Notes for this theme

Jesus' entourage

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GRM 79.1.2-3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

79.1 Jesus is walking with His disciples on a road along the torrent. The road is not really running along the torrent. The torrent is below; high above, on the side of the mountain, there is a twisting road, as can be normally found in mountain places. John is almost purple, laden like a porter, with a big heavy satchel. Judas is carrying Jesus’ bag and his own. Simon has only his bag and the mantles. Jesus is now wearing his own clothes and sandals. But Judas’ mother must have had His tunic washed, because it is no longer creased.
(...) He [Jesus] instead addresses John: «Your load is heavy and you are tired. Give it to Me.»
«No, Jesus, I am used to carrying weights and in any case… the thought of Isaac’s joy makes it light.»
79.3
They go round the hillock. Elias’ sheep are in the shade of the wood, on the other side. And the shepherds, sitting in the shade are watching them. When they see Jesus they start running.
«Peace to you. You are here?»
«We were worried about You… because of the delay… and we didn’t know whether to come and meet You or obey… then we decided to come this far… and thus obey Your instructions and satisfy our love at the same time. You have probably been here for many days.»
«We had to stay…»
«Nothing… wrong?»
«No, My friends, nothing. A faithful believer died on My breast. Nothing else.»
«What do you think should have happened, shepherd? When things are well arranged… Certainly one must know how to prepare them and also prepare hearts to receive them. My town paid every honour to Christ. Did they not, Master?»
«Yes, they did. Isaac, on our way back we called at Sarah’s. Also the town of Juttah, without any preparation other than its simple goodness and the truth of Isaac’s words, understood the essence of My doctrine and learned how to love with a holy, practical, unselfish love. She sent you some clothes and food, Isaac, and everybody wanted to add something to the alms you left on your bed, because you are now back in the world and you lack everything. Take this. I never take money. But I accepted this because it is purified by charity.»
«No,Master, You keep It. I… I am used to doing without it.»
«You will now have to go to the various villages to which I will send you. And you will need it. A workman is entitled to his pay, also if he deals with souls… because there is still a body to be nourished, as if it were a donkey helping its master. It is not much. But you will manage. John has some clothes and sandals in that bag. Joachim gave some of his own. They may be too big… but there is so much love in the gift!»
Isaac takes the bag and goes behind a bush to dress. He was still barefooted and was wearing his strange gown made from a blanket.

Detail

The apostles took some clothes for the Shepherd, who was very poor. The city of Yutta, where the disciple of Christ lived, gave it to them. They were late for their appointment, as the death of Saul of Kerioth had delayed them: they had to purify themselves.

Keywords

GRM 79.2

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

79.2 «We lost some days over that stupid incident. It spoiled everything… and my mother who had prepared so much, was disappointed. I cannot understand why You wanted to segregate Yourself with the purification…»
«Judas, why do you call something that was a grace for a true believer stupid? Would you not like such a death for yourself? He had waited all his life for the Messiah, and although an elderly man, he had gone along uncomfortable roads, to adore Him, when he was told: “He is here”. He had kept My Mother’s word for thirty years in his heart. He was enraptured by the fire of love and faith in the last hour granted to him by God. His heart broke out of joy and was burnt, like a pleasing holocaust, by the fire of God. Which destiny could be better? He spoiled the feast you had prepared? You can see the answer of God in that. The things of man are not to be mixed with the things of God… Your mother will have Me again. The old man would not have had Me again. The whole of Kerioth can come to Christ, the old man had no more strength to do so. I am happy that I held the old dying father against My heart and I commended his soul. With regards to the rest… Why give scandal lacking respect for the Law? One must walk in front of the others if one wants to say: “Follow me”. And to lead people on to a holy path, one must walk on the same path. How could I have said, or how could I say: “Be faithful”, if I were without faith?»

