Notes for this theme
Reading comfort
GRM 49.2
49.2 You love me, therefore, Master?»
«And do you love Me, John, son of Zebedee?»
«So much, Master. I think I have always loved You. Before meeting You, long before my soul was looking for You, and when I saw You, my soul said to me: “Here is the One you are seeking”. I think I met You, because my soul perceived You.»
«You said it, John, and what you say is right. I also came towards you because My soul perceived you.»
John asks Christ:
GRM 49.2
«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.»
Jesus questions John.
GRM 49.2
«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.
Jesus speaks to John.
GRM 49.3
«He was somewhat afraid…»
«No! Not afraid of Me! I have come for good people and even more for those who stand in error. I want to save people, not to condemn them. I will be full of mercy with honest people.»
«And with sinners?»
«Also. By dishonest people I mean those who are spiritually dishonest and hypocritically they feign to be good, whereas they do ill deeds. And they do such things and in such a way for their own profit and to secure an advantage over their neighbours. I will be severe with them.»
GRM 49.4
49.4 They are near the village. Some children are playing in the road and one of them runs into Jesus’ legs and would have fallen if He were not quick in getting hold of him. The child cries just the same, as if he had been hurt and Jesus, holding him in His arms, says: «An Israelite who is crying? What should the thousands of children have done, who became men crossing the desert with Moses? And yet, the Most High Lord sent the sweet manna for them, rather than for the others, because He loves innocent children and looks after these little angels of the earth, these wingless little birds, just as He sees to the sparrows of woods and towns. Do you like honey? Yes? Well, if you are good, you will eat honey which is sweeter than the honey of your bees.»
«Where? When?»
«When, after a life of loyalty to God, you go to Him»
«I know that I cannot go there unless the Messiah comes. My mother says that now, we in Israel, are like many Moses and we die seeing the Promised Land. She says that we are there, waiting to go in, and that only the Messiah will make us go in.»
«What a clever little Israelite! Well, I tell you that when you die, you will go to Paradise at once, because the Messiah will already have opened the gates of Heaven. But you must be good.»
«Mummy! Mummy!» The child slides down from Jesus’ arms and runs towards a young woman, who is entering her house holding a copper amphora. «Mummy! The new Rabbi told me that I will go to Paradise at once when I die and. I will eat so much honey…. If I am good. I will be good!»
«God grant it! I am sorry, Master, if he troubled You. He is so lively!»
«Innocence does not trouble, woman. May God bless you, because you are a mother who is bringing her children up in the knowledge of the Law.»
The woman blushes at being praised and replies: «May the blessing of the Lord be with You, too.» And she disappears with her little one.
GRM 49.4
They are all in need of the Gospel.
GRM 49.4
The Most High Lord (...) loves innocent children and looks after these little angels of the earth, these wingless little birds, just as He sees to the sparrows of woods and towns.
GRM 49.4
«Do you like honey? Yes? Well, if you are good, you will eat honey which is sweeter than the honey of your bees.»
«Where? When?»
«When, after a life of loyalty to God, you go to Him»
«I know that I cannot go there unless the Messiah comes. My mother says that now, we in Israel, are like many Moses and we die seeing the Promised Land. She says that we are there, waiting to go in, and that only the Messiah will make us go in.»
«What a clever little Israelite! Well, I tell you that when you die, you will go to Paradise at once, because the Messiah will already have opened the gates of Heaven. But you must be good.»
«Mummy! Mummy!» The child slides down from Jesus’ arms and runs towards a young woman, who is entering her house holding a copper amphora. «Mummy! The new Rabbi told me that I will go to Paradise at once when I die and. I will eat so much honey…. If I am good. I will be good!»
«God grant it! I am sorry, Master, if he troubled You. He is so lively!»
«Innocence does not trouble, woman. May God bless you, because you are a mother who is bringing her children up in the knowledge of the Law.»
