Notes for this theme
Reading comfort
GRM 78.4
«Shall we go to Kerioth? I have rested and I wish to thank you, mother, for all your kindness. May Heaven reward you and grant rest and peace to your late husband for all your charity to Me.»
The woman tries to kiss His hand, but Jesus caresses her head and thus prevents her from doing so.
GRM 78.9
«Master, Saul died enraptured by the Spirit of God. We touched him, are we clean or unclean?»
«Unclean.»
«And what about You?»
«I am just like the others. I do not change the Law. The Law is law and an Israelite fulfils it. We are unclean. Within the third and the seventh day we shall get purified. Till then, we are unclean. Judas, I am not going back to your mother’s. I do not want to take uncleanliness to her home. Send her word by someone who can go there. Peace to this town. Let us go.»
I do not see anything else.
GRM 79
Jesus walks with his disciples towards Hebron. John, Judas and Simon the Zealot are present. His goal is to reach the shepherds, especially Levi and Isaac. Judas grumbles about the incident at Kerioth, where Saul died against Jesus' heart, but the Lord rebukes him. He also affirms that we must be faithful to the Law and set an example. The apostolic group meets up with the shepherds again, and Elijah relates that Aglaia gave him her jewels in Hebron. They discuss what to do with them, but Christ gives no orders for the moment. He gives a short parable about Aglaia and the souls who repent like them. The apostles would like to turn back and go back to her, but Jesus doesn't want them to and decides that they should leave right away for the Temptation Mountain.
GRM 79.1
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.
The apostolic group left from Kérioth. Judas' mother is evoked by Maria Valtorta.
GRM 79.1
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.
«How much fruit! How beautiful are those vineyards on those hills!» says John, who is always in good spirits, despite the heat and the fatigue. «Master, is this the river on the banks of which our fathers picked the miraculous grapes?»
«No, it is another one, farther south. But the whole region was blessed with rich fruit.»
«It is not so blessed now, although still beautiful.»
«Too many wars have devastated the country. Israel was made here… but it had to be fecundated by its own blood and by the blood of its enemies.»
Book of Numbers, 13, 23-24: They went as far as the Valley of Eshkol, where they cut a branch and a bunch of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole. They had also picked pomegranates and figs. The place was called the Valley of Eshkol (i.e.: the Bunch) because of the bunch the sons of Israel had cut there.
GRM 79.2
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?»
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:
GRM 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.»
Judas' pride and vanity
GRM 79.4
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…»
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.
GRM 79.4-7 · Volume 3
«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.»
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.
GRM 79.6
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.
Jesus gives a parable about Aglaia.