281. At the Temple They Are Aware of
Ermasteus, of John of Endor and of
Syntyche.
21st September
1945.
Jesus
is on His way to Bethany with the apostles and disciples and is speaking to the
disciples, whom He orders to part, so that the Judaeans will go through Judaea
and the Galileans up Trans-Jordan announcing the Messiah.
The
instruction raises some objections. I get the impression that Trans‑Jordan did
not enjoy a very good reputation among Israelites. They talk of it as if it were
a pagan region. And that offends the disciples from that area, among whom the
most influential is the head of the synagogue of the Clear Water and then a young man,
whose name I do not know, and both vigorously defend their towns and fellow
citizens.
Timoneus says: «Come, my Lord, to Aera, and You will see how they respect You there. You will not find as much faith in Judaea, as there is there. Nay, I do not want to go there. Let me stay with You and send a Judaean and a Galilean to my town. They will see how they believed in You on my word only.»
And
the young man says: «I believed without even seeing You. And I looked for You
after my mother had forgiven me. But I am happy to go back there, although that
means being mocked by wicked citizens as I was once, and being reproached by
good people for my behaviour in the past. But it does not matter. I will preach
You through my example.»
«You
are right. You will do as you said. And then I will come. And you, Timoneus, are
right, too. So Hermas will go with Abel of Bethlehem in Galilee to announce Me
at Aera, while you, Timoneus, will stay with Me. But I do not want such
disputes. You no longer are Judaeans or Galileans: you are disciples. That is
enough. That name and your mission make you all equal with regard to birthplace,
rank, everything. In one thing only you may differ: in holiness. That will be
individual and in the measure which each of you will be able to attain. But I
would like you all to have the same measure: the perfect one. See the apostles?
They were divided like you by race and other things. Now, after a little over a
year of instruction, they are simply the apostles. Do the same, and as among
you, priests are together with old sinners and rich people with former beggars,
and young men with old venerable people, cancel likewise divisions brought about
by belonging to this or that region. By now you have one Fatherland only:
Heaven. Because you have set off on the way to Heaven each of his own free will.
Never give My enemies the impression that you are hostile to one another. Sin is
your enemy, nothing else.»
They
proceed in silence for some time. Then Stephen approaches the Master and says:
«I have something to tell You. I was hoping that You would ask me, but You did
not. Yesterday Gamaliel spoke to me...»
«I
saw him.»
«Are
You not asking me what he told me? »
«I
am waiting for you to tell Me, because a good disciple has no secrets from his
Master.»
«Gamaliel...
Master, come a little ahead with me...»
«Well...
let us go. But you could have spoken in the presence of
everybody...»
They
move away a few yards. Stephen blushing says:
«I
must give You a piece of advice, Master. Forgive me...»
«If
it is good, I will accept it. Tell Me.»
«In
the Sanhedrin, they know everything sooner or later. It is an institution with a
thousand eyes and one hundred ramifications. They penetrate everywhere, see
everything and hear everything. It has more informers than there are bricks in
the walls of the Temple. Many live thus...»
«Spying.
You may say so. It is the truth and I know. So? What has been said, more or less
true, at the Sanhedrin? »
«Everything...
has been said. I do not know how they can find out certain things. Neither do I
know whether they are true... But I will tell You literally what Gamaliel told
me: "Tell the Master to have Ermasteus circumcised or to send him away for good.
It is not necessary to say anything else".»
«In
fact it is not necessary to say anything else. First of all because I am going
to Bethany just for that and I will remain there until Ermasteus is fit to
travel again. Secondly because no justification could demolish the prejudice
and... standoffishness of Gamaliel, who is scandalised because I have with Me a
man who is not circumcised in a member of his body. Oh! if he looked around and
within himself! How many uncircumcised people in Israel! »
«But
Gamaliel...»
«He
is the perfect representative of old Israel. He is not wicked, but... Look at
this pebble. I could split it, but I could not make it malleable. He is like
that. He will have to be crushed in order to be recomposed. And I will do that!
»
«Do
You want to oppose Gamaliel? Be careful! He is powerful! »
«Oppose?
As if he were an enemy? No. Instead of fighting against him, I will love him,
satisfying one of his desires for his mummified brains and spreading on him a
balm which will dissolve him to recompose him.»
«I
will pray also that that may happen, because I am fond of him. Am I wrong?
»
«No.
You must love him by praying for him. And you will do that. I am sure you will.
Nay, you will help Me to prepare the balm... However, you will tell Gamaliel, to
calm him, that I had already provided for Ermasteus and that I am grateful to
him for his advice. Here we are at Bethany. Let us stop so that I may bless you
all, because this is where we part. » And after joining the large group of
apostles mingled with disciples, He blesses and dismisses them all, with the
exception of Ermasteus, John of Endor and Timoneus. Then with the disciples left
Jesus walks at a good pace the short distance to Lazarus' gate, which is already
wide open to receive Him, He enters the garden raising His hand to bless the
hospitable house, in the large park of which are the owners of the house and the
pious women, who are laughing at Marjiam running along the paths adorned with
the last roses. And with the owners and the women, also Joseph of Arimathea and
Nicodemus come out of a path, when they hear the women shout; they also are
guests of Lazarus, to be in peace with the Master. And they all make haste
towards the Master; Mary with Her kind smile, and Mary of Magdala with her cry
of love: «Rabboni! », and Lazarus limping, the two grave members of the
Sanhedrin, and last, the pious women of Jerusalem and of Galilee:
wrinkle‑furrowed faces and smooth faces of young women and, as gentle as the
face of an angel, the virginal face of Annaleah, who blushes in greeting the
Master.
«Is
Syntyche not here? » asks Jesus after the first greeting.
«She
is with Sarah, Marcella and Naomi laying the tables. But here they are
coming.»
And
they come, in fact, with old Esther of Johanna, two faces marked by age and by
sorrow, between two serene faces and the grave yet bright peaceful face of the
Greek girl, different by race and by something which distinguishes
her.
And
I could not say that she is a real and true beauty. And yet her dark eyes
softened by a nuance of very deep indigo, under a high and very noble forehead,
are more impressive than her body, which is definitely more beautiful than her
face. A slender but not meagre body, which is well proportioned and has a
graceful gait and carriage. But it is her expression that strikes one. An
intelligent, frank, deep look, which seems to inhale the whole world, selecting
it, keeping what is useful, holy, good, and rejecting what is evil; a look which
allows its very depths to be searched and from which her soul looks out to scan
those approaching her. If it is true that it is possible to know an individual
through his eyes, I say that Syntyche is a woman with unerring judgement and
firm honest thoughts. She kneels also with the other women and waits to stand up
until the Master tells her.
Jesus
proceeds along the green garden as far as the porch before the house and then
enters a hall where the servants are ready to serve refreshments and assist
guests in the ablutions before meals. While all the women withdraw Jesus remains
with the apostles in the hall, and John of Endor and Ermasteus go to the house
of Simon Zealot to leave the bags they are carrying.
«Is
the young fellow who has gone with John, the one‑eyed man, the Philistine whom
You have accepted? » asks Joseph.
«Yes,
Joseph, he is. How do you know? »
«Master...
Nicodemus and I have been wondering for some days how we know and how,
unfortunately, the others of the Temple know about it. The fact is that we do
know. Before the Tabernacles, in the meeting which is always held before such
festivities, some Pharisees said that they knew for certain that among Your
disciples, beside... ‑ forgive me, Lazarus ‑ known and unknown prostitutes and
publicans ‑ forgive me, Matthew of Alphaeus - and former galley‑slaves, there
were an uncircumcised Philistine and a heathen girl. With regard to the heathen
girl, who is certainly Syntyche, one can understand how it became known, or at
least guess so. The Roman made a great fuss about her and he became the laughing
stock of his people and of the Jews, also because he searched for his runaway
everywhere, complaining and threatening, and he even troubled Herod saying that
she was hiding in Johanna's house and that the Tetrarch should order his steward
to hand her back to her master. But it is strange, very strange that it should
be known that among the many men who follow You, there is an uncircumcised
Philistine, and a former galley‑slave!... Do You not think so?
»
«It is and it is not strange. I will provide for Syntyche and the former galley‑slave.»
«Yes,
do. Above all You ought to send John away. Your group of apostles is not a place
for him.»
«Joseph,
have you perhaps become a Pharisee? » asks Jesus severely.
«No...
but...»
«And
should I humiliate a soul which has been regenerated, because of the silly
scruple of the worst Pharisaism? No, I will not! I will provide for his
tranquillity. His, not Mine, I will
watch over his perfecting as I watch
over innocent Marjiam's. Really there is no difference in their spiritual
ignorance! One speaks for the first time words of wisdom, because God has
forgiven him, because he is re‑born in God, because God has embraced the sinner.
The other speaks the same words, passing from a forlorn childhood to a boyhood,
watched over by the love of man beside the love of God, and opens his soul to
the sun like a corolla and the Sun enlightens him with Himself. His Sun: God. And one is about to speak
his last words... Can your eyes not see that he is wearing himself out with
penance and love? Oh! I would really like to have many Johns of Endor in Israel
and among My servants. I would like you, too, Joseph and you, Nicodemus, to have
hearts like his and above all I wish his informer had it, the vile snake that
hides under the appearance of a friend and is acting as a spy before becoming an
assassin. The snake that envies the bird its wings, and lays snares for it to
tear them off and enthrall it. No! The bird is about to change into an angel.
And even if it could tear them off, which it will never be able to do, once they
were put on to its slimy body, they would change into wings of a devil. Every
spy is already a devil.»
«But where can such a rogue be? Tell me so that
I may go at once and tear his tongue out » exclaims Peter.
«You
had better pull his poisonous teeth out » says Judas of
Alphaeus.
«No! It's better to strangle him! So he will not be able to hurt in any way. Such people can always be harmful » remarks the Iscariot firmly.
Jesus
stares at him and concludes: «... and can always lie. But no one must do
anything against him. It is not worth while letting the bird perish, to deal
with the snake. With regard to Ermasteus, I am staying here, in Lazarus' house,
just for the circumcision of Ermasteus himself, who is embracing the holy
religion of our people for My sake and to avoid the persecution of narrow‑minded
Jews. It is the passage from dark to Light. But it is not necessary to make
Light come to a heart. But I have agreed to calm down the susceptibility of
Israel and to show the true will of
the Philistine to come to God. But I tell you, in the times of Christ, that is
not necessary to belong to God. Will, love, and a righteous conscience are
sufficient. And how can we circumcise the Greek woman? In which part of her
spirit, if she was able to perceive God better than many people in Israel? It is
true that among the people present many are in darkness as compared to those who
are despised by you for being in darkness. In any case, both the informer and
you, members of the Sanhedrin, can tell the people concerned that the scandal
has been removed as from today.»
«With
regard to whom? To all three? »
«No, Judas of Simon. With regard to
Ermasteus. I will see to the other two. Have you anything else to ask Me?
»
«No,
Master.»
«Neither
have I anything else to tell you. But I ask you to tell Me, if you know, what
has happened to Syntyche's master.»
«Pilate
shipped him back to Italy by the first boat available, to avoid having trouble
with Herod and the Jews in general. Pilate is in a tight corner at present...
and has enough worries » says Nicodemus.
«Is
the news certain? »
«I
can check on it, if You wish so, Master » says Lazarus.
«Yes.
Do so. And then let Me know the true situation.»
«But
in my house Syntyche is safe just the same.»
«I
know. Israel also protects a slave who has run away from a foreign cruel master.
But I want to know.»
«And
I would like to know who is the spy, the informer, the pretty spy of the
Pharisees... and I want to know, and this can be found out, who are the
denouncing Pharisees. Let us have the names of the Pharisees and of their towns.
I mean of the Pharisees who have done the lovely work of informing, following
the betrayal of one of us, because we, old and new disciples, are the only ones
to know things; a fine piece of work indeed it was to inform the Sanhedrin of
the deeds of the Master, which are thoroughly honest, and who says or thinks the
contrary is a devil and...»
«And
that is enough, Simon of Jonah. It is an order.»
«And
I obey, even if the veins of my heart should burst because of the effort. In the
meantime the beauty of the day has gone...»
«No. Why? Has anything changed among us? So? O My Simon! Come here beside Me and let us talk of what is good...»
«They
have come to tell us that dinner is ready, Master » says
Lazarus.
«Let
us go, then...»
282. Syntyche Speaks in Lazarus'
House.
22nd September
1945.
Jesus
is sitting in the porched courtyard, which is inside the house in Bethany, the
courtyard which I saw crowded with disciples on the morning of Christ's
Resurrection. Sitting on a marble seat covered with cushions, leaning with His
back against the wall of the house, surrounded by the owners of the house, by
the apostles and the disciples John and Timoneus, together with Joseph and
Nicodemus, and by the pious women, He is listening to Syntyche, who standing in
front of Him, seems to be replying to a question of His. All the people present
are more or less interested and are listening in various postures, some sitting
on benches, some on the floor, some standing or leaning against the columns or
the wall.
«...
it was necessary. In order not to feel all the burden of my situation. It was
necessary not to be convinced, to refuse to be convinced that I was all alone, a
slave banished from my fatherland. It was necessary to think that my father,
mother, brothers and the so fond and kind Ismene were not lost for ever. And
that, even if the whole world persisted in separating us, just as Rome had
divided and sold us like baggage animals, although we were free citizens, a
place would gather us all together again in the next life.
I
had to think that our life is not only matter to be chained. On the contrary it
has a free power that no chain can bind, except the voluntary one to live in
moral disorder and in material revel. You call that "sin". Those who were my
light in my night as a slave, give it a different definition. But they also
agree that a soul nailed to a body by wicked corporal passions will not reach
what you call the Kingdom of God, and we call living together with the gods in
Hades. It is therefore necessary to abstain from falling into materialism and
strive to achieve freedom from the body, procuring for oneself a heritage of
virtue in order to possess a happy immortality and be reunited to those whom one
loves.
And
I could but think that the souls of the dead are not prevented from helping the
souls of the living, so that a daughter could feel her mother's soul close to
her and see her face and hear her voice speaking to the daughter, who could
reply: "Yes, mother. So that I may come to you. Yes, not to upset you. Yes, not
to make you weep. Yes, in order not to darken Hades where you are in peace. For
all that I will keep my soul free. It is the only thing which I possess and
which nobody can take away from me. And I want to preserve it pure so that I may
reason according to virtue". It was freedom and joy to think thus. And that is
what I wanted to think. And act accordingly. Because it is only a half and sham
philosophy to think one way and then act in a different
one.
