Skip to content

Notes for this theme

Old Testament

Page 53 of 63

Reading comfort

Aa

GRM 196.5 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Since before sin everything in creation was regulated by and based on love, that multiplication of children would have been a holy, pure, powerful, perfect love. And God gave it as His first commandment to man: “Be fruitful and multiply”. Therefore, love your children after Me. Love, as it is now, the present procreator of children, did not exist then. There was no malice nor the detestable thirst for sensuality. Man loved woman and woman loved man, naturally, not naturally according to nature as we understand it, or rather, as you men understand it, but according to the nature of children of God: supernaturally.

Annotation

"Supernaturally": Maria Valtorta notes on a typed copy: without the disorder of malice uniting or even "substituting itself" for God's ordered laws, inherent in the multiplication and population of the earth. She adds in the margin: As long as man remained in this order, the venom of the triple concupiscence that made him delusional, then rebellious, finally fallen, was not born in him.

GRM 197.5 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Come, Jabez. This is the most solemn hour of the day. There is another one in the morning. It is right that man should bless the Lord to be blessed during the day, in all his deeds. But in the evening it is more solemn. Light fades, work ends, night falls. The fading light reminds us of the fall into sin and in fact sinful deeds are generally accomplished during the night. Why? Because man, no longer engrossed in his work, can be more easily entrapped by the Evil One who avails himself of his allurements and nightmares. It is therefore right, after thanking God for protecting us during the day, that we should implore Him to deliver us from night phantasms and temptations. Night, sleep… the symbols of death. Blessed be those who after living with the blessing of the Lord go to sleep in a bright dawn and not in darkness. The priest who offers incense does so on behalf of us all. He prays for all the people, in communion with God, and God entrusts him with the blessing for the whole people of His children. See how great the ministry of a priest is?»

«I would like… I would feel as if I were closer to my mummy…»

«If you are always a good disciple and a good son to Peter, you will become one. Come now. The trumpets are announcing that the time has come. Let us go and praise Yahweh with veneration.»

Detail

In the Temple, it's incense time, and Jesus gives Yabeç a special lesson.

Annotation

Jesus speaks of the incense burnt in the Temple in the morning and evening, as prescribed in Ex 30:7-8. Marziam himself evokes this lesson in EMV 291.

Book of Exodus 30, 7-8

Ex 30, 7-8 : Every morning, when Aaron comes to tend the lamps, he shall burn incense on them. And at sunset, when he lights the lamps, he will burn incense again. From generation to generation, incense will go up perpetually before the Lord.

GRM 200.3 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Aglae puts down the little bag she was carrying on her shoulder, then she kneels down at Jesus’ feet and bursts into tears. She prostrates herself on the floor, her head resting on her arms crossed on the floor.

«Do not weep thus. This is not the time for tears. You should have wept when you were hateful to God. Not now that you love Him and are loved by Him.»

But Aglae continues to weep…

«Do you not believe that it is so?»

She manages to speak through her sobs: «I love Him, it is true, as best I can… But although I know and believe that God is Bounty I cannot possibly hope to be loved by Him. I have sinned too much… Perhaps one day I will be loved… But I still have to weep so much… For the time being I am alone in my love. All alone… It is not desperate solitude of past years. It is a solitude full of longing for God, so it is no longer hopeless… but it is so sad…»

«Aglae, how little you still know the Lord! This longing for Him is the proof that God is replying to your love, that He is your friend, Who calls you, invites you and wants you. God is incapable of remaining insensitive to the desire of a creature, because He, the Lord and Creator of all creatures, excited that desire in that heart. He excited it because He loved with privileged love the soul that is now longing for Him. The desire of God always precedes the desire of the creature, because He is Most Perfect and therefore His love is by far more eager and ardent than the love of the creature.»

«But how can God love my filth?»

«Do not endeavour to understand with your intelligence. He is an abyss of mercy, which human intelligence cannot understand. But what the intelligence of man cannot understand, the intelligence of love, the love of the spirit does. It understands and confidently penetrates the mystery, which is God, and the mystery of the relationship of the soul with God. Enter, I tell you. Enter, because God wants it.»

