Notes for this theme
Reading comfort
GRM 46.15
After the struggle, there comes victory and the angels serve and defend the winner from Satan’s hatred. They restore him with celestial dews, with the Grace that they pour with full hands into the heart of the faithful son, with a blessing that caresses his soul.
One must be determined to defeat Satan, and have faith in God, and in His help.
Jesus talks about temptation.
GRM 47
Jesus walks near the ford of the Jordan. A group passes by, and among them are John and James of Zebedee. It is John who notices the Master and naturally goes towards Him, while his brother follows behind. He greets him, calling him the Lamb of God. Jesus asks him whom he is looking for, and the Beloved replies that he is looking for the Master. He knows this because John the Baptist told him so, and he calls him Lamb because that's what he heard the Forerunner call him. John the Baptist is now imprisoned, and they no longer have their guide. However, John shows up, and he introduces James. He asks where Jesus lives, and Jesus points out that whoever follows him will have to abandon everything: "home, parents, way of thinking, even life." He's not a rich man, and you have to be spiritually reborn in God to follow him. The two men nevertheless want to follow him, and Jesus accepts their request.
Christ then gives two dictations. The first deals with purity and virginity, including consecrated virginity. He explains that "there are many ways of being a virgin", and returns to those who make a vow to the Lord. If souls make a vow, but give in to sensuality (even that of thought), they are only half virgins.
The Master then returns to his own temptation in the desert and the sensuality the Devil proposed. Then he dwells on the pure, who see God. Finally, he focuses on John, the Pure One among the disciples, who was his first disciple.
GRM 47.2
«I am John of Zebedee, and this is James, my brother. We are from Galilee, and we are fishermen. But we are also disciples of John. He spoke words of life to us and we listened to him, because we want to follow God and deserve His forgiveness doing penance and thus prepare our hearts for the coming of the Messiah. You are the Messiah. John said so, because he saw the sign of the Dove descending on You. He said to us: “Here is the Lamb of God”. I say to you: Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world, give us peace (...) »
John of Zebedee spoke to Jesus and said:
GRM 48.4
“See. None of those fish wanted to be caught in the net. Also men, intentionally, would not like to fall prey to Mammon. Not even the most wicked who, blinded by pride, do not believe they have no right to do what they do. Their real sin is pride. All the other sins grow from it. Those who are not completely wicked, would like even less to fall prey to Mammon. But they fall because of their frivolity and because of a weight that drags them to the bottom, and which is Adam’s sin. I have come to remove that sin, and while awaiting the hour of Redemption, to give those who believe in Me such a strength that will enable them to free themselves from the snares that trap them and will make them free to follow Me, the Light of the world”.»
Jesus spoke to John and James of Zebedee and said to them:
GRM 49.4
«Do you like honey? Yes? Well, if you are good, you will eat honey which is sweeter than the honey of your bees.»
«Where? When?»
«When, after a life of loyalty to God, you go to Him»
«I know that I cannot go there unless the Messiah comes. My mother says that now, we in Israel, are like many Moses and we die seeing the Promised Land. She says that we are there, waiting to go in, and that only the Messiah will make us go in.»
«What a clever little Israelite! Well, I tell you that when you die, you will go to Paradise at once, because the Messiah will already have opened the gates of Heaven. But you must be good.»
«Mummy! Mummy!» The child slides down from Jesus’ arms and runs towards a young woman, who is entering her house holding a copper amphora. «Mummy! The new Rabbi told me that I will go to Paradise at once when I die and. I will eat so much honey…. If I am good. I will be good!»
«God grant it! I am sorry, Master, if he troubled You. He is so lively!»
«Innocence does not trouble, woman. May God bless you, because you are a mother who is bringing her children up in the knowledge of the Law.»
The woman blushes at being praised and replies: «May the blessing of the Lord be with You, too.» And she disappears with her little one.
Jesus addresses a child and says:
GRM 49.10
When you succeed doing some good, do not boast about it, as if the merit were entirely yours. Praise God, the Lord of the apostolic workers, and have a clear eye and a sincere heart to see and give each the praise they deserve. A clear eye to discern the apostles who sacrificed themselves and are the first real incentive for the work of the others. Only God sees them: they are timid and seem to be doing nothing, whereas they draw from Heaven the fire that urges daring workers. A sincere heart in saying: “I work. But this fellow loves more than I do, he prays better than I do, I am not able to sacrifice myself as he does and as Jesus said: ‘… in your private room with the door closed pray secretly.’ Since I am aware of his humble holy virtue, I want to make it known and say: ‘I am an active instrument; he is a power that inspires me, because, joined as he is to God, he is a channel of celestial energy for me’”.
And the Blessing of the Father, that descends to reward the humble man, who secretly sacrifices himself to give strength to the apostles, will descend also on the apostle who sincerely acknowledges both the supernatural and silent help of the humble one, and his merits that superficial men do not notice.
It is a lesson for everybody.
Jesus tells us:
GRM 50.7
Men of goodwill, come to Me without any fear. If your souls are injured, I will cure them; if they are ill, I will heal them; if they are dead, I will raise them. All I want is your goodwill.
GRM 50.7
Love. May your love become a ladder by which, like angels, you will ascend to Heaven, as Jacob saw them, when you hear the Father say to each and everybody: “I will be your protector wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this place; to Heaven, the Eternal Kingdom”.
Book of Genesis
Genesis 28, 10-15 : Jacob sets out from Beer-Sheba towards Haran. On the way, he stops to spend the night and dreams of a ladder set up on the earth, the top of which touches the sky, with angels of God ascending and descending the ladder. The Lord stands by Jacob and makes promises, including to give him the land on which he rests and to protect him wherever he goes.
GRM 51.4
I tell you that above the world there is Heaven, and above the interest of the world there is the cause of God. You must change your ways of thinking. When you learn to do that, you will be perfect.
GRM 53.6
Their bodies must be subject to their souls, which are to be subject to the true God, and their bodies are not to be masters over their souls and against God.