Detail

Saul of Kerioth died on Jesus' heart, so he was unclean according to the Law. He had to purify himself, which obviously delayed their journey. Judas then declares:

Keywords

GRM 79.3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

They go round the hillock. Elias’ sheep are in the shade of the wood, on the other side. And the shepherds, sitting in the shade are watching them. When they see Jesus they start running.
«Peace to you. You are here?»
«We were worried about You… because of the delay… and we didn’t know whether to come and meet You or obey… then we decided to come this far… and thus obey Your instructions and satisfy our love at the same time. You have probably been here for many days.»
«We had to stay…»
«Nothing… wrong?»
«No, My friends, nothing. A faithful believer died on My breast. Nothing else.»
«What do you think should have happened, shepherd? When things are well arranged… Certainly one must know how to prepare them and also prepare hearts to receive them. My town paid every honour to Christ. Did they not, Master?»
«Yes, they did.»

Detail

Judas' pride and vanity

Keywords

Judas de Kérioth (apostle)

GRM 79.4

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

79.4 «Master» says Elias. «That woman… the woman who is in John’s house… three days after You left and we were pasturing the sheep on the meadows of Hebron — they belong to everybody, the meadows, and they could not send us away — she sent her maid to us with this bag and told us that she wanted to speak to us… I don’t know whether I did the right thing… but the first time I gave the bag back to her and said: “I do not want to listen to her”… Then she sent this message: “Come in Jesus’ name” and I went. She waited until her… well, the man who keeps her, had gone… She wanted to know so many things. But I… didn’t tell her very much. Out of prudence. She is a prostitute. I was afraid it might be a trap for You. She asked me who You are, where You live, what You do, if You are a gentleman… I said: “He is Jesus of Nazareth, He goes everywhere, because He is a Master, and He goes around Palestine teaching”; I said You are a poor man, a simple workman, made wise by Wisdom… Nothing else.»
«You did well» says Jesus, and Judas at the same moment exclaims: «You did the wrong thing! Why did you not say that He is the Messiah, the King of the world? The proud Roman woman should be crushed under the blow of God’s splendour.»
«She would not have understood me… In any case how could I be sure that she was sincere? When you saw her, you said what she is. Was I to throw holy things, and everything that is Jesus is holy, into her mouth? Was I to endanger Jesus, giving too much information? Anyone may hurt Him, but I will not.»
«John, let us go and tell her who the Master is, and explain the holy truth to her.»
«Not me. Unless Jesus tells me.»
«Are you afraid? What can she do to you? Do you loathe her? The Master did not.»
«I am not afraid neither do I loathe her. I feel sorry for her. But I think that if Jesus wanted, He could have stopped to teach her. He did not do it… it is not necessary for us to do it.»
«At that time there were no signs of a conversion… Now…»

Detail

Elijah was called by Aglaia in Hebron. She gave him her jewels. Judas reacts... very spontaneously and suggests that John turn back, but he refuses to do so unless Jesus orders him to.

