July 31, 2009
Maria Valtorta’s The Poem of the Man-God
Volume 2 Chapter 245, pp 569 to 577
245. In the Synagogue at Nazareth on the Sabbath.
7th August 1945.
We are once again in the synagogue at Nazareth, but on a Sabbath.
Jesus has read the apologue against Abimelech and ends with the words: « "May fire come from the thorn bush and devour the cedars of Lebanon"». He then hands the roll to the head of the synagogue.
«Are You not reading the rest? You ought to read it, so that they may understand the apologue», says the head.
«It is not necessary. The days of Abimilech are very remote. I will apply the old apologue to the present time.
Listen, people of Nazareth. You already know the moral of the apologue against Abimelech, as you have been instructed by the head of your synagogue, who in his days was instructed by a rabbi, who had learned from another rabbi and so on for ages, always with the same method and the same conclusions. You will hear a different moral from Me. And I ask you to make use of your intelligence and not to be like the ropes of a well pulley, which, until they are worn out, run from the pulley down to the water, and then from the water back up to the pulley, without ever changing. Man is not a rope or a mechanical device. Man has been gifted with intelligence and must make use of it on his own behalf, according to needs and circumstances. Because if the letter of the word is eternal, circumstances change. Those are poor masters who do not want the trouble or the satisfaction of extracting each time new teachings, that is the spirit that the ancient wise words always contain. They will be like echoes, which can but repeat, even dozens of times, the same word, without ever adding one word of their own.
Mankind – the forest in fact, where all kinds of trees, shrubs and herbs are gathered, represents mankind – feels the need to be led by someone who would take upon himself all the glory and the even greater burden of authority and responsibility for the happiness or unhappiness of his subjects: someone who would be responsible to the subjects, to neighbouring countries, and what is more dreadful, to God. Because it is true that crowns and social pre-eminence, whichever they may be, are granted by men, but they are allowed by God, without Whose condescension no human power can be imposed. Which explains the sudden unimaginable changes of dynasties, which were considered everlasting and of powers which seemed untouchable, and which, when they overstepped the limit in punishing or trying people, were over-thrown by the same people, with God's permission, and became nothing but dust or, at times, sewer filth.
I said: people feel the need to elect someone who will take upon himself all responsibilities towards his subjects, towards neighbouring nations and towards God, which is the most dreadful of all. Because if the judgement of history is dreadful and the interests of people endeavour in vain to change it, because future events and people will restore it to its original terrible truth, God's justice is even more relentless, because it is not affected by any pressure whatsoever, neither is it subject to changes of humour or opinion, as men too often are, and above all it is not subject to wrong judgement. Those, therefore, who are elected leaders of peoples and makers of history ought to act with the heroic justice of saints, in order not to become ill-famed in future centuries and be punished by God for ever.
But let us go back to Abimelech's apologue. So the trees wanted to have a king and went to the olive-tree. But the latter, being a sacred tree and consecrated to supernatural use because of its oil that burns in front of the Lord and is a predominant element in tithes and sacrifices, and forms the holy balm to anoint altars, priests and kings, and for its properties I would say it is almost thaumaturgic and as such is used both on healthy and sick bodies, the olive-tree replies: "How could I fail my holy supernatural vocation to degrade myself in worldly matters?"
Oh! How gentle was the reply of the olive tree! Why is it not learned and repeated by all those whom God elects to a holy mission, at least by those? Because in actual fact it should be pronounced by every man as a reply to the suggestions of the demon, because every man is king and a son of God, gifted with a soul, which makes him a regal divine son, called to a supernatural destiny. His soul is an altar and a house. The altar of God, the house where the Heavenly Father descends to receive the love and reverence of His son and subject. Every man has a soul, and as each soul is an altar, every man is thereby a priest, a guardian of the altar and in Leviticus it is written: "The Priest shall not profane himself." Man, therefore, ought to reply to the temptations, of the Demon, of the world and of the flesh: "Can I stop being spiritual and busy myself with material sinful matters?"
The trees went then to the fig-tree, inviting it to reign over them. But the fig-tree replied: "How can I forego my sweetness and my excellent fruit to become your king?"
Many apply to a meek and kind man to have him as their king. Not so much because they admire his kindness, but because they hope that by being very kind he will end up by being a king they can make fun of, from whom they can obtain anything they wish and whom they can abuse as they like. But kindness is not weakness. It is goodness. It is just, intelligent, firm. Never mistake kindness for weakness. The former is virtue, the latter a fault. And because it is a virtue it gives those who possess it a righteous conscience, which enables them to resist human solicitations and allurements, aiming at bending them towards worldly interests, which are not the interests of God, remaining faithful to their destiny, at all costs. A kind-minded man will never repel reproaches with bitterness, neither will he ever harshly reject those who ask his help. On the contrary, smiling sympathetically he will always say: "Leave me to my peaceful destiny. I am here to comfort you and help you, but I cannot become king, according to your expectations, because I am interested in one regality only, for the welfare of your soul and mine: spiritual regality".
The trees went to the vine and asked it to be their king. But the vine replied: "How can I forego being mirth and strength to come and reign over you?"
To be king always leads to spiritual gloom, both because of responsibilities and of remorse, because a king who does not commit sin and does not cause himself to feel remorse is more rare than a black diamond. Power allures while it shines from afar like a lighthouse, but when one reaches it, one realises that it is not a star but only the faint light of a firefly. Furthermore, power is but a strength tied with the multitude of ropes of thousands of interests stirred up around a king: the interests of courtiers, of allies, of relatives and personal ones. How many kings swear to themselves while being anointed with oil: "I will be impartial" and later are unable to be so? Like a strong tree, which does not rebel against the first embrace of flexible or thin ivy saying: "It is so slender that it can do me no harm", on the contrary it is pleased to be decked with it and to be its protector supporting its climbing, so a king, very often, I could say always, yields to the first embrace of the interest of a courtier, of an ally, or a personal one or of a relative, who applies to him and he is pleased to be their munificent protector. "It is such a trifle!" he says, even if his conscience warns him: "Be careful!" And he thinks that it can harm neither his power nor his good name. Also the tree believes that. But the day comes when the ivy, growing in strength and in length, more and more voracious in sucking the lap of the soil and more and more anxious to climb up and conquer the sun and light, embraces, branch after branch, the whole big tree, overwhelms it, chokes it and kills it. And it was so slender! And the tree was so strong!
The same applies to kings. A first compromise with their mission, a first shrugging of shoulders at the voices of their conscience, because praise is pleasant and it is delightful to be a sought-after protector, and the moment comes when the king no longer reigns, but the interests of other people have taken over and imprison the king, they gag him and suffocate him, and if they have become stronger than he is, they kill him when they see that he is slow in dying. Also a common man, who is still a king in his spirit, is lost if he accepts a lower regality out of pride or greed. And he loses his spiritual serenity that comes to him from his union with God. Because the Demon, the world and the flesh can give an illusory power and joy, but at the cost of the spiritual cheerfulness that comes from the union with God.
