Foreword

In the New Testament Christ has many names e.g. Lord, Master, Rabbi,
Messiah, Son of David, Lord of Lords and the most frequent Jesus. However,
when He spoke of Himself, He frequently used the title. Son of Man. Yet, He
never explained why.
Therefore the title chosen for this manuscript is exactly that Son of Man.
The subtitle The Greatest Story Ever Told. This is taken from a book about
Christ written last century by Fulton Ousler. It is therefore another look at the
second Person of the Blessed Trinity taken from the perspective of the
blending of the Gospels with private revelations.
There is a heavy reliance on the Gospel of St. Matthew. His work is like a
manual of Instruction. He has exhaustive references to the teachings of
Christ, drawn from his three years association with the savior. His work is so
detailed as to suggest that like a good student he paid attention to what
Christ said and probably took notes. His infancy narratives are shorter than
St. Lukes, but both seem to have drawn their information directly from the
Blessed Mother. Matthew knew her in person. Luke had the benefit of visions
when writing later in Achaia.
With regard to Private Revelations, three are quoted. The works of
venerable Mother Mary Agreda, Anne Catherine Emmerich and Maria
Valtorta. The work Poem of the Man-God by Maria Valtorta is used
extensively. It appears to be the more accurate of the three. When asked by
the seers at Medugorje which one to believe, Our Lady replied, The Works of
Maria Valtorta!
The Story of Christ needs to be told and retold. No other person had a
greater impact on the world than this humble carpenter from Nazareth. He
left us no writings of His own but whole libraries have been filled with the
attempt of many scholars to elaborate on His life and teachings.
The Format of this manuscript is so arranged so as to assist teachers. It is not
a novel and does not read like one. In essence, it is a reference book.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Section I Beginnings

The Annunciation.
The Visitation.
Josephs Dilemma.
The Incarnation.
The Presentation in the Temple.
The Flight into Egypt.
The Finding in the Temple.
The Death of St. Joseph.
Review Questions.

Section Two: The Mission beings

Baptism in the Jordan.
The Temptations.
Messiahship.
The Foundation of the Church.
The First Apostolic College.
Authority Granted to Peter.
Scripture.
Review Questions.
Section Three: Some Teachings of the Son of Man

The Sermon on the Mount.

Salt and Light.
Love of Enemies.
How to Pray.
A Commentary on this Important Prayer The Our Father.
Judging Others.
Concerning Riches.
The Bread of Life Discourse.
The Discourse on the Vine.

 The Revelation Concerning the Trinity.

The Parables
o The Prodigal.
o The Wedding Banquet.
o The Good Samaritan.
o The Last Judgement.
Review Questions.
Section Four: The Miracles of the Son of Man
The Draught of Fishes.
The Marriage Feast at Cana.
The Faith of the Centurion.
The Healing of the TwSouro Demoniacs.
Calming the Storm.
The Healing of Two Blind Men.
At the Estate of Joseph of Arimathea.
The Temple Tax.
The Fig Tree.
The Healing of the Epileptic Boy.
The Ten Lepers.
The Raising of Lazarus.
Review Questions.
Section Five: Final Events in the Life of the Son of Man

The Transfiguration.
The Last Supper.
Gethsemane.
The Trials.
The Scourging.
The Crowning with Thorns.
Before Pilate Again.
The Way of the Cross.
The Crucifixion.
The Burial.
The Resurrection Sequence.
The Resurrection Appearances.
The Ascension.
Review Questions.

 Sources.

Son of Man
The following are most of the texts where the term Son of Man occurs in
the bible.
Taking the Old Testament first: What is man that you are mindful of him, the Son of Man, that you should
care for him. (Ps.8:5)
He said to me Son of man, stand up for I am about to speak to you.
(Ezek.2:1)
Son of man I have made you a watchman for the House of Israel.
(Ezek.3:17)
Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharoah, king of Egypt. (Ezek. 30:21)
One like the Son of Man came on the clouds of heaven. (Dan.7:13)
Only one of these texts above refers to Christ (Daniel 7:13). The others refer
to humans alone.
From the New Testament we have an abundance of references. Matthew
alone has at least 14 instances where Christ refers to himself as the Son of
Man.
But the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. (Matt.8:20)
The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. (Matt.9:6)
You will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man
comes. (Matt.10:23)
The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath. (Matt.12:8)
The one who speaks against the Son of Man will be forgiven but the one
who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven - - (Matt.12:32)
The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. (Matt.13:37)

Know that the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with the holy
angels- - (Matt.16:27)
The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men. (Matt.17:22)
For the coming of the Son of Man will be like lightning. (Matt.24:27)
The Sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven. (Matt.24:30)
When the Son of Man comes in his glory with all his angels, he will sit on the
throne of his glory. (Matt.25:31)
and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified. (Matt.26:2)
Alas for the one who betrays the Son of Man - - - (Matt.26:24)
You will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of God most powerful
and coming on the clouds of heaven. (Matt.26:64)
Other New Testament texts (omitting duplications of the above texts)
The Son of Man must suffer many things. (Luke 9:22)
No one has ever gone up to heaven except the one who came from heaven,
the Son of Man. (Jn.3:13)
As Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be
lifted up, so that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. (Jn.3:14)
I see the heavens open and the Son of Man at the right hand of God. (Acts.
7:56)
Behind me were seven golden lampstands, and in the middle of these, I saw
someone like a Son of Man dressed in along robe tied with a girdle. (Rev. 1:
12-13)
I saw a white cloud and the one sitting on it like a Son of Man wearing a
golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. (Rev.14:14)
All of these texts speak of Christ with the possible exception of Rev. 14:14,
the figure in which could be an angelic being the reaper at the end of the
world.
Jesus never explained to the apostles why he called himself the Son of
Man.

However it is clear that he used this phase to identify with humanity. He

wanted apostles to know that he was fully human. Later they would
understand that he was also fully divine. His words and miracles were proof
of his divinity. His life and death on the cross spoke eloquently of his
humanness.
Who was this Son of Man?
To answer this important question one must embark upon a study of his 33
years on this earth.

Section I Beginnings.
The Annunciation.
In fulfillment of his promise to the patriarchs, God sent his angel Gabriel to a
young maiden in the town of Nazareth in Galilee. She was betrothed to a
mature man in his early thirties, named Joseph.
The Angel came to her and said, Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with
you. (Luke.1:28)
These words took the young maiden Mary by surprise. They implied the
wonderful privilege of her Immaculate Conception and an infusion of grace
and knowledge accorded to no other human beings except our first parents
and her son. She was a unique individual.
The angel informed her off her most extraordinary mission of bearing the Son
of God taken human form. She was perturbed that such a motherhood would
be granted to her in light of the vow of celibacy that she and her spouse,
Joseph, had offered to God. But this would be no ordinary motherhood.
The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will
overshadow you; therefore the holy child to be born of you shall be called the
Son of God. (Luke 1:35)
Never before had the world been witness to such an event. The prophet
Isaiah 600 years before had foretold it and now it had become a reality when
the humble Mary acquiesced to the wishes of her creator.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The Virgin is with child and
bears a son and calls his name Immanuel. (Isa.7:14)
Mary informs Joseph of a second mission she has been given, but in a
disguised way not mentioning her impending motherhood.
I also have something to tell you - - - today I have some news. I heard that
our relative Elizabeth, Zacharias wife is about to have a child - - -.
Joseph opens his eyes wide and exclaims: at her age?
`At her age replies Mary smiling. The Lord can do everything, and now he is
giving this joy to our relative.
How do you know? Is the news certain?
A messenger came. One who would not tell lies. I would like to go to
Elizabeths to help her - - - If you will allow me.
Mary, you are my lady and I your servant. Whatever you do is well done.
When would you like to go? 1.
From the very instance of the acceptance of her role as mother of the savior,
the most holy soul of Christ became one with humanity in the wonder of the
hypostatic union.
The divine child began to grow in the natural manner in the recess of the
womb, being nourished by the substance and the blood of its most holy
mother, just as other men. 2.
His glory was reserved for his divinity and he subjected himself to all facets
of a fallen humanity save sin. He did this out of his great love for the human
race and to reconcile it to the Godhead.
though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God as
something to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking on the nature of a
servant made in human likeness, and in his appearance found as a Man. He
humbled himself by being obedient to death. Death on the cross. (Phil.2:6-8)
The Visitation
Mary then set out for a town in the hill country of Judah. (Luke 1:39)
Joseph procured a donkey for Mary to ride on and the two spouses made
their way into mountainous Judea. The town of Juttah near Hebron was

twenty six leagues distant from Nazareth and the greater part of the way
was very rough and broken, - - -Mary, many times dismounted and asked her
spouse saint Joseph to share with her this commodity. - - - Her discreet
spouse never accepted this offer - - -he permitted her now and then to walk
with him part of the way, - - - 3.
The journey took four days.
Elisabeth was already forewarned, for the Lord himself had informed her in
a vision that Mary of Nazareth had departed to visit her. 4.
She entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth
heard Marys greeting, the baby leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with
the Holy Spirit, and giving a loud cry said, `You are most blessed among
women and blessed is the fruit of your womb! (Luke.1:40-42)
It is clear that Joseph was not privy to this greeting. Had he been so, the
words would have dismayed him. Mary was bound to silence and did not
inform Joseph of the miraculous events unfolding in her very being. She had
come to Juttah also under obedience from the Most High, in order that
Elizabeths child be sanctified.
The Baptist already had a soul, as he was in his seventh month. And the
germ of man, closed in his mothers womb, leapt with joy on hearing the
voice of the spouse of God. A precursor also in that, he preceded all
redeemed souls, because Grace was communicated womb to womb and
penetrating it cancelled the Original Sin from the soul of child. 5.
Mary followed Elizabeths greeting with the canticle of praise that has been
sung in Christian churches for two millennia. It was called the Magnificat
from the first words of the hymn,
My Soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. (Luke 1:46)
After staying three days in the Zacharias house, Joseph returned to Nazareth
with the donkey and would return when summoned by Mary in order to
accompany her home.
In the meantime, Mary prepared with her own hands the swaddling and
covelets needed for Elizabeths child when it was born. She was highly skilled
in sewing and embroidery.
when the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, she gave birth to a son. - -when the eighth day came, they came to attend the circumcision of the

child, they (the neighbours and relatives) wanted to name him Zacharia after
his father. (Luke 1:59)
Elizabeth objected, saying that the boys name should be John. Those
gathered there were surprised. No one in the family had ever carried that
name. So the relatives and neighbours asked the father for the name he
wanted to give his son. Calling for a writing tablet.
he wrote, `his name is John! (Luke 1:63)
This was to fulfill the words of the angel who had spoken to Zacharias in the
temple when his disbelief caused him to be struck dumb.
At that very moment.
The most holy Mary, making use of her power over all nature, commanded
the dumbness to leave him, his tongue to be loosened, as the moment had
arrived when it should bless the Lord. At this heavenly command he found
himself freed from his affliction, and to the astonishment and fear of all
present, he began to speak. 6.
The holy priest of God Zacharias, burst into a canticle of praise giving thanks
for the fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham concerning a covenant of
salvation. The canticle is called the Benedictus and is recorded for
posterity by St. Luke. (Luke 2:67-79)
When Jesus is presented in the temple, Mary is present with Elizabeth and
Zacharias.
Zacharias is received with honour by the guards, and is greeted and
congratulated by other priests - - - Elizabeth fulfils the purification rite: she
offers the bleating lamb in holocaust and the pigeon for sin. - - -It is a
mystery! What secret truth does Zacharias know? Will his son be the Messiah
expected by Israel. 7.
All the priests are dismayed that Zacharias is able to speak again. The
incident of his Johns birth to the venerable old couple makes many wonder
what portent it foretells.
A message has been sent to Joseph to come and bring Mary to Nazareth. He
comes at once. He had been working at Cana, nearby. In Marys absence the
fruit trees and olive trees planted previously at Nazareth have borne
abundant fruit. Joseph also engineered a water supply to their house from a

spring in an olive grove nearby. This will exempt Mary from trips to the
towns water supply.
For the first time, Joseph becomes aware of Marys fortunate condition. He is
perplexed but keeps his thoughts to himself. Mary maintains her silence on
the matter.
Josephs dilemma
Who can measure the struggle in Josephs mind as he is overwhelmed by the
evidence before him of an intimate betrayal. Mary, his devoted spouse
states,
Had he not been holy, he would have acted in a human way, denouncing
me as an adultress so that I should be stoned, and the son of my sin should
perish with me. - - -The three days of Josephs passion were short in number
but deep in intensity. - - - I was aware of his suffering, which I could not
alleviate, in fact I had to obey Gods command who said to me Be Silent! 8.
St. Matthew tells us,
Then Joseph, her husband made plans to divorce her in all secrecy. He was
an upright man and in no way did he want to discredit her. (Matt.1:19)
Joseph consulted no one about the grief that burdened his heart.
he then resolved to depart during the night, and in order to prepare for his
journey, he packed some clothes and other trifles into a small bundle. Having
also claimed some wages due to him for his work, he retired to rest with the
intention of leaving at midnight. 9.
He made a vow to go to the temple and make a small monetary offering in
order that God would protect Mary and free her from all misfortune. Having
made this resolve he fell asleep.
An angel appeared to him in a dream and said,
Joseph descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. She
has conceived by the Holy Spirit and now she will bear a son. You shall call
him `Jesus for he will save his people from their sins. (Matt.1:20-21)
St. Joseph awoke with the realization that Mary was to be the Mother of the
Messiah and that he had been granted the sacred privilege of being

entrusted with the care of both Mary and her son. He untied his bundle which
he had prepared and weeping, reconciled himself to his beloved spouse.
The Incarnation
The second person of the Blessed Trinity becoming man is perhaps the single
most important event in human history.
At that time, the emperor issued a decree for a census of the whole empire
to be taken. This first census was taken when Quirinius was Roman Legate to
Syria. Everyone had to be registered in his own town. (Luke 2:1-3)
Augustus Caesar was Emperor (27BC to 14 AD). He had been a nephew of
Julius Caesar and previously called Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus. In 31
BC he defeated Mark Anthony at Actium. He soon became the sole master of
the Roman Empire. In 27 BC the Roman senate conferred on him the title
Augustus meaning venerable. His reign brought peace to the Roman
world. This rare peace was called Pax Romana. For several centuries the
whole Mediterranean was prosperous and peaceful.
Luke is not entirely correct with the name of the governor. Sulpicius Quirinius
was governor of Syria from 6 AD to 7 AD. His predecessors were Calpurnius
Piso (4BC. 1 BC) c. Julius Caesar (1BC - 4AD) and Volosius Saturnimus (4 AD
5 AD) (Taken from the list on page 1247 of the New Jerome Biblical
Commentary)
As to the Census, outside of Lukes gospel, there is no record of an empire
wide census ever having been undertaken. However, there is evidence that
when Quirinius did become governor in 6 AD, he did in fact hold a census in
the province of Syria. Luke is writing well after the event, perhaps between
80 to 85 AD. He wrote his gospel in Greek at Achaia, a southern province of
Greece.
We have to take on face value that Mary and Joseph did journey to
Bethlehem, the ancestral home of Josephs family, because of a census.
The birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem had been prophesied by the prophet
Micah (740-687 BC)
But you Bethlehem Ephrathah, so small that you are hardly named among
the clans of Judah, from you shall I raise the one who is to rule over Israel.
For he comes forth from of old, from the ancient times. (Micah 5:1)

Having arrived late in the cold afternoon, they entered the town and sought
lodgings.
They knocked at the doors of their acquaintances and nearer family
relations: but they were admitted nowhere and in many places they met with
harsh words and insults 10.
Prior to entering Bethlehem they met a shepherd moving his flock to a new
grazing ground. At Josephs request he milks a large ewe with swollen udders
and Joseph gives the bowl of milk to Mary. The shepherd warns Joseph that it
would be difficult to find accommodation in Bethlehem. The town is crowded
with people coming for the census. He does however know of a stable in the
mountain at the back of the town wherein merchants used to keep animals.
while wandering through the streets of Bethlehem they passed the office of
the public registry and they inscribed their names and paid the fiscal tribute
in order to comply with the edict and not be obliged to return. 11.
At last, Joseph takes Mary and the donkey to the cave suggested by the
shepherd. The cave seems to consist of the foundations of an old building. It
is dark and cold. An ox is inside near a manger. Joseph cleans the cave as
best he can; provides Mary a resting place on some straw and lights a small
fire. He uses his mantle to cover the entrance and block out the cold air.
Marys time had come. Joseph retired to a corner of the cave in order to pray.
Immediately he was wrapped in ecstasy. At the same time, Holy Mary was
covered in a celestial light and passed into ecstasy herself.
two sovereign princes, Saint Michael and Saint Gabriel, were the assistants
of the virgin on this occasion. They stood by at proper distance in human
corporeal forms at the moment when the Incarnate Word, penetrating the
virginal chamber by divine power, issued forth to the light, and they received
Him in their hands with ineffable reverence. In the same manner as a priest
exhibits the sacred host to the people for adoration, so these two celestial
ministers presented to the divine mother her glorious and refulgent son. 12.
In the valley of the shepherds, the shepherds stood guard over their flocks,
combined and corralled. The youngest of the shepherds is gazing at a bright
light moving towards him. He calls the others to witness the strange
phenomenon. The light stops above them. It is an angel.

Do not fear. I am not bringing you misfortune. I announce to you a great joy
for the people of Israel - - - Today in the city of David, the savior has been
born. 13.
St Luke adds,
Suddenly the angel was surrounded by many more heavenly spirits, praising
God and saying Glory to God in the highest and peace in earth to those
whom God loves. (Luke 2:13-14)
Filled with awe, the shepherds, there are twelve of them, gather gifts of
cheese, flasks of milk and baskets containing little bleating lambs as well as
some tanned hides and rush to the sacred cave.
At the cave entrance Joseph invites the shepherds in. they are overcome with
wonder and emotion as they offer their gifts to Mary who accepts them with
the utmost delight and courtesy. She asks their names.
They are, Elias, Levi, Samuel, Jonah, Isaac, Tobias, Jonathan, Daniel, Simeon,
John, Joseph and his twin brother Benjamin.
Elias, the shepherd who gave Joseph sheeps milk for Mary outside
Bethlehem, remarks that the cave is too damp and unsuitable for the new
born child. He will go to the woman whose flock he tends and ask her to
permit the Holy Family to lodge in her house. Her name is Anne. He also
offers to go to Hebron to the house of Zacharias and inform the aged couple
of the good news of the birth of Marys child. He is a friend of the shepherd
who pastures the small flock of Zacharias. 14.
Eight days after the miraculous birth, Joseph went into the city to engage
priests for the circumcision of the child. He returned with five priests, having
before hand, with the help of the shepherds, placed the cave in good order.
15.
After the circumcision, the Holy Family moved to the house of Anne. It was
there about a year later that the three magi visited and honoured the child
Messiah.
They went into the house, and when they saw the child with Mary his
mother, they knelt and worshipped him. They opened their bags and offered
him their gifts of gold, incense and myrrh. (Matt.2:11)

The crib cave that Christ was born in became one of the first basilicas built
under the orders of Constantine the Great. It was constructed before the
middle of the 4th century A.D. and is still in use today as a site of pilgrimage.
The Magi were leaders of their peoples. They were devoted to studying the
Zodiac. Each of them was unknown to the others. They came from three
different points on the earth. They met beyond the Dead Sea and by a
miracle of the Eternal Father they were able to understand each other
despite their differences in language. 16.
It is believed that they had passed through the ancient city of Petra in
todays Jordan, which at the time of Christ was an important trading center
under the control of the Nabateans. In all probability, it was here that they
purchased the gifts of frankincense and myrrh. They had set out from
faraway places, one came from Meridional Asia where Turkey, Afghanistan
and Persia are located. Another from the Mongolian chain of mountains and
the third one from the land where the Nile rises. It was a miracle of God that
brought them together to form a combined caravan of substantial size. 17.
The names of the Magi are not mentioned in the bible. However,
The names Melchior, Kaspar and Balthasar were attributed to the Magi in
the eight century. - - -their bodies were found by St. Helena and taken to
Constantinople whence later to Milan and finally to Cologne. 18.
We know that Herod the Great cunningly advised the Magi to return to him
with the news of the new born kings whereabouts so that he too might go
and worship him. This was a ruse. He perceived the child as a threat to his
kingship.
In a dream, the Magi were warned about Herods real intentions. So they
departed secretly from Judea.
There is a legend mentioned by Anne Catherine Emmerich that the three
Magi settled together near the promised land. 19.
This would have meant that their remains were accessible to St. Helena as
mentioned before. There is no doubt that the experience of finding and
honouring the Christ child, would have been a life changing event for them
and united them as a group.
The Presentation in the Temple

Quite some time before the visit of the three Magi, Mary presented her son in
the temple as prescribed by law for the first born. Although not necessary,
Joseph accompanied Mary. The offering made by the couple was a pair of
turtle doves. This was an indication that Mary and Joseph were relatively
poor. Neither of them were ostentatious and both of them chose to live a
lifestyle of simplicity.
Living near the temple was a holy man Simeon. Emmerich says he was a
priest but there are no records to support this. Luke gives us some details,
the Holy Spirit was with him. He looked forward to the time when the Lord
would comfort Israel, and he had been assured by the Holy Spirit, that he
would not die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord. So he was led into the
temple by the Holy Spirit at the time the parents brought the child Jesus.
(Luke 2:25-27)
At the close of the ceremony, Simeon came up to where Mary was standing,
took the Infant Jesus from her into his arms, speaking long and loudly over
him in raptures of joy and thanking God that he had fulfilled His promise. He
ended with his Nunc Dimittis found in Luke 2:29-32. 20.
The prophetess Anna had been praying in the Temple. She was a widow and
eighty four years old. In a vision she was made aware of the presence of the
Holy Family in the Temple. She came to the place where Simeon had blessed
Mary and Joseph and heard Simeon speak these words,
know this: Your son is a sign established for the rise and fall of many in
Israel, a sign of contradiction; and a sword will pierce your own soul, so that
out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed. (Luke 2:34-35)
When Simeon had finished, Anna, filled with inspiration, spoke long and
loudly about the newly presented infant and how blessed was Mary his
mother. The words of these two holy people must have given Mary and
Joseph much to wonder about and ponder over. The words of Simeon were
extremely poignant. The sword that would pierce Marys heart were Seven
sorrows that she would have to bear. It is under the title of Our Lady of
Sorrows that the church honours the Mother of God on the 15th of
September each year.
What were these Seven Sorrows?

