Notes for this theme
Reading comfort
GRM 36.8
Many people, only because they are fairly good Catholics who pray and receive Me in the Holy Eucharist, and they pray and receive Me for ‘their’ needs, not for the needs of their souls and for the Glory of God — because only seldom those who pray are not selfish — many people would expect to have a prosperous, happy, easy material life, well-protected even from the least pain.
GRM 36.9
36.9 In that house they prayed. You pray too little in your homes, nowadays. The sun rises and sets, you start your work, and you sit at the table without a thought for the Lord, Who has allowed you to see a new day, and then to live and see a new night, Who has blessed your work and has made it the means for you to purchase the food, the fire, the clothes, the house which are so necessary for your human lives. Whatever comes from Good God is ‘good’. Even if it is poor and meagre, love gives it flavour and body, the love that allows you to see, in the Eternal Creator, the Father Who loves you.
Maria has just seen a vision of the Holy Family in Egypt.
GRM 39.4-6
I see Jesus with His Mother going into the dining room (let us call it so), in Nazareth.
Jesus is a handsome young boy, twelve years old, tall, well built, strong but not fat. He looks older than His years, because of His complexion. He is already tall, in fact He reaches up to the shoulders of His Mother. His face is the rosy round face of a child and later, in His youth and then in His manhood, it will get thinner and thinner and it will become colourless, the colour of some very delicate alabasters with a hue of yellowish pink.
Also His eyes are still the eyes of a child. They are large, wide open when looking, with a sparkle of joy lost in the seriousness of His glance. Later they will not be so wide open… His eyelashes will cover half of them to conceal the excessive wickedness which is in the world, from the Pure and Holy One. Only when working miracles they will be open and bright, even brighter than now… to cast out demons and death, to heal diseases and sins. And they will no longer have that sparkle of happiness mingled with seriousness… death and sin will be more and more present and close, and with them the knowledge, also the human knowledge of the uselessness of His sacrifice, because of the unwillingness and aversion of man. Only in the rarest moments of joy, when He is with faithful believers and particularly with pure people, mostly children, will His holy mild kind eyes shine again with happiness.
But now He is at home with His Mother, in front of Him there is Saint Joseph who is smiling lovingly, and there are His little cousins who admire Him, and His aunt Mary of Alphaeus who is patting Him… He is happy. My Jesus needs love to be happy. And in this moment He has it.
He is dressed in a loose woollen tunic which is a light ruby red colour. It is soft, perfectly woven in its compact thinness. Round the neck, in the front, at the ends of the long wide sleeves and at the bottom of the tunic which hangs down to the ground, so that only His feet can be seen, there is a Greek fret which is not embroidered, but woven in a darker colour into the ruby of the tunic. He is wearing new sandals which appear to be very well made, they are not just the usual soles tied to the feet by means of straps of leather. His tunic must be the work of His Mother because Her sister-in-law admires and praises it.
His lovely blond hair is already somewhat darker than when He was a little boy, with auburn reflections in the curls ending under His ears. They are no longer the soft graceful curls of His childhood. It is not yet the wavy long hair of His manhood, reaching down to His shoulders, ending there in a soft, big curl. But it already resembles more the latter in its colour and style.
39.5 «Here is our Son,» says Mary lifting Her right hand which is holding Jesus’ left one. She seems to be introducing Him to everybody and confirming the paternity of the Just man who is smiling. And She adds: «Bless Him, Joseph, before leaving for Jerusalem. There was no ritual blessing for His first step in life, because it was not necessary for Him to go to school. But now that He is going to the Temple to be proclaimed of age, please bless Him. And bless Me with Him. Your blessing…» (Mary sobs softly) «will fortify Him and give Me strength, to detach Myself a little more from Him…»
«Mary, Jesus will always be Yours. The formality will not affect our mutual relationship. Neither will I contend with You for this Son, so dear to us. No one deserves, as You do, to guide Him in life, o my Holy Spouse.»
Mary bends down and takes Joseph’s hand and kisses it. She is the respectful, loving spouse of Her consort!