To think thus was to rebuild a fatherland also in exile. An intimate fatherland, with its altars, faith, teaching, affections in one's ego... A great mysterious fatherland, yet not even so, because of the mystery of the soul which is consciously aware of the next world, even if at present it knows it only as a sailor at sea can see the details of the sea‑coast in a misty morning: vaguely, in a rough draft, with only a few spots clearly outlined and which are enough for the tired seaman tortured by storms to say: "There is the harbour, peace is over there". The fatherland of souls, the place of our origin... the place of Life.
Because life is generated by death... Oh!
I could understand only half of that until I heard one of Your words. Later it
was as if a sunbeam struck the diamond of my thought. Everything became
enlightened and I understood to what extent the Greek masters were right and how
later they became confused, as they lacked one datum, only one, to solve the
theorem of Life and Death. The datum was: The True God, the Lord and Creator of
everything existing!
May
I mention Him with my heathen lips? Of course I may. Because I come from Him,
like everybody else. Because He gifted the minds of all men with intelligence,
and the wiser ones with a superior intelligence, whereby they seem demigods with
a superhuman power. Because He made them write the truths which are already
religion, if not a divine religion like Yours, a moral one, capable of keeping
souls "alive", not only for the period of time we remain here, on the earth, but
for ever.
Later
I understood the meaning of: "Life is generated by death". He who said that was
like one not completely drunk, whose intelligence had already become dullish. He
spoke a sublime word, but did not understand it fully. I, forgive me my pride,
Lord, I understood more than he did and I have been happy since that
moment.»
«What
did you understand? »
«That
our present life is but the embryonal beginning of life and that true Life
begins when death gives birth to us... to Hades, as a heathen, to eternal Life,
as a believer in You. Am I wrong? »
«You
are right, vroman » approves Jesus.
Nicodemus
interrupts: «But how did you hear of the Master's words? »
«He
who is hungry, seeks food, sir. I was looking for my food. I was a reader, and
as I was learned with a good voice and pronunciation, I was in a position to
read much in the libraries of my masters. But I was not yet satisfied. I could
feel that there was something else beyond the walls decorated with human
science, and as a prisoner looking for gold, I hammered with my knuckles, I
forced doors open to get out, to find... When I came to Palestine with my last
master I was afraid I was going to fall into darkness... I was going instead
towards the Light. The words of the servant at Caesarea were like as many blows
with a pick which demolished the walls making wider and wider breaches through
which Your Word came in. And I picked up those words and the news. And like a
child stringing beads, I lined them up and adorned myself with them, drawing
strength to become more and more purified in order to receive the Truth. I felt
that by purifying myself I would find it. Even on this earth. At the cost of my
life I wanted to be pure to meet the Truth, Wisdom, Divinity. My Lord, I am
speaking foolish words. They are looking at me as if they were thoroughly
confounded. But You asked me...»
«Speak.
Go on speaking. It is necessary.»
«I
resisted external pressure with strength and moderation. I could have been free
and, happy, according to the world, if I had wanted. But I would not barter
knowledge for pleasure. Because it is of no avail to have other virtues without
wisdom. He, the philosopher, said: "Justice, moderation and strength separated
from knowledge are like painted scenary, virtues befitting slaves, without
anything firm and real". I wanted to have real things. The master, an imbecile,
used to speak of You in my presence. Then the walls seemed to become a veil. It
was enough to want to tear the veil and join the Truth. I did
it.»
«You
did not know what you were going to find » says the
Iscariot.
«I
knew how to believe that the god rewards virtue. I did not want gold, or
honours, or physical freedom, no, not even that. But I wanted the truth. I asked
God for that or to die. I wanted to be spared the humiliation of becoming an
"object", and even more, of agreeing to become one. Renouncing everything which
is corporal in looking for You, o Lord, because a research through senses is
never perfect ‑ as You noticed when seeing You I ran away, deceived as I was by
my eyes ‑ I abandoned myself to God Who is above us and within us and informs
souls of Himself. And I found You because my soul led me to
You.»
«Yours
is a heathen soul » remarks once
again the Iscariot.
«But
a soul always has something divine within itself, particularly when it has
striven to be preserved from error... It therefore tends to things of its own
nature.»
«Are
you comparing yourself to God? »
«No.»
«Why
do you say that, then? »
«What?
Are you, a disciple of the Master, asking me? Me, a Greek woman and only
recently freed? Do you not listen to Him when He, speaks? Or is the ferment in
your body such that it blunts your mind? Does He not always say that we are the
children of God? So we are gods if we are the children of the Father, of His and
our Father, of Whom He always speaks to us. You may reproach me for not being
humble, but not for not believing or not paying
attention.»
«So
you think that you are worth more than I am? Do you think that you have learned
everything from your Greek books? »
«No,
neither one nor the other. But the books of wise men, wherever they come from,
have given me the minimum necessary to support myself. I do not doubt that an
Israelite is worth more than I am. But I am happy with the destiny which comes
to me from God. What else could I wish for? In finding the Master I found
everything. And I think that was my destiny, because I really see a Power watch
over me and it has fixed a great destiny for me and I have done nothing but
comply with it, as I feel it is a good one.»
«Good?
You have been a slave, and of cruel masters... If the last one, for instance,
had recaptured you, how could you have complied with your destiny, you very wise
woman? »
«Your
name is Judas, is it not? »
«Yes,
and so? »
«And
so... nothing. I want to remember your name besides your irony. Bear in mind
that irony is not advisable even in virtuous people... How would I have complied
with my destiny? Perhaps I would have killed myself. Because in certain cases it
is better to die than to live, although the philosopher says that that is not
right and it is impious to procure welfare by oneself because only the gods have
the right to call us to stay with them. And this waiting for a sign of the gods
to do it, has always kept me from doing it, even in the chains of my sad fate.
But now, in being recaptured by my filthy master, I would have seen the supreme
sign. And I would have preferred to die rather than live, I, too, have my
dignity, man.»
«And
if he recaptured you now? You would still be in the same
situation...»
«Now
I would not kill myself. Now I know that violence against the flesh does not
injure the spirit that does not consent. I would now resist until I were bent by
force and killed by violence. Because I would take that as a sign from God that
through such violence He would call me to Himself. And I would now die
tranquilly, knowing that I would be only losing what is
perishable.»
«You
have replied very well, woman » says Lazarus and Nicodemus gives his approval as
well.
«Suicide
is never allowed » says the Iscariot.
«Many
are the things which are forbidden, but the prohibition is not complied with.
But, Syntyche, you must consider that as God has always guided you, so He would
have prevented you from doing violence to yourself. Go now. I will be grateful
to you if you look for the boy and bring him here » says Jesus
kindly.
The
woman bows to the ground and goes away. They all follow her with their
eyes.
Lazarus
whispers: «She is always like that! I fail to understand how what in her has
been "life" is instead "death" for us Israelites. If You still have the chance
of examining her again, You will see that whilst Hellenism corrupted us, though
we already possessed Wisdom, it saved her. Why? »
«Because
the ways of the Lord are wonderful. And He opens them to whoever deserves it.
And now, My friends, I will dismiss you because night is falling. I am happy
that you all have heard the Greek woman speak. As you have ascertained that God
reveals Himself to the best people, you must conclude that it is hideous and
dangerous to exclude all those who are not Israelites from the people of God.
Bear that in mind for the future... Do not grumble, Judas of Simon. And you,
Joseph, do not have unjustified scruples. None of you are contaminated for
approaching a Greek woman. Make absolutely sure that you do not approach or give
hospitality to the devil. Goodbye, Joseph; goodbye, Nicodemus. Will I be able to
meet you again, while I am here? Here is Marjiam... Come, boy, say goodbye to
the heads of the Sanhedrin. What do you say to them?»
«Peace
be with you... and I say also: pray for me at the hour of
incense.»
«You
have no need for that, child. But why just at that hour? »
«Because
the first time I entered the Temple with Jesus, He spoke to me of the evening
prayer... Oh! It is so beautiful!...»
«And
will you pray for us? When? »
«I
will pray... in the morning and in the evening. That God may preserve you from
sin during the day and the night.»
«And
what will you say, my child? »
«I
will say: "Most High Lord, let Joseph and Nicodemus be true friends of Jesus".
And that will be enough, because he who is a true friend, does not grieve his
friend. And he who does not grieve Jesus is sure to possess
Heaven.»
«May
God preserve you thus, child! » say the two members of the Sanhedrin caressing
him. They then greet the Master, the Blessed Virgin and Lazarus individually and
all the others in a body and go away.
283. The Mission of Four Apostles in
Judaea.
23rd September
1945.
Jesus
is on His way back from an apostolic trip in the neighbourhood of Bethany. It
must have been a short trip, because they are not carrying any food
bags.
They
are speaking to one another saying: «The idea of Solomon, the boatman, was a
good one, Master, wasn't it? »
«Yes,
it was.»
The
Iscariot, of course, disagrees with the others: «I do not see much good in it.
He gave us what is no longer of any use to him as a disciple. There is no reason
why he should be praised...»
«A
house is always useful » says the Zealot gravely.
«Yes,
if it were like yours. But what is his house? An unhealthy
shanty.»
«It
is all Solomon has » retorts the Zealot.
«And
as he grew old in it without aches and pains, we shall be able to stay there now
and again. What do you expect? All the houses to be like Lazarus'? » adds
Peter.
«I
do not expect anything. I cannot see the necessity of that gift. Once you are
there you can be in Jericho just as well. There are only a few stadia between
the two places. And what are a few stadia for the like of us, who are compelled
to wander about all the time, like persecuted people? »
Jesus
intervenes before the others lose all patience as clear signs indicate is about
to happen: «Solomon, in proportion to his riches, has given more than anybody
else. Because he has given everything.
He gave it out of love. He gave it to let us have a shelter in case we are
caught in the rain, or in a flood, in that not very hospitable area and above
all in case the Judaean ill‑will should become so strong as to advise us to stay
on the other side of the river. And that is with regard to the gift. That a
humble, coarse but so faithful and willing disciple has been able to be so
generous, which is clear evidence of his firm will to be a disciple of Mine for good, fills Me with great joy. I can
truly see that many disciples, with the few lessons which they have received
from Me, have excelled you who have received so many. You cannot sacrifice,
particularly you, Judas, even what costs nothing: your personal opinions. You
maintain yours stubbornly, unyieldingly.»
«You
said that the struggle against oneself is the hardest...»
«And thus you want to tell Me that I am wrong when I say that it costs nothing. Is that right? But you have understood perfectly well what I mean! According to men, and you really are a true and proper man, only what is marketable is valuable. One's ego cannot be sold for money. Except... when a man sells himself to someone hoping to make a profit. An illicit trade like the one stipulated by a soul with Satan, even worse. Because it involves not only the soul but also man's thoughts, or judgement or freedom, you may call it as you like. There are some wretched people like that... But for the time being, let us forget about them. I praised Solomon because I see how good his deed is. And that is enough.»
There is silence, then Jesus resumes speaking: «In a few days' time Ermasteus will be able to walk without any trouble. And I will go back to Galilee. But you will not all come with Me. Some will remain in Judaea and will come up later with the Judaean disciples, so that we shall all be reunited for the feast of the Dedication.»
«Such
a long time? Oh dear! Whose turn will it be? » the apostles ask one
another.
Jesus
hears their whispering and replies: «It will be the turn of Judas of Simon, of
Thomas, Bartholomew and Philip. But I did not say that you will have to be in
Judaea until the feast of the Dedication. On the contrary I want you to gather
the disciples and inform them to be there for the feast of the Dedication. So
you will now go and look for them, gather them together and tell them; in the
meantime you will watch over them and assist them and later you will come up
after Me, bringing with you those you have found, and leaving instructions for
the others to come. We have now friends in the main places in Judaea and they
will do us the favour of informing the disciples. And on your way up to Galilee
through Trans‑Jordan, remember that I will be going through Gerasa, Bozrah,
Arbela, as far as Aera, and collect also those who did not dare to come to Me
asking for a miracle or doctrine, and later have regretted not doing so. Bring
them to Me. I will stay in Aera until you arrive.»
«In
that case we had better go at once » says the Iscariot.
«No,
you will leave the evening before My departure and will stay with Jonah at
Gethsemane until the following day, and then you will set out for Judaea. You
will thus be able to see your mother and help her just now that she is selling
her farm produce.»
«She
learned to do that by herself years ago.»
«Don't
you remember that last year she could not do without you at vintage time? » asks
Peter rather slyly.
Judas
becomes as red as a poppy and looks ugly in his anger and shame. But Jesus
provides against any possible reply by saying: «A son is always of help and
comfort to his mother. She will not see you again until Passover and after
Passover. So go and do as I tell you.»
Judas does not reply to Peter, but he gives vent to his anger against Jesus: «Master, do You know what I must tell You? That I am under the impression that You want to get rid of me, or at least keep me away from You, because You suspect me and You wrongly think that I am guilty of something, because You lack charity towards me, because...»
«Judas! That is enough! I could tell you many words. But I say only: "Obey!"» Jesus is majestic in saying so. Tall as He is, with shining eyes and severe countenance, He strikes everybody with fear...
And
Judas trembles. He goes behind all the apostles, while Jesus, all alone, walks
ahead of them. The speechless apostolic group is thus between
them.
284. Jesus Leaves Bethany for
Trans‑Jordan.
24th September
1945.
«Lazarus,
My dear friend, I ask you to come with Me » says Jesus appearing at the door of
the hall where Lazarus is reading a roll, half reclining on a little
bed.
«I
will come at once, Master. Where are we going? » asks Lazarus getting up
immediately.
«Into
the country. I need to be all alone with you.»
Lazarus
looks at Him with a worried expression and asks: «Have You sad news to give me
secretly? Or... No, I do not even want to think of
that...»
«No,
I only wish to seek advice from you and not even the air must be aware of what
we shall say. Order a wagon, because I do not want you to get tired. When we are
out in the open country I will speak to you.»
«In
that case I will drive it myself. So no servant will know what we
say.»
«Yes,
do that.»
«I
am going at once, Master. I'll soon be ready » and he goes
out.
