638. The Blessed Virgin Takes up Her Abode at Gethsemane with John, Who Foretells Her Assumption

 638. The Blessed Virgin Takes up Her Abode at Gethsemane with John, Who Foretells Her Assumption 21st August 1951. 1 Mary is still in the house of the Supper room. All alone in Her usual room, She is sewing some very fine linen cloths, like long narrow table-cloths. Now and again She raises Her head to look at the garden and ascertain thus the time of the day by the position of the sunshine on its walls. And if She hears a noise in the house or in the street, She listens carefully. She seems to be waiting for someone. Some time goes by so. Then there is a knock at the door of the house, followed by the rustling of sandals of someone who rushes to open it. Voices of men resound in the corridor and they become louder and louder and closer and closer. Mary listens… Then She exclaims: «Are they here?! What on earth has happened?!» While She is still uttering these words, somebody knocks at the door of Her room. «Come in, brothers in Jesus, My Lord» replies Mary. Lazarus and Joseph of Arimathea enter, and greeting Her with deep veneration they say: «Blessed are You among all mothers! The servants of Your Son and our Lord greet You», and they prostrate themselves to kiss the hem of Her dress. «The Lord be always with you. For what reason, and while the ferment of the persecutors of the Christ and of His followers has not yet ceased, have you come to Me?» 638.The Blessed Virgin Takes up Her Abode at Gethsemane with John, Who Foretells Her Assumption 452 «First of all, to see You. Because seeing You is still seeing Him, and thus we feel less distressed because of His departure from the Earth. And then to propose to You what we have resolved to do, after a meeting in my house of the more loving and faithful servants of Jesus, Your Son and our Lord» Lazarus replies to Her. «Tell Me. It will be your love that speaks to Me, and with My love I will listen to you.» 2 Joseph of Arimathea now begins to speak and says: «Woman, You know and You have said so, that the ferment, and what is even worse, still last against all those who have been close to Your Son and God's, either through relationship, or faith, or friendship. And we are aware that You do not intend to leave these places, where You have seen the perfect manifestation of the divine and human nature of Your Son, His total mortification, and His total glorification, through His Passion and Death as true Man, through His glorious Resurrection and Ascension, as true God. And we also know that You do not want to leave the apostles all alone, as You wish to be a Mother and guide to them in their first trials, You, the See of Divine Wisdom, You, the Spouse of the Spirit Revealer of the Eternal Truths, You, eternally beloved Daughter of the Father Who from eternity chose You as Mother of His Only-Begotten Son, You, the Mother of this Word of the Father, Who certainly taught You His infinite and most perfect Wisdom and Doctrine, even before He was in You, as a creature that was forming, or He was with You as a Son Who grows in age and wisdom to such an extent as to become the Master of masters. John told us the day after the first astonishing sermon and apostolic manifestation, which took place ten days after the Ascension of Jesus to Heaven. You, in turn, know, as You saw it at Gethsemane on the day of the Ascension of Your Son to His Father and as You were told by Peter, John and other apostles, that Lazarus and I, immediately after the Death and Resurrection, began to build a wall around my kitchen garden near Golgotha and at Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives, so that those places, sanctified by the Divine Martyr's Blood, that dropped, alas!, warmed by fever at Gethsemane, and frozen and clotted in my garden, may not be profaned by Jesus' enemies. The work has now been completed, and both Lazarus and I, and his sisters with him and the apostles, who would suffer too much not having You here any longer, say to You: “Take up Your abode in the house of Jonah and Mary, the keepers of Gethsemane.”» 3 «And Jonah and Mary? That house is a small one, and I love solitude. I have always loved it. And I love it even more now, because I need it to get lost in God, in My Jesus, so that I may not die of anguish, not having Him here any longer. It is not fair that human eyes should be laid on the mysteries of God, because He is God now more than ever. I Woman, Jesus Man. But our Humanity was, and is, different from every other one, both because of our immunity from sin, also from the original one, and because of our relationship with God One and Trine. We are unique in these things among all creatures past, present and future. Now man, even the best and most prudent one, is naturally and inevitably curious, particularly if he is near an extraordinary manifestation. And only Jesus and I, as long as He was on the Earth, know what sufferings… yes, also shame, uneasiness, torture is experienced when human curiosity pries into, watches, spies upon our secrets with God. It is the same as if they placed us naked in the middle of a square. Think of My past, how I have always sought secrecy, silence, how I have always concealed, under the appearance of the common life of a poor woman, the mysteries of God in Me. Recall how, in order not to reveal them even to My spouse Joseph, I almost made of him, a just man, an unjust one. Only the angelic intervention avoided that danger. Think of the life so humble, hidden, common, led by Jesus for thirty-three years, how easily He would withdraw and become isolated when He was the Master. He had to work miracles and teach, because that was His mission. But, He told Me Himself, He suffered – one of the many reasons for the severity and sadness that flashed in His large powerful eyes – He suffered, I was saying, because of the exaltation of the crowds, because of the more of less good curiosity with which they watched every action of His. How many times did He order His disciples and those He had cured miraculously, saying: “Do not mention what you have seen. Do not mention what I have done for you”!… Now I should not like human eyes to inquire into the mysteries of God in Me, mysteries that have not ceased with the return to Heaven of Jesus, My Son and My God, no, on the contrary they last, and I should say that they increase, thanks to His goodness, and to keep Me alive, until the hour comes, for which I have longed so much, of joining Him forever. 4 I would like only John with Me. Because he is prudent, respectful, loving with Me like another Jesus. But Jonah and Mary will know…» Lazarus interrupts Her: «It has already been done, o Blessed Mother! We have already seen to it. Mark, Jonah's son, is among the disciples. Mary, his mother and Jonah, his father, are already at Bethany.» «But the olive-grove? It needs to be taken care of!» Mary replies to him. «Only when it is time to prune, to plough and pick the olives. So, only a few days each year and which will be even fewer, because in those periods I will send my servants from Bethany with Mark. You, Mother, if You want to make us happy, my sisters and me, will come to Bethany in those days, to the Zealot's solitary house. We shall be close to one another, but our eyes will not be indiscreet with regard to Your meetings with God.» «But the oil-mill?…» «It has already been transferred to Bethany. Gethsemane, completely enclosed, the property even more reserved of Lazarus of Theophilus, is awaiting You, Mary. And I assure You that the enemies of Jesus, out of fear of Rome, will not dare to violate its peace and Yours.» «Oh! since it is so!» exclaims Mary. And She presses Her hands against Her heart, and 638.The Blessed Virgin Takes up Her Abode at Gethsemane with John, Who Foretells Her Assumption 453 looks at them, with a countenance that is almost ecstatic, so blissful it is, with an angelic smile on Her lips and tears of joy on Her fair eyelashes. She continues: «John and I! Alone! We two all alone! I shall seem to be once again at Nazareth with My Son! Alone! In peace! In that peace! Where My Jesus gave forth so many words and so much spirit of peace! Where, it is true, He suffered so much that He sweated blood and received the supreme moral sorrow of the infamous kiss and the first…» A sob and a very painful recollection interrupt Her words and upset Her face that, for a few moments, has once more the sorrowful expression it had on the days of the Passion and Death of Her Son. She then collects Herself and says: «There, where He went back to the infinite peace of Paradise! I will soon send Mary of Alphaeus instructions to look after My little house in Nazareth, which is so dear to Me, because the mystery was accomplished there and My spouse, so pure and holy, died there, and Jesus grew up in it. So dear! But never as much as these places where He instituted the Rite of rites, and He became Bread, Blood, Life for men, and He suffered and redeemed, and He founded His Church and, with His last blessing, He made all the things of Creation good and holy. I will remain. Yes. I will remain here. I will go to Gethsemane. And from there, walking along the outside of the walls, I shall be able to go to Golgotha, and to your kitchen garden, Joseph, where I wept so much, and I shall be able to come to your house, Lazarus, where I have always had so much love, in My Son first, and then for Myself. 5 But I should like…» «What, Blessed Mother?» they both ask Her. «I should like to come back here as well. Because together with the apostles, we had decided, providing Lazarus allows us…» «Everything You want, Mother. Everything I have, is Yours. Previously I used to say so to Jesus. Now I say it to You. And if You accept My gift, it is always I who receive a grace.» «Son, let Me call you so, I should like you to allow us to make of this house, that is of the Supper room, a place for meetings and for the brotherly agape.» «It is just. In this place Your Son instituted the new eternal Rite, He founded His new Church, elevating His apostles and disciples to a new Pontificate and Priesthood. It is just that that room should become the first temple of the new religion: the seed that tomorrow will be a tree, and then a huge forest, the embryo that tomorrow will be a complete vital organism, and that will grow more and more in height, depth and width, spreading all over the Earth. Which table and altar are holier than the ones on which He broke the Bread and laid the Chalice of the new Rite, that will last as long as the Earth?» «That is true, Lazarus. And, see? For it I am sewing clean tablecloths. Because I believe, as no one will believe with equal strength, that the Bread and Wine are He, in His Flesh and in His Blood; Most holy and innocent Flesh, Redeeming Blood, given in Food and Drink of Life to men. May the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit bless you, o good wise men, who have always been compassionate to the Son and to His Mother.» «So it is decided. Take this. It is the key that opens the various gates of the enclosure of Gethsemane. And this is the key of the house. And be happy, as much as God grants You to be and as much as our poor love would like You to be.» Now that Lazarus has finished speaking, Joseph of Arimathea in turn says: «And this is the key of the enclosure of my kitchen garden.» «But you… you are quite entitled to go in!» «I have another one, Mary. The market-gardener is a just man, and so is his son. You will find only them and me there. And we will be prudent and respectful.» «May God bless you again» repeats Mary. «Thanks to you, Mother. Our love and the peace of God to You, always.» They prostrate themselves after this last greeting, they kiss the hem of Her dress once again and they go away. 6 They have just gone out of the house, when another moderate knock is heard at the door of the room in which Mary is. «Come in» says Mary. John does not make Her repeat it twice. He goes in and closes the door, somewhat worried. He asks: «What did Joseph and Lazarus want? Is there any danger?» «No, son. There is only the satisfaction of a wish of Mine. A wish of Mine and of other people. You know how Peter and James of Alphaeus, the former the Pontiff, the latter the head of the church of Jerusalem, are desolate at the thought of losing Me, as they are afraid they will not know what to do without Me. James in particular. Not even the special apparition of My Son to him, and his election by the will of Jesus, comfort and fortify him. But also the others!… Lazarus is now satisfying this general wish and makes us the masters of Gethsemane. You and I. All alone there. Here are the keys. And this is the key of Joseph's kitchen garden… We shall be able to go to the Sepulchre, to Bethany, without going through the town… And to go to Golgotha… And come here every time there is the brotherly agape. Lazarus and Joseph are granting us everything.» «They are really two just men. Lazarus received a lot from Jesus. That is true. But, even before receiving, He always gave everything to Jesus. Are You happy, Mother?» «Yes, John. So much! I will live, as long as God wants, helping Peter and James and all 638.The Blessed Virgin Takes up Her Abode at Gethsemane with John, Who Foretells Her Assumption 454 of you, and I will help the first Christians in every way. If the Judaeans, the Pharisees and the priests are not wild animals also towards Me, as they were for My Son, I shall be able to breathe My last where He ascended to His Father.» «You will ascend as well, Mother.» «No. I am not Jesus. I was born in a human way.» «But without stain of origin. I am a poor ignorant fisherman. With regard to doctrines and scriptures I know only what the Master taught me. But I am like a boy, because I am pure. And so, perhaps I know more than the Rabbis of Israel, because, He said so, God hides things from the wise and reveals them to the little and pure ones. And that is why I think, or better, I feel that You will have the destiny that Eve would have had, if she had not sinned. And even more, because You have not been the spouse of an Adamman, but of God, to give the Earth the new Adam faithful to Grace. The Creator, when He created our first Parents, did not destine them to die, that is to the corruption of the most perfect body created by Him, and made the most noble among all the bodies created, because it is endowed with a spiritual soul and with the gratuitous gifts of God, whereby they could be called “adoptive sons of God”, but what He wanted for them was only a passage from the earthly Paradise to the celestial one. Now You have never had any stain of sin on Your soul. Not even the great common sin, the heritage of Adam to all human beings, affected You, because God preserved You from it by a singular unique privilege, as from ever, You had been destined to become the Ark of the Word. And the Ark, even the one that, alas!, contains nothing but cold, arid, dead things, because, really, the people of God do not put them into practice as they should, is and must always be most pure. The Ark is, yes. But among those who approach it, Pontiff and Priests, who is really as pure as You are? No one. That is why I feel that You, the second Eve, and Eve faithful to Grace, are not destined to death.» «My Son, the second Adam, Grace itself, always obedient to His Father, to Me, in a perfect manner, died. And of what death!» «He had come to be the Redeemer, Mother. He left His Father, Heaven, He took Flesh upon Himself, in order to redeem men, through His Sacrifice, give Grace back to them, and then elevate them once again to the rank of adoptive sons of God, heirs to Heaven. He had to die. And His Most Holy Humanity died. And You died in Your heart seeing His cruel torture and His Death. You have already suffered everything to be the redeemer with Him. I am a poor foolish boy, but I feel that You, the true Ark of the true living God, will not be, You cannot be subject to corruption. As the cloud of fire protected and guided the Ark of Moses towards the promised Land, so the Fire of God will attract You to its Centre. As the branch of Aaron did not wither, did not perish, on the contrary, although detached from the tree, it put forth buds, leaves and yielded fruit and lived in the Tabernacle, so You, chosen by God among all the women who lived and will live on the Earth, will not die like a plant that withers, but You will live forever, with Your whole Self, in the Tabernacle of Heaven. As the waters of the Jordan opened to let the Ark, its bearers and all the people pass in the days of Joshua, so the barriers that the sin of Adam placed between Heaven and Earth will open for You, and from this world You will pass to the eternal Heaven. I am sure of that. Because God is just. And the decree issued by God for those who have neither hereditary nor voluntary sin on their souls applies to You.» «Has Jesus revealed that to you?» «No, Mother. The Spirit Paraclete tells me, He Who the Master informed us would reveal future things and all truth to us. The Comforter is already telling me in my spirit, to make less bitter for me the thought of losing You, blessed Mother, Whom I love and venerate as much and even more than my own mother, because of what You have suffered, because You are good and holy, inferior only to Your Most Holy Son among all present and future Saints. The greatest Saint.» And John, deeply moved, prostrates himself venerating Her.