Joseph receives the sign of respect and love with dignity, he then lifts the hand which She has kissed and lays it on the head of his Spouse and says to Her: «Yes. I bless You, o Blessed One, and I bless Jesus with You. Come to me, my only joys, my honour and essence of my life.» Joseph is solemn. With his arms stretched out and the palms of his hands turned down above the two heads which are bent down, both equally blond and holy, he pronounces his blessing: «May the Lord look upon You and bless You. May He have mercy on You and give You peace. May the Lord give You His blessing.» And then he says: «And now let us go. The hour is favourable for the journey.»
39.6 Mary takes a wide dark brown mantle and She drapes it on the body of Her Son. How She caresses Him in doing so!
They go out, they close up the house. They set off. Other pilgrims are going in the same direction. Outside the village the women separate from the men. The children go where they like. Jesus stays with His Mother.
The pilgrims go along through the country which is so beautiful in the happiest springtime, and they sing psalms most of the time. The meadows are fresh and the crops are fresh, and the leaves on the trees have just begun to bloom. You can hear men singing in the fields along the roads and birds singing their songs of love among the branches of the trees. Clear streams reflect like mirrors the flowers on the banks, while little lambs are jumping about near their mothers… Peace and happiness under the loveliest April sky.
The vision ends in this way.
Physical description of the infant Jesus and Joseph's blessing before leaving for Jerusalem.
GRM 41.7
Gamaliel: «Tell me, Jesus. How can the peace of which the Prophets speak be hoped for, if destruction is going to come to these people by war? Speak and enlighten me as well.»
Jesus: «Do you not remember, master, what those said who were present on the night of Christ’s birth? That the angels sang: ‘Peace to men of goodwill’ but these people are not of goodwill and will not have peace. They will not acknowledge their King, the Just Man, the Saviour, because they expect Him to be a king with human power, whereas He is the King of the spirit. They will not love Him, because they will not like what Christ preaches. Christ will not defeat their enemies with their chariots and their horses, He will instead defeat the enemies of the soul, who endeavour to imprison in hell the heart of man which was created for the Lord. And this is not the victory Israel is expecting from Him. Your King will come, Jerusalem, riding a ‘donkey and a colt’, that is, the just people of Israel and the Gentiles. But I tell you, that the colt will be more faithful to Him and will follow Him preceding the donkey and will grow in the ways of Truth and Life. Because of its evil will, Israel will lose its peace and suffer for centuries and will cause its King to suffer and will make Him the King of sorrow of Whom Isaiah speaks.»
GRM 41.11-13
41.11 Jesus says:
[…]
«Let us go back, far back. Let us go back to the Temple where I, a twelve year old boy, am disputing. Or rather, let us go back to the roads which take one to Jerusalem and from Jerusalem to the Temple.
See Mary’s distress when She realised, after the groups of men and women had gathered together, that I was not with Joseph.
She does not reproach Her spouse bitterly. Every woman would have done that. You do so for much less, forgetting that man is still the head of the family. But the pain that appears on Mary’s face pierces Joseph’s heart more than any bitter reproach. Mary does not give vent to dramatic outbursts. You do so for much less because you love to be noticed and pitied. But Her repressed sorrow is so obvious: She starts trembling, Her face turns pale, Her eyes are wide open and thus She arouses pity more than any outburst of tears and cries.
She is no longer tired or hungry. And yet the journey was a long one and She has not taken any food for so many hours! But She leaves everything: the bed She was preparing and the food which was ready to be handed out. And She goes back. It is night, it is dark. It does not matter. Every step takes Her back to Jerusalem. She stops the caravans and pilgrims and questions them. Joseph follows Her and helps Her. A long day’s walk back to Jerusalem and then the feverish search in town.
Where, where can Her Jesus be? And by God’s provision for many hours She will not know where to look for Me. To look for a child in the Temple does not make sense. What could a child be doing in the Temple? At the most, if he had got lost in town and his little steps had brought him back there, he would have cried for his mother and thus would have attracted the attention of people and of the priests, who would have taken the necessary steps to find the parents by means of announcements left at the gates. But there was no announcement. No one in town knew anything of this Child. Beautiful? Blond? Strong? There are so many like that! It is too little to enable anyone to say: ‘I saw Him. He was there or there’!