Jesus
also goes out after standing somewhat pensive in the middle of the magnificent
hall. While engrossed in thought, He mechanically moves two or three objects and
picks up a roll which had fallen on to the floor, and when putting it in its
place in a cabinet, because of His inborn instinct for order, which is so deeply
rooted in Jesus, He remains with His arm raised, looking at the strange art of
some objects lined up in the cabinet, which are different from the current art
in Palestine. By the embossed work and design imitating the ornaments of the
temples of ancient Greece and of funeral urns, they appear to be very old
amphoras and cups. What He sees beyond the articles themselves, I do not know...
He leaves the hall and goes into the inner yard, where the apostles
are.
«Where
are we going, Master? » they ask when they see Jesus tidy His
mantle.
«Nowhere.
I am going with Lazarus. You will stay here and wait for Me. I shall soon be
back.»
The
Twelve look at one another. They are not very happy...
Peter
says: «Are You going alone? Be careful...»
«Do
not be afraid. While waiting, do not be idle. Teach Ermasteus, that he may have
a better knowledge of the Law and be good company to one another, without
arguments or rudeness. Bear with and love one another.»
He
sets out towards the garden and they all follow Him. A closed cart soon arrives
with Lazarus in it.
«Are
You going in that cart? »
«Yes,
so that Lazarus may not tire his legs. Goodbye, Marjiam. Be good. Peace to you
all.»
He
climbs into the cart, which grinding the pebbles of the avenue leaves the garden
and turns into the main road.
«Are
You going to the Clear Water, Master? » Thomas shouts after
Him.
«No,
I am not. Once again I tell you to be good.»
The
horse starts at a steady trot. The road going from Bethany to Jericho runs
through the country, which is becoming bare. The more they descend towards the
plain, the more the fading of the greenery in the fields becomes
noticeable.
Jesus
is pensive. Lazarus is silent and intent only on driving the cart. When they are
down in the plain, a fertile plain, which is ready to nourish the seed of future
corn, and where all the vineyards seem to be asleep, like a woman who has
recently given birth to her fruit and is resting after her pleasant labour,
Jesus beckons Lazarus to stop. Lazarus stops at once and leads the horse into a
side road, which takes to houses far away... and he explains: «We shall be safer
here than on the main road. These trees will conceal us from the eyes of many
people.» In fact a thicket of low trees acts as a screen against the curiosity
of passers‑by. Lazarus is standing before Jesus, waiting.
«Lazarus,
I must send away John of Endor and Syntyche. You can see that both prudence and
charity advise Me to do so. It would be a dangerous test and useless grief for
both of them to be aware of the persecutions set in motion against them... and
which, for at least one of them, could bring about most grievous
surprises.»
«In
my house...»
«No.
Not even in your house. Perhaps they would not be troubled materially. But they
would be humiliated morally. The world is cruel. It crushes its victims. I do
not want those two beautiful and powerful souls to get lost like that. So, as
one day I joined Ishmael to Sarah, I will now join My poor John to Syntyche. I
want him to die in peace, I do not want him to be left alone, and he must go
away feeling that he is being sent elsewhere, not because he was formerly a
galley‑man, but because he is the proselyte disciple who can be sent away to
announce the Master. And Syntyche will help him... She is a beautiful soul and
will be a great strength in the future Church and for the future Church. Can you
advise Me where to send them? I do not want them to stay in Judaea or in Galilee
and not even in the Decapolis, where I go with My apostles and disciples. Nor in
the heathen world. So, where? Where, so that they may be safe and usefull?
»
«Master...
I... how can I give You advice! »
«No,
tell Me. You love Me, you do not betray Me, you love those whom I love, you are
not narrow‑minded like the others.»
«I...
well... I would advise You to send them where I have some friends. To Cyprus or
to Syria. Make Your choice. I have trustworthy people in Cyprus. And even more
in Syria!... I have also a little house, watched over by a manager, who is as
faithful as a pet lamb. Our old Philip! He will do for my sake anything I tell
him. And, if You do not mind, those who are persecuted by Israel and are dear to
You, will be my guests as from now on, and will be safe in the house... Oh! It
is not a palace! It is a house where Philip lives alone with a nephew, who looks
after the gardens at Antigonium. The beloved gardens of my mother. We have kept
them as a remembrance of her. She had taken there the plants of her Judaean
gardens... plants of rare essences... Mother!... How much good she did to the
poor with them... It was her secret domain... My mother... Master, I will soon
be going to say to her: "Rejoice, my good mother. The Saviour is on the earth".
She was expecting You...» Tears stream down Lazarus' drawn face. Jesus looks at
him and smiles. Lazarus recovers his strength: «But let us speak of You. Do You
think it is a good place? »
«I
think it is. And I thank you once again, also on their behalf. You have relieved
Me of a heavy burden...»
«When
will they leave? I am asking so that I may prepare a letter for Philip. I will
say that they are two friends of mine, from here, in need of peace. And that
will suffice.»
«Yes,
that is enough. But, I beg you, not even the air is to be aware of this. You can
see that yourself. They are spying upon Me...»
«I
know. I will not mention it even to my sisters. But how will You take them
there? You have the apostles with You...»
«I
will now go up as far as Aera without Judas of Simon, Thomas, Philip and
Bartholomew. In the meantime I will teach Syntyche and John thoroughly, so that
they may go with large provisions of Truth. I will then go down to lake Merom
and later to Capernaum. And when I am there, I will send the four apostles away
once again, on some other mission, and in the meantime I will send the two off
to Antioch. That is what they are compelling Me to do...»
«To
be afraid of Your own people. You are right... Master, it grieves me to see You
worried...»
«But
your kind friendship is of great
comfort to Me... Lazarus, I thank you... I am leaving the day after tomorrow and
I will be taking your sisters away. I need many women disciples to conceal
Syntyche amongst them. Johanna of Chuza also is coming. From Merom she will go
to Tiberias, where she will be spending the winter months. Her husband has
decided so to have her close to him, because Herod is going back to Tiberias for
some time.»
«It will be done as You wish. My sisters are Yours, as I am, as my houses, servants and belongings are. Everything is Yours, Master. Make use of it to do good. I will prepare Your letter for Philip. It is better if I give it to You personally.»
«Thank
you, Lazarus.»
«That
is all I can do... If I were well... Cure me, Master, and I will
come.»
«No,
My dear friend ... I need you as you are.»
«Even
if I do not do anything? »
«Yes,
even so. Oh! My Lazarus! » and Jesus embraces and kisses
him.
They
get on the cart and go back.
Lazarus
is now silent and engrossed in thought, and Jesus asks him
why.
«I
was thinking that I am going to lose Syntyche. I was attracted by her science
and goodness...»
«Jesus
will gain her...»
«That
is very true. When shall I see You again, Master? »
«In
spring.»
«Shall
I not see You again until spring? Last year You were here with me for the feast
of the Dedication.»
«This
year I will satisfy the apostles. But next year I will be with you quite a lot.
It is a promise.»
Bethany
appears in the October sunshine. They are about to arrive when Lazarus stops the
horse to say: «Master, You are right in sending away the man from Kerioth. I am
afraid of him. He does not love You. I do not like him. I never liked him. He is
sensual and greedy. And thus he may commit any sin. Master, it was he who
denounced You.»
«Have
you any proof? »
«No,
I have not.»
«Well,
in that case, do not judge. You are not very clever at judging. Remember that
you considered your Mary as inexorably lost... Do not say that it was My merit.
She sought Me first.»
«That
is true, too. However, beware of Judas.»
Shortly
afterwards they enter the garden, where the apostles are curiously awaiting
them.
--------------------------------
The
absence of four apostles, and above all of Judas, makes the remaining group more
intimate and happy. The group which leaves Bethany on a clear October morning on
its way to Jericho, to cross to the other side of the Jordan, is just like a
family, the heads of which are Jesus and Mary. The women are gathered round
Mary, only Annaleah is absent from the group of the women disciples, which
comprises the three Maries, Johanna, Susanna, Eliza, Marcella, Sarah and
Syntyche. Peter, Andrew, James and Judas of Alphaeus, Matthew, John and James of
Zebedee, Simon Zealot, John of Endor, Ermasteus and Timoneus, are grouped round
Jesus, while Marjiam jumping about like a little kid, goes to and fro from one
group to the other, which are only a short distance apart. Although laden with
heavy bags, they proceed joyfully in the mild sunshine, through the country so
solemn in its rest.
John of Endor proceeds with some difficulty under the weight hanging from his shoulders.
Peter
notices it and says: «Give your useless load to me since you have decided to
carry it round. Were you missing it? »
«The
Master told me to bring it.»
«Did
He? How lovely! Why? »
«I
don't know. Yesterday evening He said to me: "Pack your books again and follow
Me with them".»
«Lovely
indeed!... But if He told you, it must be for a good reason. Perhaps it is for
that woman. How accomplished she is! Are you as learned? »
«Almost
as much as she is. She is very clever.»
«But
you are not going to follow us with this load all the time, eh?
»
«Oh!
I don't think so. I don't know. But I can carry it
myself.»
«No,
my dear friend. I don't want you to be taken ill. You are looking very poorly,
you know? »
«I
know. I feel as if I were dying.»
«Don't
be silly! At least wait until We arrive in Capernaum. It is so lovely now that
we are by ourselves without that... Curse my tongue! I have failed once again in
my promise to the Master!... Master? Master? »
«What
do you want, Simon?»
«I
have spoken ill of Judas, and I had promised You that I would not do it any
more. Forgive me.»
«Yes,
I do. But try not to do it again.»
«I
still have 489 times to be forgiven by You...»
«What
are you talking about, brother? » asks Andrew who is obviously utterly
amazed.
And
Peter, whose placid countenance is humorously bright, twisting his neck under
the weight of John of Endor's bag, exclaims: «Don't you remember that He said
that we have to forgive seventy times seven. So I am still to be forgiven 489
times and I must keep an accurate account of them...»
They
all laugh; Jesus cannot help smiling either. But He replies: «You had better
keep count of all the times you are capable of being good, you big
boy.»
Peter
approaches Him and embracing with his right arm Jesus' waist he says: «My dear
Master! How happy I am to be with You without... Come on, admit it! You are
happy, too... And You know what I mean. We are all friendly here. Your Mother is
here. There is also the boy. We are going towards Capernaum. The season is
beautiful... Five good reasons to be happy. Oh! And it is beautiful to travel
with You! Where are we staying tonight? »
«At
Jericho.»
«Last
year we met the Veiled woman there. I wonder what has happened to her... I am
rather curious to know... And we found also the man of the vineyards...» Peter's
laughter is so loud that it is contagious. They all laugh remembering the scene
of the meeting with Judas of Kerioth.
«You
are really incorrigible, Simon! » remarks Jesus
reproachingly.
«I
did not say anything, Master. But I had to laugh remembering his countenance
when he found us there... in his vineyards...» Peter laughs so wholeheartedly
that he is compelled to stop, while the others proceed laughing against their
will.
Peter
is joined by the women. Mary asks him kindly: «What is the matter with you,
Simon? »
«Ah!
I cannot tell You or I will be lacking in charity once more. But, Mother, tell
me, since You are so wise. If I throw out innuendos against someone, or worse
still, if I utter slander about someone, I obviously commit a sin. But if I
laugh at something, at an event, which is known to everybody, something which
makes people laugh, for instance, if we remember the surprise, the embarrassment
and excuses of a liar when he was found out and we laugh again as we did in the
past, is that still wrong? »
«It
is an imperfection against charity. It is not a sin like backbiting, or slander
or innuendo, but it is still lack of charity. It is like a thread pulled out of
a piece of cloth. It does not tear or wear the cloth out, but it affects the
firmness and beauty of the fabric and makes it subject to tears and holes. Do
you not think so? »
Peter
rubs his forehead and feeling rather humiliated he replies: «I do. I had never
thought of that.»
«Think
about it now and do not do it any more. Laughter may be more offensive to
charity than slaps in the face. Has someone made a mistake? We have found
someone guilty of lying or of other faults? So? Why remember it? Why remind
other people? Let us cover with a veil the faults of our brother, saying: "If I
were the culprit, would I like another person to remember my fault or remind
other people of it?". There are people who blush in their inmost heart, Simon,
and suffer so much because of it. Do not shake your head. I know what you want
to say. But, believe Me, also guilty people may blush thus. You must always
think: "Would I like that done to me?". You will then see that you will no
longer sin against charity. And you will always have so much peace in your
heart. Look how happily Marjiam is jumping and singing, because his heart is not
worried. He does not have to think about itineraries, expenses or what to say.
He knows that someone else takes care of all that on his behalf. Do the same
yourself. Abandon everything to God. Also judgement on other people. As long as
you can be like a child led by God, why take upon yourself the burden of
deciding and judging? The day will come when you must be judge and arbitrator
and then you will say: "Oh! How easier and less dangerous it was formerly" and
you will say that you were foolish in burdening yourself before the time with so
much responsibility. How difficult it is to judge other people! Did you hear
what Syntyche said some days ago? "A research through senses is never perfect".
She is quite right. We very often judge according to the reactions of our
senses. That is, with the utmost imperfection. Give up
judging...»
«Yes,
Mary. I sincerely promise You. But I do not know all the beautiful things which
Syntyche knows! »
«And
are you worried about that, man? Do you not know that I want to get rid of all
that, in order to have only what you know? »
«Do
you? Why? »
«Because
science may support you on the earth, but through wisdom you gain Heaven. Mine
is science, yours is wisdom.»
«But
by means of your science, you were able to come to Jesus! So it is a good
thing.»
«It
is mixed with so many errors, that I would like to divest myself of it and
clothe myself with wisdom only. I do not want ornate vain dresses. Let the
severe inconspicuous dress of Wisdom be mine, as it clothes like an everlasting
garment not what is corruptible, but what is immortal. The flame of Science
flickers and quivers, The flame of Wisdom shines unvaryingly and steadily and is
like the Divinity from which it originates.»
Jesus
has slackened His pace in order to hear. He turns round and says to the Greek
woman: «You must not yearn to divest yourself of everything you know. But you
must select from your knowledge what is a particle of eternal Intelligence
conquered by minds of undeniable value.»
«Have,
therefore, those minds repeated within themselves the myth of the fire stolen
from the gods?
»
«Yes, woman. But it was not stolen in this case. They were able to pick it when the Divinity grazed them with its fire, caressing them as specimens, spread among decayed mankind, of what man is, gifted with reason.»
«Master,
You should tell me what I must keep and what I must leave. I would not be a good
judge. And then You ought to fill with the light of Your Wisdom, the spaces left
empty.»
