Notes for this theme
Reading comfort
GRM 20.5
You cannot believe how much peace it gives me to have Her near me. I think that to die seeing Her must be as sweet and even sweeter than the sweetest hour of one’s lifetime.
Maria Valtorta speaks of Mary and says:
GRM 20.6-7
20.6 Mary says:
«I will not speak much, because You are very tired, My poor daughter. I only wish to draw your attention and the attention of readers to the constant habit of Joseph and Mine of giving priority to prayer. Tiredness, haste, worries, troubles never hindered our prayer, on the contrary they helped it. It was always the queen of our troubles, our relief, our light, our hope. If in sad moments it was a consolation, in happy ones it was a song. But it was always the constant friend of our souls. It detached us from the earth, from our exile, and it raised us up towards Heaven, our Fatherland.
Not only I, Who by now had God with Me and I had but to look at My bosom to worship the Holy of Holies, but also Joseph felt united to God when he prayed, because our prayers were a true adoration of our whole beings, which melted with God by worshipping Him and by being embraced by Him.
And please note that not even I, although I had the Eternal God in Me, not even I felt exempted from respectful homage to the Temple. The deepest holiness does not exempt anyone from feeling a mere nothing with regard to God and from converting such nothingness into an endless hosanna to God’s glory, since He allows us to do so.
20.7 Are you weak, poor, faulty? Invoke the holiness of the Lord: “Holy, Holy, Holy!” Invoke the Blessed Holy One to assist you in your misery. He will come and instil His holiness into you. Are you holy and rich in merits in the eyes of God? Invoke the holiness of the Lord just the same. It is infinite and will increase yours. The angels, who are superior to the weaknesses of mankind, do not cease singing their “Sanctus” not even for an instant, and their supernatural beauty increases with each invocation of the holiness of our God. Imitate the angels.
Never divest yourselves of the protection of prayer, which blunts the weapons of Satan, the malice of the world, the incentives of the flesh and mental pride. Never lay down this weapon, which causes Heaven to open and pour out Its graces and blessings.
The world needs a shower of prayers to be purified from the sins that draw punishments from God. And since only few people pray, those few must pray as if they were many. They must multiply their living prayers to make up the necessary amount to obtain graces. Prayers are living when they are flavoured with true love and sacrifice.
GRM 21
Chapter title: Visitation to Elizabeth
Date of vision: Saturday, April 1, 1944
Calendar: Sunday, March 24, A.D. -5
Location (map): Hebron
Cycle: Birth and childhood of Jesus
Summary: Mary arrives in Hebron. Maria describes the place, then more specifically the Virgin's arrival. She stops in front of a rather luxurious house, where nothing is lacking, and the Immaculate Conception tries to make her presence known. An inquisitive little old lady presents her with a bell and asks her questions. Fortunately, a servant arrives - presumably a gardener - and saves the Mother from the gossip. Mary quickly goes inside after thanking the little old lady. The servant leads her inside and tells her about what has happened in the house: he mentions Elizabeth's childbirth, but also Zechariah's silence, for he is no longer able to speak. He tries to call his wife, Sarah, who is another servant, but instead, Elizabeth arrives. She sees Mary, Mary sees Elizabeth, and they both run to each other. They embrace in a warm embrace, and it's then that the Holy Spirit envelops Elizabeth. The Forerunner is sanctified, and John the Baptist becomes spotless. Elizabeth and Mary speak the words of the Gospel, then Zacharias arrives, but he doesn't realize Mary's spiritual state. Instead, he asks about the Virgin and Joseph, and Elizabeth simply reveals that she is a mother. But neither of them say more.
Maria then writes of how she received the vision, and declares that she saw Mary at Christ's burial.
Chapter contents: 21.1: Through the mountains of Judea. 21.2: Zechariah's wealthy estate in Hebron. 21.3: The strange bell and the opening of the gate. 21.4: Old Samuel gives news of Zechariah and Elizabeth. 21.5: Elizabeth and Mary's embrace, inner illumination, the Magnificat. 21.6: The arrival of Zechariah. 21.7: Visions according to his spiritual needs.