O cheerfulness and strength of the poor in spirit, you really deserve that man may say: "How can I accept to become king in the inferior part, if by forming an alliance with you, I lose my internal strength and joy, Heaven and its true royalty?" And those blessed poor in spirit, who aim at possessing only the Kingdom of Heaven and despise all other riches not pertaining to that Kingdom, can also say: "How can we fail in our mission, which is to yield ripe fortifying juices and joyful juices for brotherly mankind that lives in the arid desert of animality and whose thirst is to be quenched so that it will not die and has need to be nourished with vital juices like a child without a nurse? We are the nurses of mankind that has lost the breast of God, and wanders barren and sick and would die of despair or tortured by the darkest scepticism, if it did not find us who, with the good-humoured activity of those who are free from every earthly tie, could convince them that there is a Life, a Joy, a Freedom, a Peace. We cannot forego such Charity for the sake of an interest that is miserable".
The trees then went to the thorn bush, which did not reject them. But it imposed severe terms. "If you want me as your king, you must come under me. But if after electing me, you will not comply, I will make every thorn of mine a burning torture and I will devour you all, including the cedars of Lebanon".
Such is the regality that the world accepts as true! Arrogance and ferocity are mistaken by corrupt mankind for true royalty, whereas meekness and goodness are considered foolish weak sentiments. Man will not submit to God, but he submits to EVIL He is seduced by it and consequently he is burnt by it.
That is Abimelech's apologue. But now I will propose another one to you. It does not refer to far away and past events. But to present things and near at hand.
The animals decided to elect a king for themselves. And since they were shrewd they thought of electing one who would not frighten them being strong or wild. So they discarded the lion and all felids. They said they did not want rostrate eagles or any other kind of bird of prey. They did not trust the horse, which with its speed could reach them and see what they were doing; and they trusted even less the donkey, which they knew to be very patient, but also subject to sudden rage and equipped with powerful hooves. They were horrified at the idea of having a monkey as their king, because monkeys are too intelligent and revengeful. Under the pretext that the snake had favoured Satan in seducing man, they said that they did not want it as their king, notwithstanding its graceful colours and its smart movements. In actual fact they did not want it because they were aware of its silent gait, its powerful muscles and the dreadful effect of its poison. Could they possibly choose as their king a bull or any other animal gifted with pointed horns? Never! "Also the devil has them" they said. But they were thinking: "Should we one day rebel, it will wipe us out with its horns".
After so much discarding, they saw a little fat white lamb hopping merrily on a green meadow, hitting his mother's round udder. He had no horns and his eyes were as meek as the April. He was docile and simple. And he was satisfied with everything: with the water of the little stream where he used to drink dipping his rosy little muzzle into the water; with the many-flavoured little flowers that gratified both his eyes and palate; with the thick grass where it was pleasant to lie when he was full; with the clouds, which seemed as many little lambs roving about the blue meadows up there, and inviting him to play running m the field as they did in the sky; and, above all, he was pleased with the caresses of his mother, as she still allowed him to suckle now and again while she licked his white fleece with her pinkish tongue; with the safe fold, which was well sheltered from winds, and with its soft fragrant litter, where it was lovely to sleep beside his mother. "He is pleased. He has neither weapons nor poison. He is naive. Let us make him our king". And they did. And they were proud of him because he was beautiful and kind, admired by nearby people and loved by his subjects because of his patient meekness.
The days passed and the lamb became a ram and said: "The time has now come when I must really reign. Now I am fully aware of my mission. The will of God, Who permitted me to be elected king, has formed me for my mission and has given me the capability to reign. It is therefore just that I should exert it in a perfect manner, also because I do not want to neglect the gifts of God". And when he saw that his subjects were doing things contrary to morality, or to charity, kindness, loyalty, moderation, obedience, respect, prudence, and so on, he raised his voice to warn them. His subjects laughed at his wise and kind bleating, which did not frighten them like the roar of felines, or the screech of vultures when they dive onto a prey, or the hiss of a snake, or the barking of a frightful dog.
The lamb, which was now a ram, did not limit himself to bleating. He went to the culprits to bring them back to their duties. But the serpent slipped away through his legs. The eagle flew away and thus deserted him. The felines pushed him aside with their paws threatening: "For the time being our soft paws are only pushing you aside. But see what is in them? Claws". Horses and similar racers began to gallop round him, making fun of him. Strong elephants and other pachyderms pushed him about with their trunks, while monkeys threw objects at him from tree-tops.
The lamb, which had become a ram, at last was angry and said: "I did not want to use my horns or my strength. Because my neck is powerful indeed, and in fact it will be taken as a model to knock down war obstacles. I did not want to make use of it, because I prefer to use love and persuasion. But since you will not yield to such weapons, I will use force, because if you fail in your duties towards me and towards God, I do not want to fail in my duty towards God and towards you. I was elected to this position by you and by God, to guide you to Justice and Good. And I want Justice and Good, that is Order, to reign here". And he punished with his horns, but only slightly, because he was kind, an obstinate cur, which continued to molest its neighbours and later with his most powerful neck he broke down the door of the den where a greedy selfish pig had stored up victuals to the detriment of other animals, and knocked down also the liana thicket, which two lustful monkeys had chosen for their illicit love affairs.
"This king has become too strong. He really wants to reign. And he wants us to live as wise animals. That is not to our liking. We must dethrone him" they decided. But a shrewd monkey suggested: "We must do it only under the pretext of a just reason. Otherwise we shall cut a bad figure with nearby peoples and we shall be disliked by God. Therefore let us spy on every action of the lamb, which has become a ram, so that our accusation may appear a just one".
"I will see to that" said the snake. "And I, too" said the monkey. So they never lost sight of the lamb, as one crawled on the grass and the other remained on tree-tops, and every evening, when he retired to rest after the fatigue of his mission and to ponder on the measures to be taken and the words to be used to put down the rebellion and overcome the sinful habits of his subjects, all the animals gathered, with the rare exception of a few honest faithful ones, to listen to the report of the two spies and traitors. Because that is what they were.
The snake would say to its king: "I follow you because I love you and should I see you being attacked, I want to be able to defend you". The monkey used to say: "How much I admire you! I want to help you. Look: from here I can see that someone is committing a sin beyond that meadow. Run there", and then it would say to its companions: "Today also he took part in the banquet of some sinners. He pretended to go there to convert them, but in actual fact he was an accomplice of their orgy". And the snake reported: "He even went outside the limits of his people, as he approached butterflies, blue-bottles and slimy snails. He is not faithful. He deals with impure foreigners".
That is what they were saying behind the back of the innocent lamb, and they thought that he did not know. But the spirit of the Lord Who had formed him for his mission, enlightened him also on the plots of his subjects. The lamb could have fled indignantly, cursing them. But he was kind and humble-hearted. And he was full of love. His mistake was to love. And an even greater mistake was to persevere in his mission, loving and forgiving, at the cost of death, to accomplish God's will. Oh! What mistakes these are with men. Unforgivable! So much so that it was condemned because of them. "Let him be killed; so that we may be free from his oppression". And the snake took upon itself to kill the lamb because the snake is always the traitor...
That is the other apologue. It is for you to understand it, people of Nazareth! Because I love you, I wish you to remain at least at the level of a hostile people, without going beyond that. The love for the land where I came when a child, and in which I grew up loving you and being loved, compels Me to say to you all: "Do not be more than hostile. Do not let history say: 'His traitor and His unjust judges came from Nazareth' ".
