Notes for this theme

The reprobates welcomed by Jesus

Page 29 of 34

Reading comfort

GRM 198

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

Apart from John, Judas and Peter, the other apostles are not named by Maria. Nevertheless, they are present.

Keywords

GRM 198.1-4 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Jesus is walking fast with His disciples towards Lazarus’ town, along a shady road which links the Mount of Olives to Bethany. One could say that the green ramifications of the mountain stretch as far as the countryside of Bethany. Jesus is recognised even before entering the town and voluntary messengers run in all directions to inform people of His arrival. Thus Lazarus and Maximinus arrive running from one side, Isaac with Timoneus and Joseph from another, and the third group to arrive is Martha with Marcella, who lifts her veil to bend down and kiss Jesus’ tunic. Immediately after Mary of Alphaeus and Mary Salome reach the spot, they greet the Master and then embrace their sons. Little Jabez, still held by the hand by Jesus, is tossed about by so much rushing and watches everything dumbfounded. John of Endor, feeling like a stranger, withdraws to the end of the group and stands aside. Suddenly, in the lane leading to Simon’s house, Jesus’ Mother comes forward.
Jesus drops Jabez’ hand and gently pushes His friends to one side to hasten towards Her. The well-known words resound in the air, like a solo of love above the whispering of the crowd: «Son!»; «Mother.» They kiss each other and in Mary’s kiss there is the anguish of a mother who has been afraid for a long time and now that the terror, which had seized her, is dissolving, she feels the tiredness of the effort she made and evaluates the risks He has run…
Jesus, Who understands, caresses Her saying: «Beside My angel I had Yours, Mother, watching over Me. No harm could have befallen Me.»
«May the Lord be praised for that. But I suffered so much!»
«I wanted to come sooner, but in order to obey You, I had to come a different way. But it was a good thing, because Your order, Mother, bore good fruit, as usual.»
«It was Your obedience, Son!»
«It was Your wise order, Mother… » They smile at each other like two lovers.
Is it possible that this Woman is the Mother of this Man? Where are the sixteen years of difference in age? The freshness and grace of Mary’s face and of Her virginal body make Her a sister of Her Son, Who is in the fullness of a handsome manliness.
«Are You not asking Me why it bore good fruit?» asks Jesus smiling all the time.
«I know that My Jesus conceals nothing from Me.»
«My dear Mother!» He kisses Her again…
People have kept away a few yards pretending not to be watching the scene. But I bet that there is not one of all the eyes that seem to be looking elsewhere that does not cast sidelong glances at the loving scene.
198.2
The one who is most keen in watching is Jabez, whom Jesus left when He ran to embrace His Mother, and who has been left all alone, because owing to the quick succession of questions and answers, everybody’s attention was diverted from the poor boy… He looks, then bends his head, endeavours to restrain his tears… but he cannot and bursts out weeping, moaning: «Mummy! Mummy!»
Everybody turns around, Jesus and Mary are the first, and everybody endeavours to help or find out who the boy is. Mary of Alphaeus rushes towards him with Peter – they were together – and they both ask: «Why are you crying?»
But before Jabez can catch his breath and speak while shedding so many tears, Mary has run towards him and taken him in Her arms saying: «Yes, my little child, your Mother! Do not cry anymore… and excuse Me if I did not see you before. My friends, here is My little son…» It is obvious that Jesus, in the few seconds approaching the boy, must have said to Her: «He is a little orphan brought with Me.» Mary realised the rest.
The boy is still weeping, but not so disconsolately, and as Mary is holding him in Her arms and kissing him, he ends up by smiling while his face is still wet with tears.
«Let me dry those tears of yours. You must not cry any more! Give Me a kiss…» Jabez was expecting nothing but that and after being caressed by bearded men, he is overjoyed in kissing Mary’s smooth cheek.
198.3
3Jesus has been looking for John of Endor and when He sees him, He goes to get him in his remote corner. And while all the apostles are greeting Mary, Jesus comes towards Her, holding John of Endor by the hand and He says: «This is the other disciple, Mother. Your command gained these two sons for You.»
«It was Your obedience, Son» repeats Mary and She greets the man saying: «Peace to you.»
The man, the coarse restless man of Endor, who has changed so much since that morning when Judas’ whim took Jesus to Endor, completely divests himself of his past while bowing to Mary. I think it is so, because his face, after bowing, looks really serene and truly «at peace».
They all set out towards Simon’s house: Mary with Jabez in Her arms, Jesus holding John of Endor by the hand, and then, around them and behind them, Lazarus and Martha, the apostles with Maximinus, Isaac, Joseph, and Timoneus.

