Notes for this theme
Reading comfort
GRM 59.4
His Kingdom will not be established with armed multitudes or wild blood shedding and neither the violent nor the overbearing, the proud, the wrathful, the envious, the lustful, the greedy will enter it but only the good, the meek, the continent, the merciful, the humble, the patient and those who love God and their neighbours will be admitted.
Jesus speaks of the Kingdom and says:
GRM 59.5
59.5 A bearded sumptuously dressed Israelite stands up to contradict Him. He says: «Master, what You have stated appears to be in contrast with what is said in the second book of Maccabees, glory of Israel. It is said there: “Indeed when evil-doers are not left for long to their own devices but incur swift retribution, it is a sign of great benevolence. In the case of the other nations, the Lord waits patiently for them to obtain the full measure of their sins, before He punishes them”. According to what You said, instead, the Most High would appear to be very slow in punishing us, waiting, as for the other nations, the time of Judgement, when the measure of sins is full. Events, indeed, give You the lie. Israel is punished as stated by the historian of the Maccabees. But if what You say is correct, is there no conflict between Your doctrine and the sentence I have quoted?»
«I do not know who you are, but I will give you My answer, whoever you are. There is no conflict in the doctrine, but only in the interpretation of the words. You interpret them in a human sense, I, instead, in a spiritual one. You see everything as referred to the present time and transient things, and you represent the majority of people who think likewise. I represent God and I explain and apply everything to eternal and supernatural matters. It is true, Yahweh did strike you at present because of your pride and because you considered yourselves a “nation” according to the world. But how much He loved you and how patient He is with you, more than with anyone else, granting you the Saviour, His Messiah, that you may listen to Him and be saved before the hour of the wrath of God! He does not want you to be sinners any longer. But if He struck you in the fleeting worldly things, seeing that the injury does not cure your souls, on the contrary it makes them duller and duller, He does not inflict a further punishment, but He grants you salvation. He sends you Him Who cures and saves you! I, Who am speaking to you.»
Jesus has just preached, encouraging souls to convert and enter the Kingdom of God. To do so, they must leave sin and repent.
Second Book of the Maccabees
2 M 6, 13-14 : For it is the sign of great goodness not to tolerate for long those who commit impiety, but to inflict punishment on them without delay. Indeed, with regard to the other nations, the Master waits with great patience, before chastising them, until they have reached the height of their sins1.
GRM 67.2-5
67.2 Two men are quarrelling in earnest because the donkey of one of them has helped itself from the beautiful basket of lettuce of the other donkey and has eaten quite a lot of it! Perhaps it is only a pretext to give vent to old ill-feelings. In fact from under their short tunics, which reach down to their calves, they pull out two short large knives, as broad as a hand: they look like short pointed daggers and they glint in the sun. Screams of women and shouts of men are heard everywhere. But no one tries to separate the men who are ready for a rustic duel.
Jesus, Who was walking, thoughtful, raises His head, He sees the fight and rushes between the two: «Stop, in the name of God!» He orders.
«No, I want to fix this cursed dog once and for all!»
«And so do I! You are fond of fringes? I’ll make a fringe for you with your bowels!»
The two move fast around Jesus, pushing Him, insulting Him to get rid of Him, endeavouring to strike each other, but without success, because Jesus, moving His mantle carefully, wards off the blows and interferes with their aim. He gets His mantle torn.
People shout: «Come away, Nazarene. You’ll be the loser». But He does not move and endeavours to calm them, reminding them of God. In vain! The two rivals are mad with rage!
The power of miracle can be seen radiating from Jesus. For the last time He shouts: «I order you to stop it!»
«No! Get out of the way. Go your way, dog of a Nazarene!» Jesus then stretches out His hands, with His powerful bright look. He does not say one word. But the blades fall in pieces to the ground, as if they were made of glass and had clashed against a rock.
The two men look at the short, useless handles, left in their hands. Astonishment deadens wrath. And the astonished crowd shout.
67.3 «And now?» asks Jesus, severely. «Where is your strength?» Also the soldiers on duty at the gate, who rushed out at the latest shouts, stare surprised and one bends down to pick up the fragments of the blades and test them on his nails, not believing they were made of steel.
«And now?» repeats Jesus. «Where is your strength? On what did you base your right? On those bits of metal now lying in the dust? On those splinters of metal which had no other strength but to induce you to a sin of wrath against a brother, thus depriving you of all the blessings of God and consequently of all strength? Oh! how miserable are those who rely on human means to win, and who do not realise that holiness and not violence will make us winners both on the earth and beyond it! Because God is with the just.
Listen, people of Israel, and you, soldiers of Rome. The Word of God speaks to all the sons of man, and the Son of man will not reject the Gentiles.
The second commandment of the Lord is a commandment of love for our neighbours. God is good and wants goodwill in His children. He who is not kindly disposed towards his neighbour cannot consider himself a son of God neither can he have God in himself. Man is not an animal without reason, that attacks and its prey. Man has reason and a soul. With his reason he must behave as a man. With his soul he must behave as a saint. He who behaves differently, lowers himself below animals; he stoops down to embrace demons because a soul becomes wicked with the sin of wrath.
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.»
67.4 «Who are You who speak such words and break swords with Your will power? Only One can do such things: the Messiah. Not even John the Baptist is greater than He is. Are You perhaps the Messiah?» three or four people ask Him.
«Yes, I am.»
«You? Are You the One who heals sick people and preaches God in Galilee?»
«I am.»
«I have an old mother who is dying. Heal her!»
«And I, see? I am losing all my strength because of my pains. My children are still young. Heal me!»
«Go home. Your mother this evening will prepare your supper; and you: be healed. I want it!»
The crowd roars with joy. They then ask: «Your Name! Your Name!»
«Jesus of Nazareth.»
«Jesus! Jesus! Hosanna! Hosanna!»
The crowd is jubilant. The donkeys now can do what they like, no one pays attention to them. Mothers rush out from the town, as the news has obviously spread and they lift up their little ones. Jesus blesses and smiles. And He endeavours to make His way through the acclaiming crowd to enter the town and go His way. But the crowd will not hear of it. «Stay with us! In Judaea! In Judaea! We are the sons of Abraham, too!» they shout.
67.5 «Master!» Judas runs towards Him. «Master, You arrived before me. But what is happening?»
«The Rabbi has worked a miracle! Not in Galilee; here! We want Him here!»
«See, Master? The whole of Israel loves You. It is only fair You should stay here, too. Why do You not want to?»
«It is not that I do not want to, Judas. I came here by Myself, that the roughness of the Galilean disciples might not irritate the subtleness of the Judaeans. I want to gather all the sheep of Israel under the sceptre of God.»
«That is why I said to You: “Take me”. I am a Judaean, and I know how do deal with my equals. Will You therefore remain in Jerusalem?»
«For a few days. To wait for a disciple, who is also a Judaean. Then I will go through Judaea…»
«Oh! I will come with You. I will accompany You. You will come to my village. I will take You to my house. Will You come, Master?»
67.6 «I will come…»
Miracles of broken blades.
GRM 67.3
Oh! how miserable are those who rely on human means to win, and who do not realise that holiness and not violence will make us winners both on the earth and beyond it! Because God is with the just.
GRM 69.3
It is not lawful to do violence to anybody, not even to oneself.
GRM 78.6
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.
GRM 83.2
Translation in progress
GRM 83.2
Translation in progress
GRM 86.1
Translation in progress
GRM 86.2
Translation in progress