Goodbye. Be righteous in judging and firm in willing. The former virtue applies to you all, my fellow-citizens. The latter to those among you who are not upset by dishonest thoughts. I am going... Peace be with you.»
And Jesus, sorrowfully, with His head lowered, leaves the synagogue of Nazareth, in a painful silence, broken by two or three voices only, expressing approval.
He is followed by the apostles. Alphaeus' sons are the last ones. And their eyes do not certainly look like the meek eyes of a lamb... They glare upon the hostile crowd and Judas Thaddeus does not hesitate to plant himself in front of his brother Simon and say to him: «I thought my brother was more honest and of a stronger character.»
Simon lowers his head and is silent. But the other brother, supported by other people of Nazareth, exclaims: «You ought to be ashamed of offending your eldest brother!»
«No. I am ashamed of you. Of all of you. Nazareth is not a stepmother, but a perverted stepmother to the Messiah. But listen to my prophecy. You will shed enough tears to feed a fountain, but they will not serve to wash out the true name of this town and your own from history books. Do you know what that name is? "Stupidity". Goodbye.»
James' salutation is gentler: he wishes them the light of wisdom. And they go out with Alphaeus of Sarah and two young men, who, if I am not wrong, are the two ass-drivers who escorted the donkeys that were used to go to Johanna of Chusa, when she was about to die.
The crowds, who have remained dumbfounded, whisper: «But where did He get so much wisdom?»
«And how can He work miracles? Because He really works miracles. The whole of Palestine talks about it.»
«Is He not the son of Joseph, the carpenter? We have all seen Him, at the bench of the carpenter of Nazareth, making tables and beds, adjusting wheels and locks. He did not even go to school and His Mother was His only teacher.»
«A scandal which also our father criticised» says Joseph of Alphaeus.
«But your brothers also finished school with Mary of Joseph.»
«Eh! My father was weak with his wife...» replies Joseph again.
«In that case, also your father's brother?»
«Yes.»
«But is He really the carpenter's son?»
«Can't you see Him?»
«Oh! So many are like one another! I think He is one who says He is, but He is not.»
«Where is Jesus of Joseph, then?»
«Do you think that His Mother would not recognise Him?»
«His brothers and sisters are here and they all say that He is their relative. Is that right, you two?»
The two sons of Alphaeus nod assent.
«Well, then, He is either mad or possessed, because what He says cannot come from a workman.»
«We should not listen to Him. His alleged doctrine is either delirium or possession.»
Jesus is standing in the square waiting for Alphaeus of Sarah who is speaking to a man. And while He is waiting, one of the ass-drivers, who had stopped at the door of the synagogue informs Him of the slander uttered in the synagogue.
«Do not let it grieve you. A prophet generally is not honoured in his fatherland or at home. Man is so foolish that he believes that one must be almost out of this world to be a prophet. And fellow-citizens and relatives all know and remember more than anybody else the human nature of their fellow-citizen or relative. But the truth is always triumphant. And now I say goodbye to you. Peace be with you.»
«Thank you, Master, for curing my mother.»
«You deserved it because you believed. My people here are inert, because there is no faith here. Let us go, My friends. We shall be leaving tomorrow at dawn.»
August 1, 2009
Maria Valtorta’s The Poem of the Man-God
Volume 2 Chapter 269 pp.729 to 735
269. The News of the Murder of John the Baptist.
4th September 1945.
Jesus is curing some sick people; Manaen only is present. They are in the house in Capernaum, in the shady kitchen garden, early in the morning. Manaen is no longer wearing his precious belt or the thin plate on his forehead. His tunic is held tight by a woollen cord and his headgear by a thin strip of cloth. Jesus is bareheaded, as He always is, when at home.
After curing and comforting the sick people, Jesus goes upstairs with Manaen and they both sit on the window-sill of the window facing the mountain, because the sun is shining on the other side of the house and it is very warm, although it is no longer the height of summer.
«Vintage will be starting soon» says Manaen.
«Yes. Then it will be the feast of the Tabernacles... and it will soon be winter. When are you thinking of going away?»
«H'm... I would never leave... But I am thinking of the Baptist. Herod is weak. If one knows how to influence him to do good, if he does not become good, he remains at least... not blood-thirsty. But only few people advise him wisely. And that woman!... That woman!... But I would like to stay here until Your apostles come back. Not that I rely much on myself... but I still have some weight... although the favour I enjoyed previously has diminished much since they have realized that I now follow the way of Good. But it does not matter. I would like to have enough courage to be able to abandon everything and follow You completely, like the disciples whom You are expecting. But shall I ever succeed? We who are not of the common people find it more difficult to follow You. Why?»
«Because the tentacles of your poor wealth hold you back.»
«However, I know some people who are not exactly rich, but are learned or about to be so, and they do not come either.»
«They also have the tentacles of poor riches holding them back. One is not rich only in money. There is the wealth of knowledge. Few can confess with Solomon: "Vanity of vanities. All is vanity", which confession is resumed and enlarged not so much materially but deeply in Qoheleth. Do you remember it? Human science is vanity because to increase human knowledge only "is anguish and affliction of the spirit and he who multiplies science multiplies such anguish". I solemnly tell you that it is so. And I also tell you that it would not be so if human science were supported and bridled by supernatural wisdom and the holy love of God. Pleasure is vanity, because it does not last, but quickly fades away after burning, leaving ashes and emptiness. Wealth stored up by means of various industries is vanity for the man who dies, as he leaves it to other people and cannot repel death by means of it. Woman is vanity, when she is considered a female and desired as such. So we conclude that the only thing which is not vanity is the holy fear of God and obedience to His commandments, that is the wisdom of man, who is not only flesh, but has a second nature: the spiritual one. Who can reason thus and is willing, is able to break off from every tentacle of poor wealth and move freely towards the Sun.»
«I want to remember those words. How much You have given me during the past days! I can now go back to that ugly Court which seems bright only to fools, and seems powerful and free, whereas it is misery, prison and darkness, and I will be able to go back with a treasure that will enable me to live better waiting for the best. But will I ever reach that best, which is to be entirely Yours?»
«Yes, you will.»
«When? Next year? Later? Or when old age will make me wise?»
«You will reach it in a few hours by becoming spiritually mature and perfect in willing.»
Manaen looks at Him thoughtfully, inquisitively... But he does not ask any other question.
There is silence. Then Jesus says: «Have you ever approached Lazarus of Bethany?»
«No, Master. I can say no. If we met on few occasions I cannot say it was out of friendship. You know... I was with Herod and Herod was against him... So...»
«Lazarus would now see you in God, beyond such things. You must endeavour to approach him, as a fellow-disciple.»
«I will do it, if You wish so...»
Excited voices are heard in the garden. They are anxiously asking: «The Master! The Master! Is He here?»
The harmonious voice of the landlady replies: «He is upstairs. Who are you? Sick people?»
«No. Disciples of John and we want Jesus of Nazareth.»
Jesus looks out of the window saying: «Peace be with you... Oh! It is you. Come in!»
They are the three shepherds John, Matthias and Simeon. «Oh! Master!» they say looking up and showing their sorrowful faces. Not even the sight of Jesus cheers them up.
