Notes for this theme
Reading comfort
GRM 49.5
«Have you any nephews, Master?»
«I have but My Mother… In Her there is purity, sincerity, the love of the most holy children, together with wisdom, justice and the fortitude of adults. I have everything in My Mother, John.»
«And You left Her?»
«God is above also the holiest mother.»
«Will I meet Her?»
«Yes, you will.»
«And will She love me?»
«She will love you because She loves whoever loves Her Jesus.»
GRM 49.5
«Have you any nephews, Master?»
«I have but My Mother… In Her there is purity, sincerity, the love of the most holy children, together with wisdom, justice and the fortitude of adults. I have everything in My Mother, John.»
«And You left Her?»
«God is above also the holiest mother.»
«Will I meet Her?»
«Yes, you will.»
«And will She love me?»
«She will love you because She loves whoever loves Her Jesus.»
«Then You have no brothers?»
«I have some cousins on My Mother’s husband’s side. But every man is My brother, and I have come for everybody.»
GRM 49.7
49.7 Jesus goes out onto the little square. On the doorstep there are John and James with Peter and Andrew.
«Peace to you» says Jesus and He adds: «Here is the man who in order to be just must not judge before knowing. But he is honest in admitting he is wrong. Simon, you wanted to see Me? Here I am. And you, Andrew, why did you not come before?»
The two brothers look at each other embarrassed. Andrew whispers: «I did not dare.»
Peter blushes, but does not speak. But when he hears Jesus say to his brother: «Were you doing any wrong in coming? One must not dare do only evil things» he intervenes frankly: «It was my fault. He wanted to bring me to You at once. But I… I said… Yes, I said “I don’t believe it”, and I did not want to come. Oh! I feel better now!…»
Jesus smiles, then He says: «And because of your sincerity I tell you that I love you.»
«But I… I am not good… I am not capable of doing what You said in the synagogue. I am quick-tempered and if anyone offends me… eh!… I am greedy and I like money… and in my fish business… eh!… not always… I have not always been honest. And I am ignorant. And I have little time to follow You to receive Your Light. What shall I do? I would like to become as You say… but…»
«It is not difficult, Simon. Are you acquainted a little with the Scriptures? Are you? Well, think of the prophet Micah. God wants from you what Micah said. He does not ask you to tear your heart apart, neither does He ask you to sacrifice your most holy affections. He does not ask you for the time being. One day, without being requested by God, you will give God your own self. But He will wait while the sun and the dew turn you, a thin blade of grass as you are now, into a sturdy, glorious palm tree. For the time being, He asks you only this: to be just, to love mercy, to take the greatest care in following your God. Strive to do that and Simon’s past will be cancelled and you will become a new man, the friend of God and of His Christ. No longer Simon, but Cephas, the safe rock on which I lean.»
«I like that! I understand that. The Law is so… is so… that is, I cannot comply with it any longer, as the rabbis have made it. But what You say, yes,… I think I will be able to do it. And You will help me. Are You staying in this house? I know the owner.»
«I am staying here. But I am going to Jerusalem and after I will preach throughout Palestine. I came for that. But I will often be here.»
«I will come to hear You again. I want to be Your disciple. A little of the light will enter my head.»
«Your heart, above all, Simon. Your heart. And you, Andrew, have you nothing to say?»
«I am listening, Master.»
«My brother is shy.»
«He will become a lion. It is getting dark. May God bless you, and grant you a good haul. Go now.»
«Peace be with You.» They go away .
John 1:39-42:
Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two disciples who had heard John's word and followed Jesus. He first found Simon, his own brother, and said to him: "We have found the Messiah" - which means Christ. Andrew brought his brother to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said: "You are Simon, son of John; your name shall be Kephas" - which means: Peter.
GRM 49.7
49.7 Jesus goes out onto the little square. On the doorstep there are John and James with Peter and Andrew.
James and John were present at Jesus' first preaching in Bethsaida.