637. Peter Celebrates the Eucharist in a Meeting of the First Christians.

 637. Peter Celebrates the Eucharist in a Meeting of the First Christians. 3rd June 1944. 1 Conclusion of the Work, that is: From the Pentecost to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 1st episode (3-6-1944). Peter, no longer a coarse fisherman, in his new capacity of Pontiff. --------------- 2 It is one of the very first meetings of Christians, in the days immediately after Pentecost. 637.Peter Celebrates the Eucharist in a Meeting of the First Christians. 450 The twelve apostles are once again twelve, because Matthias, already elected in the place of the traitor, is among them. And the fact that all twelve are there proves that they had not yet parted to go and evangelize, according to the order of the Master. So it must have been Pentecost only a short time ago, and the persecutions of the Sanhedrin against the servants of Jesus Christ have not yet begun. Because if they had begun, they would not celebrate with so much calm, and without taking any precautions, in a house even too well known to those of the Temple, that is in the house of the Supper room, and exactly in the room where the Last Supper was consumed, the Eucharist was instituted, and the true and total betrayal as well as the Redemption began. The large room, however, has undergone a modification, necessary for its new function as a church, and required by the number of the believers. The large table is no longer near the wall of the little staircase, but it is near, or rather against the wall facing it, so that even those who cannot go into the Supper room, already crowded with people – in the Supper room, the first church of the Christian world – can see what is happening there, thronging the entrance corridor, near the little door, completely open, that admits to the room. In the room there are men and women of all ages. In a group of women, near the large table, but in a corner, there is Mary, the Mother, surrounded by Martha and Mary of Lazarus, by Nike, Eliza, Mary of Alphaeus, Salome, Johanna of Chuza, in short, by many of the women disciples, both Jewish and not Jewish, whom Jesus had cured, comforted, evangelized, and who had become sheep of His fold. Among the men there are Nicodemus, Lazarus, Joseph of Arimathea, a large number of disciples, among whom there are Stephen, Hermas, the shepherds, Elisha the son of the leader of the synagogue of Engedi, and many more. There is also Longinus, not in his military uniform, but as if he were an ordinary citizen, with a long plain greyish tunic. Then many more, who have certainly entered the flock of Christ after Pentecost and the first evangelization of the Twelve. 3 Peter speaks also now, evangelizing and teaching the people present. He speaks once again of the Last Supper. Again, because from his words it is clear that he has already spoken of it. He says: «I tell you once again» and he stresses these words very much «of this Supper in which, before being sacrificed by men, Jesus the Nazarene, as He was called, Jesus Christ, the Son of God and our Saviour, as He is to be called and believed with all our hearts and minds, because our salvation is in this faith, sacrificed Himself of His own free will, and out of excess of love, giving Himself in Food and Drink to men and saying to us, His servants and continuators: “Do this in memory of Me.” And that is what we do. But, o men, as we, His witnesses, believe that in the Bread and in the Wine, offered and blessed, as He did, in His memory and out of obedience to His divine order, there is His Most Holy Body and His Most Holy Blood, that Body and that Blood that are of a God, of the Son of the Most High God, and that they have been crucified and shed for the sake and the lives of men, so you also, all of you, who have come to be part of the true, new, immortal Church, predicted by the Prophets and founded by the Christ, must believe it. Believe and bless the Lord Who to us – His crucifiers, if not materially, certainly morally and spiritually, because of our weakness in serving Him, because of our dullness in understanding Him, because of our cowardice in abandoning Him, running away in His supreme hour, in our, no, in my personal betrayal of a man fearful and cowardly to the extent of disowning and denying Him and denying that I was His disciple, and more than that, the first among His servants (and large tears stream down Peter's face) shortly before the first hour, there, in the Court of the Temple – believe and bless, I was saying, the Lord, Who leaves this eternal sign of forgiveness to us. Believe and bless the Lord, Who allows those, who did not know Him when He was the Nazarene, to know Him now that He is the Word Incarnate reunited to His Father. Come and take it. He said: “He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood will have eternal Life.” And we did not understand then (and Peter weeps again). We did not understand because we were slow in understanding. But now the Holy Spirit has brightened our intelligence, has fortified our faith, has infused charity into us, and we understand. And in the name of the Most High God, of the God of Abraham, of Jacob, of Moses, in the most high name of the God Who spoke to Isaiah, to Jeremiah, to Ezekiel, to Daniel and to the other Prophets, we swear to you that this is the truth and we beseech you to believe, so that you may have eternal Life.» Peter is full of stateliness while speaking. There is no longer anything in him of the rather coarse fisherman of not long ago. He has climbed on a stool to speak and to be seen and heard better, because, small as he is, if he had remained standing on the floor of the room, he could not have been seen by those farther away, whereas he wants to dominate the crowd. He speaks moderately, in an appropriate voice, with the gestures of a true orator. His eyes, always expressive, are now more eloquent than ever. Love, faith, authority, contrition, everything shines through his eyes anticipating and reinforcing his words. 4 He has finished speaking now. He comes down from the stool and passes behind the large table, in the space between the table and the wall, and waits. James and Judas, that is the two sons of Alphaeus and cousins of the Christ, now lay a white table-cloth on the table. To do so they lift the large low chest, which is on the centre of the table, and they spread a very fine linen cloth also on its lid. The apostle John goes now to Mary and asks Her something. Mary slips off from Her neck a kind of a small key and gives it to John. John takes it, goes back to the chest, opens it, letting down the front panel, which is laid on the table and covered with a third linen cloth. Inside the chest there is a horizontal partition that divides it into two sections. In the 637.Peter Celebrates the Eucharist in a Meeting of the First Christians. 451 lower section there is a chalice and a metal plate. In the upper section, in the centre, the chalice used by Jesus at the Last Supper and for the first Eucharist, the remains of the bread broken by Him, laid on a small plate as precious as the chalice. On the sides of the chalice and of the small plate laid on it, on one side there is the crown of thorns, the nails and the sponge. On the other side one of the shrouds, rolled up, the veil with which Nike wiped Jesus' Face, and the one that Mary gave Her Son to gird up His loins. At the bottom there are other things, but as they remain rather concealed and no one speaks of them or shows them, it is not known what they are. The other ones, instead, and which are visible, are shown to the people present by John and Judas of Alphaeus, and the crowd kneels in front of them. But neither the chalice nor the small plate of the bread are touched or shown, nor is the Shroud unfolded, but only the rolled cloth is shown, saying what it is. Perhaps John and Judas do not unfold it in order not to awake in Mary the sorrowful memory of the cruel tortures suffered by Her Son. When this part of the ceremony is over, the apostles in chorus intone some prayers, I should say some psalms, because they are sung as the Hebrews used to do in their synagogues or in their pilgrimages to Jerusalem for the solemnities prescribed by the Law. The chorus of the apostles is joined by the crowd and so it becomes more and more impressive. 5 At the end they bring some bread that is laid on the small metal plate, which was in the lower section of the chest, and also some small amphorae, which are also of metal. John, who is kneeling on the other side of the table – whereas Peter is always between the table and the wall, but facing the crowd – hands the tray with the bread to Peter, who raises it and offers it. He then blesses it and lays it on the chest. Judas of Alphaeus, who is also kneeling beside John, in his turn, hands Peter the chalice of the lower section and the two amphorae that were previously near the small plate of the bread, and Peter pours their contents into the chalice, which he then raises and offers, as he had done with the bread. He blesses also the chalice and lays it on the chest beside the bread. They say more prayers. Peter breaks the bread into many morsels, while the people prostrate themselves even more, and he says: «This is My Body. Do this is memory of Me». He comes out from behind the table, taking the tray full of the morsels of bread, and as first thing he goes to Mary and gives Her a morsel. Then he goes to the front of the table and hands out the consecrated Bread to all those who approach him to have it. A few morsels are left over, and still on their tray, they are laid on the chest. He now takes the chalice and offers it, always beginning from Mary, to those who are present. John and Judas follow him with the small amphorae and they add the liquids when the chalice is empty, while Peter repeats the elevation, the offering and the blessing to consecrate the liquid. 6 When all those who asked to be nourished with the Eucharist are satisfied, the apostles consume the bread and wine left over. Then they sing another psalm or hymn and after it Peter blesses the crowd who, after his blessing, go away little by little. Mary, the Mother, Who has always remained on Her knees during the whole ceremony of the consecration and the distribution of the species of the Bread and Wine, stands up and goes to the chest. She bends across the large table and with Her forehead She touches the upper section of the chest, where the chalice and the small plate used by Jesus at the Last Supper are laid, and She kisses the edges of them. A kiss that is also for all the relics gathered there. Then John closes the chest and hands the key back to Mary, Who puts it again round Her neck.