Jesus leaves the room and goes out to meet them on the terrace. Manaen follows Him. They meet where the staircase leads on to the sunny terrace.
The three men kneel down kissing the floor. Then John says on behalf of them all: «Receive us now, Lord, because we are Your inheritance» and tears stream down the faces of the disciple and his companions.
Jesus and Manaen utter one only cry: «John!?»
«He has been killed...»
The word drops like a loud dull noise, which drowns every other noise in the world. And yet it was uttered in a low voice. But it petrifies both him who speaks and those who listen. And the earth, upon hearing it and being horrified, seems to interrupt every noise, such is the period of deep silence and complete immobility in animals, in leafy branches, in the air. Doves stop cooing, blackbirds interrupt their musical songs, the choir of sparrows is struck dumb, and a chirping cicada suddenly becomes silent, as if its contrivance had broken down unexpectedly, while the wind, which was caressing the leaves of vines and trees, making them rustle like silk and causing poles to squeak, drops completely.
Jesus becomes as pale as ivory while His eyes dilate glazing over. He opens His arms saying, and His voice is deep in the effort to make it steady: «Peace to the martyr of justice and to My Precursor.» He folds His arms, collects His thoughts in prayer, communicating with the Spirit of God and of the Baptist.
Manaen does not dare to make a gesture. Contrary to Jesus, he blushes vehemently and has an impulsion of anger. Then he becomes stiff and his excitement is revealed by the mechanical movement of his right hand rumpling the cord of his tunic, and of the left one which unintentionally searches for his dagger... and Manaen shakes his head pitying his weak mind that does not remember that he had renounced weapons in order to be «the disciple of the Meek Master, near the Meek Messiah.»
Jesus opens His mouth and eyes again. His countenance, His eyes, His voice have resumed the divine majesty habitual to Him. Only a deep melancholy tempered with peace hovers about Him. «Come and tell Me. As from today you will be Mine.» And He takes them into the room, closing the door and half-drawing the curtains, to have a subdued light and an atmosphere of concentration around the sorrow and the beauty of the Baptist's death, and to form a partition between such perfection of life and the corrupt world. «Speak» He tells them.
Manaen is still petrified. He is near the group but does not utter one word.
«It was the evening of the feast... The event was unforeseeable... Only two hours before Herod had consulted with John and had dismissed him very kindly... And shortly before the... murder, the martyrdom, the crime, the glorification, Herod had sent a servant with icy fruit and rare wines for the prisoner. John had distributed everything to us... he never changed his austerity... We were the only ones to be there, thanks to Manaen, we were in the palace as kitchen servants and stable-grooms. And that was a grace because we could always see our John... John and I were in the kitchen, while Simeon supervised in the stables ensuring that the grooms looked after the mounts of guests properly... The palace was full of important people, military commanders and gentlemen from Galilee. Herodias had locked herself in her rooms after a violent quarrel in the morning with Herod...»
Manaen interferes: «But when did the hyena come?»
«Two days previously. Unexpectedly... saying to the monarch that she could not live away from him and be absent on the day of his feast. Viper and sorceress as she had always been, she had made a laughing-stock of him... But that morning, although he was already full of wine and lust, Herod refused to give the woman what she asked for with loud cries... But nobody thought it was John's life!... She remained disdainfully in her rooms. She sent back the royal dishes that Herod sent to her on precious trays. She kept only a precious one full of fruit, exchanging the gift with an amphora of drugged wine for Herod... Drugged... Ah! Her vicious intoxicated nature was sufficient to drug him for the crime! From the servants waiting at the table we learned that after the dance of the mimers, nay half way through it, Salome had rushed dancing into the banquet hall. And the mimers, in the presence of the royal girl, had withdrawn against the walls. We were told that her dance was perfect. Lewd and perfect. Worthy of the guests... Herod.... Oh! perhaps a new desire of incest was fermenting in his heart!... Herod, at the end of the dance, said enthusiastically to Salome: "You have danced very well! I swear that you deserve a prize. I swear that I will give it to you. I swear that I will give anything you may ask me for. I swear it in the presence of everybody. And the word of a king is loyal also without swearing. Ask what you want". And Salome, simulating perplexity, innocence and modesty, enveloping herself in her veils with bashful gesture after so much impudicity, said: "Allow me, great king, to ponder for a moment. I will withdraw and I will come back later because your grace has moved me"... and she left going to her mother. Selma told me that she went in laughing, saying: "Mother, you have won! Give me the tray". And Herodias with a cry of triumph ordered the slave to give the girl the tray that she had kept previously, saying: "Go, and come back with the hated head and I will clothe you with pearls and gold". And Selma was struck with horror and obeyed... Salome re-entered the hall dancing and went to prostrate herself at the king's feet saying: "Here. On this tray that you sent to my mother as a token that you love her and you love me, I want the head of John. And I will dance again, if it pleases you so much. I will dance the dance of victory. Because I have won! I have beaten you, king! I have defeated life and I am happy!" That is what she said, and her words were repeated to us by a friendly cup-bearer. And Herod was embarrassed, being caught by two desires: to abide by his promise, to be just. But he could not be just, because he is unjust. He nodded to the headsman who was standing behind the royal seat, and he took from Salome's raised hands the tray and from the banquet hall went down to the lower rooms. John and I saw him cross the yard... and shortly afterwards we heard Simeon's cry: "Murderers!" and then we saw the headsman pass again with the head on the tray... John, Your Precursor, was dead...»
«Simeon, can you tell Me how he died?» asks Jesus after some time.
«Yes, he was praying... He had previously said to me: "The two messengers will be back before long, and those who do not believe, will believe. But remember, should I be no longer alive when they come back, I, on the point of dying, say to you: 'Jesus of Nazareth is the true Messiah' so that you may repeat it to the others". He was always thinking of You... The headsman entered. I uttered a cry. John looked up and saw him. He stood up and said: "You can take only my life. But the lasting truth is that it is not legal to do wrong". And he was about to say something to me when the headsman swung his heavy sword, while John was standing and the head fell from the bust in a stream of blood that reddened the goatskin while his thin face blanched, but his open eyes were still alive and accusing. The head rolled at my feet... I fell at the same time as his body, as I fainted with grief... After... After Herodias had disfigured it, the head was thrown to the dogs. But we picked it up at once and we tied it in a precious veil together with the trunk and during the night we recomposed the body and carried it out of Machaerus. We embalmed it at daybreak in a nearby acacia-thicket with the help of other disciples... But it was taken from us again to be slashed... Because she cannot destroy it and cannot forgive him... And her slaves, fearing death, were more ferocious than jackals in taking the head from us. If you had been there, Manaen!...» «Had I been there... But that head is her malediction... Nothing is taken from the glory of the Precursor, even if the body is mutilated. Is that right, Master?»
«That is true. Even if the dogs had destroyed it, his glory would not change.»
«Neither has his word changed, Master. His eyes, although disfigured, under a large wound, still say: "You are not allowed". But we have lost him!» says Matthias.
«And we are now Your disciples, because that is what he said, and he told us that You already know.»
«Yes you have been Mine for months. How did you come?»
«On foot; by stages. It was a long painful journey, in the heat of sands and of the sun, made even more painful by grief. We have been walking for almost twenty days...»