Keywords

GRM 198.4 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

They all set out towards Simon’s house: Mary with Jabez in Her arms, Jesus holding John of Endor by the hand, and then, around them and behind them, Lazarus and Martha, the apostles with Maximinus, Isaac, Joseph, and Timoneus.
They enter the house on the threshold of which Simon’s old servant greets Jesus and his master with deep respect.
«Peace to you, Joseph, and to this house» says Jesus, lifting His hand to bless after laying it on the old servant’s white head.
Lazarus and Martha, after their first expression of joy, are somewhat sad and Jesus asks them: «Why, My friends?»
«Because You are not staying with us and because everybody comes to You except the soul that we would like to be Yours.»
«Fortify your patience, your hope and your prayers. After all, I am with you. This house!… This house is but the nest from which the Son of man will fly every day to His dear friends, so close in space, but if we consider the situation in a supernatural way, infinitely closer in love. You are in My heart and I am in yours. Can we be closer than that? But we will be together this evening. Please sit at My table.»

Keywords

GRM 198.9 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

And during their absence the various groups continue their conversations. They narrate, comment and sigh on human harshness. Isaac tells what he has been able to find out about the Baptist. Some say he is at Machaerus, some at Tiberias. His disciples have not yet come back…
«But did they not follow him?»
«Yes. But near Doco those who had captured him crossed the river with their prisoner and no one knows whether they went up to the lake or down to Machaerus. John, Matthias and Simeon are moving around to find out and they will certainly not abandon him.»
«And you, Isaac, will certainly not abandon this new disciple. He will stay with Me for the time being. I want him to celebrate Passover with Me.»
«I will celebrate it in Jerusalem, in Johanna’s house. She saw me and offered a room for me and my companions. They are all coming this year. And we shall be there with Jonathan.»
«Those from Lebanon too?»
«Yes. Perhaps John’s disciples will not be able to come.»
«Johanan’s men are coming, did you know?»
«Are they? I will be at the door, near the priests offering sacrifices. I will see them and take them with me.»
«They will be arriving at the last moment. Their time is very limited. But they have a lamb.»
«I have one, too. A marvellous one. Lazarus gave me it. We will sacrifice this one and they can keep theirs for their journey back home.»

Annotation

The shepherds of Lebanon, i.e. Daniel and Benjamin.

Keywords

GRM 198.11 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

…It is late in the night when Jesus can speak to His Mother in peace. They have gone up to the terrace, and sitting one beside the other, hand in hand, they speak and listen to each other.
Jesus is the first to tell the story of the things that happened. Then Mary says: «Son, after Your departure, immediately after, a woman came to Me… She was looking for You. A great misery. And a great redemption. But the poor creature needs to be forgiven by You so that she may persevere in her decision. I entrusted her to Susanna saying that she had been cured by You. That is true. I could have kept her with Me if our house were not like a sea-port, where all the boats come in… and many with evil intentions. And the woman is disgusted with the world by now. Do You want to know who she is?»
«She is a soul. But tell Me her name that I may receive her without any mistake.»
«She is Aglae. The Roman mime and sinner whom You began to save at Hebron, who looked for You and found You at the Clear Water and she has already suffered because of her revived honesty. How much she has suffered!… She told Me everything… How horrible!…»
«Her sin?»
«That… and I would say how much more: how horrible the world is. Oh! My Son! Do not trust the Pharisees in Capernaum! They wanted to use the unhappy creature to harm You. They would have used even her…»
«I know, Mother… Where is Aglae?»
«She will be coming with Susanna before Passover.»
«Very well. I will speak to her. I will be here every evening and with the exception of Passover evening, which I am reserving for the family, I will wait for her. All You need do is tell her to wait, if she comes. It is a great redemption, as You said. And such a spontaneous one! I solemnly tell You that in few hearts My seed took root with the same strength as it did in this unhappy soil. And later Andrew helped it to grow until it was fully formed.»
«She told Me.»
«Mother, what did You feel when that ruin approached You?»
«Disgust and joy. I seemed to be on the brink of a hellish abyss, and at the same time I felt as if I were being carried into the blue sky. You are God indeed, My Son, when You work such miracles!»
They remain silent, under the very bright stars and the pale light of the first quarter of the moon, which is tending to become full. Silent, loving each other and resting in each other’s love.