1. The prophecy of Simeon; 2. The flight into Egypt; 3. The loss of the
child Jesus for three days; 4. The Way of the cross; 5. The Crucifixion;
6. The taking down from the cross; 7. The burial of Jesus. 21.
A.C Emmerich states that
Simeon fell ill yesterday immediately on returning home after his prophecy
at the Presentation of Jesus. - - - Then I saw him die peacefully and heard the
quiet lamentation of his family. 22.
He was buried on a small hill not far from the Temple.
The Flight into Egypt
St. Luke makes no mention of the flight into Egypt, but St. Matthew has this
to say,
After the wise men had left, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to
Joseph and said, Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt,
and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will soon be looking for the child in
order to kill him. (Matt.2:13)
Joseph obeyed immediately.
Luke indicates that after the Presentation
they returned to their town Nazareth in Galilee (Luke 2:39)
This is most unlikely. The slaughter of the Innocents is not connected with
Nazareth but with Bethlehem.
The flight begins while Bethlehem - - - is sleeping peacefully - - - 23.
There are varying accounts of the number of children killed by Herods
soldiers. A.C Emmerich says 700. This is far too many.
Before beginning his ministry in earnest, Jesus in the company of John, Simon
the Zealot and Judas visit Bethlehem. They approach a hotel owner whose
establishment was opposite the house of Anne and ask what happened to
the house.
Dont you know of Herods massacre? The whole world talked about it and
even Caesar called him a `pig who feeds on blood. - - - Anne was killed by
Herods soldiers, with all her children, except one daughter. - - -she was killed
because she gave hospitality to those who said they were the father and

mother of the Messiah. - - - every house was a place of slaughter. There were
people killed for miles around Bethlehem. - - - can you see the ruined spots?
Over there also the house were burnt down because the fathers defended
their children with their weapons- - Those are the remains of the synagogue.
It was burnt down with the archsynagogue, who stated that it was the
Messiah. It was burnt down by the survivors, who were wild because of the
slaughter of their children. - - - See those Sepulchres? The victims are buried
there - - - they look like little sheep spread all over the green, as far as the
eye can see. All the innocents and their fathers and their mothers. - - - See
that vat? Its water was red after the killers washed weapons and hands in it.
24.
The real number of babies killed is thirty two, of which eighteen in the
actual town of Bethlehem and the fourteen in the nearby country. Also six
girls were slaughtered as the hired cut throats could not tell them from the
baby boys because they were dressed alike, and also because of the
darkness and their hurry to kill. 25.
The journey to Egypt was not an easy one. It involved a trip over mountains
and then the desert of the Negev. The area was sparsely populated. The Holy
Family suffered many personal inconviences and discomforts, for it was
winter time. Their food ran out during the ten day journey and Mary sought
the Lords assistance. Angels brought them food and drink. A storm arose
and it was only the prayers of Mary that caused it to abate.
Finally they reached the inhabited part of Egypt.
The divine infant - - - raised his eyes and his hands to the Father asking for
the salvation of these inhabitants held captive by Satan. - - - At the same
instant the idols crashed to the ground, the altars fell to pieces and the
temples crumbled to ruins. - - - the Egyptian people were astounded at these
inexplicable happenings. 26.
The Holy Family passed through many cities including Memphis and Matarieh
until they took up lodgings in Heliopolis. (Near Cairo)
Finding work was difficult for Joseph but he managed to find a small humble
dwelling a short distance from Heliopolis. Mary sought to augment their
meager income by her ability at needlework. The new language was an
added difficulty. In the midst of their daily routine Joseph taught and healed
many who were infirm and Mary quietly performed many miracles for women
who needed help.

How great and how numerous were the miracles wrought by the holy family
during their seven years stay in Egypt and Heliopolis. 27.
The angel of the Lord spoke to Joseph in his sleep urging him to take the
child Jesus and his mother back to Israel. (Matt.2:19) Herod the Great had
died. He was an Idumean and had never been accepted by the people he
ruled over for 33 years. (37 BC 4 BC)
Herod had little interest in Judaism, being at heart a Hellenist, though a king
of the Jews, he was not a Jewish king. - - -He had married 10 wives and
repudiated some of them as well as their children. 28.
He was a violent man and had two of his sons murdered. Knowing he was
dying in 4 BC, he was dying near Jericho and ordered all the leading men of
Jericho to be executed on his death. He was aware that no one would mourn
his passing, so in this manner he would ensure that the Jews would mourn.
The order was never carried out.

Why was he called Herod the Great?

He asked for Roman Legions in order to overcome his enemies and suppress
the Jews. He was denied. He therefore turned his energies to constructing
cities such as Samaria and Caesarea Maritima; he fortified cities throughout
the land such as Alexandrium, Herodium, Hyrcania, Macherus and Masada;
He made his palace in Jericho; built the fortress Antonia in Jerusalem; and
began the restoration of the second temple. He supported emperor worship
and set up emperor temples.
If he died in 4 BC, when was Christ born?
Most scholars today would accept the year 6 BC. When Herod died his
kingdom was divided up amongst three of his many sons, Archelaus, Herod
Antipas and Philip. The eldest son Archelaus inherited half the kingdom
(Judea, Samaria and Idumea). He was as brutal as his father and for this
reason Joseph was reluctant to settle near Jerusalem and journeyed back to
Nazareth, which became part of the tetrachy of Herod Antipas. (Galilee and
Perea)

The prophecy of Hosea was fulfilled,

Out of Egypt I Called my Son (Hos.11:1)
Archelaus was recalled by Rome for his misgoverning of the kingdom allotted
to him and exiled to Vienne in Southern Gaul in AD.6. Rome used the
occasion to make Judea, Samaria and Idumea a Roman province governed
by a procurator. 29.
The Finding in the Temple.
We know nothing of the five years that followed the return of the Holy Family
from Egypt except the following: 1. The Holy Family did not employ a maid. This ensured their privacy. The
members of the Holy Family often conversed with one another
concerning spiritual matters.
2. Jesus did not attend scripture school. Mary taught him the law and the
prophets. Both parents spoke to him in Aramaic. Jesus himself had
infused knowledge of all things but concealed it by his humility.
3. Living in Nazareth was Alphaeus, the older brother of Joseph. He and
his second wife, Mary Cleophas. (Sometimes referred in the bible as
Mary Alphaeus, as was the Jewish custom) had four sons. Simon,
Joseph, James and Jude Thaddeus. These were true cousins of Jesus.
4. The two younger cousins, James and Jude came six days a week to the
house of the Holy Family. Mary instructed them along with Jesus in the
Hebrew scriptures and the customs of the people. In their free time
they played together. On one occasion Alpheaus and his family visited
Mary and Joseph. They were discussing the need for Jesus to attend
formal Rabbinical school.
I will never send Jesus to school. Says Mary resolutely. - - - Joseph
adds
There is no need for Jesus to go to school. Mary was brought up in the
Temple and She knows the law as well as any doctor. She will be his
teacher. Thats what I want too.
The conversation continues.
You are quite right, says her sister-in-law, Mary Alphaeus.
I was thinking, James and Jude are only a little older than Jesus. - - - if I
asked you to take them as well when you teach Jesus I think they would
behave better and be better educated.

Mary the mother of Jesus is willing to do so but asks the permission of

Joseph. He agrees, and the matter is settled. 30.
Every year the parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the
Passover, as was customary. And when Jesus was twelve years old, he went
up with them, according to the custom of this feast. After the festival was
over, they returned, but the boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem and his parents
did not know. (Luke 2:41-43)
After walking a whole day, when the caravan of men and caravan of women
met in the evening, they discovered the absence of Jesus. The parents of
Jesus were distraught and returned immediately to Jerusalem in order to find
him. They had lost not only a child, but the Son of God!
They proceeded at night and arriving in the great city began to search for
Jesus,
beginning their search among their relations and friends, of whom, none
could give any information or any comfort in their sorrow on the contrary,
their answers only increased their anxiety. - - - - Mary persevered in her tears
without sleeping or eating anything for three whole days. - - -On the third
day the great Queen resolved the seek Him in the desert where saint John
was - - - the holy angels detained her. - - She wanted to go to Bethlehem in
the hope of finding Him in the cave of the Nativity; but this the holy angels
likewise prevented, telling her He was not far off. 31.
One women informed Mary that the boy Jesus had sought alms from her at
her house. He had taken the alms to a hospital several times leaving some
alms and speaking words of much consolation to the afflicted. 32.
To those who gave him alms he performed for them wonders that they were
unaware of. On the afternoon of the third day, he went to the temple and
approaching the meeting of the learned teachers, became aware that the
doctors of the Law were discussing the topic of the coming of the Messiah.
The leader of one group stated that the Messiah must have already come.
This was Gamaliel. His companion was a blind old Rabbi named Hillel. An
opposing group led by Shammai and Helkai refuted this, because the
Messiah was supposed to free them from the bondage of the Romans, which
had clearly not happened.
Jesus intervened to the surprise of all.

Do you not remember the star that was seen by the wise men from the East
- - - and that the prophecies and the visions from Jacob onwards indicate that
the birthplace of the Messiah - - was from Bethlehem.
To this Shammai replied
Dont you know child, that Herod had all born of woman, from one day up to
the age of two years, slaughtered in Bethlehem and surroundings? - - Jesus replied, I solemly tell you the Christ is alive and is amongst you and
when His hour comes He will show Himself in His power.
Shammai is annoyed.
How dare you speak to a master like that?
Jesus replies, ` and I add Rabbi, that the slavery of which the Prophet speaks
- - - is not the one you think - -- on the contrary, by the merits of the Messiah,
man will be made free from the slavery of evil, which separates him from
God - - -. Shammai: ` Tell me where is the Precursor?
Jesus answers . He is - - - He already is as Christ is. 33.
The discussion continues for some time. The group of Shammai and Helkai is
bested by the words that flow from the lips of the twelve year old Son of God.
Prompted by intuition Mary leads Joseph to the precincts of the temple. After
a diligent search they are overwhelmed to see Jesus seated with the doctors
of the law. Before Jesus has finished his answers, the two holy parents enter
the seated group and Mary says
Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I were very worried
while searching for you. (Luke 2:48)
all the teachers of the law arose with stupendous amazement. 34.
To his overjoyed mother and father Jesus says,
Did you not know that I must be in my Fathers House? (Luke 2:49)
Only later would the astounded parents understand that there was a mission
entrusted to the Son of God that superseded human familial ties. Nothing
more is recorded of this event except these words of St. Luke,

Jesus went down with them, returning to Nazareth, and he continued to be

subject to them. As for his mother, she kept all these things in her heart.
(Luke 1:51)
The Death of St. Joseph
There is no reference to St. Joseph in the gospels after the incident of the
Finding in the Temple. We know very little about him. What we can
ascertain about him is contained in private revelation.
The choice of Joseph as spouse of the Blessed Mother was miraculous. When
the High Priest gathered the unmarried men in the temple at the coming
out of the holy virgin Mary, it was the dry branch bearing Josephs name
that miraculously blossomed when the dry branches of the male suitors was
placed before the altar of sacrifice in front of the Holy of Holies. For this
reason many statues of the Holy Family show Joseph holding what appears to
be a lily.
We have to assume that in the providence of God, Joseph was granted
special spiritual privileges not given to other men.
He was sanctified in the womb of his mother seven months after his
conception, and the leaven of sin was destroyed in him for the whole course
of his life- - - the Lord hastened in him the use of reason, perfecting it in the
third year, endowing it with infused science and augmenting his soul with
new graces and virtues. - - - He was of a kind disposition, loving affable,
sincere, showing inclinations not only holy but angelic. 35.
His trade of carpenter was a big factor in the support of the Holy Family. At
an appropriate time he introduced the Son of God into the skills of carpentry.
Both mentor and protge reached a high standard of perfection in their
work.
As time passed, age began to take its toll on Joseph, the Just Man. Eight
years before his death at 63 years of age he began to experience infirmities
and sufferings and his soul had been purified more and more each day in the
crucible of affliction and of divine love. 36.
One day before he died, being wholly inflamed with divine love on account of
these blessings, he was wrapped in an ecstasy that lasted twenty-four hours.
- - -He saw clearly the divine Essence, and manifested therein, all that he had
believed by faith: the incomprehensible Divinity; the mystery of the
Incarnation and the Redemption, the militant church with all its sacraments

and mysteries. The Blessed Trinity commissioned and assigned him as

messenger of our Saviour to the holy Patriarchs and Prophets of Limbo,
(Paradise) and commanded him to prepare them for their issuing forth from
the bosom of Abraham to eternal rest and happiness. 37.
Jesus is working in the workshop when his mother Mary calls him. She is
weeping softly. Joseph is dying. He comes immediately to the bedside of His
foster father and bending over Joseph whispers a psalm.
Mary caresses him, Jesus sits on the edge of the little bed, embraces him
and draws to Himself the dying man, who collapses, and passes away
peacefully - - -Jesus lays the Patriarch down again and embraces Mary. 38.
Joseph died in the presence of the two holiest people to walk the face of the
earth. For this reason the church proclaims him as the Patron of a happy
death. Tradition has it that he was buried in Nazareth but the early
Christians moved his remains to another site near Jerusalem. His final resting
place is unknown.

Section 1 Beginnings

Review Questions
1. Why did Jesus call himself the Son of Man.?
2. What evidence is there for the sinless nature of Mary?
3. Who was the prophet who 600 years before Christs birth predicted the
extraordinary coming of the Messiah?
4. What was Josephs reaction when Mary told him that Elizabeth was
about to give birth?
5. What did St. Paul tell the Philippians when he wrote about the Second
Person of the Blessed Trinity becoming man?
6. What was the main outcome of Marys visit to the town of Juttah?
7. Why had Zacharias been struck dumb?
8. What is the name of the Canticle of praise uttered by Zacharias?
9. When did Joseph first notice that Mary was pregnant?
10.
What was Josephs dilemma?
11.
What was Josephs intention once he had planned to secretly
leave the house at midnight?
12.
Is Luke historically correct when he mentions that at the birth of
Christ, Sulpicius Quirinius was the governor of Syria?
13.
Who was Augustus?
14.
Where and when did St. Luke write his gospel?
15.
Who was the prophet who predicted that the Messiah would be
born in Bethlehem?
16.
Who told Joseph that finding accommodation in Bethlehem would
be difficult and as a last resort he could use a cave behind the town?
17.
Describe the birth of Jesus.
18.
What were the angels singing when they were seen by the
astonished shepherds?
19.
The shepherd Elias offered to do two things on behalf of the Holy
Family. What were these?
20.
What was the subsequent history of the cave where Christ was
born?
21.
Did the three Magi know each other?
22.
Do we know the real names of the Magi?
23.
Their remains are reputed to be in a Cathedral in Cologne in
Germany. How did they get there?
24.
What were the words of St. Simeon at the Presentation of Jesus?
25.
What are the traditional Seven Sorrows of Our Lady?
26.
From where did the Holy Family begin their flight into Egypt?
27.
What happened to Anne and her children?
28.
Describe the circumstances surrounding the death of the
Innocents.
29.
Why was Herod called the Great?

30.
When the Holy Family arrived in Egypt what strange things
happened?
31.
Where did the Holy Family eventually stay?
32.
How did the Holy Family help people in Egypt?
33.
On the death of Herod in 4 BC. how was his kingdom divided up?
34.
Why was Herod disliked by the Jewish people?
35.
When do most scholars believe Christ was born?
36.
What was the prophecy of Hosea that was fulfilled?
37.
Archelaus was given Judea, Samaria, and Idumea to govern. How
come it became a Roman Province?
38.
Who were the cousins of Jesus living in Nazareth?
39.
What did Jesus do in the three days during which his parents
searched for him?
40.
What two important events were the doctors of the Law
discussing when Jesus joined the group?
41.
What was the meaning of his reply to Mary when she questioned
his absence for three days?
42.
What happened in the temple when Joseph was chosen to be the
husband of Mary?
43.
Describe the 24 hours before Josephs death.
44.
Why is he called the Patron of a happy death?
45.
What final mission was assigned to him by the Blessed Trinity?

