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Saints, venerable and blessed of the Catholic Church

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GRM 78

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

Jesus, John, Judas and Simon the Zealot arrive in Keroth. The shepherds are gone. Judas is really agitated and can't hold it together. He asks the Master to tell him, and Simon points out to the Master that this man doesn't understand him. Jesus sighs, but says nothing.

They arrive in Keroth, and are greeted by Judas' mother. She greets him with great respect, offers him something to refresh himself and gives him sandals and a cloak. Jesus initially says nothing, but thinks nothing of it; then, when Mary declares that she knows nothing of the ways of kings, he asks to speak to his apostle alone. There, he rebukes him severely, saying that he is putting obstacles in the way of his mission, for Israel is subject to Rome, and Christ is in no way a King of the earth.

He really encourages Judas to withdraw, to leave the group. Then he describes his kingship and when he will be crowned king: on the wood of the cross, with an infamous sign and under the booing of his people. Jesus thus predicts his atrocious death.

Judas is mortified, but he implores the Master to keep him, that he will become good. He asks for forgiveness and Jesus, tired, forgives him. However, the Iscariot asks to stay and go to his town, as Judas has told everyone that the Lord is coming. So Jesus decides to go along with what Judas has planned, not for himself, but for his mother.

So Jesus goes to Keroth on a chariot, and the synagogue leader welcomes him and asks him to go to their place of prayer. Jesus accepts and preaches to the people. He declares that he is the Word of God, but reminds them that his kingship is primarily spiritual. He then confirms this to the notables of Keroth.

Old Saul intervenes and speaks of the Nativity of Christ, whom he has come to adore. Jesus confirms that it was him, and the old man has a vision of the Lord's kingship. He sees him transfigured, then with his Wounds and Blood. He dies after bearing witness to Jesus' heart, so the group must purify themselves to comply with the Law.

Keywords

GRM 78.1

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

78.1 I am under the impression that the steepest part, that is the most tangled part of Judaean mountains, is between Hebron and Jutah. But I may be mistaken, and this valley may be wider, opening onto wider horizons, with isolated mountains emerging here and there, not forming any real chain. It may be a valley between two chains of mountains. I do not know. It is the first time I see it, and I am puzzled. The fields are not very large, but they are well cultivated with various cereals: mainly barley and rye. There are also some nice vineyards in the sunny parts. Higher up, I can see some lovely forests of pine-trees and fir-trees and other trees typical of woody places. A reasonably good road leads into a small village.
«This is the suburb of Kerioth. Please come to my country house. My mother is waiting for You there. We will go to Kerioth afterwards» says Judas who is beside himself with excitement.
I omitted to mention that only Judas, Simon and John are now with Jesus. The shepherds are not here. Perhaps they remained in the pastures of Hebron or they have gone back towards Bethlehem.
«As you wish, Judas, but we could have even stopped here to meet your mother.»
«Oh! No! It is only a farm house. My mother comes here at harvest time. But she lives in Kerioth. And do You not want my town people to see You? Do You not want to take Your light to them?»
«I certainly do, Judas. But you already are aware that I do not mind the humbleness of the place that gives Me hospitality.»
«But today You are my guest… and Judas knows how to be hospitable.»
They walk for a few more yards among houses spread about the country, while men and women look out, called by children. It is obvious that their curiosity has been awakened. Judas must have sent word warning them.
«Here is my poor house. Forgive its poverty.»
But, after all, the house is not a hovel: it consists of a large and well kept ground floor only, in the middle of a thick flowering orchard. A small private clean road leads from the main road to the house.
«May I go ahead of You, Master?»
«Yes, go.»
Judas goes.
«Master, Judas has done things in great style» says Simon. «I rather suspected he would. But now I am certain. Master, You keep saying, and quite rightly, spirit… But he… he does not see things that way. He will never understand You… or perhaps only very late» he adds not to grieve Jesus.
Jesus sighs and is silent.

Keywords

GRM 78.2

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

78.2 Judas comes out with a woman who is about fifty years old. She is rather tall, but not so tall as her son, who has her same dark eyes and curly hair. But her eyes are kind and rather sad, whereas those of Judas are imperious and shrewd.
«I greet You, King of Israel» she says prostrating herself in a real salutation of a subject. «Allow Your servant to give You hospitality.»
«Peace to you, woman. And may God be with you and your creature.»
«Oh! yes! With my creature.» It sounds more like a sigh than a reply.
«Stand up, mother. I have a Mother, too, and I cannot allow you to kiss My feet. I kiss you, woman, in My Mother’s name. She is a sister of yours… in love and in the painful destiny of the mother of those who are marked.»
«What do You mean, Messiah?» asks Judas somewhat worried.
But Jesus does not reply. He is embracing the woman, whom He has kindly raised up from the ground and is now kissing her cheeks. And, holding her hand, He walks toward the house.

Detail

Jesus meets Marie de Kérioth, Judas's mother, for the first time.

Keywords

GRM 78.8

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

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. And what did you see around the new-born Child?»
«Poverty and cleanliness, honesty and purity… A kind serious carpenter, whose name was Joseph, a carpenter but of the House of David, a young mother, fair and kind, whose name was Mary, before whose grace the most beautiful roses of Engedi turn pale and the lilies of the royal flower beds seem mis-shapen, and a Child with large blue eyes and pale gold hair… I saw nothing else… And I can still hear the voice of the Mother say to me: “On behalf of My Creature I say to You: may the Lord be with you until the eternal meeting and may His Grace come towards you on your way”. I am eighty-four years old… my way is near its end. I was no longer expecting to meet the Grace of God. Instead I have found You… and now I do not wish to see any other light than Yours…

Keywords

GRM 78.8

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

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.»