Keywords

GRM 199.1 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

The beautiful morning invites people to leave their homes and beds and go for a walk, and the people living in the Zealot’s house get up very early, and like bees at sunrise they go out to breathe the pure air in Lazarus’ orchard around the hospitable house. They are soon joined by Lazarus’ guests, that is, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, Andrew and James of Zebedee. The sun shines in joyfully through all the windows and wide open doors and illuminates the simple tidy rooms with a golden hue, which brightens the shades of clothes and enlivens the hues of hair and eyes.
Mary of Alphaeus and Salome are busy serving the men who enjoy a hearty appetite. Mary instead is watching one of Lazarus’ servants who is sorting Marjiam’s hair, cutting it with greater skill than his first barber ever did.

Keywords

GRM 199.2 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«What is your name?»
«Marjiam.»
«Of course! But blessed be my Mary! She could have given you an easier name!»
«It’s almost like Hers!» exclaims Salome.
«Yes, but Hers is more simple. There aren’t those letters in the middle of it… They are too many…»
The Iscariot, who has just come in, says: «She gave a name which is precise in its meaning, according to the genuine old language.»
«All right. But it is difficult, and I will take one letter away and say Marziam. It is easier and the world will not collapse because of that. Is that right, Simon?»
Peter, who is passing by the window speaking to John of Endor, looks in and asks: «What do you want?»
«I was saying that I shall call the boy Marziam. It is easier.»
«You are right, woman. If the Mother allows me, I will call him thus, too. But how wonderful you look! So do I, eh? Look!»
In fact he is perfectly tidy, his cheeks have been shaved, his hair cut, his beard trimmed and scented with oil, his clothes show no creases and his sandals are so clean that they look like new ones. I do not know what he has polished them with. The women admire him and he laughs happily.
The boy has finished eating and goes out to meet his great friend, whom he always calls: «Father».

Detail

Marie d'Alphée asks young Marziam what his name is.

Annotation

"What's your name?

- Marziam.

- I see! But my blessed Mary could have given you an easier name!

- It's almost hers! exclaims Salomé.

- Yes, but hers is simpler. It doesn't have those three consonants in the middle... Three is too many... " MaRGZiam, simplified to Marziam in the new translation in line with what Marie d'Alphée and Pierre express in the rest of the text.

"She took the exact name for what it means, in accordance with the ancient language". Hebrew, no doubt, since Aramaic (a closely related language) had become the common language of Jesus' time. This proximity is perfectly captured in Salome's reflection. We also know this closeness from Jesus' prayer on the cross: Elôi, elôi, lama sabachthani, a slightly different Aramaic quotation in Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34. This proximity does not exclude differences, however, since chapter 8 of the Book of Nehemiah reports that the exiles returning to Jerusalem heard the Torah read "in the old language", but did not understand it: it had to be translated.

Keywords

GRM 199.3 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

And there is Jesus coming from Lazarus’ house together with the latter. The boy runs towards Him and Jesus says: «Peace be with us, Marjiam. Let us exchange the kiss of peace.»
Lazarus, greeted by the boy, caresses him and gives him a sweet.
They all gather around Jesus. Also Mary, wearing a turquoise woolen dress on top of which a darker mantle is draped, comes towards Her Son smiling.
«We can go, then» says Jesus. «You, Simon, with My Mother and the boy, if you still wish to buy his robe, now that Lazarus has seen to it.»
«Of course I do! And then… I will be able to say that once I walked beside Your Mother. A great honour.»
«Go, then. Simon, you will take Me to your leper friends…»
«Really, Master? Then, if You do not mind, I will run ahead, to gather them… You will reach me. You know where they are…»
«All right, go. The others can do what they like. You are all free until Wednesday morning. At the third hour everybody is to be at the Golden Gate.»
«I am coming with You, Master» says John.
«And I» says his brother James.
«And us, too» say the two cousins.
«I will come, too» says Matthew, and Andrew after him.
«And I? I would like to come, too… but if I go to do the shopping, I cannot come…» says Peter, pressed by two desires.
«It can be done. We shall go to the lepers first, while My Mother with the boy goes to the house of a friend in Ophel. We will reach Her later and you will go with Her, while the others and I go to Johanna’s. We will meet at Gethsemane for our meal and towards sunset we will come back here.»
«If You allow me, I will go to see some friends…» says Judas Iscariot.
«I have already told you. Do what you like.»
«In that case, I will go to my relatives. Perhaps my father has already come. If he is there, I will bring him to see You» says Thomas.
«What about us two? What do you say, Philip? We could go and see Samuel.»
«Very good» Philip replies to Bartholomew.
«And what about you, John?» Jesus asks the man of Endor. «Do you prefer to remain here and sort out your books, or do you wish to come with Me?»
«Really, I would prefer to come with You… My books… I am already less fond of them. I prefer to read You, the Living Book.»
«Come, then. Goodbye, Lazarus…»
«I will come, too. My legs are a little better, and after we have seen the lepers, I will leave You and go to Gethsemane and wait for You there.»
«Let us go, Peace to you, women.»
They remain all together until they are near Jerusalem. Then they part, the Iscariot goes on his own and enters the town probably through the Gate near the Antonia Tower; Thomas, Philip and Nathanael walk for about ten more yards with Jesus and their companions and then enter the town through the suburb of Ophel, together with Mary and the boy.