«That
is what I intend doing. I shall point out to you to what extent is wise what you
know and I will develop it from that point to the end of the true idea. So that
you may know for certain. And that will be useful also to those who are destined
to have many contacts with the Gentiles in future.»
«We
shall not understand anything, my Lord » moans James of
Zebedee.
«You
will understand little, for the time being, but one day you will understand both
the present lessons and their necessity. And you, Syntyche, will expound to Me
those points which are most obscure to you. And I will clarify them when we stop
to rest.»
«Yes,
my Lord. It is the desire of my soul which merges in Your desire. I am the
disciple of the Truth, You the Master. It is the dream of all my life: to
possess the Truth.»
285.
Arrival
at Ramoth with the Merchant from the Other Side of the
Euphrates.
25th September
1945.
After
walking a long way across a fertile plain on the other side of the Jordan ‑and
it is pleasant to walk in the serene mild season as it is now at the end of
October ‑ and after resting in a little village lying at the foot of the lower
slopes of a rather bulky chain of mountains, some summits of which can really be
called mountains, Jesus sets out once again, following a long caravan of many
quadrupeds and well armed men, to whom He had previously spoken while they were
watering their animals at the fountains in the square. They are mostly tall
swarthy men, with typical Asian features. The head of the caravan is riding a
very strong mule and is armed to the teeth and weapons are hanging from his
saddle. And yet he had great respect for Jesus.
The
apostles ask Jesus: «Who is he? »
«A
rich merchant from the other side of the Euphrates. I asked him where he was
going and he replied politely. He will be passing through the towns where I
intend to go. Which is providential in these mountains, when we have the women
with us.»
«Are
You afraid of something? »
«I
am not afraid of being robbed, as we possess nothing. But it would be enough to
frighten the women. A handful of robbers will never attack so strong a caravan,
which will be most useful to us because we shall also find out the best passes
and shall be able to cross over the difficult ones. He asked Me: "Are You the
Messiah?" and when he heard that I was, he said: "I was in the Courtyard of the
Heathens some days ago and I heard You more than I could see You, because I am a
small man. Well, I will protect You and You will protect me. I have a very
valuable load".»
«Is
he a proselyte? »
«I
do not think so. But perhaps he is of our extraction.»
The
caravan proceeds slowly, as if they did not want to exhaust the strength of the
quadrupeds by going too far. It is therefore easy to follow them and sometimes
it is necessary to stop as the drivers let the laden animals pass one by one
holding them by their halters in the most difficult spots.
Although
a true and proper mountainous area, it is fertile and well cultivated. Perhaps
the high mountains to the north act as a protection against the cold northern
winds or the harmful eastern ones and that helps cultivation. The caravan
marches along a stream which flows into the Jordan and is rich in water which
comes down from I wonder which top. The view is beautiful and becomes more and
more beautiful as one climbs up, stretching westwards across the plain of the
Jordan and reaching, beyond it, the graceful hills and mountains of northern
Judaea, while to the east and north the view changes continuously, stretching
far out and wide, or showing overlapping rounded hills and green or rocky
mountain tops, which seem to obstruct the road like the sudden wall of a
labyrinth.
The
sun is about to set behind the mountains of Judaea, colouring sky and slopes
with a deep red, when the rich merchant, who has stopped to let the caravan
pass, says to Jesus: «We must reach the village before night. But many of Your
people look tired. This is a long hard leg. Let them mount the spare mules. They
are quiet animals. In any case they will be resting all night and the weight of
a woman is no burden to them.»
Jesus
agrees and the man orders the caravan to stop to let the women mount the mules.
Jesus makes John of Endor get on horseback as well. And those on foot, including
Jesus, hold the reins to make the women feel safer. Marjiam wants to be... a
man, and although he is exhausted, he refuses to go on horseback with anyone and
he takes one of the reins of the Blessed Virgin's mule, Who is thus between
Jesus and the boy, and he walks bravely.
The
merchant has remained near Jesus and he says to Mary: «See that village, Donna?
That is Ramoth. We will stop there. I am well known at the hotel because I come
this way twice a year, and I go along the coast, also twice a year to purchase
and sell. My life is a hard one. But I have twelve children and they are all
young. I got married late. The last one was nine days old when I left him. And
he will have cut his first teeth when I see him.»
«A
lovely family...» comments Mary, and She adds: «May Heaven preserve it for
you.»
«As
a matter of fact I cannot complain of its help although I do not really deserve
it.»
Jesus
asks him: «Are you at least a proselyte? »
«I
should be... My ancestors were true Israelites. Then... we became acclimatised
there...»
«A
soul becomes acclimatised in one atmosphere only: in
Heaven's.»
«You
are right. But You know... My great grandfather married a woman who was not an
Israelite. His children became less faithful... The sons of his children once
again married women who were not from Israel and their children were respectful
only of their Jewish names; because we are of Jewish extraction. Now I, a
grandson of grandsons... I am nothing. Being in touch with everybody I have
taken after everyone, with the result that I belong to no
one.»
«That
is not a good reason and I can prove it to you. If going along this road, which
you know to be a good one, you should meet five or six people who said to you:
"No, don't go this way!", "Go back", "Stop", "Go eastwards", "Turn westwards",
what would you do? »
«I
would say: "I know that this is the right road and the shortest, and i am not
going to leave it".»
«Likewise:
if you are negotiating some business and you know the best way to do it, would
you listen to those who either through boasts or interested cunning advised you
to act differently? »
«No.
I would follow the method which my experience tells me is the
best.»
«Very
well. Millennia of faith are behind you, a descendant of Israel. You are neither
stupid nor uneducated. So why are you influenced by contacts with everybody in
matters of faith, whereas you reject them when money or road safety is
concerned? Do you not think it is dishonourable also from a human point of view?
To place God after money and the road...»
«I
do not postpone God. But I have lost sight of Him...»
«Because
business, money, your life are your gods. But it is still God Who allows you to
have such things... Then, why did you go to the Temple? »
«Out of curiosity. Coming out of a house where I had negotiated some goods, I saw a group of men pay their respects to You and I remembered the words I had heard at Ashkelon from a woman who made carpets. I asked who You were, as I suspected You might be the One of Whom the woman had spoken to me. And when I found out that it was You, I followed You. I had done my business for that day... Then I lost sight of You. I saw You once again at Jericho. But only for a moment. Now I have found You again... That's it...»
«So
God has joined and interlaced our ways. I have no gifts to offer you to thank
you for your kindness. But before leaving you I hope to be able to give you a
present, unless you leave Me beforehand...»
«No,
I will not. Alexander Misace does not take back what he offers! Here we are. The
village begins after that turn. I will go ahead. We will meet at the hotel » and
he spurs his mule leaving almost at a gallop on the edge of the
road.
«He
is an honest unhappy man, Son » says Mary.
«And
You would like him to be happy according to Wisdom, would You
not?»
And
they smile kindly at each other in the first shadows of the
evening.
...The
pilgrims are all gathered in a large hall of the hotel, waiting to go to bed, in
the long October evening. The merchant is in a corner, all by himself, intent on
his accounts. Jesus, with His group, is in the opposite comer. There are no
other guests. Braying, neighing and bleating can be heard coming from the
stables, which makes one assume that there are other people in the hotel.
Perhaps they are already in bed.
Marjiam
has fallen asleep in Our Lady's arms, forgetting all of a sudden that he was «a
man ». Peter is dozing and is not the only one. Also the whispering elderly
women are half asleep and are silent. Jesus, Mary, Lazarus' sisters, Syntyche,
Simon Zealot, John and Judas are well awake.
Syntyche
is searching John of Endor's bag looking for something. But she prefers to come
close to the others and listen to Judas of Alphaeus who is speaking of the
consequences of the exile in Babylon and concludes: «...and perhaps that man is
still a consequence of that. Every exile is a ruin...». Syntyche nods
unintentionally but does not say anything and Judas of Alphaeus concludes:
«However, it is strange that one can so easily divest oneself of what has been a
treasure for centuries to become entirely new, particularly in matters of
religion, and a religion like ours...»
Jesus
replies: «You must not be surprised if you see Samaria in the lap of
Israel.»
There
is silence... Syntyche's dark eyes are staring at Jesus' serene profile. She
looks at Him intensely, but does not speak. Jesus perceives her glance and turns
round to look at her.
«Have
you not found anything to your liking? »
«No,
my Lord. I have got to the point that I am no longer able to reconcile the past
with the present, former ideas with present ones. And I feel as if it were a
defection because my former ideas have helped me to have the present ones. Your
apostle spoke the truth... But my ruin is a happy one.»
«What
is your ruin? »
«All
my faith in heathen Olympus, my Lord. But I am somewhat upset because on reading
Your Scriptures ‑ John gave me them and I read them because there is no
possession without knowledge ‑ I found out that also in your history... of the
beginning, shall I say, there are events which do not differ much from ours.
Now, I would like to know...»
«I
have already told you: ask Me and I will answer your
questions.»
«Is
everything wrong in the religion of the gods? »
«Yes,
woman. There is but one God, Who does not originate from anybody else and is not
subject to human passions and needs: one Only, Eternal, Perfect God, the Creator
of everything.»
«I
believe that. But I want to be able to reply to the questions which other
heathens may ask me not in a way which does not admit any discussion, but by
discussing in order to be convinced. I, by myself and by virtue of beneficent
paternal God, have given myself informal answers, but sufficient to give peace
to my spirit. But I was willing to reach the Truth. Others may be less anxious
than I am in that respect. But everybody ought to be keen in such research. I do
not want to be inactive with souls. I would like to give what I have received.
But I must know in order to be able to give. Grant me knowledge and I will serve
You in the name of love. Today, on the way, while I was watching the mountains
and certain views reminded me of the chains of Hellas and of the history of my
Country, by association of ideas the myths of Prometheus and Deucalion crossed
my mind... You have something similar in the fulmination of Lucifer, in the
infusion of life into clay, in the Flood of Noah. Light concomitances, yet they
are a remembrance... Now tell me: how could we be aware of them if there was no
contact between you and us, if you certainly had them before we did, and
although we had them, we do not know how we got them? We still ignore one
another, in many things. So how could we, thousands of years ago, have legends
which are remembrances of Your Truth? »
«Woman,
you ought to be the last one to ask Me. Because you have read works which could
answer your questions by themselves. Today, by association of ideas, from the
remembrance of your native mountains you have gone on to the remembrance of
native myths and comparisons. Is that right. Why? »
«Because
my awakened thought remembered.»
«Very
well. Also the souls of the very ancient people who gave a religion to your land
remembered. Vaguely, as someone who is imperfect can do, someone separated from
the revealed religion. But they have always remembered. There are many religions
in the world. Now, if we had here in a clear picture all their details, we would
see that there is something like a golden thread, lost in much mud, a thread
with many knots in which fragments of the real Truth are
enclosed.»
«But do we not all come of the same stock? You say so. So why were the very ancient ones, who came of the original stock, why were they not able to bring the Truth with them? Was it not unjust to deprive them of it? »
«You
have read Genesis, have you not? What have you found? A complex sin at the
beginning, a sin embracing the three states of man: matter, thought, spirit.
Then a fratricide. Then a double homicide to counterbalance the work of Enoch to
keep light in hearts, then corruption, when the sons of God, out of lust,
married the daughters of man. And notwithstanding the purification by the Deluge
and the remaking of the race from good seed, not from stones as your myths
state, likewise the first clay modelled by God to His image and in the shape of
man was endowed with life through the work of God by the infusion of vital Fire,
and not through the theft of vital fire by man, there was a fresh outburst of
pride, an insult to God: "Let us touch the sky" and the divine curse: "Let them
be scattered and let them no longer understand one another"... And the only
stock became divided, like water clashing against a rock is divided into little
streams and does not come together again, and the race was divided into races.
Mankind driven away by its sin and by divine punishment was scattered and never
came together again, carrying with itself the confusion created by pride. But
souls remember. There is always something left within them. And the most
virtuous and wise see a light indistinctly, a feeble light in the dark of myths:
the light of Truth. It is the remembrance of the Light seen before life, which
inspires them with some truth, in which are fragments of the revealed Truth . Is
that clear to you? »
«Only
partly. But I will think about it. Night is the friend of those who meditate and
collect their thoughts.»
«Well,
let us go and collect our thoughts. Let us go, My friends. Peace to you, women.
Peace to you, My disciples. Peace to you, Alexander
Misace.»
«Goodbye,
my Lord. God be with You » replies the merchant bowing...
286. From Ramoth to
Gerasa.
26th September
1945.
The
peculiarity of this village lying on a raised rocky platform in the middle of a
crown of mountain tops, some of which are higher, some lower than it, appears in
all its typical beauty in the rather hard light of a somewhat windy morning. It
looks like a huge granite tray with buildings, little houses, bridges, fountains
lying on it, for the amusement of a gigantic child.
The
houses seem to be engraved in calcareous rock which is the basic matter in the
area. They are square shaped and built with blocks laid one upon another, some
are not plastered, the blocks of some are still in their rough natural state,
they really look like the little houses decorating a Christmas crib built with
cubes by a big clever boy.
And
around the little village one can contemplate its fertile country, covered with
trees, variously cultivated, so that from above it looks like a carpet of
squares, trapezia, triangles, some of which are brown owing to the recently hoed
earth, some emerald green because of the grass grown after autumn rain, some
reddish because of the last leaves of vineyards and orchards, some grey-green
because of poplars or willows, or enamel green because of oaks and carobs, or
bronze‑green owing to cypresses and conifers. Beautiful, really
beautiful!
And
one can see roads which, like ribbons parting from a knot, run from the village
to the remote plain, or towards the high mountains and dive under woods or
divide with a grey line the green meadows or brown ploughed
fields.
And
there is a pleasant stream of water, which is silvery beyond the village towards
its spring, and blue fading to jade on the other side, where it flows down to
the valley between gorges and slopes, and it appears and disappears playfully,
and it grows stronger and stronger and bluer and bluer as its water increases,
thus preventing the reeds and grass, which have grown in its bed during the
droughty months, from tinging it green and it thus reflects the sky, after
burying the stalks in its deep water.
The
sky is unreal blue: a precious scale of deep enamel blue, without the least
impure flaw in its wonderful texture.
And
the caravan sets off again, with the women still on horseback, because, as the
merchant says, the road is very difficult after the village and it is necessary
to walk fast in order to get to Gerasa before night. They are all muffled up and
they proceed swiftly, as they are well rested, along a road which climbs up
through wonderful woods, skimming the highest slopes of a solitary mountain,
which rises like a huge block resting on the shoulders of the other mountains
under it. A real giant as one can see in the highest parts of our
Apennines.