The woman blushes at being praised and replies: «May the blessing of the Lord be with You, too.» And she disappears with her little one.
Jesus addresses a child and says:
GRM 49.5
Every man is My brother, and I have come for everybody.
GRM 49.6
49.6 We are now at the synagogue. I am going in, and you will join Me with your friends.»
John goes away, and Jesus goes into a square room with the usual display of triangular lamps and lecterns with rolls of parchment. There is already a crowd waiting and praying. Jesus also prays. The people whisper and make their comments behind Him, as He bows to the head of the synagogue, greeting him, and He asks for a roll at random.
Jesus begins His lesson.
He says: «The Spirit makes Me read the following things for you. At chapter seven of the book of Jeremiah, we read: “Yahweh Sabaoth, the God of Israel, says this: ‘Amend your behaviour and your actions and I will stay with you here in this place. Put no trust in delusive words like these: This is the sanctuary of Yahweh, the sanctuary of Yahweh, the sanctuary of Yahweh! But if you do amend your behaviour and your actions, if you treat each other fairly, if you do not exploit the stranger, the orphan and the widow, if you do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow alien gods, to your own ruin, then here in this place I will stay with you, in the land that long ago I gave to your fathers forever’”.
Listen, Israel. Here I am to illuminate for you the words of light, which your dimmed souls can no longer see or understand. Listen. There is much weeping in the land of the People of God: old people cry remembering past glories, adults cry because they are bent under the yoke, children cry because they have no prospects of future glory. But the glory of the earth is nothing compared to a glory which no oppressor, except Mammon and ill will, can take away.
Why are you crying? Because the Most High, Who was always good to His people, has now turned His face elsewhere and no longer allows His children to see His Countenance? Is He no longer the God Who parted the sea and made Israel cross it and led the people through the desert and nourished them, and defended them from their enemies and, that they might not lose the way to Heaven, He gave a Law for their souls, as He had sent them a cloud for their bodies? Is He no longer the God that sweetened the waters and sent manna to His worn out children? Is He not the God Who wanted you to settle in His land and made an alliance with you as Father with his children? Well, then, why has the foreigner struck you?
Many amongst you mumble: “And yet the Temple is here!” It is not enough to have the Temple and to go and pray God in it. The first temple is in the heart of every man and that is where holy prayers should be said. But a prayer cannot be holy unless the heart first amends its way of living and with his heart man also amends his habits, affections, the rules of justice towards the poor, servants, relatives and God.
Now look. I see rich hard-hearted men who make rich offerings to the Temple, but they never say to a poor man: “Brother, here is a piece of bread and a penny. Take them. From man to man, and let not my help discourage you as my offering may not make me proud”. I see people who, in their prayers, complain to God because He does not hear their prayers promptly; then when a poor wretch, very often a relative, says to them: “Listen to me”, they reply heartlessly: “No”. I see you crying because your money is squeezed out of your purses by your ruler. But then you squeeze blood out of those you hate and you are not filled with horror when you take the blood and life away from a body.
O Israel! 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. Have you erred so far? Err no longer. Abandon all errors.
The Law is simple, easy and good as it goes back to the original ten commandments, illuminated by the light of love. Come. I will show you which they are: love, love, love. God’s love for you. Your love for God. Love for your neighbours. Always love, because God is love, and those are the Father’s children who know how to live love.
I am here for everybody, and to give everybody the light of God. Here is the Word of the Father that becomes food for you. Come, taste, change the blood of your spirits with this food. Let every poison vanish, let every lust die. A new glory is offered to you: the eternal one, to which all those will come whose hearts will truly study the Law of God.
Start from love. There is nothing greater. When you know how to love, you will already know everything, and God will love you, God’s love means help against all temptations. May the blessing of God be on those who turn to God with their hearts full of goodwill.»
Jesus is silent. The people whisper. The meeting breaks up after some hymns, many of which are sung like psalms.
Jesus is with John and they go to the synagogue. Christ says to his disciple: