Shepherds of the Nativity

And with only Elias for company, Jesus and Mary go as far as a large house, which is completely closed and silent. The shepherd knocks at the door with his stick. A maidservant looks out of a little window asking who it is. Mary moves forward saying: «Mary of Joachim and Her Son, from Nazareth. Tell your mistress.»

«It is useless. She does not want to see anybody. She is weeping her heart out.»

«Try.»

«No. I know how she drives me away if I try to take her mind off her worries. She does not want anyone, she will not see anyone or speak to anyone. She speaks only to the memory of her sons.»

«Go, woman. I order you to go. Say to her: “Little Mary of Nazareth is here, the one who was your daughter in the Temple…”. You will see that she will be wanting Me.»

The woman goes away shaking her head. Mary explains to Her Son and to the shepherd: «Eliza was much older than I was. She was waiting in the Temple for her fiance to come back from Egypt where he had gone on inheritance matters and so she remained there up to an unusual age. She is almost ten years older than I am. The teachers used to entrust the little girls to the guidance of adult pupils… and she was My companion-teacher. She was good and… Here is the woman.»

In fact the servant thoroughly amazed rushes to open the door wide: «Come in, come in!» she says. And then in a low voice: «May You be blessed for getting her out of that room.»

Elias takes his leave and Mary enters with Her Son.

• Elijah of Bethlehem (shepherd of the Nativity)

A tall woman, walking bowed in dark clothes, comes forward in the dim light of the hall.

«Eliza! Dear! I am Mary!» says Mary running towards her and embracing her.

«Mary? You… I thought You were dead, too. I was told… when? I don’t know… My head is empty… I was told that You died with many other mothers after the coming of the Magi. But who told me that You were the Mother of the Saviour?»

«The shepherds perhaps…»

«Oh! the shepherds!» The woman bursts into bitter tears. «Don’t mention that name. It reminds me of the last hope for Levi’s life… And yet… yes… a shepherd spoke to me of the Saviour and I killed my son taking him to the place where they said the Messiah was, near the Jordan. But there was nobody there… and my son arrived back in time to die… Fatigue, cold… I killed him… But I had no intention of being a murderer. I was told that He, the Messiah, cured diseases… and that is why I did it… Now my son accuses me of killing him…»

«No, Eliza. It is you that think so. Listen. I instead think that your son has taken Me by the hand saying: “Come to my dear mother. Take the Saviour to her. I am happier here than I would be on the earth. But she listens only to her weeping, and she cannot hear the words that I whisper to her with my kisses, poor mother, she is like a woman possessed by a demon who wants her to surrender to despair, because he wants us to be divided. If instead she resigns herself and believes that God does everything for a good purpose, we would be united for good, with our father and brother. Jesus can do it”. And I came… with Him… Do you not wish to see Him?…» Mary has spoken holding the poor wretch in Her arms all the time, kissing her grey hair with unparalleled kindness.

«Oh! if it were true! But, why then did Daniel not come to You, to tell You to come sooner?… But who told me some time ago that You were dead? I don’t remember… I don’t remember… That is another reason why perhaps I waited too long to go to the Messiah. But they said that He, You, everybody had died at Bethlehem…»

«Never mind who said so.»

• Massacre of the Innocents
• Messiah
• Sauveur
• Shepherds of the Nativity
• Three Kings (Epiphany)

«Night is falling, woman. I will join My apostles. I leave My Mother with you…»

«Oh! Will you please stay as well!… I am afraid that if You go away, my torture will begin again… The storm is just beginning to calm at the sound of Your words…»

«Do not be afraid! You have Mary with you. I will come again tomorrow. I have something to tell the shepherds. Can I tell them to approach your house?…»

«Oh! Yes. They used to come for my son last year too… Behind the house there is an orchard and a rustic yard. They can go there as they used to do then, to keep the flock together…»

«All right. I will come. Be good. Remember that Mary in the Temple was entrusted to You. I entrust Her to you as well tonight.»

• Elijah of Bethlehem (shepherd of the Nativity)
• Joseph of Joseph of Bethlehem (shepherd of the Nativity)
• Levi of Bethlehem (shepherd of the Nativity)
• Shepherds of the Nativity

The news that Eliza has convinced herself that she should get rid of her tragic melancholy must have spread through the village, so much so that when Jesus, followed by His apostles and disciples goes towards the house, crossing the village, many people watch Him carefully. They also ask the various shepherds questions about Him, why He came, about those who are with Him, about the boy, the women, the medicine He gave Eliza to relieve her of the darkness of insanity so quickly as soon as He arrived, about what He is going to do or say… And who wishes to ask more questons, may do so…

The last question is: «Could we not come as well?» to which the shepherds reply: «That we do not know. You ought to ask the Master. Go and ask Him.»

«And if He should ill-treat us?»

«He does not ill-treat even sinners. Go. He will be pleased.»

209.2

A group of people, mainly elderly men and women, of the same age as Eliza, consult one another and then move forward approaching Jesus Who is speaking to Peter and Bartholomew, and rather hesitantly they call Him: «Master…»

«What do you want?» asks Bartholomew.

«To speak to the Master, to ask…»

«May peace come to you. What questions do you wish to ask Me?»

They take heart seeing Jesus smile and say: «We are all friends of Eliza, and of her house. We heard that she has been cured. We would like to see her and hear You. Can we come?»

«You can come certainly to hear Me. To see her, no, My dear friends. Mortify your friendship and your curiosity too. Because it is also curiosity. Have respect for a deep grief which is not to be disturbed.»

«But has she not recovered?»