«Galaad
» says the merchant, pointing at it; he has remained near Jesus Who is leading
the Virgin's little mule holding its reins. And the merchant adds: «After this
the road is much better. Have You ever been here? »
«No, never. I wanted to come here in springtime. But I was rejected at Galgala.»
«You
rejected? How dreadful! »
Jesus
looks at him and is silent.
The
merchant has taken Marjiam up on his saddle, as the boy with his short legs was
finding it difficult to keep up with the quick pace of the horses. And Peter is
well aware that it is a quick pace! He is plodding along with all his might,
imitated by the others, but he is always outdistanced by the caravan. He is
perspiring, but is happy because he can hear Marjiam laugh, he sees that Our
Lady is resting and the Lord is happy. He puffs and blows while speaking to
Matthew and his brother Andrew, who are left behind with him, and he makes them
laugh saying that if in addition to his legs, he had wings, he would be happy
that morning. He got rid of all loads, like the rest, tying the bags to the
saddles of the women's mounts, but the road is really frightful, the stone being
slippery with dew. The two Jameses with John and Thaddeus are more clever as
they are keeping up with the pace of the women's mules. Simon Zealot is speaking
to John of Endor. Timoneus and Ermasteus are also leading
mules.
At
last the worst of the road is over and an entirely different scenery is
displayed to their amazed eyes. The Jordan valley has definitely disappeared. To
the east one's eyes rove over an imposingly wide tableland, where only a ripple
of hills attempt to rise in order to interrupt the evenness of the landscape. I
would never have thought there could be any such thing in Palestine. It seems
that after the rocky storm of mountains, the storm itself has calmed down and
become petrified in a huge billow which has been left hanging between the bottom
level and the sky, with only one remembrance of its original fury in the tiny
lines of hills, the foam of the crests solidified here and there, whilst the
water of the billow has spread out over a wonderful and magnificent plain
surface. And one reaches this bright peaceful area through a last gorge, as wild
as the abyss between two clashing billows, the last two waves of a sea‑storm, in
the depths of which there is a fresh foaming torrent flowing westwards and
coming from the east, in a tormented enraged way between rocks and waterfalls in
dire contrast with the remote peace of the huge tableland.
«The
road will be good now. If You do not mind I will give the order to stop» says
the merchant.
«I
am being guided by you, man. You know that.»
They
all dismount and spread out along the slopes in search of wood to cook the food,
and of water for their tired feet and parched throats. The animals, once
relieved of their loads, graze the thick grass or go down to the limpid torrent
to water. The smell of resins and roast meat rises from the little fires lit to
cook some lambs.
The apostles have lit a fire of their own on which they heat some salt fish after washing it in the cool water of the torrent. But the merchant sees them and he comes bringing a little skinned lamb, or a little kid, whichever it may be, and makes them accept it. And Peter gets ready to roast it after stuffing it with fresh mint.
The
meal is soon prepared and is soon over. And under the perpendicular midday
sunshine they resume marching along a better road, which follows the torrent
north‑eastwards in a wonderfully fertile and well cultivated area, rich in sheep
and swine herds, which run away grunting before the
caravan.
«That
walled town is Gerasa, my Lord. A town with a great future. It is now
developing, and I don't think I am wrong in saying that it will soon be
competing with Joppa, Ashkelon, with Tyre and many more towns, in beauty, trade
and wealth. The Romans have realised its importance, on this road which from the
Red Sea, that is, from Egypt goes to the Euxine Sea through Damascus. And they
are helping the Gerasenes to build... They are sharpsighted and have a good
nose. For the time being it only has a very good trade, but later!... Oh! It
will be beautiful and rich! A little Rome, with temples, piscinae, circuses,
thermal baths. I only traded with them. But now I have bought much ground, to
build emporia, which I will sell later at a high price, and perhaps I will build
a real gentleman's house there, where I can stay in my old days, when Balthazar,
Nabor, Felix and Sydmia will be able to look after and manage respectively the
emporia at Sinope, Tyre, Joppa and Alexandria on the mouth of the Nile. In the
meantime the other three boys will grow up and I will give them the emporia at
Gerasa, Ashkelon and perhaps at Jerusalem. And the rich and beautiful girls will
be sought‑after and they will make very good matches and give me many
grandchildren...» the merchant has golden and rosy day‑dreams for the
future.
Jesus
asks him calmly: «And then? »
The
merchant rouses himself, looks at Him perplexedly and then says: «And then? That
is all. Then death will come... It is sad. But that is
it.»
«And
will you leave all business? Your emporia? Your affections?
»
«My
Lord! I would not like to. But as I was born I must also die. And I shall have
to leave everything » and he heaves such a long sigh as to push the caravan
forward with it...
«But
who told you that once you are dead you leave everything?
»
«Who? The facts of life! Once you are dead... that is all. You have no hands, no eyes, no ears...»
«You
are not only hands, eyes and ears.»
«I
am a man. I know. I have other things. But they all end with death. It is like
the setting of the sun. Its setting destroys it...»
«But
dawn creates it once more, or rather it presents it again. You are a man, you
said so. You are not an animal like the one you are riding. An animal, once it
is dead, is really finished. Not you. You have a soul. Do you not know? Do you
not even know that any more? »
The
merchant hears the sad reproach, a sad but kind reproach, and he lowers his head
whispering: «I still know that...»
«So?
Do you not know that the soul survives? »
«I
know.»
«Well,
then? Do you not know that it still has an activity in the next life? A holy
activity if it is holy. A wicked one if it is wicked. And it has its sentiments.
Oh! It has them indeed! Loving ones, if it is holy. Hateful ones, if it is
damned. Hateful against whom? Against the causes of its damnation. In your case:
your business, the emporia, your exclusively human affections. Loving affections
for whom? For the same things. And what blessings can a soul bring upon its
children and their activity when it is in the peace of the Lord!
»
The
man is pensive. He says: «It is late. I am old, now.» And he stops his
mule.
Jesus
smiles and replies: «I will not force you. I advise you » and He turns round to
look at the apostles, who in the halt before entering the town are helping the
women to dismount and are picking up their bags.
The
caravan sets out again and soon enters the busy town through the gate watched
over by towers.
The
merchant goes back to Jesus: «Do You want to remain with me?
»
«If
you do not drive Me away, why should I not want to? »
«Because
of what I said to You. I must make You, the Holy One,
sick.»
«Oh!
no! I have come for people like you, whom I love because you are the most needy.
You do not know Me as yet. But I am the Love who passes by begging for
love.»
«So
You do not hate me? »
«I
love you.»
Tears
shine in the man's deep eyes. But he says smiling: «In that case we shall stay
together. I am stopping at Gerasa on business for three days. I leave the mules
here and take camels. I have a caravan stage in the major halting places and a
servant looks after the animals I leave in each place. And what will You
do?»
«I will evangelize on the Sabbath. I would have left you, if you had not stopped, because the Sabbath is sacred to the Lord.»
The
man knits his brows, is pensive and with some difficulty he agrees: «...Of
course... It is true. It is sacred to the God of Israel. It is sacred... it is
indeed...» He looks at Jesus: «If You allow me, I will consecrate it to
You.»
«To
God. Not to His Servant.»
«To
God and to You, by listening to You. I will do my business today and tomorrow
morning. And then I will listen to You. Are You coming to the hotel now?
»
«I
have no option. I have the women and I am not known here.»
«Here
it is, it is mine. It is mine because my stables are here year after year. I
have large rooms for the goods. If You wish...»
«May
God reward you. Let us go.»
287. Preaching at
Gerasa.
27th September
1945.
He
thought He was unknown! When He sets foot outside Alexander's building the
following morning, He finds people already waiting for Him. Jesus is with the
apostles only. The women and disciples are still in the house, resting. The
people greet Him gathering round Him and they say that they know Him because a
man He had freed from demons has spoken to them about Him. The man is not there
now because he has gone on with two disciples, who passed by some days
ago.
Jesus listens kindly to what they say and at the same time He walks through the town in some areas of which the noise of building yards is dreadfully loud. Masons, diggers, stone‑cutters, blacksmiths, carpenters are working building, levelling, filling gaps, chiselling stones for walls, working iron for various purposes, sawing, planing, making poles out of strong trunks. Jesus passes by watching, He crosses a bridge on a babbling torrent flowing in the middle of the town, with a row of houses on each side pretending to form a riverside. He goes up to the higher part of the town, which is built on a rising ground so that the south east side is higher than the northern one, but they are both higher than the town centre, which is divided by the little stream.
The
view from the point where Jesus has stopped is beautiful. The whole town is
displayed before the onlooker, and behind it, on the eastern, southern, western
sides there is a horse‑shoe shaped chain of low green hills, whereas to the
north the eye roves over a wide open plain, with a ground elevation on the
horizon, so tiny that it cannot even be called a hill, but it is beautifully
golden in the morning sunshine, which tinges with a yellowish hue the leaves of
the vines which cover the ground, as if it intended to mitigate the melancholy
of the withering leaves with the splendour of a touch of
gold.
Jesus is admiring the view and the people of Gerasa are looking at Him. He wins the regard of the people by saying to them:
«This
town is really beautiful. Make it beautiful also in justice and holiness. The
hills, the stream, the green plain were given to you by God. Rome is now helping
you to have homes and beautiful buildings. But it is up to you only to have your
town called holy and just. A town is what its citizens make it. Because a town
is a part of society closed within its walls, but it is the citizens that make
the town. A town in itself does not commit sin. The stream, the bridge, the
houses, the towers cannot sin. They are matter, not souls. But those who are
within the town walls, in houses, shops, those who cross the bridge or bathe in
the stream they can all sin. If a town is factious and ruthless, people say: "It
is a very bad town". But that is wrong. It is not the town, it is the citizens
who are very bad. Those individuals by joining together become one complex
thing, as well as one thing only, which is called "town".
Now
listen. If in a town ten thousand inhabitants are good, and only one thousand
are not good, can we say that that town is wicked? No, we cannot. Likewise: if
in a town of ten thousand inhabitants there are many parties and each struggles
to favour his own, can we say that that town is still united? No, we cannot. And
do you think that that town will thrive? No, it will not.
You
people of Gerasa are now all united striving to make your town great. And you
will succeed because you all want the same thing and you vie with one another in
achieving your purpose. But if tomorrow opposed parties should arise among you
and one said: "No, it is better to expand eastwards" and another party said:
"Not at all. We will build in the north where the plain is", and a third one
should say: "Neither here nor there. We all want to live close together in the
centre, near the river", what would happen? It would happen that the work you
have started would stop, those who have lent capitals would withdraw them, those
who intended to settle here would go to another town with more agreeable people,
and what you have already done would go to rack and ruin, as it would be exposed
to the inclemency of the weather, before being completed, as a result of the
quarrels of citizens. Is that right or not? You say it is, and you are right. So
the harmony of the citizens is required for the welfare of the town, and
consequently of the citizens themselves, because the welfare of a society is the
welfare of its members.
But
there is not only the society of which you are thinking, the society of
citizens, of fellow‑countrymen, or the little dear family society. There is a
vaster society, an infinite one: the society of spirits.
Each living man has a soul. The soul does
not die with the body, but survives for ever. The idea of God, the Creator, who
gave each man his soul, was that all the souls of men should be gathered in one
place only, in Heaven, forming the Kingdom of Heaven, whose monarch is God and
whose blissful subjects were to be all men, after a holy life and a placid limbo
of expectancy. Satan came to divide and upset, destroy and grieve God and
spirits. And he set sin in the hearts of men and with sin he brought death to
the body at the end of its existence, hoping to give death to spirits as well.
But the death of spirits is their damnation, which is still existence, but
devoid of what is true life and eternal joy, that is, devoid of the beatific
vision of God and of His eternal possession in eternal light. And Mankind became
divided in its desires, like a town divided by opposed parties. And it was thus
brought to ruin. I said elsewhere to those who were accusing Me of expelling
demons with the assistance of BeeIzebub: "Every kingdom divided in itself will
be brought to ruin". In fact if Satan expelled himself, he and his gloomy
kingdom would ruin.
I
have come, for the love that God has for mankind created by Him, to remind
people that one Kingdom only is holy: the Kingdom of Heaven. And I have come to
preach it, so that the better people may go towards it. Oh! I would like
everybody, even the worst ones, to come to it, becoming converted, freeing
themselves from the demon who keeps them enslaved, either openly, through
corporal and spiritual possession, or secretly through a mere spiritual one.
That is why I move about curing sick people, expelling demons from possessed
people, converting sinners, forgiving in the name of the Lord, preaching the
Kingdom, working miracles to convince you of My power and prove that God is with
Me. Because no one can work a miracle unless God is his friend. So if I expel demons with the power of God,
and I cure sick people, I cleanse lepers, convert sinners, announce and preach
the Kingdom and I call people to it in the name of God, and God's compliance
with Me is clear and indisputable, so that only disloyal enemies may assert the
contrary, it is a sign that the Kingdom of God is among you and must be
established because the hour of its
foundation has come.
How
is the Kingdom of God established in the world and in hearts? By going back to
the Mosaic Law or by becoming acquainted with it if one is ignorant of it and,
above all, by abiding by it absolutely, in every event and moment of our life.
Which is that Law? Something so severe as to be impracticable? No. It is a set
of ten holy easy precepts, which even a really morally good man feels he must
respect, even if he lives in the most impervious forest of mysterious Africa. It
says:
"I
am the Lord Your God, you shall have no gods except Me.
You
shall not utter the name of God in vain.
You
shall keep the Sabbath according to the commandment of God and to the needs of
the human body.
Honour
your father and mother so that you may have a long life and be blessed both on
the earth and in Heaven.
You
shall not kill.
You
shall not steal.
You
shall not commit adultery.
You
shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
You
shall not covet your neighbour's wife.
You
shall not covet your neighbour's goods".
Which good natured soul, contemplating what is around him, even if he is a savage, will not say: "All this was not formed by itself. Therefore there must be One, more powerful than nature and than man himself, who made this"? And he worships the Powerful One Whose Most Holy Name he may or may not know, but he feels He must exist. And he has such reverence before Him, that when he utters the name which he has given Him or has been taught to utter to name Him, he trembles with respect and he feels that he prays when uttering it reverently. In fact it is a prayer to utter the Name of God with the intention of worshipping Him or making Him known to those who do not know Him.
