The theory of evolution, animals and reincarnation

«You said that You will open the gates of Heaven. Are they not closed because of the great Sin? My mother used to say that no one could enter until forgiveness had come and the just were waiting for it in Limbo.»

«It is so. But preaching the word of God I will go to the Father and… having obtained forgiveness for you, I will say to Him: “Father, I have fulfilled Your will. Now I want My reward for My sacrifice. Let the just, who are waiting, come to Your Kingdom”. And the Father will say to Me: “Let it be done as You wish”. I will then come down and I will call all the just, and at the sound of My voice Limbo will open its gates and the holy Patriarchs, the bright Prophets, the blessed women of Israel will come out rejoicing. And do you know how many children? There will be children of all ages, as many as the flowers in a flowery meadow! And they will follow Me singing and will ascend to the beautiful Paradise.»

«And will my mother be there?»

«Most certainly.»

«You did not say to me that she will be with You at the gate of Heaven when I am dead, too…»

«There is no need for her and for your father to be at that gate. Like bright angels they will fly continuously from Heaven down to the earth, from Jesus to their little Jabez, and when you are about to die, they will do what those two little birds over there, in that hedge, are doing. Can you see them?» And Jesus takes the boy in His arms to let him see better. «See how they are sitting on their little eggs. They are waiting for them to hatch, then they will spread their wings over the brood to protect them from all evils, and then, when they are grown and ready to fly, they will support them with their strong wings and will take them up, up, up… towards the sun. Your parents will do the same with you.»

«Will it be just like that?»

«Exactly like that.»

«But will You tell them to remember to come?»

«That is not necessary, because they love you, but I will tell them.»

«Oh! How I love You!» The child, who is still in Jesus’ arms, presses against His neck and kisses Him with such joyful effusion that is really moving.

Jesus kisses him, too, and puts him down.

• Animals
• Birds
• Communion of saints
• Death
• Deceased

One day, listen, She told Me of when She was a little girl. She was not yet three years old because She was not yet in the Temple, and Her heart was full of love, emanating, like flowers and olives pressed and crushed in a mill, all Her oils and perfumes. And in a rapture of love She said to Her mother that She wanted to be a virgin to please the Saviour more, but that She would have liked to be a sinner in order to be saved, and She almost wept, because Her mother could not understand Her and could not tell Her how it is possible to be “pure” and a “sinner” at the same time. Her father satisfied Her by bringing her a little sparrow, which he had saved when it was about to be drowned on the edge of a fountain. He explained the parable of the little bird[1], saying that God had saved her in advance and therefore She was to bless Him twice. And the little Virgin of God, the Most Great Virgin Mary, practised Her first spiritual maternity on behalf of the little bird, which She let free when it was strong enough. But the bird never left the kitchen garden in Nazareth where, flying and twittering, it comforted the sad house and the broken hearts of Anne and Joachim, when Mary was in the Temple. It died shortly before Anne breathed her last breath… It had fulfilled its duty…

• Animals
• Anne of Aaron (mother of the Virgin Mary)
• Birds
• Defense of the Work
• Joachim of David (father of the Virgin Mary)
• Marie as a child
• The Virgin Mary

In the peace of the Sabbath Jesus rests near a flax field in bloom belonging to Lazarus. Rather than «near» I should say that He is «immersed» in the tall flax, and sitting on the edge of a furrow He is engrossed in thought. Only an odd silent butterfly flutters near Him or a lizard rustles nearby, looking at Him with its jet-black eyes, raising its little triangular head with its light throbbing throat. There is nothing else. In the late afternoon, the least sigh of wind has also become silent among the tall stalks.

From far away, perhaps from Lazarus’ garden, the song of a woman can be heard and the joyful shouting of the boy who is playing with someone. Then one, two, three voices call: «Master! Jesus!»

Jesus arouses Himself and stands up. Although the fully grown flax is very tall, Jesus emerges a good height above the blue-green sea.

«There He is, John!» shouts the Zealot.

And John in turn calls: «Mother! The Master is here, in the flax field.»

And while Jesus approaches the path leading to the houses, Mary arrives.

• Animals
• Creation - Flore
• John of Zebedee (apostle)
• Simon the Zealot (apostle)

« (...) “Man, like all animals, is born through the union of male and female. But the soul, that is the thing which distinguishes the animal-man from the animal-brute, comes from God. He creates it as and when a man is procreated, or rather: when he is conceived in a womb and He infuses it in the body which otherwise would be only animal”.»

«And have we got it? We pagans? According to Your fellow-countrymen it would not appear to be so…» says Quintilian ironically.

«Every man born of woman has it.»

• Animals
• Conception - Childbirth - Begetting

« Master… what do You think of Judas? Last year You wept with me because of him. Then… I do not know… Master, never mind those two dragonflies, look at me, listen to me. I would not say this to anybody. I would not tell my companions, my friends. But I will tell You. I am not successful in loving Judas. I must admit it. He rejects my desire to love him. He does not hold me in contempt, on the contrary he is even too courtly with the old Zealeat who he realises is more skilful than the others in knowing men. But it is the way he behaves. Do you think he is sincere? Tell me.»

Jesus is silent for a few moments as if He were enchanted by the two dragonflies that resting on the surface of the water form a tiny rainbow with their iridescent elytra, a precious rainbow as it attracts a curious midge, which is swallowed by one of the voracious insects, which, in turn, is immediately snatched and devoured together with the midge, by a toad or frog, lying in wait. Jesus stands up, as He had almost lain down to see the little tragedies of nature and says: «It is just like that. A dragonfly has strong jaws to feed on herbs and strong wings to catch gnats, and a frog has a large mouth to swallow dragonflies. Each has his own and makes use of it. Let us go, Simon. The others are waking up.»

«But You have not replied to me, Master. You did not want to.»

«I did! My old wise man, meditate and you will find…» And Jesus goes from the ditch towards His disciples who are waking up looking for Him.

• Animals
• Dragonflies
• Jesus Christ and animals
• Judas de Kérioth (apostle)
• Simon the Zealot (apostle)
• Simon the Zealot and Judas

• Purgatory
• Reincarnation

• Animals

• Fatality
• Moses (biblical character)
• Reincarnation