Characters from the Protévangile and the Evangile de l'Enfance

They are now climbing a very steep hill, because they have left the dusty crowded main road and have taken this short cut through woods. And when they reach the summit, they can distinctly see in the distance a huge bright light shining above an agglomeration, perhaps whitewashed houses.

«Jabez» calls Jesus «come here. Can you see that golden spot? It is the House of the Lord. There you will swear to obey the Law. But do you know it well?»

«My mother used to speak to me about it and my father taught me the precepts. I can read… and… and I think I know what “they” told me before they died…» The boy, who had come smiling when Jesus called him, is now weeping with his head lowered and his trembling hand in Jesus’ hand.

«Do not weep. Listen. Do you know where we are? This is Bethel. Holy Jacob dreamt of the angels here. Do you know? Do you remember?»

«Yes, Lord. He saw a ladder that from the earth reached up to Heaven and the angels went up and down, and my mother used to say that when one dies, if one has always been good, one sees the same thing and goes up that ladder to the House of God. My mother used to tell me many things… But now she does not tell me anymore… I have them all in here and that is all I have of hers…» Tears stream down his little sad face.

«Do not weep like that! Listen, Jabez. I also have a Mother and Her name is Mary and She is holy and good and can tell many things. She is wiser than a teacher and more gentle and beautiful than an angel. We are going to see Her now. She will love you so much. And She will tell you many things. And then John’s mother is with her and she is very good, too, and her name is Mary. And there is the mother of my brother Judas, and she is as sweet as a honey cake and her name is Mary, too. They will love you so much. Because you are a clever boy and for My sake, because I love you so much. And you will grow up with them and when you are big, you will be a holy man of God, like a doctor you will preach Jesus Who has given you a new mother here and Who will open the gates of Heaven to your dead mother and to your father, and will open them also to you when your hour comes. You will not even need to climb the long ladder of Heaven when you die. You will have climbed it during your lifetime, being a good disciple, and you will find yourself up there, at the gate of Paradise, and I will be there and I will say to you: “Come, My friend and son of Mary” and we shall be together.» Jesus’ bright smile, while walking slightly bent to be closer to the raised face of the child who is walking beside Him with his hand held by Jesus, and the wonderful story wipe his tears and make him smile.

• Angels
• Bible - Book of Genesis
• Jacob (biblical character)
• Locations - Bethel
• Marie Salomé (mother of James and John of Zebedee)
• Marie d'Alphée (Mary of Cleophas)
• The Virgin Mary

«Well! Let us go on. Towards the Holy City. We must arrive there tomorrow, towards evening. Why such a hurry? Can you tell me? Is it not the same if we arrive the day after tomorrow?»

«No. It would not be the same. Because tomorrow is Parasceve and after sunset one can walk only for six stadia. You are not allowed to go farther because the Sabbath and its rest have begun.»

«So one idles about on the Sabbath.»

«No. You pray to the Most High Lord.»

«What is His name?»

«Adonai. But saints can pronounce His name.»

«Also good children. Tell Me if you know.»

«Jaave» (the boy pronounces it thus: a very soft G, which is almost a J, and a very long ‘a’).

«And why does one pray to the Most High Lord on the Sabbath?»

«Because He told Moses, when He gave him the tables of the Law.»

«Oh! Did He? And what did He say?»

«He said that we must keep it holy. “For six days you shall labour, but on the seventh day you shall rest and make others rest, because that is what I did, too, after the creation”.»

«What? Did the Lord rest? Did He become tired creating? And was it He Who created? How do you know? I know that God never tires.»

«He was not tired, because God does not walk and does not move His arms. But He did it, to teach Adam and us, and to have a day on which we think of Him. And He created everything, most certainly. The Book of the Lord tells us.»

«But was the Book written by Him?»

«No. But it is the Truth. And one must believe it unless one wants to go to Lucifer.»

«You said that God does not walk and does not move His arms. How did He create then? What is He like? A statue?»

«He is not an idol: He is God. And God is… God is… let me think and remember what my mother said, and even better than she did, that man who, in Your name goes to visit the poor people at Esdraelon… My mother used to say, to make me understand God: “God is like my love for you. It has no body, but it exists”. And that little man, but with such a gentle smile, would say: “God is an Eternal Spirit, One and Triune, and the Second Person became flesh for the sake of us, poor people, and His name is… “ Oh! My Lord! Now that I think of it… it’s You!» The child, dumbfounded, prostrates himself on the ground adoring.

They all run thinking that he has fallen, but Jesus with His finger on His lips beckons them to be silent and then says: «Stand up, Jabez. Children must not be afraid of Me!»

The boy looks up reverently and looks at Jesus with a changed expression, almost of fear.

But Jesus smiles and stretches out His hand saying: «You are a wise little Israelite.»