Keywords

GRM 79.4-7 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Master» says Elias. «That woman… the woman who is in John’s house… three days after You left and we were pasturing the sheep on the meadows of Hebron — they belong to everybody, the meadows, and they could not send us away — she sent her maid to us with this bag and told us that she wanted to speak to us… I don’t know whether I did the right thing… but the first time I gave the bag back to her and said: “I do not want to listen to her”… Then she sent this message: “Come in Jesus’ name” and I went. She waited until her… well, the man who keeps her, had gone… She wanted to know so many things. But I… didn’t tell her very much. Out of prudence. She is a prostitute. I was afraid it might be a trap for You. She asked me who You are, where You live, what You do, if You are a gentleman… I said: “He is Jesus of Nazareth, He goes everywhere, because He is a Master, and He goes around Palestine teaching”; I said You are a poor man, a simple workman, made wise by Wisdom… Nothing else.»
«You did well» says Jesus, and Judas at the same moment exclaims: «You did the wrong thing! Why did you not say that He is the Messiah, the King of the world? The proud Roman woman should be crushed under the blow of God’s splendour.»
«She would not have understood me… In any case how could I be sure that she was sincere? When you saw her, you said what she is. Was I to throw holy things, and everything that is Jesus is holy, into her mouth? Was I to endanger Jesus, giving too much information? Anyone may hurt Him, but I will not.»
«John, let us go and tell her who the Master is, and explain the holy truth to her.»
«Not me. Unless Jesus tells me.»
«Are you afraid? What can she do to you? Do you loathe her? The Master did not.»
«I am not afraid neither do I loathe her. I feel sorry for her. But I think that if Jesus wanted, He could have stopped to teach her. He did not do it… it is not necessary for us to do it.»
«At that time there were no signs of a conversion… Now…
79.5
Show me the bag, Elias.» And Judas, who is sitting on the grass, empties the bag on his mantle. Rings, armlets, bracelets and a necklace roll out: yellow gold on the dark gold of Judas’ mantle. «They are jewels!… What can we do with them?»
«They can be sold» says Simon.
«They are troublesome things» remarks Judas, who, however, admires them.
«That’s what I told her, when I took them; I also said: “Your master will beat you”. She replied: “They do not belong to him. They are mine and I do what I want with them. I know it is the gold of sins… but it will become good if used for the poor and the holy. That they may remember me” and she was crying.»
«Go and see her, Master.»
«No.»
«Send Simon.»
«No.»
«Well, I’ll go.»
«No.» Jesus’ «No» is sharp and peremptory.
«Was I wrong, Master, in speaking to her and taking that gold?» asks Elias, when he sees Jesus so serious.
«You did nothing wrong. But there is nothing more to be done.»
79.6
«But perhaps that woman wants to redeem herself and she needs to be taught…» Judas objects once again.
«There are already in her so many sparks capable of starting a fire which will burn her vices and purify her soul and repentance will render her innocent once again. A few minutes ago I spoke to you of the yeast which is mixed with the flour and turns it into holy bread. Listen now to a short parable.
That woman is the flour. A flour in which the Evil One has mixed his hellish powders. I am the yeast. That is, My word is the yeast. But if there is too much chaff in the flour, or if sand, or little stones or ashes are mixed in it, is it possible to make bread with it, even if the yeast is good? It is not possible. It is necessary to patiently remove the chaff, the ashes, stones and sand from the flour.
Then Mercy passes by and offers the first sieve… The first one: made from short basic truths, which may be understood by one entangled in the net of total ignorance, vice and Gentilism. If the soul accepts it, the first purification begins. The second takes place by means of the sieve of the soul itself, which compares its own being with the Being that revealed Itself. And the soul is horrified. And it starts its work. By means of a more and more particular operation, after the stones, the sand and the ashes, it reaches the point of also removing that part of the flour consisting of grains too heavy and too coarse to make good bread. The soul is now ready. Mercy then passes by once again and penetrates into the flour now ready — that is a preparation too, Judas — and raises it and turns it into bread. But it is a long operation: an operation of the “will power” of the soul.
That woman already has within herself the minimum which was fair to give her and which may be used by her to accomplish her work. Let her do it, if she wishes to, but we must not disturb her. Everything upsets a soul which is working: curiosity, unadvised zeal, intolerance as well as excessive compassion.»
79.7
«We are not going to see her, then?»
«No. And that none of you may be tempted to, let us leave at once. There is shade in the wood. We will stop at the foot of the Terebinth Valley. And we will part there. Elias will go back to his pastures with Levi: Joseph will come with Me as far as the Jericho ford. Later… we will meet again. You, Isaac, continue what you did at Juttah, going from here, through Arimathaea and Lydda, to Doco. We will meet there. It is necessary to prepare Judaea, and you know how to do it. Exactly as you did at Juttah».
«And what about us?»
«You? You will come, as I said, to see My preparation. Also I am prepared for My mission.»
«Did You go to a rabbi’s?»
«No.»
«Did You go to John?»
«I was only baptised by him.»
«Well, then?»
«Bethlehem spoke with its stones and its hearts. Also where I am taking you, Judas, the stones and a heart, Mine, will speak to you and give you the answer.»

