GRM 61.6
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
And is this not the most fierce usury, to rob those who are in dire need?
Notes for this theme
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GRM 61.6
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
Nobody must ever be a thief, and much less steal from poor people.
GRM 61.6
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
61.6 «And what about me?» asks the old man who is left last.
Jesus looks at him, but is silent.
«Nothing for me? You are not fair! You gave her six times as much as the others, and nothing to me. Of course… she was a woman!»
Jesus looks at him, but is silent.
«Look everybody; and tell me if there is justice! I have come from far away, because I was told that money was given here, and now I see that some get too much and I get nothing. A poor, old, sick man! And He wants us to believe in Him!…»
«My old man, are you not ashamed of telling such lies? Death is behind your back and you lie and endeavour to rob also who is hungry. Why do you want to rob your brothers of the offering that I received to give it with justice?»
«But I…»
«Be quiet! You should have understood by My silence and My action that I had recognised you and you should have followed My example and been silent. Why do you want Me to shame you?»
«I am poor.»
«No, you are a miser and a thief. You live for money and usury.»
«I have never lent on usury. God is my witness.»
«And is this not the most fierce usury, to rob those who are in dire need? Go. Repent. That God may forgive you.»
«I swear…»
«Be quiet! I tell you! It is said: “You shall not swear falsehood”. If I did not respect your old age, I would search you and in your breast I would find a purse full of gold: your real heart. Go away!»
The impudent old man, seeing that his secret has been discovered, goes away without any need for Jesus’ thundering voice.
The crowd threaten and scorn him, and they insult him as a thief.
«Be quiet! If he did wrong, do not do the same. He lacks sincerity: he is dishonest. If you insult him, you lack charity. A brother who makes a mistake is not to be insulted. Everybody has his sins. No one is perfect but God. I was compelled to shame him, because nobody must ever be a thief, and much less steal from poor people. But only the Father knows how much I suffered having to do it. You must also be sorry, seeing that a man in Israel infringes the Law endeavouring to defraud the poor and a widow. Do not be greedy. May your souls, not money, be your treasure. Do not be perjurers. Let your language be as sincere and honest as your actions. Life is not eternal and the hour of death will come. Live in such a way that at the hour of your death peace may be in your souls. The peace of those who lived an honest life. Go home…»
Detail
Jesus has just given a purse to a widow and her seven needy children. All that's left is a ragged old man.
Annotation
Leviticus 19:12: You shall not swear by my name, lying, for you would profane the name of your God. I am Yahweh.
GRM 61.6
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
Do not be greedy. May your souls, not money, be your treasure. Do not be perjurers. Let your language be as sincere and honest as your actions. Life is not eternal and the hour of death will come. Live in such a way that at the hour of your death peace may be in your souls. The peace of those who lived an honest life.
GRM 61.7
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
61.7 «Have mercy, Lord! This son of mine is deaf because a demon vexes him.»
«And this brother of mine is like an unclean animal, he wallows in the mud and eats excrement. A malignant spirit forces him to do that, and although against his will, he does foul things.»
Jesus goes towards the imploring group. He lifts His arms and orders: «Come out of them. Leave to God His creatures.»
Amidst shouts and uproars the two unhappy men are healed. The women leading them kneel down, blessing.
«Go home and be thankful to God. Peace to you all. Go.»
The crowd leave, commenting on the events. The four disciples gather around the Master.
«My friends, I solemnly tell you that all sins can be found in Israel and the demons have taken up their abode there. Neither are the possessed the only ones whose lips are mute, or are driven to live like animals and eat filth. But the most real and numerous possessions are those that make hearts mute to honesty and love, and turn hearts into a sink of filthy vices. Oh! Father!» Jesus sits down depressed.
«Are You tired, Master?»
«Not tired, My dear John, but afflicted because of the state of hearts and the lack of will to grow better. I have come… but man… man… Oh! Father!…»
«Master, I love You. We all love You…»
«I know. But you are so few… and My eagerness to save is so great!»
