Notes for this theme

Mountains, massifs and mountains in Palestine

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Reading comfort

GRM 180.9 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Yes, he will die. He knows as well as I do. Nothing and no one will save him this time. When? I do not know. I know that he will not come out of Herod’s hand alive.»
«Yes, Herod. Listen. John went to the mountain gorge, between Mount Ebal and Gerizim, where we also passed coming back from Galilee, because the traitor said to him: “The Messiah is dying after being attacked by His enemies. He wants to see you to entrust a secret to you”. And he went with the traitor and some other people. Herod’s armed men were in the shade of the valley and they captured him. The others ran away and gave the news to the disciples who had remained near Hennon. They had just come when I arrived with Your Mother. And the dreadful thing is that he was one from our towns… and that the Pharisees of Capernaum are the leaders of the plot to catch him. They went to John saying that You had been their guest and that You were leaving from there to go to Judaea… he would not have left his refuge but for You…»

Detail

John the Baptist has just been captured, and Jesus confirms his imminent death.

Keywords

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 187.5 · 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.

Keywords

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.

Keywords

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.

Keywords

GRM 189.1 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Nain must have been a town of some importance in the days of Jesus. It is not a large town, but is well built, surrounded by its walls, lying on a low pleasant hill, an off shoot of the Little Hermon, commanding a very fertile plain which stretches towards the north-east.
One arrives here coming from Endor, after crossing a little river, which flows into the Jordan. But neither the Jordan nor its valley can be seen any longer, because they are concealed by hills which form an arch shaped like a question mark in the east.
Jesus follows a main road which links the lake region to the Hermon and its villages. Many inhabitants of Endor walk behind Him talking to one another animatedly.
Only a short distance separates the group of the apostles from the walls: about two hundred yards, at the most. And as the main road runs straight to one of the town gates, which is wide open because it is broad daylight, it is possible to see what is happening in the inner side of the walls. Thus Jesus, Who is speaking to the apostles and the new convert, sees a funeral coming towards them, with a great noise of weepers and similar eastern displays.

Annotation

Maria Valtorta drew a sketch of the site: click here to see it.

Keywords

GRM 192.1 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Is that the top of Mount Carmel, my Lord?» asks His cousin James.
«Yes, it is, brother. That is the chain of the Carmel and the highest peak is the one that gives the name to the chain.»
«The world must be beautiful also from there. Have You ever been up there?»
«Yes, once, by Myself, at the beginning of My mission. And at the foot of it I cured the first leper. But we will go there together, to commemorate Elijah…»
«Thank You, Jesus. You have understood me as usual.»
«And as usual I perfect you, James.»
«Why?»
«The reason is written in Heaven.»
«Would You not tell me, brother, since You can read what is written in Heaven?»
Jesus and James are walking one beside the other and only little Jabez, who is held by the hand by Jesus, can hear the confidential conversation of the two cousins who smile looking at each other’s eyes.
Jesus embraces James’ shoulders with His arm to draw him closer to Himself and asks: «Do you really want to know? Well, I will tell you by means of a riddle, and when you find the answer you will be wise. Listen[1]: “After assembling the false prophets on Mount Carmel, Elijah stepped out in front of all the people: ‘How long’ he said ‘do you mean to hobble first on one leg then on the other? If the Lord is God, follow Him; if Baal, follow him’. The people did not reply. Elijah then said to the people: ‘I, I alone am left as a prophet of the Lord’ and the only strength of the lonely prophet was his cry: ‘Answer me, Lord, answer me, so that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and are winning back their hearts’. Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the holocaust”. Guess, My brother.»
James is pensive with his head lowered and Jesus looks at him smiling. They walk for a few yards thus, then James asks: «Is it in connection with Elijah or with my future?»
«With your future, of course…»
James becomes thoughtful again and then whispers: «Am I perhaps destined to invite Israel to follow a way with sincerity? Am I destined to be the only one left in Israel? If so, do You mean that all the others will be persecuted and scattered and that… I will pray You for the conversion of this people… as if I were a priest… as if I were… a victim… But if it is so, Jesus, inflame me as from now…»
«You already are inflamed. But you will be carried away by Fire, like Elijah[2]. That is why you and I will go, all alone on Mount Carmel to speak…»
«When? After Passover?»
«Yes, after a Passover. And then I will tell you many things…»

Annotation

First Book of Kings, 18, 20-22.37-38

1 K 18, 20-22.37-38: Ahab sent messengers to all the children of Israel, and assembled the prophets at Mount Carmel. Then Elijah came to all the people and said, "How long will you be bells on both sides? If Yahweh is God, go after him; if Baal, go after him!" The people answered him nothing. And Elijah said to the people: "I am left alone of the prophets of Yahweh, and there are four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal (...) Hear me, Yahweh, hear me! That this people may know that you, Yahweh, are God, and that it is you who turn their hearts back." Then Yahweh's fire fell, and it consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones and the earth, and absorbed the water that was in the ditch.