«You will rest now.»
Manaen asks: «Was Herod not surprised at my absence?»
«Yes, at first he was annoyed, then he became furious. But when his rage calmed down, he said: "One judge less". That is what our friend, the cup-bearer, told us.»
Jesus says: «One judge less! He has God as a judge and that is enough. Let us go to where we sleep. You are tired and covered with dust. You will find the garments and sandals of your companions. Take them, refresh yourselves. What belongs to one, belongs to everybody. Matthias, since you are tall, you can take one of My tunics. We will provide later. My apostles will be coming before night, because this is the Sabbath eve. Isaac will be coming next week with the disciples, and later Benjamin and Daniel will come; Elias, Joseph and Levi will be here after the Tabernacles. It is time for others to join the Twelve. Go and rest now.»
Manaen takes them in and then comes back. Jesus remains with Manaen. He sits down pensively, and is clearly sad, with His head reclined on a hand, His elbow resting on His knee as a support. Manaen is sitting near the table and does not move. He is sullen. His face is a storm.
After a long time, Jesus raises His head, looks at him and asks: «And what are you going to do now?»
«I do not know yet... There is no purpose in staying any longer at Machaerus. But I would like to remain at the court to find out... to protect You according to what I learn.»
«You had better follow Me without any delay. But I will not force you. You will come, when the old Manaen has been destroyed bit by bit.»
«I would also like to take that head away from that woman. She is not worthy to have it...»
Jesus has a pale hint of a smile and says frankly: «And you are not yet dead to human wealth. But you are dear to Me just the same. I know that I shall not lose you even if I have to wait. I know how to wait...»
«Master, I would like to give You my generosity to comfort You... Because You are suffering. I can see it.»
«It is true. I am suffering. Very much!»
«Only because of John? I do not think so. You know that he is in peace.»
«I know that he is in peace and I perceive him close to Me.»
«Well, then?»
«Then!... Manaen, what does dawn precede?»
«The day, Master. Why do You ask me?»
«Because the death of John precedes the day when I will be the Redeemer. And the human part in Me trembles at the idea... Manaen, I am going up the mountain. You stay here to receive whoever should come and to assist those who have already come. Stay until I come back. Then... you will do whatever you wish. Goodbye.»
And Jesus leaves the room. He goes slowly down the steps, crosses the kitchen garden and at the back of it He takes a little path along ruffled gardens, olive-groves, orchards of apple and fig-trees and vineyards and He climbs the slope of a little hill where He disappears from my sight.
August 2, 2009
Maria Valtorta’s The Poem of the Man-God
Volume 3 Chapter 353 , pp 436 to 448
353. The Bread from Heaven.
The vision of the second miracle of the loaves given on 28th May 1944 and relevant dictation are to be put before the vision of 7th December.
-------------------------------
7th December 1945.
The beach at Capernaum is crowded with people disembarking from a flotilla of boats of all sizes. And the first to land spread among the crowds looking for the Master, or an apostle or at least a disciple. And they ask after them...
A man at last replies: «The Master? The apostles? No, they are not here. They went away immediately after the Sabbath and have not come back. But they will come back, because some of the disciples are here. I spoke just now to one of them. He must be an important disciple. He speaks as well as Jairus! He went along the coast towards that house in the fields.»
The man who asked the question, spreads the news and they all rush towards the house. But after about two hundred metres they meet on the beach a group of disciples coming towards Capernaum gesticulating animatedly. They greet them and ask: «Where is the Master?»
The disciples reply: «During the night, after the miracle, He went with His disciples by boat to the other side of the sea. We saw the sails in the moonlight going towards Dalmanuta.»
«Ah! We looked for Him at Magdala, at Mary's house, but He was not there! However... the fishermen of Magdala should have told us!»
«They probably did not know. He may have gone up the Arbela mountains to pray. He has been there before, last year, before Passover. I met Him there, by the great grace of the Lord to His poor servant» says Stephen.
«But is He not coming back here?»
«He will certainly come back. He has to give us instructions before sending us away. But what do you want?»
«We want to hear Him again, to follow Him and become His disciples.»
«He will be going to Jerusalem. You will find Him there. And in the House of God, the Lord will speak to you and you will know whether you ought to follow Him. Because you must know that, although He does not reject anybody, there are tendencies in us which reject the Light. Now, he who has so many of them as to be not only saturated with them – which is not a great evil because He is Light and when we firmly decide to become His loyal followers His Light penetrates into us and overwhelms darkness – but to be also deeply attached to them, as to one's own body, then it is better for him to refrain from coming, unless he is prepared to demolish his old being and form a completely new one. Consider, therefore, whether you have the strength to take on a new spirit, a new way of thinking and wanting. Pray in order to see the truth concerning your vocation. Then come, if you should so decide. And may the Most High, Who guided Israel in the "passage", guide you also in this "Pesach", so that you may follow in the wake of the Lamb, from the desert, towards the eternal Earth, the Kingdom of God» says Stephen, speaking on behalf of all his companions.
«No, no! Now! At once! No one does what He does. We want to follow Him» shout the crowds in tumult.
Stephen smiles meaningly. He opens his arms and says: «Do you want to come because He gave you plenty good bread? Do you think that in future He will give you only that? He promises His followers what is His own lot: sorrow, persecution, martyrdom. Not roses, but thorns; not caresses, but slaps; not bread but stones are awaiting the followers of Christ. And I say so without becoming a blasphemer, because His true followers will be anointed with the holy oil made by His Grace and His suffering; and we shall be "anointed" to be the victims on the altar and the kings in Heaven.»
«Well? Are you jealous perhaps? If you are there, we want to be there as well. The Master belongs to everybody.»
«All right. I told you because I love you and I want you to know what It means to be "disciples", so that you may not become deserters later. Let us now go all together and wait for Him at His house. The sun is already setting and the Sabbath is about to begin. He will come to spend it here before departing.»
And they go towards the town, talking. And many ask Stephen and Hermas, who has joined them, many questions, as they are both placed in a very favourable light in the eyes of the Israelites, because they are Gamaliel's dearest pupils. Many ask: «But what does Gamaliel say about Him?», and some: «Did he send you?», and some: «Did he not regret losing you?», or: «What does the Master say of the great rabbi?»
The two disciples reply patiently: «Gamaliel speaks of Jesus of Nazareth as of the greatest man in Israel.»
«What? Greater than Moses?» exclaim some, who are almost scandalised.
«He says that Moses is one of the many precursors of the Christ. But he is only the servant of the Christ.»
«So, according to Gamaliel, this man is the Christ? Is that what he says? If rabbi Gamaliel says that, the matter is settled. He is the Christ!»
«He does not say that. He cannot yet believe that, unfortunately for him. But he says that the Christ is on the earth because he spoke to Him many years ago. Both he and wise Hillel. And he is waiting for the sign that Christ promised him so that he may recognise Him» says Hermas.
«But how could he believe that that man was the Christ? What did He do? I am as old as Gamaliel, but I never heard of anyone doing the things that the Master does. If he is not convinced by these miracles, what miracles did he see in that Christ that he believed in Him?»
«He saw Him anointed with the Wisdom of God. So he says» replies Hermas once again.
