Jesus Christ invites us to contemplate His Passion and His Sacrificial Death.

Started by Xavier, March 22, 2019, 03:48:13 AM

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Xavier

In 1961, the Holy Office approved the second edition of the Poem of the Man God for publication: "Continue to publish this second edition. We will see how the world receives it." Only the First edition was criticized, the second was authorized. For more details, see: www.bardstown.com/~brchrys/Summa.pdf for a detailed list of Nihil Obstats, Imprimaturs, Vatican and Episcopal Approvals the Poem has received as well as a refutation of those who do not wish it to be published. The Vatican praised the work of Mariologist Fr. Gabriel Roschini entitled, "The Virgin Mary in the writings of Maria Valtorta". Such praise shows the Church approves of the work and commends its publication for the good of souls and the Faithful. Archbishop Don Ottavio testified the Lord confirmed to him it was supernatural. Has an Imprimatur from Bishop Roman Danylak. This is the only book outside the Bible of which St. Pio told a spiritual daughter of his, "I don't permit you. I order you to [read it]".

All of this is very well documented with multiple sources in that 1369 page defense posted on Bardstown. The work has spurred even conversions to Christianity and vocations among Catholics. Fr. Kevin Robinson of the SSPX gave it his endorsement in writing, stating "they continue to edify the Church resulting in many conversions and vocations.  Valtorta's writings were specially given by Christ Our Lord as a gift to His Priests, to support the work of His Vicar St Pius X to combat Modernism (see The Poem. vol. 5, pp 946), and to reveal the truth of the Gospel in a special way.  They fill in the gaps.  They put you in the picture.  They amplify the sacred text, (e.g. the Passion may be five pages in your Gospel, it is 100 pages in The Poem.) ... It is a masterpiece of sacred literature, unlike anything ever written.  In some ways it is like being in the first seminary, trained by the Master Himself.  A professor and sculptor friend of Maria Valtorta wrote in 1965: "(her works) have completely transformed my inner life.  The knowledge of Christ has become so total as to make the Gospels clear to me and make me live them in everyday life better" (Lorenzo Ferri). All those among our parishioners who have read Valtorta say the same thing ... Fr. Gabriel Roschini, a famous Mariologist who also promoted Valtorta until his death in 1976, considered her writings greater than anything he has ever read on Our Blessed Lady. He wrote over 125 totally orthodox books!"

Numerous scholars and archaeologists have confirmed that "The Gospel as it was revealed to me" has a detailed and thorough knowledge of the Holy Land that is inexplicable. Priests and Theologians tell us the Messianic Prophesies the Lord Himself cites to His Apostles in the Work are a virtual proof of its divine origin, because they themselves after many decades of study would not be able so clearly and so convincingly to cite so many and such specific prophesies about Jesus Christ.

However, the main purpose of the work is not its historical or theological value, but mainly its contemplative and devotional value. It helps us meditate on the Life and the Passion of Christ. I will be posting the last 30 chapters before the Resurrection till Easter Sunday over the next month in this thread. Let us Catholics try to benefit from it and may non-Catholics read it with an open mind and also profit from it by coming to know Jesus Christ as Saviour and love Him as the Lord.

Words of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Red. ["Judas of Kerioth" is the Iscariot; "Judas Iscariot was probably a native of this place" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerioth - things like this are only known to a few scholars, and Valtorta has not merely guessed right, but was taught them by the Lord Himself, in this His Auto-biography]

580. The Friday before the Entry into Jerusalem. Judas of Kerioth Impenitent. 19th March 1947.

1 «If you wish so, you may go, wherever you like. I am staying here today with Judas and James. The women disciples are to come» says Jesus to the apostles who are gathered around Him under the porch of the house. And He adds: «But make sure that you are all back here before sunset. And be prudent. Try to be unnoticed to avoid retaliations against you.»

«Oh! I am going to stay here. What have I to do in Jerusalem?» says Peter.
«Instead I will go. My father is certainly expecting me. He wants to offer the wine. An old promise, but always kept, because my father is an honest man. What a wonderful wine you will taste at the Passover banquet! My father's vineyards at Ramah! They are famous in the area» says Thomas.
«Also these wines of Lazarus are very good. I will never forget the banquet for the feast of the Dedication...» says Matthew, in an unintentional tone of gluttony.
«In that case your memory will be refreshed more than ever, because I think that Lazarus is giving a great banquet tomorrow. I have seen such preparations...» says James of Zebedee. «Is that so? Are other people coming?» asks Andrew.

«Ah! Otherwise I would have put on the new tunic that my wife sent me» says Philip. «That is what I am going to do. I wanted to put it on at Passover. But I will wear it tomorrow. We are going to have more peace here tomorrow, than in a few days' time...» says Bartholomew and he stops pensively.

2 «I am going to adorn myself with new clothes to go to town. And what about You, Master?» asks John.
«So am I. I will put on purple robes.»
«You will look like a king!» exclaims the favourite apostle full of admiration, as he already imagines Him in the splendid robes...
«But if I had not seen to it! I have had that purple for years...» says the Iscariot boastfully. «Really? Oh! no one had thought about it... The Master is always so humble...» «Too humble. The time has now come when He must be King. We have waited long enough! If He is not a king on a throne, at least, to safeguard His dignity, He must have clothes suiting His rank. I see to everything.»

«You are right, Judas. You are aware of the ways of the world. We... are poor fishermen...» say humbly the men who have come from the lake... And as it always happens in the light of the world - in the false twilight of the world – Judas' base metal alloy seems nobler than the unrefined, but pure, sincere, honest gold of the Galilean hearts... Jesus, Who was speaking to the Zealot and to Alphaeus' sons, turns round and looks at the Iscariot and at those honest men, so humble and mortified at being so... deficient as compared with Judas... and He shakes His head without saying anything.

But when He sees the Iscariot tie the laces of his sandals and sort his mantle as if he were on the point of setting off, He asks him: «Where are you going?» «To town.» «I told you that I am keeping you here with James...» «Ah! I thought that You were referring to Your brother Judas... So... I... am like a prisoner... Ah! Ah!» He sneers.

«I don't think that Bethany has chains or bars. It has only the desire of your Master. And I would love to be the prisoner of it» remarks the Zealot. «Oh! of course! I was joking... The fact is... I would like to have news of my mother. Pilgrims from Kerioth have certainly arrived in Jerusalem and...»

«No. In two days' time we shall all be in Jerusalem. You are staying here now» says Jesus authoritatively.

Judas does not insist. He takes off his mantle saying: «So? Who is going to town? We ought to know what the humours are... What the disciples are doing... I wanted to go to hear also from friends... I had promised Peter...» «It does not matter. You are staying. Nothing of what you said is necessary. It is not strictly necessary...» «But if Thomas is going...»

3 «Master, I should like to go as well. I also promised it. I have friends in Annas' house and...»

«And would you go there, son? And if they catch you?» asks Salome who has approached them. «If they catch me? What wrong have I done? None. So I must not fear the Lord. And even if they catch me, I will not tremble.» «Oh! the bold young lion! Will you not tremble? Are you not aware of how much they hate us? It's death, you know, if they catch us» says the Iscariot to frighten him. «Then why do you want to go? Are you perhaps privileged with immunity? What have you done to be so? Tell me, and I will do it.»

Judas suddenly looks as if he were frightened and angry, but John's face is so clear that the traitor is reassured. He realises that there is no snare, no suspicion in those words, and he says: «I have not done anything. But I have some good friends near the Proconsul, so...»

«Well! Who wants to come, let him come, as it is not raining any longer. We are wasting time here and by midday it may rain again. Whoever wants to come should hurry up» says Thomas urging them. «Shall I go, Master?» asks John. «Yes, go.» «There you are! It is always the same! He can, the others can. I cannot. It's always "no" for me!»
«I will try to find out about your mother» says John to calm him.
«And I will try as well. I am coming with you and Thomas» says the Zealot and he adds:

«My old age will check the young ones, Master. And I know those of Kerioth very well. If I see any, I will approach them. I will bring you news of your mother, Judas. Be good! Be quiet! It is Passover, Judas. We all feel the peace of this festivity, the joy of this solemnity. Why do you alone want to be so upset, so sullen, so discontented, enjoying no peace? Passover is the passage of God... Passover, for us Hebrews, is the feast of our liberation from a hard yoke. The Most High God delivered us. Now, as the ancient event cannot be repeated, its symbol remains, individual... Passover: liberation of hearts, purification, baptism, if you wish, with the blood of the lamb, so that enemy powers may no longer injure those who are marked with it. It is so beautiful to begin the new year with this feast of purification, of liberation, of adoration of God our Saviour...

4 Oh! excuse me, Master! I have spoken when I should have kept quiet, because You are here to correct our hearts...»

«Just what I was thinking, too, Simon. The very same thing: that I have two masters now instead of one, and they seemed too many» says the Iscariot angrily. Peter... oh! Peter this time cannot control himself and he flies into a rage saying: «And if you don't stop this at once you will have a third one and that will be me. And I swear to you that my arguments will be more persuasive than words.»

«Would you beat a companion? After so many efforts to keep the old Galilean to the bottom, your true nature is surfacing again, is that so?» «It is not surfacing. It has always been on the surface, and very clearly I use no duplicity. The trouble is that with wild jackasses such as you are, there is only one argument to break them in: a good flogging. You ought to be ashamed of trespassing on His kindness and our patience! Come, Simon! Come, John! Come, Thomas! Goodbye, Master. I am going away as well, because if I stay... no, thank God, I will no longer be able to check myself.» and Peter grasps his mantle, that was on a seat, and puts it on in a hurry, and he is so angry that he does not realise he has put it on upside-down, so that John has to tell him of his mistake and help him to put it on right.

And he goes away headlong, stamping his feet on the ground, to discharge some of his wrath thus. He looks like a furious young bull. The others... oh! the others are like open books in which one can read what is written. Bartholomew raises his thin face of an old man towards the sky still cloudy, and he seems to be studying the winds, in order not to have to study faces: Jesus' is in fact too sorrowful, the Iscariot's too perfidious. Matthew and Philip look at Thaddeus whose eyes, so similar to Jesus', are flashing with wrath, and both have the same thought: they take him between them and push him away, towards the inner lane leading to Simon's house, saying: «Your mother wanted us to do that job. You had better come, too, James of Zebedee» and they drag away also Salome's son. Andrew looks at James of Alphaeus and James looks at him: two faces reflecting the same contained sufferings, and as they do not know what to say, they take each other's hand like two boys and move away sadly. Salome is the only woman disciple there and she dare not move or speak, neither can she make up her mind to go away, as if she wished to check other words of the worthless apostle with her presence. Fortunately none of Lazarus' family are present. The Blessed Virgin is also absent.

5 Judas sees that he is alone with Jesus and Salome. As he does not want to be with them, he turns his back on them and goes away towards the jasmin bower. Jesus looks at him go away. He watches him. He notices that, after pretending to sit down in the bower, Judas slips away on the quiet from the rear side and disappears among the hedges of roses, laurels and boxes, that separate the true garden from the beds of spices, where the beehives are. It is possible to go out there through one of the secondary gates open in the walls of the large garden, a real park, two sides of which border on very tall hedges, as wide as an avenue, with openings facing gates here and there to give access to the meadows, fields, orchards and olive-groves, as well as Simon's house, that link the garden to the farms, uniting and separating them at the same time, while on the other two sides there are powerful massive walls opening on to two roads, a secondary one and a main one, that form a crossroad and the former, cutting through Bethany, runs towards Bethlehem. Jesus straightens Himself up as much as possible and changes position as much as is necessary, to see what the Iscariot is doing, and His eyes are blazing. Mary Salome sees them and she understands, although she cannot see, not being very tall, she realises what is happening towards the end of the park and she whispers:

«Lord, have mercy on us!» Jesus hears her whisper and He turns round for a moment to look at His good simple disciple. She may have had a thought of motherly pride when she asked for a place of honour for her sons, but at least she was in a position to do so as they are good apostles and she humbly accepted the reproof of the Master and she did not feel offended by it, neither did she go away from Him, on the contrary she became more humble and more obliging towards the Master, Whom she follows like His shadow, whenever she can, and Whose least expressions she studies in order to be able, whenever possible, to forestall His wishes and give Him joy. And even now the good and humble Salome tries to comfort the Master and to appease the suspicion that makes Him suffer, saying: «See? He is not going far. He left his mantle there and he has not picked it up. He may go for a walk in the meadows to give vent to his humour... Judas would never go to town unless he were properly dressed...» «He would go there even if he were naked, if he wanted. In fact... Look! Come here!» «Oh!! He is trying to open the gate! But it is locked! He is calling one of the servants of the beehives!»

6 Jesus shouts in a loud voice: «Judas! Wait for Me! I must speak to you» and He is about to set out. «For pity's sake, Lord!! I am going to call Lazarus... Your Mother... Don't go by Yourself!» Although Jesus is walking fast, He turns round a little and says: «I order you not to do so. On the contrary, be quiet. With everybody. If they ask you about Me: I have gone out with Judas for a short walk. If the women disciples come, let them wait. I shall soon be back.» Salome does not react, neither does the Iscariot. The former near the house, the latter near the wall, they both remain where Jesus has stopped them and they look at Him: Salome sees Him move away, Judas sees Him come towards him. «Open the door, Jonah. I am going out for a moment with My disciple. And if you are going to stay here, you need not close it behind us. I shall soon be back» He kindly says to the peasant servant who had remained dumbfounded with the big key in his hand. The heavy iron door squeaks in being opened, as the key screeches in working the lock. «A door that is seldom opened» says the servant smiling. «Eh! You have got rusty! When one is idle one gets spoiled... Rust, dust... urchins... The same happens to us... if we do not always work on our souls!»

«Well said, Jonah! Your thought is a wise one. Many rabbis would envy you it.» «Oh! it's my bees that suggest them to me... and Your words. It is really Your words. Then the bees also make me understand them. Because everything has a voice, if one can understand it. And I say: if the bees obey the order of Him Who created them, and they are little insects which I do not know where they may have brains and hearts, and I, who have heart, brains and soul, and I hear the Master, shall I not be able to do what they do, working all the time to do what the Master says we must do, and thus make my soul beautiful and bright, without any rust, dust, mud and straw, and stones and other snares placed in the device by hellish enemies?»

«You are quite right. Imitate your bees, and your soul will become a rich beehive full of precious virtues, and God will come to enjoy it. Goodbye, Jonah. Peace be with you.» He lays His hand on the grey-haired head of the servant, who has stooped in front of Him, and He goes out on the road towards meadows of red clover as beautiful as thick deep-red and crimson carpets. Bees are flying on them from flower to flower sparkling and humming.

7 When they are far enough from the wall so that no one in Lazarus' garden might hear them, Jesus says: «Did you hear that servant? He is a peasant. It is already a great thing if he can read a few words... And yet... His words could have been uttered by My lips and My speech would not have seemed to be foolish. He feels that one must watch to ensure that the enemies of the spirit do not spoil the spirit... I... am keeping you near Me because of such enemies, and that is why you hate Me! I want to defend you from yourself and from them, and you hate Me. I am handing you the means to save yourself, and you can still do it, and you hate Me. I will tell you once again: go away, Judas. Go far away. Do not go to Jerusalem. You are not well. It is not a lie to say that you are so ill that you cannot take part in the celebration of Passover. You will keep the supplementary one. The Law allows people to keep the supplementary Passover, when diseases or other grave reasons prevent them from keeping the solemn one. I will ask Lazarus – he is a prudent friend and will not ask any questions – to take you beyond the Jordan today.»

«No. I told You many times to reject me. You did not want to. Now I do not want it.»

«You do not want? You do not want to be saved? You take no pity on yourself? On your mother?»
«You should say to me: "Have you no mercy on Me?" You would be more sincere.»

«Judas, My unhappy friend, I am not begging you on My behalf. I am begging you for your own sake. Look! We are alone. You and I alone. You know who I am, I know who you are. It is the last moment of grace still granted to us to prevent your ruin... Oh! do not sneer so satanically, My friend. Do not laugh at Me as if I were mad because I say: "your ruin" and not Mine. Mine is not a ruin. Yours is... We are alone, you and I, and above us there is God... God Who does not hate you yet, God Who is witness to this supreme struggle between Good and Evil competing for your soul. Above us there is the Empyrean watching us. The Empyrean that will soon be filled with saints. They are already exulting, in their place of expectation, because they feel that joy is coming... Judas, your father is among them...»

«He was a sinner. He is not there.»
«He was a sinner, but not a damned soul. So joy is approaching him as well. Why do you want to grieve him in his joy?»
«He is past grief. He is dead.»
«No. He is not past the grief of seeing you guilty, you... oh! do not make Me say that word!...»
«Yes, say it! I have been saying it to myself for months! I am damned. I know. Nothing can be changed.»
«Everything! Judas, I am weeping. The last tears of the Man... do you want to have them shed?... Judas, I beg you. Consider, My friend: Heaven is assenting to My prayers, and you, and you... Will you let Me pray in vain? Consider who is praying in front of you: the Messiah of Israel, the Son of the Father... Judas, listen to Me... Stop, while you can!...»

