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Who are the apostles?

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GRM 49.9-11

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

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.

Annotation

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 50.1-2

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

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.

GRM 50.2

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

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.

«Master… please: stay one night at my house. The road to Jerusalem is a long one, even if I will shorten it for You, taking You to Tiberias by boat. My house is poor, but honest and friendly. Stay with us tonight.»

Jesus looks at Peter and at all the rest who are waiting. He looks at them inquisitively. He then smiles and says: «Yes; I will stay.»

It is a great joy for Peter.

People look out from their doors and exchange knowing glances with one another. A man calls James by his name and speaks to him in a low voice, pointing to Jesus. James nods in assent and the man goes and speaks to other people standing at a crossroads.

They go into Peter’s house. There is a large smoky kitchen. In a corner there are nets, ropes, fishing baskets. In the middle there is a long, low fireplace, but there is no fire.

Through two opposite doors one can see the street on one side, and the kitchen garden with a fig-tree and vines on the other side. Beyond the street the rippling on the sky-blue lake can be seen, and beyond the kitchen garden there is the dark, low wall of another house.

«I offer You what I have, Master, and as best as I know how to…»

«You could not offer any more or any better, because you are making your offering with love.»

They give Jesus some water to refresh Himself and then some bread and olives. Jesus takes a few mouthfuls only to please them, then He thanks them and eats no more.

Some children look in inquisitively from the kitchen garden and the street. I do not know whether they are Peter’s children. I only know that he frowns at the intruders to keep them out. Jesus smiles and says: «Leave them alone.»

«Master, do You want to rest? My room is here and Andrew’s is over there. Take Your choice. We will not make any noise while You are resting.»

«Have you got a terrace?»

«Yes, and the vine, although it is still almost bare, gives a little shade.»

«Then take Me up there. I prefer to rest there. I will think and pray.»

«As You wish. Come.»

A little staircase rises from the kitchen garden up to the roof, which is a terrace surrounded by a low wall. Even there, there are nets and ropes. But how much bright light, and what a beautiful view of the blue lake!

Jesus sits on a stool, leaning His back against the little wall. Peter bustles with a sail that he spreads over and on the side of the vine to make a shield against the sun. There is a breeze and silence. Jesus is visibly happy.

«I am going, Master.»

«Go. Go with John and tell people that I will be speaking here at sunset.»

Jesus remains alone and prays for a long time. With the exception of two pairs of doves that come and go from their nests, and the twittering of sparrows, there is no noise or living being near Jesus praying. The hours pass peacefully and quietly.

GRM 50.5-6

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

An elderly man goes near the group, inquisitively. Jesus turns around to caress a child who is pulling His mantle and sees him. He stares at him, intensely. The man blushes and greets Him, but does not say anything else.

«Come! Follow Me!»

«Yes, Master.»

Jesus blesses the children and walking beside Philip, (He calls him by his name) He goes back home. They sit in the little kitchen garden.

«Do you want to be My disciple?»

«Yes, I do… but I dare not hope for so much.»

«I have called you.»

«Then I am Your disciple. Here I am.»

«Did you know about Me?»

«Andrew spoke to me about You. He said to me: “The One you were pining after has come”. Because Andrew knew that I yearned for the Messiah.»

«Your expectation has not been disappointed. He is in front of you.»

«My Master and my God!»

«You are a well-intentioned Israelite. That is why I am manifesting Myself to you.

50.6

Another friend of yours is waiting, he is a sincere Israelite, too. Go and say to him: “We have found Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph of the House of David, Him of Whom Moses and the Prophets have spoken”. Go.»

Jesus remains alone until Philip comes back with Nathanael-Bartholomew.

«Here is a true Israelite in whom there is no fraud. Peace be with you, Nathanael.»

«How do You know me?»

«Before Philip came to call you, I saw you under the fig-tree.»

«Master, You are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel!»

«Because I said I saw you, while you were meditating under the fig-tree, you believe? You will see greater things than that. I solemnly tell you that Heaven is open and because of your faith you will see angels descending and ascending above the Son of man: that is above Me, Who am speaking to you.»

«Master! I am not worthy of such a favour!»

«Believe in Me and you will be worthy of Heaven. Will you believe?»

«I will, Master.»

Annotation

John 1:43-51:

The next day, Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip, and said to him, "Follow me." Philip was from Bethsaida, the village of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him, as it is written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets, Jesus son of Joseph of Nazareth. Nathanael replied, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip replies, "Come and see." When Jesus sees Nathanael coming to him, he declares of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed: there is no guile in him." Nathanael asks him, "How do you know me?" Jesus replies, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael said to him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus continues: "I tell you that I saw you under the fig tree, and that's why you believe! You will see even greater things. And he adds, "Amen, amen, I say to you: you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending above the Son of Man."

GRM 50.8

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Are You leaving tomorrow, Master?»

«Tomorrow, at dawn, if you do not mind.»

«I am sorry that You are going away. But I do not mind the hour. On the contrary, it suits me.»

«Are you going fishing?»

«Yes, tonight, when the moon rises.»