636. The Descent of the Holy Spirit. End of the Messianic Cycle.

 636. The Descent of the Holy Spirit. End of the Messianic Cycle. 27th April 1947. 1 No voices or noises can be heard in the house of the Supper room. None of the disciples are present, at least I cannot hear anything that can authorise me to say that people are gathered in the other rooms of the house. There is only the presence and the voices of the Twelve and of the Most Holy Virgin gathered in the hall of the Supper. The room looks wider, because the furniture is placed differently and leaves all the 636.The Descent of the Holy Spirit. End of the Messianic Cycle. 448 centre of the room and also two of the walls free. The large table used for the Supper has been pushed against the third wall, and between them and the wall, and also at the two narrower sides of the table, they have placed the couch-seats used for the Supper and also the stool that Jesus used for the Washing of feet. But the couch-beds are not vertical to the table, as they were for the Supper, but parallel to it, so that the apostles can sit down without occupying all of them, and they have left one, the only one placed vertically to the table, all for the Blessed Virgin, Who is at the centre of the table, in the place that Jesus occupied at the Supper. There are no table-cloths or tableware on the table, there is nothing on the sideboards, and the ornaments have been taken off the walls. Only the chandelier in the centre is lit, but only one flame is lit, the other small flames on the circle forming a corolla to the strange chandelier are out. The windows are closed and barred with heavy metal bars placed across them. But a sunbeam penetrates boldly through a tiny hole and like a long thin needle it descends on the floor forming a round spot of sunshine. 2 The Blessed Virgin, sitting all alone on Her seat, has Peter and John at Her sides, on their seats, Peter on Her right, John on Her left hand side. Matthias, the new apostle, is between James of Alphaeus and Thaddeus. In front of Her, Our Lady has a large low chest of dark wood, which is closed. Mary is dressed in deep blue. Her hair is covered with a white veil, over which is placed the edge of Her mantle. All the others are bareheaded. Mary is reading slowly in a loud voice. But as the light that arrives there is very faint, I think that rather than read She is repeating by heart the words written on the scroll that She is holding spread out. The others follow Her in silence, meditating. Now and again they reply, when it is appropriate. Mary's face is transfigured by an ecstatic smile. I wonder what She sees, that is capable of inflaming Her eyes, like two clear stars, and make Her ivory cheeks blush, as if a rosy flame reflected on Her! She is really the mystic Rose. The apostles bend forward, sitting a little sideways, to see Her face, while She smiles so gently and reads and Her voice sounds like the song of an angel. And Peter is so deeply moved that two large tears fall from his eyes, and stream down along wrinkles on both sides of his nose to get lost in the thicket of his grey beard. But John reflects the virginal smile and is inflamed like Her with love, while he follows with his eyes what the Virgin is reading on the scroll and, when he hands Her a new scroll he looks and smiles at Her. 3 The reading is over. Mary's voice stops. The rustling of the parchments rolled and unrolled comes to an end. Mary concentrates in secret prayer, joining Her hands on Her breast and leaning Her head on the chest. The apostles imitate Her. A very loud and harmonious roar, that resembles the wind and the harp, as well as human singing and the sound of a perfect organ, suddenly resounds in the silence of the morning. It comes near, more and more harmonious and loud, and with its vibrations it fills the Earth, propagates them and impresses them on the house, on the walls, on the furniture. The flame of the chandelier, so far immobile in the peace of the closed room, flickers as if a wind were blowing and the little chains of the chandelier tinkle vibrating under the wave of the supernatural sound that strikes them. The apostles raise their heads frightened, and as that most beautiful rumble, in which are all the loveliest notes that God gave the Heavens and the Earth, approaches them more and more, some stand up ready to run away, some crouch on the floor covering their heads with their hands and mantles, or beat their breasts asking God to forgive them, some press against Mary, too frightened to keep the reserve they always have for the Most Pure Mother. Only John is not frightened, because he sees the bright peace of joy that is accentuated on the face of Mary, Who raises Her head smiling at a thing known to Her alone, and Who then slides down on Her knees opening Her arms, and the two blue wings of Her mantle so opened stretch out on Peter and John, who have imitated Her, kneeling down. But all this, which took me some minutes to describe, has taken place in less than one minute. 4 And then the Light, the Fire, the Holy Spirit enters, with a last melodious loud noise, in the form of a very shining burning globe, into the closed room, without any door or window being moved, and remains hovering for a minute over Mary's head, about three palms above Her head, which is now uncovered, because Mary, upon seeing the Fire Paraclete, has raised Her arms to invoke Him and has thrown Her head back with a cry of joy, with a smile of boundless love. And, after that moment in which all the Fire of the Holy Spirit, all the Love, is collected in His Spouse, the Most Holy Globe splits into thirteen canorous very bright flames, of so bright a light that no earthy comparison can describe, and it descends to kiss the forehead of each apostle. But the flame that descends upon Mary is not a tongue of a straight flame on Her forehead that it kisses, but it is a crown that embraces and encircles the virginal head like a wreath, crowning as Queen the Daughter, the Mother, the Spouse of God, the Incorruptible Virgin, the Wholly Beautiful, the Eternally Loved, the Eternally Maiden Whom nothing can humiliate, and in nothing, Whom sorrow had aged but Who has revived in the joy of the Resurrection, sharing with Her Son an accentuation of beauty and freshness of bodies, of looks, of vitality… having already an advance of the beauty of Her glorious Body received into Heaven to be the flower of Paradise. The Holy Spirit makes His flames shine round the head of His Beloved. Which words does He speak to Her? Mystery! Her blessed face is transfigured with supernatural joy and smiles with the smiles of Seraphim, while blissful tears shine like diamonds on the cheeks of the Blessed Virgin, struck as they are by the Light of the Holy Spirit. 5 The Fire remains so for some time… Then it vanishes… In memory of its descent 636.The Descent of the Holy Spirit. End of the Messianic Cycle. 449 there remains a fragrance that no earthly flower can exhale… The Perfume of Paradise… The apostles collect themselves… Mary remains in Her ecstasy. She only folds Her arms across Her breast, closes Her eyes, lowers Her head… Her conversation with God continues… insensible to everything… No one dare disturb Her. John, pointing at Her, says: «She is the altar. And the Glory of the Lord has rested on Her glory…» «Yes. Let us not upset Her joy. But let us go and preach the Lord and let His works and His words be known to peoples» says Peter with supernatural impulsiveness. «Let us go! Let us go! The Spirit of God is burning in me» says James of Alphaeus. «And it is urging us to act. All of us. Let us go and evangelize the peoples.» They go out as if they were pushed or attracted by a wind or by a vigorous force. ------------ 6 Jesus says: «And here the Work, that My love for you has dictated and that you have received through the love that a creature has had for Me and for you, is over. It ended today, the day of the Commemoration of Saint Zita from Lucca, the humble maid who served her Lord with charity in this Church of Lucca, where I, from remote places, have brought My little John, so that he should serve Me with charity and with the same love that Saint Zita had for all unhappy people. Zita used to give bread to the poor, remembering that I am in each of them, and that blessed will they be, who, side by side with Me, give bread and drink to the hungry and thirsty. Mary-John has given My words to those who languish in ignorance or in tepidness or in doubt about Faith, remembering that Wisdom said that those who work hard to make God known, will shine like stars in eternity, giving glory to their Love by making it known and loved, and to many people. And, further, it ended today, the day in which the Church raises the pure lily of the fields Mary Theresa Goretti to the altars, the lily whose stem was broken while its corolla was still a bud. And by whom was it broken if not by Satan, envious of that purity that shone more than his ancient angelic aspect? Broken because it was sacred to the Divine Lover. Mary, virgin and martyr of this century of disgrace, in which also the honour of the Woman is held in contempt, by spitting the slaver of reptiles to deny the power of God to give an inviolate dwelling to His Word, Who was becoming incarnate by the Holy Spirit, in order to save those who believe in Him. Also Mary-John is martyr of the Hatred, who does not want My wonders to be celebrated by the Work, the weapon capable of snatching so many preys from him. But also Mary-John knows, as Mary Theresa knew, that martyrdom, whatever its name and aspect are, is the key that without delay opens the Kingdom of Heaven to those who suffer to continue My Passion. 7 The Work is finished. And with its end, with the descent of the Holy Spirit, ends the Messianic cycle, that My Wisdom has enlightened from its dawning: the Immaculate Conception of Mary, to its setting: the descent of the Holy Spirit. All the Messianic cycle is the work of the Spirit of Love, for those who see properly. It was therefore right to begin it with the mystery of the Immaculate Conception of the Spouse of the Love, and finish it with the seal of the Fire Paraclete on the Church of Christ. The revealed works of God, of the Love of God, end with Pentecost. From then onwards the intimate mysterious work of God continues in His believers, united in the Name of Jesus in the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic, Roman Church; and the Church, that is, the assembly of the believers – shepherds, sheep and lambs – can proceed without erring because of the continuous spiritual operation of the Love, the Theologian of theologians, He Who forms the true theologians, that is, those who are lost in God and have God in themselves – the life of God in them through the direction of the Spirit of God that guides them – that is, those who really are the “children of God” according to the concept of Paul. 8 And at the end of the Work, once again I have to put the complaint that I have put at the end of each evangelical year, and in My grief seeing My gift despised, I say to all of you: “You shall not have anything else, because you have not received this that I have given you.” And I say also that about which I had you informed last summer (21.5.46) to call all of you on the right path: “You will not see Me until the day comes when you will say: 'Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord.'”» The Work was finished today 27th April 1947. Viareggio, Via Fratti 113 – Maria Valtorta.

