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Romans

Theme: Character groups · Page 3 of 3

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GRM 188.3-4 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Are You an Israelite?» asks the man.
«Yes, I am.»
«I, too, or almost, although I do not look like one. But I lived a long time abroad and I got into many habits, of which these fools here disapprove. I am better than the others. But they say that I am a demon, because I read a great deal, I breed poultry which I sell to the Romans and I can cure people by means of herbs. When young, because of a woman, I quarrelled with a Roman – I was at Cintium then – and I stabbed him. He died, I lost one eye and all my wealth and I was sentenced to life imprisonment. But I knew how to cure people, and I cured the daughter of one of the guards. I thus won his friendship and some freedom… I used it to escape. I acted badly, because the man certainly paid for my flight with his life. But freedom seems so beautiful when one is a prisoner…»
«Is it not really beautiful afterwards?»
«No. Jail, where one is alone, is better than being in contact with men who do not allow you to be alone and come around us to hate us…»
«Did you study philosophy?»
«I was a teacher at Cintium… I was a proselyte…»
«And now?»
«Now I am nothing. I live according to the reality of facts. And I hate, as I was and am still hated.»
«Who hates you?»
«Everybody. And God is the first. She was my wife… and God allowed her to be unfaithful to me and ruin me. I was free and respected, and God allowed me to become a convict serving a life sentence. God abandoned me, men were unfair. Both He and they destroyed me. There is nothing left here…» and he strikes his forehead and his chest. «Rather, here, in my head, there are my thoughts, my knowledge. It is in here that there is nothing» and he spits contemptuously.
«You are wrong. You still have two things there.»
«Which?»
«Remembrance and hatred. Remove them.
188.4
Become really empty… and I will give you something new to put in there.»
«What?»
«Love.»
«Ah! Ah! You make me laugh. I have not laughed for thirty-five years, man. Since I had the proof that the woman was unfaithful to me with the Roman wine merchant. Love! Love to me! It is like me throwing jewels to my chickens! They would die of indigestion, unless they passed them out with their excrement. The same would happen to me. Your love would be a burden to me, if I could not digest it…»
«No, man! Do not say that!» Jesus lays His hand on the man’s shoulder, He is deeply and openly distressed.
The man looks at Him with his only eye and what he sees on that most sweet and beautiful face causes him to be struck dumb and to change his expression. From being sarcastic he becomes very serious and then really sad. He lowers his head and with a different voice he asks: «Who are You?»
«Jesus of Nazareth. The Messiah.»
«You!!!»
«I. Did you not know about Me, since you read so much?»
«I knew… But I did not know that You were alive and… above all, I did not know this. I did not know that You are good to everybody… thus… to murderers too… Forgive me for what I said… about God and love… Now I understand why You want to give me love… Because without love the world is hell, and You the Messiah want to make a paradise of it.»
«A paradise in every heart. Give Me the remembrance and the hatred that make you ill and let Me put love into your heart!»
«Oh! I wish I had known You before!… then… But when I killed, You were certainly not born yet… But later… when I was free, as free as a snake in a forest, I lived to poison people with my hatred.»
«But you did some good as well. Did you not say that you cured people by means of herbs?»
«Yes. To be tolerated. But how many times I had to struggle against my desire to poison people by means of potions!… See? I took refuge here because… it is a place where the world is ignored and which the world ignores. A cursed place. In other places I hated and was hated and I was afraid of being recognised… But I am wicked.»
«You regret having harmed the prison guard. Do you not see that there is still some goodness in you? You are not wicked… Your only trouble is that you have a large open wound, which nobody is curing… Your goodness runs out of it as blood from a wound. But if someone would cure your wound and heal it, My dear brother, goodness would increase in you, because it would no longer vanish as it forms…»
The man weeps with a bent head trying to conceal his tears. Only Jesus Who is walking beside him notices them. He notices but does not say anything else.

Detail

Jesus is talking to a one-eyed man he has just met. His name is Felix, and he's full of hatred for God and man.

Annotation

So many times I've struggled against the desire to poison with philtres!... The filter is used to clear a liquid of its impurities. A philtre is a magical beverage generally used to obtain love.

Keywords

GRM 188.9 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Here, take this. It’s the key of my house. I am going away, for good. I am grateful to you because you are my benefactor. You have given me a family. Do what you like with my property… and look after my chicken. Treat them well. A Roman comes every Sabbath and buys eggs… You will make a profit… Take care of my little hens… and may God reward you for it.»
The old man is astonished… He takes the key and stands open-mouthed.
Jesus says: «Yes, do as he told you and I will be grateful to you, too. I bless you in the name of Jesus.»
«The Nazarene! You! Mercy! I have spoken to the Lord! Women! Men! The Messiah is here!»
He screams like an eagle and people rush from everywhere.
«Bless us! Bless us!» they shout. Some shout: «Stay here!» and others: «Where are You going? At least tell us where You are going.»
«To Nain. I cannot stay.»
«We will follow You. Do You mind?»
«Come. Peace and blessing to those who remain here.»
They go towards the main road and take it.