Detail

Elijah was called by Aglaia in Hebron. She gave him her jewels. Judas reacts... very spontaneously and suggests turning back, but Jesus refuses and gives them a parable about the sinner.

Keywords

GRM 79.6

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

79.6 «But perhaps that woman wants to redeem herself and she needs to be taught…» Judas objects once again.
«There are already in her so many sparks capable of starting a fire which will burn her vices and purify her soul and repentance will render her innocent once again. A few minutes ago I spoke to you of the yeast which is mixed with the flour and turns it into holy bread. Listen now to a short parable.
That woman is the flour. A flour in which the Evil One has mixed his hellish powders. I am the yeast. That is, My word is the yeast. But if there is too much chaff in the flour, or if sand, or little stones or ashes are mixed in it, is it possible to make bread with it, even if the yeast is good? It is not possible. It is necessary to patiently remove the chaff, the ashes, stones and sand from the flour.
Then Mercy passes by and offers the first sieve… The first one: made from short basic truths, which may be understood by one entangled in the net of total ignorance, vice and Gentilism. If the soul accepts it, the first purification begins. The second takes place by means of the sieve of the soul itself, which compares its own being with the Being that revealed Itself. And the soul is horrified. And it starts its work. By means of a more and more particular operation, after the stones, the sand and the ashes, it reaches the point of also removing that part of the flour consisting of grains too heavy and too coarse to make good bread. The soul is now ready. Mercy then passes by once again and penetrates into the flour now ready — that is a preparation too, Judas — and raises it and turns it into bread. But it is a long operation: an operation of the “will power” of the soul.
That woman already has within herself the minimum which was fair to give her and which may be used by her to accomplish her work. Let her do it, if she wishes to, but we must not disturb her. Everything upsets a soul which is working: curiosity, unadvised zeal, intolerance as well as excessive compassion.

Detail

Jesus gives a parable about Aglaia.

Keywords

GRM 79.7

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

We will stop at the foot of the Terebinth Valley. And we will part there. Elias will go back to his pastures with Levi: Joseph will come with Me as far as the Jericho ford. Later… we will meet again. You, Isaac, continue what you did at Juttah, going from here, through Arimathaea and Lydda, to Doco. We will meet there. It is necessary to prepare Judaea, and you know how to do it. Exactly as you did at Juttah.

Detail

Jesus gives his instructions after finding Elijah and Isaac.

Keywords

GRM 79.7

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«And what about us?»
«You? You will come, as I said, to see My preparation. Also I am prepared for My mission.»
«Did You go to a rabbi’s?»
«No.»
«Did You go to John?»
«I was only baptised by him.»
«Well, then?»
«Bethlehem spoke with its stones and its hearts. Also where I am taking you, Judas, the stones and a heart, Mine, will speak to you and give you the answer.»

Detail

Jesus gives his instructions to the shepherds Elijah, Levi, Joseph and Isaac after finding them. At this point, Judas intervenes and asks what the apostolic group is going to do.

Keywords

GRM 79.8

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

79.8 Elias, who has brought some milk and brown bread, says: «While waiting for You, I tried, and Isaac tried with me, to convince the people in Hebron… But they will not believe, they will not take an oath, they do not want anyone but John. He is their “holy man” and they do not want anyone else.»
«It is a sin quite common to many places and many present and future believers. They look at the workman, not at the master who sent the workman. They ask the workman questions and they do not even say to him: “Tell your master”. They forget that there is a workman only because there is a master and that it is the master who instructs the workman and enables him to work. They forget that the workman can intercede, but only the master can concede. In this case God and His Word with Him. It does not matter. The Word is sorry but bears no grudge. Let us go.»
The vision ends.