Keywords

GRM 79

The Gospel as revealed to me

Detail

Jesus walks with his disciples towards Hebron. John, Judas and Simon the Zealot are present. His goal is to reach the shepherds, especially Levi and Isaac. Judas grumbles about the incident at Kerioth, where Saul died against Jesus' heart, but the Lord rebukes him. He also affirms that we must be faithful to the Law and set an example. The apostolic group meets up with the shepherds again, and Elijah relates that Aglaia gave him her jewels in Hebron. They discuss what to do with them, but Christ gives no orders for the moment. He gives a short parable about Aglaia and the souls who repent like them. The apostles would like to turn back and go back to her, but Jesus doesn't want them to and decides that they should leave right away for the Temptation Mountain.

Keywords

GRM 79.1

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

79.1 Jesus is walking with His disciples on a road along the torrent. The road is not really running along the torrent. The torrent is below; high above, on the side of the mountain, there is a twisting road, as can be normally found in mountain places. John is almost purple, laden like a porter, with a big heavy satchel. Judas is carrying Jesus’ bag and his own. Simon has only his bag and the mantles. Jesus is now wearing his own clothes and sandals. But Judas’ mother must have had His tunic washed, because it is no longer creased.
«How much fruit! How beautiful are those vineyards on those hills!» says John, who is always in good spirits, despite the heat and the fatigue. «Master, is this the river on the banks of which our fathers picked the miraculous grapes?»
«No, it is another one, farther south. But the whole region was blessed with rich fruit.»
«It is not so blessed now, although still beautiful.»
«Too many wars have devastated the country. Israel was made here… but it had to be fecundated by its own blood and by the blood of its enemies.»

Annotation

Book of Numbers, 13, 23-24: They went as far as the Valley of Eshkol, where they cut a branch and a bunch of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole. They had also picked pomegranates and figs. The place was called the Valley of Eshkol (i.e.: the Bunch) because of the bunch the sons of Israel had cut there.

Keywords

GRM 79.4

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

79.4 «Master» says Elias. «That woman… the woman who is in John’s house… three days after You left and we were pasturing the sheep on the meadows of Hebron — they belong to everybody, the meadows, and they could not send us away — she sent her maid to us with this bag and told us that she wanted to speak to us… I don’t know whether I did the right thing… but the first time I gave the bag back to her and said: “I do not want to listen to her”… Then she sent this message: “Come in Jesus’ name” and I went. She waited until her… well, the man who keeps her, had gone… She wanted to know so many things. But I… didn’t tell her very much. Out of prudence. She is a prostitute. I was afraid it might be a trap for You. She asked me who You are, where You live, what You do, if You are a gentleman… I said: “He is Jesus of Nazareth, He goes everywhere, because He is a Master, and He goes around Palestine teaching”; I said You are a poor man, a simple workman, made wise by Wisdom… Nothing else.»
«You did well» says Jesus, and Judas at the same moment exclaims: «You did the wrong thing! Why did you not say that He is the Messiah, the King of the world? The proud Roman woman should be crushed under the blow of God’s splendour.»
«She would not have understood me… In any case how could I be sure that she was sincere? When you saw her, you said what she is. Was I to throw holy things, and everything that is Jesus is holy, into her mouth? Was I to endanger Jesus, giving too much information? Anyone may hurt Him, but I will not.»
«John, let us go and tell her who the Master is, and explain the holy truth to her.»
«Not me. Unless Jesus tells me.»
«Are you afraid? What can she do to you? Do you loathe her? The Master did not.»
«I am not afraid neither do I loathe her. I feel sorry for her. But I think that if Jesus wanted, He could have stopped to teach her. He did not do it… it is not necessary for us to do it.»
«At that time there were no signs of a conversion… Now…»

Detail

Elijah was called by Aglaia in Hebron. She gave him her jewels. Judas reacts... very spontaneously and suggests that John turn back, but he refuses to do so unless Jesus orders him to.

Keywords

GRM 79.7

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«And what about us?»
«You? You will come, as I said, to see My preparation. Also I am prepared for My mission.»
«Did You go to a rabbi’s?»
«No.»
«Did You go to John?»
«I was only baptised by him.»
«Well, then?»
«Bethlehem spoke with its stones and its hearts. Also where I am taking you, Judas, the stones and a heart, Mine, will speak to you and give you the answer.»

Detail

Jesus gives his instructions to the shepherds Elijah, Levi, Joseph and Isaac after finding them. At this point, Judas intervenes and asks what the apostolic group is going to do.

Keywords

GRM 79.8

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

79.8 Elias, who has brought some milk and brown bread, says: «While waiting for You, I tried, and Isaac tried with me, to convince the people in Hebron… But they will not believe, they will not take an oath, they do not want anyone but John. He is their “holy man” and they do not want anyone else.»
«It is a sin quite common to many places and many present and future believers. They look at the workman, not at the master who sent the workman. They ask the workman questions and they do not even say to him: “Tell your master”. They forget that there is a workman only because there is a master and that it is the master who instructs the workman and enables him to work. They forget that the workman can intercede, but only the master can concede. In this case God and His Word with Him. It does not matter. The Word is sorry but bears no grudge. Let us go.»
The vision ends.