Detail

Jean d'En-Dor leaves everything behind and gives the key to his house to an old man. The old man understands that Jesus is the Messiah.

Keywords

GRM 192.5-6 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

They are already near Engannim – which must be a beautiful little town supplied with water brought from the hills by means of an elevated aqueduct, probably a Roman work – when the noise of an oncoming military squad makes them take refuge on the edge of the road. The hooves of the horses resound on the road, which here, near the town, shows signs of a paving that appears through the dust gathered on it with rubble. The road has obviously never been swept with a besom.
«Hail, Master! How do You happen to be here?» shouts Publius Quintilianus dismounting from his horse, and going towards Jesus with a broad smile, holding the horse by the reins. His soldiers slow down to keep pace with their superior.
«I am going to Jerusalem for Passover.»
«I am going, too. We are reinforcing the guard for the festivity, also because Pontius Pilate is coming to town, too, and Claudia is there. We are her runners. The roads are so insecure! The eagles drive jackals away» says the soldier laughing and looks at Jesus. He then continues in a low voice: «Double watch this year, to protect the back of filthy Antipas. There is a lot of ill-feeling because of the capture of the Prophet. Ill-feeling in Israel… and consequently dissatisfaction among us. But… we have already ensured that the High Priest and his stooges have been… benignly lectured…» and he ends in a low voice: «Go without any fear. All the claws have been retracted into the paws. Oh! They are afraid of us. If we only clear our throats, they take it for a roar. Will you speak at Jerusalem? Come near the Praetorium. Claudia speaks of You as of a great philosopher. That is a good thing because Claudia is the proconsul.»
192.6
He looks around and sees Peter flushed, perspiring with his load. «And that boy?»
«An orphan I brought with Me.»
«But that man of Yours is working too hard! Boy, are you afraid to come on the horse with me for a few yards? I will keep you under my chlamys and I will go slow. I will hand you back to him when we are at the gate.»
The boy does not object, he is as mild as a lamb, and Publius lifts him up onto the saddle.
And while he is ordering his soldiers to go slow he also sees the man from Endor. He stares at him and says: «What! You here?»
«I am here. I have stopped selling eggs to the Romans. But the chicken are still there. I am now with the Master…»
«Good for you! You will have greater comfort. Goodbye. Hail, Master. I will wait for You at that group of trees.» And he spurs his horse.
«Do you know him? And does he know you?» many ask John of Endor.
«Yes, as his supplier of chicken. He did not know me before, but once I was summoned to the headquarters at Nain to fix the prices, and he was there. Since then he always spoke to me when I went to Caesarea to buy books or tools. He calls me Cyclops or Diogenes. He is not a bad fellow, and although I cannot bear Romans I have never offended him because he might be useful to me.»
«Did you hear that, Master? My speech to the centurion at Capernaum was a good thing. I feel more relaxed now» says Peter.
They reach the thicket in the shade of which the patrol has dismounted.
«I am handing the boy back to You. Have You orders, Master?»
«No, Publius. May God show Himself to you.»
«Hail», he mounts his horse and spurs it, followed by his men with a loud rattle of hooves and body-armour.

Annotation

There is much discontent because of the prophet's arrest: in EMV 180.

My speech to the centurion in Capernaum had an effect: in EMV 182.

Keywords

GRM 193.3-4 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Now, between two high mountains, the highest in the area, one can see straight through a valley, in the middle of which there is the very fertile well-watered land of Shechem. It is here that Jesus and His disciples are caught up with by the joyful caravan of the Consul’s court, on its way to Jerusalem for the festivity. There are slaves on foot and slaves on the wagons guarding the luggage… My God, how many items they carried with them in those days!!! And with the slaves there are wagons that are packed with all sorts of goods, even complete litters and travelling coaches: the four wheel wagons are very wide, well sprung, with tilt, under which the ladies are sheltered. And then many other carts and slaves…
A curtain is drawn, by the bejewelled hand of a lady and the severe profile of Plautina appears: she nods smiling but does not say anything. Valeria, whose little girl on her knees trills and smiles, greets people in the same fashion. The other wagon, which is even more stately, passes by but no curtain is drawn. But when it has gone by, the pinkish face of Lydia looks out from the rear, through the closed curtains and she nods, too. The caravan goes away…
193.4
«They travel in comfort!» says Peter who is tired and wet with perspiration. «But, if God helps us, the day after tomorrow evening we shall be in Jerusalem.»
«No, Simon. I must make a detour and go towards the Jordan.»
«But why, my Lord?»
«Because of the boy. He is very sad, and it would be too sad for him to see the mountain of the disaster.»
«But we shall not see it! Or rather, we shall see the other side… and I take it upon myself to divert his attention. John and I… His attention is easily distracted, poor little dove without a nest. To go towards the Jordan! Well! It is better this way. A straight road. Shorter. Safer. No. No. This one, this one. See? Also the Roman ladies are taking it. Along the sea and the river there is the risk of fever during the first summer rains. It is healthy here. In any case… When are we going to arrive if we increase the distance? Consider how agitated Your Mother must be after that unpleasant business of the Baptist!…» Peter wins and Jesus agrees.