GRM 49.7
Are you acquainted a little with the Scriptures? Are you? Well, think of the prophet Micah. God wants from you what Micah said[1]. He does not ask you to tear your heart apart, neither does He ask you to sacrifice your most holy affections. He does not ask you for the time being. One day, without being requested by God, you will give God your own self. But He will wait while the sun and the dew turn you, a thin blade of grass as you are now, into a sturdy, glorious palm tree. For the time being, He asks you only this: to be just, to love mercy, to take the greatest care in following your God. Strive to do that and (...) you will become a new man, the friend of God and of His Christ.
Contextualization: Jesus talks to Peter, who doesn't know how to follow his words and teachings.
Book of Micah 6, 8
Mi 6, 8: "- Man, you have been made to know what is good, what the Lord requires of you: nothing but to respect right, love faithfulness, and apply yourself to walking with your God."
GRM 49.8
49.8 As soon as they are out Peter says: «I wonder what He meant before, when He said that I will be fishing with other nets and catching different fish.»
«Why did you not ask Him? You wanted to say so many things, but you hardly spoke.»
«I… was bashful. He is so different from all the other rabbis!»
«Now He is going to Jerusalem…» says John, with so much longing and nostalgia.
«I wanted to ask Him if He would let me go with Him… But I did not dare…»
«Go and ask Him now, my boy» says Peter. «We left Him so… without a word of affection. Let Him at least know that we admire Him. I will tell your father.»
«Shall I go, James?»
«Go.»
John runs away… and he runs back, overjoyed. «I said to Him: “Do You want me to come to Jerusalem with You?” He replied: “Come, My friend”. Friend, He said! Tomorrow, I will be here at this time. Ah! To Jerusalem with Him!…»
… the vision ends.
In EMV 48.6, Jesus tells John and James: "He [Peter] is casting the net and is impatient that he has to do it alone, because you didn't go out with the twin boat on an evening when the fishing was so good.... He doesn't know that before long he'll only be fishing with completely different nets to catch completely different prey."
GRM 49.9-11
49.9 With regards to the previous vision, this morning, the 14th of October Jesus says to me:
«I want you and everybody to consider John’s behaviour: particularly one point that always escapes everybody’s notice. You admire him because he was pure, loving, faithful. But you do not notice that he was great in humility as well.
He, the first one responsible for Peter’s coming to Me, was modestly silent about that detail. The apostle of Peter, and consequently the first of My apostles, was John. First in recognising Me, first in speaking to Me, in following Me, in preaching Me. And yet, see what he says? “Andrew, Simon’s brother, was one of the two who had heard John’s words and had followed Jesus. The first person he met was his brother Simon, to whom he said: ‘We have found the Messiah’ and he took him to Jesus”.
Besides being good, he is just, and since he knows that Andrew is distressed because of his shy and reserved disposition, and that he would like to do so much, but does not succeed in doing it, he wants the acknowledgement of Andrew’s goodwill to be handed down to posterity. He wants Andrew to appear as Christ’s first apostle with Peter, notwithstanding that Andrew’s shyness and uneasiness with his brother have been the cause of the failure of his apostolate.
49.10 Amongst those who do something for Me, who can imitate John, instead of proclaiming himself an unexcelled apostle, without considering that his success depends on a multitude of things, which are not only holiness, but also human daring, luck and the occasional chance of being with other people less daring and less lucky, but perhaps holier?
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.
49.11 Is he My favourite? Yes, he is. Does he not resemble Me also in this? Pure, loving, obedient, but also humble. I looked at Myself in him as in a mirror and I could see My virtues in him. I therefore loved him like another Self. I could see in him the glance of My Father, Who considerd him a little Christ. And My Mother would say to Me: “I feel as if he were My second son. I seem to be seeing You, reproduced in a man”.
Oh! How well the One Full of Wisdom knows you, My beloved! The two celestial blues of your pure hearts mingled into one veil only to form a protection of love for Me, and they became one love only, even before I gave My Mother to John and John to My Mother. They loved each other because they realised they were alike: children and brothers of the Father and of the Son.
John 1:39-42:
Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two disciples who had heard John's word and followed Jesus. He first found Simon, his own brother, and said to him: "We have found the Messiah" - which means Christ. Andrew brought his brother to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said: "You are Simon, son of John; your name shall be Kephas" - which means: Peter.
GRM 49.11
49.11 Is he My favourite? Yes, he is. Does he not resemble Me also in this? Pure, loving, obedient, but also humble. I looked at Myself in him as in a mirror and I could see My virtues in him. I therefore loved him like another Self. I could see in him the glance of My Father, Who considerd him a little Christ. And My Mother would say to Me: “I feel as if he were My second son. I seem to be seeing You, reproduced in a man”.
Oh! How well the One Full of Wisdom knows you, My beloved! The two celestial blues of your pure hearts mingled into one veil only to form a protection of love for Me, and they became one love only, even before I gave My Mother to John and John to My Mother. They loved each other because they realised they were alike: children and brothers of the Father and of the Son.
GRM 50
Jesus leaves Capernaum and goes to Bethsaida. Peter welcomes him and invites him to stay in his house. Christ accepts, and Simon de Jonas is delighted. Jesus retires to pray, and later goes outside. He meets a few children, including one who doesn't want to play at war. Jesus supports his point of view, explaining that war is God's punishment. When the kids point out that the kid refuses because he always loses, Jesus smiles and declares that we shouldn't refuse something when it harms us: that's selfishness. You should refuse something when it harms everyone, even if you're sure you'll win. The conversation continues, and Jesus speaks to them for a moment about the Last Judgment and the approaching Redemption, drawing on the book of Nehemiah. The children recognize that he is the Messiah, and he promises to take them with him if they are good and obedient to their parents.
Philip comes to him and Jesus invites him to follow. The apostle accepts, and Jesus tells him about Nathanael. The old man goes to fetch Bartholomew, and everything goes according to the Gospel.
Jesus then goes to Bethsaida to preach. The Savior comes to reiterate the law of the Decalogue, which was simple in the beginning. Nothing else is needed, and the Messiah enjoins us above all to love. He even encourages us to love our enemies.
When the sermon is over, Jesus says he's going to Jerusalem. Peter is torn, but decides to follow the Master. James of Zebedee, Andrew, Philip and Nathanael embark. Jesus accepts them, and the group prays together. Christ then sends them away, explaining that he will continue to pray during this time. The Son of Man needs prayer to continue to be the Redeemer.
GRM 50.1-2
50.1 Later on (at 9:30) I had to describe this.
John knocks at the door of the house where Jesus is a guest. A woman comes to the door and when she sees who it is, she calls Jesus.
They greet each other with a sign of peace. Then Jesus says: «You have come early, John.»
«I have come to tell You that Peter asks You to pass by Bethsaida. He has spoken to many people about You… We did not go out fishing last night. We prayed as well as we could, and we gave up the profit… because the Sabbath was not yet over. And this morning, we went through the streets speaking about You. There are many people who would like to hear You… Will You come, Master?»
«I will, although I must go to Nazareth before going to Jerusalem.»
«Peter will take You from Bethsaida to Tiberias in his boat. It will be even quicker for You.»
«Let us go, then.»
Jesus takes His mantle and haversack. But John relieves Him of the latter. And they set out, after saying goodbye to the landlady.
50.2 The vision shows them coming out of the village and starting their journey to Bethsaida. But I do not hear what they are saying, in fact the vision is interrupted and it is resumed only when they are entering Bethsaida. I realise that it is that town because I see Peter, Andrew and James, with their wives, awaiting Jesus at the entrance to the village.
«Peace be with you. Here I am.»
«We thank You, Master, also on behalf of those who are waiting for You. It is not the Sabbath today, but will You speak Your words to those waiting to hear You?»
«Yes, Peter, I will. In your house.»
Peter is overjoyed: «Come, then. This is my wife and this is John’s mother and these are their friends. But there are other people waiting for You: relations and friends of ours.»
«Tell them that I will speak to them this evening, before I leave.»
I forgot to mention that they left Capernaum at sunset and arrived at Bethsaida the following morning.