«No!» 8 Jesus covers His face with His hands and drops to the ground at the border of the meadow. He weeps noiselessly, but bitterly. His shoulders are shaken by His deep sobbing... Judas looks at Him, there, at his feet, heart-broken, weeping, and out of the desire to save him... and he is moved for a moment. Laying aside the hard tone of a real demon he had previously, he says: «I cannot go away... I have given my word...» Jesus raises His distressed face and interrupts him saying: «To whom? To whom? To some poor men! And you are worried about them, about being considered dishonourable by them? And had you not given yourself to Me for three years? And you are concerned about the comments of a handful of evil-doers and not about God's judgement? Oh! But what must I do, Father, to revive in him the will not to sin?» And He lowers His head again, oppressed with sorrow, distressed... He already looks like the Jesus suffering in the agony of Gethsemane. Judas feels sorry for Him and says: «I will stay. Do not suffer thus! I will stay... Help me to stay! Defend me!» «Always! Always, if you only wish so. Come. There is no sin that I do not excuse and forgive. Say: "I want". And I shall have redeemed you...» Jesus, standing up, has taken him in His arms.

But if the tears of Jesus-God fall on Judas' head, Judas' lips remain closed. He does not say the requested word. He does not even say «forgive me» when Jesus whispers through his hair: «You can perceive whether I love you! I should have reproached you! I kiss you. I should be entitled to say to you: "Ask your God to forgive you" and I only ask you to have the will to be forgiven. You are so ill! You cannot ask much of a person who is very ill. Of all the sinners who came to Me I asked absolute repentance in order to be able to forgive them. I am asking you, My friend, only the will to repent and then... I will act.» Judas is silent... Jesus lets him go saying: «Stay here at least until the day after the Sabbath.» «I will stay... Let us go back to the house. They will notice our absence. The women are perhaps waiting for You. They are better than I am and You must not neglect them because of me.»
Do you not remember the parable of the lost sheep? You are the lost sheep... They, the women disciples, are the good sheep closed in the fold. They are in no danger, even if I should have to search all day for your soul to take it back to the fold...»
«Of course! Of course! All right! I will go back to the fold! I will shut myself up in Lazarus library and read there. I don't want to be disturbed. I don't want to see anybody or hear anything. So... You will not suspect me all the time. And if the Sanhedrin is informed of anything that takes place, You will have to look for the snakes among Your favourite ones. Goodbye! I am going in through the main gate. Don't be afraid. I will not run away. You can come and check whenever You wish» and turning his back on Him he strides away.

9 Jesus, a tall white figure in His linen tunic at the edge of the green-red meadow, lifts up His arms towards the clear sky and raises His very sad face and soul to His Father moaning: «Oh! Father! Will You accuse Me of omitting anything that may save him? You know that I am struggling to prevent his crime for the sake of his soul, not for My life... Father! Oh! Father! I beg You! Hasten the hour of darkness, the hour of the Sacrifice, because it is too cruel for Me to live near the friend who does not want to be redeemed... The greatest grief!» and Jesus sits down on the thick, tall, beautiful clover. He bends His head on His raised knees clasped in His arms and He weeps... Oh! I cannot look at those tears! In distress, in solitude, in... the conviction that Heaven will do nothing to comfort Him, and that He must suffer that grief, they are already too similar to those of Gethsemane. And that grieves me too much... Jesus weeps for a long time in the solitary silent place. Witnesses of His tears the golden-hued bees, the scented clover that waves slowly in a stormy wind, and the clouds that early in the morning were like a thin net in the blue sky and are now thick, dark, piled up threatening more rain.

10 Jesus stops weeping. He raises His head listening... The noise of wheels and harnessbells comes from the main road. Then the noise of the wheels stops, whilst that of the harness-bells continues. Jesus says: «Let us go! The women disciples... They are faithful... Father, let it be done as You wish! I offer You the sacrifice of this desire of Mine as Saviour and Friend. It is written! He wanted it. That is true. However, Father, let Me continue My work on his behalf until it is all over. And even from this moment I say to You: Father, when I pray for sinners, a victim having no power to take direct action, Father, take My sufferings and force Judas' soul with them. I am aware that I am asking what Justice cannot grant. But Mercy and Love have come from You, and You love what comes from You and is One Thing only with You, God One and Trine, Holy and Blessed. I will give Myself to My beloved ones as food and drink. So, Father, are My Blood and My Flesh to become condemnation for one of them? Father, help Me! A germ of repentance in that heart!... Father, why are You going away? Are You already moving away from Your Word Who is praying? Father, the hour has come. I know. May Your blessed will be done! But leave Your Son, Your Christ, in Whom, by Your inscrutable decree the certain clairvoyance of the future is diminishing in this hour – and I do not say to You that this is cruelty, but it is Your compassion for Me – leave Me the hope that I may still save him. Oh! Father! I know. I have known since I am. I have known since, not only as Word, but as Man, I came here to the Earth. I have known since I met the man in the Temple... I have always been aware of it... But now... Oh! it seems to Me – through Your great pity, Most Holy Father! – it seems to Me but a dreadful dream, brought about by his behaviour, but not something ineluctable... and that I may still hope, always, because infinite is My suffering and infinite will be the Sacrifice, and may it be of some benefit also for him... Ah! I am raving! It is the Man Who wants to hope so! The God Who is in the Man, the God made Man cannot delude Himself! The mist that for a moment was concealing the abyss from Me is dissipating... the abyss already open to swallow the man who preferred Darkness to the Light... It was Your pity that concealed it! It is Your pity that shows Me it now that You have recomforted Me. Yes, Father, also that! Everything! And I will be Mercy until the end, because such is My Essence.» He is still praying, silently, His arms stretched out crosswise, and His distressed face calms down more and more assuming the appearance of solemn peace. It becomes almost bright with the light of interior joy, although there is no smile on His closed lips. It is the joy of His spirit, in communion with His Father, a joy that leaks out from the veils of the flesh and cancels the marks that grief had impressed and painted on the Master's face, which had become the more emaciated and spiritualised, the more He advanced towards sorrow and sacrifice. In these last mortal days the face of Christ is no longer a face of the Earth, and no artist will ever be able to give us that face of Man God carved into supernatural beauty by perfect total love and sorrow, even if the Redeemer should show Himself to the artist.

11 Jesus is once again at the gate of the enclosure, He locks it and proceeds towards the house. The servant met previously sees Him and runs to take the big key that Jesus is holding in His hand. He goes on. He meets Lazarus who says: «Master, the women have come. I took them into the white hall because in the library there is Judas, who is reading and is not well.»«I know. Thank you for the women. Are there many?» «Johanna, Nike, Eliza and Valeria with Plautina and another friend or freedwoman, I do not know, whose name is Marcella, and an old woman who says she knows You: Anne of Meron, then Annaleah and there is another young girl with her, named Sarah. They are with the women disciples, Your Mother and my sisters.» «And these voices of children?» «Anne has brought her grandchildren, Johanna has her children and Valeria her daughter. I took them into the inner court-yard...»

Next Chapter: 581. The Friday before the Entry into Jerusalem. Farewell to the Women Disciples and the Encounter with an Unhappy Child. 22nd March 1947.
Bible verses on walking blamelessly with God, after being forgiven from our former sins. Some verses here: https://dailyverses.net/blameless

"[2] He that walketh without blemish, and worketh justice:[3] He that speaketh truth in his heart, who hath not used deceit in his tongue: Nor hath done evil to his neighbour: nor taken up a reproach against his neighbours.(Psalm 14)

"[2] For in many things we all offend. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man."(James 3)

"[14] And do ye all things without murmurings and hesitations; [15] That you may be blameless, and sincere children of God, without reproof, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; among whom you shine as lights in the world." (Phil 2:14-15)

martin88nyc

"These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you shall have distress: but have confidence, I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Xavier

Imprimatur: http://www.valtorta-maria.com/Pages/001_Bishop_Roman_Danylak-Imprimatur.htm

"to present a letter of commendation, a Nihil Obstat, Imprimatur and a testimonial to this website of a Catholic monk on the writings of Maria Valtorta. Not only am I saying that there is nothing objectionable in The Poem of the Man-God and all the other writings of Valtorta in so far as faith and morals are concerned ...countless others who have given testimonies and writings of Maria Valtorta, the theological commentaries to her writings of one of her early spiritual directors, Fr. Corrado Berti; and the numerous other testimonies and studies on various aspects of Maria's writings. Biblical experts, geographers of the Holy Land, theologians, prelates and scientists, consistorial lawyers, who knew and visited Maria Valtorta in her lifetime. He adduces the testimony of the Blessed Fr.Gabriel Allegro, OFM, biblical exegete and missionary; and the painstaking scholarship of the present editor, and publisher of the works, Dr. Emilio Pisani, who has collated all the arguments, pro et contra, on the writings of Maria Valtorta. This is a website worth visiting many times both for those that have acquired the writings of Maria Valtorta, as well as for those who have not yet read this Life of Christ and the Blessed Mother, and especially for those who want to cast stones. Dated Rome, Italy  February 13, 2002 + Roman Danylak, Bishop"

All the objections are answered in that PDF in the OP, which no one has ever answered. the article you post was refuted there.

Please understand and appreciate, if one soul converts to Christianity, if one vocation is engendered, if one Catholic is edified - and there have been many many more than one thanks to this Work of God for our times - these good Catholics consider themselves rewarded for their efforts. If you want to disagree, fine, but Catholics have every freedom to believe, defend, promote, read and profit from the Poem.

From pg 54, "Don't Just Take My Word for It: The Thoughts and Testimony of Trustworthy Clerics,
Authorities, Experts, Scientists, and Pious Lay Faithful


Professor Fabrizio Braccini of the University of Palermo, in 1979, wrote:26 "What constitutes the finish line for others, so to speak, is, on the contrary, Maria Valtorta's ascetic starting point."

Fr. Gabriel Roschini, O.S.M., was a world-renowned Mariologist, decorated professor and founder of the Marianum Pontifical Faculty of Theology in Rome in 1950 under Pope Pius XII, professor at the Lateran Pontifical University, and a Consultant to the Holy Office and the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints. During the pontificate of Pope Pius XII, he worked closely with the Vatican on Marian publications. He is considered by many to be the greatest Mariologist of the 20th century, was highly esteemed by all the Popes during his priestly life (especially Pope Pius XII), and was often referred to by Pope John Paul II as one of the greatest Mariologists who ever lived.

Fr. Roschini had also personally met Valtorta, but admitted that, like many others, he was a respectful and condescending skeptic. But after carefully studying her writings for himself, he underwent a radical and enthusiastic change of heart, later declaring Valtorta to be "one of the eighteen greatest mystics of all time."27

In his last book of 395 pages, which he said was his most important book, The Virgin Mary in the Writings of Maria Valtorta, he declared that the Mariology found in Maria Valtorta's writings exceeds the sum total of everything he has read, studied, and published himself (and he has published over 790 articles and miscellaneous writings, and 130 books, 66 of which were over 200 pages long – almost all of which are on Mariology). As material for a course which he taught at the Marianum Pontifical Theological Faculty in Rome on the Marian intuitions of the great mystics, Fr. Gabriel Roschini used both Maria Valtorta's The Poem of the Man-God as well as her other mystical writings as a basis for his course.

28 Fr. Roschini is also one of the authorities whose favorable certifications about Maria Valtorta was given to the Holy Office in 1961 by Fr. Corrado Berti, which led the Holy Office to grant their approval of the publication of the second edition of her work.29 Fr. Gabriel Roschini, O.S.M., wrote in his last book, The Virgin Mary in the Writings of Maria Valtorta (395 pages): 30 I have been studying, teaching, preaching, and writing Mariology for half a century already. To do this, I had to read innumerable works and articles of all kinds on Mary: a real Marian library. However, I must candidly admit that the Mariology found in all of Maria Valtorta's writings – both published or unpublished – has been for me a real discovery. No other Marian writings, not even the sum total of everything I have read and studied, were able to give me as clear, as lively, as complete, as luminous, or as fascinating an image, both simple and sublime, of Mary, God's Masterpiece.

It seems to me that the conventional image of the Blessed Virgin, portrayed by myself and my fellow Mariologists, is merely a paper mache Madonna compared to the living and vibrant Virgin Mary envisioned by Maria Valtorta, a Virgin Mary perfect in every way. ...whoever wants to know the Blessed Virgin (a Virgin in perfect harmony with the Holy Scriptures, the Tradition of the Church, and the Church Magisterium) should draw from Valtorta's Mariology.

If anyone believes my declaration is only one of those ordinary hyperbolic slogans abused by publicity, I will say this only: let them read before they judge!

Camillo Corsánego (1891-1963) was National President of Catholic Action in Italy, Dean of the Consistorial Lawyers (where he functioned as advocate of causes of beatification and canonization), and a professor at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome. He wrote in a signed testimony in 1952:31

Throughout my life, by now fairly long, I have read a very large number of works in apologetics, hagiography [saints' lives], theology, and biblical criticism; however, I have never found such a body of knowledge, art, devotion, and adherence to the traditional teachings of
the Church, as in Miss Maria Valtorta's work on the Gospels.

Having read those numerous pages attentively and repeatedly, I must in all conscience declare that with respect to the woman who wrote them only two hypotheses can be made: a) either she was talented like Manzoni or Shakespeare, and her scriptural and theological learning and her knowledge of the Holy Places were perfect, at any rate superior to those of anyone alive in Italy today; b) or else "digitus Dei est hic" ["God's finger is here"].

Obedient as I am (and as, with God's grace, I intend being all my life) to the supreme and infallible Magisterium of the Church, I will never dare take its place. Yet, as a humble Christian, I profess that I think the publication of this work will help to take many souls back to God, and will arouse in the modern world an apologetic interest and a leavening of Christian life comparable only to the effects of the private revelation [of the Sacred Heart] to St. Marie Alacoque."

Blessed Gabriel M. Allegra, O.F.M., was a very learned and world-renowned exegete, theologian, and missionary priest in the Order of the Friars Minor, which he entered into at the age of 16. After being ordained in 1930, he departed to China and distinguished himself as an exemplary missionary and man of culture. As a St. Jerome of our time, he was the first to translate the entire Bible into Chinese, and his work had the support and acknowledgement of successive popes from Pius XI to Paul VI. His Cause was opened in 1984, just eight years after his death; he was elevated to "Venerable" only 10 years later in 1994, and the decree of a miracle and his beatification was approved by the Holy See in 2002. He was finally beatified on September 29, 2012, at the Cathedral of Arcireale, Catania, in Sicilia. Gabriel Allegra is the only biblical scholar of the 20th century who has been beatified. He was an outspoken and avid long-time supporter of Maria Valtorta, and his latter years were spent reading, studying, promoting, and defending the Poem of the Man-God. Here are a number of thought-provoking quotes from this very learned and holy priest:

32"I assure you that The Poem of the Man-God immensely surpasses whatever descriptions — I do not say of mine, because I do not know how to write — but of any other writer... It is a work which makes one grow in the knowledge and love of the Lord Jesus and of His Holy Mother... I hold that the work demands a supernatural origin.... I find knowledge: and such knowledge in the theological (especially mariological), exegetical, and mystical fields, that if it is not infused I do not know how a poor, sick woman could acquire and master it, even if she was endowed with a signal intelligence... I find in her doctrine: and doctrine such as is sure; it embraces almost all fields of revelation. Hence, it is multiple, immediate, luminous... Gifts of nature and mystical gifts harmoniously joined explain this masterwork of Italian religious literature, and perhaps I should say [a masterwork] of the world's Christian literature... After the Gospels, I do not know another life of Jesus that can compare to the Poem."

Bp. Williamson, Fr. Robinson and many other Bishops and Priests of the SSPX have also highly recommended it for all Catholics to read.
Bible verses on walking blamelessly with God, after being forgiven from our former sins. Some verses here: https://dailyverses.net/blameless

"[2] He that walketh without blemish, and worketh justice:[3] He that speaketh truth in his heart, who hath not used deceit in his tongue: Nor hath done evil to his neighbour: nor taken up a reproach against his neighbours.(Psalm 14)

"[2] For in many things we all offend. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man."(James 3)

"[14] And do ye all things without murmurings and hesitations; [15] That you may be blameless, and sincere children of God, without reproof, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; among whom you shine as lights in the world." (Phil 2:14-15)

Xavier

581. The Friday before the Entry into Jerusalem. Farewell to the Women Disciples and the Encounter with an Unhappy Child. 22nd March 1947.

1 The beautiful hall – one of those used for banquets, with its white walls and ceiling, its heavy white curtains, the white tapestry covering seats and the sheets of mica or alabaster as window panes and skylights – is full of the chatter of the women. Some fifteen women talking to one another is no bagatelle. But as soon as Jesus appears at the door, moving the heavy curtain aside, there is dead silence while they all stand up and bow with the utmost respect. «Peace to all of you» says Jesus with a kind smile... Of the storm of grief that has just subsided there is no trace on His face, which is clear, bright, peaceful, as if nothing grievous had happened or were about to happen with His full knowledge. «Peace to You, Master. We have come. You sent word: "with as many women as there are with Johanna", and I obeyed You. Eliza was staying with me. I have kept her with me these days. And also this woman, who says is Your follower, was with me. She had come looking for You, because it is well known that I am Your happy disciple. And Valeria also is with me in my house since I came to my mansion. With Valeria there was Plautina, who had come to visit her. And this woman was with them. Valeria will speak to You about her. Annaleah came later, when she heard of Your wish, with this young girl, who I think is a relative of hers. We arranged to come and we did not forget Nike. It is so beautiful to feel that we are all sisters in one faith only in You... And to hope that also those who are still only at a natural love for the Master may rise higher, as Valeria did» says Johanna looking stealthily at Plautina who... has remained at the natural love... «Diamonds form slowly, Johanna. Ages of hidden fire are required... One must not be in a hurry, never... And one must never lose heart, Johanna...» «And when a diamond becomes... ashes again?» «It is an indication that it was not yet a perfect diamond. Patience and fire are still required. One has to start all over again, hoping in the Lord. What appears to be a failure the first time often becomes a triumph the second time.» «Or the third or the fourth time, and even more.