41.12 Then, after three days, the symbol of three other days of future anguish, Mary, exhausted, enters the Temple, walks along the yards and the halls. Nothing. She runs, the poor Mother, whenever She hears the voice of a child. Even the bleating of the lambs give Her the impression that She hears Her Creature weeping and looking for Her. But Jesus is not weeping. He is teaching. All of a sudden, from beyond the barrier of a large group of people, She hears His voice saying: ‘These stones will vibrate…’ She endeavours to make Her way through the crowd, and succeeds after much effort. There is Her Son, standing in the midst of the doctors with His arms stretched out.
Mary is the Prudent Virgin. But this time anxiety overcomes prudence. It is a hurricane that demolishes everything. She runs to Her Son, embraces Him, lifting Him off the stool and putting Him down on the ground and She exclaims: ‘Oh! Why have You done this to us? For three days we have been looking for You. Your Mummy is dying with pain, Son. Your father is exhausted with fatigue. Why, Jesus?’
You do not ask ‘why ‘ of Him Who knows. ‘Why’ He behaved in a certain way. You do not ask those with a vocation ‘why’ they leave everything to follow the voice of God. I was Wisdom and I knew. I was ‘called’ to a mission and I was fulfilling it. Above the earthly father and mother there is God, the Divine Father. His interests are above ours, His affections are superior to everything else. And I tell My Mother.
I finish teaching the doctors with the lesson to Mary, the Queen of doctors. And She has never forgotten it. The sun began to shine again in Her heart now that She had Me, humble and obedient, beside Her, but My words are deeply rooted in Her mind. There will be much sunshine and many clouds will gather in the sky during the next twenty-one years I will still be on the earth. And great joys and many tears will alternate in Her heart during the next twenty-one years. But never again will She ask: ‘My Son, why have You done this to us?’
Oh, insolent men, learn your lesson.
41.13 I directed and enlightened the vision, because you, little John, are not able to do anything further. […]»
GRM 42.5-7
42.5 Then Jesus bending over the dying man, whispers a psalm[1]. I know it is a psalm, but just now I cannot tell which one. It begins thus:
«‘Look after me, o Lord, because I hoped in You…
In favour of his friends who live on his earth he has accomplished all my wishes in a wonderful way…
I will bless the Lord Who is my advisor…
The Lord is always before me. He is on my right-hand side that I may not fall.
Therefore my heart exults and my tongue rejoices and also my body will rest in hope.
Because You will not abandon my soul in the dwelling place of the dead, neither will You allow Your friend to see corruption.
You will reveal the path of light to me and will fill me with joy showing me Your face’.»
Joseph cheers up a little and with a more lively look he smiles at Jesus and presses His fingers.
Jesus replies to the smile with a smile of His own and to the pressure on His fingers with a caress. And still bending over His putative father, He goes on softly:
«‘How I love your Tabernacles, o Lord.
My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the Lord.
Also the sparrow has found a home and the little dove a nest for its young. I am longing for your Altars, Lord.
Happy are those who live in Your house… happy is the man who finds his strength in You. He inspired into his heart the ascents from the valley of tears to the chosen place.
O Lord hear my prayer…
O God, turn Your eyes and look at the face of Your Anointed…’»
Joseph, sobbing, looks at Jesus and makes an effort to speak as if to bless Him. But he cannot. He obviously understands, but he is impeded in his speech. But he is happy and looks at his Jesus with liveliness and trust.
«‘Oh! Lord»’, goes on Jesus. «‘You have favoured Your own country, You brought back the captives of Jacob…
Show us, o Lord, Your mercy and bring us back Your Saviour.
I want to listen to what the Lord is saying to me. He will certainly speak of peace to His people for His friends and for those who convert their hearts to Him.
Yes, His saving help is near… and the glory will live in our country. Love and loyalty have now met, righteousness and peace have now embraced. Loyalty reaches up from the earth and righteousness leans down from Heaven.
Yes, the Lord Himself bestows happiness and our soil gives its harvest. Righteousness will always precede Him and will leave its footprints on the path’.
You have seen that hour, father and you have worked for it. You have co-operated in the formation of this hour and the Lord will reward you for it. I am telling you,» adds Jesus, wiping a tear of joy which slowly runs down Joseph’s cheek.
