Gospel of the Day: Friday 1st Week of OT

 Today's Gospel reading at Mass: Mk 2: 1-12 Jesus Heals a Paralytic

This is how Maria Valtorta witnessed this episode of the Gospel:

The Poem of the Man-God vol 1

64. The Paralytic Cured in Peter's House.

I see the shore of the lake of Gennesaret. And I can see the boats beached by the fishermen; on the foreshore, leaning against the boats, are Peter and Andrew, intent on mending the nets, which their assistants bring them still dripping, having rinsed them in the lake to remove entangled rubbish. About ten yards away, John and James, bent over their boat, are busy at tidying it up, and they are helped by an assistant and by a man about fifty or fifty-five years old, who I think is Zebedee, because the assistant calls him « master >> and also because he is very like James.

Peter and Andrew, with their backs to the boat, are working silently knotting the threads of the nets and fixing corks to them. Now and again they exchange a few words about their work, which, as far as I understand, has not been profitable.

Peter is sorry about it, not because of the loss of profit or the unprofitable work, but he says: << I am sorry, because-what shall we do to feed these poor people? We receive only occasional offerings and I am not going to touch the ten pieces of silver and the seven drachmas we collected during the last four days. Only the Master can tell me to whom and how that money is to be given. And He will not be back here until Sabbath! If we had had a good haul!... I would have cooked the small fish for the poor... and if anyone at home grumbled, I would not have cared. Healthy people can find food for themselves. But sick people!... >>

<< Above all that paralytic!... They have already travelled so much to bring him here... >> says Andrew.

<< Listen, brother. I think... we can't remain divided like this, and I don't know why the Master does not want us with Him all the time. At least... I would not see these poor people whom I can't help, and if I saw them I would say to them: “He is here.” >>

<< I am here! >> Jesus has come near them, walking quietly on the soft sand.

Peter and Andrew start. They exclaim: << Oh! Master! >> and they shout: << James! John! The Master! Come here! >>

The two brothers rush towards them. They all draw close to Jesus. Some kiss His tunic, some His hands, and John dares to encircle His waist with his arm, and lean his head on Jesus' chest. Jesus kisses his hair. << What were you talking about? >>

<< Master... we were saying that we would have liked to have You. >>

<< Why, My friends? >>

<< To see You and love You seeing You, and also because of some poor and sick people. They have been waiting for You for over two days... I did what I could. I put them over there, see that hut in that waste land? Over there the handicraftsmen repair the boats. I sheltered there a paralytic, who has a very high temperature, and a little boy who is dying in his mother's arms. I could not send them away to look for You. >>

<< You did the right thing. But how have you been able to help them and who brought them here? You said they are poor! >>

<< Yes, Master, they are. Rich people have horses and carts. Poor people have only their legs. They cannot come looking for You as fast as they would like. I did what I could. Look: here are the offerings I have received. I have not touched anything. You will do that. >>

<< Peter, you could have done that, too. Certainly... My dear Peter, I am sorry that you should be reproached and have extra work because of Me. >>

<< No, Lord. You must not be sorry about that. It is no trouble for me. I am only sorry I have not been able to be more charitable. But, believe me, I have done, we have all done what we could. >>

<< I know. I know you have worked and in vain. But if there is no food, your charity remains: alive, active and holy in the eyes of God. >>

Some children have rushed round them shouting: << The Master! The Master is here! Here is Jesus, here is Jesus! >> and they draw close to Him, Who caresses them while speaking to His disciples.

<< Simon, I am going into your house. You will all go and tell the people that I am back and then bring Me the sick ones. >>

The disciples go away quickly in different directions. But the whole of Capernaum knows that Jesus has come, thanks to the children who are like bees swarming from the beehive to the various flowers; in our case to the houses, the streets and the squares. They come and go rejoicing, informing their mothers, passers-by, old people sitting in the sun, and they run back to be caressed by Him Who loves them. One of them, a daring boy says: << Speak to us and for us, today, Jesus. You know we love You and we are better than men. >>

Jesus smiles at the young psychologist and promises: << I will speak just for you. >> And followed by the children, He goes into the house and enters pronouncing His usual greeting of peace: << Peace to this house. >> People crowd into the big room at the back of the house, which is used as a store for nets, ropes, baskets, oars, sails, and provisions. Peter must have put it at Jesus' disposal, because everything has been piled up in one comer to make room. The lake cannot be seen from here. Only its gently lapping waves can be heard. Instead one can see the low greenish wall of the kitchen garden, with the old vine and the leafy fig-tree. There are people even on the road, as they pass from the room into the kitchen garden and hence onto the road.