«You did well, Simon, not fishing last night. The Sabbath was not yet finished. Nehemiah in his reformation wants the Sabbath to be respected in Judah. Even nowadays too many people work on the Sabbath day at presses, carry wood, wine and fruit and buy and sell fish and lambs. You have six days for that. The Sabbath is of the Lord. Only one thing you may do on the Sabbath: you may do good to your neighbour. But all profit must be excluded from such help. He who infringes the Sabbath to make a profit will be punished by God. He makes a profit? He will lose it during the other six days. He makes no profit? He has fatigued his body for no purpose, because he did not grant it the rest that Intelligence prescribed for it, and thus he irritated his soul having worked in vain, and goes to the extent of cursing. The day of the Lord, instead, is to be spent with your hearts united to God in sweet prayer of love. You must be faithful in everything.»

«But… scribes and doctors, who are so severe with us… do not work on Sabbath days, they do not even give a piece of bread to their neighbours, to avoid the fatigue of handing it over, but they practise usury also on a Sabbath. As it is not a material work, is it legal to practise usury on a Sabbath?»

«No. Never. Neither on a Sabbath nor any other day. Those Who practise usury are dishonest and cruel.»

«The scribes and the Pharisees, then…»

«Simon: don’t judge. Do not do it.»

«But I have eyes to see…»

«Is there only evil to be seen, Simon?»

«No, Master.»

«Well, then, why look at evil deeds?»

«You are right, Master.»

Detail

Contextualization: Peter speaks to the Master, who then talks about the Sabbath.

GRM 50.9

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

50.9 «Well, tomorrow morning at dawn, I will leave with John.»

«Master…»

«Yes, Simon, what is it?»

«Master… are You going to Jerusalem?»

«You know I am.»

«I am going at Passover too… and also Andrew and James.»

«Well?.. Do you mean that you would like to come with Me? And your fishing? And your profit? You told Me that you like to have money, and I will be away for many days. I am going to My Mother’s first. And I will go there on My way back as well. I will stop there to preach. How will you manage?…»

Peter is perplexed, undecided… then he makes up his mind: «I think… I will come. I prefer You to money!»

«I am coming, too.»

«And so am I.»

«We are going too, aren’t we, Philip?»

«Come, then, you will help Me.»

«Oh!…» Peter is more than excited at the idea of helping Jesus. «How shall we do that?»

«I will tell you. To do good, all you need do, is do what I tell you. He who obeys always does good. We will now pray and then each of us will go and perform his duties.»

«What will You do, Master?»

«I will continue to pray. I am the Light of the world, but I am also the Son of man. I must, therefore, draw from the Light, to become the Man Who redeems man. Let us pray.» Jesus says a psalm. The one beginning: «He who rests in the help of the Most High, will live in the protection of the God of Heaven. He will say to the Lord: “You are my protector and my shelter. He is my God, I will hope in Him. He rescued me from the snares of fowlers and from harsh words” etc.» I find it in the fourth book. It is the second psalm in book four, I think it is number 90, (if I read the Roman number correctly).

The vision ends in this way.

Detail

Jesus declares to the disciples present (Philip and Bartholomew, James of Zebedee, Andrew and Peter):

GRM 51

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

Jesus is at Peter's house, with Simon of Jonah, James, John and Porphyria. Andrew arrives, indicating that Jude is there for him, and his cousin enters the house. Mary invites her Son to the wedding feast at Cana, and their relatives also want him to attend. Jesus agrees to his Mother's request, but then guesses that something is wrong with Jude. He questions him and Jude half-heartedly declares that Jesus must be careful, because of the powerful castes who might be disturbed by his teaching. He mentions the Baptist, but we also sense that he is paying lip service. Moreover, Jesus guesses that it was their kinsmen who told him to say this, which Jude confirms. But Jesus asserts that above the earth, there is Heaven and God's interests. As for his Mother, only she could remind him of his duties as a Son, but she does not. She renounced her creatureliness from the very beginning, and Jesus recalls her life in the Temple, praising her detachment and self-giving to God. The Lord also predicts that there will come a day when all will abandon Him, but not Her, and it is thanks to Mary that the apostles will return to Jesus. He wants us to understand how powerful Mary is on God's heart.

As a result, Jude asks to accompany her to the wedding feast at Cana. He gives him a garment designed by the All-Holy One, which Jesus will put on in Jerusalem, at the Temple.

GRM 51.1

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

I see the kitchen in Peter’s house. In addition to Jesus, there are Peter and his wife, James and John. I think they have just finished eating their supper. They are talking, and Jesus takes an interest in fishing.

Andrew enters and says: «Master, there is the man here in whose house You are living, together with another man who says he is Your cousin.»

Jesus gets up and goes towards the door saying: «Let them come in.» And when He sees Judas Thaddeus in the light of the oil lamp and of the fireplace, He exclaims: «You, Judas?!»

«Yes, Jesus.» They kiss each other.

GRM 51.1

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Judas Thaddeus is a handsome man, in the fullness of his virile manhood. He is tall, although not quite so tall as Jesus, well built and strong, of a dark brown-olive complexion, like saint Joseph when young, but not sallow: his eyes have something in common with those of Jesus, because they are blue, verging on periwinkle. His brown beard is squarely cut, his hair wavy, but not so curly as Jesus’, and is the same hue as his beard.

Detail

Physical description of Jude