• Adam and Eve
• Commandments
• Creation
• God
• Jonas of Bethlehem (shepherd of the Nativity) and martyr of Esdrelon
• Lucifer - Satan
• Moses (biblical character)
• Sabbath
• Sunday rest
• Who is God?
• Word of God - Law of God
• You shall not take God's name in vain
• You will sanctify the feasts

«You did not tell Me who speaks of Me in the Book.»

«The Prophets, Lord. And even before, the Book speaks of You when Adam was expelled, and… then to Jacob, Abraham and Moses… Oh!… My father told me that he went to John — not this one other John, the one of the Jordan — and he, the great Prophet, called You the Lamb… Oh! Now I understand the lamb of Moses… You are Passover!»

• Abraham
• Adam and Eve
• Jean-Baptiste
• Lamb of God
• Moses (biblical character)

«Oh! Lord! Lord! And do You love me so much?»

«Yes, Jabez.»

«No, no longer Jabez. Give me a new name that means that You loved me and saved me…»

«I will choose a name together with My Mother. All right?»

«But a name that means just that. And I will have it as from the day I become a son of the Law.»

«You will have it as from that day.»

• The Virgin Mary

The group has spent most of the Sabbath morning resting their tired bodies and cleaning their clothes which had become dusty and creased during the journey. There is so much inviting water in the spacious cisterns of Gethsemane, full of rain water, and in the foamy Kidron, now in flood, because of the recent downpours, where the water resounds against the stones like a symphony. And the apostles, one after the other, defying the low temperature of the water, plunge into it and then, clad from head to foot in fresh clothes, their hair rather sleeked by the spray of the torrent, they draw water from the cisterns pouring it into large vats in which they have sorted out their clothes according to the colours.

«Well! Once they are soaked in there, it will be less troublesome for Mary to wash them.» (I suppose that Mary is the woman who stays at Gethsemane). «Only you, my dear little friend, cannot change. But tomorrow…» In fact the boy is wearing a clean robe, which has been taken from his little sack: so small that it would be quite sufficient for the garments of a doll! But the boy’s little tunic is even more discoloured and torn than the other one and Peter looks at it with apprehension, whispering: «How can I possibly take him to town? I think I will cut one of my mantles in two, because a mantle… would cover him completely.»

Jesus, Who has heard this paternal soliloquy says: «It is better to let him rest now. This evening we are going to Bethany…»

«But I want to buy him a robe. I promised it.»

«You certainly will. But it is better to seek My Mother’s advice. You know… women… have more experience in such purchase… and She will be happy to take care of the child… You will go together.»

Peter is enraptured to the seventh heaven of delight at the idea of going shopping with Mary. I do not know whether Jesus has expressed all His thoughts or whether He has held back some, those implying that His Mother’s taste is more refined than Peter’s and would thus avoid the clashing of atrocious hues. The fact is that He achieves His aim without mortifying Peter.

• Simon-Pierre - Simon de Jonas (apostle)
• The Virgin Mary
• Yabeç (Jabé) - Marziam (Margziam)

Jesus is walking up and down watching Jabez who is playing with John and the younger ones. Also the Iscariot, who has got out of yesterday’s huff is cheerful and plays. The elder ones watch and smile.

«What will Your Mother say of this child?» asks Bartholomew.

«I think She will say: “He is very thin”» says Thomas.

«Oh! no! She will say: “Poor child!”» replies Peter.

«Instead She will say to You: “I am glad that You love him”» objects Philip.

«His Mother would never have doubted it. But I don’t think She will say anything. She will press him to Her heart» says the Zealot.

«And You, Master, what do You think She will say?»

«She will do what you said. She will think many things, or rather, all of them, and will say them in Her heart, and when kissing him She will only say: “May you be blessed” and She will take care of him as if he were a little bird fallen from its nest.»

• The Virgin Mary
• Yabeç (Jabé) - Marziam (Margziam)

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

My Mother had dedicated Herself to virginity for love. But, since She was a perfect creature, maternity was in Her blood and spirit. Because woman is created to be a mother and it is an aberration, if she is deaf to such sentiment, which is love of second power…

• Motherhood of the Virgin Mary
• Parents and children
• The Virgin Mary
• Virginity of the Virgin Mary

«Tell us more about Your Mother. Her childhood is so bright! The very reflection of that brilliance makes our souls pure, and I, a poor sinner, need that light so badly!» exclaims Matthew.

«What shall I tell you? There are so many episodes, one more touching than the other…»

«Did She tell You about them?»

«Yes, some. But Joseph told Me many more, as the most beautiful stories he could tell a child, and also Alphaeus of Sarah, who was a few years older than My Mother, and was Her friend during the short period She was at Nazareth…»

«Oh! Please, tell us…» begs John.

They are all sitting in a circle in the shade of the olive-trees, with Jabez in the centre staring at Jesus as if he were listening to a heavenly tale.