«Oh! My Saviour! So I am really forgiven? I am really loved? Must I believe it?»

«Did I ever lie to you?»

«Oh! no, Lord! Everything You told me[1] at Hebron came true. You saved me because Your Name is salvation. You looked for me, a poor lost soul. You gave me the life of this soul, which I was carrying dead within me. You told me that if I had looked for You I would find You. And it was true. You told me that You are wherever man needs a doctor and medicine. And it is true. Everything, everything You told poor Aglae, from the words on that

morning in June, to the other words at the Clear Water…»

«So you must believe these too.»

«Yes, I believe, I do believe! But say to me: “I forgive you”!»

«I forgive you in the name of God and of Jesus.»

«Thank You…»

Detail

Aglaia, a former sinner, meets the Lord and weeps before him. Jesus speaks up and tells her not to weep.

Annotation

Everything you told me in Hebron has come true. In EMV 77.

GRM 200.7 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

After some time the apostles come upstairs in a group with the boy and John of Endor. The women follow them with dishes and lamps. The last to come are Lazarus and Simon. As soon as they enter the room, they exclaim: «Ah! it was coming from here!!!» and they smell the air saturated with the scent of roses, although the doors are wide open.

«But who scented this room thus? Perhaps Martha?» many of them ask.

«My sister has not left the house, today, after our meal» replies Lazarus.

«Who then? An Assyrian Satrap?» asks Peter facetiously.

«The love of a redeemed woman» Jesus says gravely.

«She might have spared this useless exhibition of redemption and given the poor what she spent. There are so many of them, and they know that we always give. I have not even a small coin left» says the Iscariot angrily. «And we have to buy a lamb, rent a room for the Supper and…»

«But I offered you everything…» says Lazarus.

«That is not fair. The rite loses its beauty. The Law says: “You shall take a lamb for you and your household”. It does not say: “You shall accept a lamb”.»

Bartholomew turns around all of a sudden, he opens his mouth, but closes it at once. Peter turns crimson in the effort to keep quiet. But the Zealot, who is in his own house, feels he can speak and says: «Those are rabbinical quibbles… May I ask you to forget about them and have, instead, respect for my friend Lazarus.»

«Well done, Simon.» Peter will burst if he does not speak. «Very good! I also think that we are forgetting too much that only the Master is entitled to teach…» Peter has to make an heroic effort to say: «we are forgetting» instead of saying: «Judas is forgetting.»

«It is true… but… I am nervous… I am sorry, Master.»

«Yes. And I also will reply to you. Gratitude is a great virtue. I am grateful to Lazarus. As that redeemed woman was grateful to Me. I pour on Lazarus the perfume of My blessing, also on behalf of those, among My apostles, who are not capable of doing so, I, the head of you all. The woman poured at My feet the perfume of her joy for being saved. She acknowledged the King, she came to the King, before many others upon whom the King bestowed much more love than upon her. Let her do as she wishes without criticising her. She will not be able to be present at My acclamation, or at My unction. Her cross is already upon her shoulders. Peter, you asked whether an Assyrian Satrap had come here. I solemnly tell you that not even the incense of the Magi, so pure and precious, was sweeter or more precious than this. Its essence was mixed with tears and that is why it is so intense: humbleness supports love and makes it perfect. Let us sit down to our meal, My friends…»

And with the offering of the food, the vision ends.

Detail

Aglaia presented herself to Jesus and spread perfume around the room as a sign of her conversion. When the apostles went upstairs, she had already left.

Annotation

Book of Exodus 12, 3

Ex 12, 3: Speak to all the congregation of Israel, and say: On the tenth day of this month, let every man take a lamb for every family, a lamb for every house

GRM 201.4 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

They enter the hall which Jesus also entered once. A young man, who is writing in a corner, springs to his feet on seeing Joseph and he bows so profoundly as almost to touch the floor.

«God be with you, Zacharias. Please call Asrael and Jacob at once.»

The young man goes out and comes back almost at once with two men who are rabbis, or members of the synagogue, or scribes, I do not know. Two sullen personages whose haughtiness subsides only in Joseph’s presence. Eight other less imposing men follow them. They sit down leaving the postulants, Joseph of Arimathea included, standing.

