December 6, 1947prev home next
Jesus says:
“Don’t torment yourself. That thought is a shadow which the light - and even just upright thought - disperses.
“But, to comfort you, I will speak. And you shall send these words because it is fitting for them to read, meditate on, and conserve them, and, if they feel it is useful, they should include them in the work at the right time. A time which their consideration - always so active and penetrating when it comes to seeking, determining, and brandishing causes and effects (which are really futile, but such as to occasion you affliction) - can find without my pointing it out, by using their intelligence - which they weary in useless and not very charitable research - for useful, positive research.
“I say that the valid proof that it is not you that are writing by your own reflection and knowledge is offered precisely by the sentences introduced between lines and the visible corrections observed in the dictations. They are caused by the physical and sometimes also mental weakness of the sick spokesman, oppressed by seven chronic diseases which sometimes flare up again, entirely or in part, bringing about mortal suffering and weakness in the writer; by the external disturbances in the environment for the spokesman, writing in environmental conditions which are neither peaceful nor comfortable; and, above all, they are caused by the difference between the impetus of the voices, which sometimes dictate quickly, and the ability of a weakened hand to keep up with the rapid words of the dictating ‘voices.’
“What happens in these cases? Some phrases are left interrupted, and some sentences, omitted. The spokesman tries to remember them, while attending to Me or other ‘voices,’ to make additions when the vision is over. But when he does so, he cannot manage to with precision and forgets the words spoken or writes them imperfectly, as they were not said.
“It is then - and I order you to believe these words; I order you in my full Majesty as God and Divine Master, who can order his subjects just as He ordered his patriarchs and prophets regarding what was not to be done and what was to be believed and carried out in order to be his Chosen People on earth and his children forever in the Eternal Kingdom - it is then that the Master intervenes and provides assistance: I, Jesus, or the Guardian Angel of the spokesman, the venerable assistant of the heavenly manifestations and an angelic intelligence not subject to human weariness and weakness like those of the spokesman - who remains a human creature, though he is the beloved Little John, whom I love in an extraordinary way - and we come to the aid of the instrument of God, completing the phrases which have been left interrupted, filling the gaps appearing in the sentences, or dictating once more, from the beginning to the end, those passages in which the good, but ignorant will of the spokesman has done harm, thus reconstructing the lessons as they were imparted and heard. Therefore - and I order you to believe this - the Work exactly contains my thought, my actions, and my manifestations, and the words and actions of my Mother, the Twelve, and those surrounding Me and all of us.
“Calmly take the Work, just as I have had it given to you. It is just. And it is supernatural.
“And let those who, more or less convinced about what they are saying, murmur about ‘diabolical suggestion and the influence of evil spirits in a work of Light’ set aside their suggestion. Let them set the devil aside. He is more calculating than they are. And he never does work which he knows is useless. And in this case the devil knows that suggesting erroneous words would be a waste of time and useless work. A waste of time: because little John is very attentive and immediately notices the approach of the Tempter. A valiant little David, my little John. He at once slings at Lucifer the words putting him to flight. And his Angel fights together with him to help him.
“You believe too little, O men, in the angelic ministry and magisterium of the Guardians God has placed at your side. But they exist and are devoted, active, and wise in loving, helping, guiding, and instructing your souls. The good companion never neglects his task, not even when man sins and provokes repugnance. But when man also lives in the grace of the Lord and employs it and serves with all his strength, then, just as is stated regarding Me after the temptation in the desert, ‘the angels serve him.’ Do you think my Guardian Angel failed to fight along with Me against Satan in that hour? He truly fought! And when the victory had been won, he called his brothers to sustain the strength of the Victorious One.
“Neither does the devil attempt to ruin the words of the Work with the spittle of his venom, for he knows that it would be wasted effort, since I watch over and protect my Word and my instrument. In addition, I imposed limits on the Destroyer that the Accursed One cannot go beyond.
“Instead of getting lost in suppositions about diabolical suggestion, let them consider, to account for the words written between the lines or recopied, the only real reason for them. A human, not superhuman, reason. Natural, not preternatural. I say ‘natural.’ Let them consider the state of the spokesman and how and where he is writing. Let them consider this alone.