Section two The Mission Begins

Baptism in the Jordan

As soon as he was baptized, Jesus came up from the water. At once, the
heavens opened and he saw the spirit of God come down like a dove and rest
upon him. At the same time a voice from heaven was heard, `this is my son,
the Beloved; He is my chosen one. (Matt.3:16-17)
Jesus was sinless. Why then did he need to be baptized? He unites with
humanity when he submits to Johns baptism. He reinforces and displays his
agreement to Johns call to repentance. Later he will institute his own form of
baptism using the purifying and sanctifying presence of the Holy Spirit.
Who saw the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove?
Matthew indicates Jesus. Luke indicates that the `heavens opened. We can
assume that John the Baptist was aware of the phenomenon and probably
many of the bystanders. John the Baptist confirms his vision of it. (Jn.1:32)
when the spirit rested upon Jesus, some believe this was the first time Jesus
received the spirit. This would be an error. From His conception He had the
full power and companionship of the spirit. What this incident indicates is
that Jesus mission was now meant to begin after his thirty years of
preparation and relative solitude.
Who heard the voice of the Father?
Jesus for certain, John the Baptist also and if the people awaiting Johns
Baptism heard it, then they certainly would not have comprehended its
meaning. There is no mention of any astonished or awestruck crowd in any
of the gospels at the Baptism of Jesus. The Baptism of Jesus is the first
indication in the New Testament of the Blessed Trinity. The word Trinity is
not found in the bible. It was Tertullian at the beginning of the third Century
A.D. who was the first Christian scholar to coin the term. But this was the
first manifestation of the triune godhead and Christs initial revelation of this
mystery.
When John and Jesus meet, it is their first encounter since the Visitation of
Mary to Elizabeth. Yet, moved and informed by the Spirit, John is so aware of
the importance of the man standing before him, that he calls him the Lamb
of God. (Jn.1:29)
Jesus takes off his mantle and tunic, and is left with a kind of pair of short
trousers. He then descends into the water, where there is John, who baptizes

Him, pouring on His head some water from the river by means of a cup tied
to his belt. It looks like a shell or a half pumpkin dried and emptied. 39.
We have a description of the Messiah and his cousin.
They are both tall for all the rest, they differ immensely. Jesus is fair haired.
His hair is long and tidy, His face is white ivory, His eyes blue, His garment
simple, but majestic. John is hairy: his straight black hair falls unevenly onto
his shoulders, his sparse dark beard covers his face almost completely, - - his feverish eyes are black, his complexion is dark, tanned by the sun and
weather beaten, his body is covered with hairs, he is half naked in his camel
hair garment, which is tied to his waist by a leather belt - -. 40.
The Temptations
Without delay Christ Our Lord pursued his journey from the Jordan to the
desert after his baptism. Only his holy angels attended and accompanied
Him serving and worshipping Him, singing the divine praises on account of
what he was about to undertake for the salvation of mankind. He came to
the place chosen by Him for his fast: - - - where there was a cavern much
concealed. Here he halted, choosing it for his habitation during the days of
His fast. 41
After spending forty days and nights without food, Jesus was hungry.
(Matt.4:2)
Satan appears dressed like a Bedouin. - - - If I had water in a flask I would
give you some. But I have none myself. My horse died and I am going on foot
to the ford. - - - come with me, I will take you there. - - -Jesus just clenches
His hands in silent prayer. - - Are you calling the Eternal? He is far away. - - - I
feel sorry for you, and I want to help you, because you are so good, and you
have come to sacrifice yourself for nothing. Men will hate you because of you
goodness. They understand nothing but gold, food and pleasure. - - - Find
yourself a woman worries are forgotten when we like near a woman. - - - and
she is in our arms like a bunch of flowers. But what a fool I am! You are
hungry - - - but look at these stones - - - since you are the Son of God, all you
have to say is `I want and they will become sweet smelling bread. 42.
Jesus answered, Scripture says, `People cannot live on bread alone. (Luke
4:4, Deut.8:3)
In fact, the Word of God is the nourishment the world requires.

Turning stones into bread would involve the sin of rebellion against the
divine will. 43.
The devil is angered at the rebuke but controls himself.
I understand you are above the necessities of the earth - - - I will take you
up to the pinnacle of the Temple- - you will then call the cohorts of Angels
and will tell them to form a footrest for your feet with their interlaced wings
and to let you down, thus into the main yard. So that people may see you
and remember that God exists. 44.
Satan addresses this challenge to Jesus whom he calls the Son of God.
(Matt.4:6) with words from Psalm 91 vs 11-12.
Here Jesus is addressed as the representative of the people and invited to
test Gods providential care by unnecessarily risking his life, a mockery of
real martyrdom and the future passion. 45.
Jesus replies to Satan with another quotation from Deuteronomy,
You shall not put to the test the Lord your God. (Deut 6:16) and (Matt.4:7)
Satan is not done with this strange person he has been tempting. He has a
third avenue of attack to induce Jesus to succumb to his wiles.
Then the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the
nations of the world in all their greatness and splendor. And he said, `all this I
will give you, if you kneel down and worship me! (Matt.4:8-9)
How the pair could see all the nations from one high mountain is not
explained. From a purely human viewpoint it would be impossible. The test
then, is one of the seduction of world power and dominance.
Satan craves worship. His ultimate prize would be to have Jesus, this
representative of the people, to kneel in homage before him.
Adore me for one moment only! Appease this thirst of mine for being
worshipped! It ruined me, but it is still left in me and I am parched by it. 46.
Jesus replies from Deuteronomy 6:13
Be off Satan! Scripture says: Worship the Lord your God and serve him
alone. (Matt.4:10)

Satan departs with shrieks of hatred. He has been beaten. However he has
no certainty that this holy man is the Incarnate Word made flesh. Jesus for
his part is naturally exhausted from his fasting and the battle. With the
departure of Satan, angels come to comfort Jesus. (Matt.4:11)
Christ the Saviour permitted Lucifer to remain under the false impression,
that He was a mere human creature though very holy and just. 47.
At no stage did Jesus indicate or display his miraculous powers. All Satans
promises to give Jesus the nations of the earth were false. He did not create
or own them in the first place. With the dismissal of Satan the angels
ministering to Jesus, bore him back to the desert where he had been fasting
and praying. Before Jesus undertook any important task, He spent time in
prayer. Indeed, it was frequent prayer and union with the Father that gave
Him strength in all His undertakings.
Messiahship
Luke tells us that after the incident in the temple where Mary and Joseph
found Jesus conversing with the doctors of the law,
Jesus went down with them, returning to Nazareth, and he continued to be
subject to them. As for his mother, she kept all these things in her heart. And
Jesus increased in wisdom and age and in divine and human favour. (Luke
2:51-52)
Did Christ learn things the way young people do as they grow to adulthood?
This question is really a question about Christs knowledge. If he was fully
human then it is reasonable to expect growth in knowledge or increase as
mentioned above. St. Paul tells us that he emptied himself of his Godhead.
(Phil.2:7) this is a great mystery. What did he empty himself of? Certainly he
had to forgo the qualities of the glorified body. He was not able to fly for
example. He became mortal and subject to death. Therefore he was subject
to all the physical laws that govern humanness.
As to his intellect and will, we have to concede that being sinless he was not
impaired by the effects of original sin.
His mother had infused knowledge and spiritual gifts and insights far beyond
that of ordinary people. It is fair to assume that he not only had the same
benefits as his holy mother but knowledge that far exceeded hers even from

his conception. He never lost his divinity. His divine powers were always
subject to his will.
We can ask ourselves the question, when did Christ know that he was the
Messiah?
There are many Christians who believe that he only became fully aware of
his Messiahship at his baptism in the Jordan. The implication is that for thirty
years he did not know.
This is unacceptable. He always had the Beatific Vision and infused divine
knowledge. He was in complete control of his faculties of intellect and will
even from his conception. He always knew his mission on earth was to reveal
the godhead to men and bring about their redemption. His Baptism was
simply a matter of timing. It was the starting point for his mission.
As part of the clarity of his mind and infused divine knowledge we will all
ultimately share in heaven, he possessed foreknowledge.
He knew what the future held.
Let us quote some examples.
Speaking of the Temple,
you see all this? Truly I say to you not one stone will be left upon another
here. All will be thrown down. (Luke 21:6) (Matt.24:2)
Some will argue that part of the Western Wall remains today. It is called the
wailing wall, where pious Jews come to pray and insert their prayers
requests in the cracks in the walls. Yet for all intents and purposes it was
destroyed by the Romans and never rebuilt.
Concerning Jerusalem
Yet days will come upon you, when your enemies will surround you with
barricades and shut you in, and press you from every side. (Luke 19:43)
When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies you know that the time has
come when it will be reduced to a wasteland. (Luke 21:20)
And so it came to pass. The fifth, tenth and fifteenth Roman legions, initially
under Vespasian, but later Titus, surrounded the city and brutally sacked it.

Titus threw up circumvallation and in plain view of the defenders crucified

all who tried to flee from the besieged city. Hunger and thirst began to tell,
so that in July (70 BC), fortress Antonia was entered by the Romans and
razed. 48.
When the city fell its survivors were sold into slavery to help pay for the
building of the Coliseum.
Concerning the final Judgement.
Alas for you Chorazin! Alas for you Bethsaida! So many miracles have been
worked in you! If the same miracles had been performed in Tyre and Sidon,
they would already be sitting in ashes and sackcloth of repentance. Surely
for Tyre and Sidon it will be better on the Day of Judgement that for you. And
what of you city of Capernaum? Will you be lifted up to heaven? You will be
thrown down to the place of the dead. (Luke 10:13-15)
the one who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this
age or in the age to come. (Matt.12:32)
On the day of judgement people will have to give an account of any
unjustified word they have spoken. Your own words will declare you either
innocent or guilty. (Matt.12:36-37)
There is nothing covered that will not be uncovered, and nothing hidden
that will not be made known (Matt.10:26)
All the nations will be brought before him, and as a shepherd separates the
sheep from the goats , so will he do with them, placing the sheep on his right
hand and the goats on his left. - - (Matt. 25:31-46)
On Marriage
In the resurrection of the dead, neither men nor women will marry, but will
be like the angels in heaven. (Matt.22:30)
The coin in the fishes mouth
Go to the sea, throw in a hook and open the mouth of the first fish you
catch. You will find a coin in it. Take the coin and let it pay for you and for
me. (Matt.17:27)
Concerning John the Baptist

I tell you this: No one greater than John the Baptist has come forward from
among the sons of women. (Matt.11:11)
Concerning the permanence of the church
You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church and never will the
powers of death overcome it. (Matt.16:18)
Predictions concerning His own death.
In the same way that Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of
the whale, so will the Son of Man spend three days and three nights in the
depths of the earth. (Matt.12:40)
Jesus began to make it clear to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem,
that he would suffer many things from the Jewish authorities, the chief
priests and the teachers of the law; and that he would be killed and be raised
on the third day. (Matt.16:21)
They will hand him over to the foreigners, who will mock him and crucify
him. But he will be raised to life on the third day. (Matt.20:19)
Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up. (Jn. 2:19)
The son of Man will be betrayed into the hands of men. (Luke 9:44)
Truly I say to you: one of you will betray me. (Matt.26:21)

Concerning Peters denial

I tell you Peter, the cock will not crow this day before you have denied three
times that you know me. (Luke 22:34)
Concerning the Coming of the Son of Man
And later, after that distress, the sun will grow dark, the moon will not give
its light, the stars will fall from the skies, and the whole universe will be
shaken. Then the sign of man will appear in heaven. As all the nations of the
earth beat their breasts, they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of
heaven with divine power and the fullness of glory. (Matt.24:29-30)
The ability to read hearts and know others thoughts.

This man insults God. Jesus was aware of their thinking and said, why do
you have such evil thoughts? Which is easier to say: Your sins are forgiven
or stand up and walk. (Matt.9:4-5)
Jesus knew their thinking, so he said to them, `Every kingdom divided by
civil war will fall apart, and every city or family that is divided cannot last.
(Matt.12:25)
Christ by his infused divine knowledge also knew all that happened in the
past.
I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. (Luke 10:18)
There is however, one conundrum concerning Christs knowledge. It refers to
the day of Judgement and the end of the world.
But as far that day and that hour, no one knows when it will come, not even
the angels of God, nor the son, but only the Father. (Matt.24:36)
Christ in His divine nature would not be limited in knowledge. However in his
human nature such a limit to specific knowledge is a possibility. It would
appear that what Christ wanted to avoid was the human penchant for
speculation. If we were to give a time and date for the end, then people
would be unlikely to be unduly worried about repentance or living the
Gospel. It is the same with our own death. We know neither the day nor the
hour. Hence we are obliged to be ever spiritually alert and prepared.
Scholars have never been able to give an adequate explanation for the text
in question. So perhaps there is no need for us to know or seek a solution.
The Foundation of the church
It was important that Jesus set up an organization to help him carry out his
mission. He needed helpers and he needed to train them.
Luke tells us that Jesus went from the Jordan back to Nazareth. He went into
the synagogue on the Sabbath. He was invited to read from the prophets.
When he unrolled the scroll of Isaiah he came to the section where it was
written.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me to bring the good
news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and new sight to the blind;
to free the oppressed and to announce the Lords year of mercy. (Luke 4:1819) (Isa. 61:1-2)

Then Jesus told them that these words were being fulfilled through him, but
they could not believe him because they all knew he was only Josephs son.
Quickly the mood in the synagogue changed from amazement to anger. The
people rose up and dragged him to the cliff on which Nazareth was built,
intending to throw him down the cliff, but in the melee he escaped.
Jesus left Nazareth and went down to Capernaum, a town by the lake of
Galilee. This was an ideal place for the center of his ministry. The town was a
cross roads. Roads led from it to Syria and Phonecia in the North; to
Jerusalem in the South and over the mountains to the West where the Great
Sea road paralleled the Mediterranean coast down to the Negev.
It was a cosmopolitan town, having many Greek and Roman foreigners
among its inhabitants.
From that time on, Jesus began to proclaim his message, Change your ways:
the kingdom of heaven is near. (Matt. 4:17)
The prophet Isaiah (700 BC) had predicted that a new religious epoch would
dawn in Israel.
In the last days, the mountain of Yahwehs house shall be set over the
highest mountains and shall tower over the hills. All the nations shall stream
to it, saying,
Come, let us to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, - - (Isa.2:2-3)
The prophet Micah (725 BC) said much the same. (Micah 4:1-2)
So the new religion was symbolized as the highest mountain.
About 150 years before Christ, another book of prophecy would identify the
new religion as a rock that became a mountain.
The king, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had a dream concerning a statue
made of various metals. Daniel was asked to interpret the dream. The
various metals represented kingdoms that would rule Babylon. But finally the
statue would be destroyed by a rock that became a mountain.
As you watched, a rock cut from a mountain, but not by human hands,
struck the statue on its feet of clay smashing them. All at once the iron, clay,
bronze, silver and gold crumbled into pieces as fine as chaff on the threshing
floor in summer. The wind swept them off and not a trace was left. But the

rock that struck the statue became a great mountain that filled the whole
earth. (Dan. 2:34-35)
That rock became the church that Christ established and it covered the
whole earth. In every corner of the world Christs gospel is heard.
As he began to preach, disciples gathered around Jesus. This was normal in
the Middle East. He was an itinerant preacher moving from village to village.
His message was quite radical. His uncle Alphaeus and the two older cousins
of Jesus, Joseph and Simon, were disgusted with his behavior. They believed
he should be at home in Nazareth, working as a carpenter and supporting his
mother. If the Roman authorities saw him as a rebel and a threat, then his
property would be seized along with that of his relatives. At the very least
the clan of his relatives would have their name brought into disrepute.
As for his mother Mary, she knew intimately the mission of her son and
followed him on his journeys, notwithstanding the hardship this entailed,
especially during inclement weather. Luckily, she had the companionship of
other devoted women disciples.
The first Apostolic college.
As Jesus walked by the lake of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called
Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake as they were
fishermen. He said to them, `Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of
men. (Matt.4:18-19)
St. John paints a different picture. He and Andrew are with John the Baptist as
Jesus passes by. John the Baptist points Jesus out to his two disciples,
There is the Lamb of God. (Jn.1:36)
On hearing this, the two men, John of Zebedee and Andrew, follow Jesus to
the house where he is staying. They spent the rest of the day with him.
(Jn.1:39)
Early the next day the excited Andrew brings his brother Peter to see Jesus.
You are Simon, son of John, but you will be called `Cephas which means
`Rock. (Jn.1:42
What do we know of Peter?

He is older than Jesus. And truly a gruff rough diamond. He is married to a

young girl named Porphirea, whom he met in Capernaum. He says of his
young wife.
I could have travelled all over the world, but I would not have found another
one like her. 49.
Unfortunately the couple had no children. However, Porphirea becomes a
disciple of Jesus.
We know that Peter was impulsive by nature but he is the accepted leader of
the small fishing group from Bethsaida. James of Zebedee says of him,
He is never selfish; proud or exacting! He has never taken advantage of the
fact that he was our head. On the contrary, he seemed to be the last one, - - we have known him for years. He is hot tempered but very kind hearted.
50.
Above all else, Peter is honest and sincere. A day later , Jesus finds Philip and
calls him.
Follow me. (Jn.1:43) Philip is known to Andrew and Peter. Nathanael is also
invited, some believe his other name is Bartholomew. This tradition arose in
the church in the 9th century. Because we know nothing of the background of
Bartholomew. However,
it is far more likely that Nathanael was not one of the twelve. 51
After the wedding feast of Cana, other disciples gather around Jesus. Among
them is Thomas Didymas, a worker of precious metal Jewelry, Simon the
Zealot and Judas of Kerioth. Finally, his two cousins, James and Jude
Thaddeus, ask to be accepted as disciples among a throng of followers.
Among the last to be called is Matthew, the tax collector. He also is from a
first marriage of Alphaeus. Alphaeus was the elder brother of Joseph, the
foster father of Jesus.
Some would ask, why would Jesus accept Judas Iscariot as a close disciple
when Jesus knew that in the future Judas would betray him?
Mary, Christs mother, becomes the mother of all Christs disciples and is in
constant prayer on their behalf. She has this to say of Judas,
But the man from Kerioth - - -I do not like him son. His eye is not crystal
clear and his heart even less so. He frightens me.

Because of her sinless nature she had the ability to read hearts. She
continues,
Oh Jesus! I do not want to be uncharitable, but I think even if I do not want
to believe it, that in case you should disappoint him, he will not hesitate to
take your place, or endeavor to do so. He is ambitious, greedy and vicious.
He is more suitable to be the courtier of an earthly king, than your apostle,
My Son. He frightens me! - -- - Jesus sighs. He ponders. He looks at his
mother. He smiles to encourage her. - - - my college must represent the
world, and in the world they are not all angels, neither are they all the same
character as Peter and Andrew. If I chose everything perfect, how could the
poor diseased souls dare hope to become My disciples! 52.
Jesus is a guest in a house just outside the walls of Jerusalem. It is evening.
Two men are outside the house. They are seeking Jesus. One is invited into
the kitchen, by the owner of the house. The other is kept outside. He is a
leper. Jesus directs the leper to the olive groves outside the house.
Dont curse me! Dont stone me. - - -have mercy on me! cries the leper.
Stand up. Be healed. I want it. - - you must comply with the law. Go to the
priest. 53.
Simon , is tall and thin. Of a dark complexion - - hair as white as linen and
somewhat curly, - - He has an old scar on his forehead. 54
I was called `Zealot because of the caste and `Cananean because of my
mother. See I am of a dark complexion. In my veins there is the blood of a
slave woman. My father had no children from his wife, and he had me from a
slave. - - -He was a squanderer a vicious, cruel heartless man without love.
He branded me with a shameful name and with a disease which is the mark
of infamy. 55
Simon was not a `zealot as such this anti Roman group only arose in 60-70
AD. In Simons time it became a term for those `zealous to serve God.
The Selection
St.Luke tells us,
At this time Jesus went into the hills to pray, spending the whole night in
prayer with God. When day came, he called his disciples to him, and chose
twelve of them whom he called apostles. (Luke 6:12-13)

The word itself meant sent on a mission!