Jesus begins to speak. In the front row, there are five... high-ranking people, who have elbowed their way through the crowd taking advantage of the fear they strike into poor people. Their sumptuous garments and their pride denounce them as Pharisees and doctors. But Jesus wants His little friends around Him, a crown of innocent little faces, of bright eyes, of angelical smiles, all looking up at Him. Jesus speaks and while speaking, now and again He caresses the curly head of a child who is sitting at His feet, resting his head on his little arm bent on Jesus' lap. Jesus is speaking, sitting on a huge pile of baskets and ropes.

« “My Beloved went down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to pasture his flocks in the gardens, and gather lilies... He pastures his flock among the lilies”, says Solomon*, the son of David, from whom I descend, I, the Messiah of Israel.

My garden! Which garden is more beautiful and worthy of God than Heaven, where the flowers are the angels created by the Father? And yet, it is not so. The Only Begotten Son of the Father, the Son of man wanted another garden, because it is for the sake of man that I took flesh, without which I would not be able to redeem the faults of the flesh of man. A garden which might have been but little inferior to the heavenly one, if from the earthly Paradise, the children of Adam, the children of God, had spread about, like sweet bees from a beehive, to populate the earth with holiness destined entirely for Heaven. But the enemy sowed brambles and thorns in Adam's heart, and brambles and thorns have overflown from his heart on to the earth. It is no longer a garden, but a wild cruel forest in which fever stagnates and snakes nestle.

And yet the Beloved of the Father still has a garden in this world which is domineered by Mammon. The garden in which He feeds on His celestial food: love and purity; the bed where He picks the flowers dear to Him, flowers not stained with sensuality, greed, pride. These ones. (Jesus caresses as many of the children as He can, patting with His hand the little attentive heads, one big caress that touches them lightly and makes them smile happily). Here are My lilies.

Solomon in all his wealth, did not have a robe more beautiful than the lily that scents the valley, neither did he possess a diadem of a more splendid gracefulness than the one in the pearl chalice of a lily. And yet, for My heart, there is no lily worth one of these. There is no flower-bed, no garden of wealthy people, all cultivated with lilies, that I consider worth only one of these pure, innocent, sincere, simple, little children.

Men and women of Israel! You, great and humble people according to your wealth and position, listen! You are here because you want to know Me and love Me. You must therefore know the first condition to become Mine. I will not speak difficult words. Neither will I give you more difficult examples. I say to you: “Take example from these children.”

Which of you has no children, nephews, or little brothers in their childhood, at home? Are they not a restful comfort, a bond for parents, relatives, friends? Their souls are as pure as a clear dawn, their faces scatter clouds and inspire hope, their caresses dry your tears and give you new strength! Why is there so much power in them, although they are weak, defenseless and still unlearned? Because they have God in themselves, they have strength and wisdom in God. The true wisdom: they know how to love and believe. They know how to believe and want. They know how to live in such love and such faith. Be like them: simple, pure, loving, sincere, faithful.

There is no wise man in Israel greater than the smallest of these children, whose souls belong to God and His Kingdom belongs to them. Blessed by the Father, loved by the Son of the Father, flowers of My garden, may My peace be with you and with whoever will imitate you for My sake. » Jesus has finished.

<< Master! » shouts Peter amidst the crowd, << the sick people are here. Two of them can wait until You come out, but this one is crushed amongst the crowd and... he cannot stay here any longer. It is impossible for us to come in. Shall I send him back? »

<< No, lower him down through the roof. »

<< You are right. We will do that at once. »

I can hear them shuffling on the low roof of the big room, the terrace of which is not built of cement, as the storeroom is not really part of the house. The roof is formed with branches covered by chips of stone like slate. I do not know what stone it is. They make an opening through which, by means of ropes, they lower down the little stretcher on which the patient is lying. It is lowered in front of Jesus.

