(This dictation was given for Father Migliorini, who at that time for four months had been wasting time and relinquishing proper vision to chase after the clamorous phenomenon of D.B. to the point of thinking it was more... divine than every other….)181
Jesus says:
“Two instructions, one for the guidance of those who may be seduced to leave truth for the sake of falsehood and one also for the guidance of those who may harbor doubts, basing their judgment on axioms and theories which cannot explain the supernatural because they are all natural.
“Little John, open the Book of Judges, where the idol of Micah is mentioned, and the Book of Esther, where the dream is explained by Mordecai.182 And listen and write.
“We shall not call attention to the story of the production of the idol. I shall start from the point where the young Levite from Bethlehem of Judea is mentioned. An example, an ugly example of those who, having to serve the Lord with humility, in the house of truth, are no longer satisfied, after some time, with their humble, holy function, and ‘want to be better off elsewhere’ - that is, seek more than what God has granted them, though knowing it is a good gift and that, if properly conserved, it would be a motive for praise of the good servant. And they thus follow - after being avid for a double or triple portion - other ways, in order to seek. What? God does not lend Himself to satisfying forms of spiritual concupiscence. And those seeking more than God gives either do not find - and receive the harm of neglecting truth for the sake of clouds - or end up finding Satan disguised as a prophet.
“Oh, is this an increase in merits and glory? It is not. It would have been better for the young Bethlehemite and Levite to remain a simple Levite rather than become the priest of an idol! It would have been better for him to have the small amount coming from God rather than the great amount coming from an idolater, who strutted about saying, ‘Now I am sure God will treat me well because I have a priest of the lineage of the Levites!’ But don’t you understand that wherever there is pride and simulation, everything serves to increase them, and Simulation and Craftiness teach what can clamorously seduce little souls? The man of Ephraim was not satisfied with his worship or with his son, who had been made a priest. He well knew that it was a mere semblance of religion, futile appearance. He knew the god and form of worship he had made for himself were not valid before either the true God or men. Many know this. And they thus feel the need to cover their own emptiness with priestly assistance. But, no, it is not of use.
“Whoever acts this way does wrong, and those lending themselves to this game do wrong. Let each remain where I have placed him and not go seeking ‘to be better off elsewhere.’ It is still pride infiltrating, disguised as goodness and zeal. And obedience, obedience, obedience. Or my punishment will not be lacking. I am perfectly able to strike just one of two who are joined by my will, reserving peace ‘for the little fount that grew and became a river and turned into light and sun and poured forth abundant water’ and that knows she has become such not through her own merit, but by my will. And that did not ask for this grace, but only that of loving Me. And that suffers - for only I can know how much she suffers - on seeing that not all share the same destiny, that of the People of God.
“The children of a single people understand the language of their king and the subjects faithful to the king. How can it be, then, that so few understand my Word and most doubt it is mine and even let themselves be seduced by other words with a false sound, like the origin they proceed from? I shall tell you. As I gave, I can cease to give. I have been saying so for years. But I will not take her joy away from ‘the little fount that grew’ because she remains in the desires in which she has placed herself out of love. She will die in my peace. And peace for her is to be in Me and for Me to be in her, as it was my dream to be in all hearts.”183
181 This annotation was apparently added after the dictation. For the initials “D.B.” see note 121.
182 Judges 17; Esther 10:4-13, 11:2-12.
183 We omit seven handwritten pages (dated March 10, 1946) containing Azariah’s commentary on the Mass for the First Sunday in Lent.