GRM 21.2-4
21.2 Mary, on Her donkey, is climbing up a rather well kept road, probably the main road. She is climbing because the village is higher up and it looks quite tidy. My internal warner says to me: “This place is Hebron.” You spoke to me of Montana. I cannot help it. It is indicated to me with this name. I do not know whether Hebron is the whole area or only the village. That is what I hear and that is what I say.
Mary is now entering the village. It is evening. Some women on their doorsteps watch the arrival of the stranger and gossip with one another. Their eyes follow Her and they are not happy until they see Her stop in front of one of the prettiest houses, in the centre of the village, with a kitchen garden in the front, and a well cultivated orchard in the rear and around it. The orchard continues into a large meadow that rises and slopes according to the sinuosity of the mountain and ends in a wood of tall trees, beyond which I do not know what there is. The whole place is surrounded by a hedge of blackberries or wild roses. I cannot tell exactly which, because, if you remember, the flowers and leaves of these two thorny hedges are very much alike and until their branches bear fruit it is easy to confuse them. In front of the house, that is on the side that skirts the village, the place is enclosed by a small low white wall, on top of which there are rows of rose-bushes, at present without flowers, but already full of buds. In the centre there is an iron gate. It is easily understood that it is the house of a notable of the village and a well-to-do family, because everything shows comfort and great order, if not riches and pomp.
21.3 Mary gets off the donkey and goes to the gate. She looks through the iron bars, but does not see anyone. She endeavours then to make Herself heard. A little old woman, who more curious than the others has followed Her, shows Her a strange gadget that is used as a bell. It consists of two pieces of metal balanced on a kind of yoke, at the end of which there is a rope. When the rope is pulled, the two metal pieces strike each other and make the sound of a bell or gong.
Mary pulls the rope, but so gently, that there is only a faint tinkling, which no one hears. Then the little old woman, whose face is all nose and pointed-chin and whose tongue is worth ten put together, gets hold of the rope and pulls it several times with all her might. She makes enough noise to raise the dead! «That’s how You do it, woman. Otherwise, how can they hear You? You know, Elizabeth is old and so is Zacharias. Now he is dumb as well as deaf. Also the two servants are old, don’t You know? Have You ever been here before? Don’t You know Zacharias? Are You…»
Mary is rescued from the deluge of information and questions by a little old man who suddenly appears panting. He must be a gardener or a farmer, for he is holding a hoe in his hand and there is a pruning knife tied to his belt. He opens the gate and Mary enters thanking the little woman but… leaving her recent question unanswered. What a disappointment for the curious soul!
As soon as She is inside Mary says: «I am Mary of Joachim and Anne, from Nazareth. I am your masters’ cousin.»
21.4 The man bows down and welcomes Her, he then calls out in a loud voice: «Sarah! Sarah!» He opens the gate again to let in the donkey that had been left outside. Mary, in fact, to get rid of the persistant little woman, had slipped inside very quickly and the gardener just as quickly had closed the gate in the face of the gossip.
When Mary arrives in Hebron for the visitation, an old woman comes to meet her. She is very talkative and curious, and Maria describes her as a gossip...
GRM 21.4
«Oh! What a great happiness and what an upheaval to this household! Heaven has granted a child to the barren one, may the Most High be blessed! But seven months ago, Zacharias came back dumb from Jerusalem. He now makes himself understood by gestures or by writing. Perhaps You already know. My landlady has longed so much for You in this joy and this travail! She always spoke to Sarah about You and she would say: “If I only had little Mary with Me! I wish She were still in the Temple! I would send Zacharias to fetch Her. But now the Lord wanted Her married to Joseph of Nazareth. She is the only one who can comfort me in my pain and help me to pray to God, because She is so good. And they all miss Her in the Temple. On the last feast day, the last time I went to Jerusalem with Zacharias to thank the Lord for the child He has given me, Her teachers said to me: ‘The Temple seems to be without the Cherubim of the Glory since Mary’s voice is no longer heard inside these walls’”.» He then shouts again: «Sarah, Sarah! My wife is a little deaf. But come, please, I’ll show You the way.»
