We shall gain our favour from God by our faithful love. I always think that it will happen to you as it did to Anne of Elkanah.»

«May God grant it… and I wish I had someone say to me now: “Go in peace. The God of Israel has granted the grace you asked for!”»

«If the grace comes, your child will tell you turning over for the first time in your womb; and it will be the voice of an innocent, therefore the voice of God.»

Annotation

I still think the same thing will happen to you as to Hannah of Elkanah. Reference to 1 Samuel 1:1-20

- May God grant it... and may I soon hear a voice say to me: "Go in peace. The God of Israel has granted you the grace you asked for!" Reference to 1 Samuel 1, 17. This reference to Hannah of Elkanah is repeated in Volume 1, chapter 5, page 25 (EMV 4).

First Book of Samuel 1, 1-20

Sa 1, 1-20: There was a man of Ramathaim-Sophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, named Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Eliu, son of Thohu, son of Suph, an Ephrathite. He had two wives, one of whom was called Hannah, and the other Phenna; and Phenna had children, but Hannah was childless. This man went up from his city every year to worship Yahweh of hosts and offer sacrifices to him at Shiloh. There were Heli's two sons, Ophni and Phinehas, priests of Yahweh. On the day Elkanah offered his sacrifice, he gave portions of the victim to Phenna, his wife, and to all his sons and daughters; and he gave Hannah a double portion, for he loved Hannah, and Yahweh had made her barren. His rival still afflicted him exceedingly, in order to embitter him that Yahweh had made her barren. And every year Elkanah did so, whenever she went up to Yahweh's house, and Phenna mortified her in the same way. Then she wept and ate nothing. Elkanah, her husband, said to her: "Hannah, why do you weep and not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"

Anne got up, after they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh. - Heli, the high priest, was sitting on a seat before one of the posts of Yahweh's temple. - Her soul full of bitterness, she prayed to Yahweh and shed many tears; and she made a vow, saying, "Yahweh of hosts, if you deign to look upon the affliction of your handmaid, if you remember me and do not forget your handmaid, and if you give your handmaid a male child, I will give him to Yahweh for all the days of his life, and the razor shall not pass over his head." As she remained in prayer before Yahweh for a long time, Heli observed her mouth. Anne spoke in her heart and moved only her lips, without her voice being heard. So Heli thought she was drunk, and said to her, "How long will you be drunk? Pass your wine." Anne replied: "No, my lord, I am a woman afflicted in her heart; I drank neither wine nor intoxicating liquor, but I poured out my soul before Yahweh. Do not take your servant for a wife of Belial, for it is in the excess of my sorrow and pain that I have spoken thus far." Heli spoke again and said to her, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel answer your prayer to him!" She said, "May your servant find favor in your sight!" And the woman went her way; she ate, and her face was not the same. They got up early in the morning, bowed down before Yahweh and returned to their house in Ramah. Elkanah knew Hannah, his wife, and Yahweh remembered her. When the time was up, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son, whom she named Samuel, "because," she said, "I asked Yahweh for him."

GRM 3.4

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Last night I dreamt that next year I will be coming to the Holy City for two feasts, instead of one only. And one will be the offering of my creature to the Temple… Oh! Joachim!…»

«Keep on hoping, Anne. Did you not perceive anything else? Did the Lord not whisper anything to your heart?»

«Nothing. Only a dream…»

«Tomorrow is the last day of prayer. All the offerings have already been made. But we will renew them again tomorrow, solemnly. We shall gain our favour from God by our faithful love.

Annotation

Tomorrow is the last day of supplication. The seventh day of Sukkot (Tishri 21) is called "Hochaana Rabba". This is the day on which the divine judgment begun on "Rosh Hashanah" is finally decided. It is therefore marked by special prayers of supplication in which we implore God to judge us favorably (Exodus 23:16; 34:22; Leviticus 23:34-43; Numbers 29:12-34; Deuteronomy 16:13-16; 30:10-13).

Book of Exodus 23, 16

Ex 23, 16 : Thou shalt observe the Feast of Harvest, of the first-fruits of thy labor, of that which thou sowest in the field; and the Feast of Ingathering, at the end of the year, when thou gatherest in the field the fruit of thy labor.

Book of Exodus 34, 22

Ex 34, 22 : You shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks, of the first fruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year.

Book of Numbers 29, 12-34:

On the fifteenth day, in the seventh month, you shall have a holy assembly: you shall do no servile work. And you shall keep a feast to Yahweh for seven days. You shall offer a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh: thirteen young bulls, two rams and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish, and for their meat offering, fine flour mingled with oil: three tenths for each of the thirteen bulls, two tenths for each of the two rams, and one tenth for each of the fourteen lambs. You shall also offer a he-goat as a sin offering, without prejudice to the continual burnt offering with its oblation and libation.

On the second day, you shall offer twelve young bulls, two rams and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, for the bulls, the rams and the lambs, according to their number, according to the rule. You shall also offer a goat for a sin offering, without prejudice to the continual burnt offering, its meat offering and their drink offerings.

On the third day you shall offer eleven bulls, two rams and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, for the bulls, the rams and the lambs, according to their number, according to the ordinance. You shall also offer a goat for a sin offering, without prejudice to the continual burnt offering, its meat offering and its drink offering.

On the fourth day, you shall offer ten bulls, two rams and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, for the bulls, rams and lambs, according to their number according to the rule. You shall also offer a he-goat for a sin offering, without prejudice to the continual burnt offering, its meat offering and its drink offering.

On the fifth day, you shall offer nine bulls, two rams and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, for the bulls, rams and lambs, according to their number, according to the ordinance. You shall also offer a goat for a sin offering, without prejudice to the continual burnt offering, its meat offering and its drink offering.

On the sixth day, you shall offer eight bulls, two rams and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, for the bulls, rams and lambs, according to their number, according to the ordinance. You shall also offer a he-goat for a sin offering, without prejudice to the continual burnt offering, its meat offering and its drink offering.

On the seventh day you shall offer seven bulls, two rams and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish, 33with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, for the bulls, the rams and the lambs, according to their number, according to the ordinance. 34You shall also offer a he-goat for a sin offering, without prejudice to the continual burnt offering, its meat offering and its drink offering.

Book of Deuteronomy 16, 13-16

Dt 16, 13-16 : You shall keep the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days, when you have gathered in your threshing floor and your winepress; 14you shall rejoice at this feast, you, your son and your daughter, your man-servant and your maid-servant, as well as the Levite, the stranger, the orphan and the widow who are within your gates. You shall keep the feast seven days in honor of Yahweh your God, in the place which Yahweh has chosen; for Yahweh your God will bless you in all your crops and in all the work of your hands, and you will be full of joy. Three times a year, every male among you shall appear before Yahweh, your God, in the place he has chosen: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks and at the Feast of Tabernacles; he shall not appear before Yahweh empty-handed.

Book of Deuteronomy, 30, 10-13

Dt 30, 10-13 : if you obey the voice of Yahweh, your God, by keeping his commandments and precepts written in this book of the law, if you return to Yahweh, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul. This commandment that I am commanding you today is not above you or beyond your reach. It is not in heaven, for you to say, "Who will go up to heaven for us and fetch it for us, and make us hear it, so that we may fulfill it?" It is not beyond the sea, so that you say, "Who will pass for us beyond the sea and fetch it for us, and make us hear it, that we may fulfill it?"