«What do you want, Joseph?» asks the senior examiner.

«I wish to present to your wisdom this son of Abraham who has reached the age prescribed to come under the Law and comply with it by himself.»

«Is he a relative of yours?» and they look at one another amazed.

«We are all relatives in God. But the boy is an orphan, and this man, whose honesty I guarantee, has adopted him as he does not wish to be without descendants.»

«Who is the man? Let him reply himself.»

«Simon of Jonas, from Bethsaida in Galilee, married with no children, a fisherman for the world, a son of the Law for the Most High.»

«And you, a Galilean, are taking this paternity upon yourself? Why?»

«It is written in the Law that we must take care of orphans and widows. That is what I am doing.»

«Can he possibly know the Law so well as to deserve to… But, boy, tell me. Who are you?»

«Jabez Marjiam of John, from the country near Emmaus, I was born twelve years ago.»

«So you are a Judaean. Is it lawful for a Galilean to take care of him? Let us look up the laws.»

«But what am I? A leper or am I cursed?» Peter begins to boil with anger.

«Be quiet, Simon, I will speak for him. I told you that I am standing surety for this man. I know him as if he were of my own household. Joseph the Elder would never propose anything against the Law or the laws. Please examine this child with justice and dispatch. The yard is full of children waiting to be examined. Please make haste, for everybody’s sake.»

«But who can prove that the child is twelve years old and was redeemed from the Temple?»

«You can prove it looking up the documents. It is a piece of boring research, but can be done. Boy, did you tell me that you were the first-born?»

«Yes, sir. You will be able to see that, because I was consecrated to the Lord and redeemed with the prescribed offerings.»

«Let us look for these details then…» says Joseph.

«It is not necessary» reply coldly the two captious examiners.

Detail

Marziam passes her majority exam.

Annotation

The Law says to have love for the orphan and the widow. It says in the Law: Exodus 22,21-23 | Deuteronomy 14,28-29 | Deuteronomy 16,11 | Deuteronomy 24,17-21 | Deuteronomy 26,12-13 | Deuteronomy 27,19 | Isaiah 1,17.

The duty to love and help widows and orphans is recalled several times in Maria Valtorta's work, for example in EMV 229.3 and EMV 557.6.

The Exodus prescription is quoted verbatim in EMV 335.14.

Book of Exodus 22, 21-23

Ex 22, 21-23 : You shall not afflict the widow or the orphan. If you afflict them, they will cry out to me, and I will hear their cry; my anger will be kindled, and I will destroy you with the sword, and your wives will be widows and your children orphans.

Book of Deuteronomy 14, 28-29

Deut 14:28-29: At the end of every third year, you shall set apart all the tithe of your produce of that year, and lay it up within your gates. Then shall come the Levite, who has no portion or inheritance with you, and the stranger, the fatherless and the widow, who shall be within your gates, and they shall eat and be satisfied, that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the works that you undertake with your hands.

Book of Deuteronomy 16, 11

Dt 16, 11 : You shall rejoice before Yahweh your God, in the place which Yahweh your God has chosen to make his name dwell there, you, your son and your daughter, your man-servant and your maid-servant, the Levite within your gates, and the stranger, the orphan and the widow among you.

Deuteronomy 26, 12-13

Deut 26:12-13: When you have finished tithing all the tithe of your produce ▼ in the third year, the tithe year, and give it to the Levite, the stranger, the orphan and the widow, to eat within your gates and be satisfied, you shall say before Yahweh your God: "I have taken away from my house that which is holy, and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless and the widow, according to all your precepts which you gave me; I have not transgressed or forgotten any of your precepts.

Book of Deuteronomy 27, 19

Dt 27, 19 : Cursed be he who violates the rights of the stranger, the orphan and the widow! - And all the people will say: Amen!

Book of Isaiah, 1, 17

Is 1, 17 : Learnto do right; seek justice, set right the oppressor, vindicate the orphan, defend the widow.

GRM 201.5 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Come here, child. Say the Decalogue» and the boy replies without any hesitation. «Give me that roll, Jacob. Read, if you can.»

«Where, rabbi?»

«Wherever you wish. What comes first under your eyes» says Asrael.