A servant of Elizabeth's house spoke to Mary and said:
GRM 21.5
21.5 Instead of Sarah, a fairly old woman appears at the top of the staircase on one side of the house. Her face is all wrinkles and her hair is very grey. It must have been very black at one time because her eyelashes and eyebrows are still very dark and also from the colour of her face one can tell that she was swarthy. Her present, very obvious pregnant condition, is a strange contradiction to her clear old age, notwithstanding her wide and loose dress. She looks down shading her eyes with her hand. As soon as she recognises Mary she raises her arms to the sky and utters an «Oh!» of joy and surprise. She then rushes, as fast as she can, towards Mary. Also Mary, who always moves very quietly, now runs, as swift as a little deer, and reaches the foot of the staircase at the same time as Elizabeth. And She embraces with great affection Her cousin who is crying with joy at seeing Her.
They remain embraced for an instant and then Elizabeth detaches herself exclaiming: «Ah!», an exclamation of mingled joy and sorrow and she places her hands on her enlarged abdomen. She bows her face and turns red and pale alternately. Mary and the servant hold out their hands to support her because she staggers, as if she were unwell.
But Elizabeth, after a moment of concentration, lifts her face which is now so bright that she looks much younger. She then looks at Mary with evident veneration as if she sees an angel, she bows in a deep salutation exclaiming: «You are blessed amongst all women! Blessed is the Fruit of Your womb! (She says exactly that: two clearly separate sentences). How did I deserve that the Mother of my Lord should come to me, Your servant? There, at the sound of Your voice, the child leaped out of joy in my womb and when I embraced You, the Spirit of the Lord whispered deepest truths to my heart. You are blessed, because You believed that it was possible for God even what does not appear possible to the human mind! You are blessed, because by Your faith You will accomplish the things the Lord predicted to You and the Prophets foretold for our times! You are blessed for the Salvation You have brought to the house of Jacob! You are blessed for the Holiness You have brought to my son, whom I feel leaping with joy, like a happy little kid, in my womb, because he feels free from the burden of guilt, and is called to be the Predecessor, sanctified before Redemption by the Holy One Who is growing within You!»
Mary, with two tears that run down like two pearls from Her sparkling eyes to Her smiling lips, with Her face raised to heaven and also Her arms raised up, in the position that Her Jesus will often take on, exclaims: «My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord» and She continues the canticle as it has been handed down to us. At the end, at the verse: «He has come to the help of Israel his servant etc.», she puts Her hands on Her breast, kneels down stooping to the ground, adoring God.
An old man brought Mary into the house of Elizabeth and Zechariah, and called his wife Sarah.
GRM 21.6-7
21.6 The servant, who quite wisely had disappeared when he realised that Elizabeth was not really physically unwell, on the contrary, she was confiding her thoughts to Mary, is now coming back from the orchard with a solemn old man, whose hair and beard are completely white, and who greets Mary from a distance with great gestures and loud guttural sounds.
«Zacharias is arriving,» says Elizabeth, touching the shoulder of Mary, engrossed in prayer. «My Zacharias is dumb. God has punished him because he did not believe. I will tell You later. But now I hope that God will forgive him, because You have come. You, full of Grace.»
Mary rises and goes to meet Zacharias. She stoops to the ground in front of him, kissing the hem of his white robe that reaches down to the ground. It is a very wide robe, held tight to the waist by a large embroidered braid.
Zacharias welcomes Mary by gestures and they both move towards Elizabeth. They all enter a room on the ground floor. It is a wide room, tastefully arranged, where they make Mary sit down and they offer Her some new milk — there is still froth it — and some small pieces of bread.
Elizabeth gives some orders to the maid servant, who has appeared at last, her hands still covered with flour and her hair whiter than usual because of the flour dust on it. Perhaps she was baking bread. She gives orders also to the male servant, whose name I hear is Samuel, and tells him to take Mary’s trunk to a room which she indicates to him. She thus fulfils her duties of a landlady towards her guest.