Likewise,
out of moral prudence alone every man feels that he must grant some rest to his
limbs, so that they may resist as long as his life lasts. By deeper reason, a
man who knows the God of Israel, the Creator and Lord of the Universe, feels
that he must consecrate his bodily rest to the Lord, so that he may not be like
a beast of burden which rests, when tired, on litter crushing fodder with its
strong teeth.
Blood
also calls for love for those from whom we originate, as we can see in that colt
that is now running braying towards its mother which is coming from the market.
It was playing in the herd, it saw its mother, it remembers it was fed by her
and licked with loving care, defended and warmed by its mother, and see? It rubs
her neck with its tender nostrils and jumps joyfully rubbing its young crupper
against the sides that carried it. It is a duty and a pleasure to love one's
parents. And there is no animal which does not love the mother which gave birth
to it. What? Will man be more vile than worms living in
mud?
A
morally good man does not kill. He has a strong dislike of violence. He feels
that it is not lawful to take anybody's life, and that God only, Who gave it,
has the right to take it. He abhors homicide.
Likewise,
he who is morally sound does not take advantage of other people's property. He
prefers to eat plain bread with a clear conscience near a silvery fountain,
rather than have a rich roast which is the fruit of a theft. He prefers to sleep
on the ground with his head on a stone and friendly stars above him, pouring
peace and comfort on his honest conscience, rather than toss about in a stolen
bed.
And if he is morally sound, he is not eager for more women, which are not his, and he will not cowardly disgrace the nuptial bed of his neighbour. And he will consider his friend's wife as a sister and will not cast lustful glances at her, as no one does at a sister.
A
man with a righteous soul, even if only naturally righteous, with no other
knowledge of Good but what comes to him from his honest conscience, will never
take the liberty of giving false witness, as he would consider that the same as
homicide and theft, which it is. But his lips are as honest as his heart, and
his glances are honest, so he does not desire his neighbour's wife. He does not
crave for anything, as he knows that that is the first incentive to sin. And he
is not envious. Because he is good. A good man is never envious. He is happy in
his lot.
Do you think that this law is so exacting as to
be impracticable? Do not wrong yourselves! I am sure that you will not do that.
And if you do not, you will stablish the Kingdom of God within yourselves and in your
town. And you will be happily joined one day to those whom you loved and who
like you have gained the eternal Kingdom in the everlasting joy of
Heaven.
But we have within us passions, which are like citizens closed within the circle of town walls. It is necessary for all the passions of men to want the same thing: that is, holiness, Otherwise some will tend to Heaven in vain, if others leave the doors unguarded and let the seducer enter or counteract the actions of part of the spiritual citizens through disputes or laziness, making the interior part of the town perish and abandoning it to nettles, poison, couchgrass, snakes, scorpions, mice and jackals, and owls, that is, to wicked passions and to Satan's angels. You must be unceasingly vigilant, like sentries placed at the walls, to prevent the Evil one from entering where we want to build the Kingdom of God.
I
solemnly tell you that as long as the strong man watches in arms the hall of his
house, he is sure of everything which is in it. But if one stronger than he is
comes, or if he leaves the door unguarded, then the stronger man will defeat him
and disarm him, and when he is deprived of the weapons on which he relied, he
loses heart and surrenders and the stronger man makes him a prisoner and takes
his spoils. But if man lives in God, through loyalty to the Law and justice
practised holily, God is with him, I am with him, and no harm can befall him.
Union with God is the weapon which no strong man can overcome. Union with Me is
certainty of victory and of abundance of eternal virtues through which he will
be given an eternal seat in the Kingdom of God. But he who turns his back on Me
or becomes My enemy, rejects thereby the weapons and certainty of My Word. He
who rejects the Word, rejects God. He who rejects God invokes Satan. He who
invokes Satan destroys what he had to conquer the Kingdom.
Therefore, he who is not with Me is against Me. And he who does not cultivate what I have sown, will reap what the Enemy has sown. He who does not harvest with Me, dissipates and will be poor and nude when he comes to the Supreme Judge, Who will send him to the master to whom he sold himself by preferring BeeIzebub to Christ.
Citizens
of Gerasa: build the Kingdom of God within yourselves and in your
town.»
The
trilling voice of a woman is clearly heard like the song of a skylark above the
whispering of the admiring crowd, and it sings a new beatitude, that is the
glory of Mary: «Blessed be the womb that bore You and the breast that suckled
You.»
Jesus
turns towards the woman who extolled His Mother admiring Her Son. He smiles,
because He is pleased with the praise for His Mother. But He then says: «More
blessed are those who listen to the word of God and practise it. Do that,
woman.»
He
then blesses the crowds and goes towards the country, followed by the apostles
who ask Him: «Why did You say that? »
«Because
I tell you solemnly that in Heaven they do not use the same measure as is used
on the earth. And My Mother will be blessed not so much because of Her
immaculate soul as for listening to the word of God and practising it through
obedience. It was a prodigy of the Creator "that Mary's soul was immaculate".
And He is to be praised for that. But the "let what you have said be done to Me"
is a prodigy of My Mother. Her merit therefore is great. So great that the
Saviour of the world came only because of Her capability of listening to God,
speaking through Gabriel's lips, and because of Her will to practise the word of
God, without weighing the difficulties and the immediate and future sorrows
connected with Her assent. You can thus see that She is My blessed Mother not
only because She bore and suckled Me, but because She listened to the word of
God and practised it through obedience. But let us go home now. My Mother knew
that I was going to be out for a short while and She may be worried because of
My delay. We are in a half‑pagan country. But in actual fact it is better than
others. But let us go. And let us go round the walls to avoid the crowds which
would keep Me back. Come down quick behind this
thicket...»
288. The Sabbath at
Gerasa.
28th September
1945.
The
hours of the day are long when one does not know what to do. And those who are
with Jesus do not know what to do on that Sabbath, in a town where they have no
acquaintances, in a house where they do not feel at home because of different
languages and habits, without taking into account the Jewish prejudices which
keep them apart from Alexander Misace's camel‑drivers and servants. Many,
therefore, have stayed in bed or are dozing in the sun that makes the large
square yard of the house comfortably warm. It is a yard suited to receive
caravans, as it is fitted with basins and rings fixed to the walls or columns of
a rustic porch, which runs along the four sides, with many stables and lofts for
hay and straw on three sides. The women are in their rooms. I do not see even
one of them.
Marjiam
amuses himself also in the closed yard, watching the work of the stable‑men, who
curry mules, change litters, examine hoofs, fasten loose horse‑shoes, or, what
is of greater interest to him because it is something entirely new, he is
spellbound watching how the cameleers deal with the camels, preparing in advance
the load for each animal, in proportion to each of them, balancing it, and how
they make a camel kneel down and rise in order to load and unload it, rewarding
each one with a handful of dry legumes, which I think are broad beans, and at
the end they gave them carobs, which the men also chew with
relish.
Marjiam
is utterly amazed and he looks round to find someone with whom he may share his
amazement. But he is disappointed because adults are not interested in camels.
They are either speaking to one another or dozing. He goes to Peter who is
sleeping blissfully with his head resting on soft hay, and shakes his arm. Peter
half opens his eyes and asks: «What is it? Who wants me? »
«I
do, Come and see the camels.»
«Let
me sleep. I have seen so many of them... Ugly animals.»
The
boy then goes to Matthew, who is checking his accounts, as he is the treasurer
during this trip: «You know, I have been to see the camels. They eat like sheep,
did you know? And they kneel down like men and they look like boats moving up
and down. Have you seen them? »
Matthew,
who has lost his count owing to the interruption, replies sharply: «Yes » and
resumes counting his money.
Another
disappointment... Marjiam looks round... There is Simon Zealot speaking to Judas
Thaddeus... «How lovely camels are! And how good! They loaded and unloaded them
and they lay down on the ground so that the cameleer should not have to work too
hard. And they eat carobs. The men also were eating them. I would like... But I
cannot make myself understood. Come with me...» and he takes Simon by the
hand.
Simon,
who is engrossed in peaceful
conversation with Thaddeus, replies absent‑mindedly: «Yes, dear... Go... and
watch that you do not hurt yourself.»
Marjiam is astonished... Simon has not replied to the point. The boy is almost weeping. He goes away down- heartedly and leans against a column...
Jesus
comes out of a room and sees that he is sulky and alone. He goes towards the boy
and lays a hand on his head. «What are you doing all alone and so sad?
»
«No
one will listen to me...»
«What
did you want from them? »
«Nothing
I was speaking of the camels... They are lovely... I like them. It must be like
being on a boat to be up there... And they eat carobs; the men also eat
them...»
«And
you want to go up there and eat carobs. Come, let us go to the camels » and
Jesus takes him by the hand and goes to the end of the yard with the child, who
has become cheerful once again.
He
goes straight to a cameleer and greets him with a smile. The man bows to Him and
continues examining his animal, adjusting its halter and
reins.
«Man,
do you understand Me? »
«Yes,
Lord. I have known Your people for twenty years.»
«This
boy has a big desire: to climb up on a camel... And a little one: to eat a carob
» and Jesus smiles once again more lively.
«Your
son? »
«No,
I have no children. I am not married.»
«You,
so handsome, so strong, You have not found a woman? »
«I
have not looked for one.»
«You
have never felt the desire of a woman? »
«No.
Never.»
The
man looks at Him and is spellbound. He then says: «I have nine children at
Ischilo... I go: one son. I go: another son. Always.»
«Do
you love your children? »
«They
are of my blood! But my work is hard. I am here, my children are there. We are
far apart... But I do it for their bread. Do you understand?
»
«I
do. So you can understand the boy who would like to mount a camel and eat
carobs.»
«Yes.
Come. Are you afraid? No? Good. Lovely boy! I have one, too, like you. Dark like
you. Here. Take and hold it tight » and he puts into Marjiam's hand the strange
handle which is in the front part of the saddle. «Hold it. I will come on now.
And the camel will stand up. You are not afraid, eh? » And the man climbs up on
the high saddle, he makes himself comfortable and spurs the camel, which stands
up obediently with a heavy pitch.
Marjiam
laughs happily. And he is all the more happy because the cameleer has put a
delicious carob into his mouth. The camel ambles along the yard, then the driver
puts it into a trot, finally, seeing that Marjiam is not afraid, he shouts
something to one of his companions, who opens the very wide door at the rear of
the yard and the cameleer disappears with his load in the green
country.
Jesus
goes back towards the house and enters a large room where the women are. He
smiles so happily that Mary asks Him: «What has happened, Son, that You are so
happy? »
«I
am as happy as Marjiam who is galloping on a camel. Come out so that we may see
him coming back.»
They
all go out into the yard and sit on the low wall near the basins. The apostles
who are not sleeping approach them. Those who are at the windows in the rooms
upstairs, look down, they see the group and go down to join them. Their shrill
youthful voices, they are in fact the voices of John and of the two Jameses,
awake also Peter and Andrew and arouse Matthew. They are now all together
because John of Endor and the two disciples have also joined the
group.
«But
where is Marjiam? I don't see him » asks Peter.
«He
has gone for a run on a camel. None of you would listen to him... I saw that he
was so sad and I took care of him.»
Peter,
Simon and Matthew remember: «Of course! He was talking about camels... and
carobs. But I was sleepy! »; «I had to cheek my accounts as I wanted to inform
You of what I had received from the Gerasenes and what I had given to the poor
»; «And I was speaking of faith with Your brother.»
«It
does not matter. I saw to it. But, incidentally, I tell you that to take care of
children's games is also love... But now let us talk of something else. The town
is full of merriment. The only remembrance of our Sabbath is general mirth. So
it is better to stay indoors. So much so because if they want, they can find us
as they know where we are. There is Alexander inspecting his camels. I will now
tell him that one is missing through My fault.» And Jesus hastens towards the
merchant and speaks to him.
They
come back together. The merchant says: «Very well. He will enjoy himself and a
run out in the sun will do him good. You may rest assured that the man will
treat him well. Calipius is a clever man. In exchange for the run, I ask You to
tell me something. Last night I was thinking of Your words... those I heard at
Ramoth, which You exchanged with the woman, and those You spoke yesterday. And I
thought I was climbing up a high mountain, like those where I live, the tops of
which reach up to the clouds. You were carrying me higher and higher. I was
under the impression of being caught by an eagle, one of those eagles of our
highest mountain, the first to emerge from the Deluge. I saw entirely new
things, of which I had never thought before, all made of a light... And I
understood them. Then I became confused. Tell me more.»
«What
shall I tell you? »
«I
don't know... Everything was so beautiful. What You said about meeting again in
Heaven... I understood that we will love there in a different way, and yet it
will be the same. For instance: we shall not be worried as we are now, it will
be as if we were one family only: one for all and all for one. Am I wrong?
»
«No.
On the contrary! We shall one family also with the living. Souls are not
separated by death. I am speaking of the just. They form one large family. Just
imagine a large temple in which some worship and pray, and some work. The former
pray also for those who are working, the latter work for those who are praying.
The same applies to souls. We work on the earth. They help us with their
prayers. But we must offer our sufferings for their peace. It is a chain which
does not break. It is Love that ties those who were to those who are. And those
who are must be good to be able to join those who were and want us to be with
them.»
Syntyche
makes an involuntary gesture, which she soon cheeks. But Jesus notices it and
invites her to come out of her habitual self-restraint.
«I
was thinking... I have been thinking about it for some days, and if I must tell
the truth, I am worried, because I feel that if I believe in Your Paradise, I
will lose my mother and sisters for ever...» a sob breaks the voice of Syntyche,
who stops to stifle tears.
«What
thought worries you so much? »
«I
now believe in You. I can only think of my mother as a heathen. She was good...
Oh! very good! And my sisters, too. Little Ismene was the best daughter there
ever was on the earth. But they were heathens... Now, when I was like them, I
thought of Hades and I used to say: "We will meet there again". Now Hades no
longer exists. There is Your Paradise, the Kingdom of Heaven for those who have
served the True God in justice. And what about those poor souls? It is no fault
of theirs if they were born in Greece! None of the priests in Israel ever came
to say: "Our God is the True God". So? Are their virtues and sufferings worth
nothing? Will they be in eternal darkness and separated from me for ever? I tell
You: it is a torture! I seem to have almost disowned them. Forgive me, my
Lord... I am weeping...» and she falls on her knees weeping
disconsolately.