635. The Election of Matthias.

 635. The Election of Matthias. 26th April 1947. 1 It is a placid evening. The light is fading gently and the sky so far purple, is becoming a delicate amethystine velarium. It will soon be dark, but at present there is still light, and this faint evening light is pleasant after so much burning sunshine. The court-yard of the house of the Supper room, a large yard among the white walls of the house, is crowded with people as in the evenings after Resurrection. And a harmonious whispering of prayers, interrupted now and again by pauses of meditation, rises from these people engrossed in thought. As the light becomes fainter and fainter in the court-yard, surrounded as it is by the high walls of the house, some people bring lamps and place them on the table, close to which the apostles are gathered: Peter in the centre, James of Alphaeus and John beside him, and then the others. The flickering light of the small flames shines upwards on the faces of the apostles, making their features stand out and showing their expressions: concentrated the expression of Peter, as if he were overstrung in the effort to perform these first functions of his ministry in a worthy way; ascetically mild that of James of Alphaeus; serene and dreaming that of John, and beside him the pensive face of Bartholomew, followed by the countenance full of life of Thomas, and then Andrew's, veiled by his humility that makes him stay with his eyes almost closed, his head slightly bent: he seems to be saying: “I am not worthy”; close to him Matthew, one elbow resting on the hand of the other arm, his cheek leaning on the hand of his raised arm; and then James of Alphaeus, Thaddeus, with his authoritative face and his eyes that remind one so much of the eyes of Jesus, with their colour and expression: a real ruler of crowds. Even now he is keeping the meeting quiet, under the fire of his eyes, more than all the rest together; and yet, from his involuntary regal magnificence, the feeling of his heart filled with compunction can be seen to emerge, particularly when it is his turn to intone a prayer. When he says the psalm: «Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to Your Name give glory for Your mercy and loyalty, so that the nations may not say: “Where is their God?» he really prays with his soul prone before Him Who chose him, and the strongest feeling within him vibrates in his voice; with all his praying he also says: «I am not worthy of serving You, Who are so perfect.» Philip, beside him, his face already marked by age, although he is still in full manhood, looks like a man who is contemplating a sight known to him alone, and is standing with his hands pressed against his cheeks, a little bent and somewhat sad... whereas the Zealot is looking up, far away, with an intimate smile that embellishes his face, which is not beautiful, but is charming because of its austere distinction. James of Zebedee, impulsive and quivering, says his prayers as if he were still speaking to his beloved Master, and the twelfth psalm is uttered impetuously by his inflamed spirit. 2 They end with the long and beautiful psalm one hundred and eighteen, of which they say a strophe each, in two turns to complete the number of the strophes. Then they all become absorbed in silence until Peter, who had sat down, stands up, as if he were urged by an inspiration, praying in a loud voice with his arms stretched out as the Lord used to do: «Send Your Spirit to us, o Lord, so that we may see in His Light.» «Maran atha» they all say. Peter collects his thoughts in an intense silent prayer, but perhaps he listens more than he prays, or at least he waits for words of light... Then he raises his head again and once again he stretches out his arms, which he had folded across his chest, and as he is small as compared to the majority of his companions, he climbs on his seat to dominate the little crowd thronging the court-yard, and to be seen by everybody. And everybody, realising that he is going to speak, becomes silent and looks at him paying attention. 3 «My brothers, it was necessary that the Scripture predicted by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David and concerning Judas should be accomplished, Judas in fact was the guide who led those who captured the Lord and our Blessed Master: Jesus. He, Judas, was one of ours, and was entrusted with this ministry. But his election changed into ruin for him, because Satan entered into him through many ways and from apostle of Jesus made him the traitor of his Lord. He thought he would triumph and rejoice and thus revenge himself on the Holy Master, Who had disappointed the unclean hopes of his heart full of every concupiscence. But when he thought he was going to triumph and rejoice, he realised that the man who makes himself slave of Satan, of the flesh, of the world, does not triumph, on the contrary he bites the dust like one who is defeated. And he learned that the taste of food given by man and by Satan is very bitter and completely different from the sweet simple bread that God gives His children. He then became acquainted with despair and he hated the whole world after hating God, and he cursed everything the world had given him and he killed himself by hanging himself from an olive-tree in the olive-grove that he had bought with his iniquities, and on the day that the Christ rose gloriously from the dead, his putrid and already verminous body burst and his bowels were scattered on the ground at the foot of the olive-tree, making that place unclean. The redeeming Blood rained on Golgotha and purified the Earth, because it was the Blood of the Son of God, Who had become incarnate for us. On the hill near the place of the ill-famed Council, not blood, not tears of good remorse, but the filth of rotten bowels rained on the dust. Because no other blood could be mixed with the Most Holy Blood in those days of purification, in which the Lamb was washing us in His Blood, and less than ever was it possible for the Earth, that was drinking the Blood of the Son of God, to drink also the blood of the son of Satan. 635. The Election of Matthias. 447 The fact is well known. And it is also known that Judas, in his fury of a damned soul, took the money of the infamous transaction back to the Temple, striking with it, unclean as it was, the face of the High Priest. And it is known that with that money, which had been taken from the Treasury of the Temple, but could no longer be put back into it, because it was the price of blood, the princes of the Priests and the Elders, after consulting with one another, have bought the field of the potter, as the prophecies had said, specifying even its price. And the place will be handed down to posterity under the name of Hakeldama. So everything about Judas has been said, and let even the memory of his face vanish from us, but let us bear in mind the ways through which, from being called by the Lord to the Heavenly Kingdom, he descended to being prince in the Kingdom of eternal darkness, so that we ourselves may not tread on them imprudently, becoming other Judases for the Word that God has entrusted to us and which is still the Christ, the Master among us. 4 But it is written in the book of Psalms: “Let their house become desert, let no one live in it and let his office be taken by somebody else.” So it is necessary that one of these men, who have been with us all the time that the Lord Jesus was with us, coming and going, beginning from the Baptism by John until the day in which from the middle of us He ascended to Heaven, is appointed to be witness with us of His Resurrection. And it is necessary to do so quickly, so that he may be present with us at the Baptism of Fire, of which the Lord has spoken to us, so that he, who did not receive the Holy Spirit from the Master, may receive it directly from God and be enlightened and sanctified by it, and he may have the virtues that we shall receive, and he may judge and remit and do what we shall do, and his actions may be valid and holy. I would suggest to choose him among the most faithful of the faithful disciples, those who have suffered for Him remaining faithful also when He was the One Unknown to the world. Many of them come to us from John, the Precursor of the Messiah, spirits modelled throughout years for the service of God. The Lord was very fond of them, and the most fond among them was Isaac, who had suffered so much because of the child Jesus. But you know that his heart broke during the night that followed the Ascension of the Lord. Let us not mourn him. He has joined his Lord. It was the only desire of his heart... And also ours... But we have to suffer our passion. Isaac had already suffered it. So you are to suggest some names among these, so that the twelfth apostle may be elected according to the usages of our people, leaving the power of indicating, in the gravest circumstances, to the Lord, to Him Who knows.» 5 They consult with one another. After a short time the most important disciples (among the non-shepherds), by mutual consent with the ten apostles, inform Peter that they propose Joseph, the son of Joseph of Saba, to honour his father, a martyr for Christ, by means of his son, a faithful disciple, and Matthias, for the same reasons as for Joseph, and, further, to honour also his first master: John. And as Peter agrees to their advice, they make the two come forward to the table and in the meantime they pray with their arms stretched forward in the usual attitude of the Hebrews: «Most High Lord, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the Only and Trine God, Who know the hearts of all men, show us which of these two You have chosen to take in this ministry and apostolate the place of Judas, who prevaricated, and go in his stead.» «Maran atha» they all reply in chorus. As they have no dice or anything else with which to cast lots, and as they do not wish to use coins for this purpose, they take some small stones spread about the yard, some poor little stones, as many white as dark, and they decide that the white ones are for Matthias, the others for Joseph. They put them in a bag, after emptying it of its contents, they shake it and they offer it to Peter who, after making a blessing gesture on it, puts his hand in it, praying with his eyes at the sky, strewn with stars, and pulls out a little stone: as white as snow. The Lord has indicated Matthias as Judas' successor. Peter goes to the front of the table and embraces him «to make him like himself» he says. Also the other ten make the same gesture amid the applause of the little crowd. 6 At the end Peter, after going back to his place holding by the hand the chosen apostle who is beside him – so Peter is now between Matthias and James of Alphaeus – says: «Come to the place that God has reserved for you and with your justice cancel the memory of Judas, helping us, your brothers, to accomplish the deeds that Jesus told us to do. May the grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ be always with you.» He addresses all the others, dismissing them... While the disciples disperse slowly through a secondary exit, the apostles go back into the house taking Matthias to Mary, Who is engrossed in prayer in Her room, so that the new apostle may receive the word of greeting and election also from the Mother of God.