In the meantime Mary is replying to the questions Zacharias is asking Her, writing them on a wax tablet with a style. From Her answers I understand that he is asking Her about Joseph and Her married life with him. I also understand that Zacharias has been denied all supernatural light about Mary’s state and Her condition of Mother of the Messiah. Elizabeth goes near her husband and laying her hand on his shoulder, in a loving attitude, as if she were caressing him chastely, she says to him: “Also Mary is a mother. Rejoice over Her happiness.” But she does not say anything else. She looks at Mary. And Mary looks at her but does not encourage her to say more and Elizabeth stays silent.
21.7 A sweet, very sweet vision! It obliterates the horror of the sight of Judas’ suicide.
Luke 1, 5-25 : In the days of Herod the Great, king of Judea, there was a priest of the Abia tribe named Zacharias. His wife was also a descendant of Aaron; her name was Elizabeth. Both were righteous before God: they followed all the commandments and precepts of the Lord blamelessly. They had no children, for Elisabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. Now, while Zechariah, during the time allotted to the priests of his group, was ministering to God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priests, to go and offer incense in the sanctuary of the Lord. The whole multitude of people were praying outside at the time of the incense offering. The angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. At the sight of the angel, Zacharias was overwhelmed with fear.
The angel said to him: "Fear not, Zechariah, for your supplication has been heard: your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. You will rejoice and be glad, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. He will not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb; he will cause many sons of Israel to return to the Lord their God; he will go before, in the presence of the Lord, with the spirit and power of the prophet Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, to bring back the rebellious to the wisdom of the righteous, and to prepare for the Lord a people well disposed."
Then Zechariah said to the angel, "How am I to know that this will happen? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."
The angel replied: "I am Gabriel, and I stand in the presence of God. I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news. But behold, you will be silenced, and until the day it comes true, you will no longer be able to speak, because you have not believed my words; they will be fulfilled in their own time."
The people waited for Zechariah, wondering why he lingered in the sanctuary. When he came out, he could not speak to them, and they understood that, in the sanctuary, he had had a vision. He made signs to them and remained mute. When he had completed his time of liturgical service, he returned home. Some time later, his wife Elisabeth conceived a child. For five months, she kept the secret. She said to herself: "This is what the Lord has done for me, in these days when he has set his eyes to erase what was my shame before men."
GRM 22
Chapter title: The days spent in Hebron. The fruits of Mary's charity towards Elizabeth.
Date of vision and dictation: Sunday, April 2, 1944
Calendar: April of year -5
Location (map): Hebron
Cycle: Birth and childhood of Jesus
Summary: Mary lives in Hebron. Elisabeth arrives near her and talks about their respective maternities. Zechariah's wife is no longer in pain now that the Virgin is here, but before that she suffered greatly because of her old age. Mary, by comparison, does not suffer, but she does not have the weight of the Fault.
Elizabeth wants to spin clothes for John the Baptist, but Mary says she will do the work for him. The Virgin argues that she has all the time in the world and that she will think of her cousin first, since the Precursor's birth is imminent. Then she'll think of her child, Jesus.
It is at this point that the Immaculate Conception reveals the name of her Son to Elizabeth, and reveals to her her anguish. Mary knows the prophets, and already senses that Jesus will be the Lamb, the Man of Sorrows. Nevertheless, Elizabeth consoles her, saying that God will be with her, and that her child will be loved for ever and ever.
The two women then speak of Zechariah, who is mute. This is a great sorrow for his wife. She hopes that when the child is born, he will be able to speak again. The blessed mother would like her son to be called John, and she reveals her suffering to her cousin. To take her mind off it, Mary suggests they go outside, and they find themselves near a small flock of lambs.
The vision changes; this time, time has passed. Mary leaves for Elizabeth. They talk about Jesus and his appearance. Then they talk about Joseph, and Mary reveals that she has left it to God to intervene. Apart from Elizabeth, no one must know of her divine maternity, and Elizabeth, who understands, points out that she has even told Zechariah. He enters and Mary says the prayers. She urges the priest to believe in God's mercy, for the man believes he will never be able to speak again.
Finally, Mary gives a lesson on charity, on making God's gifts grow within us. We must always be charitable, not selfish. She also gives us a lesson about the passage of time: God is its master, and he helps those who hope in him. "Selfishness advances nothing, it delays everything. Charity doesn't delay anything, it advances things". Finally, the Mother points out that she found much peace in Elizabeth's home, and that if she had not been tormented by the thought of Joseph and her Son, Redeemer of the world, she would have been happy. But Mary means both light and bitterness...