Jesus has embraced John, and is resting His head on His disciple’s. He is sad. Peter, Andrew and James are near Him, and they look at Him with love and sadness.
And the vision ends in this way.
GRM 62.1-4
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
62.1 I see Jesus coming out of Peter’s house at Capernaum, making as little noise as possible. He obviously spent the night there to make Peter happy.
It is the dead of night. The sky is a starry canopy. The lake faintly reflects the glitter of the sky and, rather than see it, one guesses the peaceful lake is there sleeping under the stars, because of the gentle lapping of the water on the gravel shore.
Jesus sets the door ajar, looks at the sky, the lake and the road. He is thinking. Then He starts walking, not along the lake, but towards the village. He passes through part of it towards the country. He goes into the country, along a little path that leads to the first undulations of an olive-grove. He enters the green, silent peace and prostrates Himself in prayer.
A fervent prayer! He prays kneeling down, and then, as if He were fortified, He stands straight up, His face raised to Heaven, a face made more spiritual by the rising light of a clear, summer dawn. He prays smiling now, whereas before He was sighing, probably because of some moral grief. His arms are fully outstretched. He seems a living, tall, angelical cross, so gentle is His attitude. He seems to be blessing the whole country, the rising day, the fading stars and the lake, now becoming visible.
62.2 «Master! We have been looking for You all over! We saw the door ajar, when we came back with the fish, and we thought You had gone out. But we could not find You. And at last, a peasant, who was loading his baskets to take them to town, told us. We were calling: “Jesus, Jesus!”, and he said: “Are you looking for the Rabbi Who speaks to the crowds? He went up that path, up towards the mountain. He must be in Micah’s olive-grove, because He often goes there. I have seen Him there before”. He was right. Why did You come out so early, Master? Why did You not rest? Was the bed not comfortable?…»
«No, Peter. The bed was comfortable and the room was lovely. But I often do that. To raise My spirit and be united to the Father. Prayer is a strength for oneself and for others. We achieve everything by praying. If we do not receive a grace, which the Father does not always grant — and we must not think it is due to lack of love, instead we must believe that it is the will of an Order which governs the destiny of every man for a good purpose —, prayer certainly gives us peace and contentment, to enable us to bear so many vexing things, without going off the holy path. It is easy, you know, Peter, to have a clouded mind and an agitated heart because of what is around us! And how can a clouded mind or an agitated heart perceive God?»
«It’s true. But we do not know how to pray! We are not capable of saying the lovely words You say.»
«Say the words you know, as best you can. It is not the words, but the sentiments with which they are uttered that make your prayers pleasant to the Father.»
«We would like to pray as You do.»
«I will teach you also to pray. I will teach you the most holy prayer. But to prevent it from being only a void formula on your lips, I want your hearts to have at least a minimum of holiness, light and wisdom… That is why I instruct you. Later, I will teach you the holy prayer.
62.3 Why were you looking for Me, is there anything you want of Me?»
«No, Master. But there are many who want so much from You. There were already people coming from Capernaum, and they were poor, sick, depressed people, people of goodwill and anxious to be taught. When they inquired about You, we said: “The Master is tired and is sleeping. Go away and come back next Sabbath”.»
«No, Simon. You must not say that. There is not one day only for mercy. I am Love, Light and Health every day of the week.»
«But… so far You have spoken only on Sabbaths.»
«Because I was still unknown. But as I become known, every day there will be effusions of Grace and graces. I tell you solemnly that the time will come when even the moment of time which is granted to a sparrow to rest on a branch and eat some little grains will not be granted to the Son of man for His rest and meals.»
«But You will be taken ill! We will not allow that. Your kindness must not make You unhappy.»