2 I was a failure many times, but at last You triumphed, Rabboni!» says Mary of Magdala in her harmonious voice from the end of the hall. «Mary is happy every time she can humble herself by remembering her past...» says with a sigh Martha, who would like that remembrance cancelled in every heart. «Truly, sister, it is so! I am happy remembering my past. But not to humble myself, as you say, but to rise higher, urged by the memory of the evil done and by gratitude to Him Who saved me. And also so that whoever hesitates for himself or for some person dear to him may pluck up courage and arrive at that faith that my Master says would be able to shift mountains.» «And you have it! You blessed woman! You do not know what fear is...» says with a sigh Johanna who is so meek and timid, and she appears to be even more so if one compares her with the Magdalene. «No, I do not know what fear is. It has never been in my human nature. Now that I belong to my Saviour, I am not even aware of it in my spiritual nature. Everything has served to increase my faith. Can one who was revived as I was and who saw one's brother rise from the dead, be in doubt about anything? Nothing will ever make me doubt again.» «As long as God is with you, that is, the Rabbi is with you...

3 But He says that He will soon leave us. What will our faith then be? That is, your faith, because I have not yet gone beyond human frontiers...» says Plautina. «His material presence or absence will not impair my faith. I will not be afraid. I am not being proud. I know myself. If the threats of the Sanhedrin should come true... I will not be afraid...» «You will not be afraid of what? That the Just One is just? I shall not be afraid of that either. We believe that of many wise people whose wisdom we enjoy, I should say that we nourish ourselves with the life of their thought, ages after their death. But if you...» says Plautina insistently. «I will not even fear for His death. Life cannot die. Lazarus, who was a poor man, rose from the dead...» «He did not rise by himself, but because the Master evoked his spirit from the beyond. A deed that only the Master can accomplish. But who will evoke the Master's spirit, if the Master is killed?» «Who? He. That is, God. God made Himself by Himself, God can raise Himself by Himself.» «God... yes... according to your faith God made Himself by Himself. It is already difficult for us to admit that, as we know that one god descends from another through divine love.» «Through obscene unreal love affairs, you should say» says Mary of Magdala rashly, interrupting her. «As you wish...» says Plautina in a conciliatory tone, and is about to end her sentence, but Mary of Magdala precedes her once again and says: «But the Man, you mean, cannot raise Himself by Himself. But as He made himself Man by Himself, because nothing is impossible to the Saint of Saints, so He will by Himself order Himself to rise from the dead. You cannot understand. You do not know the figures of our history of Israel. He and His wonders are in them. And everything will take place as it was stated.

4 I believe in advance, Lord. I believe everything. That You are the Son of God and the Son of the Virgin, that You are the Lamb of salvation, that You are the Most Holy Messiah, that You are the universal Redeemer and King, that Your Kingdom will have no end or boundary, and finally that death will not prevail over You, because life and death were created by God and are subject to Him like all other things. I believe. And if deep will be my sorrow at seeing You disregarded and despised, greater will be my faith in Your eternal Being. I believe. I believe in everything that has been said about You. I believe in everything You say. I believed also with regard to Lazarus, I was the only one who obeyed and believed, the only one who reacted against those men and those situations that wanted to persuade me not to believe. Only at the end, towards the end of the trial, I became confused... But the trial had lasted so long... and I thought that not even You, blessed Master, could approach the goal after so many days from his death... Now... I would not doubt any more even if, instead of days, a sepulchre were to be opened to give back its prey after it had been in its belly for months. Oh! my Lord! I know who You are! Filth has recognised the Star!» Mary has squatted at His feet, on the marble floor, no longer vehement, but meek, with an expression of adoration on her face raised towards Jesus. «Who am I?» «He Who is. That is what You are. The other part, the human person, is the garment, the necessary garment that has been put on Your brightness and Your holiness, so that it might come among us to save us. But You are God, my God.» And she throws herself on the floor kissing Jesus' feet, and she seems to be unable to remove her lips from the toes protruding from the long linen tunic. «Stand up, Mary. Always hold on fast to your faith. And raise it like a star in stormy hours so that hearts may stare at it and may hope, at least that...».

5 He then turns round to all the women disciples and says: «I sent for you because during the next days we shall not be able to be together very often and in peace. The world will be around us. And the secrets of hearts are more modest than the secrets of bodies. Today I am not the Master. I am the Friend. Not all of you have hopes or fears to tell Me. But you all liked to see Me once again in peace. And I sent for you, you cream of Israel and of the new Kingdom, and you, cream of the Gentiles, who are leaving the place of darkness to enter Life. Keep this in your hearts for the following days: that the honour given by you to the persecuted King of Israel, to the accused Innocent, to the Master Who is not listened to, mitigates My sorrow. I ask you to be closely united, you of Israel, you who have come to Israel, you who are coming towards Israel. Assist one another. Let those whose spirits are stronger help the weaker ones. And let the wiser ones succour those who know little or nothing at all, and are only craving for fresh wisdom, so that their human desire may evolve into a supernatural desire of Truth, through the care of their more advanced sisters. Be merciful to one another. Let those, whom ages of divine law have formed in justice, be indulgent to those whom Gentilism has brought up... differently. Moral habits cannot be changed between today and tomorrow but in exceptional cases, when a divine power intervenes to work the change in order to favour a very good will. Do not be surprised if in the disciples coming from other religions you notice stoppages in progressing and returns to the old ways. Bear in mind Israel herself in her behaviour towards Me, and do not expect from the Gentile ladies the docility and virtue that Israel was not able to have and did not want to have towards the Master. Consider yourselves sisters, sisters that destiny has gathered round Me, in this last period of My mortal life... Do not weep! And it has gathered you taking you from different places, thus with different languages and habits, which make it rather difficult to understand one another from a human point of view. But, really, love has one language only, which is this: to do what the beloved one teaches and do it to give him honour and joy. Thus you can all understand one another and let those who understand more help the others to understand.

6 Then... in future, in a more or less remote future and under different circumstances, you will be separated again through the regions of the Earth, and some will go back to their native countries, and some will go into an exile that will not be hard to bear, because those who will undergo the trial will already have reached that perfection of truth, that will make them understand that the exile from the true Fatherland does not consist in being led here or there. Because Heaven is the true Fatherland. Because those who are in the truth are in God and have God within themselves. They are already in the Kingdom of God, and the Kingdom of God knows no frontiers and those who from Jerusalem are taken, for instance, to Iberia, or to Pannonia, or to Gaul, or to Illyria, do not leave that Kingdom. You will always be in the Kingdom if you always remain in Jesus, or if you come to Jesus. I have come to gather all the sheep. Those of the paternal flock, those belonging to other people, and also those without any shepherd, the wild ones, the ones that are more lost than wild, sunken into such obscure darkness as not to allow them to see not even a iota, not only of divine law but also of moral law. Unknown people who are expecting to become known in the hour destined by God for that, and who will then be part of the flock of Christ. When? Oh! years and ages are alike when compared with the Eternal!

7 But you will anticipate those who will go with future Sheperds to gather wild sheep and lambs in Christian love in order to lead them to divine pastures. And let these places be your first proving ground. The young swallow that raises its wings to fly does not throw itself into great adventures all at once. It tries to fly first from the eaves gutter to the vine shading the terrace. Then it goes back to its nest and it dashes once again to the terrace beyond its own, and goes back. And then again farther away... until it feels the nerves of its wings become strong and its bearings safe, then it plays with wind and space and it goes and comes twittering, chasing insects, skimming waters, rising towards the sun, until at the right time it safely opens its wings for the long flight towards warmer zones rich in new food. And although it is so small, it is not afraid to fly across seas, a spot of burnished steel lost between the two blue immensities of sea and sky, a spot moving on fearlessly, whereas previously it was afraid of the short flight from the eaves gutter to the leafy vine-shoot, a nervous perfect body that cleaves the air like an arrow and it is not known whether it is the air that lovingly carries this little king of the air, or it is the little king of the air that lovingly furrows its domains. Seeing its safe flying that exploits winds and atmospheric density to go faster, who would think of its first clumsy fluttering frightened flight? The same will become of you. Let it become so of you. Of you and of all the souls that will imitate you. One does not become skilful all of a sudden. One must not feel disheartened because of the first defeats, or proud because of the first victories. The first defeats serve to do better the next time. The first victories serve as spur to do even better in future and to convince one that God helps good wills.

8 Be always subject to the Shepherds with regard to what is obedience to their advice and orders. Be always like sisters to them with regard to what is help in their mission and support in their work. Tell also those who are not here today. Tell those who will come in future. And now and always be like daughters to My Mother. She will guide you in everything. She can guide girls as well as widows, wives as well as mothers, as She has become aware of all the consequences of every condition through Her own experience as well as through supernatural wisdom. Love one another and love Me in Mary. You will never fail because She is the Tree of Life, the living Ark of God, the form of God in Whom Wisdom made Its Seat and Grace became Flesh.

9 And now that I have spoken to you in general, now that I have seen you all, I wish to listen to My women disciples and to those who are the hope of future women disciples. Go. I am staying here. Let those who wish to speak to Me come to Me. Because never again shall we have a moment of inner peace as the present one.»
The women consult with one another. Eliza goes out with Mary and Mary Clopas. Mary of Lazarus listens to Plautina who wishes to convince her of something, but Mary does not seem to agree, as she shakes her head resolutely in denial and then goes away leaving her interlocutress, and when passing by she takes her sister and Susanna with her saying: «We shall have time to speak to Him. Let us leave these disciples with Him, as they have to go away.» «Come, Sarah. We shall come last» says Annaleah.

10 They all go out slowly with the exception of Mary Salome who remains undecided at the door. «Come here, Mary. Close the door and come here. What are you afraid of?» Jesus says to her. «The fact is... that I am always with You. Did You hear Mary of Lazarus?» «I did. But come here. You are the mother of My first disciples. What do you want to tell Me?» The woman approaches Him with the slowness of a person that has something great to ask and does not know whether he can do it. Jesus encourages her with a smile and saying: «What? Are you going to ask Me for a third place for Zebedee? But he is wise. He certainly did not send you to tell me that! So speak up...» «Ah! Lord! It is just of that place that I wanted to speak to You. You... speak in a way... As if You were about to leave us. And before doing that I would like You to tell me that You have really forgiven me. I have no peace thinking that I disgusted You.» «Are you still thinking of that? Do you not think that I love you as much as before and more than before.» «Oh! yes, Lord. But do tell me the word of forgiveness, that I may tell my husband how good You have been to me.» «But there is no need for you, woman, to tell a fault that has been forgiven.» «Of course I will tell him! Because, see? Zebedee, seeing how much You love his sons, may fall into the same sin as mine and... if You leave us, who would absolve him? I would like all of us to enter Your Kingdom. Also my man. And I do not think that I am being unjust by wishing this. I am a poor woman and I know nothing about books. But when Your Mother reads or tells us women passages of the Scriptures, She often speaks of the chosen women of Israel or of passages that refer to us. And in the Proverbs, that I like so much, it is stated that the heart of the husband has confidence in his strong wife. I think that it is right that a woman should give such confidence to her husband, also with regard to celestial matters. If I procure a safe place for him in Heaven, preventing him from sinning, I think I do a good thing.» «Of course, Salome. You have really opened your mouth to words of wisdom and there is the law of goodness on your tongue. Go in peace. You have more than My forgiveness. Your sons, according to the book that you like so much, will proclaim you blessed, and your husband will sing your praises in the Fatherland of the just. Go tranquilly. Go in peace. Be happy.» He blesses and dismisses her. Salome goes away joyfully.

11 Old Anne of the house near Merom goes in holding by the hands two little boys and with a shy pale little girl following her with lowered head, and already acting as a little mother guiding a little boy who can hardly walk. «Oh! Anne! So you also wish to speak to Me? And your husband?» «He is ill, Lord. Ill. Very ill. I am afraid I shall not see him alive again...» Tears stream down her senile wrinkled face. «And you are here?» «Yes, I am here. He said: "I cannot go. You may go for Passover and see our sons..."» Her weeping increases and prevents her from speaking. «Why are you weeping thus, woman? Your husband was right in saying: "Ensure that our sons are not against the Christ for their eternal peace." Judas is a just man. He worries more about the welfare of his sons than about his own life and the comfort it would receive from your care. In the hours preceding the death of the just, the veils are lifted and the eyes of the spirit see the Truth. But your sons do not listen to you, woman. And what can I do if they reject Me?» «Do not hate them, Lord!» «Why should I? I will pray for them. And I will impose My hands on these children, who are innocent, to keep away from them the hatred that kills. Come to Me. What is your name?» «Judas, like my father's father» says the biggest boy, and the smallest one, who is held by the hand by his sister, hops and shouts: «I, I, Judas!» «Yes, they have honoured their father when giving names to their children. But not in other matters...» says the old woman. «His virtues will revive in these children. Little girl, come here as well. Be as good and wise as the woman who brought you here.» «Oh! Mary is good. As I do not want to be alone, I will take her to Galilee with me.» Jesus blesses the children resting His hand for some time on the head of the little girl who is good. He then asks: «Are you not asking anything for yourself, Anne?» «That I may find my Judas alive and that I may have the strength to tell a lie saying that his sons...»

«No. Do not lie. Never. Not even to let a dying man die in peace. You will say to Judas: "The Master says that He blesses you and with you He blesses your blood." Also these innocent children are his blood and I have blessed them.» «But if he asks whether our sons...» «You will say: "The Master has prayed for them." Judas will rest in the certainty that My prayer is powerful, and the truth will be spoken without disheartening who is dying. Because I will pray also for your sons. You may go in peace, too, Anne. When are you leaving the town?» «The day after the Sabbath, so as not to be stopped on the road because of the Sabbath.» «All right. I am glad that you will be here after the Sabbath. Remain closely united to Eliza and Nike. Go. And be strong and faithful.» The woman is almost at the door when Jesus calls her again saying: «Listen. Your little ones are with you for a long time, are they not?» «They are always with me, while I am in town.» «During these days... leave them at home, if you go out to follow Me.» «Why, Lord? Are You afraid of a persecution?» «Yes. And it is better if innocents do not hear and see...» «But... what do You think will happen?» «Go, Anne. Go.» «Lord if... if they should do to You what is rumoured, my sons certainly... and then the house will be worse than the street...» «Do not weep. God will provide. Peace be with you.» The old woman goes away weeping.

12 For a short time no one goes in; then Johanna and Valeria go in together. They are panting. Johanna in particular. The other woman is pale and she sighs, but she is stronger. «Master, Anne has frightened us. You told her... Oh! but it is not true! Chuza may be undecided, he may be... shrewd. But he is not a liar! He assured me that Herod has no intention of harming You... I do not know about Pontius...» and she looks at Valeria who is silent. She then resumes: «I was hoping to understand something from Plautina, but I did not understand much...» «Nothing, you should say, except that she has not advanced by one step from the limit where she was. She did not speak to me either. But, if I am not wrong, the Roman indifference, which is always so strong when an event can have no repercussion on their Fatherland or on their egos, has badly benumbed those who once seemed so willing to rouse themselves. Their indifference, the indolence of their spirits, so... different by now from mine, separates us, as a cleft separates two clods previously united, more than the fact that I have approached the synagogue. They are happy. They are happy their way... And human happiness does not help to keep one's mind sharp.» «And to awake the spirit, Valeria» says Jesus. «It is so, Master. I... there is another matter... Did You see that woman who was with us? She belongs to my family. She is a widow and lonely, and she was sent by my relatives to convince me to go back to Italy. Oh! with many promises of future joys! They are joys that I no longer appreciate and thus they no longer seem to me to be such, and I despise them. I will not go to Italy. Here I have You, I have my little daughter whom You saved for me, and whom You taught me to love for her soul. I will not leave these places... Marcella... I brought her with me so that she would see You and understand that I am not staying here for a dishonourable love for a Hebrew – it is dishonourable for us – but because in You I found comfort in my grief of a repudiated wife. Marcella is not ill-natured. She has suffered and she understands. But she is still unable to understand my new religion. And she reproaches me a little, because she thinks that my religion is a chimera... It does not matter. If she wants, she will come where I already am. If not, I will stay here with Tusnilde. I am free. I am rich. I can do what I like. And not doing wrong, I will do what I want.»

13 «And when the Master will not be here?» «His disciples will remain. Plautina, Lydia and even Claudia, who, after me, is the one who follows Your doctrine and honours You more, have not yet understood that I am no longer the woman that they knew and they still think they know. But I am sure that I know myself by now. So much so that I say that, if I lose much by losing the Master, I shall not lose everything, because faith will remain. And I shall remain where it was born. I do not want to take Fausta where nothing speaks of You. Here... Everything speaks of You, and You will certainly not leave us without a guide, as we have decided to follow You. Why should I, the Gentile, have such thoughts, while many of you, and you, too, look as if you were dismayed thinking of the day when the Master will not be among us?»

«Because, Valeria, they have become accustomed to ages of immobilism. They think that the Most High is there, in His House, above the invisible altar, that only the High Priest can see in solemn occasions. That has helped them to come to Me. They also could at last approach the Lord. But now they tremble at the thought of no longer having either the Most High in His glory, or the Word of the Father among them. It is necessary to be indulgent... And to raise one's spirit, Johanna. And I shall be in you.