Chapter contents: 22.1: Mary sews for Elisabeth's child. 22.2: Elisabeth feels much better since Mary's visit. 22.3: Mary is moved by the thought of Isaiah's Man of Sorrows. 22.4: Elisabeth is distressed by Zechariah's silence. 22.5: A walk in the garden among the doves, kids and lambs. 22.6: Mary spins and weaves. 22.7: She imagines what her child will be like. 22.8: God reveals the mystery to Joseph. 22.9: Zechariah speaks again. The Messiah will be born in Bethlehem. 22.10: Love of neighbor. 22.11: My love of neighbor and my love of God. 22.12: Charity advances the realization of things. 22.13: Bitterness mixed with sweetness.
GRM 22.1-5
22.1 It is morning. I see Mary sewing, sitting in the room on the ground floor. Elizabeth is going to and fro, busy with the housework. And when she comes into Mary’s room, she never fails to go and caress Her fair head, which looks even more fair against the rather dark walls and in the beautiful sun rays that enter through the door open onto the garden.
Elizabeth bends down to look at Mary’s work — the embroidery She had in Nazareth — and she praises its beauty.
«I have also some linen to spin,» says Mary.
«For your Child?»
«No. I had it already when I never thought…» Mary does not say anything else. But I understand: «…when I never thought I was to be the Mother of God.»
«But now You will have to use it for Him. Is it good? Fine? Children, You know, need very soft material.»
«I know.»
«I had begun… Late, because I wanted to be sure that it was not a deception of the Evil One. Although… I felt such a joy within me, that it could not possibly come from Satan. After… I suffered so much. I am old, Mary, really old, to be in this state.
22.2 I suffered so much. Don’t You suffer…»
«No. I don’t. I have never been so well.»
«Of course. Quite right. You… there is no stain in You, as God chose You for His Mother. And that is why You are not subject to Eve’s sufferings. The One You bear is holy.»
«I feel as if I had a wing in My heart and not a burden. I seem to have within Me all the flowers and all the birds that sing in springtime, and all the honey and all the sunshine… Oh! I am so happy!»
«Blessed Mary! Neither do I any longer feel burden, tiredness or pain, since I saw You. I seem to be new, young, freed from the miseries of woman’s flesh. My child, after leaping happily at the sound of Your voice, is now quiet in his joy. And I seem to have him, in me, as in a living cradle, and I see him sleeping satisfied and happy, breathing like a little bird under the wing of its mother…
22.3 I will now start working. He will no longer be a weight. I cannot see very well, but…»
«Never mind, Elizabeth. I will see to the spinning and weaving both for you and for your baby. I am quick and My sight is very good.»
«But you will have to see to Your…»
«Oh! There will be plenty time!… First I will take care of you, since you are going to have your baby very shortly, and later I will see to My Jesus.»
It is beyond human possibility to tell you how sweet are Mary’s expressions and voice, how bright Her eyes are with sweet happy tears, and how She smiles in pronouncing that Name, looking at the clear blue sky. She seems to be enraptured simply saying: «Jesus».
Elizabeth exclaims: «What a beautiful name! The name of the Son of God, of Our Redeemer!»
«Oh! Elizabeth!» Mary becomes sad and She seizes the hands of Her relative who had laid them across her enlarged abdomen. «Tell Me, since you were illuminated by the Spirit of the Lord, when I came here, and you prophesied what the world does not know, tell Me: what will My Creature have to suffer to save the world? The Prophets… Oh! What do the Prophets say of the Saviour? Isaiah… Do you remember Isaiah? “He is the Man of sorrows. Through His wounds we are healed. He was pierced through for our faults, crushed for our sins. Yahweh has been pleased to crush Him with suffering. After being condemned He was lifted up…” What lifting is he referring to? They call Him the Lamb and I cannot help thinking of the lamb of the Passover, of the lamb of Moses, and I associate it with the serpent elevated by Moses on a cross. Elizabeth! ay…Elizabeth!…What will they do to My Creature? What will He have to suffer to save the world?» Mary is crying.