He then resumes:
«‘O Lord, remember David and all his kindness.
How he swore to the Lord: I will not enter my house, nor climb into the bed of my rest, nor allow my eyes to sleep, nor give rest to my eyelids, nor peace to my temples until I have found a place for the Lord, a home for the God of Jacob…
Rise, o Lord and come to Your resting place, You and Your Ark of holiness (Mary understands, and She bursts into tears).
May Your priests vest in virtue and Your devote shout for joy.
For the sake of Your servant David, do not deprive us of the face of Your Anointed.
The Lord swore to David and will remain true to His word: “I will put on your throne the fruit of your womb”.
The Lord has chosen His home…
I will make a horn sprout for David, I will prepare a lamp for My Anointed’.
42.6 Thank you, My father on My behalf and on behalf of My Mother. You have been a Just father to Me and the Eternal Father chose you as the guardian of His Christ and of His Ark. You have been the lamp lit for Him and for the Fruit of the holy womb you have had a loving heart. Go in peace, father. Your Widow will not be helpless. God has arranged that She must not be alone. Go peacefully to your rest. I tell You.»
Mary is crying with Her face bent down on the blankets (they look like mantles) stretched on Joseph’s body, which is now getting cold. Jesus hastens to comfort him because he is breathing with great difficulty and his eyes are growing dim once again.
«‘Happy is the man who fears the Lord and joyfully keeps His commandments…
His righteousness will last forever.
For the upright He shines like a lamp in the dark, He is merciful, tender-hearted, virtuous…
The just man will be remembered forever. His justice is eternal and his power will rise and become a glory…’
You, father, will have that glory. I will soon come to take you, with the Patriarchs who have preceded you, to the glory which is waiting for you. May your spirit rejoice in My word.
‘He who lives in the shelter of the Most High, lives under the protection of the God of Heaven’.
You live there, o father.
‘He rescued me from the snares of fowlers and from rough words.
He will cover you with His wings and under His feathers you will find shelter.
His truth will protect you like a shield and you need not fear the terrors of night…
No evil will come near you because He ordered His angels to guard you wherever you go.
They will carry you with their hands so that you may not hurt your foot against stones.
You will tread on lions and adders, you will trample on savage lions and dragons.
Because you have hoped in the Lord, He says to you, o father, that He will free you and protect you.
Because you have lifted your voice to Him, He will hear you, He will be with you in your last affliction, He will glorify you after this life, showing you His Salvation even now’. And in future life, He will let you enter, because of the Saviour Who is now comforting you and Who very soon, oh! I repeat it, He will come very soon and hold you in His divine embrace and take you, at the head of all the Patriarchs, where the dwelling place has been prepared for the Just man of God who was My blessed father.
Go before Me and tell the Patriarchs that the Saviour is in the world and the Kingdom of Heaven will soon be opened to them. Go, father. May My blessing accompany you.»
42.7 Jesus has raised His voice to reach the heart of Joseph, who is sinking into the mists of death. His end is near. He is panting very painfully. Mary caresses him, Jesus sits on the edge of the little bed, embraces him and draws to Himself the dying man, who collapses, and passes away peacefully.
The scene is full of a solemn peace. Jesus lays the Patriarch down again and embraces Mary, Who at the last moment, broken-hearted, had gone near Jesus.
Psalm 16 (15): Keep me, my God: I have made you my refuge.
I said to the Lord, "You are my God! I have no other happiness but you."
All the idols of the land, those gods I loved, + they continue to spread their ravages, and people rush after them. I will not offer them the blood of sacrifice; * their name will not come to my lips!
Lord, my portion and my cup: my fate depends on you. My portion is my delight; I even have the most beautiful inheritance!
I bless the Lord who advises me: even at night my heart warns me.
I keep the Lord before me without ceasing; he is at my right hand: I am steadfast.
09 My heart exults, my soul rejoices, my flesh rests in confidence:
10 you cannot abandon me to death nor let your friend see corruption.
You teach me the way of life: before your face, overflowing joy! At your right hand, eternal delight!