“Around him there is not the restful peace of a convent and a monastic cell, where it is easy to recollect oneself to compose lessons and sermons. But the spokesman is surrounded by the environment of an ordinary house, disturbed by the voices of the other dwellers there and disturbed by his fellows - whom I have required the spokesman to welcome at all times, both for the sake of charity and to make reparation for the harm done by the imprudent conduct of those responsible for protecting the ‘King’s secret,’ prompting forms of exaltation which damage the Work and bring pain to the spokesman.
“In truth, because of the charity the spokesman exercises towards his fellows, in keeping with my command, they feel free to turn to him in all their wants ox need for comfort. And this, though prompting many flowers of patience and charity to blossom in the spokesman’s flowerbeds, also causes disturbances to bud as regards his work as a spokesman.
“The wise in my Church have stated and established, in regard to those leading an extraordinary life, that while they are in ecstasy - whether incomplete, to enable them to dictate or write down the revelations they receive, or complete - their intelligence increases in its capacity to understand, comprehend, and express, whereas later, when they emerge from ecstasy, they return to their own intelligence. That is what happens in little John, ‘an eagle while I pervade him, a dove when I no longer pervade him with my splendors.’
“It has also been stated and established that, though the revelation given by God to a soul chosen for a supernatural, extraordinary mission is always perfect, it may be interpreted and related by the creature with accidental errors because divine or heavenly perfection is mixed and confused with the insufficiency of the creature and may emerge altered in certain details. It is for this reason that I keep watch, and little John’s Guardian Angel keeps watch, to re-establish the ideas just as they were dictated when because of external causes they have been interrupted and involuntarily reconstructed poorly by the spokesman.
“But I repeat: just as it has been given, the Work contains the exact, complete truth of my teaching.
“Someone will object, ‘The Lord could grant strength, speed, memory, and intellectual capacity to the writer, and calm around him to prevent the amendments which are bothersome to us.’
“I could grant everything, including clear, secure writing. But I have not wanted to grant them, to keep you from saying, ‘There’s no unsteady handwriting, no sign of weariness or slowness in writing, and, consequently, the alleged infirmities of the spokesman are a simulation.’ There are already some who say so.... I have not wanted to grant them, to keep you from saying, ‘There is no added sentence; consequently, the spokesman is not a spokesman, but a human author who knows what he wants to write, either because he learned it elsewhere or through his own capacity.’ There are already some who say so....
“And to this last matter I respond, ‘It is not that way. But if it were, it would demonstrate that if, through his own capacity, unlearned as he is, little John speaks divine words, it is then evident that the Author of Wisdom, the Holy Spirit, lives in him with the fullness of his gifts. The Work thus remains the word of God.
“I could do everything - even destroy the Work and dictate it again afterwards. It would be an exact repetition (in the points dictated by supernatural voices) of the destroyed work. The differences would be observed only in the words used by the spokesman to describe places and episodes. It would be an exact repetition of the destroyed work, just as occurred with the prophecies of Jeremiah burned by Jehoiakim, king of Judah (Jeremiah 36:32). But then you would cry out more loudly, ‘Do you see that the spokesman is not inspired and does not receive heavenly voices, but writes on his own?’ And you would seek to demolish a peace and a Work. The spokesman’s peace. The Work of your Lord God.
“Oh, I truly feel indignation at certain thoughts, actions, and judgments concerning my will and my little John! I truly tell you that science has placed scales over your eyes and lethargy in your intellects, on account of which you do not recognize Me where I shine forth as the Master and God.
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit, whose friendship you need so much, by denying his action - every revelation and inspired work has the Paraclete as its Author - and by waging war on and opposing one of his tabernacles. The learned of Israel waged war and persecuted the Holy Spirit, visible in the words and actions of the Word, but good did not come to them therefrom.
“I said, ‘Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven for those who repent, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. What is said against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but what is said or done against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.’ Words continuing to contain the first commandments, by fulfilling which eternal life is received: ‘Love the Lord your God with your whole self. Love your neighbor.’
“Love: salvation. Nonlove: an offense against Divine Love - that is, against the Holy Spirit in Himself or present in the living temples, your neighbors. To contest his words or fail to appreciate them is to commit an offense against Love. To persecute one of his instruments is to offend Love, who wisely knows why He has chosen that instrument.”