Elizabeth comforts Her. «Mary, don’t cry. He is Your Son, but He is also the Son of God. God will see to His Son, and will look after You, His Mother. And if so many will be cruel to Him, so many will love Him. So many!… Forever and ever. The world will look at Your Son and will bless You with Him. They will bless You, for You are the Spring from which redemption gushes out. The destiny of Your Son! He will be raised to the rank of King of the whole creation. Just think of that, Mary. King, because He will redeem the whole creation, and as such, He will be universal King. And He will be loved also in the world, in its lifetime. My son will precede Yours and will love Him. The angel told Zacharias. And he wrote it down for me…
22.4 How painful it is to see him dumb, my Zacharias! But I hope that when the baby is born also the father will be freed from his punishment. Will You pray, too, since You are the Seat of the Power of God and the Cause of delight in the world. To obtain this grace I make my offers to the Lord, as best I can. I offer my creature: because it belongs to Him, as He lent it to His servant to grant her the joy of being called “mother”. It is the testimony of what God has done for me. I want his name to be “John”. Isn’t my son a grace? And didn’t God grant me it?»
«And God, I am sure, will grant you the grace. I will pray… with you.»
«I suffer so much seeing him dumb!…» Elizabeth is crying. «When he writes, as he can no longer speak to me, there seem to be mountains and oceans between me and my Zacharias. After so many years of sweet conversation, now there is nothing but silence from his mouth. And particularly now, when it would be so nice to talk about him who is about to come. I even refrain from speaking to avoid seeing him getting strained in his efforts to reply to me by gestures. I have cried so much! How much did I long for You! The people of the village watch, talk and criticise. Such is the world. But when one has a pain or a joy, one needs to be understood, not criticised. But now my life seems completely improved. I feel a joy in me since You came here. I feel that my test is about to end and that I shall soon be completely happy. I am right, am I not? I have resigned myself to everything. But if God would only forgive my husband! If I could only hear him pray once again!»
22.5 Mary caresses and comforts her and in order to divert her attention, she invites her to take a little walk in the sunny garden.
They walk under a well cultivated pergola, as far as a little rustic tower, in the holes of which doves have nested.
Mary scatters the birdseed laughing, because the doves have rushed on Her, cooing loudly and flapping noisily, forming iridescent circles around Her. They alight on Her head, shoulders, arms and on Her hands, stretching their rosy beaks to snatch the grains from Her hands, gracefully pecking the Virgin’s rosy lips and Her teeth that shine in the sun. Mary takes the golden corn from a little sack and She laughs in the middle of that game of intrusive greed.
«How fond they are of You!» points out Elizabeth. «You have only been here a few days and they love You more than me, although I have always taken care of them.»
They continue walking until they reach an enclosure, at the end of the orchard, where there are about twenty goats with their little kids.
«Have you come back from the pasture?» Mary asks a little shepherd, caressing him.
«Yes, because my father said to me: “Go home, because it is going to rain shortly and there are some sheep about to lamb. Make sure they have dry grass and litter”. There he is, he is coming.» And he points to the wood, whence a continual trembling bleating can be heard.
Mary caresses a little kid, as fair as a child, which rubs itself against Her, and together with Elizabeth She drinks some new milk that the little shepherd offers them.
Then the sheep arrive led by a shepherd as hairy as a bear. But he is obviously a good man because he is carrying a groaning sheep on his shoulders. He puts her down gently and explains: «She is about to lamb. She can only walk with difficulty. I put her on my shoulders and I hurried all the way to get here in time.» The sheep, still limping painfully, is led into the fold by the boy.
Mary is sitting on a stone and is playing with the little kids and the lambs, offering clover flowers to their pretty rosy little faces. A black and white kid puts its little hooves on Her shoulder and smells Her hair. «It is not bread,» says Mary laughing. «I will bring you some crumbs tomorrow. Be good, now.»
Once again cheerful, Elizabeth also laughs.
GRM 22.4
Mary is "the Seat of the Power of God and the Cause of delight in the world."