«She is turning towards the Light. But when night comes to an end, is it suddenly midday? And when you light a fire, is the flame bright at once? The same applies to Eliza. And if a sudden gust of wind blows on the little starting flame, does it not put it out? Use discretion therefore. The woman is one big sore. Also friendship might irritate her because she needs rest, silence, and solitude, not tragic as yesterday’s, but a resigned solitude to find herself once again…»

«So, when shall we see her?»

«Sooner than you think. Because she is now on the path to health. But if you knew what it means to come out of that darkness! It is worse than death. And he who comes out of it, after all, is ashamed of having been there and that the world should know.»

«Are you a doctor?»

«I am the Master.»

They have reached the house. Jesus speaks to the shepherds: «Go into the yard. Those who wish to come with you, may do so. But no one must make any noise or go beyond the yard. And you watch as well» He says to the apostles, «that everybody complies. And you (He speaks to Salome and Mary of Alphaeus) watch that the boy does not make any noise. Goodbye.» And He knocks at the door while the others turn the corner along a narrow street and go where they were told.

• André (apostle)
• Anonymous characters
• Barthélémy - Nathanaël (apostle)
• Elijah of Bethlehem (shepherd of the Nativity)
• James of Alphaeus (apostle)
• James of Zebedee (apostle)
• John of Zebedee (apostle)
• Joseph of Joseph of Bethlehem (shepherd of the Nativity)
• Judas de Kérioth (apostle)
• Jude of Alphée (apostle)
• Levi of Bethlehem (shepherd of the Nativity)
• Marie Salomé (mother of James and John of Zebedee)
• Marie d'Alphée (Mary of Cleophas)
• Matthew (apostle)
• Philip (apostle)
• Shepherds of the Nativity
• Simon the Zealot (apostle)
• Simon-Pierre - Simon de Jonas (apostle)
• The Twelve
• Thomas (apostle)
• Yabeç (Jabé) - Marziam (Margziam)

The women remain in the garden, but shortly afterwards, when Jesus’ voice greeting the people present is heard in the calm air, Eliza, as if she were attracted by an irresistible force, goes slowly up to a very tall hedge beyond which is the yard.

Jesus speaks first to the three shepherds. He is close to the hedge, and in front of Him there are the apostles and the citizens of Bethzur who followed Him. The Maries with the boy are sitting in a corner. Jesus says: «But are you bound by contract or can you free yourselves from your commitment any time?»

«Well, we are really free servants. But we do not think that it is right to leave him at once, now that the flocks demand so much attention and it is difficult to find shepherds.»

«No, it is not fair. But it is not necessary to do it at once. I am telling you in good time, so that you may provide in all fairness. I want you to be free. To join the disciples and help Me…»

«Oh! Master!… » The three men become ecstatic with joy. «But will we be able?» they ask.

«I have no doubt about it. So that is settled. As soon as you can do it, you will join Isaac.»

«Yes, Master.»

«You may go among the rest.

209.5 I will speak a few words to the people.»

And leaving the shepherds He addresses the crowd.

• Elijah of Bethlehem (shepherd of the Nativity)
• Isaac de Yutta (shepherd of the Nativity)
• Joseph of Joseph of Bethlehem (shepherd of the Nativity)
• Levi of Bethlehem (shepherd of the Nativity)

«In what do you think the Master prefers others to you?»

«Do you not see that even now? When it was time to leave Bethzur, after stopping to teach three shepherds who could have very well been taught by Isaac, whom does He leave with His mother? Me? you? No. He leaves Simon. An old man who can hardly speak!…»

«But the little he says is always said right» retorts Thomas, who is now alone because the women and Andrew have gone away and are walking fast in front of them as if they wished to get past a stretch of the road where the sun is very warm.

• Elijah of Bethlehem (shepherd of the Nativity)
• Isaac de Yutta (shepherd of the Nativity)
• Joseph of Joseph of Bethlehem (shepherd of the Nativity)
• Levi of Bethlehem (shepherd of the Nativity)

By the second phase of the moon of Sivan we shall all be at your mother’s. We, that is also My Mother and Simon. For the time being She is evangelizing Bethzur, a Judaean town, as Johanna is evangelizing Jerusalem with the assistance of a girl and a priest who was previously a leper, as Lazarus with Martha and old Ishmael are evangelizing Bethany, as Juttah is evangelized by Sarah and I am sure that your mother speaks of the Messiah at Kerioth, You cannot certainly say that I have left Judaea without voices. On the contrary, although it is more narrow-minded and stubborn than any other region, I have given it the sweetest voices, the voices of women, beside those of Isaac, a holy man, and of Lazarus, a friend of Mine. A woman knows how to use words with the subtle art of a woman, a mistress in leading souls to where she wants.

• Annalia
• Isaac de Yutta (shepherd of the Nativity)
• Ishmael of Bethany
• Jeanne de Kouza
• John the priest (former leper)
• Lazare
• Martha of Bethany
• Sarah from Yutta

My friends, distance is good and evil. To be very far from the places where I am likely to speak is an evil, because it prevents you from hearing the words of Life. And you regret it. That is true. But it is good inasmuch that it keeps you away from the places where sin ferments, corruption boils and snares hiss to act against Me, hampering Me in My work, and against the hearts of people, by insinuating doubts and falsehood with regards to Me. But I prefer you to be far away rather than corrupted. I will see to your formation. You know that God had provided before we were acquainted with one another, so that we might love one another. I was known before we met. Isaac was your announcer. I will send many Isaacs to speak My words to you. However, you must know that God can speak everywhere and privately to the spirit of man and instruct him in His doctrine.

• Corruption
• Good and evil
• Isaac de Yutta (shepherd of the Nativity)
• Sin