«Well, then, what is this one according to Gamaliel?»
«The greatest man, master and precursor in Israel. If he could say: "He is the Christ", the wise and just soul of my just master would be saved» says Stephen and he concludes: «And I pray that that may happen, at all costs.»
«But if he does not believe that He is the Christ, why did he send you to Him?»
«We wanted to come. He let us come saying that it was a good thing.»
«Perhaps he wanted to find out things and report them to the Sanhedrin...» insinuates one.
«Man what are you saying? Gamaliel is honest. He does not play the spy for anybody, and particularly for the enemies of an innocent person!» objects Stephen and he is so indignant and almost beaming with holy indignation that he looks like an archangel.
«But he must have been sorry to lose you» states another man.
«He was and was not. As a man who was fond of us, yes. As a very righteous spirit, no. Because he said: "He is greater than I am and younger than I am. So I will be able to breathe my last peacefully, as far as your future is concerned, as I know that you are with the 'Master of masters' ".»
«And what does Jesus of Nazareth say of the great rabbi?»
«Oh! He speaks but highly of him!»
«Is He not envious of him?»
«God does not envy» replies Hermas severely. «Do not make sacrilegious suppositions.»
«So He is God according to you. Are you sure?»
And the two reply together: «As we are sure that we are alive just now.» And Stephen concludes: «And believe it yourselves if you wish to possess eternal Life.»
From the beach they go into the square, which they cross going towards the house. Jesus is at the door caressing some children.
The disciples and some curious people crowd round Him asking: «Master, when did You come?»
«A few minutes ago.» Jesus' countenance is still as majestically solemn, somewhat ecstatic, as when He has been engrossed in prayer for a long time.
«Have You been praying, Master?» asks Stephen in a low voice out of respect, and for the same reason he has stooped.
«Yes, I have. What makes you understand that, My son?» asks Jesus laying His hand on the disciple's dark hair with a kind caress.
«Your angelical face. I am a poor man, but the expression of Your face is so clear that one can read on it the emotions and deeds of Your spirit.»
«Yours also is clear. You are one of those who remain children...»
«And what is there on my face, Lord?»
«Come aside and I will tell you» and Jesus takes him by the wrist and leads him into a dark corridor. «Charity, faith, purity, generosity, wisdom; God gave them to you and you have improved them and you will do so even more in the future. Finally, in accordance with your name, you have a crown: it is of pure gold with a large gem glittering in front. On the gold and on the gem there are two expressions engraved: "Predestination" and "Early Fruit". Be worthy of your destiny, Stephen. Go in peace with My blessing.» And once again He rests His hand on Stephen's dark hair while he kneels down and bends to kiss His feet.
They go back to the others.
«These people have come to hear You...» says Philip
«It is not possible to speak here. Let us go to the synagogue. Jairus will be pleased.»
They go to the beautiful synagogue of Capernaum: Jesus leads the way and is followed by the procession of all the others. Jairus greets Him and He enters, giving instructions to leave all the doors open, so that those who cannot go inside may hear Him from the street and square beside the synagogue.
Jesus goes to His place, in the friendly synagogue, in which, fortunately, there are no Pharisees today. They have probably already left for Jerusalem in full plumage. And He begins to speak.
«I solemnly tell you: You are looking for Me not to hear Me or because of the miracles which you have seen, but because of the bread that I gave you to eat to your fill and without any expense. That is why three quarters of you were looking for Me, and also out of curiosity and that is why you came from every part of our Fatherland. So there is no supernatural spirit in your quest, dominated by human spirit with its unsound curiosities or at least with childish curiosity, not because it is simple like that of children, but because it is maimed like the intelligence of a dull-minded person. And linked to such curiosity there is sensuality and vitiated feeling. Sensuality, as subtle as the demon whose daughter it is, hides behind appearances and seemingly good deeds, and vitiated feeling is simply a morbid deviation of sentiment, and like everything which is "disease" it needs and craves after drugs, which are not plain food, good bread, good water, unadulterated oil, the first milk which is sufficient to live and live well. Vitiated feeling needs extraordinary things to be roused, to feel the thrill of pleasure, the sickly thrill of paralysed people who need drugs to feel the sensation, which beguiles them into believing that they are still healthy and virile. The sensuality that wants to satisfy one's gluttony without work, in this case, with bread which was not hard-earned, but given by God's bounty.
The gifts of God are not common ordinary things, they are special ones. One cannot claim them nor can one become lazy and say: "God will give them to me". It is written: "You shall eat bread moistened with the sweat of your forehead", that is the bread earned through hard work. If He Who is Mercy said: "I feel sorry for these people, who have followed Me for three days and have nothing left to eat and may faint on the way before they reach Hippo on the lake, or Gamala, or any other town", and He provided accordingly, that does not imply that He is to be followed just because of that. I am to be followed for much more than a little bread, which becomes excrement after it is digested. I am to be followed not for the food that fills the stomach, but for that which nourishes the soul. Because you are not only animals, which must browse and ruminate, or grout and get fat. You are souls! That is what you are! Your body is the garment, your being is the soul. It is the soul that lasts. Your body, like every garment, wears out and comes to an end and it is not worth taking care of it, as if it were something perfect deserving every care.
Seek, therefore, what is just to attain, not what is unjust. Endeavour to get not the food that does perish, but that which lasts for eternal life. The Son of man will always give it to you, whenever you want it. Because the Son of man has at His disposal everything that comes from God, and He can give it; He is the Master, the generous Master of the treasures of the Father God, Who has impressed His seal on Him so that no honest eye may be confused. And if you have the food that does not perish, you will be able to do the works of God, having been nourished with the food of God.»
«What shall we do, to work the deeds of God? We keep the Law and respect the Prophets. Thus we are already nourished with the food of God and we do the works of God.»
«That is true. You keep the Law. Or better still: you "know" the Law. But to know is not to practise. For instance, we know the laws of Rome, but no faithful Israelite puts them into practise, except in those specific cases when he is compelled to do so as a subject. Otherwise, I am referring to faithful Israelites, we do not put into practise the heathen customs of the Romans, although we know them. The Law which you know and the Prophets should, in fact, nourish you with God and make you capable of working the deeds of God. But in order to do so, they should have become one thing with you, like the air you breathe and the food you assimilate, which become your life and your blood. Instead they are like strangers to you, although they belong to your house, just like an object in the house, which is known and useful to you, but will not interfere with your life if it were lost. But try not to breathe for a few minutes, or to go without food for days... and you will see that you cannot live. And that is how your ego should feel in your malnutrition and asphyxia of the Law and Prophets known to you but not assimilated and thus not all one with you. This is what I have come to teach you and to give you: the juice, the air of the Law and of the Prophets, to give blood and breath back to your souls dying from inanition and asphyxia. You are like children whom a disease has made unable to tell what can nourish them: You have plenty food in front of you, but you do not know that It must be eaten to be changed into something vital that is, that it must really become part of us, through pure generous loyalty to the Law of the Lord, Who spoke to Moses and the Prophets on behalf of all of you. It is your duty, therefore, to come to Me to receive the air and juice of eternal Life. But that duty presupposes faith in you. Because If one has no faith, one cannot believe My words, and if one does not believe, one cannot come to Me and say: "Give me the true bread". And if you do not have the true bread you cannot work the deeds of God, because you are unable to do them. So in order to be nourished by God and to work the deeds of God, you must do the basic work, which is: to believe in Him Whom God sent.»
