Messiah

68.1 I see Jesus entering the enclosure of the Temple with Judas beside Him. After going through the first terrace, He stops in a porch on the side of a wide yard, paved with multicoloured marble. The place is beautiful and crowded.

Jesus looks around and sees a spot He likes. But before turning His steps to it, He says to Judas: «Call the official of the place for Me. I must make Myself known, so that no one may say I break the custom and lack in respect.»

«Master, You are above the custom and no one more than You is entitled to speak in the House of God, since You are His Messiah.»

«I know, you know, but they do not know. I have not come to scandalise or to teach people to break not only the Law, but also the custom. On the contrary, I have come to teach respect, humbleness and obedience and to remove scandals. I therefore want to ask to be allowed to speak in God’s name, making the official of the place acknowledge Me as being worthy.»

«You did not do that the last time.»

«The last time I was inflamed by the zeal for the House of God, desecrated by too many things. The last time I was the Son of the Father, the Heir Who, in the name of the Father and for the love of My House, acted in His majesty, which is above officials and priests. Now I am the Master of Israel, and I teach Israel also that. After all, Judas, do you think that a disciple is greater than His Master?»

«No, Jesus.»

«And who are you? And who am I?»

«You are the Master, I the disciple.»

«Well then, if you admit that, why do you want to teach your Master? Go and obey. I obey My Father, you must obey your Master. The first condition of the Son of God: to obey without discussing orders, knowing that the Father can give but holy orders. The first condition of a disciple: to obey his Master, knowing that the Master knows and can give but just orders.»

«It is true. Forgive me. I will obey.»

«I forgive you. Go. And, Judas, listen to one more thing: remember that. Always bear that in mind in future.»

«To obey? Yes, I will.»

«No: remember that I was respectful and humble to the Temple. To the Temple: that is, to the mighty castes; go.»

Judas looks at Him, wistfully and inquisitively… but he dare not ask further questions. And he goes away thoughtfully.

68.2 … He comes back with a sumptuously dressed personage. «Here, Master, the official.»

«Peace be with you. I ask to teach Israel, amongst the rabbis of Israel.»

«Are You a rabbi?»

«Yes, I am.»

«Who was Your teacher?»

«The Spirit of God Who speaks to Me in His wisdom and enlightens every word of the Holy Scriptures for Me.»

«Are You greater than Hillel, since You say You know all doctrines, without a teacher? How can one be formed if there is no one forming him?»

«As David was formed, an unknown little shepherd, who became a powerful and wise king by God’s will.»

«Your Name?»

«Jesus of Joseph of Jacob of the House of David, and of Mary of Joachim of the House of David and of Anne of Aaron. Mary, the Virgin married in the Temple by the High Priest, according to the law of Israel, because She was an orphan.»

«Who can prove that?»

«There must still be some Levites here who will remember the event and who were the same age as Zacharias of the class of Abijah, My relative. Ask them, if you doubt My sincerity.»

«I believe You. But who will prove to me that You are capable of teaching?»

«Listen to Me and you will judge for yourself.»

«You are free to do it… But… are You not a Nazarene?»

«I was born at Bethlehem of Judah, at the time of the census decreed by Caesar. Banished by unfair orders, the children of David are now everywhere. But the family is of Judah.»

«You know… the Pharisees… all Judaea… throughout Galilee…»

«I know. But be reassured. I was born at Bethlehem, at Bethlehem Ephrathah, whence My family comes; if now I live in Galilee, it is only to fulfil the given sign…»

The official goes away a few yards, hastening to where they call him.

68.3 Judas asks: «Why did You not say that You are the Messiah?»

«My words will say so.»

«Which is the sign to be fulfilled?»

«The union of Israel under the teaching of the word of Christ. I am the Shepherd of Whom the Prophets speak and I have come to gather all the sheep of every region, I have come to cure the sick ones and put the wandering ones on a good pasture. There is no Judaea or Galilee, no Decapolis or Idumaea for Me. There is only one thing: the Love that sees with one glance only and joins in one embrace only in order to save…» Jesus is inspired. Rays of light seem to be emanating from Him, so happily He smiles at his dream. Judas, amazed, stares at Him.