Who did he choose?
Simon bar Jonah (called `Peter) Andrew his brother; James and John sons of
Zebedee, James, Jude Thaddeus and Matthew, Sons of Alphaeus; Thomas,
Bartholomew; Simon misnamed the `Zealot and the man from Kerioth, Judas
Son of Simon.
What happened to the other disciples?
We do not know their reaction to being passed over but many must have
remained faithful to him. Later he would send the other disciples ahead of
him to prepare the way for him.
The Lord appointed seventy two other disciples and sent them two by two
ahead of him to every town and place where he would go. (Luke 10:1)
It is recorded also that,
Some women who had been healed of evil spirits and diseases. Mary called
Magdalene, who had been freed of seven demons, Johanna, wife of Chuza,
Herods steward; Suzanna the bride of Cana and others who provided for
them out of their own funds. (Luke 8:2-3)
We may include among these dedicated holy women, the Mother of Jesus,
her sister in law Mary of Alphaeus and Salome the mother of the Sons of
Thunder. James and John.
Authority Granted to Peter
Jesus and the apostles journeyed to the North of the Tetrachy of Philip. What
some people lose sight of is, that the three years of preaching were done on
foot. Often the group went hungry and in the evening slept in the fields, or
barns or inns. It was not a life of luxury. For the older members of the group,
Matthew, Peter and Simon the Zealot, the going was tough. Yet we never
hear of the Apostles complaining. They were all Galileans with the exception
of Judas Iscariot. Their language was Aramaic and they were by and large
reasonably physically fit.
At Caesarea Philippi something very significant occurred. St. Luke tells us,
Jesus came to Caesarea Philippi. He asked his disciples `who do people say
the Son of Man is? they said, `For some of them you are John the Baptist, for

others, Elijah asked them, `But you who do you say I am? Peter answered,
You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Jesus replied, `It is well for
you, Simon Bar-Jona, for it is not flesh and blood that has revealed this to
you, but my Father in heaven. (Luke 16:13-17)
The questioning of the Apostles is a test in their belief. Peter answers for the
group with the term Messiah. Not a warrior king, but the son of the living
God. This same incident reported in Marks gospel (Mark 8:29) is the turning
point in his gospel. Up to that point, Christ demands silence from demons he
expels and people he cures. No one is permitted to use the word Messiah.
Matthew has also broken the silence.
However what follows the affirmation of Jesus role and mission is more
important.
And now I say to you: You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church:
and never will the powers of death overcome it. (Matt 16:18)
Peter is confirmed by Christ as the leader of the apostles and the foundation
of the church. This is the only place in the gospels where church is
mentioned. 56
Older translations have the term Hades or gates of hell for the word
death, above. The import of this statement is that Satan and the forces of
evil may batter the church but they will never overcome it.
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on
earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you unbind on earth shall be
unbound in heaven. (Matt.16:19)
These words granted to Peter enormous authority. Here in plain words are
demonstrated the Primacy of Peter and ultimately the Primacy of Rome.
He and his successors could ratify or rescind laws that governed Christs
church with full authority. To convey the awesome power and responsibility,
of this office of leader of the church, Christ used the symbol of keys.
From the early days of the church in Rome, each Pope in the Apostolic
succession had on the Papal Coat of Arms the symbol of crossed keys, as a
reminder of the momentous event at Caesarea Philippi. The title Pope only
means Father. The phase Habemus Papam which is proclaimed when a
new Pope is elected, means We have a father. The term Pontifex
Maximus was a term applied to the Roman Emperor literally it meant the

Greatest Pontiff but later it designated him as a bridge builder between

the people and the Gods.
If one visits the Basilica of St. Peters in Rome, one will find a statue in one of
the naves, of Peter seated. Their will be a rooster near his feet to remind
people of the human weakness we all have. Peter denied Christ three times
but repented with bitter tears. He will be holding in one of his hands a set
of keys. Two of them joined by a link. A reminder also of the authority given
to him by Christ. Peters very remains lie in a crypt underneath the high altar
of the Basilica.
Why is Peter shown seated?
This was common in Christs time for an itinerant preacher to be seated on
the teachers chair dotted around the countryside on a suitably elevated
site. Rome is the See of Peter. It is called the Holy See to demonstrate
that the Pope with the bishops is the teacher of the church. If a doctrine or
decision is proclaimed by the Pope Ex Cathedra from the chair, it has the
full weight of the Magisterium of the church. It is from the Chair of Peter.
When was the authority to forgive sins given to the Apostles?
The ability to drive out demons and heal the sick was given to the Apostles
and disciples.
(Matt. 10:7-8) (Luke 10:1-2) But the authority to forgive
sins, was extended to the Apostles only after the Resurrection of Christ. They
were locked in the cenacle for fear of the Jews.
Jesus came and stood among them, and said to them `Peace be with you!
Then he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples kept looking at
the Lord and were full of joy.
Again Jesus said to them, `Peace be with you! As the father has sent me, so I
send you! After saying this, he breathed on them and said to them,
`Receive the Holy Spirit! Those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven;
those whose sins you retain, they are retained. (John 20:19-23)
This authority was given to all the Apostles and to those who would follow in
the ages to come when bishops laid hands on men chosen for ordination. The
apostles were the first bishops and Peter the first bishop of Rome. There are
some sins that an ordinary priest cannot forgive. The lifting of a ban of
excommunication is reserved for the Pope alone. The absolution for the sin of

abortion is reserved for the bishop but the Sin against the Holy Spirit
cannot be forgiven.
(Matt 12:32, Mark 3:22 and Luke 11:15
What is this sin against the Holy Spirit?

Presuming to attain salvation without faith and love.

Despair of salvation.
Obstinacy in sin or error.
Final impenitence.
Apostasy.
Persistence in consummate and obdurate opposition to the influence of
the spirit. 57

Scripture
It is a custom among pastors to read a passage of scripture to their
congregation and give the passage a personal interpretation. This is different
from Gospel sharing whereby individuals share how the gospel passage
applies to their lives. We need to be wary of interpreting scripture, in
particular prophecies, by oneself.
The Israelites had doctors of the law to assist in the interpretation of the Old
Testament. In the early church St.Peter saw the need to caution the early
Christians about this problem of personal interpretation. Writing to the whole
church he says.
Know this well: No prophecy of scripture can be handed over to private
interpretation. (2Pet.1:20)
Who then should be the official interpreter of scripture?
For Catholics this is a simple matter. We rely on the teaching authority of the
church i.e. the magisterium of the church. All catholic doctrines are
contained in the new catechism, Popes encyclicals, letters of exhortation
from the Pope and official biblical commentaries approved by the bishops.
The New Jerome Biblical Commentary is one such excellent example.
There is a saying, If it is not in the Bible it is not true. E.g. the word Trinity
is not found in the bible. Does that mean that the Triune God does not
exist?
This is utter foolishness. St. Paul writing to his disciple and co worker Timothy
says,

If I delay, you will know how you ought to conduct yourself in the household
of God, that is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation
of the truth. (1Tim.3:15)
Names
The early church consisted of Jewish converts and gentile converts. Initially
the church Christ founded was called the Way. It was prophesied by the
prophet Isaiah,
There will be a highway which will be called the Way of Holiness. No one
unclean will pass over it nor any wicked fool stray there nor any beast of
prey. Only the redeemed will walk there. (Isa.35:8-9)
We are told by St. Luke in his second book, The Acts, that Saul,
Went to the High Priest and asked him for letters to the Synagogues of
Damascus that would authorize him to arrest and bring to Jerusalem anyone
he might find, man or woman, belonging to the Way. (Acts 9.1:2)
After his conversion, Saul or Paul as he was now called, was preaching in the
Synagogue in Ephesus, Some of them, instead of believing, grew obstinate
and criticized the Way publically. So Paul departed from there and took his
disciples with him. (Acts 19:9)
When then were the followers of Christ called Christians?
Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul and when he found him he
brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they had meetings with the church
and instructed many people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were first
called `Christians. (Acts 11:26)
When were the Christians first called Catholics?
In the early 2nd century St. Ignatius of Antioch was being escorted to Rome to
be martyred. At Smyrna the convoy stopped and Ignatius wrote letters to
several on the communities in the western provinces of present day Turkey.
One of these letters was to the Christian community at Symrna. In it he wrote
Wherever the bishop appears, let there be the fullness (of the church) as
wherever Christ Jesus appears, there is the Catholic church. (Symrneans
8:2)
St.Ignatius was martyred during the reign of Emperor Trajan (98-117 AD)
many believe it was in the year 107 A.D.

Section 2.

The Mission Begins

Review Questions
1. Did John the Baptist see the Holy Spirit descend upon Jesus in the form
of a dove?
2. Why did Jesus accept Johns Baptism?
3. Was it the same as the sacrament of Baptism we have today?
4. Some people believe that at his baptism Christ realized he was the
Messiah. What do you believe?
5. Is the word Trinity found in the Bible?
6. Jesus and John the Baptist were not familiar with one another. How
then could John call Jesus the Lamb of God.
7. Describe the physical features of the two cousins.
8. From private revelation we have a description of the actual Baptism of
Jesus. Tells us how it took place.
9. How long did Jesus spend in a cavern in a remote area where he fasted
and prayed?
10.
Jesus was hungry after his fast. Satan tempted him to turn stones
into bread. What was his answer?
11.
To tempt Jesus again, Satan carries Jesus to the highest point of
the Temple. He wants Jesus to throw himself down and be saved by the
angels. What part of scripture is Satan drawing from?
12.
In the final temptation, Satan carries Jesus to a very high
mountain and shows him all the kingdoms of the world. What did Satan
want Jesus to do?
13.
What was the reply of Jesus?
14.
When Satan left Jesus, he was in a rage. He had been defeated.
Did he know for certain that Christ was the Messiah?
15.
How did Jesus get back to the desert from the high mountain?
16.
In Jesus two natures are combined. A human nature and a divine
nature. St. Paul tells us that he emptied himself of his godhead to
become man. Does this mean that he had no divine knowledge?
17.
Did Jesus from his miraculous conception know that his mission
was to reveal the godhead and save mankind?
18.
What did Jesus say about the Temple that was nearing
completion?
19.
What are some of the statements Jesus made about the final
Judgement?
20.
How did Jesus help Peter to pay the temple tax?
21.
What did Jesus mean by the Sign of Jonah?
22.
Describe the second coming of the Son of Man.

23.
What texts in Matthews gospel are examples of how Jesus could
read the hearts and thoughts of others.
24.
Has this statement ever been adequately explained? No one
knows when it will come, not even the angels of God, nor the son, but
only the Father.
25.
After leaving the Jordan following his being tempted by Satan,
Jesus returned to Nazareth. On the Sabbath he went into the
synagogue and read from the scroll of Isaiah. What were the actual
words he read?
26.
As he proceeded with a short homily, the people in the
synagogue became angry. Read Luke 4:22-27. Jesus offended them.
Why?
27.
He left Nazareth and proceeded to Capernaum. He made
Capernaum the centre for his ministry why?
28.
The prophet Isaiah predicted the rise of a new religion in Israel.
He spoke in symbolic terms. What was the symbol for the New religion?
29.
The book of Daniel has also a prophecy concerning the new
religion. How is the new religion described?
30.
The two older cousins of Jesus, Joseph and Simon along with
Alphaeus their father, were not happy with Jesus going off preaching.
What were the causes of their disgust?
31.
Did Mary the mother of Jesus stay at home or did she follow Jesus
on his journeys?
32.
Who are the first two disciples of Jesus?
33.
Peter was a married man. What did he say of his young wife
Porphirea?
34.
What do we know about Peters character?
35.
Is it certain that Bartholomew is another name for Nathaniel?
36.
How do we know that Matthew was a relative of Jesus?
37.
What village in Judea did Judas come from?
38.
What was Marys opinion of Judas?
39.
What answer did Jesus give his mother for choosing Judas as an
apostle?
40.
What do we know about Simon the Zealot?
41.
If the group called Zealots arose in Palestine between 60 to 70
A.D., well after Christs death, how is it that Simon is called a Zealot?
42.
What happened to the other disciples who were not chosen as
apostles?
43.
Name some of the brave women who followed Jesus as he
journeyed around preaching.
44.
For the founding of the church, the event at Caesarea Philippi
was an important catalyst. What happened there? What did Jesus tell
Peter?

45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.

What are keys a symbol of?

Explain what is meant by the See of Peter?
When did the Apostles receive the authority to forgive sins?
What are some aspects of the sin against the Holy Spirit?
Who or what safeguards the scriptural and doctrinal truth?
When were the Christians first called Catholics?

Section Three

Some Teachings of the Son of Man

With the death of Christ upon the cross, followed by his resurrection, the
followers of Christ became emboldened when the Holy Spirit infused them
with insight, courage and hope on the first Pentecost Sunday. When the time
come for the Apostles to take Christs message to the world, they came
together praying and taking part in a celebrated mass in the first church,
the Cenacle.
The Cenacle was filled with light and splendor and all were enlightened by
the Holy Spirit. Then the most Blessed Mary asked each of the Apostles to
define a mystery, according as the Holy Spirit should inspire them. 58.
This collection of twelve doctrines became known as the Apostles Creed. It
was defined as the Creed of the Church Christ founded. This took place
shortly after the martyrdom of Stephen.
Before the apostles departed, they fasted and prayed for ten successive
days. At the end of the ten days, Peter filled with the Holy Spirit, assigned
each man to his mission station.
They were filled with a new light and knowledge concerning the peoples and
provinces assigned to them by Peter and each one recognized the conditions,
nature and customs of the kingdoms singled out for him, being furnished
interiorly with the most distinct and abundant information concerning each.
59.
A long with the Creed the apostles took with them the customs, stories and
teaching that Christ had taught them in their three years of training. The
Holy Spirit continued to enlighten them and remind them of the main
messages they were to convey to their audiences.
What were some of these messages?
1. Matthew starts immediately with the Sermon on the Mount.
The mountain is a reminder of the giving of the law on Mt. Sinai.

Here Matthew wants to present Jesus as the Great Teacher,

who gives to the world a new Law.
The sermon is a composite of teachings.
The Dominant themes of the sermon are the kingdom of God
and justice. 60. Let us start with the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes
(Matt 5:3-11) in a variety of translations start with one of the
following words: - Happy are - - -; Blessed are - - -; fortunate are - . They end with a reward. They are so powerful that they lift the
Christian life to a new level of hope in stark contrast to the thou
shall not laws of the Decalogue. It was the sermon of the Great
Reversals.
Happy are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The thirst for riches corrupts the human mind. The love of earthly wealth
diverts the soul from the love of God who must be loved above all else. This
Beatitude is a call for detachment from wealth. It is a call to a clear moral
attitude that is a huge shift in direction from the Jewish concept of the more
wealth one has, the more one is conspicuously blessed by God. The poor
economically are forced in all humility to rely on God. However, even the
poor economically can be driven by the thirst for wealth and so neglect God.
All, both the rich and the poor, need to step aside from earthly cravings and
so realize that in their hearts an important quality of the heavenly kingdom,
to be poor in spirit, is to be detached.
Happy are those who mourn, they shall be comforted.
We mourn over calamities and the loss of loved ones. We mourn over broken
relationships. We mourn over the state of overwhelming evil in the world.
The Israelites mourned over their servitude to foreign powers. Often we have
no control over what can befall us suddenly. This beatitude is a call for
resignation to the divine will. When we have cried until we can cry no more,
there rises in our hearts an acceptance and we can turn from ourselves and
help others.
Only those who weep or have wept, know how to love and can understand.
61.
Happy are the gentle, they shall possess the land.
Christ said `Learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart. (Matt.11:29)

There are those among the captains of industry and kings of this earth who
impose their will on others. People who are overbearing or full of pride do not
win the love of their subjects or relatives. Often people rise up against
tyrants or dictators. If one wishes to conquer souls, one achieves more by
patient humble loving kindness rather than by approaching them like an
armed warrior with a fierce countenance. When the violent have come and
gone, those that inherit the earth are the gentle and the humble. Those
without any pretensions to greatness.
Happy are they who hunger and thirst for justice for they shall be satisfied.
It is said that St. Joseph was a just man. (Matt. 1:19) he was upright. He
was a man of integrity. God knew this and chose him to be the foster father
of the Messiah. It is incumbent upon every person to be just in his or her
dealings with ones neighbor. Justice is the hallmark of Gods dealings with
mankind. When the Day of the Lord comes, he will deal with each person,
city and nation with justice. There will be no partiality. This reign of peace will
be also a reign of justice. If one does not obtain Justice here on earth, then it
will surely come in the next life.
Happy are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
The blind beggars on the road to Jericho called out, Son of David have
mercy on us. (Matt.20:30)
What was this mercy they were asking for? Had they offended Jesus in any
way? It was to be healed of their affliction. They were beggars. Members of
the poor. They needed help. They needed a miracle and they got it.
For us to be merciful is a call to forgive those who offend us, to reach
down and feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, bear with
obnoxious people and fulfill all the prescriptions of the spiritual and corporal
works of mercy. It is mercy I want not sacrifice. (Matt.9:13)And the reward
for the merciful is mercy for themselves when they stand before the divine
tribunal.
Happy are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
We are reminded in the book of Revelation that in the New Jerusalem,
Nothing unclean will enter it. (Rev. 21:27) God is perfection and only those
perfected can stand before Him. For this reason 99% of people will need to
be cleansed in the fire of Purgatory before they can remain in heaven. We
are sinners by nature and even if we repent, the stain of temporal

punishment remains on our souls. This stain must be erased before we can
enter heaven and enjoy the Beatific Vision. Marys heart was pure. She was
sinless. We should strive to imitate her.
Happy are they who work for peace, they shall be called children of God.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you (Jn.14:27) For Jesus peace
is love. The opposite of peace is war. War is hatred. If a person is peaceful,
he or she will calm the waters of dissent. Peaceful people find peaceful
solutions to problems. Peace brings reconciliation.
We are at peace with God, through Jesus Christ Our Lord. (Rom.5:1)
By his death on the cross, Christ over came the barrier that separated us
from God. Essentially, the peace of Christ is the love of neighbor. When one
achieves peace between warring factions there is a surge of satisfaction in
ones heart. God is a god of peace. If we work for peace we truly become his
sons and daughters. The global community values peacemakers and each
year the officers of the Alfred Noble Trust award the Nobel Peace Prize to
individuals or organizations that are outstanding in promoting peace.
Happy are those who are persecuted for the cause of Justice, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.
If one does good, one can be assured that the devil will persecute that
person. He is the enemy of goodness. If one is a Christian, then the pursuit of
goodness is allied to the pursuit of justice towards ones neighbours.
You have been told, O man, what is good and what Yahweh required of you:
to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)
The prophet then goes on to describe the injustices evident among the
Jewish people. Unjust wealth, false measures, violence, calumny, bribery,
exploitation of the poor etc. scenes similar to our current age. There is a
saying in English,
Behind every great wealth there is great crime. No civilization will last
unless the rule of just laws is followed and all citizens are treated with
impartiality. No one is above the law.
Happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and speak all kinds
of evil against you because you are my followers.

In every age Christians have been attacked and persecuted. Churches have
been burnt, Christians rounded up and imprisoned or in countries where they
are in the minority they have been marginalized. The records of the church
are full of list of martyrs. The church suffers today in Moslem and communist
countries. Pope John Paul II stated that the 20th century had more Christian
martyrs than all the other centuries put together. But we should rejoice. A
great prize awaits us in the next life if we persevere.
2. Salt and Light
In speaking to the vast crowd that was present at the sermon on the
mount, Christ impressed upon his followers that they must be the
transforming agents that the world required. They are to be like salt
seasoning food or light for the people in a house. We know that salt
does not lose its flavor.
but in Judaism it can become unclean and need to be thrown out. 62.
In the same fashion followers of Christ can become tainted with the
values of the world. Their salt can become unclean and their lamps
dimmed.
3. Love of Enemies
The law of Talionis, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth was
never part of the Decalogue. However, as a social measure it was part
of the legal patrimony of Israel. (Ex.21:22-25;Lev.24:20 and
Deut.19:21) This law regulated revenge and retaliation.
It was a law of reciprocity. Even today Israel as a nation retaliates with
force whenever it is assaulted by Palestinians through rocket fire and
suicide bombings. But this was not to be the hallmark of Christs
followers. Jesus taught non resistance to evil. A value espoused by the
Great soul of India Mahatma Gandhi.
Jesus teaching is a strategy for winning, not for passive resignation or
indifference to evil. The goal is to shame the opponent into a change of
heart. 63.
What did Christ tell his followers?
Do not oppose evil with evil; if someone slaps you on your right
cheek, turn and offer the other. If someone sues you in court for your
shirt, give him your coat as well. If someone forces you to go one mile,
go two miles with him. Give when asked and do not turn your back on
anyone who wants to borrow from you. (Matt.5:39-42)
This sort of statement would have been quite radical to Jewish
ears.