Keywords

GRM 201.1 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

It must be Wednesday morning because the group of apostles and women, preceded by Jesus and Mary with the boy between them, is approaching the Gate of the Fish. Joseph of Arimathea, who went to meet them as he had promised, is also there. Jesus looks for Alexander, the soldier, but does not see him.
«He is not here today either… I wonder why…»
The crowd is so large that it is quite impossible to inquire of the soldiers, and in any case it might not be wise to do so, as the Jews are more intolerant than ever before festivities; they are also upset because of the capture of the Baptist and they accuse Pilate and his satellites of being accomplices. I realise that the situation is such because of the epithets that are exchanged during squabbles between soldiers and citizens at the Gate, where picturesque… rude insults crack every moment like fireworks.
The women from Galilee are scandalised and they wrap themselves closer in their mantles and veils. Mary blushes, but proceeds without hesitation, as straight as a palm tree, looking at Her Son, Who does not even attempt to make the over-excited Jews see reason or induce the soldiers to be merciful towards the Israelites. And as some rather unpleasant epithet is addressed to the Galilean group, Joseph of Arimathea moves forward towards Jesus and is recognised by the crowd who become silent out of respect for him.
At last the Gate of the Fish is behind them, and the great crowd of people, pouring into the town in waves, rushes along the streets, along with donkeys and herds…

Annotation

The group of apostles and women, preceded by Jesus and Mary with the little boy in their midst, approach the Pisces Gate. Gate to the north, at the foot of the Antonia fortress.

Keywords

GRM 204.1-2 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«What do You want, Mother?»
«My Son, some Gentiles have come with some ladies. They say that they heard from Johanna that You were here. They also said that they have been waiting for You all these past days near the Antonia…»
«Ah! I know! I will come at once. Where are they?»
«At Lazarus’ house, in his garden. He is loved by the Romans and does not feel the repugnance towards them that we do. He let them go into the large garden with their carts, so that no one would be scandalised…»
«All right, Mother.
204.2
They are Roman soldiers and ladies. I know.»
«And what do they want from You?»
«What many in Israel do not want: light.»
«But how and what do they believe You are? God perhaps?»
«Yes, in their way of thinking. It is easier for them to accept the idea of the incarnation of a god in mortal flesh, than it is for us.»
«So they believe in Your faith…»
«Not yet, Mother. I must destroy theirs, first. For the time being they consider Me a wise man, a philosopher, as they say. But both their desire to become acquainted with philosophical doctrines and their inclination to believe the incarnation of a god as possible, are of great help to Me in leading them to the true Faith. Believe Me, they are more ingenuous in their way of thinking, than many Israelites.»
«But are they sincere? It is rumoured that the Baptist…»
«No. Had it been for them, John would be free and safe. Non-rebellious people are left in peace. On the contrary I can assure You that for them to be a prophet – they say a philosopher because the loftiness of supernatural wisdom is still philosophy to them – is a guarantee of respect. Do not worry, Mother. No harm will come to Me from that end…»
«But the Pharisees… if they find out, what will they say also about Lazarus? You are You… and You are to bring the Word to the world. But Lazarus!… They already offend him so much…»
«But they cannot touch him. They know that he is protected by Rome.»
«I leave You, Son. Here is Maximinus, he will take You to the Gentiles» and Mary, Who had walked beside Jesus all the time, withdraws quickly, and goes towards the Zealot’s house. Jesus on the other hand, goes through a little iron door in the garden wall, into a distant part of the garden, where it actually becomes an orchard and precisely near the place where Lazarus will be buried later.

Keywords

GRM 206.15 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Lazarus congratulates Jesus. He says: «Oh! I am sorry to see You go away. But I am happier than I would have been, had I seen You go away the day before yesterday!»
«Why, Lazarus?»
«Because You looked so tired and sad… You did not speak, and You hardly ever smiled… Yesterday and today You have become once again my kind holy Master, and that makes me so happy…»
«I was so even if I was quiet…»
«You were. But You are serenity and word. That is what we want from You. We drink our strength at those sources. And now those sources seemed to be dried up. Our thirst was painful… You see that also the Gentiles are amazed, and they have come looking for them…»
The Iscariot, whom John of Zebedee had approached, dares to speak: «Of course, they also inquired of me… Because I was very often at the Antonia, hoping to see You.»
«You knew where I was» replies Jesus briefly.
«I did. But I was hoping You would not disappoint those who were expecting You. Also the Romans were disappointed. I do not know why You behaved like that…»
«And you are asking Me? Are you not aware of the humours of the Sanhedrin, of the Pharisees, and of others as well, with regards to Me?»
«What? Were You afraid?»
«I was disgusted.»

Annotation

You see, even the pagans were surprised and came looking for them... Reference to EMV 204, with visits from Plautina, Lydia, Flavia Domitilla and Valeria.