Annotation

You, Simon, are going to accompany me to your leper friends... Simon the Zealot is a former leper, cured by Jesus.

You're all free until Wednesday morning. At the hour of tierce, everyone goes to the Golden Gate. This gate leads directly to the Temple from Bethany and Gethsemane.

Meanwhile, Mother and the child go to a friendly house in Ophel. This neighborhood is south of the Temple and therefore east of the city.

The two of us, what do you say, Philippe, we could go to Samuel's house. Probably Samuel, Annalia's fiancé.

He probably enters the city through the gate by the Antonia Tower. The Pisces Gate.

Keywords

GRM 199.4-5 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«And now, let us go and see those unhappy people!» says Jesus, and turning His back to the town He goes towards a desolate place on the slope of a rocky hill which lies between the two roads from Jericho to Jerusalem, A strange place, similar to a flight of steps after the first slope, up which climbs a path, so that there is a drop of at least three yards from the first terrace to the path, and the same from the second one. It is an arid, dead… extremely sad place.
«Master» shouts Simon the Zealot «I am here. Stop where You are, that I may show You the way…» and the Zealot, who was leaning against a rock to be in the shade, comes forward and leads Jesus up the steps of a path leading towards Gethsemane, but separated from it by the road that from the Mount of Olives goes to Bethany.
«Here we are. I lived among the tombs of Siloam and my friends are here. Some of them. The others are at Ben Hinnom, but cannot come… They would have to cross the road and would be seen.»
«We shall go to them also.»
«Thank You! On their part and mine.»
«Are they many?»
«Winter has killed most of them. But here there are still five of those to whom I had spoken. They are waiting for You. There they are, on the edge of their prison…»
There are probably ten monsters. I say «probably», because if five, who are standing up, are clearly visible, the others, because of the greyish hue of their skin, the deformity of their faces and the fact that they hardly protrude from the stone barrier, cannot be counted accurately and they may be more than five or less. Among those standing up there is only one woman. One can tell only by her white dishevelled hair hanging coarse and dirty over her shoulders down to her waist. There is no other sign by which one could tell her sex, because the disease, which is in an advanced stage, has reduced her to a skeleton, destroying all feminine forms. Likewise among the men, only one still has traces of moustache and beard. All the others have been made hairless by the destructive disease.
They shout: «Jesus, our Saviour, have mercy on us!» and they stretch out their deformed or ulcerated hands. «Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on us!»
«What do you want Me to do for you?» asks Jesus looking towards their misery.
«We want You to save us from sin and from this disease.»
«Your will and repentance will save you from sin…»
«But if You wish, You can cancel our sins. At least those, if You do not want to cure our bodies.»
«If I say to You: “Choose either one or the other”, which one would you prefer?»
«God’s forgiveness, Lord. To be less desolate.»
Jesus has a gesture of approval. He smiles brightly, raises His arms and shouts: «Let it be granted. I want it.»
Granted! The grace might be granted for their sins, or for their disease, or for both, and the five unhappy people remain uncertain. But the apostles have no uncertainty and they can but shout their hosannas when they see the leprosy disappear as fast as a flake of snow that falls on a fire. The five then understand that the full grace has been granted to them. Their shouting resounds like a cry of victory. They embrace one another and throw kisses at Jesus, as they cannot prostrate themselves at His feet. They then turn to their companions saying: «And you still refuse to believe? What miserable wretches are you?»
«Good! Be good! Your poor brothers need time to think. Say nothing to them. Faith is not imposed, it is preached with peace, kindness, patience and perseverance. That is what you will do after your purification, exactly as Simon did with you. After all, the miracle preaches by itself. You who have been cured, will go to the priest as soon as possible. You, who are still ill, wait for us this evening. We will bring you some food. Peace be with you.»
Jesus descends again on to the road followed by the blessings of everybody.
199.5
«And now let us go to Ben Hinnom» says Jesus.
«Master… I would like to come. But I realise that I cannot. I will go to Gethsemane» says Lazarus.
«Go, Lazarus. Peace be with you.»
While Lazarus is slowly walking away, the apostle John says: «Master, I will go with him. He walks with difficulty and the road is not very good. I will join You later at Ben Hinnom.»
«Yes, you may go. Let us go.»
They cross the Kidron, walk along the southern side of Mount Tophet and enter the little valley completely strewn with tombs and filth. There is not one tree or any shade from the sun, which blazes down on this southern side heating the stones of these new hellish terraces where the stinking smell of burning rubbish increases the heat. And inside the sepulchres, similar to crematoria, there are poor bodies, which are wasting away… Siloam may be unpleasant in winter, damp as it is and facing north, but this place must be dreadful in summer…
Simon Zealot lets out a shout calling them, and first three lepers, then two, then one, and another one come, as best they can, to the prescribed limit. There are two women here, and one of them is holding by the hand a horrible looking boy whose face is particularly affected by leprosy. He is already blind… And there is a noble looking man, notwithstanding his miserable state. He speaks on behalf of everybody: «Blessed be the Messiah of the Lord, Who has come down to our Gehenna, to free from it those who hope in Him. Save us, o Lord, because we are perishing! Save us, Saviour! King of the House of David, King of Israel, have mercy on Your subjects. Oh! Shoot of the stock of Jesse, of Whom it is said that in Your time there will be no evil, stretch out Your hand and pick up the remains of Your people. Cast away this death from us, wipe our tears, because that is what is said of You. Call us, Lord, to Your delicious pastures, to Your fresh waters, for we are thirsty. Lead us to the eternal hills where there is no sin or sorrow. Have mercy, Lord…»
«Who are you?»
«John, one of the Temple. I was probably infected by a leper. As You can see, I caught the disease only recently. But these!… Some of them have been awaiting death for years, and this little girl came here even before she could walk. She does not know what is the creation of God. What she knows or what she remembers of the wonders of God are these tombs, this merciless sun and the stars at night. Have mercy on the guilty and the innocent ones, o Lord, our Saviour.» They have all knelt down stretching out their hands.
Jesus weeps at so much misery. He then opens His arms shouting: «Father, I want it: health, life, sight and salvation for them.» He remains with His arms stretched out praying intensely with all His spirit. He seems to become thinner and to rise in prayer, a flame of love, white and powerful in the powerful gold of the sun.
«Mummy, I can see!» is the first cry, which is answered by the shout of the mother who clasps her cured little girl to her heart; then the shouts of the others and of the apostles… The miracle has been worked.
«John, as you are a priest, you will lead your companions in the rite. Peace be with you. Towards evening we shall bring some food also to you.» He blesses and is about to go away.
But John, the leper, shouts: «I want to follow Your steps. Tell me what I must do, where I must go to preach You!»
«In this desolate barren land, which must turn to the Lord. Let the town of Jerusalem be your field. Goodbye.»