«But what miracles do You work that we may believe that You have been sent by God and we may see the seal of God upon You? What do You do, which the Prophets have not already done although in a more modest form? Nay, Moses exceeded You, because he fed our ancestors with wonderful food not once but for forty years. It is in fact written that our forefathers ate manna in the desert for forty years, and it is written that Moses gave them the bread of heaven to eat, as he was able to do so.»
«You are wrong. Not Moses but the Lord was able to do so. And in Exodus we read: "Now I will rain down bread from the heavens. Let the people go out and gather what is sufficient for each day, so that I may test whether the people will follow My law or not. And on the sixth day they will gather twice as much, out of respect for the seventh day, which is the Sabbath". And the Hebrews every morning saw the desert become covered with that "delicate thing that resembles what is pounded in a mortar and is like hoarfrost and coriander seed and has the lovely taste of flour kneaded with honey". So it was not Moses but God who supplied manna. God can do everything. He can punish and bless. He can grant and take away. And I tell you that He always prefers to bless and grant rather than punish and take away.
God, as the Book of Wisdom states, out of love for Moses – who, according to Ecclesiasticus, "was beloved by God and men, of blessed memory, and was made by God the equal of the holy ones in glory, and strong to the terror of his enemies, and was able to work miracles and stop them, and was raised high in the respect of kings, and was His minister before the people, and saw the glory of God and heard the voice of the Most High, and was the guardian of the precepts and of the Law of life and science" – God, I was saying, out of love for Moses, nourished His people with the bread of angels and from heaven untiringly sent them bread already prepared, containing every delight, satisfying every taste. And – remember what Wisdom says – as it came from heaven, from God, and demonstrated His sweetness towards His children, it tasted as each eater wished and produced the effects that each person wanted, and was thus useful to babies, whose stomachs are still delicate, and to adults enjoying good appetite and healthy digestions, and to delicate girls and to decrepit old people. And, to testify that it was not the work of man, it overturned the laws of elements, and the mysterious bread, which at sunrise melted like frost, endured fire. Or rather – it is still Wisdom speaking – fire forgot its own nature out of respect for the work of God, its Creator, and for the needs of the just people of God, so that, while it burns to torture, in this case it became mild to assist those who confided in God. Thus, by transforming itself in many ways, it served the grace of the Lord, nourishing everyone, according to the will of those who prayed the Eternal Father, so that the beloved children might learn that it is not the reproduction of fruit which nourishes men, but it is the word of the Lord that preserves those who believe in God. In fact it did not consume the sweet manna, as it was able to do, not even when it flared, whereas the mild morning sunshine could melt it, so that men should learn and remember that the gifts of God are to be sought from the very beginning of the day and of life, and that one must anticipate Light to receive them, and rise and pray the Eternal Father at daybreak.
That is what manna taught the Hebrews. And I am reminding you because that duty still lasts and will last for ever. Seek the Lord and His celestial gifts without idling until the late hours of day or of life. Rise and praise Him before the rising sun does, and feed on His word, which consecrates, preserves and leads to True life. It was not Moses who gave you the bread of Heaven, but it was God the Father, and now I solemnly tell you that it is My Father Who gives you the true Bread, the new Bread, the eternal Bread which descends from Heaven, the Bread of mercy, the Bread of Life, the Bread that gives Life to the world, the Bread that satisfies every hunger and removes all languor, the Bread that gives eternal Life and eternal joy to those who eat it.»
«Give us some of that bread, Lord, and we shall not die.»
«You will die as every man dies, but you will rise to eternal Life, if you feed holily on that Bread, because those who eat it, become incorruptible. With regard to giving it, it will be given to those who ask My Father for it with pure hearts, upright intentions and holy charity. That is why I taught you to say: "Give us our daily Bread". But those who eat it unworthily, will become swarms of infernal worms, like the baskets of manna kept contrary to instructions received. And the Bread of health and life will become conviction and death for them. Because the greatest sacrilege will be committed by those who place that Bread on a corrupt foul spiritual table and profane it by mixing it with the sink of their incurable passions. It would have been better if they had never taken it!»
«But where is that Bread? How can one find it? What is its name?»
«I am the Bread of Life. You will find it in Me. Its name is Jesus. He who comes to Me will never be hungry again, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty again, because celestial rivers will flow into him quenching all material ardour. I have already told you. And you have known Me by now. And yet you do not believe Me. You cannot believe that everything is in Me. And yet it is so. All the treasures of God are in Me. And everything pertaining to the earth has been given to Me; thus the glorious Heavens and the militant earth are united in Me and even the expiating and expecting mass of those who died in the grace of God are in Me, because all power has been given to Me and is in Me. And I tell you: everything the Father gives Me, will come to Me. And I will not reject those who come to Me, because I descended from Heaven not to do My will, but the will of Him Who sent Me. And this is the will of My Father, of the Father Who sent Me: that I may lose not even one of those He gave Me, but I may raise them from death on the last day. Now the will of the Father Who sent Me is that whoever knows the Son and believes in Him, will have eternal Life and I may raise him on the Last Day, seeing that he is nourished with faith in Me and is signed with My seal.»
People begin to grumble both inside and outside the synagogue because of Jesus' new hardy words. And the Master, after taking breath, looks with ecstatically shining eyes towards the people who are grumbling more loudly, that is towards the groups in which there are some Judaeans. He resumes speaking.
«Why are you grumbling among yourselves? Yes, I am the Son of Mary of Nazareth, the daughter of Joachim of the house of David, a virgin consecrated in the Temple and then married to Joseph of Jacob, of the house of David. Many of you have known the just parents of Joseph, a royal carpenter, and those of Mary, the virgin heiress of the royal stock. And you thus say: "How can He say that He descended from Heaven?", and you become doubtful.
I remind you of the Prophets who prophesied the Incarnation of the Word. And I remind you that it is a dogma, more for us Israelites than for any other people, that He, Whose name we dare not mention, could not become Flesh according to the laws of mankind, and an impoverished mankind at that. The Most Pure Uncreated One, if He humiliated Himself by becoming Man for the sake of man, could but choose the womb of a Virgin purer than lilies to clothe His Divinity with Flesh. The Bread that descended from Heaven in the days of Moses, was placed in the gold Ark, which supported the Mercy Seat and was watched over by Cherubim, behind the veils of the Tabernacle. And the Word of God was with the Bread. And it was right that it should be so, because the deepest respect is to be paid to the gifts of God and to the tables of His most holy Word. So what will God have prepared for His own Word and for the true Bread that has come from Heaven? A more immaculate and precious Ark than the gold one, to support the precious Mercy Seat of His pure will to immolate Himself, watched over by the cherubim of God, veiled by virginal purity, by perfect humility, sublime charity and all the most holy virtues.
