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Silver

Theme: Money, power and wealth · Page 1 of 4

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Aa

GRM 48.7-8

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

48.7 «Speak, speak of Him, while we are going. Where is He?»

«In a poor house; they must be His friends»

«Is He poor?»

«A workman from Nazareth. So He said.»

«And how does He live now, if He does not work any longer?»

«We did not ask Him. Perhaps His relatives help Him.»

«It would have been better if we had brought some fish, some bread and fruit…, something. We are going to consult a rabbi, because He is like… He is more than a rabbi, and we are going empty-handed! Our rabbis don’t like that…»

«But He does. We had but twenty pennies between us, James and I, and we offered Him them, as is customary with rabbis. He did not want them. But since we insisted so much, He said: “May God reward you with the blessings of the poor. Come with Me” and He gave them to some poor people: He knew where they lived. And when we asked Him: “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”. That is what He said.»

«Ah! Now I feel that He is the true Rabboni, the promised Messiah! He is not harsh with the poor, He does not ask for money… It is enough to call Him the Holy Man of God. We can go safely.»

Detail

Peter asks John to tell him about the Messiah.

GRM 67.3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Love. I say nothing else. Love your neighbour as the Lord God of Israel prescribes. Do not always be of Cain’s blood. And why are you so? For the sake of a few coins, you who might have become murderers. For a few palms of land. For a better position. For a woman. What are such things? Are they eternal? No. They last less than a lifetime, which lasts an instant of eternity. And what do you lose if you follow them? The eternal peace promised to the just, and which the Messiah will bring you together with His Kingdom. Come on to the way of Truth. Follow the Voice of God. Love one another. Be honest. Be moderate. Be humble and fair. Go and meditate.

GRM 79.3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

A workman is entitled to his pay, also if he deals with souls… because there is still a body to be nourished, as if it were a donkey helping its master.

GRM 79.5

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Show me the bag, Elias.» And Judas, who is sitting on the grass, empties the bag on his mantle. Rings, armlets, bracelets and a necklace roll out: yellow gold on the dark gold of Judas’ mantle. «They are jewels!… What can we do with them?»

«They can be sold» says Simon.

«They are troublesome things» remarks Judas, who, however, admires them.

«That’s what I told her, when I took them; I also said: “Your master will beat you”. She replied: “They do not belong to him. They are mine and I do what I want with them. I know it is the gold of sins… but it will become good if used for the poor and the holy. That they may remember me” and she was crying.» (...)

«Was I wrong, Master, in speaking to her and taking that gold?» asks Elias, when he sees Jesus so serious.

«You did nothing wrong. But there is nothing more to be done.»

Detail

Aglaé gives her jewels so that he may be purified for what is poor and holy.

Keywords

GRM 80.9

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Oh! gold. Bread is a great thing, and woman an even greater one for those longing for food or pleasure. To be acclaimed by the crowds is a very great thing for man. How many crimes are committed for these three things! But gold… gold! It is a key that opens, a circle that joins, it is the beginning and end of ninety-nine percent of human actions. For bread and a woman man becomes a thief. For power he also becomes a murderer. But for gold he becomes an idolator. 

GRM 81.5

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

81.5 «Judas, you said that those jewels are beautiful.»

«Yes, beautiful and valuable.»

«How much will they be worth? I think you are an expert.»

«Yes, I am a good judge. Why do You want to know how much they are worth, Master? Do You want to sell them? Why?»

«Perhaps… Tell Me: how much will they be worth?»

«At least six talents, if they are sold well.»

«Are you sure?»

«Yes, Master. The necklace by itself, so big and heavy, of the purest gold, is worth at least three talents. I have examined it carefully. And also the bracelets… I don’t know how Aglae’s thin wrists could hold them.»

«They were her shackles, Judas.»

«That’s true, Master… But so many would like to have such beautiful shackles!»

«Do you think so? Who?»

«Well… many people!»

«Yes, many who are human beings only by name… And do you know a possible buyer?»

«So, do You want to sell them? And is it for the Baptist? But look, it’s cursed gold!»

«Oh! Human inconsistency! You have just said with evident desire, that many people would love to have that gold, and then you say it is cursed?! Judas, Judas!… It is cursed indeed. But she said: “It will be sanctified if it is cursed for poor and holy people” and that is why she relinquished it, whoever benefits from it may pray for her poor soul which like the embryo of a future butterfly swells in the seed of her heart.»

Detail

About Aglaé's jewelry, featured in EMV 79.

Keywords

GRM 82.5

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

I do not want a forthing of that money. We have the offerings of God and of those who honestly seek God… and we shall never lack what is necessary. Believe Me.

Detail

Jesus said to Judas:

GRM 95

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

James of Alphaeus joins Jesus in Capernaum, along with his brother Jude. He explains that the whole family is against them, and when he learned that God had to be put above his father, he made the decision to go and find the Holy One of God. The cousins have believed from the start that he is the Messiah. Jesus welcomes him. He suffers Alphaeus' rejection, but spiritually, as the Word of God, he rejoices in this decision.

Now they have to give the tax to Matthew. Peter speaks ill of him, and it's Jesus who introduces himself to the future disciple. They have a brief exchange. Then Christ makes a speech about money and repentance.

When he has finished, he is told that Mary of Alphaeus is present. She is devastated for her Alpheus, who rejects God. She asks him for a miracle, but the Lord won't grant it, because it's not good to do so. But he does promise eternal salvation for her Alpheus, and gives words of encouragement to her aunt.