Remember that. I shall go away. But I will not leave you orphans. I will leave you a house of Mine: My Church. My word: the Gospel. My love will dwell in your hearts. And finally I will leave you a greater gift that will nourish you through Me and will make Me be among you and in you, not only spiritually. I will do that to give you comfort and strength.


14 But now... Anne is very depressed because of the children...» «She spoke to us about them distressingly...» «Yes. I told her to keep them away from crowds. I say the same to you, Johanna, and to you, Valeria.» «I will send Fausta with Tusnilde to Bether before the fixed time. They were to go after the Feast.» «I will not part from the children. I will keep them at home. But I will tell Anne to let her children go there. That woman has wicked sons, but they will be honoured by my invitation and they will not contradict their mother. And I...» «I would like...» «What, Master?» «I would like you to be much united these days. I will keep My Mother's sister with Me, Salome and Susanna and Lazarus' sisters. But I would like you to be united, much united.» «But can we not come where You are?» «During these days I shall be like lightning that flashes brightly and disappears. I will go up to the Temple in the morning and then I will go out of town. You could meet Me only every morning at the Temple.» «Last year You stayed with me...» «This year I will not stay in any house. I shall be like lightning that passes...» «But Passover...» «I wish to consume it with My apostles, Johanna. If your Master wants that, He certainly wants it for a just reason.» «That is true... So I shall be alone... Because my brothers told me that they want to be free during these days, and Chuza...»

15 «Master, I am going away. It is pouring. I am going to the children as I hear them gathered under the porch» says Valeria and she prudently withdraws. «There is a heavy rainfall also in your heart, Johanna.»

«That is true, Master. Chuza is so... strange. I no longer understand him. A continual contradiction. Perhaps he has friends who are influencing his mind... or he has been threatened... or he is afraid for his future.» «He is not the only one. Nay, I can say that few, lonely and scattered here and there are those who, like Me, are not afraid for their future and they will be fewer and fewer. Be very kind and patient with him. He is only a man...» «But he has received so much from God, from You, that he ought to...» «He ought to! Yes. But who has not received from Me in Israel? I have helped friends and enemies, I have forgiven, cured, comforted, taught... You can see, and you will see more clearly how God only is immutable, how different are the reactions of men, and how often he who has received more is most willing to strike his benefactor. One will truly be able to say that he who shared My bread with Me raised his foot against Me.» «I will not do that, Master.» «You will not. But many will.» «Is my husband perhaps one of them? If it were so, I would not go back to my house this evening.» «No. He is not among them, this evening. But even if he were, your place is there. Because if he sins, you must not sin. If he wavers, you must support him. If he tramples on you, you must forgive him.» «Oh! Trample on me, no! He loves me. But I would like him to be more resolute. He can influence Herod so much. I would like him to wring a promise from the Tetrarch in Your favour. As Claudia is trying to wring it from Pilate. But Chuza has only been able to bring me vague words of Herod... and to assure me that Herod only wishes to see You work some miracles and that he will not persecute You... He thus hopes to silence his remorse for John. Chuza says: "My king always says: `Even if Heaven ordered me, I would not lift my hand. I am too frightened'!"» «He speaks the truth. He will not lift his hand against Me. Many in Israel will not do that, because many are afraid to condemn Me materially. But they will ask other people to do so. As if in the eyes of God there were a difference between him who strikes, urged by the will of the people, and him who makes one strike.» «Oh! but the people love You! Great celebrations are being prepared for You. And Pilate does not want tumults. He has reinforced the troops these days. I hope so much that... I do not know what I hope, Lord. I hope and I despair. My thoughts are inconstant like the weather these days, with alternating sunshine and showers...»

«Pray, Johanna, and be at peace. Always bear in mind that you have never grieved your Master and that He remembers that. Go.» Johanna, who has become pale and thin these last few days, goes out pensively.

16 And Annaleah's gentle face appears. «Come in. Where is your companion?» «In there, Lord. She wishes to go away, they are about to leave. Martha has understood my wish and she will keep me here until sunset tomorrow evening. Sarah is going home, to say that I am staying here. She would like Your blessing because... But I will tell You later.» «Let her come. I will bless her.» The young woman goes out and comes back with her companion, who prostrates herself before Jesus. «Peace be with you and may the grace of the Lord lead you onto the road where He has led this girl who preceded you. Be affectionate to her mother and bless Heaven that spared you ties and sorrows in order to have you completely for Itself. One day, more than now, you will bless the Lord for being sterile through your own will. Go.» The young woman goes away deeply moved. «You have told her what she hoped to hear. Those words were her dream. Sarah always said: "I like your destiny, although it is so unknown in Israel. I want it, too. As I no longer have my father, and as my mother is as sweet as a dove, I am not afraid of not being able to follow it. But in order to be able to accomplish it and that it may be holy for me, as it is for you, I would like to hear it from His lips." Now You have told her. And I have peace, too. Because at times I was afraid that I might have elated a heart...» «Since when has she been with you?» «Since...

17 When the order of the Sanhedrin came I said to myself: "The Master's hour has come, and I must prepare myself to die." Because I asked You, Lord... Today I am reminding You... If You are going to the Sacrifice, I, victim, with You.» «Are you still firmly wanting the same thing?» «Yes, Master. I could not live in a world where You were not... and I could not survive Your torture. I am so afraid for You! Many among us delude themselves... I don't! I feel that the hour has come. The hatred is too strong... And I hope that You will accept my offer. I have but my life to give You, because I am poor, as You know. My life and my purity. That is why I convinced my mother to send for her sister. That she may not remain alone... Sarah will be a daughter to her in my stead, and Sarah's mother will comfort her. Do not disappoint my heart, Lord! The world has no attraction for me. It is like a jail, in which many things disgust me terribly. It is perhaps because one who has been on the threshold of death has understood that what represents joy for many people is nothing but emptiness that does not satisfy. It is certain that I wish nothing but sacrifice... and to precede You... that I may not see the hatred of the world cast on my Lord like a weapon of torture, and to resemble You in sorrow...» «Then we will lay the cut lily on the Altar where the Lamb is sacrificed. And it will become red with the Blood of redemption. And only the angels will be aware that Love was the sacrificer of a completely white ewe-lamb, and they will mark the name of the first victim of Love, of the first continuator of the Christ.» «When, Lord?» «Keep your lamp ready and put on your wedding dress. The Bridegroom is at the door. You will see His triumph, but not his death, but you will triumph with Him entering His Kingdom.» «Ah! I am the happiest woman in Israel! I am a queen crowned with Your garland! May I, as such, ask a grace of You?» «Which?» «I loved a man, as You know. I no longer loved him as my spouse, because a greater love took possession of me, and he no longer loved me because... But I do not want to remember his past. I ask You to redeem that heart. May I? It is not a sin to remember, while I am on the threshold of Life, him whom I loved, to give him eternal Life, is it?» «It is not a sin. It is to take love to the holy end of the sacrifice for the welfare of the beloved.» «Bless me, then, Master. Absolve me of all my sins. Make me ready for the wedding and for Your coming. Because it is You Who is coming, my God, to take Your poor servant and make her Your bride.» The girl, beaming with joy and health, stoops to kiss the Master's feet while He blesses her, praying over her. And the hall, as white as if it were all decorated with lilies, is really the worthy surroundings for this rite, and harmonises beautifully with its protagonists, who are young, lovely, clad in white, shining with angelical and divine love.

18 Jesus leaves the girl there, absorbed in her joy, and goes out quietly to go and bless the children, who with shouts of joy are rushing towards the wagon and they get into it happily, with the women who are going away. Eliza and Nike remain to take Annaleah back to town the following day. It has stopped raining and the sky, once the clouds are scattered, shows its clear blue, and the sunbeams descend to make the raindrops glitter. A splendid rainbow bends from Bethany over Jerusalem. The wagon goes away squeaking and goes out through the gate. It disappears. Lazarus, who is near Jesus, at the end of the porch, asks: «Have the women disciples given You joy?» and he looks at the Master. «No, Lazarus, they have not. All of them, with the exception of one, have given Me their sorrows and also some disappointments, if I could delude Myself.» «The Roman ladies, You mean, have disappointed You? Have they spoken to You of Pilate?» «No, they have not.» «Then I must do so. I was hoping that they would speak to You about him. That is why I waited. Let us go into this solitary room. The women have gone with Martha to do their work. Mary, instead, is with Your Mother, in the other house. Your Mother has been so long with Judas, and now She has taken him with Her... Sit down, Master... I have been to see the Proconsul... I had promised and I did so. But Simon of Jonas would not be very satisfied with my mission!... Fortunately, Simon thinks no more about it. The Proconsul listened to me and he replied saying: "I? I should attend to Him? I have not even the most remote and slightest intention of doing that! I only say this: that not because of the Man – You, Master – but because of all the trouble that I get through Him, I have firmly decided not to have anything further to do with Him, for good or for evil. I wash my hands of it. I will reinforce the guard because I do not want disturbances. I will thus satisfy Caesar, my wife and myself. That is, the only ones of whom I take sacred care. And with regard to the rest I will not lift a finger. The quarrels of these people who are eternally dissatisfied. They create them, they enjoy them. With regard to the Man, I ignore Him as an evildoer, I ignore Him as a virtuous man, and I ignore Him as a wise man. And I want to ignore Him. And to continue to ignore Him. Unfortunately, although I want to ignore Him, I find it difficult to do so, because the leaders of Israel speak to Me about Him with their complaints, Claudia with her praises, the followers of the Galilean with their accusations against the Sanhedrin. If it were not for Claudia, I would have Him arrested and I would hand Him over to them so that they might settle the matter and we should not hear any more of it. The Man is the most peaceful subject in the whole Empire. But in spite of all that, He has given me so much trouble that I would like a solution..." With such humour, Master...» «You mean that we cannot be safe. With men one is never safe...» «But I am told that the Sanhedrin is calmer. They have not recalled the band, the disciples have not been annoyed. Those who went to town will soon be back and we shall hear... They will always contradict You. Will they take action?... The crowds love You too much to challenge them imprudently.»

19 «Shall we go along the road, towards those who are coming back?» suggests Jesus.

«Let us go.» They go out into the garden and they are half way when Lazarus asks: «But when have You had something to eat? And where?» «At the first hour.» «But it is almost sunset. Let us go back.» «No. I do not feel it is necessary. I prefer to go. I can see a poor child over there, clinging to the gate. Perhaps he is hungry. His clothes are worn-out and he is wan. I have been watching him for some time. He was already there when the wagon left, and he ran away not to be seen and probably driven away: Then he came back and has been looking insistently towards us and the house.» «If he is hungry I had better go and get some food. Go on, Master. I will join You at once» and Lazarus runs back while Jesus quickens His pace towards the gate. The boy, a sickly-looking irregular face, in which only the eyes shine beautiful and lively, looks at Him. Jesus smiles at him and while opening the lock of the gate He says to him kindly: «Whom are you looking for, child?» «Are You the Lord Jesus?» «I am.» «I am looking for You.» «Who has sent you?» «No one. But I want to speak to You. So many people come to speak to You. I have come, too. You satisfy so many people. Me, too.» Jesus has lifted the latch and He asks the boy to remove his thin hands from the bars, so that He may open the gate. The boy steps aside and in doing so, as his discoloured garment moves on his distorted body, one can see that he is a poor rickety child, with his head sunken into his shoulders owing to the commencement of a hump, and his unsteady legs wide apart. A true little poor wretch. He is perhaps older than one might think considering his height, which is of a boy about six years old, whilst his face is already that of a man, somewhat flabby, with a protruding chin, almost the face of an old man.

20 Jesus bends to caress him and says: «So tell Me what you want. I am your friend. I am the friend of all children.» With how much loving kindness Jesus takes the emaciated face in His hands and kisses his forehead!

«I know. That is why I came. See how I am? I would like to die not to suffer any more. And not to belong any more to anybody... Since You cure so many people and raise the dead, let me die, as no one loves me and I shall never be able to work.» «Have you no relatives? Are you an orphan?» «I have a father. But he does not love me, because I am like this. He rejected my mother, he gave her the libel of divorce, and he drove me out with her, and my mother died. It was my fault, because I am so deformed.» «But who are you living with?» «When my mother died the servants took me back to my father. But he got married again and has lovely children, and he expelled me. He handed me over to some of his peasants. But they do what their master does, to find favour in his eyes... and they make me suffer.» «Do they beat you?» «No. But they take more care of animals than of me, and they sneer at me, and as I am often ill, they get bored with me. I am becoming more and more deformed, and their sons gibe at me and they make me fall. No one loves me. And last winter, when I had a bad cough and I needed medicines, my father would not spend any money and said that the only good thing I could do was to die. Since then I have been waiting for You to say to You: "Let me die".» Jesus takes him in His arms, turning a deaf ear to the words of the boy who says: «My feet are muddy and so is my tunic, because I sat on the road. I will dirty Your clothes.» «Have you come from far?» «From near the town, because the person who keeps me lives there. I saw Your apostles pass by. I know it was them, because the peasants said: "Here are the disciples of the Galilean Rabbi. But He is not with them." And I came.» «You are wet, My child. Poor boy! You will be taken ill again.» «If You do not listen to me, I hope the disease at least will make me die! Where are You taking me?» «Into the house. You cannot remain thus.»

21 Jesus goes back into the garden with the deformed boy in His arms and He shouts to Lazarus, who is coming: «Close the gate, please. I am carrying this little fellow, who is wet through, in My arms.» «But who is he, Master?»

«I do not know. I do not even know his name.» «Neither will I tell You. I don't want to be known. I want what I told You. My mother used to say to me: "Son, my poor son, I am dying, but I wish you died with me, because in the next world you would no longer be so deformed as to suffer in your bones and in your heart. Those who are born poor wretches have no sneering names there. Because God is good to innocent and unhappy people." Will You send me to God?» «The boy wants to die. It is a sad story...» Lazarus, who is staring at the little boy, suddenly says: «But are you not the son of Nahum's son? Are you not the boy who always sits in the sun near the sycamore that is at the end of Nahum's olive-trees, and whom your father entrusted to his peasant Josiah?» «Yes, I am. But why did you tell?» «Poor boy! Not to scoff at you. Believe me, Master, the fate of a dog in Israel is not so sad as the fate of this boy. If he did not go back to the house from which he came, no one would look for him. The servants are like their masters. Heartless men. Joseph knows the story well. It caused a stir. But at the time I was so worried about Mary... But when the unhappy wife died and this boy came to Josiah's, I used to see him when I passed by... He was forsaken on the threshing-floor in the sun or the wind, because he began to walk very late... and always very little. I do not know how he was able to come so far today. I wonder how long he has been on the way!» «Since Peter passed there.» «And now? What shall we do?» «I am not going back home. I want to die, to go away. Grace and mercy on me, Lord!»

22 They have gone into the house and Lazarus calls a servant and tells him to bring a blanket and to send Naomi to take care of the boy, who is blue with cold in his wet clothes. «The son of one of Your fiercest enemies! One of the most wicked in Israel. How old are you, child?» «Ten years.» «Ten! Ten years of sorrow!» «And they are enough!» says Jesus in a loud voice putting down the boy. He is really misshapen! His right shoulder is higher than his left one, his chest protrudes excessively, his thin neck is sunken between his raised collar-bones, his bow-legs!...Jesus looks at him pitifully while Naomi undresses him and dries him before enveloping him in a warm blanket. Lazarus also looks at him piteously. «I will put him in my bed, Lord, after I have given him some warm milk» says Naomi. «But are You not going to let me die? Have mercy on me! Why let me live to be like this and suffer so much?» and he concludes: «I was hoping in You, Lord.» There is reproach and disappointment in his voice. «Be good. Be obedient, and Heaven will comfort you.» says Jesus and He bends to caress him once again, gently rubbing his poor deformed body with His hand. «Take him to bed and watch over him. Then... we will see.» The boy is taken away while he weeps. «And they are the ones who think they are holy!» exclaims Lazarus thinking of Nahum...

23 Peter is heard calling his Master... «Oh! Master! Are You here? All is well. No trouble. Oh! on the contrary much calm. No one disturbed us at the Temple. John received good news. The disciples have been left in peace. People are waiting for You joyfully. I am glad. And what have You done, Master?» They go away together speaking, while Lazarus goes where Maximinus calls him."
Bible verses on walking blamelessly with God, after being forgiven from our former sins. Some verses here: https://dailyverses.net/blameless

"[2] He that walketh without blemish, and worketh justice:[3] He that speaketh truth in his heart, who hath not used deceit in his tongue: Nor hath done evil to his neighbour: nor taken up a reproach against his neighbours.(Psalm 14)

"[2] For in many things we all offend. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man."(James 3)

"[14] And do ye all things without murmurings and hesitations; [15] That you may be blameless, and sincere children of God, without reproof, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; among whom you shine as lights in the world." (Phil 2:14-15)

Kreuzritter

As usual, Xavier expects you to wallow through 1,400 pages of dreck to find something instead of succinctly answering the points himself and in his own words. Death by a 1,000 cut-and-paste jobs.


Fantastic ramblings of an hysterical bed-bound woman projecting her repressed sexual urges onto Eve and Jesus with his Apostles.


Kreuzritter

QuoteDiamonds form slowly, Johanna. Ages of hidden fire are required... One must not be in a hurry, never... And one must never lose heart, Johanna...» «And when a diamond becomes... ashes again?» «It is an indication that it was not yet a perfect diamond. Patience and fire are still required. One has to start all over again, hoping in the Lord. What appears to be a failure the first time often becomes a triumph the second time.» «Or the third or the fourth time, and even more.