So? Do you not understand yet that My Paternity is in Heaven, and that, consequently, I come from there? Yes, I descended from Heaven to fulfil the decree of My Father, the decree of salvation of men, according to what He promised at the same moment of condemnation and He repeated to Patriarchs and Prophets. And that is faith. And faith is given by God to souls of good will. No one, therefore, can come to Me, unless My Father leads him to Me, as although He sees that he is in darkness, He knows that he is craving for light. It is written in the Prophets: "They will be all taught by God". So, that was decided. It is God Who instructs them where to go to be taught by God. Therefore, whoever has heard God speak in the depth of his righteous soul, has learned from the Father to come to Me.»
«And who has ever heard God or seen His Face?» ask many who begin to show signs of irritation and scandal. And they conclude: «You are either raving or You are a day-dreamer.»
«No one has seen God except Him Who came from God: He has seen the Father. And I am He.
And now listen to the Creed of future Life, without which no one can be saved.
I solemnly tell you that he who believes in Me has eternal Life. I solemnly tell you that I am the Bread of eternal Life.
Your fathers ate manna in the desert and they died. Because manna was a holy but temporary food and gave life as was required to reach the Land Promised by God to His people. But the Manna Which I am, will have no limit of time or power. It is not only celestial, but divine and produces what is divine: the incorruptibility and immortality of what God created to His image and likeness. It will not last forty days, forty months, forty years, forty centuries. But it will last until the end of Time and will be given to all those who hunger for what is holy and pleasing to the Lord, Who will rejoice at giving Himself incommensurably to men, for whom He became incarnate, that they may have the Life which does not die.
I can give Myself, I can transubstantiate for the sake of men, so that the bread may become Flesh and the Flesh may become Bread, for the spiritual hunger of men, who without that Food would die of starvation and spiritual diseases. But if one eats this Bread with justice, one will live for ever. The bread which I will give is My Body sacrificed for the Life of the world, is My Love spread in the houses of God, so that all loving or unhappy souls may come to the Table of the Lord, and may find solace to their need to be united to God and relief to their sorrows.»
«But how can You give us Your flesh to eat? Who do You think we are? Blood-thirsty beasts? Savages? Murderers? Blood and crime disgust us.»
«I tell you solemnly that man is very often more cruel than beasts, that sin makes men savages, that pride makes them blood-thirsty murderers and that blood and crime will not disgust all the people present here. And also in future man will be the same because Satan, sensuality and pride make him brutal. Man therefore with greater care must rid himself of the dreadful germs through the infusion of the Holy One. I tell you solemnly that if you do not eat the Flesh of the Son of man and you do not drink His Blood, you will not have Life in you. He who eats My Flesh worthily and drinks My Blood, has eternal Life and I will raise him up on the Last Day. For My Flesh is real Food and My Blood is real Drink. He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood lives in Me, and I live in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live for the Father, so whoever eats Me will live also for Me and will go where I send him, and will do what I want, and will live austerely, as a man, and as ardently as a Seraph, and will be holy, because in order to be able to feed on My Flesh and My Blood, he will abstain from sin and will live ascending and finish his ascent at the feet of the Eternal Father.»
«He is mad! Who can live like that? In our religion only the priest is to be purified to offer the victim. He wants to make us victims of His madness. His doctrine is too painful and his language too hard! Who can listen to Him and practise what He says?» whisper the people present and many are disciples known as such.
The crowds disperse making their comments. And when the Master is alone in the synagogue with His most faithful followers the number of disciples has diminished considerably. I cannot count them, but I would say that, more or less, they are about one hundred. So there must have been a remarkable defection also in the group of the old disciples by now at the service of God. Among those left there are the apostles, John the priest and John the scribe, Stephen, Hermas, Timoneus, Ermasteus, Agapo, Joseph, Solomon, Abel of Bethlehem of Galilee, and Abel the leper of Korazim, with his friend Samuel, Elias (the one who did not bury his father to follow Jesus), Philip of Arbela, Aser and Ishmael of Nazareth and some whose names I do not know. They are speaking to one another in low voices commenting on the defection of the others and the words of Jesus, Who with folded arms is leaning against a high lectern.
«Are you scandalised at what I told you? And if I told you that one day you will see the Son of man ascend to Heaven where He was before, and sit beside His Father? What have you understood, assimilated and believed so far? And how have you heard and assimilated? Only through your humanity? It is the spirit that gives life and is important. The flesh is of no avail. My words are spirit and life, and they are to be heard and understood through the spirit to have life. But there are many among you whose spirits are dead because they are without faith. Many of you do not really believe. And they are staying with Me in vain. They will not receive Life, but Death. Because they are staying with Me, as I said at the beginning, either out of curiosity, or for human pleasure, or worse still, for more worthless purposes. They have not been led here by My Father, as a reward to their good will, but by Satan. Nobody can really come to Me, unless it is granted to him by My Father. You may go, you who find it difficult to remain here, because you are ashamed, from a human point of view, to leave Me but you are more ashamed to stay at the service of One Who seems "mad and hard" to you. Go. It is better for you to be far away, than be here and do harm.»
Many of the disciples withdraw, among them there is John, the scribe Marcus, the possessed Gerasene, who was cured by Jesus and the devils possessing him were sent into pigs. The good disciples consult with one another and run after their faithless companions endeavouring to stop them.
In the synagogue there is only Jesus with the chief of the synagogue and the apostles,
Jesus turns towards the twelve apostles, who are deeply humiliated and are standing in a corner and says to them: «Do you want to go as well?» He says so without bitterness and without sadness, but very seriously.
Peter replies with sorrowful transport: «Lord, where can we go? To whom? You are our life and our love. You alone have words of eternal Life. We know that You are the Christ, the Son of God. If You wish, send us away. But we will not leave You of our own free will, not even... not even if You should not love us anymore...» and Peter sheds large tears silently...
Andrew, John, Alphaeus' two sons also weep openly, and the others, who are either pale or flushed with emotion, do not weep, but are clearly suffering.
«Why should I send you away? Did I not choose you twelve?...»
Jairus has wisely withdrawn to leave Jesus free to console or reproach His apostles. Jesus, Who has noticed his silent withdrawal, sits down; He is tired, disgusted, grieved and depressed, as if the revelation He is about to make, cost Him a greater effort than He can possibly bear, and He says: «And yet, one of you is a demon.»
His words drop slowly, frighteningly, in the synagogue, where only the light of the lamps seems to be cheerful... and no one dare speak. They look at one another with fearful disgust and painful inquisitiveness and each one examines himself with even greater anguish and uncertainty...
No one moves for a while. And Jesus remains alone, on His seat with His hands crossed on His knees and lowered face. He at last looks up and says: «Come. I am not a leper! Or do you think I am?...»
John then rushes forward and throwing his arms round Jesus' neck he says: «I will be with You, then, my only love, in Your leprosy. I will be with You in Your conviction, in Your death, if that is what You think is awaiting You...»; and Peter creeps at His feet, takes them in his hands and laying them on his shoulders he says sobbing: «Press them here, tread on me! But do not make me think that You do not trust Your Simon.»
When the others see that Jesus is caressing the first two, they come forward and kiss Jesus' clothes, His hands and hair... Only the Iscariot dares to kiss Him on His cheek.
Jesus springs to His feet and His movement is so sudden that He seems to be repelling him rudely, and He says: «Let us go home. Tomorrow night we will leave for Hippo by boat.»
