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Old Testament

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Reading comfort

Aa

GRM 50.8

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Are You leaving tomorrow, Master?»

«Tomorrow, at dawn, if you do not mind.»

«I am sorry that You are going away. But I do not mind the hour. On the contrary, it suits me.»

«Are you going fishing?»

«Yes, tonight, when the moon rises.»

«You did well, Simon, not fishing last night. The Sabbath was not yet finished. Nehemiah in his reformation wants[2] the Sabbath to be respected in Judah. Even nowadays too many people work on the Sabbath day at presses, carry wood, wine and fruit and buy and sell fish and lambs. You have six days for that. The Sabbath is of the Lord. Only one thing you may do on the Sabbath: you may do good to your neighbour. But all profit must be excluded from such help. He who infringes the Sabbath to make a profit will be punished by God. He makes a profit? He will lose it during the other six days. He makes no profit? He has fatigued his body for no purpose, because he did not grant it the rest that Intelligence prescribed for it, and thus he irritated his soul having worked in vain, and goes to the extent of cursing. The day of the Lord, instead, is to be spent with your hearts united to God in sweet prayer of love. You must be faithful in everything.»

GRM 50.8

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Are You leaving tomorrow, Master?»

«Tomorrow, at dawn, if you do not mind.»

«I am sorry that You are going away. But I do not mind the hour. On the contrary, it suits me.»

«Are you going fishing?»

«Yes, tonight, when the moon rises.»

«You did well, Simon, not fishing last night. The Sabbath was not yet finished. Nehemiah in his reformation wants[2] the Sabbath to be respected in Judah. Even nowadays too many people work on the Sabbath day at presses, carry wood, wine and fruit and buy and sell fish and lambs. You have six days for that. The Sabbath is of the Lord. Only one thing you may do on the Sabbath: you may do good to your neighbour. But all profit must be excluded from such help. He who infringes the Sabbath to make a profit will be punished by God. He makes a profit? He will lose it during the other six days. He makes no profit? He has fatigued his body for no purpose, because he did not grant it the rest that Intelligence prescribed for it, and thus he irritated his soul having worked in vain, and goes to the extent of cursing. The day of the Lord, instead, is to be spent with your hearts united to God in sweet prayer of love. You must be faithful in everything.»

Annotation

Book of Nehemiah

Ne 13:15-22: At that time, I saw people in Judah treading at the wine press on the Sabbath. Others were bringing in sheaves of grain, loading them onto donkeys, along with wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of burdens, to take to Jerusalem on the Sabbath. On that day, when they were selling their wares, I issued a warning.

In Jerusalem, the Tyrians, who lived there, were bringing in fish and goods of all kinds to sell to the Judeans on the Sabbath. So I rebuked the rulers of Judah and said to them, "You are doing wrong by profaning the Sabbath! Is this not how your fathers acted? Then our God brought all this evil upon us and upon this city. And you, by profaning the Sabbath, increase his wrath against Israel."

So as soon as the shadow had spread over the gates of Jerusalem, just before the Sabbath, I ordered the shutters closed and said not to open them again until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burden would enter on the Sabbath.

Once or twice, merchants and traders in all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. But I warned them, saying: "Why do you spend the night outside the walls? If you do it again, I'll lay hands on you!" Since then, they have not come on the Sabbath.

I ordered the Levites to purify themselves and come to guard the gates, so that the Sabbath day would be sanctified. For this reason also, remember me, my God, and have mercy on me, in your great faithfulness!

GRM 50.8

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Are You leaving tomorrow, Master?»

«Tomorrow, at dawn, if you do not mind.»

«I am sorry that You are going away. But I do not mind the hour. On the contrary, it suits me.»

«Are you going fishing?»

«Yes, tonight, when the moon rises.»