Talk about an anachronism and modern Western cultural idiom.

Isn't it amazing how Jesus has nothing of particular depth or insight but trite platitudes and cliches to utter except when he's repeating Jesus-isms derived from the Gospels?

St.Justin

The Catechism "Christ Among Us" By Father Anthony Wilhelm  also had and Imprimatur but it has since been withdrawn because it was full errors.

Xavier

When Fr. Robinson tells you there have been conversions, vocations, and so many Catholics themselves testifying that their inner life has been so much transformed for the better, their love for the Eternal Gospel of Christ been so much increased, why do you continue to be indifferent and even hostile to it? This Work is given by the God-Man for the Good of Souls. You don't want to read it, fine, no one is compelling you to. Prepare for the Passion in any way you wish. Read the Scriptures, read other words of Our Lord. You can't prevent those who wish from reading this book, though, to profit spiritually from it, be edified, and increase in the knowledge and love of Christ.

I cited to you the testimonies from page 54 of that pdf. If some of you who are apparently too unwilling to be sufficiently informed about something before you presume rashly to criticize it would at least read what I quoted or at least a few pages before and after that, you would find your objections more than answered. Even if you read the first few pages of it. But you don't want to do that.

"When His Holiness Pope Paul VI was Archbishop of Milan, he read one of the books of The Poem of the Man-God. He told me how he appreciated it, and had me send the complete work to the Library of the diocesan Seminary." (Msgr. Pasquale Macchi, Private Secretary of Pope Paul VI)

"There are hundreds of topographical names and details and of descriptions of places...which only the latest research and archaeological excavations have brought to light. Maria Valtorta's Work is, in truth, inexplicable by merely human means." (Antonio Socci, Leading Journalist & TV Show Host)

Antonio Socci is a well known anti-modernistic Catholic writer. Here's more from his article praising the book,
Quote"Well, if it is true that all would have desired to have been present there, to have seen Jesus of Nazareth – to have seen His Face, "The fairest of the sons of men" – to have listened to Him in some town's market-square, along some dusty roads ­­– to have been present at His tremendous, earth-shattering miracles; then it must be made known to everyone: there exists a work – the only one of its kind in the world; the only one of its kind in history – which fulfills exactly this "impossible" desire.

It was precisely for our very own generation that this exceptional gift was given. It is a work of ten volumes, about 5,000 pages – literally awe-inspiring – where is re-lived, day by day, as though broadcast live, the adventure of Jesus of Nazareth, the God-Man who overturned human history.

...But who is Maria Valtorta? She was born on March 14, 1897. Beginning in 1913, the Valtorta family was living in Florence. She was an active member of Catholic Action and, during World War I, was a volunteer nurse.

Still living in Florence, in 1920, [while walking with her mother], a revolutionary struck the back of the young woman, who happened to be there by chance, thus establishing her condition and subsequent immobility. In fact, after various painful experiences from April 1, 1934, until her death on October 12, 1961, she spent twenty-seven-and-a-half years "nailed" to her bed: a "Calvary," which she lived out with heroic faith ... For this reason, fifty years after her death, the number of those who await the opening of her beatification process is ever increasing. Valtorta was a lady of strong character – greatly reasonable and practical, in no way inclined towards fantastical suggestions – who never desired nor sought after mystical experiences.

The supernatural phenomena began in 1943, just when she thought she would not make it anymore and was close to death. On the morning of April 23, Good Friday, Jesus entered into her life and began daily supernatural visits to her, made by means ??of interior locutions, visions, and dictations, which bound Maria – already suffering on that bed – to an enormous transcription project: approximately fifteen thousand handwritten pages.

These pages are the fruit of several years of mystical experiences, in which Jesus literally made those days of two thousand years ago come back to life again for the visionary, just as if she had been there at that time; indeed, even more so because she also sees and hears things in those days that the apostles themselves were not able to see, know, and relate (such as the entire, long path of Judas's going astray from the beginning, which was known only by Jesus, Who tried in every way and with a love unheard of, for three years, to save him).

These are exceptional pages, which practically contain all four Gospels and fill in missing periods, solving so many enigmatic points or apparent contradictions. Above all, it confirms the veracity of all the dogmas and teachings of the Church, of St. John, St. Paul, and of all the Councils.

For twenty years, after having laboriously stumbled through trying to read hundreds of biblical scholars' volumes, I can say that – with the reading of the Work of Valtorta – two hundred years of Enlightenment-based, idealistic, and modernist chatter about the Gospels and about the Life of Jesus can be run through the shredder. And this perhaps is one of the reasons why this exceptional work – a work which moved even Pius XII – is still ignored and "repressed" by the official intelligentsia and by clerical modernism.

In Maria Valtorta's Work is found a reconstruction that is so accurate and rich in historical, geographical, and human facts about the Public Life of Jesus, that it is impossible to explain – especially if one considers that it came forth from the pen of a woman who was ignorant of these subjects and of theology, who was not familiar with the Holy Land, and who did not have any books to consult, lying sick and immobilized on a bed in Viareggio, on the Gothic Line, during the war's most ferocious months.

There are thousands of pages, overflowing with information and with the loftiest reflections and meditations; with geographical descriptions which only today, by going onsite, would be able to be done.

There are hundreds of topographical names and details and descriptions of places, which were unknown to almost everyone and which only the latest research and archaeological excavations have brought to light. Maria Valtorta's Work is, in truth, inexplicable by merely human means. Even the literary style is very lofty and profound.

But above all, the Giant – Who runs through these pages and Who fascinates by means of Power, Goodness, and Beauty; Who inspires, by means of words and actions – is precisely that Jesus of Nazareth of Whom the Gospels speak. The world had not seen – nor will ever see – anything comparable."
https://www.antoniosocci.com/un-regalo-meraviglioso-alla-nostra-generazione-levangelo-come-mi-e-stato-rivelato-di-maria-valtorta/

And Blessed Gabriel M. Allegra, O.F.M, a Biblical scholar, concurs, "The dogmas which the Church continues defending in the course of the ages...are a solemn affirmation of the faith of the Apostles. Through an ineffable charism, Valtorta had been plunged again into the tender, moving, spontaneous faith of the Apostles, especially of St. John ... In her tragic destiny, a powerful and moving figure in the Poem is Mary of Simon, the mother of Judas, and who was so loved by Jesus. No poet or dramatist has ever thought up a profile so robust, so delicate, and at the same time so pitiful, as that unfortunate and gentle woman ... Worthy of note is the manner in which Jesus explains the Old Testament, applying it always to the present, to the messianic era already in progress, and which is about to be fulfilled." 

"From the time that I read and reread the Poem of the Man-God of Maria Valtorta, I have no more taste for biblical-gospel novels ...I invite readers of the Poem to read the pages consecrated to the Resurrection, to the reconstruction of the events of the day of the Pasch, and they will ascertain how all is bound together harmoniously there, just as so many exegetes tried to do, but without fully succeeding... I hold that the work demands a supernatural origin ... I do not believe [even] a genius could thus accomplish this Gospel narration: the Finger of God is here!"
Bible verses on walking blamelessly with God, after being forgiven from our former sins. Some verses here: https://dailyverses.net/blameless

"[2] He that walketh without blemish, and worketh justice:[3] He that speaketh truth in his heart, who hath not used deceit in his tongue: Nor hath done evil to his neighbour: nor taken up a reproach against his neighbours.(Psalm 14)

"[2] For in many things we all offend. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man."(James 3)

"[14] And do ye all things without murmurings and hesitations; [15] That you may be blameless, and sincere children of God, without reproof, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; among whom you shine as lights in the world." (Phil 2:14-15)

Xavier

582. The Sabbath before the Entry into Jerusalem. Parable of the Two Lamps and the Parable Applied to the Miracle on Shalem. 26th March 1947.


1 The weather has cleared up after the past wet days and a bright sun is shining in a very clear sky. The earth, cleaned by the rains, is as clear as the atmosphere. It is so fresh and clean that it seems to have been created only a few hours ago. Everything is bright and everything sings in the clear morning. Jesus is walking slowly along the farthest paths in the garden. Only an odd gardener watches the solitary walk in the early morning hours. But no one disturbs the Master. On the contrary they withdraw silently to leave Him alone. Moreover it is the Sabbath, the day of rest, and the gardeners are not at work. But through a habit as long as their lives, they are out watching plants, beehives, flowers, for which there is no Sabbath, and which smell, rustle and buzz in the sunshine and in the April breeze. Then the garden slowly becomes busy. The first to appear are the servants employed in the house, then the maidservants, then the apostles and the women disciples, and Lazarus is the last one. Jesus joins them greeting them with His usual salutation. «How long have You been here, Master?» asks Lazarus, shaking some dew-drops off Jesus' hair. «Since dawn. Your birds called Me to praise God. And I came out here. To contemplate God in the beauty of Creation is to honour Him and to pray with a moved spirit. And the Earth is beautiful. And in these early hours of the day, on a day like this one, it appears to us as fresh as it was in the first days of its existence.» «Real Passover weather. And it has improved. It will last because it cleared up during the first phase of the moon with a favourable wind» states Peter. «I am glad to hear that. Passover with rain is sad.» «Even worse, it is detrimental to crops. The corn needs sunshine, now that harvest time is approaching» says Bartholomew. «I am happy to be here at peace. This is the Sabbath and nobody will come. There will be no strangers among us» says Andrew. «You are wrong. There is a guest, a young guest. He is still sleeping, Master. A soft bed and a full stomach are letting him have a long sleep. I went in to see him. Naomi is watching over him» says Lazarus. «But who is he? When did he come? Who brought him? Because you are speaking as if it were a boy» ask both men and women. «It is a boy. A poor boy. His grief brought him here. He was over there, clinging to the bars of the gate and looking at the house. And the Master brought him in.» «We knew nothing about it... Why?» «Because the child was in need of peace» replies Jesus, and His countenance is absorbed in deep thought as He concludes: «And in Lazarus' house they know how to be silent.» A servant comes to tell Martha something and then withdraws, but comes back soon with other servants carrying trays with jugs of milk, cups, and bread with butter and honey. They all help themselves sitting on the seats scattered here and there.

2 Then they wish to gather once again round the Master and they ask Him to tell them a parable, «a beautiful parable» they say «as serene as this day of Nisan.»

«I will not tell you one, but two. Listen. A man one day decided to light two lamps to honour the Lord on a feast day. So he took two vases of the same size, he put in each the same quantity and quality of oil, identical wicks, and he lit them at the same hour, so that they might pray while he worked, as he was allowed. After some time he went back and he saw that one lamp was burning brightly, whereas the other had only a very tiny flame, that hardly gave any light in the corner where the two lamps were burning. The man thought that the wick was perhaps faulty. He examined it. No, it was all right. But it would not burn so merrily as the other lamp, the flame of which fluttered like a tongue and seemed to whisper words, so merry it was, and it blazed so excitedly that it even had a light murmur. "This lamp is really singing the praises of the Most High Lord!" he said to himself. "Whereas this one! Look at it, soul of mine! It seems to find it burdensome to have to honour the Lord, as it does it with so little zeal!" and he went back to his work. He went back again after some time. One flame had grown even taller, and the other had become even smaller and was burning the more quietly and still, the more the other vibrated shining. He went back a second time. The same situation. A third time, the same thing. But when he came the fourth time, he saw the room full of black evilsmelling smoke, and only one little flame shining through the veils of thick smoke. He went to the shelf where the lamps were, and he noticed that the one that was blazing so brightly previously was completely burnt out and black, and it had also soiled the white wall with its flame. The other one, instead, continued to honour the Lord with its constant light. He was about to remedy the defect when a voice sounded close to him: "Leave things as they are. But meditate on them, for they are a symbol. I am the Lord." The man prostrated himself on the floor adoring and with great fear he dared to say: "I am foolish. Explain to me, o Wisdom, the symbol of the lamps, of which the one that seemed more active in honouring You has caused damage, whilst the other is persevering in giving light." "Yes, I will. The hearts of men are like those two lamps. There are those who at the beginning blaze, are bright and are admired by men, because their flames seem so perfect and constant. And there are those whose light is mild, does not attract anybody's attention and they seem to be tepid in honouring the Lord. But after the first or the second blaze, or the third one, between the third and the fourth one they cause damage and then they go out, still with injury, because their light was not reliable. They wanted to shine more for the sake of men than for the Lord's, and their pride consumed them in a very short time, amid a dark thick smoke that obscured also the air. The others had only one constant will: to honour God only; and without minding whether men praised them, they consumed themselves through a long clear flame, devoid of smoke and stench. Do imitate the constant light, for it is the only one pleasing to the Lord." The man raised his head... The air had been purified of the smoke and the star of the faithful lamp was now shining all alone, pure, steady, to honour God, making the metal of the lamp gleam as if it were pure gold. And he watched it shine, always unvaryingly, for hours and hours, until gently, without smoke or stench, without soiling itself, the flame went out in a flash and it seemed to ascend towards the sky to settle among the stars, having worthily honoured the Lord to the very last moment of its life. I solemnly tell you that many are those who blaze at the beginning and attract the admiration of the world that can only see the surface of human actions, and then they perish being carbonised and staining with their pungent smoke. And I solemnly tell you that their blazing is not watched by God, because He sees it burn proudly for human purposes. Blessed are those who know how to imitate the second lamp and not to get carbonised, but to ascend to Heaven with the last throb of their constant love.»

3 «What a strange parable! But true! Lovely! I like it! I should like to know whether we are the lamps that rise to Heaven.» The apostles exchange their feelings. Judas finds the opportunity to bite. And his biting words are addressed to Mary of Magdala and John of Zebedee: «Be careful, Mary, and you, John. You are the blazing lamps among us... Let no evil befall you!» Mary of Magdala is about to reply to him but she bites her lips not to utter the words that had come up from her heart. She looks at Judas. She only looks at him. But her glare is such that Judas stops laughing and staring at her. John, whose heart is meek but burning with love, kindly replies: «And that might happen, considering how incapable I am. But I confide in the help of the Lord, and I hope I shall be able to burn till the last drop and till the last moment to honour the Lord our God.»

4 «And the other parable? You promised two» says James of Alphaeus. «Here is My second parable. It is about to come...» and He points at the door of the house, where the curtain covering it is swaying slowly in the breeze, and then is drawn by the hand of a servant to let old Naomi enter. She rushes to Jesus' feet saying: «But the boy is cured! He is no longer deformed! You cured him during the night. He had waked up and I was preparing the bath to wash him before putting on him the tunic and the garment I had sewn during the night using a tunic cast off by Lazarus. But when I said to him: "Come, child" and I removed the blankets, I saw that his little body, so misshapen yesterday, was no longer so. And I shouted. Sarah and Marcella rushed in, but they did not even know that the boy was sleeping in my bed and I left them there, and I ran here to tell You...» Everybody's curiosity is roused. Questions, anxiety to see. Jesus calms the whispering with a gesture. He says to Naomi: «Go back to the boy. Wash him, dress him and bring him here to Me.» He then addresses His disciples:

«Here is the second parable, and it could be entitled: "True justice takes no vengeance and makes no distinction". A man, nay, the Man, the Son of man, has friends and enemies. Few friends, many enemies. And He is aware of the hatred of His enemies, and knows their thoughts and wills, that will not hesitate in front of any action, no matter how horrible it may be. And in that respect they are stronger than His friends, in whom dismay or disappointment, or excess of confidence, act as battering-rams that shatter their fortress to pieces. This Son of man with many enemies and Who is reproached for many things that are not true, yesterday met a poor boy, the most desolate of all children, the son of one of His enemies. And the boy was deformed and crippled and asked for a strange grace: to die. Everybody asks honours and joy, health and life, of the Son of man. This poor boy asked to die in order not to suffer any longer. He has already experienced all the sorrows of the flesh and of the heart, because the man who procreated him, and who hates Me without any reason, also hates the unhappy innocent wretch whom he generated. And I cured him so that he may no longer suffer, and in addition to physical health he may achieve spiritual salvation. Also his young soul is diseased. The hatred of his father and the mockery of men have injured it and deprived it of love. He is left with faith only in Heaven and in the Son of man and he asks them to let him die. Here he is. Now you will hear him speak.»

5 The boy, tidy and clean in the new white woollen tunic that Naomi made for him quickly during the night, comes forward held by the hand by the old nurse. He is small, although, not being any longer bent and lame, he looks taller than he did yesterday. His face is irregular and somewhat flabby, typical of a child whom sorrow has made prematurely adult. But he is no longer deformed. His bare feet walk steadily on the floor with a step that no longer has the halting of lame people, and his shoulders, although very thin, are straight. His slender neck overhangs them and looks long as compared with yesterday, when it was sunken between his asymmetric clavicles. «But... but this is the son of Annas of Nahum! What a wasted miracle! Do You think that by doing so You will make friends with his father and Nahum? You will make them more resentful! Because they were only looking forward to the death of this boy, the offspring of an unfortunate marriage» exclaims Judas of Kerioth. «I do not work miracles to make friends, but out of pity for people and to honour My Father. I never make differences or calculations when I bend pitifully over human miseries. I do not revenge Myself on those who persecute Me...» «Nahum will consider Your action a revenge.» «I knew nothing about this boy. I do not even know his name.» «They call him Mathusala or Mathusalem out of contempt.» «My mother called me Shalem. She loved me. She was not bad like you and like those who hate me» says the boy, his eyes shining with the light of impotent wrath that men and animals have when they have been tormented too long. «Come here, Shalem. Here with Me. Are you happy that you are cured?» «Yes... but I preferred to die. I shall not be loved just the same. It would have been beautiful if my mother still lived. But thus!:.. I shall always be unhappy.» «He is right. We met this boy yesterday. He asked us whether You were at Bethany, at Lazarus'. We wanted to give him some alms, because we thought that he was a beggar. But he did not want any. He was at the edge of a field...» says the Zealot. «Did you not know him either? That is strange» says Judas of Kerioth. «It is even more strange that you know such things so well. Are you forgetting that I was among persecuted people and then among lepers, until I came with the Master?» «And are you forgetting that I am a friend of Nahum's, who is Annas's trustee? I never hid that from you.» «Well! Well! That does not matter. What matters is to know what we are now going to do with this child. His father does not love him, that is true. But he always has rights over him. We cannot take his son away from him, thus, without telling him. We must be careful and not upset them, since they seem to be more favourably disposed towards us» says Nathanael. Judas breaks into a sarcastic laugh, but gives no explanation of his laughing.