The crowds throng closer to see.

<< Both you and who brought you have great faith. >>

<< Oh! Lord! How could we have no faith in You? >>

<< Well, I say to you: son (he is a very young man) your sins are forgiven. >>

The man looks at him, crying... perhaps he is somewhat disappointed because he was hoping to be cured in his body. The Pharisees and doctors whisper something to one another turning up their noses, foreheads and mouths in disdain.

<< Why are you muttering, more in your hearts than with Your lips? According to you, it is easier to say to the paralytic: “Your sins are forgiven” or “Get up, take your little bed and walk away”? You think that only God can forgive sins. But you cannot answer which of these things is greater, because this man, whose whole body is lost to him, has spent a lot of money without being cured. And he can only be cured by God. Now, that you may learn that I can do everything, that you may learn that the Son of man has authority both over bodies and souls, on the earth and in Heaven, I say to him: “Get up. Pick up your bed and walk. Go home and be holy.” >>

The man jerks, he shouts, stands up, he throws himself at Jesus' feet, kisses and caresses them, he cries and laughs, and his relatives and the crowd do likewise. The crowd divides into two to let him pass, as if he were triumphant, and they follow him rejoicing. The five resentful men go away, conceited and as stiff as sticks.

And so the mother can go in with her child: a little emaciated babe, still unweaned. She holds him out in her hands saying simply: << Jesus, You love them. You said so. For Your love and for Your Mother! ... » and she weeps.

Jesus takes the suckling, who is dying, He presses him against His heart, for a moment He holds the little wan face with its little violet lips and its eyelashes already closed, against His mouth. Only one moment thus: when He removes him from His blond beard, the little face is rosy, the tiny mouth smiles vaguely as infants do, his little eyes look around bright and inquisitive, his little hands, which before were lifeless, ruffle Jesus' hair and beard. And Jesus smiles.

<< Oh! My son! » shouts the happy mother.

<< Take him, woman. Be happy and good. »

And the woman takes her reborn son and presses him to her heart. And the little one claims his food at once, he searches, finds, opens and sucks, hungry and happy.

Jesus blesses and passes. He goes to the door where is the man with the high temperature.

<< Master! Be good! »

<< And you, too. Make use of your health in justice. » He caresses him and goes out.

He goes back to the beach, followed, preceded and blessed by many who implore Him: << We did not hear You. We could not get in. Speak also to us. »

Jesus nods assent and as the crowd press Him to the point of suffocating Him, He gets into Peter's boat. But it is not sufficient. The siege continues. << Set the boat afloat and move away a little. »

The vision ends here.

* Song of Songs 6:2-3

Gospel of the Day: Thursday 1st Week OT

 Today's Gospel reading at Mass is Mk 1: 40-45 Jesus cleanses a leper.

This is how María Valtorta witnessed this episode of the Gospel:

From the Poem of the Man God vol 1 / The Gospel as it was revealed to me vol 2

63. The Leper Cured near Korazim.

6th November 1944.

Since before dawn, as in the detail of a perfect photograph, I see in my spirit a poor leper.

He is really a wreck of a man. He is so ravaged by his disease, that I could not tell his age. Reduced to a skeleton, half naked, his body is in the state of a corroded mummy, with contorted hands and feet, parts of which are missing, so that the miserable limbs no longer seem to belong to a human being. His hands, twisted and clawed, resemble the talons of a winged monster, his feet, are so fragmented and disfigured, that they are almost like the hooves of an ox.

And his head!... I think that the head of anyone left unburied which becomes mummified by sun and wind, must be like the head of this man. A few surviving forelocks, spread here and there, sticking to the yellowish, crusty skin, like dust dried on a skull, very deep set eyes, half open, lips and nose half eaten by the disease and showing cartilage and gums, two embryonic wrecks of outer ears, all his visible body covered by a wrinkled skin, as yellow as some types of kaolin, with bones showing here and there: his skin seems to have the task of keeping all the poor bones together, in its filthy sack, all covered with ugly scars and putrid sores. A real wreck!