• Jesus Christ - Son of God
• Locations - Bel Nidrasch - Beth Midrasc
• Messiah
• Purification of the Temple by Jesus Christ

68.5 The voice that spoke in the desert is no longer heard. But it is not mute. It still speaks to God on behalf of Israel and still speaks to every Israelite with an honest heart and it says — after teaching you to do penance to prepare the ways to the Lord Who is coming, and to be charitable giving what is surplus to those who lack even what is necessary, and to be honest without extorting and vexing — it says: “The Lamb of God, He Who takes away the sins of the world, Who will baptise with the fire of the Holy Spirit is amongst you. He will clear His threshing-floor and gather His wheat”.

Endeavour to recognise Him Whom the Precursor indicates to you. His suffering is imploring God to give you light. See. May your spiritual eyes be opened. You will recognise the Light that is coming. I pick up the voice of the Prophet announcing the Messiah, and with the power I receive from the Father, I amplify it and I add My authority to it and I call you to the truth of the Law. Prepare your hearts for the grace of the oncoming Redemption. The Redeemer is amongst you. Blessed are those who will be worthy of being redeemed, because they are men of goodwill.

Peace be with you.»

Someone asks: «Are You a disciple of the Baptist, since You speak of him with such veneration?»

«I was baptised by him, on the banks of the Jordan, before he was imprisoned. I venerate him because he is holy in the eyes of God. I solemnly tell you that among the children of Abraham there is no one greater in grace than he is. From his birth to his death, the eyes of God will rest upon that blessed man without any feeling of disdain.»

«Did he give You any assurance about the Messiah?»

«His word, which does not lie, pointed out the living Messiah to those present.»

«Where? When?»

«When it was time to do so.»

68.6 But Judas feels obliged to say to everybody: «The Messiah is He Who is speaking to you. I declare it, because I know Him, and I am His first disciple.»

«Him!… Oh!…» The people move away frightened. But Jesus is so sweet that they gather round Him again.

«Ask Him to work some miracles. He is powerful. He can heal. He can read your hearts. He can answer all your questions.»

«Tell Him, on my behalf, that I am not well. My right eye is blind. My left one is already failing…»

«Master.»

«Judas.» Jesus, Who is caressing a little girl, turns around.

«Master, this man is almost blind and he wants to see. I told him you can…»

«I can heal him who has faith. Have you faith, man?»

«I believe in the God of Israel. I come here to enter the Bethzatha Pool. But there is always someone before me.»

«Can you believe in Me?»

«If I believe in the angel of the pool, should I not believe in You, Who Your disciple says are the Messiah?»

Jesus smiles. He wets His finger with saliva and lightly touches the diseased eye. «What can you see?»

«I see things without the fog I used to see. Are You not healing the other one?»

Jesus smiles once again. He repeats the operation on the blind eye. «What can you see?» He asks, removing His fingertip from the closed eyelid.

«Ah! Lord of Israel! I can see as well as when I was a little boy, running through the meadows! May You be blessed forever and ever!” The man cries, kneeling at Jesus’ feet.

«Go. Be good, now, out of gratitude to God.»

68.7 A Levite who arrived towards the end of the miracle, asks: «With what authority do You do such things?»

«Are you asking Me? I will tell you, if you answer a question. According to you, who is greater, a prophet who prophesies the Messiah or the Messiah Himself?»

«What a question! The Messiah is greater: He is the Redeemer promised by the Most High!»

«Well, then, why did the Prophets work miracles? Whit what authority?»

«With the authority given to them by God to prove to the crowds that God was with them.»

«Well, I perform miracles with the same authority: God is with Me, I am with Him. And I thus prove to the people that what I say is true and that the Messiah, with a greater right and a greater power, can do what the Prophets were able to do.»