St. Luke adds another dimension to the way Christs followers must
treat their enemies.
Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who
curse you and pray for those who treat you badly. (Luke 6:27-28) This
is already a seismic shift in attitude. But Luke goes a step further. He
reminds his readers of an ancient law of reciprocity, called the Golden
Rule.
Do to others as you would have others do to you. (Luke 6:31)
You want others to treat you with respect then you need to treat them
with respect also.
4. How to pray
On the 15th June 1987 Vassula Ryden was in the transit lounge of
Bangkok airport. Suddenly an Arab threw a carpet on the floor and fell
to the ground worshipping God (Allah). Two others joined him in prayer.
Their voices grew louder and louder. A crowd gathered. One person
took a picture of the scene. God spoke to Vassula later,
This man said his prayers loud enough; enough to attract a lot of
attention, he was heard in transit, but in that hall only the walls heard
him. My heart never heard a thing. All the words remained on his lips.
64.
Christ told his followers,
When you pray, do not be like those who want to be seen. They love
to stand and pray in the Synagogues or on street corners to be seen by
everyone. I assure you, they have already been paid in full.
When you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your
Father who is with you in secret and your Father who sees what is kept
secret will reward you. (Matt.6:5-6)
The apostles often saw Jesus at prayer. They were familiar with the
Hebrew psalms which they probably prayed in their native tongue,
Aramaic, but they could see that the prayer of Jesus was different. So
they asked him to teach them how to pray. He told them.
When you pray do not use a lot of words as the pagans do, for they
believe that the more they say, the more chance they have of being
heard. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need, even
before you ask him. This then is how you should pray:
Our Father in heaven, holy be your name, your kingdom come, your
will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts just as we have forgiven those who are in debt to
us. Do not bring us to the test, but deliver us from the evil one. (Matt.
6:7-13)
5. A commentary on this important Prayer

1. God is our Father. We are sons and daughters of a great king. We

are of royal blood. It is our destiny one day to stand before him in
His royal court. We are called to share in our inheritance, eternal
life. His sanctuary is in heaven but there is nothing on earth hidden
from His view.
2. His name is hallowed i.e. it is holy. When we proclaim in a court of
law that what we are about to say is the truth we end by calling Him
as our witness. So help me God.
3. It is necessary that all things be subject to Him. His kingdom
encompasses all creation. His rule has been blocked by the
foolishness of his creatures, but this disruption will not last. His
dominion will come and we pray that it comes quickly.
4. Once when Jesus was teaching in a confined space, one of the
crowd told him,
Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you. He
replied `, who are my mother and my brothers? and looking around
at those who sat there, he said, `Here are my mother and my
brothers. Whoever does the will of God is brother and sister and
mother to me. (Mark 3:32-35)
What is Gods will for us on earth? He desires eternal life for us.
However if we do not will to go heaven then we will be excluded. He
wills that we obey his commandments.
If you want to enter eternal life, keep the commandments.
(Matt.19:17)
He desires our sanctification. (1
Thess.4:3) This requires our cooperation. It is a lifelong process. We
cannot enter heaven unless we have been restored to the primal
state of Adam and eve.
5. Having asked for spiritual things we turn our attention to those
necessities that sustain our body and soul. We ask for daily bread.
This bread can mean the real food of the Eucharist or the graces
to accept what comes our way throughout the day. Sometimes the
events of the day are sweet at other times they are bitter. Nothing
happens by chance. All our experiences throughout the day come
from the hand of divine Providence. We must accept life, come what
may.
6. All of us need forgiveness. Our fallen nature causes us to offend one
another and to offend God. Sometimes we can offend by standing
idly by and doing nothing. Although we are sinners we should not
give up hope. Our God is a merciful god but we must take to heart
the warning.

If you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive you
either. (Matt.6:15)
7. We will always be tempted. The devil and his cohorts never sleep
and never give up. Their hatred for mankind is so great that they do
not want us to reach the joys of heaven. The sentence Do not bring
us to the test. Does not mean that God tempts us. The correct
translation is `do not bring us to hard testing or `do not let us fall
when we are tempted. 65.
It is a petition for help in the endless battle we face against a wily
foe and the knowledge that we know we are weak.
8. The evil one is Satan. He is intent on our destruction. We are no
match for him. We are flesh and blood but he is spirit. Just as we cry
out for help when we are tempted, so we seek Gods intervention to
protect us from this cosmic force. He is our Father and desires our
good. He will not allow us to be vanquished if we call to him from
the heart.
9. This prayer is a perfect prayer. It consists of Christs words to his
Father. No humanly designed prayer can be its equal. Christ and his
apostles prayed it often. It is a prayer of perfect intercession. It
should be said slowly and meditatively.
Prayer Continued
Christ promised his followers.
Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be
opened. (Matt.7:7)
This does not always work out. There are times when our prayers are not
answered.
Do not be afraid to ask and do not be afraid not to receive. - - -what is good
today, may not be good tomorrow. You do not know that, because you only
know the present - -- But God knows also the future. And God to save you a
greater pain does not hear your prayer. - - - The day will come, or eternity
will come, when you will say: `Thank you, my God, for not listening to my
foolishness. 66.
6. Judging Others
In adult life we cannot escape the obligation to make some
judgements even on the moral character of others. - - -Wherever
possible we should mind our own business and not meddle in others.
(affairs). 67.

Christ was very clear,

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. In the same way you judge
others, you will be judged, and the measure you use for others will be
used for you. (Matt.7:1-2)
This should serve as a warning to us. St. Luke has something similar to
say but he also adds another dimension concerning giving.
Forgive and you will be forgiven; give and it will be given to you and you will
receive in your sack good measure, pressed down, full and running over.
(Luke 6:37-38)
The implication concerning measure in this context seems to indicate that
your generosity to others comes back to you with abundant interest. It
seems somewhat removed from the idea of the measure used in
judgement. There seems to be a disconnection. Be that as it may, St. Luke
raises the issue of hypocrisy. We judge others for their minor faults but are
blind to our own glaring imperfections.
So why do you pay attention to the speck in your brothers eye while you
have a log in your own eye, and are not conscious of it? - - -First remove the
log from your own eye ,and then you will see clearly to remove the speck
from your neighbours eye. (Luke 6:41-42)
We sometimes accuse others of defects that we have in ourselves. That is
why we can be called hypocrites.
You must not condemn unless you are free from the fault you wish to
condemn. 68.
St. John presents us with dramatic scene of the woman taken in adultery.
(John 8:1-11) By law she was to be stoned to death. The accusers are forced
to walk away one by one, beginning with the elders, when Christ simply
makes this statement,
Let anyone among you who has no sin be the first to throw a stone at her.
(Jn.8:7)
Hypocrites: Originally Greek Hypokrites was a theatrical term meaning
actor. 69
An actor is false. Someone who takes a part. Like a person, who is an actor
wearing a mask. In this case a mask of righteousness.
7. Concerning Riches

Jesus leavers the road going to Jericho and takes a secondary road leading
to the township of Doco. His companions are his mother, Mary Cleophas
and Mary Salome.
A rich caravan approaches and stops near Jesus. A young man on a camel
breaks from the caravan, approaches Jesus and dismounts. His name is
Philip of Canata. He had been a student of the famous doctor of the law,
Gamaliel, until his father died and he had to take charge of his fathers
business.
Good master what shall I have to do to have eternal life? - -`Observe the
commandments, replies Jesus. `Master I have observed all these
commandments since my childhood. - - - `To be perfect you still lack one
thing - - -`go sell everything you have and give it to the poor - -- `then
come follow me. ` I will remember your advice - - as he walks away
sadly.
By this time the twelve apostles have caught up to Jesus. He turns and
looks at them.
How difficult it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
`- - who can be saved?
Jesus looks at them and says, ` what is impossible for men, is possible for
God - - and it is good will to take the advice given and strive to achieve
freedom from riches. 70
Did Christ really mean that riches are evil? By no means. He is advising us
not to become attached to them. They can be a harmful distraction to us.
We must set our heart on the kingdom.
No one can serve two masters; for he will either hate one and love the
other, or he will be loyal to the first and look down on the second. You
cannot at the same time serve God and money. (Matt.6:24)
The Jews believed that it was in your heart that judgements and decisions
were made. Christ wanted his followers to store up treasures in heaven
through obedience to the commandments and by doing good works, in
particular sharing their possessions with their less fortunate neighbours.
For where your treasure is, there also your heart will be. (Matt.6:21)

Modern life insists we prepare for our retirement. We are therefore

obligated to pay into superannuation funds, build up savings in a bank
account, invest in the stock market etc. we are forced to rely on
ourselves. Yet for centuries whole communities rarely had personal
reserves. We have lost sight of the fact that Jesus invites us to believe in
the Divine Providence of our creator. If we look to the things of heaven,
the Father will see that we have sufficient for our needs. It is also a fact of
life that many possessions and great wealth do not lead to happiness. It is
remarkable that the happiest people in the world come from the poorest
nations. The wealthy nations rate very lowly on the happiness scale. In
Asia the unhappiest nation is the prosperous Singapore. (2013)
8. The Bread of Life discourse
One day Jesus went to Tiberias, a town on the Western side of the Lake of
Galilee about half way down the lake. In the hills outside of the town, he
spoke to the crowd of people and performed a miracle by feeding the
crowd with five barley loaves and two fish. The synoptic writers claim
there were 5000 men in the crowd. If women and children are included,
the number who feasted on the loaves and fishes would have been far
greater.
Jesus asks Philip for the loaves and fishes. He calls for seventeen baskets
because there are twelve apostles and several disciples including a young
lad called Marjiam and Manaen, Herods foster brother.
Jesus breaks the five loaves into eighteen parts. He also makes eighteen
parts of the two fish and puts a bit of fish, a tiny bit indeed into each
basket. He then breaks each of the eighteen bits of bread into morsels.
--- `Ah! How heavy it is! ` says Marjiam lifting his basket. - - - The
apostles, disciples - - then pick up their baskets and shake their heads. - - they go towards the people and begin to hand the food out. - - -Now and
again they look back at Jesus, thoroughly astonished. The distribution
takes a long time.
--- `Master asks the scribe - - - I began to feel the weight when I moved
towards the crowd. But if it had weighed for what I gave out, it would have
taken a pair of mules to carry it, not a basket, but a wagon packed with
food. - - - Manaen says I counted them, - - - there were fifty small loaves.
So I said ` I will give them to fifty people - - - and I counted, but when I got

to fifty, the weight was still the same- - - I went and handed out hundreds
of them. ` They never diminished says Bartholomew. 71.
The next day many of the crowd that had eaten the loaves and fish, found
Jesus on the opposite side of the lake. Some asked him for a sign.
Show us miraculous signs that we may see and believe you. - - -Our
ancestors ate manna in the desert; as scripture says: ` they were given
bread from heaven to eat. - - -Jesus then said to them. - - - `the bread God
gives is the One who comes from heaven and gives life to the world. And
they said to him,` Give us this bread always. Jesus said to them, `I am
the bread of life, whoever comes to me shall never be hungry, and
whoever believes in me shall never be thirsty. (John 6:30-35)
The people listening to Jesus would have found these words strange and
incomprehensible. But the words that followed were even stranger.
I am the bread of Life. Though your ancestors ate the manna in the
desert, they died. - - -I am the living bread which has come from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever. The bread I shall give is my flesh,
and I will give it for the life of the world.
(John 6:48-51)
These words really set the Jews arguing among themselves. Someone
giving his flesh for others to eat was abhorrent. Then Jesus compounds
the issue.
Truly, I say to you, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink
his blood you have no life in you. The one who eats my flesh and drinks
my blood lives eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. My flesh
is really food and my blood is really drink. Those who eat my flesh and
drink my blood live in me and I in them. (John 6:53-56)
Some writers believe that the section above was inserted in Johns gospel
when it was finally edited well after the institution of the. Blessed
Eucharist at the Last Supper.
Be that as it may, the concept of the body of Jesus as life giving
nourishment which we today understand as the Blessed Eucharist, is
something the crowd hearing this discourse would have found this beyond
their ability to comprehend and assimilate. It would have been
outrageous. They could be forgiven for believing that Jesus had gone
over the edge or suffered some form of hallucination.

After this many disciples withdrew and no longer followed him. (John
6:66)
Jesus was seeking faith in them. Even the Apostles were bewildered, but
they did not go away.
Jesus turns towards the twelve apostles, who are deeply humiliated and
are standing in a corner and says to them: `Do you want to go as well? - Peter replies with sorrowful transport: ` Lord where can we go? To whom?
You are our life and our love. You alone have words of eternal life. We
know You are the Christ, the Son of God. If you wish, send us away. But we
will not leave You of our own free will, not even - - not even if you should
not love us any more - - and Peter sheds large tears silently. 72.
9. The Discourse on the Vine
The prophet Isaiah refers to Israel as a vine
The Vineyard of Yahweh Sabboath is the people of Israel, and the people
of Judah are his pleasant vine. (Isa. 5:7)
So too do other prophets. i.e Jeremiah 2:21 and 5:10 also Hosea says,
Israel was a spreading vine, rich in fruit. (Hos.10:1)
The prophet Ezekiel also mentions the vineyard of Israel. Ezek 15:1-6,
17:5-10, 19:10-14
However Hosea, Jeremiah and Ezekiel speak in terms of destruction
regarding the vineyard of Israel. The root cause of its demise is its
practice of idolatry. How refreshing to read Christs discourse in Chapter
15 of St. Johns gospel. The vine is no longer a rebellious Israel but the
very person of Christ himself. We are the branches on the vine. The
branches draw their nourishment from the vine.
I am the true vine and my Father is the Vine dresser. (John 15:1)
God is the one who tends the vine. For vines to produce good grapes,
assuming we are talking about a grape vine, then the dead wood must be
cut away along with excessive leaves and excessive branches. These
drain off nutrients that should be going to the fruit. If necessary the soil
must be improved and care taken that successive vine stems are suitably
distanced apart. A good vine dresser knows all this.

But here the analogy takes a different course.

I am the vine and you are the branches. As long as you remain in me and
I in you, you bear much fruit. (John 15:5)
This discourse on the need for union with Christ is part of the final
teachings that Christ imparts to his followers. A short time later he will be
gone. Christ is the trunk and Christians are the branches. Our
nourishment is the word of God. Firstly the scriptures and secondly
reception of the Blessed Eucharist.
We are all commanded to bear fruit. This is not an option. By bearing
fruit we fulfill the will of God.
My Father is glorified when you bear much fruit. It is then that you
become my disciples. (Jn.15:8)
How do we remain in the love of Christ? Not only by absorbing the
scriptures and receiving Holy communion but more is required.
You will remain in my love if you keep my commandments. (John 15:10)
There is no greater commandment than the obligation to love.
This is my commandment: Love one another as I have loved you. (John
15:12)
This is the genuine mark of a believer, a disciple of Christ.
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have Love for
one another. (John 13:35)
The supreme act of love is to give ones life for ones nation; ones
community; ones friends; ones family. The same way that Christ laid
down his life for love of us.
There is no greater love than this, to give ones life for ones friends.
(John 15:13)
10.

The Revelation concerning the Trinity

The human mind would never have conceived of a Triune God. Even when
Christ revealed this mystery to us, it is beyond our imagination. We are
really dealing here with a profound mystery. some essential points: -

Each person in the Blessed Trinity is the whole God.

The three persons form one God, with one divine nature and one
Divine Will. They form a community of love.
All three persons are co equal and co eternal with no beginning and
no end.
None is before or after the other in their divinity.

After 300 years, the bishops of the church in council at Nicea (325 A.D)
gave the phrase begotten not made to their understanding of how the
Second Person in the Trinity became man. Later at Constantinople in 381
A.D. they proclaimed that the Holy Spirit was of the same essence as the
Father and Son.
Theologians tells us that,
Christ is generated by an act of the Intellect in the Divinity and the Holy
Spirit is generated by an act of the will and proceeds both from the Father
and the son.
The father sent the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, incarnate of the
Virgin Mary to reconcile humanity to the godhead and reveal its very nature.
What did Christ tell us about the godhead?
God is Spirit. (John 4:24)
My Father goes on working and so do I. (John 5:17)
The son cannot do anything by himself, but only what he sees the Father
do. (John 5:19)
If you knew me you would know my Father also. (John 8:19)
For I came forth from God, and I am here. And I didnt come on my own
decision, but it was He himself who sent me. (John 8:4-2)
I and the Father are one. (John 10:30)
The Father is greater than I. (John 14:23)
What Christ has revealed is that God is a personal God. The Jews were so
used to the distant unfathomable omniscient God Yahweh, that they could
not conceive of a close personal God whom we can call Father when Christ
also said,

The Father is greater than I, those listening to Jesus did not comprehend
that in the second Person of the Blessed Trinity there are two natures, one
human and one Divine.
a) The human nature is less than the Divine nature of the Father and the
Divine nature of the Son.
b) Sonship is less than Fatherhood.
c) Christ is sent. He has a mission. The messenger is less than the sender.
This is no way diminishes the divinity of Christ. What it does is add a very
necessary dimension to the love that moved the Father to send His son to
redeem the world.
Then we have a series of statements about the Holy Spirit. Very little is
known about this important third person of the Blessed Trinity. The first hint
of his existence is mentioned in the gospels at the Baptism of Christ.
The Holy Spirit came down on him in the form of a dove. (Matt.3:16, Luke
3:22, Mark 1:10)
Before he was crucified Christ told the Apostles of a Helper who would
come.
I will ask the Father and he will give you another Helper to be with you
forever. (John 14:16)
From now on, the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my
name, will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I have told you.
(John 14:26)
This happened at Pentecost.
As long as I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you. (John 16:7)
Jesus reminded his followers that sins against the Son of Man would be
forgiven but,
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. (Matt. 12:31, Mark
3:22, Luke 12:10)
The final instruction that Christ gave his disciples before he ascended into
heaven, was to carry his gospel to every nation, baptizing those who
believed in the name of the Triune God.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. Baptize them in the Name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Matt.28:19)

Teaching with Parables

Christ was a consummate teacher. To get his messages across to ordinary
people he told
made up stories. We call them parables meant to augment in the readers
mind the clarity of the radical ideas that the Son of Man has left us as his
legacy. Christ took real life situations and gave them in moral meaning. They
were not fanciful like myths or legends. None of them contain miracles or
acts of wizardry.
1. The Parable of the Prodigal Son
A man had two sons. The elder was a serious, affectionate, obedient
worker. The younger was more intelligent than his brother who was
actually somewhat dull and preferred to be guided rather than tire himself
out taking decisions, but he was also rebellious, absent minded, fond of
luxury, pleasure loving, a squanderer and idle. - - -Finally one day, after a
fierce quarrel, the younger son said,
`Give me my part of estate. So I will no longer hear your reproaches and
my brothers complaints - - - The Father has the estate and valuables
assessed, and since money and Jewels were worth as much as the real
estate, he gave the elder brother the fields and vineyards, the herds and
the olive trees, and the younger one the money and jewels, which the
young man changed immediately into money. - -- He went to a distant
country where he lived like a lord, squandering all his money on a life of
debauchery, making people believe he was the son of a king. - - -the
country he was in experienced a severe famine - - So he went to a wealthy man of the country, a friend of his happy days - -the man - - - sent him to look after his pigs, because it was a pagan
country and had many pigs. - - he saw the pigs glut themselves on acorns
and sighed
` I wish I could fill my stomach with this fruit! But they are too bitter. 73.
St Luke tells us that
finally coming to his senses. (Luke 15:17)
He went back to his own country and approached his fathers estate,
practicing along the way what he would say to his father.