«No. Here. Give it to me» says Jacob. He then unfolds the roll and says: «Here.»

« “He then said to them secretly: ‘Bless the Lord of Heaven, utter His praise before all the living, because He has been merciful with you. It is right to keep the secret of a king, but it is also right to reveal… ‘ “.»

«That is enough, quite enough!»

Annotation

- "Then he said to them secretly: 'Bless the God of Heaven and praise him in the presence of all the living, for he has shown mercy to you. Surely it is good to keep the king's secret hidden, but it is honorable to reveal...'" " Cf. Tobit 12, 6-7.

Book of Tobit 12, 6-7

Tb 12, 6-7 : Then the angel, alone with them, said: "Bless the God of heaven and give him glory before every living being, for he has shown you mercy. It is good to keep the king's secret hidden, but it is honorable to reveal and publish the works of God.

GRM 202.1 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

It is the eve of Passover. Jesus is alone with His apostles, because the women have not joined the group, and He is waiting for Peter, who has taken the lamb of Passover to be sacrificed. While they are waiting and Jesus is speaking to Marjiam of Solomon, Judas crosses the large yard. He is with a group of young men speaking, gesticulating ostentatiously and assuming an inspired attitude. He shakes his mantle continuously, then drapes it round himself posing skilfully. I do not think that Cicero looked so stately when delivering his orations…

GRM 203.1 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Thank you, My friends, for your great love for Me. If you could see how it comforts Me, you would be amazed. See: I proceed among continuous frictions and disappointments. Disappointments for you. You must convince yourselves that I am never disappointed, because I have not been granted the gift of ignoring… That is another reason why I advise you to agree to be guided by Me. If I allow this or that thing, do not hinder it. If I do not interfere to put an end to something, do not endeavour to do it yourselves. Each thing is to be done at the right moment. Trust Me, in everything.

GRM 203.6 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

“Our Father”.

I call Him: “Father”. Father of the Word, Father of the Incarnate. That is how I want you to call Him because you are all one with Me, if you remain in Me. Once man had to prostrate himself with his face on the ground to whisper, trembling with fear: “God!” He who does not believe in Me and in My word is still in such paralyzing fear… Watch the interior of the Temple. Not God, but the very remembrance of God is concealed from the eyes of the faithful by a triple veil. He who prays is separated by remoteness and veils, everything has been devised to say to him: “You are mud. He is Light. You are contemptible. He is Holy. You are a slave. He is King”.

But now!… Stand up! Come near Me! I am the Eternal Priest. I can take you by the hand and say: “Come”. I can grasp the veils and draw them, and thus throw open the inaccessible place closed so far. Closed? Why? Closed by Sin, yes. But even more closed by the dispirited thought of man. Why closed if God is Love, if God is Father? I can, I must, I want to take you not into the dust, but into the azure; not far, but near; not as slaves, but as children onto the heart of God.

Say: “Father! Father!”. And never tire repeating this word. Do you not know that every time you say it, Heaven shines because of God’s joy? If you said with true love no other word but that one, you would be saying a prayer pleasing to the Lord. “Father! Father!” the little ones say to their fathers. It is the first word they say: “Mother, father”. You are the little children of God. I created you from the old man you were and whom I destroyed by means of My love to give birth to the new man, the Christian. Call, therefore, the Most Holy Father Who is in Heaven, with the first word that little children learn.

GRM 203.7 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

that I have come to establish. M.V. noted on typewritten copy: “As Jesus revealed the Father” (John 1:18) during his ministry as Master, and in the way He could reveal it to the living, it will still be through the Word, Son of the Father, that the citizens of the Kingdom of God will have knowledge of God.

Detail

“May Your Name be held holy”.

Oh! Name, which is holier and sweeter than any other name and which the fear of the guilty taught you to conceal under a different one. No, no longer Adonai. He is God. He is the God Who in an excess of love created Mankind. And Mankind, from now onwards, with lips cleansed by the purification that I am preparing, should call Him by His Name, awaiting to fully comprehend the true meaning of the Incomprehensible One, when the best children of Mankind, united to Him, will rise to the Kingdom that I have come to establish.