The Levite goes away pensive and the vision ends.

• Messiah

The Messiah had been expected for such a long time! Centuries of expectation. And there had been many disappointments recently because of false Messiahs. One of them was a Galilean, like You, another one was named Theudas. Liars! They… Messiahs! They were nothing but greedy adventurers hunting for a stroke of luck! We should have learned the lesson. Instead…

• False Messiahs
• Messiah
• Theodas (false Messiah)

There is light and truth in Your words. But… Oh! too many wounds are still bleeding in this land of Bethlehem because of the true or false Messiah… I would never advise Him to come here. The land would reject Him as it rejects a stepson who caused the death of the true children. In any case… if it was Him… He died with the other slaughtered children.

• Messiah

When your hearts are free from hatred, the Messiah will come; you will know Him then, because He is alive. He already existed when the massacre took place. I am telling you. It was Satan’s fault, not the fault of the shepherds and of the sorcerers that the massacre took place. The Messiah was born here for you, He came to bring the Light to the land of His fathers. The Son of a Virgin Mother of the line of David, in the ruins of the house of David, He granted a stream of Graces to the world, and a new life to mankind…

• Messiah
• Virginity of the Virgin Mary

74.7 Jesus stretches out His arms. When Judas sees that gesture he says: «Don’t speak! It isn’t wise!»

But Jesus’ powerful voice fills the square: «Men of Judah! Men of Bethlehem, listen! Women of the land sacred to Rachel, listen! Listen to One Who descends from David, and has suffered because of persecutions and has become worthy of speaking, and is speaking to you to give you light and comfort. Listen.»

The people stop shouting, quarrelling and buying and they gather together.

«He is a rabbi!»

«He certainly comes from Jerusalem.»

«Who is He?»

«What a handsome man!»

«And what a voice!»

«And His manners!»

«Of course, He is of David’s House!»

«He is one of ours, then!»

«Let’s listen to Him!»

The whole crowd is now gathered near the little staircase which looks like a pulpit.

«Genesis states: “I will make you enemies of each other: you and the woman: She will crush your head and you will strike at Her heel”. It is also said: “I will multiply your pains in childbearing… and the soil shall yield you brambles and thistles”. That was the sentence against man, woman and the serpent.

I have come from far to revere Rachel’s tomb, and in the evening breeze, in the dew of the night, in the plaintive morning song of the nightingale, I heard ancient Rachel’s sobs being repeated, and they were repeated by the mouths of many mothers of Bethlehem, within their tombs or within their hearts. And I heard Jacob’s sorrow roar in the pain of the widowed husbands, deprived of their wives whom sorrow had killed… I cry with you… But listen, brethren of My land. Bethlehem, the blessed land, the least of the towns in Judah, but the greatest in the eyes of God and of mankind, roused Satan’s hatred because it was the cradle of the Saviour, as Micah says, destined to be the tabernacle on which the Glory of God, the Fire of God, His Incarnate Love was to rest.

“I will make you enemies of each other: you and the woman; She will crush your head and you will strike at Her heel”. Which enmity is there greater than the one that aims at a mother’s children, the very heart of a woman? And which heel is there stronger than the Saviour’s Mother’s? The revenge of Satan defeated was therefore a natural one: he did not strike at the heel, but at the hearts of mothers, because of the Mother.

Oh! Pains were multiplied when the children were lost after giving birth to them! Oh! great was the trouble of being a childless father after sowing and toiling for the offspring! And yet, Bethlehem, rejoice! Your pure blood, the blood of the innocents has prepared a blazing purple way for the Messiah…»

74.8 The crowd, which has become more and more turbulent after Jesus mentioned the Saviour and His Mother, is now showing clear signs of agitation.

«Be quiet, Master» says Judas. «And let us go.»

But Jesus does not listen to him. He goes on: «… for the Messiah that the Grace of the God-Father saved from tyrants to preserve Him for His people and its salvation and…»

The shrill voice of a woman shouts: «Five, five I gave birth to, and not one is now in my house. Poor me!» And she yells hysterically.

