Some curious people draw near them, fascinated and struck by their different magnificence.
Jesus lowers His head and smiles at the little group with a smile, the sweetness of which no painter will ever be able to portray and no believer, who has never seen it, will ever be able to imagine. And He says: «Come if you are anxious to hear eternal words.»
68.4 He turns His steps towards the arch of the porch, and leaning against a column, He begins to speak. He refers to the event of the morning as a starting point.
«This morning, on entering Zion, I saw two children of Abraham who were ready to kill each other for a few coins. I could have cursed them in the name of God, because God says: “You shall not kill” and He also says that those who do not maintain the Law are to be cursed. But I felt pity for their ignorance of the spirit of the Law and I only prevented them from committing murder, that they may have the opportunity of repenting, knowing God, serving Him in obedience, loving not only those who love them, but also their enemies.
Yes, Israel. A new day is rising for you and the commandment of love is becoming brighter. Does the year begin with the foggy Ethanim, or with the sad Chislev, the days of which are shorter than a dream and its nights longer than a calamity? No, it begins with the flowery, sunny, happy Nisan, when everything smiles and the heart of man, even the most poor and sad one, opens to hope, because summer is coming, with its crops, sunshine and fruit, when it is sweet to sleep on a meadow full of flowers, under a starry sky, and it is easy for man to nourish himself, because every clod of earth bears herbs or fruit to satisfy his hunger.
Here, Israel. Winter, the time of expectation, is over. Here is now the joy of the promise which is being accomplished. The Bread and Wine are about to be ready for your hunger. The Sun is among you. Everything breathes more freely and sweetly under this Sun. Also the precept of our Law: the first and most holy of the holy precepts: “Love your God and love your neighbour”.
In the dim light granted to you so far, you were told: “Love those who love you and hate your enemies”: you could not have done any better, because the wrath of God still weighed upon you, owing to Adam’s sin of estrangement. And your enemy was not only he who crossed the borders of your fatherland, but also he who did you wrong privately or you thought he had done. Hatred, therefore, was smouldering in every heart, because which man, intentionally or unintentionally, does not give offence to his brother? And which man reaches an old age without being offended?
I say to you: love also those who offend you. Do that, considering that Adam, and every man through him, is a sinner against God, and there is no one who can say: “I have not offended God”. And yet, God forgives, not once only He forgives, dozens of times, He forgives thousands of times, as proved by the fact that man still exists on the earth. Forgive therefore, as God forgives. And if you cannot do it out of love for the brother who injured you, do it for the love of God, Who gives you bread and life, Who protects you in your worldly needs, and has arranged all events to procure eternal peace for you in His bosom. This is the new law, the law of God’s springtime, of the flowery time of Grace amongst men, of the time that will bear you a matchless Fruit that will open the gates of Heaven for you.
68.5 The voice that spoke in the desert is no longer heard. But it is not mute. It still speaks to God on behalf of Israel and still speaks to every Israelite with an honest heart and it says — after teaching you to do penance to prepare the ways to the Lord Who is coming, and to be charitable giving what is surplus to those who lack even what is necessary, and to be honest without extorting and vexing — it says: “The Lamb of God, He Who takes away the sins of the world, Who will baptise with the fire of the Holy Spirit is amongst you. He will clear His threshing-floor and gather His wheat”.
Endeavour to recognise Him Whom the Precursor indicates to you. His suffering is imploring God to give you light. See. May your spiritual eyes be opened. You will recognise the Light that is coming. I pick up the voice of the Prophet announcing the Messiah, and with the power I receive from the Father, I amplify it and I add My authority to it and I call you to the truth of the Law. Prepare your hearts for the grace of the oncoming Redemption. The Redeemer is amongst you. Blessed are those who will be worthy of being redeemed, because they are men of goodwill.
Peace be with you.»