«And do you think that could make Me unhappy? Oh! If all the world came to Me to listen to Me, to bewail its sins and sorrow on My heart, to be healed in its bodies and souls, and I were worn out speaking and forgiving and pouring forth My power, I would be so happy, Peter, that I would not even regret Heaven, where I was in the Father!…
62.4 Where were they from, those who were coming to Me?»
«From Korazim, Bethsaida, Capernaum, and there were some even from Tiberias and Gherghesa, as well as from the hundreds of villages around those towns.»
«Go and tell them that I will be at Korazim, Bethsaida and nearby villages.»
«Why not at Capernaum?»
«Because I came for everybody and everybody must have Me, and then… there is old Isaac waiting for Me. We must not disappoint his hopes.»
«Will You wait for us here, then?»
«No, I am going and you will stay at Capernaum to send the crowds to Me; I will come back later.»
«We will be here alone…» Peter is sad.
«Do not be sad. Obedience should make you happy as well as the conviction that you are a useful disciple. And the same applies to the others.»
Peter, Andrew, James and John cheer up. Jesus blesses them, and they part.
The vision ends in this way.
Annotation
Mark 1:35-38
The next day, Jesus rose well before dawn. He went out to a deserted place and prayed there. Simon and those with him went out to look for him. They found him and said to him, "Everyone is looking for you." Jesus said to them, "Let's go somewhere else, to the neighboring villages, so that I can proclaim the Gospel there too; for this is why I went out."
Luke 4:42-43
When it was light, Jesus went out to a deserted place. The crowds were looking for him; they came to him, and held him back to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, "I must preach the Good News of God's reign to the other towns too, for this is why I was sent."
GRM 62.2
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
If we do not receive a grace, which the Father does not always grant — and we must not think it is due to lack of love, instead we must believe that it is the will of an Order which governs the destiny of every man for a good purpose —, prayer certainly gives us peace and contentment, to enable us to bear so many vexing things, without going off the holy path.
GRM 62.2
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
«We would like to pray as You do.»
«I will teach you also to pray. I will teach you the most holy prayer. But to prevent it from being only a void formula on your lips, I want your hearts to have at least a minimum of holiness, light and wisdom… That is why I instruct you. Later, I will teach you the holy prayer.»
Annotation
Objection raised: "Jesus said the Our Father with Mary on the evening of the farewell in Nazareth".
Maria notes on a typewritten copy: "If anyone can make or has made objections to the Our Father prayed by Jesus and Mary on the evening of the farewell (in 44.3), let them take this answer into consideration. Mary didn't need to be prepared for Christ's prayer. The apostles did. That's why Jesus recited the Our Father with Mary before his disciples, because she was full of grace, light and wisdom, unlike the disciples."
GRM 62.3
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
62.3 Why were you looking for Me, is there anything you want of Me?»
«No, Master. But there are many who want so much from You. There were already people coming from Capernaum, and they were poor, sick, depressed people, people of goodwill and anxious to be taught. When they inquired about You, we said: “The Master is tired and is sleeping. Go away and come back next Sabbath”.»
«No, Simon. You must not say that. There is not one day only for mercy. I am Love, Light and Health every day of the week.»
«But… so far You have spoken only on Sabbaths.»
«Because I was still unknown. But as I become known, every day there will be effusions of Grace and graces. I tell you solemnly that the time will come when even the moment of time which is granted to a sparrow to rest on a branch and eat some little grains will not be granted to the Son of man for His rest and meals.»
«But You will be taken ill! We will not allow that. Your kindness must not make You unhappy.»
«And do you think that could make Me unhappy? Oh! If all the world came to Me to listen to Me, to bewail its sins and sorrow on My heart, to be healed in its bodies and souls, and I were worn out speaking and forgiving and pouring forth My power, I would be so happy, Peter, that I would not even regret Heaven, where I was in the Father!…
GRM 62.4
The Gospel as revealed to me
Quotation
Obedience should make you happy as well as the conviction that you are a useful disciple.