I cannot help thinking of the personification of Death wandering on the earth, covered by a wrinkled skin on its skeleton, enveloped in a filthy mantle falling to bits and pieces, holding in its hand not a scythe, but a knotty stick torn from a tree.

He is at the entrance of a remote cave, a real cave, in such a state of ruin that I cannot say whether it was originally a sepulcher, or a hut for wood cutters or the remains of a demolished house. He is looking at the road, over one hundred meters away from his cave, a main road, dusty and still sunny. There is nobody on the road. As far as the eye can see, on the road there are sunshine, dust and solitude. Much higher up, to the northwest, there must be a village or a town. I can see the first houses. It must be at least a kilometer away.

The leper looks and sighs. He takes a chipped bowl and fills it at a brook. He drinks. He goes into a tangle of bushes, behind his cave, bends down and pulls some wild roots out of the ground. He goes back to the brook, he washes them, removing the coarser dirt with the little water of the rivulet and he eats them slowly, taking them painfully to his mouth with his ruined hands. They must be as hard as sticks. He finds difficulty in chewing them and he has to spit many out as he is unable to swallow them, notwithstanding the water he drinks to help himself.

« Where are you, Abel? » shouts someone.

The leper rouses, he has something on his lips that might be a smile. But his lips are in such a bad state that even that outward sign of a smile is vague and shapeless. He replies with a strange, squeaky voice: it reminds me of the cry of certain birds, the exact name of which I do not know: « I am here! I did not believe you were coming any more. I thought something had happened to you. I was sad... If I lose you too, what will happen to poor Abel? » While speaking, he walks towards the road, as far as he can according to the Law, apparently, because at half the way, he stops.

A man comes forward on the road, he is moving so fast that he seems to be running.

« Is that really you, Samuel? Oh! If it is not you I am waiting for, whoever you may be, don't hurt me! »

<< It’s me, Abel, it's me! And I am cured. Look how I can run. I am late, I know. And I was worried about you. But when you hear... oh! you will be happy. And I have with me not only the usual crusts of bread, but a whole loaf of good, fresh bread, and it is all for you, and I have some good fish, and some cheese, and it is all for you. I want you to rejoice, my poor friend, and thus get ready for a greater joy. >>

<< But how have you become so rich? I do not understand... >>

<< I will tell you. >>

<< And cured. You do not seem the same man! >>

<< Listen, then. I heard that there was at Capernaum that Rabbi who is a holy man, and I went... >>

<< Stop, stop! I am infected. >>

<< Oh! It does not matter! I am no longer afraid of anything. >> The man, who is indeed the cripple cured and helped by Jesus, with his fast step has almost reached the leper and is only a few steps from him. He spoke while walking and smiling happily.

But the leper says once again: << In the name of God, stop. If anyone should see you... >>

<< I will stop. Look: I am putting the provisions here. Eat, while I speak to you. >> He puts a bundle on a large stone, and opens it up. He then withdraws a few steps, while the leper moves forward and throws himself on the rare food.

<< Oh! How long it is since I had food like this! How good it is! And I was just thinking that I was going to rest with an empty stomach. Not one merciful soul today... and not even you... I had chewed some roots... »

<< Poor Abel! I was afraid of that. But I said: “Well, he may be sad now, but he will be happy after!” »

<< Happy, yes, because of this good food. But after... »

<< No! You will be happy forever. »

The leper shakes his head.

<< Listen, Abel. If you can have faith, you will be happy. »

<< But faith in whom? »

<< In the Rabbi. In the Rabbi Who cured me. »

<< But I am a leper. And at the last stage! How can He cure me?»