He was still a long way off when his father caught sight of him. His father
was so deeply moved with compassion that he ran out to meet him, threw
his arms around his neck and kissed him. (Luke 15:20)
Quick bring here the best robe, and basins of scented water and wash
him, spray him with scents, clothe him, put new sandals on his feet and a
ring on his finger. Bring a fattened calf and kill it. And prepare a banquet. - - The elder son was out in the country - - - coming towards the house in
the evening, he saw that it was brightly lit and heard the sound of
instruments and dancing coming from it. 74
The elder brother was furious and refused to join in the celebrations. The
father was informed of the elder sons refusal and went outside and
placated him. And the first born yielded to his fathers wishes and went
inside the house.
What then were the lessons for the hearers of the story.
Our heavenly father does not take away our free will. The younger son
was allowed to go his own way. Experience graces him with repentance.
When he was sunk as low as one can get, then wisdom prevails. With
common sense, he returns to his fathers estate and is bewildered to be
received back with joy. So it is for all sinners who repent. God waits for
their return and we are told that,
There is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.
(Luke 15:10)
2. The Parable of the Wedding Banquet
Once a king celebrated the wedding of his son. - - -He was the only son. - - Among the many celebrations, he gave a sumptuous dinner. And he
prepared it in good time, watching every detail - -- He sent out his
servants early to tell friends and allies - -- but they did not come. - - The
king, then doubting that the first servants had not spoken clearly, sent out
some more - - - But at the fixed hour on the evening of the feast, no one
came. The king called his servant and told them - - `Go therefore to the squares, along the streets, stand at the crossroads,
stop the passersby, gather together those who are standing there and
bring them all here! - - - they gathered as many people as they could find
both good and bad, rich and poor, and took them to the royal palace, and

gave each of them the means to be worthy to enter the hall of the nuptial
banquet. 75.
St. Matthew tells us
This story throws light on the kingdom of heaven. (Matt.22:2)
The banquet is depicted in its aspect as the messianic banquet. 76.
The servants sent out are the prophets and all the leading Jews are invited
to heed Gods invitation to listen to his Word. Those invited do not value
or listen to the importance of being part of the kingdom of heaven.
Their places were taken by outsiders, some good some bad. They came
from all the economic classes. Some were sinners some were saints. On
Nov. 15, 1988, Jesus told Vassula Ryden.
I will be exalted by strangers who never sought me. I will be gloried by
those who never knew me. 77.
The heavenly banquet will be for all, there will be no discrimination.
The king came to see those who were at table, and he noticed a man not
wearing the festal garment. So he said to him, `Friend how did you get in
without the wedding garment? But the man remained silent. So the king
said to his servants, ` Bind his hands and his feet and throw him in to the
dark, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
(Matt.22:11-13)
How significant is this wedding garment? very significant. No one can
enter heaven without the complete purity of soul necessary to behold the
Beatific Vision. Not to be wearing the wedding garment in the Messianic
banquet is, to dishonor God the Father and God the Son whose celebration
it is. Some people read into this episode the need to be cleansed in
Purgatory. The book of Revelation confirms that
Nothing unclean will enter it. (Rev. 21:27)
In referring to the New Jerusalem, another metaphor for heaven.
3. The Parable of the Good Samaritan
A Sadducee came to Jesus and put Jesus to the test.
Master what shall I do to receive eternal life? (Luke 10:26)

The teacher of the law gave a good answer and Jesus complimented him.
But he was not satisfied and pressed Jesus with another question,
Who is my neighbor? (Luke 10:29)
For the Jews, neighbor meant fellow Jews. Anyone outside the people of
God were non-entities. In particular all foreigners were despised. They had
no covenant with Yahweh and they did not practice circumcision. In
general they were classified as gentiles.
Jesus told the teacher of the law and others who had gathered round, the
parable of the good Samaritan. This involved four main characters; A man
beaten up by robbers and left for dead; a priest passing by and also a
Levite; finally a foreigner, a Samaritan. The one who showed kindness was
the Samaritan. Those two, the priest and the Levite who observed the law
and worked in the temple, by passed the victim lying on the roadside, lest
their ritual purity be compromised. When asked by Jesus which of the
three coming across the victim was really the neighbor the teacher of
the law could not bring himself to even utter the name Samaritan but
replied obliquely, The one who had mercy on him. (Luke 10:37)
Why were the Samaritans so despised?
It goes back to the Fall of Samaria in 721 BC to the Assyrian king Sargon
II. In those days,
the customary policy of displacing and relocating captive peoples was
followed. 78.
The annals of Sargon II speak of his deporting 27,290 Samaritans. 79.
They were replaced with other conquered peoples and produced a mixed
race that combined the religion of Israel with new entities. They
worshipped on Mt. Gerizim to the North, near Shechem, and believed only
in the Hebrew scriptures of the Torah.
When the Jews returned from the Babylonian Exile, the Samaritans offered
to help rebuild the Temple.
When Zerubbabel rejected their offer of help rebuild the Temple (Ezra
4:1-5) the seed was sown for the classic enmity between Jews and
Samaritans - - 80.

The lessons that Jesus wanted his followers to discern from this parable
are simple. They are consider with compassion those they see in life who
need help and they should help if they have the means to do so. Also all
men and women from all races and all social positions are their
neighbours.
4. The Parable of the Last Judgement
Strictly speaking the scene depicted is not a parable but an apocalyptic
revelation. 81.
We have no idea of the audience to whom this passage is addressed. It
can be assumed that the disciples and apostles were present. The idea
of a particular Judgement of each individual became clearer as the
church spread. However this judgement is billed as a judgement of
Nations. This seems odd when the reasons for judgement seem to center
on the decisions of individuals.
When the entire human race that ever existed is arrayed before the
throne of God he will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep
from the goats. (Matt.25:32)
The sheep will be allocated the place of prestige on the right and the
goats placed on the less important left hand side.
Jesus was speaking no doubt to a people conversant with the way that
shepherds separated their mixed flocks. Both animals were valuable, but
both required different types of feed and they were separated at night,
each to his own kind. In the western mind a goat was someone who
behaved foolishly. However in the Middle East no such connotation
existed.
Those on the right will receive the Joyous benediction that allows them to
enter the kingdom of God. They will be surprised at how they were
afforded this reward. Christ will explain to them
For I was hungry and you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave me
something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me into your
house, I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I
was in prison and you come to see me. (Matt. 25:35-36)
With the exception of burying the dead that is omitted, all the
aforementioned are the Corporal works of Mercy.

Whenever you did this to these little ones who are my brothers and
sisters, you did it to me. (Matt. 25:40)
For those on the left who failed to carry out the works of mercy, there is
eternity also, but an eternity of pain and suffering.
There is no neutral ground. It is one place or the other.
Often the question is raised that if we are judged personally immediately
after our death, (Hebrew 9:27) then why do we need to be judged again?
The answer lies in the effect our lives have had on others. For example,
when St. Francis died he had great influence on those around him in a
limited part of Italy. But the influence he has had throughout the ages,
through the various orders of men and women who followed his example,
has been and still is enormous. Even our present Pope has chosen to be
called Francis.
On the other hand, the loss of a child through abortion has negated the
potential of that individual forever. In Gods divine Providence that child
could have become a great leader or even a great saint.
As the judgement of Nations will there be such a judgement?
Cities will be judged. Chorazim, Bethsaida and Capernaum will feel the
lash of punishment. (Matt.11:21-24)
In some way we cannot comprehend, it is that whole nations will be held
accountable for passing laws allowing abortion, gay marriage, euthanasia,
slavery in all its forms. For causing wars, allowing racism e.g. Apartheit in
South Africa, the sale of weapons, turning a blind eye to money
laundering, misuse of public funds, corporate greed. The list of social evils
is endless.
People seem to think no one is watching, no one is recording these
misdeeds, no one will be held accountable. How foolish we are to believe
this. In the end, all will be made known.
What are the pertinent lessons from the discourse on the Judgement of
Nations?
Firstly there will be individual judgement for a second time. Secondly
there will be tiers of collective judgment, - groups, cities and nations and
finally,

The discourse presents a practical religion of deeds of loving kindness,

love of neighbour - Discipleship is understood in a very bold way as
identical with care for the needy. - - - It presupposes human moral
responsibility and conscience and God taking human actions seriously.
81.

Section Three
Review Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

What building in Jerusalem was the first Christian church?

How was the Apostles Creed created?
How did St. Matthew present Jesus to the Christian world?
What is another name for the Sermon on the Mount.
The sermon, which was a composite of many teachings, began with a
teaching on being poor in Spirit. What was the real meaning of this
beatitude?
6. What people really understand the concept of mourning?
7. Who will possess the earth?
8. The reign of Christ at the end of time will bring two important aspects.
What are they?
9. What is the reward for being merciful to others?
10.
How do you interpret these words: Nothing unclean will enter
into it. (Rev. 21:27)?

11.
Essentially, what does the peace of Christ mean?
12.
If a civilization is to last, what principles must it be based on?
13.
What century has up to now had the most martyrs?
14.
Can salt lose its flavor?
15.
How can Christians who are to be the salt and light to the world,
lose their flavor?
16.
What law in the old Testament regulated revenge and
retaliation?
17.
What is the goal of Christian non-resistance?
18.
What is the essence of the Golden Rule?
19.
What scene did Vassula Rlyden see at Bangkok airport on the
th
15 June 1987?
20.
Complete this quotation. go into your room, close the door - - -
21.
The apostles asked Jesus to teach them to pray. What was the
name of the prayer he taught them?
22.
What does the word hallowed mean?
23.
Who are the real spiritual mother and brothers of Jesus?
24.
It is important for us to will to want to go to heaven?
25.
Does anything in our lives happen by coincidence or chance?
26.
If we do not forgive others when they offend us, what will be the
consequence?
27.
Lead us not into temptation is not a good translation from the
Greek. What are two better translations?
28.
Why is the Our Father a perfect prayer?
29.
Why is it that at times our prayers are not answered?
30.
Why should we mind our own business?
31.
The woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11) was let go free. Why
was she not stoned to death as the law proscribed?
32.
How did Philip of Canata come to have considerable wealth?
33.
Are riches of themselves, evil?
34.
What is the connection between treasures and heart?
35.
Who are Marjiam and Manaen?
36.
Describe the reaction of the disciples when they handed out the
loaves and fishes to the vast crowd.
37.
Finish this quotation: I am the living bread which has come down from heaven - - - -
38.
The words eat my flesh and drink my blood were
incomprehensible to the listeners. What did many of them do?
39.
What did the concept of Vineyard represent in the Old
Testament?
40.
In the new analogy, I am the vine you are the branches, what
is the result of remaining close to Christ?
41.
How do we remain in the love of Christ?
42.
What is the genuine mark of a Christian disciple?

43.
How do Theologians explain the concept of the Blessed Trinity?
(How each of the three persons are understood)
44.
Non Catholics will say that Christ is not God. He is a created
being. They will quote:The Father is greater than I. (John 14:33)
How would you reply to this assertion?
45.
When the Apostles were commissioned, along with many
disciples to take the gospel to every nation what formula were they to
use when baptizing believers?
46.
What is the main lesson we can draw from the parable of the
Prodigal Son?
47.
In the parable of the Wedding banquet what for us in the
significance of the Wedding garment?
48.
The Samaritans were despised by the Jews. Give reasons why
this was so.
49.
In the discourse on the last judgement, what had the people
represented by the sheep done to merit the joys of heaven?
50.
Why will we be judged a second time?

Section Four

The Miracles of the Son of Man

We know that the Son of Man worked many miracles. Far more than those
reported in the gospels. Some he performed by actually touching sick and
disabled persons, others he performed from a distance. We even have one
miracle recorded wherein a sick woman just touched the hem of his garment
and she was healed. He had command over the forces of nature yet we have
no reference whatsoever of the Son of Man using his divine power for his own
personal comfort or gain.
The following are a selection of the miracles he performed.
1. The Draught of fishes
There are two accounts of the miraculous draught of fishes. One is found
in Luke chapter five and a second on in St. Johns gospel after Christs
resurrection, John Chapter 21. Both appear to be true. They are two
examples of a similar miracle.
Lukes account is important. It marks the point wherein Peter becomes a
true disciple of Christ. Prior to this event, John led Peter to meet Jesus.
Jesus preached in the house of Peter. He also went to another house in
Bethsaida not far from Peters house. It was the home of his querulous
mother-in-law, who did not have a high opinion of Peter.
After Jesus had cured Peters mother-in-law, she rose from her sick bed
and began to serve her guests. At the same time she embarrassed Peter
by saying,
- - - since you went to Bethsaida. If it had only helped to make my
daughter richer - -But I hear you are very often absent and you do not go
fishing.
I follow the master. I have been to Jerusalem with Him and I am with Him
on Sabbaths. I do not spend time in revelries.
But you dont earn any money - - - I am criticizing you, you are a sluggard.
In any case, you will never be a prophet or a priest. You are an ignorant
sinner, a good for nothing. 83.
How wrong she was. Not long after this incident, Jesus cures a paralytic
who has to be lowered down through the roof of Peters house. Because of

the crowd listening to Jesus, there is no space for the friends of the
paralytic to bring him to Jesus.
A day or so later Jesus says to Simon,
Call the other two. Let us go to the lake and cast the net.
`Master, my arms ache with fatigue. All night I cast and hauled the net,
and all in vain. The fish are down at the bottom. - - - Master, I assure you
that it is not the right time. - - - Jesus sitting, at the prow, smiles and is
silent. - - -after a few minutes waiting, the boat is shaken in a strange
way, because the lake is as smooth as a pane of glass - - ` But that is fish,
Master! Says Peter with his eyes wide open. - - the boat lists to one side -`Hey there! James! John! Come quick. - - - The two boats draw closer. - one, two, five, ten baskets. They are all full of wonderful fish and there are
still so many wriggling in the net. - - They empty the net into the bottom
of the boats. - - - The crews are up to their ankles in such abundance, that
the boats sink below the water line. - - - When Peter gets ashore he begins
to realize. He understands. He is frightened.
`Master! My Lord! Go away from me! I am a sinner! I am not worthy of
being near you! He is on his knees on the damp shore. Jesus looks at him
and smiles.
`Get up! Follow me! I will not leave you anymore! From now on, you will
be a fisher of men and your companions with you. 84.
After his resurrection, Jesus appears on the shore of the lake near the
Southern end where Peter, Simon the Zealot, Bartholomew, James and
John, Thomas and Nathaniel have been fishing without any success. It is a
moonlit night and the wind is still. The fishing group has been there for
hours.
You on the boat! Have you anything to eat? Shouts a mans voice from
the shore.
`No! `Cast the net on the right hand side of the boat and you will find
them. - - `It is the Lord! shouts John. - - -Thomas has to take the oar of Peter, who
after hurriedly slipping on his short tunic over his very short trousers -jumps into the water and swims with vigorous strokes - - -He is first to set

foot on the little beach - - -where a fire of dry twigs is gaily blazing. And
near the fire is Jesus, smiling and benign.
Bring some of those fish here - - - Peter runs to the boat and helps the
others to heave the net and he gets hold of three big fish in the wriggling
heap, he beats them on the gunwale of the boat to kill them and guts
them with his knife. - - -He rinses the fish, he takes them where the fire is
and puts them on it.
`- - - is it ready Peter?
`Yes my Lord says Peter in a voice that is more hoarse than usual, bent
over the fire, and he wipes his eyes, which are wet with tears, - - Jesus offers and blesses, He breaks the bread and the fish, making eight
portions which He hands out, and He tastes as well.
`Where are the others?
`On the mountain. Where you said. And we came to fish because we have
no more money - - -Jesus laying a hand on Peters shoulder, holds him
firmly and while holding him so, He asks him: ` Simon Son of Jonah, do
you love Me?
`Certainly Lord! You know I love you, replies Peter ` Feed my lambs! 85
Jesus asks Peter the same question three times. Peter reverses his triple
denial in John 18:17 and Luke 22:31-34. - - -This tradition seems to
presume the development of an ecclesial office of overseer. 86
The concept of the bishops of the church being like shepherds of a flock
given into their care is symbolized even today, by the reception of the
Pallium. Made of sheeps wool it is presented by the Pope to confirm
them in their office. The Pallium is like a cincture placed around the neck
with a flap at the back and a flap in the front. It has on it a series of small
crosses.
2. The Marriage Feast at Cana
Jesus is staying at Bethsaida. Judas Thaddeus arrives at the house of
Peter. Jesus is there. Judas Thaddeus announces,
Your mother sends me. She says `Susanna is getting married tomorrow;
please come to the wedding. 87.

The marriage is to take place at Cana an hour or so due North of Nazareth

in the Galilean hills. However it is quite a distance from Bethsaida.
Mary, the mother of Jesus is warmly received by the family of the bride.
She takes off her mantle and kindly helps to finish laying the tables, - - straightening up the wreaths of flowers, improving the appearance of the
fruit dishes, making sure that the lamps are filled with oil. 88.
Jesus arrives with two companions. He climbs the stairs to the top floor.
Where there is a large hall decked out for the celebration. He is ushered to
a seat at the central table with the bride and the bridegroom and some
relatives.
Mary is either a relation or close friend of the bridegrooms relatives,
because she is on familiar terms with them. 89.
The banquet begins and proceeds for some time. Mary notices the
servants talking in low voices to the steward. She understands
immediately what the problem is. She approaches Jesus and says in a
quiet voice,
They have no wine. Jesus replies, woman what concern is that to you
and me. My hour has not yet come. (John 2:3-4)
I was the son, submissive to my mother, up to the moment when the will
of the Father told me that the hour had come when I was to be the Master.
From the moment My mission started, I was no longer the son, submissive
to my mother but I was the servant of God. My moral ties with my mother
were broken. - - -Our love suffered no interruptions, neither did it cool
down. 90.
We know what happened next.
However his mother said to the servants, `Do whatever he tells you!
Nearby were six stone water jars set there for ritual washing as practiced
by the Jews; each jar could hold twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the
servants, `Fill the jars with water. Now draw some out and take it to the
steward. So they did. (John 2:5-8)
We know the reaction of the steward when he tasted the water that had
become wine. Not only was it of the highest quality, but there was a lot of

it! At a conservative estimate there were between 120 to 180 gallons of

wine, not litres!
This first public miracle happened because of Mary the mother of Jesus.
She brought forward the time of grace, because of the great love and
understanding that existed between herself and her son. That influence
has never waned through the ages and is just as powerful today.
3. The Faith of the Centurion
Jesus enters Capernaum coming from the country. Most of the apostles
are with him. A Roman Centurion approaches him.
Hail Master! - - - I have been waiting for you for several days. You do not
recognize me as one of those who were listening to You on the Mount. I
was wearing civilian clothes. - - - I have instructions to follow those who
hold meetings, because too often Rome has had to regret having granted
permission for apparently honest meetings. - - - I have a servant who is ill,
Lord. He is lying in my house, in his bed, paralyzed by a disease of the
bones and suffers dreadfully. Our doctors cannot cure him. Your doctors
refuse to come. - - `I will come and cure him!
`No, my Lord. I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but if
you say only one word here, my servant will be cured because you rule
over everything. 91.
The Centurion then gives his reason for not wanting Jesus to come to his
house. In the back of his mind he knows that Jews cannot associate with
non-Jews. It is forbidden. To enter a gentile home Jesus would be unclean,
ritually contaminated.
I myself a junior officer, give orders to my soldiers. And if I say to one,
`Go! he goes; and if I say to another, `Come! he comes; and if I say to
my servant, `Do this! he does it. (Matt.8:8-9)
St. Luke tells a slightly different story. In his version, the Centurion does
not approach Jesus himself but sends a group of Jewish elders to speak on
his behalf.
He is a Roman, but listen to him because he is an honest man who
respects and helps us. It was he who built our synagogue and he has
given strict instructions to his soldiers not to gibe at us on Sabbaths. - -

-Jesus after listening to them turns around smiling at the Centurion and
says: ` Go ahead and I will come after you - - - but the Centurion repeats
once again - - -I do not deserve so much, just say one word and my
servant will be cured. 92.
Jesus is amazed at the great faith of the Centurion. To those people who
had crowded around He says,
I tell you, I have not found such faith in Israel. (Matt. 8:10)
`Go home now. As you believed, so let it be. And at that moment his
servant was healed. (Matt.8:13)
Everywhere Christ went, he found many who lacked faith in him. Here, a
gentile acknowledges the power of Christ over the forces of disease and
death. The words of the Centurion,
have been found so remarkable that they have entered the Eucharistic
liturgy of the Latin rite as a confession of unworthiness to receive the
Lord. 93.

4. The Healing of Two Demoniacs

Jesus asks Peter to land near Hippos. From there the party moves inland,
then up a steep path near a cliff face until they arrive at a table land
strewn with oak trees under which many pigs are pasturing.
The apostles pass by the swine, grimacing at the sight and smell of
animals prohibited by law for the Jews to eat. The group is in the region of
the Decapolis.
The panorama from the cliff top is beautiful. It commands a view over the
whole of Lake Tiberias, (Sea of Galilee) and the many towns that are
dotted along its shores. Behind them the apostles see a lush green valley,
the far edge of which rises into a low mountain sprinkled with houses and
caves. The houses form the village of Gadara. Hippos is on the Eastern
side of Lake Tiberias a little more than halfway down the shoreline.
Gadara is about an hours walk directly South of Hippos.
When Jesus reached Gadara - - - he was met by two men possessed by
devils who came out from the tombs. They were so fierce that no one
dared to pass that way. (Matt.8:28)

The two men are completely naked.