6 Jesus, Who has taken the boy between His knees, says slowly: «I will face Nahum... I shall not be hated more because of this. His hatred cannot increase. It is not possible. It is already complete.» Annaleah, who has never spoken, all engrossed in thoughts that make her happy, says: «If I had stayed here, I would have liked to have him with me. I am young, but I have the heart of a mother...» «Are you going away? When?» ask the women. «Soon.» «For good? And where are you going? Out of Judaea?» «Yes. Far. Very far. For good. And I am so happy.» «Other women will be able to do what You cannot do, if his father hands him over to us.» «I will tell Nahum, if you wish so. He is the one who matters. More than the boy's father. I will, tell him tomorrow» promises Judas of Kerioth.

«If it were not the Sabbath... I would have gone to that Josiah to whom the boy was entrusted» says Andrew. «To see whether they are distressed having lost him?» asks Matthew. «I think they would be more upset if one of their bees got lost...» mumbles between his teeth Maximinus, who has approached them for some time. The boy does not speak. He clings to Jesus, studying the faces around him with the sharp eyes often noticeable in sickly people and in those who have lived a miserable life. He seems to be scanning souls rather than faces, and when Peter asks him: «What do you think of us?» the boy replies by putting his hand into Peter's saying: «You are good», he then rectifies: «You are all good. But... I wish I had not been recognised. I am afraid...» and he looks at Judas of Kerioth. «You are afraid of me, are you not? That I may speak to your father? I will certainly have to do so, if I have to ask him to leave you with us. But he will not take you away!» «I know. But it is a different matter... I would like to be far, very far, where that woman is going... In my mother's country. There is a blue sea surrounded by completely green mountains. One can see it down at the bottom, with so many white sails flying on it and beautiful towns around it. And in the mountains there are so many grottoes where wild bees make very sweet honey. I have not had any honey since my mother died and I was entrusted to Josiah. Philip, Joseph, Eliza and the other children did get it. But I did not. If they had kept the vase of honey within reach I would have stolen it, as I was dying for some. But they kept it on the upper shelves, and I could not climb on the tables, as Philip did. I am longing so much for some honey!» «Oh! poor child! I will go and bring you as much as you want!» says Martha, deeply moved, and she runs away.

7 «But where did his mother come from?» asks Peter. «She had houses and land near Saphet. The only daughter, orphan and heiress, already old, ugly and somewhat lame. But very rich. Through the assistance of old Sadoc, who acted as go-between, the son of beloved Annas obtained her in marriage... A contract that was a truly base bargain, all calculation, no love. After selling the property of his wife, saying that it was too far from here, with the exception of a little house that previously belonged to the bailiff, who had received it as a gift from the old owner for himself and his heirs down to the fourth generation, he squandered all the money in unlucky speculations. But... I do not believe that. Because I know that he owns beautiful lands near the shore... and previously he did not have them... Then, after some years of married life, when the woman was already on the threshold of her decline, this son was born... and it was the pretence to expel the woman and take another one from the plain of Sharon, young, beautiful and rich... The divorced woman took refuge at the old bailiff's house and died there. I do not know why they did not keep this child. His father reckoned that he was dead» explains the Iscariot. «Because John and Mary were dead, and their children went to work elsewhere as servants. And who was to keep me, if I was not their son and I was not fit to work? But Michael and Isaac were good, and also Esther and Judith were good. And they are good. When they come for feasts, they bring me gifts, but Josiah takes them off me to give them to his sons.» «But they do not want you» replies Judas. «Now that I am straight and strong they will want me. They are servants! As I said, they could not say to their master: "Take on this diseased cripple". But now they can.» «But if you have run away from Josiah, how can they find you?» says Bartholomew to make him ponder. The boy is struck by the just remark and becomes pensive, because his illness has made his mind prematurely thoughtful, just as his face is precociously adult, and he says downheartedly: «That is true! I had not thought of that.» «Go back there. They will be coming during the next days...» «There? No. I am not going back there. I don't want to go back there. I would rather kill myself!» He is shaken by a wild fury, then he throws himself on Jesus' knees weeping and says: «Why did You not let me die?» Martha, who is just coming back with a vase of honey, is surprised at so much desolation, and Bartholomew is distressed at having brought it about and he apologises: «I thought I was giving a good piece of advice. Good for everybody. For the boy, for You, Master, for Lazarus... None of you, and none of us, are in need of fresh hatred...» «That is true! A real problem!» exclaims Peter, and meditating on the case, he draws his personal conclusions, ending them with his characteristic soft whistling, which expresses his frame of mind in face of difficult grave problems to be solved.

8 Some make this, some that proposal. To go to Nahum. To go to Josiah and tell him to send Michael and Isaac to Lazarus, or elsewhere, wherever the boy will be, because it is wise not to have Lazarus hated, more than he already is hated because of his friendship with Jesus. Not to mention anything to anybody and make the boy disappear by entrusting him to some reliable disciple. Judas of Kerioth does not speak. Nay, he does not seem to be interested in the discussion. He toys with the tassels of his tunic, combing and ruffling them with his fingers. Jesus does not speak either. He calms and caresses the boy and He raises his head putting the vase of honey in his hands. Shalem is a boy, a poor ten-year old boy who has always suffered, but he is always a boy, even if sorrow has matured him, and upon seeing such a treasure of honey, his last tears change into ecstatic astonishment. Raising his eyes, his only beauty, so brown, large and intelligent as they are, and looking alternately at Jesus and Martha, he asks: «How much may I take? One of these spoons or two?» and he points at the round silver spoon that he slowly dips into the blond honey. «As much as you want, my boy. As much as you like. You will take the rest later, tomorrow. It's all yours!» says Martha caressing him. «All mine!!! Oh! I have never had so much honey! All mine! Oh!» And he gratefully presses the vase to his chest, as if it were a treasure. But he then realises that rather than the vase, it is the love with which it is offered that is precious, and he lays the little vase on Jesus' knees and he lifts his arms as he wants to embrace the neck of Martha, who is bent over him, and kiss her. It is all that his gratitude, all that he can give, a helpless wretch, who has nothing to give.

9 The others stop making plans to watch the scene. And Peter says: «This child is even more unhappy than Marjiam, who at least had the love of his grandfather and of the other peasants! It is true that there are always sorrows greater than the ones we have considered very great!» «Yes. The abyss of human sorrow has not yet been fathomed. I wonder how many secrets it still conceals... And how many will it still conceal in future ages?» says Bartholomew pensively. «Then you have no faith in the Gospel! Do you not think that it will change the world? It is stated by the prophets. And the Master repeats it. You are skeptical, Bartholomew» says the Iscariot with a slight touch of irony. The Zealot replies to him: «I do not see in what Bartholomew's incredulity consists. The Master's doctrine will give solace to all misfortunes, it will even modify the cruelty of customs and habits, but it will not eliminate sorrow. It will make it bearable through the divine promises of future joys. In order to abolish sorrow, or at least great part of sorrow, because diseases, deaths and natural cataclysms would still remain, it would be necessary for all men to have the heart that the Christ has, but...» The Iscariot interrupts him saying: «That in fact must happen. Otherwise to what avail would the Messiah have come to the Earth?» «Let us say that that should happen. But, tell me, Judas, has that happened among us? We are twelve, and for three years we have lived with Him, we have taken in His doctrine like the air we breathe. So? Are we twelve all saints? What do we do that is different from what Lazarus does, from what Stephen, Nicolaus, Isaac, Manaen, Joseph and Nicodemus, the women and children do? I am speaking of the just people of our Fatherland. All of them, whether they are wise and rich, or poor and ignorant, do what we do: a little good, a little bad, but without renewing themselves completely. Nay, I tell you that many surpass us. Yes. Many followers surpass us, the apostles... And would you expect the whole world to assume hearts like the Christ's, if we, His apostles, have not done so? We have more or less improved ourselves... at least let us hope so, because it is only with difficulty that man knows himself or the brother who lives beside him. The veil of the flesh is too opaque and thick, and the thought of man too carefully avoids being penetrated, for man to understand man. Whether we examine ourselves or other people, we always remain at the surface, both when we examine ourselves, because we do not want to hurt our pride or suffer feeling that we must change, and when we examine other people, because our pride of examiners makes us unjust judges and the pride of the person we scrutinise closes him, as an oyster closes its valves, with regard to what is inside him» says the Zealot. «You are quite right! Simon, you have really spoken words of wisdom!» says Judas Thaddeus approving. And the others in chorus agree.

10 «Then why did He come, if nothing is to be changed?» replies the Iscariot. Jesus begins to speak: «Much will be changed. Not everything. Because also in future there will be against My doctrine what is already active: the hatred of those who do not love the Light. Because against the strength of My followers there will be the power of Satan's followers. How many! In how many appearances! How many new heretical doctrines will always be opposed to My doctrine, which is immutable, because it is perfect! How much sorrow will germinate from them! You do not know the future. You consider great the sorrow now existing in the world... But He Who knows, sees horrors that would not be understood even if I explained them to you... What a tragedy if I had not come! If I had not come to give future generations a code that checks instincts in the better people and contains a promise of future peace! How dreadful it would be if man did not have, through My coming, spiritual elements capable of keeping him "alive" in the life of the spirit and assuring him of a reward!... If I had not come, in the long run, the Earth would have become a huge earthly hell, and the human race would have torn itself to pieces and would have perished cursing the Creator...» «The Most High has promised never to send universal punishments again, like the Deluge. A promise of God never fails» says Judas. «Yes, Judas of Simon. That is true. And never again will the Most High send universal calamities like the Deluge. But men themselves will create scourges that will be more and more dreadful, in comparison with which the deluge and the rain of fire that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah are still merciful punishments. Oh!...»

Jesus stands up with a gesture full of anguish and pity for future peoples.

11 «All right! You know... But in the meantime what are we going to do for him?» asks the Iscariot pointing at the boy who is enjoying his honey in small quantities and is happy. «Each day has enough trouble of its own. Tomorrow will tell. It is vain to worry about tomorrow, if we do not even know who will be alive tomorrow.» «I am not of Your opinion. And I say that we ought to know where we shall go to stay, where we shall consume the Supper. So many things. If we go on waiting, the town will be full up. And where shall we go? Not to Gethsemane. Not to Joseph of Sephoris. Not to Johanna's. Not to Nike's. Not to Lazarus'. Where then?» «Where the Father will prepare a shelter for His Word.» «Do You think that I want to know in order to report it?» «You say so. I have not said anything. Come, Shalem. My Mother knows about you, but She has not yet seen you. Come, and I will take you to Her.» «But is Your Mother not well?» asks Thomas. «No. She is praying. She is in great need of prayer.» «Yes. She is suffering bitterly. She weeps very much. And Mary has nothing but prayer to console Her. I have always seen Her pray very much. In the moments of deepest grief She lives on prayer, I could say...» explains Mary of Alphaeus, while Jesus goes away holding the boy by the hand and having on the other side Annaleah, whom He has invited to go with Him to Mary.
Bible verses on walking blamelessly with God, after being forgiven from our former sins. Some verses here: https://dailyverses.net/blameless

"[2] He that walketh without blemish, and worketh justice:[3] He that speaketh truth in his heart, who hath not used deceit in his tongue: Nor hath done evil to his neighbour: nor taken up a reproach against his neighbours.(Psalm 14)

"[2] For in many things we all offend. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man."(James 3)

"[14] And do ye all things without murmurings and hesitations; [15] That you may be blameless, and sincere children of God, without reproof, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; among whom you shine as lights in the world." (Phil 2:14-15)

Kreuzritter

If this reads to some like apologetics for Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, that's because there is no difference in approach, style and argument. Pure cultism.

Perhaps Xavier will explain how a woman from 1st century Palestine can be talking about diamonds being formed from ash and how listeners would have understood Jesus' allusions to how diamonds are formed.. It's anachronistic bullshit made up by a modern Italian blissful unaware that her ideas and idiom are not those of ancient Hebrews.

Sempronius

Quote from: Kreuzritter on March 24, 2019, 12:18:41 PM
If this reads to some like apologetics for Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, that's because there is no difference in approach, style and argument. Pure cultism.

Perhaps Xavier will explain how a woman from 1st century Palestine can be talking about diamonds being formed from ash and how listeners would have understood Jesus' allusions to how diamonds are formed.. It's anachronistic bullshit made up by a modern Italian blissful unaware that her ideas and idiom are not those of ancient Hebrews.

If it is a private revelation then its not strange if the visions are filtered through her own words and ideas that are common for her age. I bet that St Bridgets revelations also contain some elements of anachronism

Kreuzritter

Quote from: Sempronius on March 24, 2019, 02:14:02 PM
Quote from: Kreuzritter on March 24, 2019, 12:18:41 PM
If this reads to some like apologetics for Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, that's because there is no difference in approach, style and argument. Pure cultism.

Perhaps Xavier will explain how a woman from 1st century Palestine can be talking about diamonds being formed from ash and how listeners would have understood Jesus' allusions to how diamonds are formed.. It's anachronistic bullshit made up by a modern Italian blissful unaware that her ideas and idiom are not those of ancient Hebrews.

If it is a private revelation then its not strange if the visions are filtered through her own words and ideas that are common for her age. I bet that St Bridgets revelations also contain some elements of anachronism

Another word for "this isn't what Jesus actually said and did" is "fiction".

Xavier

Perhaps Kreuzritter can explain how Maria Valtorta's writings have been confirmed to the letter by archaeologists who have gone on site, and by other experts in the field who have given sworn testimony that there is no way she could have come to the knowledge of the many facts she relates, as amply documented, and why and how there have been conversions to Catholic Christianity because of this Work. No special difficulty is presented by Our Lord Jesus sometimes simplifying one or two visions or adapting them in a manner Maria Valtorta would understand better, if that indeed ever happened. What some of you really seem to oppose is that this work makes non-Catholics Catholics, gives bad Catholics thinking of lapsing into some sect the exhortations needed to remain Catholic, and makes good Catholics better Catholics. I stand by this Work, and beside the numerous Church Authorities that have endorsed it, I'm delighted the SSPX has taken a lead role in doing so. May that ever continue. If you wish not to read this book, you have the freedom to read others.

David Webster, Masters of Divinity, (former Evangelical, now Catholic!) from pg 227 onward. [see http://www.newamplifieddouayrheims.com/blog/david-webster/ for more]

"An additional line of incontrovertible evidence (which Valtorta was encouraged by Jesus to include for the benefit of "the difficult doctors" of the Church) deals with the vast amount of geographical, climatic, agricultural, historical, astronomical, and cartographical information given in her work. Authorities in these fields have verified the accuracy of what she has reported with appropriate astonishment. Valtorta accurately identifies this agricultural and climatic information that is often unique to Palestine with the appropriate calendar period which she often specifically identifies.

Without any evidence of planning and with hardly any corrections, Valtorta ends up with a perfectly flowing 3½ year story line with Jesus appropriately in Jerusalem and Judea for Passover and Pentecost in all four spring seasons, and at the Tabernacles in all three fall seasons of His ministry. Valtorta shows Jesus to have traversed the land of Palestine from one end to another in at least six cycles (some 4,000 miles), ministering in some 350 named locations, including places in Palestine known only to specialized archaeologists. Not once, however, does she have Jesus (or any one of the other 500 characters) in a place inconsistent with either the story line or distance or timing necessities."

Married and father of nine children, Professor Tredici was a devout Catholic. Impressed by Maria Valtorta's writings, he went to meet her in Viareggio. In 1952, he issued his "declaration" as a man of science and of faith.

In a signed testimony dated January 1952, he wrote:228 I read a few volumes of the "Words of Life" written by Miss Maria Valtorta. ["Words of Life" is how Tredici referred to Valtorta's The Poem of the Man-God].

To the extent that I must consider myself as simply a layman from the viewpoint of theological training, the immediate impression that I got was that this Work could not be the fruit of simple human will, even if she was gifted with knowledge of the doctrine and the culture, and with truly superior capabilities.

I sensed here the unmistakable imprint of the Divine Master, even if He presents Himself to the eyes of the reader under so realistically human a light than would be apparent from just reading the Gospels. Yet this Humanity—while humble and natural—remains throughout the Work the true Humanity of Our Lord Jesus Christ—always, unmistakably—just as in our meditations and our aspirations we have continually envisioned Him near us in all our life as sinners. I also get the impression that while the Work is able to stir up an immense tumult of thoughts, feelings, and good works from the depths of our being, at the same time it convinces us—I dare to say definitively—that the truth exists solely and exclusively in the Gospel because – even in our highest concepts—He is accessible in a clear and perfect way in everyone's mind.

