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Fasting, sacrifice and penance

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Aa

GRM 69.2-3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«It is true that to kill oneself is the same as killing other people. Both our own and other people’s lives are the gift of God and only God, Who gives life, has the authority to take it. Who kills himself, confesses his own pride, and pride is hated by God.»

«He confesses his pride? I would say his despair.»

«And what is despair but pride? Just think, Judas. Why does one despair? Either because misfortunes persistently perturb him and he wants to overcome them by himself, but is unable to do so. Or because he is guilty and he thinks that he cannot be forgiven by God. In both cases, is not pride the basic reason? The man who wants to do all by himself, is no longer humble enough to stretch out his hand to the Father and say to Him: “I am not able, but You are. Help me, because I hope and wait for everything from You”. The other man who says: “God cannot forgive me” says so, because measuring God by his own standards, he knows that another person could not forgive him, if that person had been offended, as he offended God. So here again it is pride. A humble man understands and forgives, even if he suffers for the offence received. A proud man does not forgive. He is proud also because he is not capable of lowering his head and saying: “Father, I have sinned, forgive Your poor guilty son”. But do you not know, Judas, that the Father will forgive everything, if one asks to be forgiven with a sincere, contrite, humble, heart willing to rise again to new life?»

«But certain crimes are not to be forgiven. They cannot be forgiven.»

«That is what you say. And it will be true only because man wants it to be true. But, oh! I solemnly tell you that even after the crime of crimes, if the guilty man should rush to the Father’s feet – He is called Father, Judas, just for that, and He is a Father of infinite perfection – and crying, implored Him to be forgiven, offering to expiate, without despairing, the Father would make it possible for him to expiate and thus deserve forgiveness and save his soul.»

69.3 «Well, then, You say that the men quoted by the Scriptures who killed themselves, did wrong.»

«It is not lawful to do violence to anybody, not even to oneself. They did wrong. In their limited knowledge of good, perhaps in certain cases, they had mercy from God. But after the Word has clarified the truth and has given strength to spirits with His Spirit, then he who dies in despair will no longer be forgiven. Neither in the instant of the personal judgement, nor after centuries of Gehenna, on Doomsday, never! Is that hardness by God? No: it is justice. God will say: “You, a creature gifted with reason and supernatural knowledge, created free by Me, you decided to follow the path you chose and you said: ‘God will not forgive me. I am separated from Him forever. I think I must apply the law by myself to my own crime. I am parting from life to evade remorse without considering that you would no longer have felt remorse if you had come to My faithful bosom. And let it be done to you, as you judged. I will not violate the freedom I gave you”.

That is what the Eternal Father will say to suicide. Meditate on it, Judas. Life is a gift, a gift to be loved. But what gift is it? A holy gift. So love it holily. Life lasts as long as the flesh holds out. Then the great Life, the eternal Life begins. A Life of blissful happiness for the just, of malediction for the unjust. Is life a purpose or a means? It is a means. It serves for a purpose which is eternity. Then let us give life what is required to make it last and serve the spirit in its conquest. Continence of the flesh in all its lusts, in all of them. Continence of the mind in all its desires, in all of them. Continence of the heart in all human passions. Infinite instead is to be the ardour for heavenly passions: love of God and the neighbour, obedience to the divine word, heroism in good and virtue.

GRM 69.2

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«(...) Certain crimes are not to be forgiven. They cannot be forgiven.»

«That is what you say. And it will be true only because man wants it to be true. But, oh! I solemnly tell you that even after the crime of crimes, if the guilty man should rush to the Father’s feet – He is called Father, Judas, just for that, and He is a Father of infinite perfection – and crying, implored Him to be forgiven, offering to expiate, without despairing, the Father would make it possible for him to expiate and thus deserve forgiveness and save his soul.»

GRM 69.2

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

A humble man understands and forgives, even if he suffers for the offence received. A proud man does not forgive. He is proud also because he is not capable of lowering his head and saying: “Father, I have sinned, forgive Your poor guilty son”. But do you not know, (...), that the Father will forgive everything, if one asks to be forgiven with a sincere, contrite, humble, heart willing to rise again to new life?»

GRM 69.3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Life is a gift, a gift to be loved. But what gift is it? A holy gift. So love it holily. Life lasts as long as the flesh holds out. Then the great Life, the eternal Life begins. A Life of blissful happiness for the just, of malediction for the unjust. Is life a purpose or a means? It is a means. It serves for a purpose which is eternity. Then let us give life what is required to make it last and serve the spirit in its conquest. Continence of the flesh in all its lusts, in all of them. Continence of the mind in all its desires, in all of them. Continence of the heart in all human passions. Infinite instead is to be the ardour for heavenly passions: love of God and the neighbour, obedience to the divine word, heroism in good and virtue.

GRM 69.5

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

We have everything in us: good and evil. We carry everything with us. And the breath of God blows on the good and vivifies it like a thurible of sweet-smelling holy incense. And Satan blows on evil, thus kindling a furious blazing fire. But diligent goodwill and constant prayer are like damp sand on the hellish fire: they suffocate it and put it out.

Annotation

We have everything within us: good and evil. In a note to the second edition, the editor writes: "These statements are correct when applied to the human condition in general. Nevertheless, Maria Valtorta corrected them on a typewritten copy, in a way that seems more suited to the dual human and divine nature of the speaker: Around us, we have everything: good and evil. We can take everything into ourselves.

GRM 69.5

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Judas, answer this question of Mine. Will one who is hungry, suffer more by saying: “I will now sit down at the table” or by saying: “There is no food for me”?»

«He suffers more in the latter case, because the simple thought that he is without food, will bring back to him the pleasant smell of food and his bowels will be tortured by biting desire.»

«Right: temptation is as biting as that desire, Judas. Satan makes it more intense, more real, more alluring than any accomplished act. Further, the act satisfies, and at times nauseates; whereas temptations do not subside, but like pruned trees, they grow stronger and stronger.»

GRM 77.7

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«My Lord!»

«Woman.»

«Your Name, my Lord.»

«Jesus.»

«I never heard it. I am a Roman: a mime and dancer. I am an expert only in lust. What is the meaning of Your name? My name is Aglae and.. and it means: vice.»

«Mine means: Saviour.»

«How do You save? And whom?»

«Those who are anxious to be saved. I save by teaching to be pure, to prefer sorrow to honour, to desire good at all costs.» Jesus speaks without bitterness, without even turning towards the woman.

«I am lost…»

«I am the One seeking who is lost.»

«I am dead.»

«I am the One who gives Life.»

«I am filth and falsehood.»

«I am Purity and Truth.»

«You are also Bounty, You do not look at me. You do not touch me, You do not tread on me. Have mercy on me…»

«First, you must have mercy on yourself. On your soul.»

«What is the soul?»

«It is what makes a god of man and not an animal. Vice and sin kill it, and once it is killed, man becomes a repulsive animal.»

«Will it be possible for me to see You again?»

«Who looks for Me, finds Me.»

«Where do You live?»

«Where hearts need doctors and medicines to become honest again.»

«In that case… I will not see You again… I live where no doctor, medicine or honesty is wanted.»

«Nothing prevents you from coming to where I am. My name will be shouted in the streets and will reach you. Goodbye.»

«Goodbye, my Lord. Allow me to call You “Jesus”. Oh! Not out of familiarity!… But that a little of salvation may come to me. I am Aglae, remember me.»

«I will. Goodbye.»

Detail

Dialogue between Aglaia, a prostitute, and Jesus.