«You did well, Simon, not fishing last night. The Sabbath was not yet finished. Nehemiah in his reformation wants the Sabbath to be respected in Judah. Even nowadays too many people work on the Sabbath day at presses, carry wood, wine and fruit and buy and sell fish and lambs. You have six days for that. The Sabbath is of the Lord. Only one thing you may do on the Sabbath: you may do good to your neighbour. But all profit must be excluded from such help. He who infringes the Sabbath to make a profit will be punished by God. He makes a profit? He will lose it during the other six days. He makes no profit? He has fatigued his body for no purpose, because he did not grant it the rest that Intelligence prescribed for it, and thus he irritated his soul having worked in vain, and goes to the extent of cursing. The day of the Lord, instead, is to be spent with your hearts united to God in sweet prayer of love. You must be faithful in everything.»

«But… scribes and doctors, who are so severe with us… do not work on Sabbath days, they do not even give a piece of bread to their neighbours, to avoid the fatigue of handing it over, but they practise usury also on a Sabbath. As it is not a material work, is it legal to practise usury on a Sabbath?»

«No. Never. Neither on a Sabbath nor any other day. Those Who practise usury are dishonest and cruel.»

«The scribes and the Pharisees, then…»

«Simon: don’t judge. Do not do it.»

«But I have eyes to see…»

«Is there only evil to be seen, Simon?»

«No, Master.»

«Well, then, why look at evil deeds?»

«You are right, Master.»

Detail

Contextualization: Peter speaks to the Master, who then talks about the Sabbath.

GRM 50.9

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Jesus says a psalm. The one beginning: «He who rests in the help of the Most High, will live in the protection of the God of Heaven. He will say to the Lord: “You are my protector and my shelter. He is my God, I will hope in Him. He rescued me from the snares of fowlers and from harsh words” etc.» I find it in the fourth book. It is the second psalm in book four, I think it is number 90, (if I read the Roman number correctly).

The vision ends in this way.

Detail

Editor's note: Book , because the Bible used by Maria Valtorta includes the ancient subdivision into five books forming the collection of Psalms. The second psalm in Book 4 is Ps 90, now 91 according to the numbering of modern versions.

Annotation

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.

Thou shalt 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, let 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 fortress. 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 53.6-7

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Listen, Israel! Deuteronomy states: “You are to appoint judges and scribes at all the gates… and they must administer an impartial judgement to the people. You must be impartial; you must take no bribes, for a bribe blinds wise men’s eyes and jeopardises the cause of the just. Strict justice must be your ideal, so that you may live in rightful possession of the land that Yahweh your God is giving you”.

Listen, Israel. Deuteronomy states: “The priests and scribes and the whole of the tribe of Levi shall have no share or inheritance with Israel, because they must live on the foods offered to Yahweh and on His dues; they shall have no inheritance among their brothers, because Yahweh will be their inheritance”.

Listen, Israel. Deuteronomy states: “You must not lend on interest to your brother, whether the lack be of money or food or anything else. You may demand interest on a loan of a foreigner; you will lend without interest to your brother whatever he needs”.

The Lord said that.

But now you see that in Israel judgements are administered without justice for the poor. They are not inclined to justice, but they are partial with the rich, and to be poor, to be of the common people means to be oppressed. How can the people say: “Our judges are just” when they see that only the mighty ones are respected and satisfied, whereas the poor have no one who will listen to them? How can the people respect the Lord, when they see that the Lord is not respected by those who should respect Him more than everyone else? Does he who infringes the Lord’s commandment respect Him? Why then do the priests in Israel possess property and accept bribes from tax-collectors and sinners, who make them offerings to obtain their favours, while they accept gifts to fill their coffers?

God is the inheritance of His priests. He, the Father of Israel, is more than a Father to them and provides them with food, as it is just. But not more than what is just. He did not promise money and possessions to His servants of the sanctuary. In eternal life, they will possess Heaven for their justice, as Moses, Elijah, Jacob and Abraham will, but in this world they must have but a linen garment and a diadem of incorruptible gold: purity and charity, and their bodies must be subject to their souls, which are to be subject to the true God, and their bodies are not to be masters over their souls and against God.

I have been asked on what authority I do this. And on what authority do they violate God’s command and allow in the shade of the sacred walls usury on their brothers of Israel, who have come to obey the divine command? I have been asked from what school I come and I replied: “From God’s school” Yes, Israel, I have come from and I will take you back to that holy and immutable school.