What struck me most deeply in the Work, from a critical point of view, was the perfect knowledge the writer had of Palestine and areas where the preaching of Our Lord Jesus Christ took place. This is knowledge that in some passages surpasses your average geographical or panoramic knowledge, becoming specifically topographical and even, geological and mineralogical. From this viewpoint, no publications exist —as far as I know—in such detail as in this account, above all for the area beyond the Jordan (now also Jordanian), that would allow even a scientist who has not physically been to the site, to imagine and describe whole paths and roads with such perfection as would perplex [or astound] those who have in fact had the opportunity of actually going there.

I have traveled all over Palestine and Jordan, and other Middle Eastern countries on numerous trips. I remained for a while in Jordan in particular for mining purposes so I was able to see and follow with a keen eye what those sketchy and inaccurate English publications (the only ones that exist on the subject for those areas) cannot even remotely offer. Well I can declare with a clear conscience that after reading the description given in the Work about one of Our Lord Jesus Christ's journeys over the Jordan up to Jerash, I recognized the path of Our Lord so perfectly. With the vivid memory that sprang to my mind from my reading, I recognized the description made with such precision that only those who could actually see it or have seen it could possibly be able to describe it!

But my surprise was intensified further when, as I continued reading, I read a statement of a mineralogical nature where, in describing some protruding dykes like granite, [Valtorta] affirms that they are not, in fact, granite, but limestone! I declare that this distinction could be appreciated—on site—only by an expert!

...These facts and others, which I do not quote for the sake of brevity, have struck my critical spirit and have reinforced in me the absolute conviction that this Work is the fruit of the Supernatural; if not, I would not be able to find a humanly convincing explanation for these facts that I have cited and which are nevertheless completely verifiable. But, more than my critical spirit, it is my heart that feels better every time I read more pages from this Work, which assures me that it is "God's Work".

With all my being, I hope that this Work will become the heritage and dominion of all mankind, as soon as possible – to be urgently propagated – because I think and I feel that through these Works many, many, many wandering souls will return to the Fold.
Rome, January 1952, Vittorio Tredici."
Bible verses on walking blamelessly with God, after being forgiven from our former sins. Some verses here: https://dailyverses.net/blameless

"[2] He that walketh without blemish, and worketh justice:[3] He that speaketh truth in his heart, who hath not used deceit in his tongue: Nor hath done evil to his neighbour: nor taken up a reproach against his neighbours.(Psalm 14)

"[2] For in many things we all offend. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man."(James 3)

"[14] And do ye all things without murmurings and hesitations; [15] That you may be blameless, and sincere children of God, without reproof, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; among whom you shine as lights in the world." (Phil 2:14-15)

Xavier

583. The Sabbath before the Entry into Jerusalem. Pilgrims and Judaeans at Bethany. 27th March 1947.

1 Love and hatred urge many pilgrims who have gathered in Jerusalem, as well as many inhabitants of Jerusalem, to come to Bethany without awaiting that sunset is over. On the contrary, the sun has just begun to set when the first visitors arrive at Lazarus' house. And as Lazarus, when called by the servants, is surprised at such transgression of the Sabbath, because the first to arrive are the best-known among the strictest Judaeans, they give him this truly pharisaic answer: «From the Sheep Gate we could no longer see the sun's disc, so we set off, thinking that we would certainly not exceed the prescribed distance before the sun had set behind the Temple domes.» An ironical smile appears on Lazarus' thin face, because he is healthy and handsome, but he is certainly not fat. And he replies to them kindly, but lightly sarcastically: «And what do you want to see? The Master respects His Sabbath. And He is resting. And in order to consider that the rest has ended, He is not satisfied with just not seeing the sun's disc, but He waits until the last sunbeam disappears to say: "The Sabbath is over".» «We know that He is perfect! We know! But if we have made a mistake, that is another reason for seeing Him. Only for a moment, so that He may absolve us.» «I am sorry, but I cannot. The Master is tired and is resting. I will not disturb Him.»

2 But more people come, they are pilgrims from everywhere, who beg and insist on seeing Jesus. Hebrews are mingled with Gentiles, and proselytes with the latter. They watch and scan Lazarus, as if he were something unreal. And Lazarus puts up with the annoyance of such unsought celebrity replying patiently to those who ask him questions. But he does not order the servants to open the gate. «Are you the man raised from the dead?» asks one who, by his appearance, is certainly of mixed race because he has only the typical rather big hooked nose of the Jews, whereas his accent and the style of his garments indicate that he is a foreigner. «I am, to give glory to God Who raised me from the dead to make me a servant of His Messiah.» «But was it true death?» ask other people. «Ask those Jewish notables. They came to my funeral and many were present at my resurrection.» «But what did you feel? Where were you? What do you remember? When you became alive again, what happened to you? How did He raise you?... Is it not possible to see the sepulchre where you were? What did you die of? Are you really well now? Have you no longer the marks of the sores?» Lazarus tries to reply to everybody patiently. But if it is easy for him to say that he is really well and that also the marks of the sores have disappeared by now, in the months that have elapsed since he was raised from the dead, he cannot say what he felt and how he was raised. And he replies: «I do not know. I found myself alive in my garden, among my servants and sisters. When I was freed of the shroud I saw the sun, the light, I was hungry, I had some food, I enjoyed life and the great love the Rabbi had for me. Those who were present know the rest better than I do. There are three over there who are talking. And two there who are just arriving.» (The latter are John and Eleazar, the members of the Sanhedrin, whereas the three talking to one another are two scribes and a Pharisee whom I have in fact seen at Lazarus' resurrection, but whose names I do not remember.) «They will not speak to us, because we are Gentiles! As you are Judaeans, you can go and ask them...

3 And you... show us the sepulchre where you were.» They could not be more insistent. Lazarus makes up his mind. He says something to the servants, then he addresses the crowd: «Go along that road that runs between this house and that other one of mine. I will come and meet you to take you to the sepulchre, although there is nothing to be seen except an opening in the layer of rock.» «It does not matter! Let us go!» «Lazarus! Stop! Can we come as well? Or are we forbidden what strangers are allowed?» asks a scribe. «No. Archelaus. You may come, if you do not think that you will be contaminated by approaching a sepulchre.» «It will not contaminate us because there is no dead body in it.» «But there was one for four days. One is considered unclean for much less in Israel! You say that one is unclean when one's garment just grazes someone who has touched a corpse. And my sepulchre still puffs whiffs of death, although it has been open for such a long time.» «It does not matter. We will purify ourselves.» Lazarus looks at John and Eleazar, the two Pharisees, and says to them: «Are you coming as well?» «Yes, we are.» Lazarus goes quickly towards the side delimited by hedges as tall and thick as walls, and he opens a gate enclosed in one of them, and he looks along the road leading to Simon's house, beckoning those who are waiting to come forward. He leads them towards the sepulchre. Rose-bushes in bloom are arched over the entrance, but are not sufficient to suppress the horror emanating from an open tomb. On the slanting rock under the flowery arch one can read the words: «Lazarus, come out!» The evil-minded visitors see them at once and ask immediately: «Why did you have those words carved there? You should not have done that!» «Why? In my house I do what I like, and no one can accuse me of sin if I decided to have fixed on the rock, so that they are indelible, the words of the divine cry that gave life back to me. When I shall be in there, and I shall no longer be able to celebrate the merciful power of the Rabbi, I want the sun to read them still there on the rock, and the plants to learn them from the winds, birds and flowers to caress them, continuing thus on my behalf to bless the cry of the Christ Who raised me from the dead.» «You are a heathen! You are an impious person! You are cursing our God. You are singing the praises of the witchcraft of Beelzebub's son. Be careful, Lazarus!» «I remind you that I am in my house and that you are in my house, and that you have come, without being invited, and for worthless purposes. You are worse than these people, who are heathens, but they recognise a God in the reviver.» «Anathema! Like Master, like disciple. How horrible! Let us go away from this impure cloaca. Corrupter of Israel, the Sanhedrin will remember your words.» «And Rome your conspiracies. Get out!» Lazarus, who is always mild, remembers that he is the son of Theophilus, and he drives them away like a pack of dogs.

4 The pilgrims who have come from every country remain and they ask, and look, and implore to see the Christ. «You will see Him in town. Not now. I cannot.» «Ah! but is He coming to town? Really? Are you not lying? Is He coming even if they hate Him so much?» «He is coming. Go now and do not worry. See how peaceful is the house? Not a person to be seen, not a voice to be heard. You have seen what you wanted to see: the man risen again and the place of his burial. Go now. But do not allow your curiosity to be unfruitful. May the fact that you have seen me, the living evidence of the power of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God and Most Holy Messiah, lead you all on His way. Because of this hope I am glad that I was raised from the dead, because I hope that the miracle may rouse the doubtful and convert the heathen, convincing them all that one only is the true God and one only is the true Messiah: Jesus of Nazareth, the holy Master.» The crowds disperse reluctantly, and if one goes away, ten more come, because new people arrive continuously. But with the help of some servants Lazarus succeeds in pushing everybody out and closing the gates. He is about to withdraw saying: «Make sure they do not force the gates or climb over them. It will soon be dark and they will go to their sojourns», when he sees Eleazar and John come out from behind a mirtle-bush. «What? I had not seen you and I thought...»

«Do not send us away. We hid behind thick bushes not to be seen. We must speak to the Master. We came as we are not so suspected as Joseph and Nicodemus are. But we would not like to be seen by anybody, except you and the Master... Are your servants trustworthy?» «In Lazarus' house the custom is too see and hear only what is pleasing to the landlord, and to know nothing for strangers. But come along this path between two hedges of vegetation darker than a wall.» And he leads them along the path running between the double impenetrable barrier of boxes and laurels. «Wait here. I will bring Jesus.» «Let no one know!...» «Be not afraid.»

5 The wait is a short one. Jesus, all white in His linen tunic, soon appears on the path darkened by the intertwined branches, and Lazarus stops at the end of the path, as if he were on guard, or out of prudence. But Eleazar says to him, or rather beckons to him: «Come here.» Lazarus approaches them while Jesus greets the two who pay their deep respect to Him. «Master, and you, Lazarus, listen. As soon as the news spread that You had come and were here, the Sanhedrin met in Caiaphas' house. Everything they do is abusive... And they have decided... Do not entertain illusions, Master! Be wary, Lazarus! Do not let the feigned peace or the apparent somnolence of the Sanhedrin deceive you. It is all pretence, Master. A simulation to attract You and capture You without the crowds getting excited and preparing to defend You. Your fate has been decided and the decree will not be changed. Whether tomorrow or in a year's time it will be accomplished. The Sanhedrin never forgets its revenges. They wait, they know how to wait for the favourable opportunity, then!... And you, too, Lazarus. They want to get rid of you, capture you and suppress you, because through your fault too many are leaving them to follow the Master. As you said with the right word, you are the evidence of His power. And they want to destroy it. The crowds soon forget, and they are aware of that. Once you and the Rabbi disappear, many passions will die down.» «No, Eleazar! They will blaze up!» says Jesus. «Oh! Master! But what will happen if You are dead? To what avail will faith in You blaze up, even if that were to happen, if You are dead? I was hoping to be able to tell You only one happy thing and invite You: my wife will soon give birth to the son who is thriving through Your justice, as You brought peace again to two stormy hearts. He will be born by Pentecost. I would like to ask You to come and bless him. If You enter under my roof, no misfortune will ever be in it» says John the Pharisee. «I give you My blessing now...»

«Ah! You do not want to come to me! You do not believe that I am loyal! I am, Master! God sees me!» «I know. The fact is... that I shall no longer be with you at Pentecost.» «But the boy will be born in the country-house...» «I know. But I shall not be there. And yet you, your wife, the unborn child, the children you already have, are blessed by Me. Thank you for coming. Go now. Take them along the path beyond Simon's house. So that they may not be seen... I am going back to the house. Peace to you...»

Next Chapter: 584. The Sabbath before the Entry into Jerusalem. The Supper at Bethany. 28th March 1947.
Bible verses on walking blamelessly with God, after being forgiven from our former sins. Some verses here: https://dailyverses.net/blameless

"[2] He that walketh without blemish, and worketh justice:[3] He that speaketh truth in his heart, who hath not used deceit in his tongue: Nor hath done evil to his neighbour: nor taken up a reproach against his neighbours.(Psalm 14)

"[2] For in many things we all offend. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man."(James 3)

"[14] And do ye all things without murmurings and hesitations; [15] That you may be blameless, and sincere children of God, without reproof, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; among whom you shine as lights in the world." (Phil 2:14-15)

Xavier

584. The Sabbath before the Entry into Jerusalem. The Supper at Bethany. 28th March 1947.

1 Supper has been prepared in the completely white hall where Jesus spoke to the women disciples. The whole white hall is bright and silvery with a nuance not so snowwhite and cold, cast by bundles of branches of apple or pear-trees, or other fruit-trees, as white as snow, but with such a light shade of pink that makes one think of snow lightly touched by the kiss of a remote dawn. They protrude from pot-bellied vases or from slender silver amphorae, on the shelves, chests and dressers placed along the walls of the hall. The flowers shed the typical scent of blossoms of fruit-trees through the hall, the fresh bitterish scent of pure springtime... Lazarus enters the hall walking beside Jesus. Behind them, in twos or larger groups, the apostles. Last are Lazarus' two sisters with Maximinus. I do not see the women disciples. Not even Mary. Perhaps they preferred to remain in Simon's house with the distressed Mother. The day is turning to twilight. But the last sunbeams are still shining on the rustling leaves of some palm-trees in a group a few metres away from the hall, and on the top of a gigantic laurel on which sparrows are squabbling before going to rest. Beyond the palm-trees and the laurel, beyond the hedges of roses and jasmines and the beds of lilies of the valley, of other flowers and sweet-smelling plants, there is a white spot sprayed with the light green of the early leaves of a group of late pear or apple-trees in the orchard. It looks like a cloud entangled among the branches.

2 Jesus passing near an amphora full of branches remarks: «They already had the first little fruits. Look! On the tops there are blossoms, whereas farther down the blossoms have fallen off and the ovaries are swelling.» «Mary wanted to pick them. She took bundles of them also to Your Mother. She got up at dawn, I think, lest another day of sunshine might spoil the delicate corollas. I heard of this destruction only a short while ago. But I was not so angry about it as the peasant servants. Nay, I thought that it was just to offer all the beauties of creation to You, the King of all things.» Jesus sits down smiling in His place and looks at Mary, who with her sister is getting ready to serve as if she were a maid, bringing the cups of purification and the towels, then pouring wine into chalices and laying the trays of food on the table, as the servants bring them from the kitchen or hand them over after carving them on the sideboards. Naturally, if the sisters serve all guests courteously, their attention is particularly directed to the two who are dearest to them: Jesus and Lazarus. At a certain moment Peter, who is eating with relish, says: «Look! I am just noticing this! All the dishes are like the ones served in Galilee. I think... Of course! I seem to be at a wedding breakfast. But there is no shortage of wine here as there was at Cana.» Mary smiles filling the apostle's chalice again with clear amber-coloured wine. But she does not speak. And Lazarus explains: «And that is in fact what the sisters, and Mary in particular, wanted: to serve a supper that gave the Master the impression of being in His Galilee, a supper that, although imperfect, was to be better, much better than what is customary here...»

3 «But to make Him feel that, Mary should have been at this table. She was at Cana. The miracle took place through Her» remarks James of Alphaeus. «That must have been a grand wine!» «Wine is the symbol of mirth and ought to be the symbol also of fertility, as wine is the juice of the fertile vine. But I do not think that it fecundated very much. Susanna has no son» says the Iscariot. «Oh! what a wine it was! It fecundated our spirits...» says John, somewhat dreamy, as he always is when he innerly contemplates the miracles worked by God. And he concludes: «It was worked on behalf of a virgin... and the influence of purity descended upon those who relished it.» «But do you think that Susanna is a virgin?» asks the Iscariot laughing. «I did not say that. Virgin is the Mother of the Lord. Virginity emanates from everything accomplished on Her behalf. I always consider how virginal everything is when performed for Mary...» and he dreams again smiling at I wonder which vision. «Blessed boy! I think that he does not even remember the world anymore, now. Look at him» says Peter pointing at John who, lying on his little bed, and lost in thought, is toying with little bits of bread forgetting to eat. Jesus also bends a little to look at John who is at one of the corners of the U-shaped table, thus a little behind the back of the Lord, Who is at the middle of the central side, with His cousin James on His left and Lazarus on His right; after Lazarus there is the Zealot and Maximinus, and after James there is the other James and then Peter. John, instead, is between Andrew and Bartholomew, then there is Thomas, with in front of him Judas, Philip, Matthew and Thaddeus, who is at the corner, at the beginning of the long central table.