634. Farewell and Ascension of the Lord.

 634. Farewell and Ascension of the Lord. 24th April 1947. 1 As the day dawns the eastern sky is tinged with a light rosy hue. Jesus is walking with His Mother along the slopes of Gethsemane. No words are spoken, only glances of indescribable love are visible. Words have probably already been spoken. Perhaps they were never uttered. The two souls have spoken: Christ's and Christ's Mother's. Now it is loving contemplation, reciprocal contemplation. The dewy nature, the pure morning light are acquainted with it, the kind creatures of God: the herbs, flowers, birds, butterflies are acquainted with it. Men are absent. 2 I feel even ill at ease being present at this farewell. «Lord, I am not worthy!» I exclaim among the tears falling from my eyes, as I look at the last hour of the earthly union of the Mother and Her Son, and I consider that we have come to the end of the loving fatigue, that is Jesus, Mary and the poor, little unworthy child, whom Jesus wanted as witness of all the Messianic time, and whose name is Mary, but whom Jesus loves to call «little John» or also the «sweet violet of the Cross.» Yes. Little John. Little, because I am a nonentity. John, because I am really the one to whom God has done great favours, and because, in an infinitesimal measure – but it is all I possess, and by giving everything that I possess I know that I give in a perfect measure that pleases Jesus, because He is the «all of my nothing – and because in an infinitesimal measure, I, as the great beloved John, have given all my love to Jesus and to Mary, sharing tears and smiles with them, following them, anguished at seeing them distressed and at not being able to defend them from the hatred of the world at the cost of my very life, and now palpitating with the throbs of their hearts for what ends forever…» Yes, sweet violet. A sweet violet that has tried to remain hidden among the grass so that Jesus should not avoid it, as He loved all created things so much, since they are the work of His Father, but He should press me under His divine foot, and I might die exhaling my light scent in the effort to sweeten His contact with the rough hard earth. Yes, sweet violet of the Cross. And His Blood filled my calyx even to make it bend on the ground… Oh! my Beloved Who, first, filled me with Your Blood, making me contemplate Your wounded feet, nailed to the wood «… and at the foot of the cross there was a little plant of sweet-smelling violets in bloom, and drops of the divine Blood were falling on the little plant of sweet-smelling violets in bloom…» A remote recollection, and always so close and present! A preparation to what I was later: Your mouthpiece who is now completely besprinkled with Your Blood, with Your perspiration and tears, with the tears of Mary Your Mother, but who also knows Your words, Your smiles, everything, everything about You, and no longer smells of sweet-smelling violets but of You alone, my One and Only Love, of that divine perfume that yesterday evening lulled my sorrow, and comes to me, as sweet as a kiss, as comforting as Heaven itself, and makes me forget everything to live only in You… 3 I have Your promise in me. I know that I shall not lose You. You have promised me and Your promise is sincere: it is the promise of God. I will still have You, forever. Only if I sinned of pride, falsehood, disobedience, I should lose You, You said so, but You know that, with Your Grace supporting my will, I do not want to sin, and I hope that I will not sin, because You will support me. I am not an oak-tree. I know. I am a sweet violet. A frail stalk that can be bent by the foot of a little bird and also by the weight of a scarab. But You are my strength, o Lord. And my love for You is my wing. I shall not lose You. You have promised me. You will come, entirely for me, to give joy to Your dying sweet violet. But I am not selfish, Lord. You know. You know that I should like You to be seen no longer by me, but to be seen by many more people, whom I should like to believe in You. You have already given me so much, and I am not worthy of it. You have really loved me as You alone know how to love Your beloved children. I think of how pleasant it was to see You «live» as Man among men. And I think that I shall no longer see You so. Everything has been seen and said. I also know that You will not be cancelled out of my thought in Your actions of Man amongst men, and that I shall need no books to remember You as You really were: it will be enough for me to look within myself, where all Your life is fixed with indelible letters. But it was sweet, sweet… Now You are going to ascend… The Earth will lose You. Mary of the Cross will lose You, Master Saviour. You will remain for her the most sweet God, and You will no longer pour Blood but celestial honey into the violet calyx of Your sweet violet… I am weeping… I have been Your disciple with the other women disciples along the roads of mountains and forests, along the barren dusty roads of the plains, on the lake and near the lovely river of Your Fatherland. You are now going away and only in my memory I shall see Bethlehem and Nazareth on their hills green with olive-trees, and Jericho burning in the sun and with its rustling palm-trees, and friendly Bethany, and Engedi, a pearl lost in the deserts, and beautiful Samaria, and the fertile plains of Sharon and Esdraelon, and the strange tableland beyond the Jordan, and the nightmare of the Dead 634. Farewell and Ascension of the Lord. 441 Sea, and the sunny towns on the Mediterranean coasts, and Jerusalem, the town of Your sorrow, its roads uphill and downhill, the archivolts, the squares, the suburbs, the wells and cisterns, the hills and even the sad valley of the lepers, where so much of Your mercy was effused… And the house of the Supper room… the little fountain weeping nearby… the little bridge on the Kidron, the place where You sweated blood… the court-yard of the Praetorium… Ah, no! everything that is Your sorrow is here. It will remain forever… I shall have to look for all the souvenirs to find them, but Your prayer at Gethsemane, Your scourging, Your ascent to Golgotha, Your agony and death, and the sorrow of Your Mother, no, I shall not have to look for them: they are always present. I may forget them in Paradise… and it seems impossible to me that they can be forgotten even there… I remember everything of those dreadful hours. Even the shape of the stone on which You fell. Even the bud of a red rose that knocked against the stone that closed Your sepulchre, and looked like a drop of blood on the granite… My most divine Love, Your Passion lives in my mind… and it breaks my heart… -------------------- 4 The day has dawned completely. The sun is already high and the voices of the apostles can be heard. It is a signal for Jesus and Mary. They stop. They look at each other, One in front of the Other, then Jesus opens His arms and presses His Mother to His chest… Oh! He was really a Man, the Son of a Woman! To believe it is enough to watch this farewell! Love overflows in a shower of kisses for the beloved Mother. Love covers the beloved Son with kisses. They seem unable to part. When they seem to be on the point of doing so, another embrace joins them again and among the kisses words of reciprocal blessings are uttered… Oh! it is really the Son of Man Who is leaving Her Who gave birth to Him! It is really the Mother Who, in order to give Him back to the Father, dismisses Her Child, the Token of the Love for the Most Pure Mother… God Who kisses the Mother of God!… Finally the Woman, as a creature, kneels at the feet of Her God, Who is also Her Son, and Her Son, Who is God, imposes His hands on the head of the Virgin Mother, of the Eternal Beloved, and blesses Her in the Name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and then He bends and lifts Her up, with a last kiss on Her forehead, which is as white as a petal of a lily under Her golden hair still so young-looking… 5 They go once again towards the house, and no one, seeing how calmly they proceed One beside the Other, would think of that wave of love that overwhelmed them shortly before. But how much difference there is also, in this farewell, from the sadness of other farewells of the past and from the torture of the farewell of the Mother to Her Son Who had been killed and was to be left all alone in the Sepulchre!… In the present case, although their eyes are shining with the natural tears of those who depart from their Beloved ones, their lips smile out of joy knowing that this Beloved is going to the Abode befitting His Glory… «Lord! Out there, between the mountain and Bethany are all those that You told Your Mother You wanted to bless today» says Peter. «All right. We will go to them now. But come first. I want to share the bread once again with all of you.» They go into the room where ten days previously were the women for the supper of the fourteenth day of the second month. Mary accompanies Jesus so far, then She withdraws. Jesus remains with the eleven. On the table there is some roasted meat, some cheese and small black olives, a small amphora of wine and a larger one with water, and some broad loaves of bread. A simple table, not set for an important ceremony, but only for the necessity of taking some food. Jesus offers and makes the portions. He is in the centre between Peter and James of Alphaeus. He has called them to those places. John, Judas of Alphaeus and James are in front of Him, Thomas, Philip and Matthew are on one side, Andrew, Bartholomew and the Zealot are on the other. So everybody can see Jesus… A quick, silent meal. The apostles, who are at their last day with Jesus, notwithstanding that the subsequent apparitions, both collective and individual, from the Resurrection onwards, have been full of love, have never got out of that reserve and veneration that have characterised their meetings with the Risen Jesus. 6 The meal is over. Jesus opens His hands over the table, with His usual gesture when facing an unavoidable fact, and says: «Well. The hour has come when I have to leave you to go back to My Father. Listen to the last words of your Master. Do not go away from Jerusalem during these days. Lazarus, to whom I have spoken, has seen to the fulfillment of the desires of his Master, and he gives you the house of the Last Supper, so that you may have a residence where to hold meetings and concentrate in prayer. Remain there during these days and pray assiduously to be prepared for the coming of the Holy Spirit, Who will complete you for your mission. Remember that I, although I was God, prepared Myself with severe penance for My ministry of evangelizer. Your preparation will be easier and easier and shorter and shorter. But I do not exact anything else from you. It is sufficient that you pray assiduously, together with the seventy-two and under the guide of My Mother, Whom I entrust to you with the concern of a Son. She will be for you a Mother and Teacher of love and perfect wisdom. I could have sent you elsewhere to prepare yourselves to receive the Holy Spirit, instead I want you to remain here, because it is Jerusalem, the denier, that must be astonished 634. Farewell and Ascension of the Lord. 442 at the continuation of the divine prodigies, which are given in reply to its denials. Later, the Holy Spirit will make you understand the necessity that the Church should arise just in this town, that from a human point of view is the most unworthy of having it. But Jerusalem is always Jerusalem, even if sin overwhelms it and the deicide was accomplished here. Nothing will be of avail to it. It is condemned. But if it is condemned, not all its citizens are condemned. Remain here for the few just people who are in its bosom, and remain here because this is the royal town and the town of the Temple, and because, as predicted by the prophets, here, where the King Messiah has been anointed and acclaimed and raised, here is to begin His kingdom over the world, and here again, where the synagogue received the libel of repudiation from God for its too many horrible crimes, the new Temple is to arise, and the peoples of all countries will come to it. Read the prophets. Everything is predicted in them. My Mother first, the Spirit Paraclete later, will make you understand the words of the prophets for this period of time. 7 Remain here until Jerusalem repudiates you as it repudiated Me, and hates My Church as it hated Me, brooding over plots to exterminate it. Then take the see of this beloved Church of Mine elsewhere, because it must not perish. I tell you: not even hell shall prevail against it. But if God gives you the assurance of His protection, do not tempt Heaven by exacting everything from Heaven. Go to Ephraim as your Master went there because it was not the hour for Him to be caught by His enemies. I say Ephraim, meaning the land of idols and heathens. But it is not Ephraim in Palestine that you must choose as the see of My Church. Remember how many times, I spoke of this to you, all united or to one individually, foretelling you that you would go along the roads of the Earth to arrive at the heart of it and establish My Church there. It is from the heart of man that blood circulates through all the members. It is from the heart of the world that Christianity must spread all over the Earth. At present My Church is like a creature that has already been conceived but is still forming in the matrix. Jerusalem is its matrix, and inside it the still tiny heart, around which the few members of the dawning Church gather, gives its small waves of blood to these members. But, when the hour marked by God comes, the stepmotherly matrix will expel the creature that formed in its womb, and it will go to a new land, and it will grow there becoming a great Body spread all over the Earth, and the throbs of the strong heart of the Church will propagate to all the great Body. The throbs of the heart of the Church, freed from all ties with the Temple, eternal and victorious over the ruins of the perished and destroyed Temple, living in the heart of the world, will tell Hebrews and Gentiles that God alone triumphs and wants what He wants, and that no hatred of men or group of idols can stop His will. But this will happen later, and at that time you will know what to do. The Spirit of God will lead you. Be not afraid. For the time being hold the first meeting of the believers in Jerusalem. Then more meetings will take place as their numbers grow. I truly tell you that the citizens of My Kingdom will increase rapidly like seeds sown in very good soil. My people will spread all over the Earth. The Lord says to the Lord: “Because you have done this, and for My sake you have not spared yourself, I will bless you and I will make your descendants as many as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants shall gain possession of the gates of their enemies and in your descendants all the nations of the Earth shall be blessed.” My Name, My Sign and My Law are blessings, wherever they are known as sovereigns. 