53.7

He who wants to know the Light, the Truth, the Way, he who wants to hear once again the voice of God speaking to his people, let him come to Me. You followed Moses through the deserts, Israel. Follow Me, because I shall lead you through a far worse desert, to the true blessed Land. At God’s command, I will draw you to it, across an open sea. I will cure you of all evils lifting up My Sign.

The time of Grace has come. The Prophets expected it and died waiting for it. The Prophets prophesied it and died in that hope. The just have dreamt of it and died comforted by that dream. It is now here.

Come. “The Lord is about to judge His people and have mercy on His servants”, as He promised through Moses.»

Detail

Context: Jesus has just purified Temple for the first time.

Annotation

Book of Deuteronomy

Deut 16:18-20: In all the cities which the Lord your God gives you, you shall appoint judges and scribes over your tribes; they shall judge the people in righteous judgments. You shall not deviate from the right, you shall not act with partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for the bribe blinds the wise and compromises the cause of the righteous. You shall seek justice and nothing but justice, so that you may live and possess the land given to you by the Lord your God.

Dt 18, 1-2 : he Levite priests, the whole tribe of Levi, will have no share or inheritance with Israel: they will feed on the sacrifices by fire offered to the Lord, and on his patrimony. This tribe will have no inheritance among its brethren, but the Lord will be its inheritance, as he has said to it.

Dt 23, 19-20 : You shall never bring into the House of the Lord your God, to pay any vow, the earnings of a prostitute or the wages of a "dog", for both are an abomination to the Lord your God. You shall not make your brother any loan at interest: money, food or anything else that might earn interest.

GRM 53.7

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

53.7 He who wants to know the Light, the Truth, the Way, he who wants to hear once again the voice of God speaking to his people, let him come to Me. You followed Moses through the deserts, Israel. Follow Me, because I shall lead you through a far worse desert, to the true blessed Land. At God’s command, I will draw you to it, across an open sea. I will cure you of all evils lifting up My Sign.

The time of Grace has come. The Prophets expected it and died waiting for it. The Prophets prophesied it and died in that hope. The just have dreamt of it and died comforted by that dream. It is now here.

Come. “The Lord is about to judge His people and have mercy on His servants”, as He promised through Moses.

Annotation

John 14:6: I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through me.

Exodus 14, 21-22: "Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove back the sea all night with a strong east wind, and made it dry. The waters parted, and the sons of Israel entered the middle of the sea on dry ground, while the waters formed a wall on their right and left."

Deuteronomy 32, 36: The Lord will do justice to his people, he will pity his servants, when he sees that their hands are weakened, that there is neither slave nor free man left.

GRM 54.6

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

We need one another in this world, the good are mixed with the wicked, just like flowers in a field. Hemlock grows beside the salutary mallow.

GRM 55.2

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

When anyone asks you for some bread, a drop of water or a shelter in the name of God, you must give it in the same name. And you will receive your reward from God. You must behave so with everybody. Even with your enemies. And that is the new Law. Up until now you were told:

“Love those who love you and hate your enemies”. I say: “Love also those who hate you”. Oh! if you only knew how much you will be loved by God, if you love as I am telling you! And when anyone says: “I want to be your companion in serving the true Lord God and following His Lamb”, then he must be dearer to you than a brother by blood, because you will be joined by an eternal bond: the bond of Christ.»

«But if someone comes who is not sincere? It is easy to say: “I want to do this or that”. But words do not always correspond to the truth» says Peter, rather irritated. I do not know why, but he is not in his usual jovial mood.

«Peter, listen. What you say is sensible and fair. But, see: it is better to exceed in bounty and trust rather than exceed in distrust and hardness. If you help an undeserving person, what harm will befall you? None. In fact, God’s reward will always be active for you, whereas the person will be guilty of betraying your trust.»

«No harm? Eh! Very often a worthless person is not satisfied with ingratitude, but goes much further, even to the extreme of ruining one’s reputation, wealth and one’s very life.»

«True. But would that diminish your merit? No, it would not. Even if the whole world should believe in slander, even if you became poorer than Job, even if the cruel person should take your life, what would change in the eyes of God? Nothing. Or rather, something would change. But to your advantage. God, to the merits of your bounty, would add the merits of your intellectual, financial, physical martyrdom.»