Skip to content

Notes for this keyword

Limbo - Sheol

Theme: Teachings from the Church's Magisterium · Page 2 of 2

Reading comfort

Aa

GRM 194.3 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«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.»

GRM 208.2 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

The boy is interested in those shepherds who saw the Child Jesus and he asks Mary many questions and She explains everything patiently and kindly.

«But why did they punish them? They had done nothing but good!» asks the boy after hearing the story of their misfortunes.

«Because very often man makes mistakes, accusing innocent people of evil deeds that in actual fact were done by someone else. But as they have been good and have forgiven, Jesus loves them so much. We must always be able to forgive.»

«But all the children who were slaughtered, how could they have forgiven Herod?»

«They are little Martyrs, Marjiam, and martyrs are saints. They not only forgive their executioners, but they love them, because they open Heaven to them.»

«But are they in Heaven?»

«No, not just now. But they are in Limbo where they are the joy of Patriarchs and of the just.»

«Why?»

«Because when they arrived with their souls purple with blood, they said: “Here we are, we are the heralds of Christ the Saviour. Rejoice, you who are waiting, because He is already on the earth”. And everybody loves them because they are the bearers of these good tidings.»

«My father told me that also Jesus’ Word is good tidings. So when my father goes to Limbo after repeating it on the earth, and I also go there, will we be loved as well?»

«You will not go to Limbo, My dear little one.»

«Why?»

«Because Jesus will have already gone back to Heaven and will have opened it and all good people will go straight to Heaven when they die.»

«I will be good, I promise. And Simon of Jonah? He too, eh? Because I do not want to become an orphan a second time.»

«He will be there as well, you may be sure, but there are no orphans in Heaven. We have God. And God is everything. We are not orphans here either. Because the Father is always with us.»

GRM 208.10 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Tell me, tell me that I am not guilty of Levi’s death! Tell me that they are not lost forever! Tell me that I will soon be with them!…»

«Yes, I will. Listen. They are now exulting because you are in My arms. I will soon be going to them, and what shall I tell them? That you are not resigning yourself to the Lord? Shall I tell them that? The women of Israel, the women of David, so strong, so wise, are to be given the lie by you? No. You are suffering, because you suffered all alone. Your grief and you. You and your grief. One cannot endure it thus. Are you no longer bearing in mind the words[2] of hope for those whom death has taken away from us? “I mean to raise you from your graves and lead you back to the soil of Israel. And you will know that I am the Lord when I open your graves and raise you from your graves. When I put My spirit in you, you will live”. The soil of Israel, for the just sleeping in the Lord, is the Kingdom of God. I will open it and give it to those who are waiting.»

«Also to my Daniel? And to my Levi?… He was so horrified at death!… He could not stand the idea of being far from his mother. That is why I wanted to die and be buried beside him…»

«But they were not there with their living parts. Only dead things were there and they could not hear you. They are in the place of expectation…»

«But does it really exist? Oh! Do not be scandalised at me. My memory has turned into tears! My head is full of the noise of the weeping and death-rattle of my sons. That death-rattle! That death-rattle. It has dissolved my brains. I have but that death-rattle in here…»

«And I will put the words of life there for you. I will sow the Life, because I am Life, where there is the din of death. Remember the great Judas Maccabee who wanted a sacrifice offered for the dead, rightly thinking that they are destined to rise again and that it is necessary to hasten their peace by means of suitable sacrifices. If Judas Maccabee had not been certain of their resurrection, would he have prayed and made people pray for the dead? As it is written[3], he thought that a great reward is set aside for those who die piously, as your sons certainly did… See, you are saying yes? So do not despair. But pray devoutly for your dead ones, that their sins may be expiated before I go to them. Then, without waiting for a moment, they will come to Heaven with Me. Because I am the Way, the Truth and the Life and I lead, and I speak the Truth and I give Life to those who believe in My Truth and follow Me.»

Detail

A mother bereaved by the death of her two sons asks Jesus:

Annotation

Have you no longer kept in mind the words of hope about those whom death has taken from us? "I will take you out of your graves and bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from your tombs. I will put my spirit within you and you will live. " See Ezekiel 37:11-14 below.

Remember the great Judas Maccabaeus, who wanted to make a sacrifice for the dead, because he rightly believed that they are destined to rise again and that the hour of peace must be hastened for them by timely sacrifices. If Judas Maccabaeus had not been certain of the resurrection, would he have prayed and had others pray for the dead? He, on the contrary, as it is written, thought that a great reward was reserved for those who die piously, as your sons surely did... See the second book of Maccabees 12, 43-46 below.

Book of Ezekiel 37, 11-14

Ezek 37, 11-14 : And he said to me, "Son of man, these bones are all the house of Israel. Behold, they say, 'Our bones are dry, our hope is dead, we are lost! Therefore prophesy and say to them: Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I will open your graves, and raise you up from your graves, O my people, and bring you back to the land of Israel. And you will know that I am Yahweh, when I open your graves and raise you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my Spirit within you, and you will live; and I will give you rest on your soil, and you will know that I, Yahweh, say and do, - oracle of Yahweh!"

Second Book of Maccabees 12, 43-45

2 M 12, 43-46 : Then, having collected the sum of two thousand drachmas, he sent it to Jerusalem to be used for an expiatory sacrifice. A fine and noble deed, inspired by the thought of the resurrection! For, had he not believed that the soldiers killed in battle would rise again, it would have been useless and futile to pray for the dead. He also considered that a very fine reward is reserved for those who fall asleep in piety, and this is a holy and pious thought. This is why he made this atoning sacrifice for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sins.

GRM 534.4

The Gospel as revealed to me

Translation in progress

GRM 618.4

The Gospel as revealed to me

Translation in progress