The mystery of suffering

47.3 Let us come with You, Master. Show us where You live.»

«Come. But do you know what you are asking for? He who follows Me will have to leave everything: his home, his relatives, his way of thinking, also his life. I will make you My disciples and My friends, if you wish so. But I have neither wealth nor protection. I am poor, and I shall be even poorer, to the extent of not having a place where I may rest My head and I will be persecuted by My enemies, even more than a lost sheep is pursued by wolves. My doctrine is even more rigid than John’s, because it forbids also resentment. And My doctrine is concerned not so much with external matters, as it is with the soul. You must be re-born if you want to be My disciples. Are you willing to do that?»

«Yes, Master. Only You have words that can give us light. They descend upon us, and where there was darkness and desolation because we had no guide, they shed light and sunshine.»

«Come, then. Let us go. I will teach you on our way.»

• Apostolate - Evangelism
• Blessed are those who are persecuted
• Discipleship - Following Jesus Christ
• Doctrine
• Family martyrdom
• Martyrdom
• Spiritual rebirth in God

There is wanted virginity, that is the virginity of those who consecrate themselves to the Lord with the ardour of their souls. A beautiful virginity! A sacrifice pleasing to God! But they do not all persist in their purity like lilies which stand upright on their stalks, looking towards Heaven, unaware of the mud on the ground, open to the kisses of God’s sun and His dews.

Many are faithful only in a material way. But they are unfaithful in their thoughts, which regret and wish for what they sacrificed. They are virgins only by half. If their flesh is intact, their hearts are not. Their hearts ferment, boil, exhale fumes of sensuality, the more refined and reproved, the more it is the invention of a mind that caresses, nourishes and continually enlarges the images of satisfactions, illicit even for those who are free, more than illicit for those consecrated to God.

Then you have the hypocrisy of the vow. Its appearance is there, its essence is not. And I tell you that between those who come to Me with their lilies broken by the brutality of a tyrant, and those who come with their lilies materially intact, but covered with the slaver of a sensuality they have caressed and cultivated to fill their hours of solitude, I will call “virgins” the former, and “non virgins” the latter. I will give the former the crown of virgins and a double crown of martyrs, because of their flesh which has been wounded and of their hearts which have been ulcerated by a mutilation they did not want.

• Consecrated virginity
• Hypocrisy - Duplicity
• Infidelity
• Passions
• Regrets
• Sensuality - Pleasure of the senses - Enjoyment

“Go. But don’t let the first words of contempt discourage you. He who wants to come with Me must be able to make headway against the sneering words of the world and the prohibitions of relatives. Because I am above blood and society, and I triumph over them. And he who is with Me will also triumph forever”.

• Apostolate - Evangelism
• Contempt - Disdain
• Family martyrdom
• Lessons and Teachings for the Apostles
• Master of souls
• Mockery

“Master, are You not keeping anything for Yourself?” He replied: “The joy of doing the will of God and serving His glory”. We also said: “You are calling us, Master. But we are all poor. What shall we bring You?”, He replied with a smile which made us enjoy the delights of Paradise: “I want a great treasure from you”, and we said: “But we have nothing”. And He answered: “A treasure with seven names, which even the poorest may have, while the rich may not possess it. You have it, and I want it. Listen to the names: charity, faith, goodwill, right intention, continence, sincerity, spirit of sacrifice. That is what I want from My followers, only that, and You have it. It is dormant, like a seed under a winter clod, but the spring sunshine will make it sprout into a sevenfold spike”.

• Apostolate - Evangelism
• Charity
• Continence
• Discipleship - Following Jesus Christ
• Faith
• God's call
• Goodwill
• Honesty and sincerity
• Rightness of intention - Purity of intention
• Sacrifice and immolation
• Spiritual wealth

«You have a father and a mother, brothers and sisters, you have your life, and with your life you have a woman and love. How will you be able to leave all that for My sake?»

«Master… I do not know… but I think, if it is not pride to say so, that Your fondness will take the place of father and mother, of brothers and sisters, and also of a woman. I will be compensated for everything, if You love me.»

«And if My love should cause you sorrows and persecutions?»

«They will be nothing, if You love me.»

• Family martyrdom
• God's love
• Kinship of Zebedee
• Persecution
• Trust in God

«And the day I should die…»

«No! You are young, Master… Why die?»

«Because the Messiah has come to preach the Law in its truthfulness and to accomplish Redemption. And the world loathes the Law and does not want redemption. Therefore they persecute God’s messengers.»

«Oh! Let that never be! Do not mention that prediction of death to him who loves You!… But if You should die, I would still love You. Allow me to love You.» John’s look is an imploring one. He has bowed his head lower than ever, as he walks beside Jesus and seems to be begging for love.

Jesus stops. He looks at him, scrutinises him with His deep, penetrating eyes, and then lays His hand on his bowed head. «I want you to love Me.»

«Oh! Master!» John is happy. Although his eyes shine with tears, his well shaped young mouth smiles. He takes the divine hand, kisses it on its back, and presses it to his heart.

• Death of Jesus Christ
• Doctrine
• Good News
• Messiah
• Persecution
• Prophet
• Redemption
• Word of God - Law of God

«God is above also the holiest mother.»

• Family martyrdom

Every man is My brother, and I have come for everybody.

• Apostolate - Evangelism
• Incarnation
• Jesus Christ
• Redeemer
• Sauveur
• Who is Jesus? How Christ defines himself

The time of Redemption has come. Prepare its ways in hearts with goodwill. Be honest, good, love one another. The rich must not despise the poor; merchants must not defraud; the poor must not envy the rich. You are all of one blood, and you belong to one God. You are all called to one destiny. Do not shut with your sins the Heavens that the Messiah will open for you.

• Doing Good
• Goodwill
• Honesty
• How to perfect and sanctify yourself
• Love of neighbor
• Man's destiny
• Redemption
• To be good
• Words of wisdom

«Who is the most clever?»

«Him.» It is the frail little fellow who does not want war.

«What is your name?»

«Joel.»

«A great name! He says: “… let the weakling say: ‘I am strong’”. But strong in what? In the Law of the true God, to be amongst those whom in the Valley of Decision He will judge to be His saints. But the judgement is already near. Not in the Valley of Decision, but on the mountain of Redemption. There, the sun and the moon will grow dark with horror, the stars will tremble and shed tears of mercy, and the children of Light will be judged and separated from the children of Darkness. And the whole of Israel will know that its God has come. Happy are those who will have recognised Him. Honey, milk and fresh water will descend into their hearts and thorns will become eternal roses. Which of you wants to be amongst those who will be judged saints of God?»

«Me! Me! Me!»

«Will you love the Messiah, then?»

«Yes! Yes! You! You! It’s You we love. We know who You are! Simon and James have told us, and our mothers have told us. Take us with You!»

«Yes, I will take you if you are good. No more bad words, no more arrogance, quarrels, no answering back to your parents. Prayer, study, work, obedience. And I will love you and come with you.»

The children are all round Jesus. They look like a gaily-coloured corolla around a long, deep-blue pistil.

• Bible - Book of Joel
• Last Judgment
• Redemption