It is the beginning of the uproar.

Another woman rolls over in the dust, she tears her dress, and shows a breast maimed of its nipple, shouting: «Here, here on this breast they slaughtered my first-born son! The sword cut off his face and my nipple at the same time. Oh! my Ellis!»

«And what about me! What about me? There is my royal palace. Three tombs in one, watched over by the father: my husband and children together. There, there! If there is a Saviour, let Him give me back my children, my husband, let Him save me from despair, from Beelzebub He must save me.»

They all shout: «Our children, our husbands, our fathers! Let Him give them back, if He exists!»

Jesus waves His arms imposing silence. «Brethren of My land: I would like to give you back your children, in their flesh. But I tell you: be good, be resigned, forgive, hope, rejoice in hope and exult in one certainty: you will soon have your children, angels in Heaven, because the Messiah is about to open the gates of Heaven, and if you are just, death will be a new Life and a new Love…»

«Ah! Are You the Messiah? In the name of God, tell us.»

Jesus lowers Him arms, in so sweet and kind a gesture as if He were embracing them all, and He says: «Yes, I am.»

«Go away! Go away! It’s Your fault, then!»

A stone is thrown amid hisses and jeers.

74.9 Judas reacts at once in a most praiseworthy way… Oh! if he had always behaved thus! He jumps in front of Jesus, standing on the low wall of the landing, with his mantle wide open and undaunted he protects Jesus from the stones. His face bleeds and he shouts to John and Simon: «Take Jesus away. Behind those trees. I’ll follow. Go, in the name of Heaven!» And he shouts to the crowd: «Mad dogs! I am of the Temple and I will report you to the Temple and to Rome.»

The crowd is scared for a moment. Then the shower of stones is resumed at once, but fortunately, they are not experts. And Judas, fearless, receives them, and replies with offensive language to the curses of the crowd. Furthermore: he catches a stone thrown at him, and he throws it back on the head of an old man who is shouting like a magpie plucked alive! And as they attempt to climb up his pedestal, he quickly picks up an old branch from the ground, (he has now come off the little wall) and he swings it round on backs, heads and hands mercilessly.

Some soldiers rush to the spot and with their lances they make their way through the crowd: «Who are you? Why this brawl?»

«I am a Judaean and I have been attacked by these plebeians. A rabbi, well known to the priests, was with me. He was speaking to these dogs. But they became wild and attacked us.»

«Who are You?»

«Judas of Kerioth, I was a man of the Temple, now I am a disciple of rabbi Jesus of Galilee. I am a friend of Simon the Pharisee, of Johanan the Sadducee, and of Joseph of Arimathaea, the Counsellor of the Sanhedrin, and finally, of Eleazar ben Anna, the Proconsul’s great friend, and you can check.»

«I will. Where are you going?»

«I am going to Kerioth with my friend, then to Jerusalem.»

«Go. We will protect your back.»

Judas hands some coins to the soldier. It must be illegal… but quite normal, because the soldier takes them swiftly and cautiously, he salutes and smiles. Judas jumps down from his platform, he goes through the uncultivated field, skipping now and again, and he reaches his companions.

«Are you seriously hurt?»

«No, it’s nothing, Master! In any case, it’s for You… But I gave them a licking as well. I must be covered with blood…»

«Yes, on your cheek. There is a rivulet here.»

John moistens a small piece of cloth and wipes Judas’ cheek.

«I am sorry, Judas… But see,… to tell them that we are Judaeans, according to your good practical sense…»

«They are beasts. I believe You are now convinced, Master. And I hope you will not insist…»

«Oh! no! Not because I am afraid. But because it is useless, just now. When they do not want us, we must not curse them, but withdraw praying for the poor, foolish people, who die of starvation and cannot see the Bread. Let us go along this out-of-the-way path, towards the shepherds, if we can find them. I think we will be able to get on to the Hebron road…»

«To have more stones thrown at us,?»