4 Mary of Lazarus leaves the hall while Martha is putting on the table trays full of early green figs, green fennel stalks, fresh shelled almonds, strawberries or raspberries, I do not know, that look even redder among the pale emerald green of the fennels and of the figs and the white of the almonds, of the little melons or other fruit of the kind... I think they look like the green melons of southern Italy, and golden oranges. «These fruits already? I have not seen any ripe ones anywheres says Peter opening his eyes wide and pointing at the strawberries and the melons. «Some of them came from the shores beyond Gaza where I have a market garden of these products, and some from the sunny terraces on the house, the nursery for the more delicate plants that need to be protected from frost. A Roman friend taught me how to grow them... The only good thing he taught me...» Lazarus becomes gloomy. Martha sighs... But Lazarus becomes at once the perfect host who does not sadden his guests. «It is a wide spread custom in the villas at Baia and Syracuse and along the Sybaris gulf to cultivate such delights with that method to have them prematurely. Eat them: the last fruits are the oranges from Libya, the earliest the melons of Egypt grown in the solaria and these Latin fruits and the white almonds of our fatherland, the tender broad beans, the digestive stalks tasting of anise... Martha, have you seen to the boy?» «Yes, I have seen to everybody. Mary was deeply moved remembering Egypt...» «We had some plants in our poor kitchen garden. In dog days it was a great joy to dip the melons into the well of our neighbour, as it was deep and cool, and eat them in the evening... I remember...I had a little greedy goat and we had to watch her because she was fond of tender plants and fruits...» Jesus, Who was speaking with His head somewhat lowered, raises it and looks at the palm-trees rustling in the breeze of the evening that is falling and says: «When I see those palm-trees... Every time I see palmtrees I see Egypt again, its yellow sandy soil blown so easily by the wind, and far away the pyramids trembled in the rarefied air... and the tall trunks of the palm-trees... and the house where... But it is no use speaking of them. Each period has its anxiety... And its joy with its anxiety... Lazarus, would you give me some of those fruits? I should like to take them to Mary and Matthias. I do not think that Johanna has any.» «She has not. She said so yesterday and she intends to plant some at Bether and have solaria built. But I shall not give them to You now. I picked as many as I had and for some days there will be no ripe ones. I will send them to You or send for them by Thursday. We will prepare a lovely basket of them for those children. Is that right, Martha?» «Yes, brother. And we will add some little lilies of the valley that Johanna likes so much.»

5 Mary Magdalene comes back in. She is holding in her hands a thin-necked amphora, ending in a little bill, as pretty as the neck of a bird. The alabaster is of a precious rosy yellow hue, like the complexion of some blondes. The apostles look at her thinking, perhaps, that she is bringing some rare delicacy. But Mary does not go to the centre, inside the U of the table, where her sister is. She goes behind the seat-beds and stops between that of Jesus and Lazarus and that of the two Jameses. She uncorks the alabaster vase and places her hand under the little bill to receive a few drops of a viscous liquid that flows slowly from the open amphora. A strong smell of tuberoses and other essences, a very intense pleasant scent spreads in the hall. But Mary is not satisfied with the little quantity of perfume that flows. She stoops and with a sharp blow she breaks the neck of the amphora against the corner of Jesus' little bed. The thin neck falls on the floor; shedding scented drops on the marble pavement. The amphora now has a wide aperture through which plenty unguent flows in thick gushes. Mary places herself behind Jesus and spreads the thick oil on her Jesus' hair, she sprinkles all His locks with it, she stretches them and then puts them in order with the comb taken from her own hair, tidying them on the adored head. Jesus' fair-red hair shines now like dark gold and is very bright after the unction. The light of the chandelier, lit by the servants, is reflected on Jesus fair hair like a beautiful coppercoloured bronze helmet. The scent is exhilarating. Through the nostrils it rises to the head and, spread as it is without restraint, it is so intense that it is almost as exciting as sternutatory powder. Lazarus, with his head turned round, smiles watching how carefully Mary anoints and arranges Jesus' locks so that His hair may look tidy after the scented massage, while she does not worry about her plaits, which, no longer supported by the wide comb that helps the hairpins to hold them in place, are falling lower and lower on her neck, and are about to loosen completely on her shoulders. Martha also looks at her smiling. The others are talking to one another in low voices with different expressions on their faces. But Mary is not yet satisfied. There is still plenty ointment in the broken vase, and Jesus' hair, although thick, is already saturated with it. Mary then repeats the loving gesture of an evening of long-ago. She kneels down at the foot of the bed, she unties the buckles of Jesus' sandals and takes them off, and dipping the long fingers of her beautiful hand into the vase, she takes as much ointment as she can and spreads it on His bare feet, toe by toe, then on the soles and heels, then up, on the malleoli, which she uncovers by throwing back His linen tunic, and lastly on the insteps, she delays on the metatarsi, which will be pierced by the dreadful nails, she insists until she finds no more balm in the hollow vase. Then she shatters it on the floor and with her hands now free she removes her big hairpins, she quickly looses her heavy plaits and with that golden, bright, soft, flowing bundle of hair she removes the excess of ointment from Jesus' feet that are dripping balm.

6 Judas, who so far has been silent watching with lewd envious eyes the beautiful woman and the Master Whose head and feet she was anointing, raises his voice, the only voice of open reproach; some of the others, not all of them, had murmured something or had made gestures of surprised but also calm disapproval. But Judas, who has stood up to have a better view of the ointment spread on Jesus' feet, says with ill grace: «What a useless heathen waste! Why do that? And then we expect the Chiefs of the Sanhedrin not to speak of sin! Those are deeds of a lustful courtesan and they do not become the new life you are leading, woman. They are too strong a recollection of your past!» The insult is such that everybody is dumbfounded. It is such that everybody stirs, some sit up on the beds, some jump to their feet, everyone looks at Judas, as if he had suddenly become insane. Martha flares up. Lazarus springs to his feet striking the table with his fist and says: «In my house...», then he looks at Jesus and controls himself. «Yes. Are you all looking at me? You have all murmured in your hearts. But now that I echoed your words and I openly said what you thought, you are all ready to say that I am wrong. I will repeat what I said. I do not mean that Mary is the Master's lover. But I say that certain actions do not become Him or her. It is an imprudent action. And an unjust one. Yes. Why such waste? If she wanted to destroy the memories of her past, she could have given that vase and ointment to me. It was at least a pound of pure nard! And of high value. I could have sold it for at least three hundred denarii, as that is the price for nard of that quality. And I could have sold the vase, which was beautiful and precious. I would have given the money to the poor who crowd round us. We never have enough. And those asking for alms tomorrow in Jerusalem will be numberless.» «That is true» say the others assenting. «You could have used a little for the Master and the rest...»

7 Mary of Magdala seems to be deaf. She continues wiping Jesus' feet with her loose hair that now, at its end, is also heavy with the ointment and darker than on the top of her head. Jesus' feet are smooth and soft in their shade of old ivory, as if they were covered with fresh skin. And Mary puts the sandals on the Christ's feet again, kissing each foot before and after putting the sandal on, deaf to everything that is not her love for Jesus. Jesus defends her laying His hand on her head bent in the last kiss and saying: «Leave her alone. Why are you annoying and upsetting her? You do not realise what she has done. Mary has accomplished an action that is rightful and good with regard to Me. The poor will always be among you. I am about to go away. You will always have them, but you will soon not have Me any longer. You will always be able to give alms to the poor. Shortly to Me, to the Son of man among men, it will no longer be possible to give any honour, through the will of men, and because the hour has come. Love is light to her. She feels that I am about to die and she wanted to anticipate the burial anointing for My body. I tell you solemnly that wherever the Good News is proclaimed, this prophetic action of love of hers will be remembered. All over the world. Throughout ages. I wish God would turn every human being into another Mary who does not value things, who entertains no attachment for anything, who does not cherish the least memory of the past, but destroys and treads on everything that is flesh and world, and breaks and spreads herself, as she did with the nard and the alabaster, on her Lord and out of love for Him. Do not weep, Mary. In this hour I repeat to you the words I spoke to Simon the Pharisee and to your sister Martha: "You are forgiven everything, because you have loved completely." You have chosen the better part. And it will not be taken away from you. Go in peace, My kind little sheep found again. Go in peace. The pastures of love shall be your food forever. Stand up. Kiss also My hands that have absolved and blessed you... How many people these hands of Mine have absolved, blessed, cured, assisted! And yet I tell you that the people whom I have assisted are preparing torture for these hands...»

There is deathlike silence in the air sultry with the intense scent.

Mary, her loose hair clothing her shoulders and veiling her face, kisses the right hand that Jesus offers her and cannot detach her lips from it... Martha, deeply moved, approaches her and gathers her loose hair, which she braids caressing her, and then she wipes the tears on her cheeks endeavouring to dry them... No one feels like eating any more... Christ's words make them pensive. Judas of Alphaeus is the first to get up. He asks leave to withdraw. His brother James imitates him and Andrew and John follow suit. The others remain, but they are already standing, intent on purifying their hands in silver basins handed to them by the servants. Mary and Martha do the same with the Master and Lazarus.

8 A servant comes in and he bends to speak to Maximinus, who, after listening to him, says: «Master, there are some people who would like to see You. They say that they come from afar. What shall we do?»

Jesus calls Philip, James of Zebedee and Thomas and says to them: «Go, evangelize, cure, act in My name. Tell them that I shall be going up to the Temple tomorrow.» «Is it wise to tell them that, Lord?» asks Simon Zealot. «There is no sense in being silent about it, because it is already mentioned in the Holy City, more by enemies than by friends. Go!» «H'm! As long as friends know... we know. But they do not betray. I do not know how the others can be informed.» «Among the many friends there are always some enemies, Simon of Jonas. Now the friends are... too many and they are accepted as such too easily. When I think how long I had to wait and pray!... But those were the early days and one was cautious. Then the triumphs dazzled us and we were no longer wary. And that was wrong. But it happens to all winners. Victories prevent one from seeing clearly and enfeeble one's prudence in acting. I am speaking of us disciples, of course, not of the Master. He is perfect. If we had remained only twelve, we should not have to tremble for fear of betrayals!» says Judas of Kerioth lying shamelessly. It is impossible to describe the glance Christ casts at the perfidious apostle. A glance of warning and infinite sorrow. But Judas pays no attention to it. He passes by the table to go out...

9 Jesus follows him with His eyes and when He sees him go out, He asks him: «Where are you going?» «Out...» replies Judas evasively. «Out of this room, or out of the house?» «Out... So... For a little walk.» «Do not go, Judas. Stay with Me, with us...» «Your brothers have gone away with John and Andrew. Why must I not go?» «You are not going to have a rest as they did...» Judas does not reply, but he goes out obstinately. Not a word is uttered in the hall. Lazarus and his sisters and the four apostles who have stayed: Peter, Simon, Matthew and Bartholomew, look at one another. Jesus looks outside. He has got up and has gone to a window to follow Judas' movements and when He sees him go out of the house wearing his mantle and set out towards the gate, which cannot be seen from here, He calls him in a loud voice: «Judas! Wait for Me. I have something to tell you» and He gently frees Himself from Lazarus who, realising that the Master was grieved, had passed his arm round His waist embracing Him, and He leaves the hall, joining Judas, who had continued walking although more slowly. He reaches him at about one third of the distance between the house and the garden wall, near a thicket of plants with thick leaves that look like green baked clay sprayed with clusters of little flowers, and each flower is a small cross with heavy petals as if they were made of light yellow wax, with a strong scent. I do not know their name. He draws him behind the thicket and holding his forearm tight with His hand, He asks him again: «Where are you going, Judas? Please, stay here!» «Since you know everything, why do You ask me? What need is there for You to ask, since You can read the hearts of men? You know that I am going to my friends. You do not allow me to go there. They press me to go. I am going.»

«Your friends! You should say your ruin! That is where you are going. You are going to your true murderers. Don't go Judas! Don't go! You are going to commit a crime... You...» «Ah! You are afraid?! Are You afraid at last?! You realise at last that you are a man! You are a man! Nothing more than a man! Because man only is afraid of death. God knows that He cannot die. If You felt that You were God, You would know that You could not die and You would not be afraid. Because now that You feel death close at hand, You are afraid like all men and You are trying with every possible means to avert it and You see danger everywhere and in everything. Where is Your lovely boldness? Where are Your confident protestations that You were happy and thirsting for accomplishing the Sacrifice? There is not even an echo of them left in Your heart! You thought that this hour would never come, so You feigned power, generosity and You spoke solemn sentences. Go away! You are as bad as those whom You reproach as being hypocrites! You have enticed us and betrayed us. And we had left everything for Your sake! And because of You we are hated! You have brought about our ruin...» «That is enough. Go! Go away! Not many hours have gone by since you said to Me: "Help me to stay. Defend me!" I have done that. To what avail? Tell Me one thing more, and think about it before telling Me. Is this your sincere will? To go to your friends, to prefer them to Me?» «Yes. It is. I do not have to think about it, because for a long time I have wanted nothing but that.» «Then go. God does not do violence to man's will.» and Jesus turns His back on him and goes slowly back to the house.

10 When He is close to it He raises His head, attracted by the eyes of Lazarus, who standing where he was before, is looking fixedly at Him. It is a very pale face that endeavours to smile at the faithful friend. He goes back into the hall where the four apostles are speaking to Maximinus, while Martha and Mary are directing the work of the servants, who are tidying up the hall removing the dishes and table-linen used at the banquet. Lazarus has gone to the door and once again he has embraced Jesus' waist with his arm, and passing near a servant he says to him: «Bring me the roll that is on the table in my work-room.» He takes Jesus to one of the wide seats placed in the cavities of the windows, so that He may sit down. But Jesus remains standing, striving to pay attention to what Lazarus is saying to Him... but it is evident that His mind is elsewhere and His heart is grieved, although when He realises that the apostles are watching Him, He smiles to dispel the suspicions of those who have approached Him surrounding Him and are whispering to one another, winking and pointing at the Master. The servant comes back with the roll and Peter, seeing that the parchments contain things that are higher than what his head can understand, withdraws saying: «Fish do not bite certain baits. It is better to speak to Maximinus of plants and cultivations.» Martha continues with her work.

11 Maria, although silent, takes part in the conversation of Lazarus, who points out certain passages of the parchments to the Master, saying: «Has this heathen not got a rare foresight? More than many of us. Perhaps... if he had been here, while You are our Master, he would have been one of Your disciples, and one of the best. And he would have understood You as many of us have not been able to understand You. And what a poem would have been inspired to his genius by his admiration for You! Your words gathered and preserved by a spirit that is bright although it belongs to a heathen! Your life described by this open and limpid intellect! We no longer have writers and poets. You were born late. When the selfishness of life and religious-social corruption have extinguished poetry and genius among us. What our wise men and prophets have written about You, without knowing You, has not found an echo in the living voice of one of Your followers. Your favourites, Your faithful followers are mostly people without education. And the others... No. We no longer have any Qohelet to hand down to the crowds Your wisdom and Your figure. We no longer have them because the spirit and will are lacking more than the ability to do so. The humanly more chosen part of Israel is as deaf as a broken trumpet, and it can no longer sing the glories and wonders of God. My worry is that everything may be lost or adulterated, partly through inability, partly through ill-will...» «That will not happen. When the Spirit of the Lord is settled in hearts, it will repeat My words and explain their meaning. It is the Spirit of God Who speaks through the lips of the Christ. Then... Then It will speak to the spirits directly and will recall My words.» «Oh! I wish that would happen soon! Soon, because they listen so little to Your words and understand them even less. I think that the roaring of the Spirit of God will be as violent as blazing fire to engrave with violence in the minds of men what they would not accept because it was kind and mild. I think that the flaming Spirit will burn the tepid or torpid consciences with Its fire, writing Your words on them. The world will have to love You! It is the will of the Most High! But when will it happen?» «When I shall be consumed in the Sacrifice of love. Then Love will come. It will be like the beautiful flame rising from the sacrificed Victim. And that flame will never go out, because the Sacrifice will never end. Once it is accomplished, it will last throughout the time of the Earth.» «But then... You would really have to be sacrificed so that that may happen?» «It is so.» Jesus makes His usual gesture of adherence to His own destiny. He stretches out His arms with His hands pointed outwards and lowers His head. He then raises it to smile at distressed Lazarus and says: «But the immaterial voice of the Spirit of love will not be so violent as a roar, but it will be as sweet as love, which is as mild as a Nisan breeze and yet is as strong as death. The ineffable ministry of Love! The complement, the completion of My ministry. The perfection of My ministry as Master... I am not afraid, as you are, that anything of what I have given may be lost. On the contrary, I solemnly tell you that beams of light will be cast on My words and you will see their spirit. I am going away serenely because I am entrusting My doctrine to the Holy Spirit and My spirit to My Father.» He lowers His head pensively, then, after laying the roll, which gave rise to the conversation, on a kind of tall dresser or chest of ebony, or other dark wood, all inlaid with yellowish ivory, that has been brought by four servants from the next room, and in which Martha is arranging the more valuable tableware, He says: «Lazarus, come outside. I want to speak to you!» «At once, Lord» and Lazarus gets up from the seat on which he was sitting and follows Jesus into the garden, where it is beginning to get dark, as the last daylight is fading away in the sky, and the early moonlight, which is just beginning to appear, is still too faint. ------------12 Jesus says: «You will put here the vision dated 2nd March 1945: "Farewell to Lazarus", starting from the point: "Jesus walks turning His steps beyond the garden where is the sepulchre in which Lazarus was buried."»

Next Chapter: 585. Farewell to Lazarus. 2nd March 1945.
Bible verses on walking blamelessly with God, after being forgiven from our former sins. Some verses here: https://dailyverses.net/blameless

"[2] He that walketh without blemish, and worketh justice:[3] He that speaketh truth in his heart, who hath not used deceit in his tongue: Nor hath done evil to his neighbour: nor taken up a reproach against his neighbours.(Psalm 14)

"[2] For in many things we all offend. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man."(James 3)

"[14] And do ye all things without murmurings and hesitations; [15] That you may be blameless, and sincere children of God, without reproof, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; among whom you shine as lights in the world." (Phil 2:14-15)