8 The Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier is about to come and you will be replete with Him. Ensure that you are as pure as everything that is to approach the Lord. I also was Lord like Him. But I had put on a garment over My Divinity to be able to stay among you, and not only to teach you and redeem you with the organs and the blood of that garment, but also to bring the Holy of Holies among men, without it being unbecoming that every man, even an impure one, could lay his eyes on Him, Whom the Seraphim are afraid of looking at. But the Holy Spirit will come without the veil of flesh, and will alight on you and will descend in you with His seven gifts and will advise you. Now, the advice of God is such a sublime thing, that it is necessary to be prepared for it with a heroic will of a perfection that may make you resemble your Father and your Jesus, and your Jesus in His relationship with the Father and with the Holy Spirit. Therefore, perfect charity and perfect love in order to be able to understand the Love and receive Him on the thrones of your hearts. Get lost in the eddy of contemplation. Strive to forget that you are men and strive to change into Seraphim. Throw yourselves into the furnace, into the flames of contemplation. The contemplation of God is like a spark that flashes from the friction of steel on flintstone and gives fire and light. The fire that consumes the opaque and always impure matter and transforms it into bright and pure flame is purification. 9 You will not have the Kingdom of God in you, if you do not have love. Because the Kingdom of God is the Love, and appears with the Love, and through the Love it is established in your hearts in the brightness of a huge light, that penetrates and fecundates, removes ignorance and gives wisdom, devours man and creates the god, the son of God, My brother, the king of the throne that God has prepared for those who give themselves to God, in order to have God, God, God, God alone. So be pure and holy through fervent prayer that sanctifies man, because it plunges him into God's fire, which is charity. You must be holy. Not in the relative meaning that this words has had so far, but in the absolute meaning that I gave it, as I proposed the Holiness of the Lord as its example and limit, that is, perfect Holiness. Among us the Temple is called holy, holy the place where the altar is, the Holy of Holies the veiled place where the ark and the propitiatory are kept. But I truly tell you that those who possess the Grace and live in holiness out of love for the Lord, are more holy than the Holy of Holies, because God does not only 634. Farewell and Ascension of the Lord. 443 alight on them, as on the propitiatory that is in the Temple, to give His orders, but He lives in them to give them His love. 10 Do you remember My words of the Last Supper? I promised you the Holy Spirit. Well, He is about to come to baptise you, not with water, as John did with you, preparing you for Me, but with fire to prepare you to serve the Lord, as He wants you to do. So he will be here, within a few days. And after His coming your capabilities will increase immeasurably, and you will be able to understand the words of your King, and do the deeds that He told you to do, to spread His Kingdom all over the Earth.» «So will You rebuild the Kingdom of Israel then, after the coming of the Holy Spirit?» they ask interrupting Him. «There will no longer be a Kingdom of Israel, but My Kingdom. And it will be accomplished when the Father said. It is not for you to know the times and the moments that the Father has reserved for Himself in His power. But you, in the meantime, will receive the virtue of the Holy Spirit Who will come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judaea and in Samaria and as far as the boundaries of the Earth, establishing meetings where men meet in My Name; baptising peoples in the Most Holy Name of the Father, of the Son, of the Holy Spirit, as I told you, so that they may have the Grace and they may live in the Lord; preaching the Gospel to everybody, teaching what I taught you, doing what I ordered you to do. And I shall be with you every day until the end of the world. 11 And I want also this: James, My brother, to preside over the meeting in Jerusalem. Peter, as head of all the Church, will often have to set out on apostolic journeys, because all the neophytes will wish to meet the Pontiff Supreme Head of the Church. But great will be My brother's ascendancy over the believers of this first Church. Men are always men and they see as men. They will think that James is a continuation of Me, only because He is My brother. I truly tell you that he is greater and more like the Christ because of his wisdom than through relationship. But it is so. Men, who did not look for Me while I was among them, will now look for Me in him who is a relative of Mine. And you, Simon Peter, are destined to other honours…» «That I do not deserve, Lord. I told You when You appeared to me and I tell you again now in the presence of everybody. You are good, divinely good, besides being wise, and You rightly judged me, who denied You in this town, ill-suited to be its spiritual head. You want to spare me so many just derisions…» «We were all the same, except two, Simon. I also ran away. Not because of this, but because of the reasons that He mentioned, the Lord has destined me to this place; but you are my Chief, Simon of Jonah, and I acknowledge you as such, and in the presence of the Lord and of all my companions I profess obedience to you. I will give you what I can to help you in your ministry, but I beg you, give me your orders, because you are the head and I the subject. When the Lord reminded me of a conversation of long ago, I bent me head saying: “Let Your will be done.” I will say the same to you, because, once the Lord has left us, you will be His Representative on the Earth. And we will love each other, helping each other in the sacerdotal ministry» says James, bowing from his place to pay homage to Peter. «Yes. Love one another, helping one another reciprocally, because that is the new commandment and the sign that you really belong to Christ. 12 Do not be upset for any reason. God is with you. You can do what I want of you. I would not impose things on you if you could not do them, because I do not want your ruin, on the contrary I want your glory. Well. I am going to prepare your places beside My throne. Remain united to Me and to the Father in love. Forgive the world that hates you. Call sons and brothers those who come to you, or are already with you out of love for Me. Be at peace knowing that I am always ready to help you to carry your crosses. I will be with you in the work of your ministry and in the hours of persecutions, and you will not perish, you will not succumb even if those who see with the eyes of the world think so. You will be oppressed, grieved, tired, tortured, but My joy will be in you, because I will help you in everything. I truly tell you that, when you have the Love as a Friend, you will understand that everything suffered and lived for My love becomes light, even if it is a heavy torture of the world. Because for him who clothes all his actions, whether they are voluntary or imposed, with love, the yoke of life and of the world changes into a yoke given to him by God, by Me. And I repeat to you that My load is always proportioned to your strength and My yoke is light, because I help you to carry it. You know that the world does not know how to love. But from now on you are to love the world with a supernatural love, to teach it how to love. And if seeing you persecuted, they should say to you: “Is that how God loves you? Making you suffer, grieving you? Then it is not worth while being of God”, reply: “Sorrow does not come from God. But God allows it, and we know the reason and we are proud of having the part that Jesus Saviour, the Son of God, had.” Reply: “We are proud of being nailed to the cross and of continuing the Passion of our Jesus.” Reply with the words of Wisdom: “Death and sorrow were brought into the world by the envy of the demon, but God is not the maker of death and sorrow and He does not take delight in the sorrow of creatures. Everything coming from Him is life and wholesome.” Reply: “At present we seem persecuted and defeated, but on the day of God, when lots have changed, we just people, who were persecuted on the Earth, will stand gloriously in front of those who oppressed and despised us.” But also say to them: “Come to us! Come to the Life and Peace. Our Lord does not want your ruin, but your salvation. That is why He sent His beloved Son, so that you all might be saved.” And rejoice at taking part in My sufferings, so that later you may be in the glory with 634. Farewell and Ascension of the Lord. 444 Me. “I shall be your exceedingly great reward” the Lord in Abraham promised all His faithful servants. You know how the Kingdom of Heaven is conquered: by strength, and one arrives there through many tribulations. But he who perseveres as I persevered will be where I am. I have told you which is the way and which is the door that lead to the Kingdom of Heaven, and I was the first to walk along it and I have gone back to the Father by it. If there had been another one, I would have taught you it, because I take pity on your weakness as men. But there is no other one… And pointing it out to you as the only way and the only door, I also tell you, I repeat to you which is the medicine that gives strength to go along it and enter. It is love. Always love. Everything becomes possible when there is love in us. And the Love Who loves you will give you all the love, if in My Name you ask for so much love as to become athletes in holiness. 13 Now let us give each other the parting kiss, My beloved friends.» He stands up to embrace them. They all imitate Him. But, while Jesus smiles peacefully, a smile really divinely beautiful, they weep, they are all upset, and John, throwing himself on Jesus' chest, shaken by all the sobs that are so violent as to break his chest, on behalf of everyone, as he realises everybody's wish, asks:«Give us at least Your Bread, that it may fortify us in this hour!» «Let it be so!» Jesus replies to him. And taking a piece of bread, He breaks it, after offering and blessing it, repeating the ritual words. And He does the same with the wine, repeating then: «Do this in memory of Me» and He adds: «Who have left you this pledge of My love, to be still and always with you until you will be with Me in Heaven.» He blesses them and says: «And now let us go.» They come out of the room, of the house… Jonah, Mary and Mark are there outside, and they kneel down worshipping Jesus. «May peace remain with you. And may the Lord reward you for what you have given Me» says Jesus, blessing them while passing by. Mark stands up saying: «Lord, the olive-groves along the Bethany road are full of disciples awaiting You.» «Go and tell them to go to the Field of the Galileans.» Mark darts away with all the speed of his young legs. «So, they have all come» say the apostles to one another. Further aside, sitting between Marjiam and Mary of Clopas, there is the Mother of the Lord. And She stands up when She sees Him coming, worshipping Him with all the palpitations of Her heart of Mother and believer. «Come, Mother, and you too, Mary…» says Jesus inviting them, when He sees them stand still, immobilised by His majesty that blazes as in the morning of the Resurrection. 14 But Jesus does not want to overwhelm with His majesty, and He kindly asks Mary of Alphaeus: «Are you alone?» «The other women… the others are ahead… With the shepherds and… with Lazarus and all his family… But they left us here, because…» «Oh! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!… How shall I put up with not seeing You any more, blessed Jesus, my God, I who loved You even before You were born, I who wept so much over You when I did not know where You were after the slaughter… I who had my sun in Your smile after You came back, and all, all my blessings?… How many blessings! How many You have given me!… Now I am really becoming poor, a widow, all alone! … While You were here, there was everything!