To be deprived of ones clothing was to lose ones identity. 94.
The two demoniacs have come out of the caves, howling and running
towards the group. The first of the two rushes towards Jesus, waving his
arms up and down like a bird stripped of its feathers. He exclaims,
What do you want with us, you Son of God? Have you come to torture us
before the time? (Matt. 8:29)
The demons possessing the men are well aware that on judgement day
they will be confined forever into the burning lake of fire and sulphur.
When Jesus asked him. `What is your name?
The man said, ` I am Legion. Because many demons had entered him.
(Luke 8:30)
we have possessed these men for years and through them we break
bonds and chains, and there is no strength of man capable of holding
them. They are a terror, because of us, and we make use of them to have
You cursed. We revenge ourselves on them for your anathema. We
degrade man below a beast to mock at you - - - but dont cast us out. Hell
is too horrid. 95.
At some distance away there was a large herd of pigs feeding. So the
demons begged him, `if you drive us out send us into that herd of pigs.
(Matt. 8:30-31)
Go out! In the name of Jesus, go out!
Jesus voice thunders. - - -with a beastly howl the demons part from the
two wretched men - - -they run into the large herd of pigs that with real
demonic cries begin to run, as possessed beings, through the oak trees,
pushing, wounding, biting one another and hurl themselves into the lake, - - hundreds of animals fall headlong into the calm waters in a succession
of splashes, causing the water to surge and foam; they sink, refloat - - and in the end get drowned.
The apostles have wanted the destruction of the herd of pigs.
Not one of them is saved!

Jesus calmly replies: `It is better if two thousand pigs perish than one
man. Give them some clothes. They cannot stay like that. 96.
The Zealot opens his bag and gives one of his tunics to a demoniac.
Thomas gives to the other one. The other apostles pass food to them.
`Who are you? one man asks. `I am Jesus of Nazareth!
`We dont know you, says the other man. `Your souls know me.
One of the men from the cave asks his companion.
`Who are you? as if, he has met him for the first time. `I am Demetrius! Is
this Sidon? Why am I here?
Some townspeople arrive with the startled swineherds. All are astonished
to see the two men clothed and in their right minds.
`That is Mark of Josiah! the other is the son of the heathen merchant!
One of the swineherds approaches Jesus.
`Lord you are powerful, but you have already caused us much harm. A
damage of many talents. Go away please.
The apostles retrace their steps back down the steep path. One of the
men from the caves follows them imploring Jesus, `Lord take me with
you.
But Jesus tells him to go home and speak to his relatives of the great
things the Lord has done for him. He asks Christs blessing so that the
demons will not possess him again.
So the man went away, proclaiming through the whole town how much
Jesus had done for him. (Luke 8:39)
The horror of hell that the demons were afraid of, should remind us all
that hell, the abyss or bottomless pit is to be avoided at all costs.
5. The Son of Man calms the storm
Peter is at the rudder of the boat. There are five or six people on board.
Jesus is resting at the stern, the rear part of the boat. He is in a sitting
position with his head resting on his folded mantle. He is a rabbi. To the
apostles, he is not a fisherman. So he has no oar or any work with the sail.

They have in their modest arrogance relegated no task to him. He is a

mere nothing as a sailor.
Squalls are common on the Sea of Galilee. Just as the boat is close to the
shore where they are heading, a wind suddenly comes up, whipping up
waves and tossing the boat about. Waves crash against the side and
water spills into the craft. The wind drives the boat away from the shore.
The disciples are perspiring in their efforts to maneuver the boat and
baling out water as the waves pour in. But to no avail. They are paddling
in water that reaches up to their knees. - Peter loses his calm and patience. He hands the rudder over to his
brother, staggers towards Jesus and shakes him vigorously. - - `Save us Master, we are going down! 97.
And rising up, Jesus rebuked the wind and ordered the Sea, `Quiet now!
Be still!
The wind dropped and there was a great calm. Then Jesus said to them,
`Why are you so frightened? Do you still have no faith? But they were
terrified, and they said to one another, `who can this be? Even the wind
and sea obey him. (Mark 4:39-41)
Was Christ aware of what was happening? It is doubtful that he was
deeply asleep while the boat was being tossed about. He waited for Peter
to come to him. These seasoned sailors were sure of their ability, but it
was not enough. The rabbi was the one who demonstrated his complete
mastery of even the wind and the sea. He was master of the chaos. His,
ability to control the sea is an implicit statement about his divine power. - -Here Jesus is manifesting his control over the powers of evil. 98.
6. The Healing of Two Blind Men
Jesus was leaving Jericho for Bethany. Jericho was about 20 kms. from
Jerusalem. The road is busy with pilgrims. Beggars line the road, some
crippled, some blind. A crowd follows Jesus and the apostles. From the
crossroads two more plaintive cries are heard.
Son of David, Jesus, have mercy on me! (Mark 10:47)

The blind beggar shouts again even louder. The crowd tells him and his
companion,
Be quiet! Let the master go on. The way is a long one, and the sun is
becoming stronger and stronger. Let him reach the hills before it gets
hot. The two men shout again, Jesus stops and says: Go and get those
who are shouting and bring them to me.
Some volunteers go. - - -the younger one is the first to arrive before Jesus
who stops him, asking:
`What do you want me to do for you?
`That I may see, Master. O Lord, let my eyes and those of my companion
open. - - Jesus lays his hands on their raised faces and says: `Let it be done as you
wish. Go! Your faith has saved you
He removes his hands and two cries come from their lips. `I can see says
Uriel. `I can see Bartimaeus! And then together: `Blessed He who comes
in the name of the Lord! Blessed He who sent Him! Glory be to God!
Hosanna to the Son of David. - - Uriel says: `Lord I am going to let my relatives see me, then I will come
back and follow you Bartimaeus instead says: ` I am not going to leave
you. I will send word to them - - - you have given me my eyesight. I
consecrate my life to you. - - `Come and follow me. 99.
St. Mark in his gospel mentions only one blind man, whom he names
Bartimaeus. St. Matthew on the other hand mentions two blind men but
gives no names. They are probably both working from the same written or
oral tradition, but Matthew is more likely to be correct. He was with Jesus,
Mark was not.
St. Mark does however mention that Bartimaeus Threw off his cloak.
This suggests that Bartimaeus was leaving the old order. 100.
Both St. Mark and St. Matthew indicate that the Blind men called out to
Jesus in faith. They believed in his ability to heal. The healing of the blind
was a sign of Jesus mission on earth.

7. At the Estate of Joseph of Arimathea

This miracle is not found in the New Testament. It is derived from a
private revelation to the Italian Mystic Maria Valtorta, as part of her
copious writings during the period of 1943 to 1947. She was bed ridden,
but wrote sitting up, as Christ dictated to her scenes from the gospel and
granted her visions of what she was writing about.
The reapers have worked hard. Not one ear of grain is left uncut. Jesus
has come to the estate of Joseph of Arimathea down on the plain near the
sea. In the middle of the fields is a well kept wide white house. Its four
threshing floors are filled with sheaves of corn arranged in groups. A
servant announces to Joseph of Arimathea, `Master we have finished. `All
the cor is on the threshing floors.
`We shall now get the children of God to come here and we will give them
the gift of the Father. Abraham go and call them. Responds Joseph.
The old peasant servant Abraham goes into the large house and comes
out followed by persons, lame, blind or with physical defects. There are
many widows with orphans clinging to them: wives of sick men who have
sacrificed themselves to cure their husbands. They are shy and bashful,
but honest. Smiles of anticipation show on faces that have endured great
suffering.
Joseph of Arimathea walks among their ranks calling them one by one,
asking how many are in their families, how long they have been widows,
who is ill and so on - - - he takes notes. Then turning to his servants he
says pointing to individuals,
`Give ten. Give thirty. Give sixty.
He is sharing out his sheaves of corn. He comes across an old man who is
caring for seventeen grand children whose parents have died or been
widowed.
`Give sixty to this old grandfather. Then he speaks directly to the old
man,
`Wait here. Later I will give you some clothes for the little ones.
Abraham questions Joseph.

`Master, if we continue to give sixty sheaves each time, there will not be
enough for everybody.
Joseph replies. `where is your faith? Am I storing up sheaves for myself?
No. they are for the children dearest to the Lord. The Lord himself will see
there is enough for everybody.
`Yes, Master but numbers are numbers - -
`And faith is faith - - I order you to double the quantities given to the first
ones. Let him who has ten get ten more. He who has twenty, twenty
more, and give to the old grandfather one hundred and twenty more. Go
do that.
The servants shrug their shoulders and carry out the order. The piles of
sheaves in the house grow smaller but everyone has received an
abundant share.
`How many sheaves are left?
`One hundred and twelve.
`Take fifty and put them aside for seed, then give one more to each of the
heads of families here. There are exactly sixty two.
Abraham is astounded.
`Master! There is a mystery here. Our fields cannot have yielded all the
sheaves that you have distributed. I was born here and I am seventy eight
years old. Our fields do not produce this kind of harvest. You have worked
a miracle here.
`Not me Abraham. It is the lord who worked it.
Just then, Jesus who has watched everything from a hedge at the corner
of the big house, comes forward.
`My Master and my Lord! exclaims Joseph, as he falls on his knees to
venerate Jesus. 101.
8. The Temple Tax
The two boats land at Capernaum. They have been hired. They are not
the boats of Peter nor the Zebedees. Judas is complaining. The last of
their money has gone to pay the owners of the two boats. There is

nothing left in the purse that Judas is in charge of. He says to Thomas ` we
are reduced to the state of beggars. Thomas replies good naturedly,
`what does it matter, I am not worried. `of course, but when it is time to
eat, you are the one to eat more than the rest. Retorts Judas.
`it is very good to be penniless. The paternity of God will shine more
brightly even in the most humble things.
Judas is not impressed.
The apostles disembark and walk towards the house, allotted to Jesus by
Peter. Peter remains at the boats and helps to set sail back over the lake.
As he is walking away from the shore and as he crosses the market
square, two men go towards him and stop him.
`Listen, Simon of Jonah, does your master pay the two drachmas due to
the temple?
Peter is flushing with rage. ` Of course he does, His is a son of the Law,
and the best son the law has. He pays His drachmas like every Israelite - -
`we have proof of that. We are told, He does not pay and we advise him to
do so.
Peter is on the point of losing his temper. `My Master does not need your
advice - - He will pay at the first opportunity.
`At the first opportunity! Why not at once ?
`He cannot pay at once because he is penniless. If you turned Him upside
down, not a penny would drop to the ground. Says Peter and he leaves
them seething inside himself with anger.
He goes into the house and upstairs where Jesus has just promised an
emissary from the area beyond Magdala, that he would go and heal a
dying man. He turns towards Peter and poses this question.
`What is your opinion Simon? As a rule from whom do the Kings of the
earth take toll or tribute from their sons of from foreigners?
`From foreigners, Lord, answers Peter.
`So I, Son of the Father, should pay no tribute to the temple. - - in order
not to scandalize those who questioned you, I will pay the tribute at once
while they are still in the square collecting money. - - Go at once to the

beach and cast a line with a strong hook and cast it as far as you can. As
soon as a fish bites, draw the line. It will be a big fish. Open its mouth on
the shore and you will find a stater inside it. Then go and pay those two
men for Me and yourself. Then bring the fish here. We will roast it and
Thomas will give us the charity of a little bread.
Peter goes away and clambering onto a half beached boat, follows the
Masters instructions. Shortly afterwards Peter hauls in a magnificent fish
weighing at least three kilograms. He thrusts his finger into its throat and
pulls out a silver coin. He lifts up the coin so that Jesus can see it as he
stands on the terrace. All the apostles have watched the episode and are
astounded.
Peter rushes to the town square and comes upon the collectors.
`Here, take this. Thats worth four drachmas. Two for the master and two
for me.
Peter returns to the house and mimes the whole affair to the apostles who
burst out laughing. They cook and eat the large fish. All are delighted.
102.
Some people contend that this is a highly improbable miracle. It is
mentioned only in Matthews gospel. For those who believe it
demonstrates the command that Jesus has over nature. Not only does
Jesus tell Peter that the fish will be big but that there will be a stater
in its mouth, sufficient to pay the temple tax for both of them.
9. The Fig Tree
Jesus and the apostles pass through the olive trees to the Kidron brook.
They intend to enter Jerusalem near the sheep gate. Near the brook and
overhanging it is a fig tree. Jesus approaches the fig tree and searches
among the large thick leaves to see whether there are any ripe figs. But
the fig tree is nothing but leaves, many useless leaves, but there is not
one fruit on its branches.
You are like many hearts in Israel. You are neither kind nor pitiful to the
Son of Man. May you never bear fruit again and may no one eat of your
fruit in future.
Peter and the others are surprised at the anger of Jesus over a barren
tree.

Are you hungry? Peter asks and strides over to where a shepherd is
pasturing some goats. He asks the shepherd for some fresh milk for the
master and cautiously returns with a bowl full of milk.
Jesus drinks it and the group enters the city and goes up to the temple.
After worshipping the Lord, Jesus goes to the court where the rabbis
teach. There he heals a blind boy from Cintium and preaches to the
people the parable of the unworthy tenants in a vine yard.
The following day, the group returns to the city and pass by the fig tree
dangling over the water of the Kidron brook. The tree looks like it has
been parched by a fire.
That is the fig tree of yesterday - - - shouts Peter - - `Are you surprised that My word withered a fig-tree? Have you not seen
Me raise people from the dead, cure lepers, give sight to blind people,
multiply loaves, calm storms, put out fires? - - Bartholomew pulverizes with his fingers some branches he has broken off
- - -` They have no more sap.
You are right and it is death when there is no more sap, both in a plant
and in a nation as well as in a religion - - -The white internal sap
corresponds to holiness, to spirituality - - - woe to those religions that
become human because their priests and believers no longer have a vital
spirit.
`Its it a sign? asks Philip
-

- `What I did, you can do as well. If you succeed in having perfect faith.
- - - whatever you asks for in prayer, have faith to obtain it and you
will. 103.

St.Matthew adds,
Truly, I say to you: if you had faith and did not doubt, not only could you
do what I have done with the fig tree, but you could even say to that
mountain, `Go and throw yourself into the sea! and it would be done.
Whatever you ask for in prayer, full of faith, you will receive. (Matt.21:2122)
The cursing of the fig tree is curious on several counts: it is the only
miracle in the environs of Jerusalem; it destroys property and Jesus

behavior seems irrational and destructive - - -The symbolic level of the

story focuses on Israels lack of readiness to accept Jesus, or more likely,
his message of the kingdom. 104.
A tree is a symbol of life; the fig as the sweetest of Levantine fruits is a
biblical symbol of beatitude. Thus a barren fig tree is a symbol of blighted
promise, failure. 105.
There are lessons for all of us. If we do not receive what we ask for, then
we should really ask The Son of Man to deepen our faith. The fact that it
was not the season for fig trees to fruit, a fact Christ would have been
aware of, then as Christians we need to bear fruit in season and out of
season. We must forever be ready to profess and preach the gospel.
10.

The Healing of the Epileptic Boy

The small group of Jesus, Peter, James and John descended the mount of
the Transfiguration. At the foot the mountain they meet the other
disciples, who have been discussing with scribes the case of a worried
father. The father approaches Jesus.
Master, I brought my Son to you, for he has a spirit, deaf and mute.
Whenever the spirit seizes him, it throws him down and he foams at the
mouth, grinds his teeth and becomes stiff all over. (Mark 9:17-18)
The apostles were at a loss as what to do.
The scribes sneered at us because we were not able to free him. Judas of
Kerioth tried several times, but in vain. So we said to the scribes `Try
yourselves they replied
`we are not exorcisers. Some people coming from Castot-Tabor happened
to pass by and among them there were two exorcisers. But they did not
succeed either. 106.
St. Luke tells us that when Jesus sent the apostles out to preach, Jesus,
gave them power and authority to drive out all evil spirits and heal
diseases. (Luke 9:1)
They must surely have been surprised at their lack of success in this
case.

Jesus is frustrated with not only the inability of the apostles to effect a
cure but in broader terms the whole generation.
You faithless people! How long must I be with you? Bring him to me - -as soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it shook and convulsed the boy, who fell
on the ground and began rolling about, foaming at the mouth. Then Jesus
asked the father,
`How long has this been happening to him? `From childhood. And it has
often thrown him into the fire and into the water to destroy him. If you can
do anything, have pity on us and help us. (Mark. 9:19-22)
Jesus tells the father of the boy,
All things are possible for one who believes. Immediately the father of
the boy cried out.
I do believe, help the little faith I have. (Mark 9:24)
The fathers eloquent prayer affirms his faith in Jesus healing power and
admits that as yet his faith is still mixed with doubts. 107.
Jesus heals the boy and he lies on the ground as if he is dead. Jesus takes
him by the hand, lifts him up and hands him to his father.
Later, in a house where they were staying, the apostles ask Jesus why
they could not drive out the evil spirit. His reply was,
Only prayer can drive out this kind, nothing else. (Mark 9:29)
Matthew adds the word fasting as an additional necessary means for
driving out this kind of evil spirit.
Jesus explanation suggests that the disciples must rely on Gods power
symbolized by prayer. The phrase `and by fasting in some manuscripts is
a later addition. 108.
Does the word kind indicate classes of evil spirits? This should not
surprise us. God created many kinds of angels. Many of them disobeyed
God and were driven out of heaven. However, the apostles and we
ourselves would be hard put to distinguish one kind from another. Christ
does not give us any criteria for identifying the more difficult evil spirits
and we should take no chances. All of them are our enemies. Our greatest
defense is the prayer to St. Michael.

11.

The Ten Lepers

On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus passed through Samaria and Galilee and
as he entered a village. Ten lepers came to meet him. Keeping their
distance, they called to him, `Jesus, have pity on us! (Luke 17:11-13)
`Are you from the village? Jesus asks.
`No Master. We come from different places we stay on the other side of
the mountain.
`Go then to the village nearest your mountain and show yourselves to the
priests. Orders Jesus.
Jesus reaches them, He raises his hand and blesses them. They clamber
away. The apostles think the lepers have not been cured.
`You did the right thing in not curing them. Says one of the apostles.
`Yes and we ought to arrive at Ephraim before night. Offers another
apostle.
Jesus is silent and continues to walk along the road towards Ephraim. A
short time later a voice reaches the group.
`Praise to the most High God and His true Messiah! It is one of the lepers.
He bursts into a monologue, saying, `the prophecy of Balaam has been
fulfilled. He urges all the inhabitants round about to follow Jesus. The
apostles become annoyed at this sudden outburst and command him to
be quiet.
The leper turns towards the apostles,
`Do you want me not to bless him? He says to the apostles.
`Bless Him in your heart. God puts words on my lips, and he resumes in a
louder voice.
The crowd increases in number. The frustrated apostles ask Jesus to
silence the man. Jesus stops, turns around and calls the cured leper, who
runs and prostrates himself before Jesus, kissing the ground.
`Where are the others? Were you not ten in all?
`The other nine did not feel it was necessary to thank you Lord! - - -

`What? Out of ten lepers among whom only one was a Samaritan, not one
except this foreigner, felt it was his duty to come back and give glory to
God.
Jesus raises his hand and blesses the Samaritan.
`Stand up and go away, your faith has saved in you something which is
more than your flesh. - - `Give me a name, Lord. A new name because everything is new in me and
forever.
`In which part of the country are we now?
`In Ephraim. Replies the Samaritan.
`Then from now on you will be called Ephrem, life has been given to you
twice. Says Jesus
(The name Ephraim in Hebrew means in fact `double fruit. Although
Samaritans are despised by Jews because of their ancestry, they are a
robust people. There is friendliness in their character. They are open and
frank, without bigotry, unlike the Jews. They are also a hospitable people.)
109.
The whole episode is a poignant lesson in gratitude verses ingratitude.
The hero is a man outside the law. This illustrates that Gods salvation is
for all peoples.
12.