Psalms 84 (83): O Lord, you have loved this land, you have brought back the outcasts of Jacob; you have taken away the sin of your people, you have covered all their iniquity; you have put an end to all your anger, you have returned from your great fury.
Bring us back, God, our salvation; forget your resentment against us. Will you always be angry with us, will you maintain your wrath from age to age? Is it not you who will return to give us life and be the joy of your people?
Show us, Lord, your love, and give us your salvation.
I am listening: what will the Lord God say? What he says is peace for his people and his faithful; may they never return to their folly!
His salvation is near to those who fear him, and glory will dwell in our land.
Love and truth meet, justice and peace embrace; truth will spring from the earth, and justice from heaven.
The Lord will bestow his blessings, and our land will yield its fruit.
Righteousness shall go before him, and his steps shall mark out the way.
Psalm 85 (84): You have loved this land, O Lord; you have brought back the outcasts of Jacob; you have taken away the sin of your people, you have covered all their iniquity; you have put an end to all your anger, you have returned from your great wrath.
Bring us back, God, our salvation; forget your resentment against us.
Will you always be angry with us, will you maintain your wrath from age to age? Is it not you who will return to give us life and be the joy of your people?
Show us, Lord, your love, and give us your salvation.
I am listening: what will the Lord God say? + What he says is peace for his people and his faithful; may they never return to their folly!
His salvation is near to those who fear him, and glory will dwell in our land. Love and truth meet, justice and peace embrace; truth will spring from the earth, and justice from heaven.
The Lord will bestow his blessings, and our land will yield its fruit. Righteousness shall go before him, and his steps shall mark out the way.
Psalms 132 (131):
Remember, Lord, David and his great submission when he made an oath to the Lord, a promise to the Mighty One of Jacob: "I will never enter my tent, and never lie down on my bed; I will forbid all sleep to my eyes and all respite to my eyelids,
until I have found a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob."
Behold, it is announced to us in Ephrathah; we have found it near Yagar.
Let us enter the dwelling of God, let us bow down at the feet of his throne.
Ascend, O Lord, to the place of your rest, you and the ark of your strength!
Let your priests be clothed in righteousness, let your faithful shout for joy!
For the sake of David your servant, do not reject the face of your Messiah.
The Lord swore to David, and he will never take back his word: "It is a man from you whom I will place on your throne.
"If your sons keep my covenant, the will I make known to them, their sons, too, will forever sit on the throne set up for you."
For the Lord has chosen Zion; she is the dwelling place he desires:
"This is my resting place forever; this is the dwelling place I have longed for.
"I will bless, I will bless her crops to satisfy her poor with bread.
I will clothe its priests with glory, and its faithful will shout and shout for joy.
"There I will make David's strength spring forth; for my messiah I have lit a lamp.
18 I will clothe his enemies with shame, but upon him the crown will blossom."
Psalms 112 (111): Alleluia! Praise, ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord!
Blessed be the name of the Lord, now and forever!
From the rising of the sun to its setting, praise the name of the Lord!
The Lord dominates all peoples, his glory dominates the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God? He sits on high. But he lowers his gaze to heaven and earth.
From the dust he raises the weak, from the ashes the poor, to sit among princes, among the princes of his people.
He sets the barren woman in her home, a happy mother among her sons.
Psalm 90: When I stand under the shelter of the Most High and rest in the shadow of the Mighty, I say to the Lord, "My refuge, my bulwark, my God, of whom I am sure!"
It is he who saves you from the hunter's nets and the evil plague; he covers and protects you. His faithfulness is your armor and shield.
You will not fear the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in broad daylight, nor the plague that prowls in the dark, nor the scourge that strikes at noon.
Let a thousand fall at your side, + ten thousand fall at your right, and you will remain beyond reach.
All you have to do is open your eyes and you'll see the wages of the wicked. Yes, the Lord is your refuge; you have made the Most High your stronghold.
Misfortune cannot touch you, nor danger approach your dwelling: he has given his angels the mission of guarding you on all your paths.
They will carry you on their hands so that your foot does not strike the stones; you will tread on the viper and the scorpion, and crush the lion and the dragon.