Keywords

GRM 80.2-3.5

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

I am aroused by the voice of my Jesus: «Here we are at the place I wanted.» I turn around. I see Him behind me, with John, Simon and Judas, near the rocky slope of the mountain, where there is a little path, or rather, where the long erosion of water, in the rainy months, has formed a very shallow channel throughout centuries, a drain for the water flowing from the mountain top and which is a path for wild goats rather than for men.
Jesus looks around and repeats: «Yes, this is the place that I wanted to bring you to. Here Christ prepared for His mission.»
«But there is nothing here!»
«You are quite right, there is nothing.»
«Who were You with?»
«With My soul and with the Father.»
«Ah! You stayed only for a few hours!»
«No, Judas. Not a few hours. Many days…»
«But who served You? Where did You sleep?»
«My servants were the wild asses that came to sleep in their caves, where I also had taken shelter. My maidservants were the eagles that said to Me with their harsh cries: “It’s daylight” and they flew away to attack their prey. My friends were the little hares that came up almost to My feet, gnawing at the wild herbs. My food and My drink were the same food and drink of the wild flower: the night dew and the sunshine. Nothing else.»
«But why?»
«To prepare well, as you say, for My mission. Things well prepared for are successful. You said so yourself. And My thing was not a small, a useless thing which would glorify Me, the Servant of the Lord, but it was to make men understand what the Lord is, and by means of such understanding, make Him loved in the spirit of truth. The servant that is concerned with his own triumph, and not with the Lord’s, is a miserable man! The servant who is anxious to make a profit, who dreams he will sit on a high throne built on the interests of God, which have been lowered down to the earth, whereas they are celestial interests, is also a miserable servant. He is no longer a servant, except in his external appearance. He is a merchant, a trafficker, a deceitful person, who deceives himself and men and would like to deceive God as well… a wretched man who believes he is a prince, whilst he is a slave. He belongs to the Evil One, his king of falsehood. Here, in this cave, Christ for many days lived fasting and praying to get ready for His mission.
80.3
And where would you have suggested I should have gone to prepare, Judas?»
Judas is puzzled and bewildered. Eventually he replies: «I would not know… I was thinking… to a rabbi… or with the Essenes… I do not know.»
«And was it possible for Me to find a rabbi who would tell Me more than the power and wisdom of God were telling Me? And could I — I the Eternal Word of the Father, Who was present when the Father created man and am aware of the immortal soul by which he is animated and of the power of free capable judgement with which he was endowed by the Creator — would I have gone to derive science and skill from those who deny the immortality of souls, final resurrection and also the freedom of man to act, attributing virtues and vices, holy and wicked deeds to a destiny, which they say is fatal and uncontrollable? Certainly not! (...)
80.5 I came here. I took My soul of the Son of man and I gave it its finishing touches and I thus finished the work of thirty years of humbleness and preparation in order to be perfect when starting My mission. Now I ask you to stay with Me for a few days in this cave. Our stay will be less depressing because we shall be four friends joining in our efforts against sadness, fears, temptation and the desires of the flesh. I was by Myself. It will be less painful because it is now summer and up here the mountain winds lessen the heat. I came here at the end of the Tebeth moon and the wind blowing down from the snowy tops was harsh. It will be less trying because it will be shorter and also because we have the necessary food to satisfy our hunger and in small leather flasks that I asked the shepherds to give you, there is enough water to last us for the days of our stay. I… I must snatch two souls from Satan. It can only be done by penance. I ask you to help Me. It will be training for you. You will learn how to snatch victims from Mammon: not so much with words but with sacrifice… Words!… The satanic uproar prevents one from hearing them… Every soul which is a prey of the Enemy is enveloped in a turbine of infernal voices… Do you want to stay with Me? If you do not want to, you may go and we will meet at Tekoah, near the market.»
«No, Master, I will not leave You» says John, while Simon at the same time exclaims: «You raise us by wanting us to be with You in this redemption.» Judas… does not appear to be terribly enthusiastic. But he puts a good face on… destiny and says: «I will stay.»
«Well, take the flasks and the bags and put them inside, and before the sun gets hot, break some wood and gather it near the crevice. The nights are severe, even in summer, and not all the animals are gentle. Light a branch at once. Over there, a branch of that gummy acacia. It burns very well. We will search in the crevices and with the fire we will drive out asps and scorpions. Go.»…

Detail

Christ prepared himself for his mission.

Tebet: A month spanning December and January.