«I will tell you about the lesson on chastity that My Mother gave Her little friend and many more people a few days before entering the Temple. A girl in Nazareth, a relative of Sarah’s, got married on that day and also Joachim and Anne had been invited to the wedding. Little Mary went with them and with other children She was to spread loose flower petals on the bride’s way. They say that She was most beautiful, as a child, and everybody contended for Her after the joyful arrival of the bride. It was not easy to see Mary every day, as She lived mostly at home, where She loved a little grotto more than any other place, and even nowadays She calls it “the grotto of Her nuptials”. So when She appeared outside, fair-haired, rosy and kind, She was overwhelmed by caresses. They used to call Her “the Flower of Nazareth” or “the Pearl of Galilee” or also “the Peace of God” in remembrance of a huge rainbow, which suddenly appeared as soon as She was born. She was in fact all that, and much more. She is the Flower of Heaven and of creation, the Pearl of Paradise and the Peace of God… Yes, the Peace of God. I am the Peaceful One because I am the Son of the Father and the Son of Mary: the Infinite Peace and the sweet Peace. On that day everybody wanted to kiss Her and take Her on their laps. And as She was averse to being kissed and touched, She said with kind seriousness: “Please, do not rumple Me”. They thought She was talking of Her linen dress, held tight to Her waist, to Her wrists and neck by a blue band, or of Her little wreath of blue flowers, with which Anne had adorned Her head to keep Her light curls in place, and they assured Her that they would not crease Her dress or the wreath. But, sure of Herself, a little three year old woman standing in the middle of a circle of adults, She said seriously: “I am not thinking of what can be mended. I am speaking of My soul. It belongs to God. And it does not wish to be touched but by God”. They objected: “But we are kissing You, not Your soul”. She replied: “My body is the temple of My soul and the Spirit is its priest. People are not allowed to enter the enclosure of priests. Please, do not enter the enclosure of God”. Alphaeus, who was then about eight years old and was very fond of Her, was greatly impressed by that reply and the following day, seeing Her near Her little grotto, he asked Her: “Mary, when You are grown up, would You marry me?”. He was still under the excitement of the nuptial feast at which he had been present. And She answered: “I am very fond of you. But I do not see you as a man. I will tell you a secret. I see only the soul of a living being. And I love it so much, with all My heart. But I see only God as the ‘True Living Being’ to Whom I will be able to give Myself”. That is one of the episodes.»

«The True Living Being”!!! That is a very deep word!» exclaims Bartholomew.

And Jesus, humbly and smiling replies: «She was the Mother of Wisdom.»

«Was She?… But was She not three years old?»

«She was. I already lived in Her, as God was in Her, in His most perfect Unity and Trinity, since She was conceived.»

196.8

«Excuse me if I, a sinner, dare speak, but did Joachim and Anne know that She was the chosen Virgin?» asks Judas Iscariot.

«No, they did not know.»

«In that case, how could Joachim say that God had saved Her in advance? Does that not refer to Her privilege over sin?»

«Yes, it does. But Joachim spoke inspired by God, like all the prophets. He himself did not understand the sublime supernatural truth that the Spirit spoke through his lips. Because Joachim was just. So just as to deserve that paternity. And he was humble. There is no justice where there is pride. He was just and humble. He comforted his Daughter out of fatherly love. He taught her through his wisdom of a priest, as he was such as a guardian of the Ark of God. As a Pontiff he consecrated Her with the sweetest title: “The Immaculate One”. And the day will come when another grey haired Pontiff will say to the world: “She is the Immaculate Conception” and will give this truth to the world of believers, as a dogma which cannot be rejected, so that the Most Beautiful Virgin of God, crowned with stars, clad with the rays of the moon, which are not so pure as She is, brighter than all stars, the Queen of Creation and of God, may shine, fully revealed, in the world which in those days will be sinking deeper and deeper in the grey fog of heresies and vices. Because God-King has as His Queen, in His Kingdom, Mary.»

«So Joachim was a prophet?»

«He was a just man. His soul repeated like an echo what God said to his soul which was loved by God.»

• Alphée de Sarah
• Anne of Aaron (mother of the Virgin Mary)
• Defense of the Work
• Holy Spirit
• Holy Trinity
• Joachim of David (father of the Virgin Mary)
• Marie as a child
• Matthew (apostle)
• Soul
• Temple
• The Virgin Mary
• The Virgin Mary - Throne of Wisdom

«Tell us more about Your Mother. Her childhood is so bright! The very reflection of that brilliance makes our souls pure, and I, a poor sinner, need that light so badly!» exclaims Matthew.

«What shall I tell you? There are so many episodes, one more touching than the other…»

«Did She tell You about them?»

«Yes, some. But Joseph told Me many more, as the most beautiful stories he could tell a child, and also Alphaeus of Sarah, who was a few years older than My Mother, and was Her friend during the short period She was at Nazareth…»

• Joseph of Jacob (Saint Joseph)