… I thought I had experienced all sorrow that evening… But the very grief, all the sorrow of that day had dulled my mind and… yes, it was not so deep as it is now… And then… there was the fact that You were going to rise. I seemed as if I could not believe it, but now I realise that I did believe it, because I did not feel what I am feeling now…» she says weeping and panting, so much do her tears choke her. «My good Mary, you are worrying just like a little boy, who thinks that his mother does not love him and has abandoned him, because she has gone to town to buy him presents that will make him happy, and who will soon go back to him to cover him with kisses and gifts. And am I not doing so with you? Am I not going to prepare joy for you? Am I not going to come back and say to you: “Come, My dear relative and beloved disciple, mother of My beloved disciples”? Am I not leaving you My love? Shall I give you My love, Mary? You know whether I love you! Do not weep so, but rejoice, because you will no longer see Me despised and fatigued, no longer chased and rich only in the love of few people. And with My love I leave you My Mother. John will be like a son to Her, and I ask you to be a good sister to Her, as you have always been. See? My Mother is not weeping. She is aware that, if Her nostalgia for Me is the file that will consume Her heart, the wait will be always short as compared to the great joy of an eternal union, and She also knows that this parting of ours will not be so absolute as to make Her say: “I no longer have My Son.” That was Her cry of sorrow on that day of sorrow. Now hope sings in Her heart: “I know that My Son is ascending to His Father, but He will not leave Me without His spiritual love.” That is what you believe, and everybody… 15 Here are the other men and women. Here are My shepherds.» The faces of Lazarus and of his sisters among all the servants of Bethany, the face of Johanna like a rose under a veil of rain, and those of Eliza and of Nike, already marked by age – and wrinkles are now deepened by pain, always pain for creatures, even if the soul rejoices because of the triumph of the Lord – the face of Anastasica, the lily-like faces of the first virgins, and the ascetic face of Isaac, the inspired one of Matthias, and 634. Farewell and Ascension of the Lord. 445 the virile face of Manaen, and the severe ones of Joseph and Nicodemus… Faces, faces, faces… Jesus calls to Himself the shepherds, Lazarus, Joseph, Nicodemus, Manaen, Maximinus and the others of the seventy-two disciples. But He particularly keeps the shepherds close to Himself saying: «Here. You were near the Lord Who had come from Heaven, bent over His annihilation, You are to be near the Lord Who is going back to Heaven, with your souls rejoicing because of His glorification. You have deserved this place, because you did believe notwithstanding that all the circumstances were unfavourable, and you were able to suffer for your faith. I thank you for your faithful love. I thank all of you. You, My friend Lazarus, you, Joseph, and you, Nicodemus, who took pity on the Christ when to do so might have been very dangerous. You Manaen, who despised the filthy favours of an unclean man to follow Me on My way. You, Stephen, flowery crown of justice, who left what was imperfect for what was perfect and will be crowned with a garland, with which you are not yet acquainted, but will be announced to you by the angels. You John, for a short period of time brother to the most pure breast and who have come more to the Light than to the sight. You, Nicolaus, who, as a proselyte, have been able to console Me for the grief of the sons of this Nation. And you, good women disciples, stronger, in your kindness, than Judith. And you, Marjiam, My child, and from now on you will be called Martial, in remembrance of the Roman boy killed on the road and laid at Lazarus' gate with the defying script: “And now tell the Galilean to bring you back to life again, if He is the Christ and has risen from the dead”, the last of the innocents who lost their lives in Palestine to serve Me also unconsciously, and first of the innocents of every Nation who, having come to the Christ, will be hated for that and extinguished prematurely, like buds of flowers torn off the stems before blooming. And may this name, o Martial, show you your future destiny: be the apostle in barbarian countries and conquer them to your Lord, as My love conquered the Roman boy to Heaven. You are all blessed by Me in this farewell, as from the Father I invoke the reward for those who have comforted the sorrowful journey of the Son of Man. Blessed be Mankind in the chosen part there is among Hebrews and Gentiles, and that has manifested itself in its love for Me. Blessed be the Earth with its herbs and flowers, and its fruits that have given Me pleasure and refreshment so many times. Blessed be the Earth with its waters and its tepidness, for its birds and its animals that many a time exceeded man in giving relief to the Son of Man. May you be blessed, sun, and you, sea, and you, mountains, hills, plains. Blessed you, stars, My companions in My night prayers and in My sorrow. And you, moon, who illuminated Me as I wandered around in My pilgrimages of the evangelizer. May all you creatures be blessed, the works of My Father, My companions in this mortal hour, friendly to Him Who had left Heaven to relieve tortured Mankind of the troubles of the Sin that separates from God. And may you also be blessed, you innocent instruments of My torture: thorns, metals, wood, twisted hemp, because you have assisted Me in fulfilling the will of My Father!» How thundering is Jesus' voice! It spreads through the tepid calm air, like a bronze gong that has been struck, it propagates in waves over the sea of faces looking at Him from all directions. I say that there are hundreds of people around Jesus as He goes up, with His more beloved ones, towards the top of the Mount of Olives. But when Jesus arrives at the Field of the Galileans, in which there are no tents in this period of time between two festivities, He says to His disciples: «Stop the people where they are, and then follow Me.» 16 He climbs farther up, as far as the highest summit of the mountain, the one closer to Bethany, which it dominates from above, than to Jerusalem. Close to Him are His Mother, the Apostles, Lazarus, the shepherds and Marjiam. Farther away, in a semicircle, are the other disciples to hold the people back. Jesus is standing on a large stone, that protrudes a little and stands out in its whiteness among the grass of a clearing. He is brightly illuminated by the sun that makes His garment shine as white as snow and His hair like gold. His eyes sparkle in a divine light. He opens out His arms in the gesture of an embrace. He seems to be wishing to press to His chest the multitudes of the Earth, whom His spirit sees represented in that crowd. His unforgettable inimitable voice gives the last order: «Go! Go in My Name to evangelize the peoples as far as the ends of the Earth. God be with you. May His Love comfort you, may His Light guide you, may His Peace dwell in you until you reach eternal life.» He becomes transfigured in beauty. Handsome! As handsome and even more so than He was on Tabor. They all fall on their knees worshipping. While He is already rising from the stone on which He is standing, He looks once again for the face of His Mother, and His smile reaches a power that no one will ever be able to express… It is His last goodbye to His Mother. He rises, rises… The sun, now more free to kiss Him, as no foliage, not even a thin leaf, intercepts its beams, brightens with its splendour the GodMan, Who with His most Holy Body is ascending to Heaven, and displays His glorious Wounds that shine like living rubies. The rest is a pearly smile of light. And it is really the Light that is revealing itself for what it is, at this last moment as on Christmas night. Creation sparkles in the light of the Christ Who is ascending. A light exceeding that of the sun. A superhuman and most blissful light. A light descending from Heaven to meet the Light ascending to it… And Jesus Christ, the Word of God, disappears from the sight of men in this ocean of brightness… On the earth, only two noises in the deep silence of the ecstatic crowd: the cry of Mary when He disappears: «Jesus!», and the weeping of Isaac. The others are struck dumb with religious astonishment, and they remain there, as if they were waiting, until two snow-white angelical lights, in human form, appear repeating the words mentioned in the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.

633. Farewell to His Mother before Ascension

 633. Farewell to His Mother before Ascension. 22nd February 1944. 1 I always see the room where Mary lives. The signs of the Passion have disappeared. The Virgin is sitting and reading. They must be holy books, because She certainly does not read anything else in the scroll She is holding in Her hands. She is no longer tortured. Her face is more grave than before the Passion, more mature. But it is no longer that tragical face. It is stately but serene. It seems to be morning, because the sun is already shining brightly and through the open window it illuminates the quiet room, but one can see that the garden, surrounded by high walls and on to which the window opens, is still all fresh with dew. Jesus goes in. He is still wearing the wonderful garment of the morning of the Resurrection. His face sheds brightness and His wounds are like small suns. Mary kneels down smiling, then She stands up and kisses His right Hand. Jesus presses Her to His Heart and kisses Her forehead, smiling, and asks Her for a kiss, which She also gives Him on His Forehead. 2 «Mother. The time of My stay on the earth is over. I am ascending to My Father. I have come to say a special farewell to You and to show Myself to You once again as I 633. Farewell to His Mother before Ascension. 439 shall be in Heaven. It was not possible for Me to show Myself to men in this splendid garment. They would not have been able to bear the beauty of My glorified Body. It exceeds by far their possibilities. But to You, yes, Mother. And I have come to gladden You once again with it. Kiss My Wounds, so that in Heaven I may smell the perfume of Your lips and the sweetness of My Blood may remain on them for You. But be sure, Mother, that I will never leave You. I will come out of Your heart only those few moments necessary for the consecration of the Bread and of the Wine, to return there, after getting detached from You with difficulty, with an eagerness of love like Your own, o My living Heaven of which I am the Heaven. We shall never be so united as from now on. Previously there was My embryonal inability, then My childhood, then the struggle of life and of work, then My mission, and then the Cross and the Sepulchre to keep Me away and to prevent Me from telling You how much I love You. But now I shall be in You no longer as a creature that is being formed, no longer near You among the obstacles of the world that forbids the fusion of two who love each other. Now I shall be in You as God, and nothing, nothing on Earth and in Heaven will be able to separate Me from You, You from Me, Holy Mother. I will speak words of ineffable love to You, I will give You caresses of inexpressible kindness. And you will love Me for those who do not love Me. Oh! Mother, with Your perfect love, You fill the measure of love that the world will not give the Christ. So, rather than a farewell, Mine is the greeting of one who goes out for a moment, as if I were going to pick roses and lilies in this flowery garden. But from Heaven I will bring You other roses and other lilies, more beautiful than these that have bloomed here. I will fill Your heart with them, Mother, to make You forget the stench of the Earth, that does not want to be holy, and to give You in advance the air of the blissful Paradise, where You are expected with so much love. And the Love, Who cannot wait, will come upon You in ten days' time. Make Yourself beautiful with Your most beautiful joy, o Virgin Mother, because Your Spouse is coming. Winter is over... the vineyards in blossom shed their scent, and He sings: “Rise, o most beautiful one. Come, My Bride, you will be crowned.” With His Fire He will crown You, o Holy Mother, and will make You happy with His spirit, which will be infused into You with all its magnificence, o Queen of Wisdom, His Queen, Who understood Him since the dawn of Your life and loved Him as no creature in the world ever loved. Mother. I am ascending to Our Father. Upon You, Blessed Mother, the blessing of Your Son.» Mary beams with joy in Her ecstasy, in the room that is still bright in the light of Christ. --------------- 3 Jesus says: «Do not discuss, men, whether it was or was not possible for Me to change garment. I no longer was the Man bound to the necessities of man. I had the Universe as My footstool and all the powers as My obedient servants. And if, while I was the Evangelizer, I was able to become transfigured on the Tabor, should I have not been able to become transfigured for My Mother, when I became the glorious Christ? Or rather, change Myself for men and appear to Her as I was by now, divine, glorious, transfigured, from Man as I showed Myself to everybody in What I really was? And yet She had seen Me, poor Mother, transfigured by tortures. It was fair that She should see Me transfigured by Glory. 4 Do not discuss whether I could really be in Mary. If you say that God is in Heaven and on the earth and everywhere, why can you doubt whether at the same time I could be in Heaven and in the Heart of Mary, Who was a living Heaven? If you believe that I am in the Blessed Sacrament and enclosed in your ciboria, why can you doubt whether I was in that most pure and ardent Ciborium that was the Heart of My Mother? What is the Eucharist? It is My Body and My Blood united to My Soul and to My Divinity. Well, when She was pregnant with Me, what else had She in Her womb? Did She not have the Son of God, the Word of the Father with His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity? Do you, perhaps, not have Me because Mary had Me and She gave Me to you, after carrying Me for nine months? Well, as I left Heaven to dwell in Mary's womb, so, now that I was leaving the Earth, I was electing Mary's womb as My Ciborium. And which ciborium, in which cathedral, is more beautiful and holy than this one? Holy Communion is a miracle of love that I worked for you, men. But at the summit of my thought of love, there was shining the thought of infinite love of being able to live with My Mother and make Her live with Me until we should be reunited in Heaven. I worked the first miracle for the joy of My Mother, at Cana in Galilee. The last miracle, or rather, the last miracles, for the consolation of Mary, in Jerusalem. The Eucharist and the veil of the veronica. The latter, to give a drop of honey to the bitterness of the Desolate Mother. The former, to prevent Her from feeling that Jesus was no longer on the Earth. Everything, everything, everything, but try and understand this once and for all, you have through Mary! You ought to love and bless Her at each breath of yours. 5 The veil of veronica is also a goad to your skeptical souls. Since you, o rationalists, o tepid people vacillating in your faith, proceed through arid examinations, compare the face of the veronica with that of the Holy Shroud. One is the Face of a living person, the other of a dead one. But length, width, somatic types, form, distinctive features, are identical. Superimpose the images. You will see that they correspond. It is I. I Who wanted to remind you how I was and how I had become out of love for you. If you had not gone astray, if you were not blind, those two Faces should be enough to bring you 633. Farewell to His Mother before Ascension. 440 to love, to repentance, to God. The Son of God leaves you, blessing you with the Father and with the Holy Spirit .»