Alexander
Misace says: «There You are! I also was wondering whether, if I become a just
man, I will ever find my father, mother, my brothers and
friends...»
Jesus
lays His fingers on Syntyche's brown‑haired head and says: «One is at fault when
one knows the Truth, but persists in Error. Not when one is convinced of being
in the Truth, and no voice has ever come to say: "The Truth is what I am
bringing you. Forsake your chimeras for this True God and you will gain Heaven".
God is just. Can you believe that He will not reward virtue which was perfected
all by itself in the corruption of the heathen world? Do not worry, My
daughter.»
«What
about the original sin? And their nefarious cult? And...»
More
objections would come from the Israelites to grieve Syntyche's already desolate
soul, if Jesus with a gesture did not impose silence.
He
says: «The original sin is common to everybody, whether one is from Israel or
not. It is not a peculiarity of heathens. The pagan cult will be sinful after
the Law of Christ has been spread throughout the world. Virtue will always be
virtue in the eyes of God. And in virtue of My union with the Father I say, and
I say this in His name, translating His Most Holy Thought into words, that the
ways of God's merciful power are manifold, and they are so intent on giving joy
to virtuous people that they will remove barriers between souls, and peace will
be given to those who deserve peace. Not only, but I say that in future those
who follow the religion of their ancestors with justice and holiness, convinced
of being in the Truth, will not be disliked and punished by God. Wickedness, bad
will, deliberate refusal of the known Truth, above all refutation of the
revealed Truth and opposition to it, vicious living will really separate for
ever the souls of the just from those of sinners. Take heart, Syntyche. Such
dejection is an assault of hell due to Satan's wrath against you, as you are a
prey he has lost for ever. There is no Hades. There is My Paradise. But it is
not the cause of grief, but of joy. Nothing of the Truth is to be the cause of
dejection or doubt, on the contrary it must give you strength for a greater
faith and cheerful certainty. Always inform Me of your anxieties. I want the
light in you to be as certain and steady as the light of the
sun.»
Syntyche,
still kneeling, takes His hand and kisses it...
The
cry of the cameleer makes the group understand that the camel is about to come
back, at a slow pace, without making any noise on the thick grass outside the
rear door, which a servant opens at once. And Marjiam comes back, he is happy
and his face is flushed after the run. He is a tiny little man hoisted onto the
high back of the camel, and he laughs waving his arms, while the camel kneels
down and he slides down from the odd saddle, caressing the swarthy cameleer. He
then runs towards Jesus shouting: «How lovely! Did the Wise men come from the
East on those animals to worship You? I will go on them to preach You all over
the world! The world seems larger when seen from up there and it says: "Come,
you who know the Gospel!". Oh! Do You know?... That man also is in need of it...
And you, too, merchant, and all your servants... How many people are waiting and
die without receiving it... More people than the sand in the river... They are
all without You, Jesus! Oh! Make haste and announce it to everybody! » and he
clings to Jesus' sides looking up at Him.
And Jesus bends kissing him and promising: «You will see the Kingdom of God evangelized as far as the most remote borders of Rome. Are you happy? »
«I
am. And then I will come and say to You: "This, that, and that other Country...
they all know You". I will then know the names of those remote Countries. And
what will You say to me? »
«I
will say: "Come, little Marjiam. Have a crown for every country in which you
have preached Me and then come here beside Me, as on that day at Gerasa, and
rest after all your work, because you have been a faithful servant and it is
right that you should be happy in My Kingdom".»
289. From Gerasa to the Fountain of the
Cameleer.
29th September
1945.
The
caravan leaves Alexander's large courtyard, in perfect order as if it were on a
military parade. Jesus is at the rear with all His group. The camels are
proceeding, their heavy loads swaying rhythmically and their heads, on their
arched necks, seem to be asking at each step: «Why? Why? » in their silent but
familiar gait, like the movement of doves, which at each step seem to be saying:
«Yes, Yes » to everything they see. The caravan has to cross the town and it
does so in the clear morning air. Everyone is all wrapped up because it is cool.
The harness‑bells of the camels, the cries of the camel‑drivers, the screech of
a camel regretting the idle stable inform the Gerasenes of Jesus'
departure.
The
news spreads as fast as lightning and some Gerasenes rush to greet Him offering
fruit and other foodstuffs. There is also a man with a sick little boy. «Bless
him, that he may recover. Have mercy on us! »
Jesus
raises His hand and blesses the child saying: «Go and do not worry. Have
faith.»
And
the man says «yes » so trustfully, that a woman asks: «Would You cure my husband
whose eyes are ulcered? »
«I
will, if you can believe.»
«Well,
I will go and bring him here. Wait for me, Lord » and she runs away as fast as a
swallow.
Wait!
Easier said than done! The camels are moving on. Alexander, at the head of the
caravan, does not know what is wanted at its rear. The only thing to be done is
to send word to the man.
«Run,
Marjiam. Go and tell the merchant to stop before going out of the walls» says
Jesus. And Marjiam dashes away to fulfil his mission.
The caravan stops and the merchant comes towards Jesus. «What is the matter? »
«Stay
here and you will see.»
The
woman of Gerasa is soon back with her husband whose eyes are diseased. It is
much worse than ulcers! His eyes are two holes full of suppuration. They look
dimmed, reddened, half‑blind in the centre of the holes, among repulsive
dripping tears. As soon as the man lifts the dark bandage dimming the light,
tears flow more copiously as the light increases the pain of the diseased
eyes.
«You
have also sinned very much. Are you not complaining of that? Are you only
grieved at the possibility of losing the poor sight of the world? Do you know
nothing about God? Are you not afraid of eternal darkness? Why did you sin?
»
The
man is weeping and he bends without speaking. His wife is also weeping and she
moans: «I have forgiven...»
«And
I will forgive him as well, if he swears to Me that he will not relapse into his
sin.»
«Yes,
I do! Forgive me. I now know the consequences of sin. Forgive me. Forgive me as
my wife did. You are the Good One.»
«I
forgive you. Go to that stream, wash your face in the water and you will be
cured.»
«Cold
water will make him worse, Lord » moans the woman.
But
the man is not concerned with anything else and he begins to grope until the
apostle John pitifully takes him by the hand and leads him by himself at first,
until the wife supports him by the other hand. The man goes down as far as the
edge of the ice cold water babbling among stones, he bends. He takes some water
cupping his hands and washes his face. He does not show any sign of pain. On the
contrary, he appears to be relieved.
He
then climbs up the bank, with his face still wet, and goes back to Jesus, Who
asks him: «Well? Are you cured? »
«No,
Lord. Not yet. But You said so and I will be cured.»
«Well,
remain in your hope. Goodbye.»
The
woman collapses weeping... She is disappointed. Jesus beckons to the merchant
that they can go on. And the merchant, who is also disappointed, passes the word
on. The camels march off again with their motion resembling a boat which raises
and lowers its prow with its cut‑water on the waves; they go out of the walls
and take to the wide dusty caravan‑route south‑westwards.
The
last couple of the apostolic group, that is, John of Endor and Simon Zealot,
have just left the walls a few yards behind, when a shrill cry is heard in the
silent air. It seems to spread all over the world, and is repeated in a higher
and higher pitch, singing hosannas happily: «I can see! My blessed Jesus! I can
see! I believed. I see! Jesus! Jesus! My blessed Jesus! » and the man, whose
face is completely cured, with two beautiful eyes: two carbuncles full of light
and life, rushes to Jesus' feet and falls almost under the camel of the
merchant, who manages to move his mount away from the prostrated man just in
time.
The
man kisses Jesus' garment repeating: «I believed! I believed and I can see! My
blessed Jesus! »
«Stand
up and be happy. And, above all, be good. Tell your wife to believe
unreservedly. Goodbye.» And Jesus frees Himself from the grasp of the
miraculously cured man and resumes His way.
The
merchant strokes his beard pensively... At last he asks: «And if he had not
persisted in believing, after his disappointment in washing?
»
«He
would have remained as he was.»
«Why
do You exact so much faith to work a miracle? »
«Because
faith witnesses the presence of hope and love of God.»
«And
why did You want repentance first? »
«Because
repentance makes God friendly.»
«Since
I have no disease, what should I do to testify that I have faith?
»
«You
should come to the Truth.»
«And
could I come without God's friendship? »
«You
could not come without God's goodness. God allows those who look for Him to find
Him, even if they are not yet repentant; because man generally repents when he
knows God, either consciously or even with a faint consciousness of what his
soul wants. Before he is like a blockhead led only by instinct. Have you ever
felt the need to believe? »
«Many
a time. Well, I was not satisfied with what I had. I felt there was something
else. Something stronger than money, than my children, my hope... But I did not
bother to try to find out what I was unknowingly seeking.»
«Your
soul was seeking God. God's kindness has let you find God. Repentance for your
remote idle past will give you the friendship of God.»
«So...
in order to have the miracle of seeing the Truth with my soul, I should repent
of my past? »
«Certainly.
You ought to repent and decide to change your life
completely...»
The
man begins to stroke his beard once again and he stares so intently that he
seems to be studying and counting the hairs on his camel's neck. He
unintentionally strikes with his heel the camel which takes the stroke as a spur
to quicken its step and it obeys taking the merchant towards the head of the
caravan.
Jesus
does not keep him back. On the contrary He stops thus allowing the women and
apostles to overtake Him, until Simon Zealot and John of Endor reach Him. Jesus
joins them.
«Of
what are you speaking? » He asks.
«We
were speaking of the depression that those must feel who do not believe in
anything or have lost the faith they had. Syntyche was really dejected
yesterday, although she has come to a perfect faith » replies the
Zealot.
«I
was saying to Simon that if it is grievous to pass from Good to Evil, it is also
disconcerting to pass from Evil to Good. In the former case one is tortured by
one's reproaching conscience. In the latter case one is... tormented... Like one
who is taken to a completely unknown foreign country... Or it is the dismay of a
man, who being a poor unlearned wretch, should find himself at a king's Court,
among learned people and gentlemen. It is a pain... I know... Such a long suffering... One cannot
believe that it is true, that it can last... that one can deserve it
particularly when one's soul is stained... as mine was...»
«And
now, John? » asks Jesus.
And
John of Endor's worn out sad face brightens with a smile which makes it look
less emaciated. He says: «Now, it is no longer so. Only gratitude to the Lord
remains, nay, it increases. This the Lord wanted. There is still the memory of
the past to keep me humble. But there is certainty. I feel acclimatised, I am no
longer a foreigner in this kind world of forgiveness and love which is Yours.
And I am serene, happy and in peace.»
«Do
you consider your experience a good one? »
«Yes,
I do. If I were not sorry for having sinned, because I grieved God through my
sin, I would say that I feel that my past was a good thing. It can help me
considerably to support willing but mislaid souls, in the first stages of their
new belief.»
«Simon,
go and tell the boy not to jump about so much. He will be exhausted this
evening.»
Simon
looks at Jesus, but he understands the truth behind the order. He smiles
intelligently and goes away leaving the two all alone.
«Now
that we are alone, John, listen to this desire of Mine. For a number of reasons,
none of My followers have the breadth of judgement and thought which you have.
And your culture is wider than the average learning of Israelites. So I ask you
to help Me...»
«Am
I to help You? How? »
«On
behalf of Syntyche. You are such a clever teacher! Marjiam learns quickly and
well with you. So much so that I am thinking of leaving you together for some
months, because I want Marjiam to have a wider knowledge than that of the little
world of Israel. And it gives you pleasure to take care of him. And I rejoice
seeing you together, you teaching, him learning; you growing young again, him
maturing in learning. But you should take care of Syntyche as well, as if she
were a lost sister. You said it yourself: one feels lost... Help her to become
acclimatised in My atmosphere. Will you do Me this favour?
»
«It is a grace for me to do it, my Lord! I did not approach her because I considered myself superfluous. But if You wish so... She reads my rolls. There are some which are sacred, some are only cultural: rolls from Rome and Athens. I see that she goes through them and meditates... But I never intervened in order to assist her. If You want...»
«Yes,
I do. I want you to be friends. Like Marjiam and you, she will be staying in
Nazareth for some time. It will be lovely: My Mother and you the teachers of two
souls opening to God. My Mother: the angelical Teacher of the Science of God;
you: the experienced master of human knowledge, which you can now explain with
supernatural references. It will be lovely and useful.»
«Yes,
my blessed Lord! Too beautiful for poor John!...» and the man smiles at the
thought of the oncoming peaceful days with Mary, in Jesus'
house...
And
the road winds along a beautiful country, which is now completely flat after
skirting a few little hills just out of Gerasa, in the mild sunshine which is
becoming warmer and warmer. It is a well kept road on which it is comfortable to
travel and to take to it again after the midday rest.
It
is almost evening when I hear Syntyche laugh wholeheartedly for the first time;
Marjiam in fact has said something to her which makes all the women laugh. I see
the Greek woman bend to caress the boy and kiss him lightly on his forehead. The
boy then resumes jumping about as if he did not feel at all
tired.
But
all the others are tired and are glad for the decision to spend the night at the
Fountain of the Cameleer. The merchant says: «I always stop here overnight. The
leg from Gerasa to Bozrah, is too long both for men and
animals.»
«The
merchant is humane » remark the apostles, comparing him to
Doras...
The
«Fountain of the Cameleer » is only a handful of houses around several wells. It
is a kind of oasis, not in the arid desert, because there is no aridity here,
but an oasis in the vast uninhabited fields and orchards which follow one
another for miles and which, as the October evening draws on, give the same sad
sensation as the sea at twilight. Thus, the sight of houses, the noise of
voices, of crying children, the smell of smoking chimneys and the first lights
to be lit are as pleasant as one's arrival at home.
While
the cameleers stop to water the camels for the first time, the apostles and the
women follow Jesus and the merchant who enter... the rather prehistoric inn
which will shelter them during the night...
...They are all gathered near a very large fireplace which takes up the whole of the narrow wall of a large smoky room where they have taken their meal, and where the men will sleep and servants are already preparing straw beds on mats. The fire is on because it is a cold damp evening.
«Let
us hope that it will not start raining » says Peter with a
sigh.
The
merchant reassures him: «The bad weather will not begin until this lunation is
over. It is always like this in the evening here. But it will be sunshine
tomorrow.»
«It's
for the women, you know? Not for me. I am a fisherman and I live in water. And I
can assure you that I prefer water to mountains and dust.»