Detail

Simon the Zealot asked Jesus to go to the Valley of Death, where there are lepers.

Annotation

And Simon, who had leaned against the rock for a little shade, steps forward and leads Jesus along a stepped path that leads to Gethsemane, but is separated from it by the road that leads from the Mount of Olives to Bethany. This is followed by Maria Valtorta's drawing, which we reproduce here. She has placed the "little mount" in the center, on the top of which she has written "leper" three times. To the north is "Gethsemane", from which she wrote "The shortest road to Bethany and Jericho". On the other side, she has written in pencil: "The Mount of Olives is here". To the west she makes the "Cedron" flow, beyond which she has traced "The longest road to Bethany and Jericho".

And so it is with the men, only one of whom has a remnant of a moustache and beard. The others have been shaved by this destructive disease. Zechariah the leper. Cf. EMV 417.2.

Keywords

GRM 199.6 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Peter goes away with Mary and is very happy. They are both holding the boy by his hands and they look like a happy family. Many people turn around to look at them. Jesus watches them go away smiling.
«Simon is happy!» exclaims the Zealot.
«Why are You smiling, Master?» asks James of Zebedee.
«Because I see a great promise in that group.»
«Which promise, Brother? What do You see?» asks Thaddeus.
«This is what I see: that I shall be able to go away with a peaceful mind, when the time comes. I need not be afraid for My Church. Then it will be small and slender like Marjiam. But My Mother will be there to hold it by the hand and to be its Mother; and there will be Peter as its father. In his honest rough hands I can place the hand of My dawning Church without any worry. He will give it the strength of his protection. My Mother the strength of Her love. And the Church will grow… like Marjiam… He is really the symbol-child! May God bless My Mother, My Peter and their child and ours! Now let us go to Johanna’s.»