<< Oh! He can. He is holy. »

<< Yes, also Elisha cured* Naaman the leper... I know... But I... I cannot go to the Jordan. »

<< You will be cured without the need of any water. Listen: this Rabbi is the Messiah, do you understand? The Messiah! He is the Son of God. And He cures everyone who has faith. He says: “I want” and the demons flee, limbs are straightened, and blind eyes see. »

<< Oh! I would have faith, I would indeed! But how can I see the Messiah? »

<< Exactly... I have come just for that. He is often over there, in that village. I know where He will be this evening. If you want... I said: “I will tell Abel, and if Abel feels he can have faith, I will take him to the Master.” >>

<< Are you mad, Samuel? If I go near houses, I will be stoned. >>

<< Not near the houses. It will be soon getting dark. I will take you to that thicket, and then I will go and call the Master. I will bring Him to you... >>

<< Go, go at once! I will go by myself to that place. I will walk in the ditch, behind the hedge, but go, go... Oh! go, my good friend! If you only knew what it is to suffer from this disease. And what it means to hope to be cured!... >> The leper no longer is interested in the food. He cries and gesticulates imploring his friend.

<< I am going, and you will come. >> The cured cripple runs away.

Abel with difficulty climbs down into the ditch coasting the road, as it is full of bushes which have grown on the dry earth. Only in the center there is a fine stream of water. It is getting dark, and the poor man slides among the bushes, always on the look-out in case he should hear any steps. Twice he has to hide on the bottom: the first time when a man on horseback passes along the road, the second time when three men, laden with hay, pass by going to the village. And he goes on.

But Jesus and Samuel reach the thicket before him. << He will be here before long. He moves very slowly because of his wounds. Please be patient. >>

<< I am not in a hurry. >>

<< Will You cure him? >>

<< Has he faith? >>

<< Oh!... he was dying of starvation. He saw that food after years of abstinence, and yet, after a few mouthfuls, he left it all to come here. >>

<< How did you meet him? >>

<< You know... I lived on charity after my misfortune and I went along the roads from one place to another. I used to pass here every seven days and I met the poor man... one day, when driven by hunger, he had come on the main road looking for something, under a most violent storm. He was searching amongst the garbage, like a dog. I had a chunk of dry bread in my knapsack, the gift of some good people, and I shared it with him. We have been friends ever since, and I bring him some food every week. With what I have... If I have a lot, I can give a lot; if I have little, I give little. I do what I can as if he were my brother. Since You cured me, may You be blessed, I have been thinking of him... and of You. >>

<< You are good, Samuel; that is why you have been visited by grace. He who loves deserves everything from God. But there is something moving among the branches... >>

<< Is that you, Abel? >>

<< Yes, it is me. >>

<< Come, the Master is waiting for you here, under the walnut tree. >>

The leper rises from the ditch and climbs on to the bank, which he crosses and goes into the meadow. Jesus, leaning with His back against a very tall walnut tree, is waiting for him.

<< Master, Messiah, Holy One, have mercy on me! » and he throws himself on to the grass at Jesus' feet. With his face still bent down on the ground he says: << My Lord! If You want, You can cleanse me! » He then dares to rise on to his knees, he stretches out his skeleton-like arms, with contorted hands, he lifts his emaciated ruined face... Tears run down from his diseased eye sockets to his corroded lips. Jesus looks at him so pitifully. He looks at that shadow of a man, devoured by the terrible disease, who is so horrible and ill-smelling that only true charity can endure to be near him. And yet, Jesus stretches out His hand, His beautiful wholesome right hand to caress the poor fellow.

The leper, without getting up, throws himself back on his heels, and shouts: << Don't touch me! Have mercy on me! »

But Jesus takes a step forward. Stately, good, kind He lays His fingers on the head devoured by leprosy, and in a low voice, which is full of love and yet most authoritative, He says: << I want it! Be cleansed! » His hand remains on the poor head for a few minutes. << Get up. Go to the priest. Fulfill the prescriptions of the Law. And do not tell anyone what I did for you. But be good. Do not sin any more. I bless you. »

<< Oh! Lord! Abel! You are completely cured! » Samuel, seeing the complete change of his friend, shouts out of joy.

<< Yes, he is cured. He deserved it because of his faith. Goodbye. Peace be with you. »

« Master! Master! Master! I will not leave You. I cannot leave You.>>

« Do what the Law prescribes. We will meet again. Once again I bless you. >>

Jesus goes away, nodding to Samuel to stay. And the two friends shed tears of joy, while in the light of a quarter of the moon they go back to the cave for the last rest in that den of misfortune. And the vision ends thus.

* 2Kings 5:1-14