Jesus
is speaking to the women and His two cousins. John of Endor and the Zealot are
also listening to Him. Instead Timoneus and Ermasteus are reading one of John's
rolls and the two Israelites are explaining to Ermasteus the Bible passages
which are more obscure to him.
Marjiam
is listening spellbound, but he looks sleepy. Mary of Alphaeus notices it and
says: «That child is tired. Come, dear, let us go to bed. Come, Eliza, come
Salome. Old people and children are better in bed. And you had all better go as
well. You are tired.»
But
besides the elder ones, with the exception of Marcella and Johanna of Chuza, no
one moves.
After
they have gone, after being blessed, Matthew whispers: «Who would have told
these women, only a short while ago, that they were to sleep on straw beds, so
far from their homes! »
«I
have never slept so well » states Mary of Magdala resolutely. And Martha
confirms her statement.
But
Peter admits that his companion is right: «Matthew is right. And I wonder why
the Master has brought you here, something I fail to
understand.»
«Because
we are His disciples! »
«Well,
if He went where... lions are, would you go? »
«Of
course, Simon Peter! What an effort to go for a little walk! And with
Him!»
«Well:
in actual fact it is a long walk. And for women who are not used to
it...»
But
the women protest and Peter shrugs his shoulders and becomes
silent.
James
of Alphaeus, on looking up, sees such a bright smile on Jesus' face, that he
asks Him: «Will You tell us, privately, the real purpose of this journey, with
the women... and with so little fruit, as compared to its fatigue?
»
«Could
you expect to see now the fruit of the seed buried in the fields which we have
crossed? »
«I
could not. I will see it in springtime.»
«I
also say to you: "You will see it in due time".»
The
apostles do not reply.
The
silvery voice of Mary is heard: «Son, we were talking today of what You said at
Ramoth. And each of us had different impressions and reflections. Would You tell
us Your thought? I said that it was better to call You at once. But You were
speaking to John of Endor.»
«In
actual fact I raised the question. Because I am a poor heathen and I do not have
the splendid light of your faith. You must sympathise with
me.»
«I
would like to have your soul, my dear sister! » says the Magdalene impulsively.
And exuberant as she is, she embraces Syntyche clasping her with one arm. Her
wonderful beauty seems to give light by itself to the miserable dwelling and to
decorate it with the wealth of her sumptuous house. The Greek woman, who is
entirely different and yet has such a singular personality while embraced by the
Magdalene, adds a meditative note to the cry of love which seems to be always
bursting forth from passionate Mary, meanwhile the Blessed Virgin, sitting with
Her gentle face raised towards Her Son, Her hands clasped as if She were
praying, Her most pure profile outstanding against the black wall, is the
perpetual Adorer.
Susanna
is dozing in the shadow of a comer, while Martha, who is active notwithstanding
her weariness and the pressure of the others, takes advantage of the light of
the fireplace to fasten some buckles on Marjiam's garment.
Jesus
says to Syntyche: «But it was not a grievous thought. I heard you
laugh.»
«Yes,
because of the boy, who solved the question easily, saying: "I do not want to
come back unless Jesus does. But if you want to know everything, go to the next
world, then come back and tell us whether you remember".»
They
all laugh again and say that Syntyche was asking Mary for a clarification on the
explanation, which she had not understood properly, of the remembrance which
souls have and which explains a certain possibility for heathens to have vague
recollections of the Truth.
«I
was saying: "Does that perhaps confirm the theory of reincarnation in which many
heathens believe?" and Your Mother was telling me that what You say is something
entirely different. Will You explain also this to me, my Lord?
»
«Listen.
You must not believe that the fact that souls have spontaneous recollections of
Truth proves that we live several lives. By now you have already learned enough
to be aware of how man was created, how he sinned and was punished. You have
also been told that God incorporated a single soul in each man. That soul is
created from time to time and is never
again used for subsequent incarnations. This certainty would seem to cancel
My statement concerning the recollections of souls. It should cancel it with
regard to any other being with the exception of man, who is gifted with a soul
made by God. Animals cannot remember anything, as they are born once only. But
man can remember, although he is born once only. He remembers with his better
part: his soul. Where do souls come from? The soul of each man? From God. Who is
God? The most intelligent, powerful, perfect Spirit. This wonderful thing which
is a soul, a thing created by God to give man His image and likeness as an
unquestionable sign of His Most Holy Paternity, shows signs of the qualities
characteristic of Him Who creates it. It is therefore intelligent, spiritual,
free, immortal, like the Father Who created it. It is perfect when it originates
from the divine thought and in the instant of its creation it is identical, for
a thousandth of instant, with the soul of the first man: a perfection which
understands the Truth through free gift. A thousandth of an instant. Then, once
it is formed, it is stained by original sin. To make it clearer for you I will
say that it is as if God were pregnant with the soul which He creates and the
creature, in being born, were wounded by an indelible mark. Do you understand
Me? »
«Yes,
I do. While it is thought it is perfect. The creating thought lasts a thousandth
of an instant. The thought then becomes actual fact and the fact is subject to
the law brought about by Sin.»
«Your
reply is correct. A soul becomes thus incarnate in a human body, bringing with
it the memory of the Creator, that is of the Truth, as a secret gem in the
mystery of its spiritual being. A baby is born. It may become good, very good or
wicked. It may become anything because it is endowed with free will. The
angelical ministry throws light on its "memories" and the tempter darkness. If
man craves after light and thus for a greater and greater virtue, making his
soul the master of his being, the faculty of remembering increases in the soul,
as if virtue made the wall interposed between soul and God thinner and thinner.
That is why virtuous people in every country perceive the Truth, not in a
perfect way, as they are dulled by contrasting doctrines or by lethal ignorance,
but in a sufficient manner to give pages of moral perfection to the peoples to
whom they belong. Have you understood? Are you convinced?
»
«Yes.
In conclusion, the religion of virtue practised heroically predisposes the soul
to the true Religion and to the knowledge of God.»
«Exactly.
And now go and rest and may you be blessed. And You, too, Mother, and you
sisters and disciples. May you rest in the peace of God.»
290. Going to
Bozrah.
30th September
1945.
The
merchant was right. October could not have granted the pilgrims a lovelier day.
After the sun had dispelled the haze which veiled the country, as if nature had
laid a veil over the sleeping plants at night, the country appears in its solemn
stretch of cultivated fields warmed by the sun. The fog seems to have gathered
together on remote mountain tops decorating them with a transparent foam, thus
softening them even more against the serene sky.
«What
are those? Mountains we have to climb? » asks Peter
anxiously.
«No.
They are the Hauran mountains. We shall be on the plain, on this side of the
mountains. Before evening we shall be at Bozrah in Hauran. A beautiful good
town. Much trade » says the merchant encouraging Peter and praising the town,
considering, as usual, commercial prosperity as the basis of the beauty of a
place.
Jesus
is all alone, in the rear, as He is wont to do at times when He so wishes.
Marjiam turns round several times looking at Him. When he can resist no longer,
he leaves Peter and James of Zebedee, he sits on the edge of the road, on a
stone which must be a Roman military landmark, and waits. When Jesus is at his
level, the boy stands up and without speaking he goes beside Jesus, remaining a
little behind Him so as not to annoy Him, and, he watches
Him...
And
he continues watching until Jesus comes out of His meditation and turns round on
hearing the light footstep behind Him and He smiles stretching His hand out to
the boy and saying: «Oh! Marjiam! What are you doing here all alone?
»
«I
was looking at You. I have been looking at You for days. Everybody has eyes but
not everybody sees the same things. I have noticed that now and again You want
to remain all alone... On the first days I thought You were hurt by something.
Then I noticed that You do it always at the same time and that Mother, Who
always comforts You when You are sad, does not say anything to You when Your
countenance is like that. On the contrary, if She happens to be speaking, She
becomes quiet and concentrates on meditation. I notice things, You know? Because
I always look at You and Her, in order to do what You do. I asked the apostles
what You do, because You certainly do something. They said to me: "He prays".
And I asked them: "What does He say?". No one replied, because they do not know.
They have been with You for years, and they do not know. Today I followed You
every time I noticed that countenance and I watched You while You were praying.
But Your countenance is not always the same. This morning, at dawn, You looked
like a bright angel. You looked at things with such bright eyes that I think
they dispelled darkness more than the sun did. And You looked at things and
people like that. And then You looked at the sky and Your face was the same as
when You offer the bread at table. Later, when we were crossing that little
village, You remained alone, in the rear, and You seemed to me a father, as You
were so anxious to say kind words to the poor people of the village, while
passing by. You said to one: "Endure your suffering with patience, because I
will soon relieve you and others like you". He was the slave of that bad man who
set his dogs on us. Then, while the food was being prepared, You looked at us
with eyes full of kind love. You looked like a mother... But Your countenance
was now sorrowful... What do You think, Jesus, when You are always like that?...
But also in the evening, at times, if I am not asleep, I see that You are very
serious. Will You tell me how You pray, why You pray? »
«Of course, I will tell you. So that you can pray with Me. The day is given to us by God. The whole day: the bright one and the dark one: day and night. It is a gift to live and have light. Our way of living is a means of sanctification. Is that right? So we must sanctify the moments of the whole day, to persevere in holiness and have the Most High and His bounty present in our hearts, and at the same time, keep the Demon away. Watch the little birds. They sing at sunrise. They bless the light. We must bless the light as well, because it is a gift of God, and we must bless God Who grants it to us and Who is the Light. We must crave for God as from daybreak to put a seal, a note of light on the whole oncoming day, that it may be entirely bright and holy. And we must join the whole creation in praising the Creator. Then, as the hours go by, and going by they make us aware of how much sorrow and ignorance there is in the world, we must pray again that sorrow may be relieved and ignorance may vanish and God may be known, loved and prayed to by all men, who, if they knew God, would be comforted in their sufferings. And at the sixth hour we must pray out of love for our family, to enjoy the gift of being united to those who love us. That is also a gift of God. And we must pray that our eating, instead of being useful, may not become an occasion of sin. And at sunset we pray remembering that death is the inevitable end waiting for all of us. And we must pray that our end, be it today or later, may take place with our souls in grace. And when the lights are lit, we must pray to thank for the day which is over and to ask for protection and forgiveness, so that we may go to sleep without any fear of a sudden judgement or assaults of the demon. And, finally, we must pray at night ‑ but this applies only to adults ‑ to make amends for the sins of the night, to keep Satan away from weak people, and that culprits may ponder, repent and make good resolutions which will become facts at sunrise. That is how and why a just person prays during the whole day.»
«But
You have not told me why You are so absorbed, so grave and imposing at the ninth
hour...
«Because... I say: "Through the Sacrifice of this hour, let Your Kingdom come to the world and may all those who believe in Your Word be redeemed". Say the same yourself...
«What
sacrifice is it? You said that incense is offered in the morning and evening,
and the victims at the same hour, every day, on the altar of the Temple. And
that the victims for vows and expiation are offered at any hour. There is no
indication of a special rite for the ninth hour.»
Jesus
stops and takes the boy with both hands, and lifts him holding him in front of
Himself, and as if He were saying a psalm, with His face raised, He says: «"And
between the sixth and ninth hour, He Who has come as Saviour and Redeemer, He of
Whom the prophets speak, will consume His Sacrifice after eating the bitter
bread of betrayal and after giving the sweet Bread of Life, after crushing
Himself like grapes in a vat and quenching with His whole being the thirst of
men and plants, and making for Himself a Royal purple with His own blood, and
putting on a crown and seizing the sceptre, and taking His throne on the high
place, so that Zion and Israel and the world might see it. Lifted up in the
purple garment of His numberless wounds, in the dark to give Light, in death to
give Life, He will die at the ninth hour and the world will be
redeemed".»
Marjiam
is frightened and pale and looks at Him with dismayed eyes and trembling lips on
the point of bursting into tears. With faltering voice he says: «But You are the
Saviour! So will You be dying at that hour? » Tears begin to stream down his
cheeks and his little mouth sips them, while he awaits a
denial.
But
Jesus says: «I will, My little disciple. For you, too.» And as the child bursts
into convulsive sobs, He presses him to His heart and says: «Are you sorry that
I die? »
«Oh!
My only joy! I do not want that! I... Let me die in Your
place...»
«You
are to preach Me all over the world. That is settled. But listen. I will die
happily because I know that you love Me. Then I will rise from the dead. Do you
remember Jonah? He was more handsome when he came out of the belly of the whale
well rested and strong. So will I, and I will come to you at once and I will say
to you: "Little Marjiam, your tears quenched My thirst. Your love kept Me
company in the Sepulchre. I have now come to say to you: 'Be My priest' " and I
will kiss you with the scent of Paradise still on Me.»
«But
where will I be? Will I not be with Peter or Mother? »
«I
will save you from the evil waves of those days. I will save the most weak and
innocent ones. Except one... Marjiam, little apostle, will you help me to pray
for that hour? »
«Oh!
Yes, I will, Lord! And the others? »
«That
is a secret between you and Me. A great secret. Because God loves to be revealed
to the little ones... Do not weep any more. Smile at the thought that afterwards
I will suffer no more and I will only remember all the love of men, and yours
first. Come. Look how far the others are. Let us run and join them » and He puts
him down and holding him by the hand they start running until they reach the
group.
«Master,
what have You done? »
«I
was explaining the hours of the day to Marjiam.»
«And
has the boy wept? He must have been naughty, and You are excusing him out of
kindness » says Peter.
«No,
Simon. He watched Me praying. You have not done that. He asked Me why. I told
him. The boy was moved by My words. Now leave him alone. Go to My Mother,
Marjiam. And you all, listen to Me. The lesson will do no harm to you
either.»
And
Jesus explains once again the usefulness of prayer at the main hours of the day,
leaving out the explanation of the ninth hour and concluding: «Union to God is
to have Him present every moment to praise and invoke Him. Do so and you will
make progress in the life of the spirit.»
Bozrah
is now close at hand. Stretched out on the plain it looks a large beautiful town
with walls and towers. The evening which is drawing on, tones down the shades of
houses and country into a greyish languid lilac, in which all contours become
vague, while grunting pigs and bleating sheep in the enclosures outside the
walls, break the silence of the country. The silence comes to an end as soon as
the caravan goes through the gate entering a labyrinth of narrow streets which
disappoint those who from the outside thought the town was beautiful. Voices,
smells and... stench stagnate in the twisted lanes and accompany the pilgrims as
far as a square, the market square, where the inn is.
They
thus arrive at Bozrah.