"Since he clings to me, I deliver him; I defend him, for he knows my name. He calls me, and I answer him; I am with him in his trial. "I want to set him free, to glorify him; + for many days I want to satisfy him, and I will make him see my salvation."
GRM 43.6
43.6 I do not promise you human gifts or human comfort. I promise you the same consolations as Joseph had: supernatural ones. Because, everybody should know, the gifts of the Wise Men, in the dire necessities of poor refugees, vanished as fast as lightning when we purchased a home and the bare essential household implements necessary for life, and the food which is also essential for life and could be procured only out of that source of income, until such time as we found work.
Jewish communities have always helped one another. But the community gathered in Egypt was formed almost exclusively of persecuted refugees, who therefore were almost as poor as we, who had come to join them. And a little share of that wealth, which we were anxious to keep for our Jesus when adult, and we had spared out of the expenses for settling in Egypt, was most useful for our return and just sufficient to reorganise our house and the workshop in Nazareth upon our return. Because times change, but human greed is always the same and it takes advantage of other people’s necessities to suck its part in the most exorbitant way.
No. The fact that we had Jesus with us did not procure us any material wealth. Many amongst you expect that, when they are hardly united to Jesus. They forget what He said[1]: ‘Set your hearts on things of the spirit’. All the rest is unnecessary. God provides also food. For men as well as for birds. Because He knows that you need food while your flesh is the tabernacle of your soul. But first of all ask for His grace. First of all ask for things for your spirit. The rest will be given to you in addition.
GRM 43.7
Say with Me: ‘Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit’. Let it always be your cry, until you will repeat it in Heaven. May the grace of the Lord always be with you.
GRM 44.3
44.3 Jesus is speaking to Mary. At first I do not understand the words which are just whispered, and Mary nods Her head in assent. Then I hear: «And get Your relatives to come. Don’t stay here alone. I will be happier, Mother, and You know how I need peace of mind to fulfil My mission. You will not lack My love. I will come quite often and I will inform You in case I cannot come home when I am back in Galilee. Then You will come to Me, Mother. This hour was to come. It began when the Angel appeared to You; it is now striking, and we must live it, Mother, must we not? After we have overcome the trial, we shall have peace and joy. First, we must cross this desert as our Ancestors did, before entering the Promised Land. But the Lord God will help us as He helped them. And He will grant us His help as a spiritual manna to nourish our souls in the difficult moment of the trial. Let us say the Our Father together…» Jesus and Mary stand up and they look up to Heaven: two living victims shining in the darkness.
Jesus, slowly but with a clear voice, says the Lord’s Prayer, Stressing the words. He emphasizes the words: «Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done» spacing the two sentences from the others. He prays with His arms stretched out, not exactly crosswise, but as priests do when they say: «The Lord be with you». Mary’s hands are joined.
Jesus leaves Nazareth to begin his public life. He speaks to his Mother.
GRM 44.13
44.13 Mary prays. She does not object to praying because God had given Her sorrows. Remember that. She prays together with Jesus: She prays the Father: Ours and yours.
The first “Our Father” was said in the kitchen garden in Nazareth to console Mary’s pain, to offer “our” wills to the Eternal Father, when a period of greater and greater sacrifices was about to begin for us, culminating with the sacrifice of My life and My Mother’s acceptance of the death of Her Son.
And although we had nothing for which the Father should forgive us, just out of humbleness, we, the Faultless Ones, begged the Father’s pardon so that we might proceed worthily in our mission, after being forgiven and absolved of even a sigh. Because we wanted to teach you that the more you are in the grace of God, the more your mission is blessed and fruitful. We also wanted to teach you to respect God and be humble. Before God the Father, although a perfect Man and a perfect Woman, we felt we were nothing and we begged forgiveness. Exactly as we asked for our “daily bread”.
Which was our bread? Oh! Not the bread made by the pure hands of Mary and baked in our little oven, for which I had so often prepared bundles of sticks and brushwood. Also that bread is necessary while man is on the earth. But “our” daily bread was to fulfil, day by day, our part of the mission: we begged God to grant us that everyday, because to fulfil the mission that God gives us is the joy of “our” day, isn’t it, My little John? You also say that a day is lost, as if it did not exist, if the Lord’s bounty gives you a day without your mission of sorrow.