«No. To say to them: “I am here”.»

«What?… They will certainly beat us. They have been suffering for thirty years because of You.»

«We shall see.»

They enter a cool, shady, thick little wood, and I lose sight of them.

• Blessed are those who are persecuted
• Jesus Christ preaches in Bethlehem
• Lucifer - Satan
• Massacre of the Innocents
• Messiah
• Preaching of Jesus Christ
• Sauveur
• The Virgin Mary

«Who are You?»

«One Who loves you.»

«You would be the first in so many years. Where are You from?»

«From Galilee.»

«From Galilee? Oh!» The man watches Him carefully. Also the other two have come near. «From Galilee» repeats the shepherd, and he adds in a very low voice, as if speaking to himself: «He came from Galilee, too… From which town, my Lord?»

«From Nazareth.»

«Oh! Well, tell me. Has a Child ever come back to Nazareth, a Child with a woman whose name was Mary and a man called Joseph, a Child, Who was even more beautiful than His Mother, so beautiful that I have never seen a fairer flower on the slopes of Judah? A Child born in Bethlehem of Judah, at the time of the edict? A Child Who later fled, most fortunately for the world. A Child, oh! I would give my life just to hear whether He is alive… He must be a man by now.»

«Why do you say that His flight was a great fortune for the world?»

«Because He was the Saviour, the Messiah and Herod wanted Him dead. I was not there when He fled with His father and Mother. When I heard of the slaughter and I came back… — because also I had children (he sobs), my Lord, and a wife… (he sobs), and I heard they had been killed (he sobs again), but I swear by the God of Abraham, I was more afraid for Him than for my own family — I heard He had fled and I could not even enquire; I could not even take away my own slaughtered creatures… They threw stones at me, as they do with lepers and unclean people, they treated me like a murderer… and I had to hide in the woods, and live like a wolf… until I found a master. Oh! it’s no longer Anne… He is hard and cruel… If a sheep gets hurt, if a wolf preys on a lamb, he either beats me till I bleed or he takes my poor pay, and I have to work in the woods for other people, I must do something, to pay him back three times the value. But it does not matter. I have always said to the Most High: “Let me see Your Messiah, at least let me know that He is alive, and all the rest is nothing”. My Lord, I have told You how the people in Bethlehem treated me, and how my master deals with me. I could have repaid them in their own coins, I could have wronged them, stealing, so that I would not suffer under my master. But I preferred to suffer, to forgive, to be honest, because the angels said: “Glory to God in the Highest Heaven and peace on earth to men of goodwill”.»

«Is that what they said?»

«Yes, they did, my Lord, You must believe, at least You, Who are good. You must know and believe that the Messiah is born. No one would believe it any longer. But angels do not lie… and we were not drunk, as they said. This man here, was a boy then, and he was the first to see the angel. He drank but milk. Can milk make one drunk? The angels said: “Today, in the town of David the Saviour was born, He is Christ, the Lord. And here is a sign for you. You will find a Child wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger”.»

«Did they say exactly that? Did you not misunderstand them? Are you not mistaken, after such a long time?»

«Oh! no! Isn’t it, Levi? In order not to forget, — we could not forget in any case, because they were heavenly words and were written in our hearts with a heavenly fire — every morning, every evening, when the sun rises, when the first star starts shining, we repeat them as a prayer, as a blessing, to have strength and comfort in His name and in His Mother’s.»

«Ah! You said: “Christ”?»

«No, my Lord. We say: “Glory to God in the Highest Heaven and peace on earth to men of goodwill, through Jesus Christ Who was born of Mary in a stable in Bethlehem and Who, wrapped in swaddling clothes, was in a manger, He Who is the Saviour of the world”.»

• Escape to Egypt
• Massacre of the Innocents
• Messiah
• Nativity of Jesus Christ
• Rosary

77.4 «There are some houses over there» says John, who is walking a few steps in front of the others.

«It’s Hebron. Between two rivers with its crest. See, Master? That house there, amidst all the green, a little higher up than the others? That’s Zacharias’ house.»

«Let us quicken our paces.»

They cover the last stretch of the road very rapidly and go into the village. The sheep’s little hooves sound like castanets on the uneven stones of the road, which is paved very roughly. They reach the house. People look at the group of men, who are so different by look, age and garments amongst the white sheep.

«Oh! It’s different! There was a gate here!» says Elias. Now instead of the gate there is a metal door which prevents one from seeing, and also the enclosure wall is higher than a man and thus nothing can be seen inside.

«Perhaps it will be open at the back.» They go round a large quadrilateral wall, it is rather a long rectangular one, but the wall is the same height all round.

«The wall was built not long ago» remarks John, examining it. «There is not a scratch on it and there is still lime rubble on the ground.»

«I cannot even see the sepulchre… It was near the wood. Now the wood is outside the wall and… and it seems to belong to everybody. They are gathering firewood in it.» Elias is puzzled.

77.5 A man, an old woodcutter, small but strong, who is watching the group, stops sawing a trunk he has cut down, and goes towards the group. «Whom are you looking for?»

«We wanted to go in, to pray on Zacharias’ tomb».

«There is no tomb any longer. Don’t you know? Who are you?»

«I am a friend of Samuel, the shepherd. This…»

«It is not necessary, Elias» says Jesus and Elias keeps quiet.

«Ah! Samuel!… I see! But since John, Zacharias’ son, was put into prison, the house is no longer his. And it is a misfortune, because he had all the profit of his property given to the poor people in Hebron. One morning a man came from Herod’s court, he threw Jowehel out, he affixed seals, then he came back with bricklayers and they started raising the wall… The sepulchre was over there, in the corner. He did not want it… and one morning we found it all spoiled and half destroyed… the poor bones were all scattered… We put them together again, as best we could… They are now in a sarcophagus… And in the house of the priest Zacharias, that filthy man keeps his lovers. Now there is a mime from Rome. That is why he raised the wall. He does not want people to see… The house of the priest a brothel! The house of the miracle and of the Precursor! For it is certainly him, if he is not the Messiah. And how much trouble we had because of the Baptist! But he is our great man! He is really great! Even when he was born there was a miracle. Elizabeth was as old as a withered thistle but she became as fruitful as an apple in Adar, and that was the first miracle. Then a cousin of hers came and She was a holy woman, and She served her and loosened the priest’s tongue. Her name was Mary. I remember Her, although we saw Her very rarely. How it happened I don’t know. They say that to make Elizabeth happy, She made Zacharias put his mute mouth against Her pregnant bosom or that She put Her fingers into his mouth. I don’t know. It is a fact that, after nine months’ silence, Zacharias spoke praising the Lord and saying that there was a Messiah. He did not explain more. But my wife was there on that day and she assured me that Zacharias, praising the Lord, said that his son would precede Him. Now I say: it is not what people believe. John is the Messiah and he goes before the Lord, as Abraham went before God. That’s what it is… Am I not right?»

«You are right with regards to the spirit of the Baptist, who always proceeds before God. But you are not right with regards to the Messiah».

«Well, the woman who said that She was the Mother of the Son of God — Samuel said so — was it not true that She was? Is She still living?»

«Yes, She was. The Messiah was born, preceded by him who raised his voice in the desert, as the Prophet said.»

«You are the first to say so. John, the last time that Jowehel took him a sheepskin, which he did every year at the beginning of winter, although he was questioned about the Messiah, did not say: “The Messiah is here”. When he will say so…»

«Man, I was a disciple of John and I heard him say: “Here is the Lamb of God” pointing to…» says John.

«No, no. He is the Lamb. A true Lamb who grew up by himself, almost without the need of a father and mother. As soon as he became a son of the Law, he lived isolated in the mountain caves overlooking the desert, and he grew up there conversing with God. Elizabeth and Zacharias died, and he did not come. God only was his father and mother. There is no holy man greater than he is. You can ask everyone in Hebron. Samuel used to say so, but the people in Bethlehem must have been right. John is the holy man of God.»

«If someone said to you: “I am the Messiah”, what would you say?» asks Jesus.

«I would call him a “blasphemer” and I would drive him away, throwing stones at him.»

«And if he performed a miracle to prove that he was the Messiah?»

«I would say that he was “possessed”. The Messiah will come when John reveals himself in his true nature. The very hatred of Herod is the proof. Cunning as he is, he knows that John is the Messiah.»

«He was not born in Bethlehem.»

«But when he is freed, after announcing by himself his impending oncoming, he will reveal himself in Bethlehem. Also Bethlehem is waiting for that. Whilst… Oh! Go, if you have plenty of guts, and talk to the Bethlehemites of another Messiah… and you will see…»

«Have you a synagogue?»

«Yes, about two hundred steps straight ahead. You cannot go wrong. Near it there is the sarcophagus with the violated remains.»

«Goodbye, may God enlighten you.»

They go away. They turn around onto the front of the house.

• Anonymous characters
• Elizabeth of Hebron (mother of John the Baptist)
• Jean-Baptiste
• Messiah
• Samuel of Bethlehem (shepherd of the Nativity who died before Christ's public life)
• Zacharie (father of John the Baptist)

“God”, says David, from whose stock I descend, as was prophesied by those who saw the future because of their holiness which was so pleasing to God, that He chose them as His messengers, “God elected one only… my son… but the work is great: this palace is not for man but for God”. It is so. God, the King of kings, elected one person only: His Son, to build His house in the hearts of men. And He has already prepared the materials. Oh! How much gold of charity! and copper, silver, iron, rare wood and precious stones! They are all gathered in his Word Who makes use of them to build God’s abode in you. But if man does not help the Lord, the Lord will build His dwelling place in vain. One must reply to gold with gold, to silver with silver, to copper with copper, to iron with iron. That is, love is to be given for love, continence to serve Purity, perseverance to be loyal, strength to be steadfast. And one must carry stones today, wood tomorrow: a sacrifice today, a deed tomorrow and thus build. You must always build the Temple of God in your hearts.

The Master, the Messiah, the King of everlasting Israel and of God’s eternal people, calls you. But He wants you to be pure for the work. Relinquish pride: praise is due to God. Relinquish human thoughts: the Kingdom belongs to God. Be humble and say with Me: “All things are Yours, Father. Everything that is good is Yours. Teach us how to know You and serve You in truth”. Say: “Who am I?” And acknowledge that you will be something only when you become purified dwellings into which God may descend and rest.

You are all pilgrims and strangers in this world, learn how to gather together and proceed towards the promised Kingdom. The road: the commandments fulfilled not because of fear of a punishment, but out of love for You, holy Father. The Ark: a perfect heart in which the nourishing manna of wisdom is treasured and the branch of a pure will is certain to bloom. And come to the Light of the world, that your houses may be bright with light. I bring you the Light. Nothing else. I have no riches and I do not promise worldly honours. But I possess all the supernatural wealth of My Father and I promise the eternal honour of Heaven to those who will follow God with love and charity.

Peace be with you.

• God's call
• How to perfect and sanctify yourself
• Humility
• Kingdom of God - Kingdom of Heaven
• Messiah
• Temple

78.8 An old man says: «Listen, my Lord. Some time ago, a long time ago, at the time of the edict, we heard here that the Saviour was born in Bethlehem… and I went there with other people… I saw a little Baby, exactly like all other new-born babies. But I adored Him with faith. Later I heard that there was a holy man, whose name is John. Which is the true Messiah?»

«The One you adored. The other is His Precursor: a great saint in the eyes of the Most High. But he is not the Messiah.»

«Was it You?»

«It was I.»

• Jean-Baptiste
• Messiah