632. The Supplementary Passover

 632. The Supplementary Passover. 23rd April 1947. 1 Jesus' order has been carried out to the letter, this time, and Bethany is crowded with disciples. Meadows, paths, orchards, Lazarus' olive-groves are full of them and as they are not sufficient to hold so many people, who do not want to damage the property of Jesus' friend, many of them have spread out also among the olive-groves that are between Bethany and Jerusalem along the roads of the Mount of Olives. Closer to the house are the disciples of early days, many others are farther away. Faces not well known or completely unknown. But who can now recognise so many faces and mention their names? I think there are hundreds of them. Now and again, in the medley, a face or a name reminds me of faces seen among those helped and converted by Jesus, even at the last hour. But it is beyond my capability to remember so many faces and names, and to recognise them all. It would be the same as if one expected me to recognise who was among the people that crowded the streets in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday or on Good Friday, or covered Calvary with a carpet of faces, most of which were drawn with hatred. The apostles go in and out from Simon's house, moving around the people to keep them quiet or to reply to their questions. Also Lazarus and Maximinus help them. At the upper-floor balcony windows of Simon's house one can see all the faces of the women disciples appear and disappear: grey-haired or brown-haired heads, among which shine the fair-haired heads of Mary of Lazarus and of Aurea. Now and again one comes out, looks and withdraws. They are all there, really all of them, the young ones and the old ones, also those who had never come, such as Sarah of Aphek. On the terrace many children are playing, those gathered by Sarah, the grandchildren of Anne of Merom, 632. The Supplementary Passover. 436 Mary and Matthias, the little boy Shalem, who was crippled and was the grandchild of Nahum and who is now happy and healthy, and some more. A flock of happy little birds, watched over by Marjiam and by other young disciples, such as the little shepherd of Enon and Jaia of Pella. Among the children I now see also the little boy of Sidon, who was blind. It is obvious that he was brought by his father. 2 The sun is beginning to set in a very bright clear sky. Peter consults with Lazarus and with his companions. «I think that it is better to dismiss the people. What do you say? He will not come today either. And many of these people have to consume the little Passover this evening» says Peter. «Yes. It is better to dismiss them. Perhaps the Lord has wisely decided not to come today. All those of the Temple have gathered in Jerusalem. I do not know how they heard that He was coming and...» says Lazarus. «And even so? What can they do to Him any more?» says Thaddeus vehemently. «You are forgetting that they are they. And these words of mine say everything. Even if they can do Him no harm, they can do a lot of harm to these people who have come to worship Him. And the Lord does not want to damage His believers. And then! Do you think that they, blinded by their sin and their thought, which is always the same one, among the contrasting ideas in their heads, do not also have the idea that the Lord has risen, that is, that He never died and He came out from there like one who awakes by himself or with the complicity of many? You do not know what wild confusion of thoughts, what entanglement, what storm of suppositions is in their minds. They have created it all in order not to admit the truth. We can really say that those who were accomplices yesterday are divided today, for the same cause that previously kept them joined together. And some people have been seduced by their ideas. See? Some are no longer among the disciples...» says Lazarus. «And let them go! Other better ones have come. Certainly, those who have informed the Sanhedrin that the Lord will be here on the fourteenth day of the second month, are to be looked for among those who have gone away. And after the delation they no longer have the courage to come. Come on! Stop it! Enough of traitors!» says Bartholomew. «We shall always have some, my dear friend! Man!... He yields too easily to impressions and to pressures. But we must not be afraid. The Lord said that we must not be afraid» says the Zealot. «And we are not afraid. A few days ago we were still frightened. Do you remember? I, as far as I am concerned, was afraid when I thought of coming back here. Now I no longer seem to be so frightened. But I do not trust myself too much, and you as well ought not to trust your Cephas too much. I have already proved once that I am made of clay that crumbles, instead of being of solid granite. 3 Well, let us dismiss these people. It is your duty, Lazarus.» «No, Simon Peter. It is yours. You are the chief...» says Lazarus kindly, embracing Peter's shoulder with his arm and pushing him thus towards the staircase and up it, as far as the terrace surrounding Simon's house. Peter makes a gesture meaning that he wants to speak and the people nearby become silent and those farther away move towards him. Peter waits until most of them are near him, then he says: «Men from every part of Israel, listen. I exhort you to go back to town. The sun has already begun to set. So, go. If He comes, we will let you know at all costs. God be with you.» He withdraws, going into an airy room where, around the Blessed Virgin, there are all the more faithful women disciples and also the other women who loved the Lord as their Master, although they never followed Him on His pilgrimages. And Peter goes and sits in a corner, looking at Mary Who smiles at him. The people, outside, slowly part into two groups: that of those who remain and that of those who go back to town. Voices of adults calling the children, the shrill voices of children replying to them. Then the buzzing noise subsides. «And now» says Peter «we will go as well...» «Father, but the Lord said that He would come!...» «Eh! I know! But, as you can see, He has not come. And this is the day He prescribed...» 4 «Yes, and my brother has already prepared everything for you, and here is Mark of Jonas, who has come to take you there and open the gate to you. But I am coming as well. We are all coming. Lazarus has provided for everybody» says Mary of Magdala. «And where can we consume the supper with so many people?» «Gethsemane itself will be the Supper room. Inside the house, the room for those who Jesus said. Outside, near the house, the tables for the others. That is what He wanted.» «Who? Lazarus?» «The Lord.» «The Lord? But when did He come?» «He came... What does it matter to you when? He came and He spoke to Lazarus.» «I think that He will come, and even more, that He has come to each of us, even if none 632. The Supplementary Passover. 437 of us say so, keeping that joy as his dearest pearl, that he is even afraid to show, fearing it may lose its most beautiful light. The secrets of the King!» says Bartholomew, and he looks at the group of the virgin disciples, whose faces blush as if the beams of the setting sun set them aflame. But it is a spiritual flame of intense joy that lights them. Mary, the Virgin of the virgins, all white in Her linen dress, a lily dressed in white, lowers Her head smiling, without speaking. How much She resembles, at this moment, the young Virgin of the Annunciation! «Certainly... He will not leave us all alone, even if He does not appear visibly. I say that it is He Who puts certain thoughts in my poor heart and even more in my poor mind...» admits Matthew. The others do not speak... They look at one another while they put on their mantles, scrutinising one another. But the very care with which some cover their faces as much as possible, to keep concealed the wave of spiritual joy enlivened by the recollection of the divine secret meetings, reveal them as the most favoured ones. «Well, say so!» exclaim the others. «We are not jealous! We are not so intrusive as to want to know. But we shall be comforted by the hope that we shall not be deprived of His sight for good! Remember the words of Raphael to Tobias: “It is certainly right to keep the secret of the king, but it is more honourable to reveal and publish the works of God.” The angel of God is right! Keep the secret of the words He has given you, but disclose His continuous love for us.» James of Alphaeus looks at Mary, as if he wished to be enlightened by Her, and realising by Her smile that She agrees, He says: «It is true. I have seen the Lord.» Nothing else. And he is the only one to say so. The other two, who have covered themselves carefully, do not utter one word. 5 They all go out and in groups, the eleven ahead, then Lazarus with his sisters and the women disciples around Mary, last the shepherds and many of the seventy-two disciples. They set out towards Jerusalem along the upper road that takes one to the Mount of Olives. The children who have stayed run backwards and forwards happily. Mark shows them a path that avoids the Field of the Galileans and the busier areas and goes directly to the new enclosure of the Garden of Gethsemane. He opens, lets them pass, and closes. Many disciples whisper to one another and some go to ask the apostles, and John in particular, questions. But they make a gesture to wait, as it is not yet the time to do what they ask, and they all remain quiet. How much peace in the vast olive-grove, still kissed by the last sunbeams in the upper part, whereas the lower ones are already in the shade! A light rustling of the wind among the silver-green leaves and the cheerful chirping of birds greeting the dying day. Here is the little house of the keeper. On the terrace, which is its roof, Lazarus has had a number of tents put up, so that the terrace has changed into an aerial supper room for the disciples who were not able to consume the Passover the previous month. Downstairs, on the very clean threshing-floor, there are more tables. In the house, in the best room, is the table for the women disciples. The roasted lambs, lettuce, unleavened bread and the reddish sauce are brought to the various tables of those who have not celebrated the Passover, and the ritual chalice is placed on the tables. But on the table of the women there is no chalice, but as many cups as the people sitting at the table. The women were obviously exempted from that part of the ceremony. On the table of those who have consumed the Passover at the proper time there is the lamb, but there is no unleavened bread and no lettuce with reddish sauce. 6 Lazarus and Maximinus supervise everything. And Lazarus bends over Peter to tell him something that makes the chief Apostle shake his head violently in obstinate denial. «And yet... it is your duty» says Philip, who is beside him. But Peter points at James of Alphaeus: «It is his duty.» While they are discussing so, the Lord appears at the beginning of the threshing-floor and says greeting: «Peace to you.» They all stand up and the noise warns the women of what is happening. They are on the point of going out, but Jesus enters the house greeting them as well. Mary says: «Son!» and She worships Him more deeply than the others, teaching them by such a gesture that, no matter how Jesus may be a friend, such a friend and relative as to be even Her Son, He is always God, and is to be worshipped as God. Always worshipped, with an adoring spirit, even if His love for us is so full as to urge Him to give Himself with full confidence, as our Brother and Spouse. «Peace to You, Mother. Sit down and eat. I am going upstairs, where Marjiam is awaiting his reward.» He goes out to climb the little staircase and He calls in a loud voice: «Simon Peter and James of Alphaeus. Come.» The two He has called go up behind Him and Jesus sits at the central table, where Marjiam is, and says to the two Apostles: «You will do what I tell you» and to Matthias, who is at the head of the table, He says: «Begin the Passover banquet.» This evening Jesus has Marjiam beside Him, where John was the last time. Peter and James are behind the Lord awaiting His orders. 632. The Supplementary Passover. 438 7 And the banquet is celebrated with the same ritual of the Passover Supper: hymns, questions, libations. I do not know whether it is the same at the other tables. I look fixedly where Jesus is, unless His will compels me to look elsewhere, and I forget everything to contemplate my Lord, Who is now offering the best morsels of His lamb – He has taken it on His plate but He does not eat any of it, neither does He take any lettuce or sauce, and He does not drink of the Chalice – and He offers the best morsels to Marjiam, who is really blissful. At the beginning Jesus made a gesture to Peter to bend and listen to Him, and Peter after listening to Him said in a loud voice: «At this moment the Lord offered the chalice for us all, as He was the Father and Head of His Family.» Now He makes another gesture to Peter, who listens again and then stands up and says: «And at this point the Lord girded Himself to purify us and teach us what we are to do to consume the Eucharistic Sacrifice worthily.» The supper proceeds until at another sign Peter says again: «At this moment the Lord, after taking the bread and the wine, offered them, and praying blessed them, and after breaking the bread into parts, He handed them to us saying: “This is My Body and this is My Blood of the new eternal Testament, and it will be shed for you and for many to the remission of sins.”» Jesus stands up. He is most imposing. He orders Peter and James to take a loaf of bread and break it into small morsels and to fill a chalice, the biggest one there is on the tables, with wine. They obey and hold the bread and the wine in front of Him, and Jesus stretches out His hands over them and prays without any other action except His enraptured look... «Hand out the morsels of bread and offer the brotherly chalice. Every time you do this, you shall do it in memory of Me.» The two Apostles obey, full of veneration... While the distribution of the Species takes place, Jesus goes down to the women. I think, but I cannot see, because I do not go in where they are, that Jesus administers Holy Communion to His Mother with His own hands. This is what I think, but I do not know whether it is true. But I cannot understand why He should go there, if it were not to do that. 8 Then He goes back up to the terrace. He does not sit down any more. The supper is about to end. He asks: «Is it all consumed?» «It is all consumed, Lord.» «As I did on the Cross. Stand up. Let us pray.» He stretches out His arms, as if He were on the cross, and He intones the prayer of the Our Father. I do not know why I am weeping. I think that it is perhaps the last time that I shall hear Him say it... And, as no painter or sculptor will ever be able to give us the true image of Jesus, so no one, however holy he may be, will ever be able to say the Our Father so manfully and at the same time so gently. I shall always feel a great nostalgia for these Our Fathers as I heard them from Jesus, a real conversation of His soul with the most loved and adored Father of Heaven, a cry of honour, of obedience, of faith, of submission, of humility, of mercy, of wish, of trust... everything! «Go. And may the Grace of the Lord be in all of you and may His peace accompany you» Jesus says dismissing them. And He disappears in a bright light that by far exceeds the moonlight, as the moon is now full and high over the silent Garden, and the light of the lamps placed on the tables. Not a voice. Tears on faces, adoration in hearts... and nothing else. The night watches and knows, with the angels, the throbs of those blessed hearts.