The Raising of Lazarus

This was the greatest of the Son of Mans miracles. He had previously
raised to life the daughter of Jairus, dead a few hours, and the son of the
widow of Nain who had died only recently. However this raising of life was
of a man four days dead and in an advanced state of putrefaction. This
single miracle was the cause for many people coming to believe in Jesus.
Lazarus had for a number of years suffered from swollen legs that in the
end turned gangrenous.
Lazarus died and his two sisters Martha and Mary sent a message to Jesus
to come immediately. Jesus delayed two more days where he was. He did
this on purpose.

for Gods glory, and the Son of God will be glorified through it. (John
11:4)
Finally, taking his apostles with him, Jesus set out for Bethany.
The group reaches the garden railing outside the house of Lazarus and
Martha. Many mounts are tied to the railing. They are watched over by the
owners servants. Many Judeans are there. They come each day and stay
in the Mansion and the garden as though they are the owners. Jesus
greets only a few of the many people present. These are the ones that He
knows are disciples, some in secret.
Martha comes to greet Jesus. She goes down on her knees. She cries,
`Lazarus is dead! If you had been here he would not have died. Why did
you not come sooner, Master?
`Your brother will rise again. Stand up Martha.
`I know, Master. He will rise again on the last day.
`I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in me though he
dies, will live.
The Judeans have divided into groups. They are all watching Jesus. On one
side are all those hostile to him, then those who are well disposed to
Jesus, join the apostles. A little further away is Gamaliel. Mary comes from
the house accompanied by her servants. They are all weeping. Mary
repeats the statements of Martha and adds to her grief the fact that she
made Lazarus suffer because of her wantoness and never had the chance
to make him happy.
Jesus is clearly distressed. He asks where the sepulcher of Lazarus is. The
group of Jesus and his believers move to the grave site. Jesus sees the
stone covering the entrance is heavy and large.
`Remove the stone! He orders, as He wipes away tears. No one moves to
carry out the order, so he repeats it in an even louder voice.
`Master - - -He has been down there four days. You know the disease that
afflicted him - - -He will certainly smell, notwithstanding the ointments - -his rottenness - - - the putrefaction. Utters Martha.
Martha nods to Maximinus, the head servant, who orders the servants to
get the necessary tools. The servants come back with sturdy picks and

levers. They lift the stone carefully, letting it slide to one side. A stench
comes from the dark hole.
`Master, if you want to go down there, you will need torches - - says
Martha, looking pale at the thought of entering the foul smelling
sepulcher. Jesus does not reply to her. He raises His eyes and calling out
says, Father I thank you for hearing me - - -You always hear Me.
He becomes transfigured and continues to pray.
His whole body seems to shed light. A halo of light forms around Him. In a
powerful voice He calls out, `Lazarus! Come out!
And the voice echoes in the sepulcher. The dead body, enveloped in
bandages, emerges from the deep sepulcher and comes slowly forward.
Jesus shouts out in a loud voice,
`Unbind him and let him go. Give him food and drink.
The servants rush to carry out the instructions. Some roll up their sleeves
and tuck up their garments so they will not be touched by the dripping
rot.
The very long bandages unroll like rolls of tape. The servants move them
to one side with sticks. The shroud around his body falls off slowly as the
bandages are removed. Everything smells and drips putrefaction. The
bony shoulders, the emaciated arms, the ribs just covered with skin, the
sunken stomach, begin to appear slowly.
The two sisters Martha and Mary, together with Maximinus wash the body,
continuously changing the water made like detergent because of the
spices. Lazarus appears as one absent minded, almost unaware of what is
happening. Then he looks at Jesus and smiles as tears fill his eyes. He
moves his lips in silent prayer. He is clothed in a short shirt that reaches
to his thighs. The sisters make him sit down so that the bandages around
his diseased legs are removed. His legs are completely healed of the
gangrene and only scars remain.
Lazarus receives sandals, a tunic and belt. He stands agile and sturdy and
adjusts his garments. He washes again his face and arms and dries them.
Then he walks straight towards Jesus and prostrates himself as he kisses
the feet of Jesus. Jesus bends and lifts him up saying,
`Welcome home My dear friend. May peace and joy be with you.

He then kisses Lazarus on the cheeks and Lazarus returns the symbol of
genuine love. Then Lazarus turns and kisses his two sisters, Martha and
Mary, also Maximinus and Naomi, Marthas assistant, all of whom are
weeping.
Jesus takes a honey cake ,an apple and a goblet of wine from a servant,
blesses them and gives them to Lazarus. He eats with the hearty appetite
of one who is well.
The Judeans hostile to Jesus, including Sadoc, Helkai, Hennaniah, Felix,
Doras and Cornelius are simply astounded and furious. They turn to leave.
Then Jesus says,
`You came here looking for me - - -You did not come with feelings of love
or the desire to honour the deceased man, but to ensure that Lazarus was
really dead - -- then you saw what no prophet has been able to do, restore
a decomposed body. That is the living witness of who I am.
`You have kept but part of your promise. This is not the sign of Jonah - -says Sadoc harshly.
`You shall have that as well. A majestic Jesus replies.
The garden slowly empties. The Judeans are dumbfounded and bursting
with wrath. Some onlookers however remain behind, conquered by the
Lord. Meanwhile, Lazarus withdraws into his house. Joseph of Arimathea
and Nicodemus salute Jesus and leave. So do all the others. A servant
closes the gate. All is peaceful. A fire at the end of the garden indicates
that all the funeral cloths are being burned. 110.
The aftermath.
The chief of priests and the Pharisees called together the council. They
said, `what are we to do? For this man keeps on giving miraculous signs. If
we let him go on like this, all the people will be believe in him and as a
result of this, the Romans will come and destroy our Holy Place and our
nation.
Then one of them, Caiaphas, who was High Priest that year, spoke up. `
You know nothing at all, nor do you see clearly what you need. It is better
to have one man die for the people, than let the whole nation be
destroyed. (John 11:47-50)

And so, the members of the Sanhedrin plotted to kill Jesus. The ironic
thing is that the death of Jesus did not prevent the whole nation from
being destroyed. Rome sacked Jerusalem and turned it into a pile of
rubble 40 years later.

Section Four
Review Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.

Are all Christs miracles reported in the Gospels?

What single event prompted Peter to follow Jesus.
What was the opinion of Peters mother in-law concerning Peter?
The second miraculous catch of fish takes place after the Resurrection
of Jesus. What important task did Jesus give to Peter on that occasion?
5. What does the Pope give to each Bishop to symbolize their role as
Shepherds of their respective flocks?
6. From private revelation we have the name of the bride at Cana. Later
she follows as a disciple. What was her name?
7. How is Mary, the Mother of Jesus related to the bridal couple at Cana.
8. Explain the implications of Jesus response to Mary when she informed
Him that the wine had run out.
9. How much wine did Jesus make?
10.
The Centurion was a civilized man. What did he do to help the
Jews of Capernaum?
11.
What is his response to Jesus that has become a significant part
of the Eucharistic liturgy?
12.
Describe what happened at Gadara in the Decapolis when Jesus
and the apostles arrived there.
13.
How do we know that the two men were possessed by many
devils?
14.
Why did the demons possess Demetrius and Mark?
15.
What was the significance of the fact that both demoniacs were
naked?

16.
Why did the demons ask Jesus for permission to be sent into the
herd of pigs?
17.
why was Jesus sleeping in the stern of the boat during the storm
on the Lake?
18.
The calming of the wind and the sea was a manifestation of
________.
19.
When the two blind men shouted out for Jesus to have mercy on
them, the crowd scolded the two beggars. Why were they told to be
quiet?
20.
After Bartimaeus and Uriel were healed, they shouted praises of
Joy. Then what did they tell Jesus?
21.
Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy man. How do we know this?
22.
Explain what happened at his farm.
23.
At the end of the distribution of the sheaves of corn, what was
the reaction of Abraham, the oldest of Josephs servants?
24.
Judas is grumbling because there is no money left in the
community purse. What was the reply of Jesus to him?
25.
What did Jesus command Peter to do in order to pay the Temple
Tax?
26.
With the Stater Peter retrieves from the fishs mouth, Peter
pays the tax for Jesus and himself. What happened to the large fish of
three kilograms?
27.
When Jesus could not find any fruit on the wild fig tree near the
Kidron brook, what did he say?
28.
What did Peter do to alleviate Jesus hunger?
29.
The branches that Bartholomew broke off had no more sap in
them. How did Jesus use this as an instruction to the apostles?
30.
What did the incident reflect at the symbolic level in relation to
Israel?
31.
What are the signs in Matthews account of epilepsy that affected
a young boy?
32.
What did the father of the boy say to Jesus after Jesus told him,
`all things are possible for one who believes?
33.
What did Jesus give as a reason for the failure of the apostles to
drive out the evil spirit?
34.
What prayer is a great assistance to all of us in combating evil
spirits?
35.
Are the ten lepers from the one village?
36.
The Samaritan leper asked for a new name. Jesus gave him the
name Ephrem. What was the symbolism of the new name?
37.
Why did Jesus delay going to see Lazarus?
38.
What sickness was Lazarus suffering from?

39.
What was the reply of Jesus to these words from Martha, I know
Master. He will rise again on the Last Day.?
40.
What were the famous words of Caiaphas the High Priest when
the Sanhedrin plotted to kill Jesus?

Section Five Final Events in the Life of the Son of Man

1. The Transfiguration
Jesus chooses an isolated partly truncated mountain called Tabor. He
takes as his companions Peter, James and John, directing the other
apostles to go and preach nearby but telling them that they will meet
later and try to reach Nazareth by nightfall. Mt. Tabor is not part of a
mountain range but rises isolated,
in the center of Galilee, two leagues east of Nazareth.
Let us go! And he begins to climb without turning back any more and
with such a quick pace that Peter finds it difficult to follow him. When they
rest for a moment, Peter, flushed and perspiring asks Him panting: `But
where are we going? There are no houses on the mountain. On the top
these is only an old fortress. - - - `We are not going to the fortress and
those who are in it will not even see us. I am going to be united to my
Father, and I wanted you to be with Me, because I love you, come on,
quick! 112

When they reach a suitable spot there transpires there what St. Matthew
describes,
Jesus appearance was changed before them: his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became bright as light. Just then Moses and Elijah
appeared to them, talking with Jesus. (Matt.17:2-3)
Moses and Elijah spoke to Jesus about his departure from this life, which
was to take place in Jerusalem. (Luke 9:31)
Moses and Elijah had come from Paradise. The gates of heaven had yet to
be opened. Both had been immediately recognized by the three apostles,
even though they were not as yet glorified.
The pre eminent seers of God in the Old Testament, both connected with
Sinai-Horeb, representative respectively of the Law and of the prophets.
113.
Then Peter spoke and said to Jesus, `Master, it is good that we are here;
let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah. For
he did not know what to say: they were overcome with awe. (Matt.17:56)
This impetuous outburst from a confused Peter had no bearing
whatsoever on the event. For some reason Peter connected it with the
booths for the feast of Tabernacles.
But a cloud formed, covering them in a shadow and from the cloud came
a voice, `This is my Son the Beloved; listen to him. (Matt.17:7)
Peter, on falling flat on his face exclaims. `Have mercy on me a sinner! It
is the glory of God descending! James does not utter a single word, John
whispers with a sigh, as if he were about to swoon: `The Lord is
speaking. 114.
They had witnessed the Shekinah of the God head. Then there is total
silence. None of the apostles dares to raise his head. Jesus is alone. The
light has gone.
He walks towards them smiling, touches them and calls them by their
names. `Stand up. It is I. be not afraid. 115
As they came down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one what
they had seen until the Son of Man has risen from the dead. (Mark 9:9)

2. The Last Supper

The Feast of the Unleavened Bread was near. This was the feast that
celebrated the liberation of the chosen people from slavery in Egypt. It
was also called the Feast of the Passover to commemorate the night the
angel of Death passed over the land of Egypt and killed the first born of
both man and beast of the Egyptians.
Jesus and the Apostles were a day ahead of the usual celebration. This
was legally permitted for Jews coming from outside Jerusalem.
Jesus sent Peter and John, saying,
`Go and get everything ready for us to eat the Passover meal. (Luke 22:8)
Both apostles followed out the directions Jesus gave them and prepared
a large furnished room upstairs (22:12) in a mansion that belonged to
Lazarus of Bethany. The mansion was called the Cenacle and would
become the first house church of the new religion, called initially The
Way.
The new religion would replace the ancient covenant between God and his
chosen people that was sealed at the foot of Mt. Sinai in the blood of bulls
and goats.
Moses proclaimed to the assembled people all the commandments of the
Law: then he took the blood of bulls and goats and mixed it with water,
and with these he sprinkled the book itself and all the people using scarlet
wool and hyssop saying, `This is the blood of the covenant that God
commanded you. In the same way he sprinkled with blood the Sanctuary
and all the objects of the ritual - - -there is no forgiveness without the
shedding of blood. (Heb. 9:19-22)
The coming of a new-covenant was prophesized 600 years before the
Last Supper by the prophet Jeremiah.
The time is coming it is Yahweh who speaks when I will forge a new
covenant with the people of Israel and the people of Judah. It will not be
like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand
and led them out of Egypt. (Jer.31:31-32)
When the apostles and Jesus arrive at the supper room Andrew is amazed,
What a wonderful linen table cloth!

And the Isacriot says,

`One of Lazarus best ones. Martha insisted on bringing it.
`And what about these chalices and amphora?
Remarks Thomas - - - See the handles? They have been shaped out of the
block. They are not soldered. Things for rich people - -. 116.
The women disciples and the Blessed mother take their places in an
adjoining room. When all the apostles are seated with Judas opposite
Jesus, the ritual begins, directed by Jesus. There are four cups of blessings
and set prayers in the ritual in between the distribution of wine, bread,
and roasted lamb.
In between the third and fourth cups of blessing,
he got up from the table, removed his garment and taking a towel,
wrapped it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began
to wash the disciples feet, and to wipe them with the towel he was
wearing. (John 13:4-5)
When He had finished, He explained the meaning of his actions,
If then I, your Lord and Master have washed your feet, you also must
wash one anothers feet. (John 13:14)
It was a lesson in humility. After washing the feet of the apostles, Jesus
returned to his place and he said to all of those at table,
Truly, one you will betray me. (John 13:21)
As the meal progressed, Jesus dipped the bread and gave it to Judas
Iscariot, the son of Simon. And as Judas took the piece of bread, Satan
entered into him, `What you are going to do, do quickly. None of the
others, reclining at table, understood why Jesus said this to Judas. - - Judas left as soon as he had eaten the bread. It was night. (John. 13:2630)
Having finished the Passover meal, Jesus now called for a new loaf of
bread and filled the holy chalice with more wine.
Jesus also took the bread,

And, after giving thanks, broke it saying, `This is my body which is broken
for you; do this in memory of me. In the same manner, taking the cup
after the supper, He said, `This cup is the New Covenant in my blood.
Whenever you drink it, do it in memory of Me. So then whenever you eat
of this bread and drink from this cup, you are proclaiming the death of the
Lord until he comes. (1 Cor. 11:24-26)
The apostles were enlightened with an especial insight into the mystery
of his presence in the sacred species. They understood more profoundly,
how in the species of the bread, was contained his body and in those of
the wine, his blood. How in both, on account of the inseparable union of
his soul with his body and blood was present the living and true Christ:
how with the Person of the Word, was also therein united the Person of the
Father and of the Holy Ghost; and how therefore on account of the
inseparable existence and union of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, the
holy Eucharist contained the perfect humanity of the Lord with the three
Persons of the Godhead. 117
St. Paul had to clarify this marvelous sacrament for the people of Corinth.
The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a communion with the blood
of Christ? And the bread that we break, is it not a communion with the
body of Christ? The bread is one, and so we, though many, form one body
sharing the one bread. (1 Cor.10:16-17)
Jesus instructs the apostles for the last time. He tells them many things.
He speaks of the vine mentioned in John chapter 15 and prays the Priestly
Prayer for unity declared in John Chapter 17. Then they all stand and sing
a hymn, shedding tears, and He then says to them: `Let us put on out
mantles now. And let us go. 118
3. Gethsemane
Gethsemane was a hilly slope covered with olive trees. It belonged to
Lazarus of Bethany and was only a few minutes walk outside Jerusalem.
Jesus often retired there to pray.
After the Last Supper, the apostles and Jesus retired there in the
evening. Leaving the main group, Jesus took with him Peter, James and
John and moved further along the hill. He told the triad of apostles to wait
for him and to be watchful.

He moves further up the hill until he is obscured from everyones sight,

then he stops near a large rock. He kneels and utters a long fervent
prayer. It is neither a psalm nor the Our Father. It is a prayer from his
heart. After some time of anguish he returns to the three apostles.
`Are you sleeping? Have you not been able to keep awake for one hour
only? And I need your prayers so much!
The three wake up with a start and are utterly confused. They rub their
eyes. They murmur an excuse, blaming their poor digestion as the cause
of the drowsiness.
`Its the wine - - the food- -but it will soon be over. It was only a moment.
We did not feel like speaking, and that made us fall asleep. But we will
pray now in loud voices and it will not happen again. 119
Jesus goes away again. He kneels. Thoughts of his mother flood his mind.
He weeps. He remembers all he has done. His miracles: his long journeys.
So few really believed Him. Then he stands and shouts the names of Peter
and John. They do not come. He descends to find them fast asleep. They
wake with a start. He urges them to pray for him. He is distressed.
Peter throws dry leaves on the small fire they had kindled to stave off the
cold air. John and James contribute twigs and branches. The flame revives.
The three apologize and stagger around like drunkards.
He returns to his place of prayer. He kneels again supported by the rock.
This cup is too bitter! I cannot! I cannot! It is above My Power, - - - Father
do not listen to my voice, if what I ask is against Your will do not
remember that I am Your Son, but only Your servant. Let your will be done,
not mine. 120.
Blood oozes from the pores of his skin.
His eyelashes, hair, moustache, beard, are all sprinkled and covered with
blood. Blood trickles from his temples. - - - Christs forearms can be seen
sweating blood. He takes off his mantle again and wipes his hands, face,
neck and forearms - - - the grass on the ground is red with blood. - - - He
takes a large leaf which has grown on the escarpment and is all wet with
dew, and He continues to clean Himself with it, wetting His face and
hands, then drying Himself again. 121

His mantle is stained with his blood. He folds it and lays it on the rock.
Luke tells us,
an angel from heaven appeared to give him strength. (Luke 22:43)
He stands. His face is pale but it is a face full of divine beauty. He goes to
the three disciples. They are sound asleep. He wakens them and the
group joins the other apostles. The time for betrayal has come.
Close by, coming into the olive grove is a band of people with lighted
torches. They are temple guards and ruffians, led by Judas. Some have
chains and ropes. They have been warned of the magical powers of the
Christ.
Judas approaches Jesus - - - with the smile of a hyena he approaches the
master and kisses His right cheek. - - - Who are you looking for? Asks
Jesus calmly and solemnly.
`Jesus the Nazarene.
`I am He
His voice is thunderous. - - - if He had thrown a thunderbolt, He could not
have done more. They all fall to the ground like mown sheaves of corn. No
one remains standing except Judas. - - - he makes a leap just in time to
avoid the masterly stroke of Simons (the Zealot) sword - - - he escapes
beyond the Kidron and disappears into a dark lane.
` - - -Let these others go. I will come.
Peter approaches the man who is holding out ropes to tie Jesus and gives
a clumsy blow with his sword. - - -all he does is to cut off part of his ear
that remains hanging down shedding much blood. 122
Jesus says to Peter.
Put your sword back into its place, for he who uses the sword will perish
by the sword. Do you not know that I could call my Father and He would at
once send me more than twelve legions of angels. (Matt. 26:52-53)
Before stretching out His hands to be roped, Jesus touches the ear of the
injured man and restores it immediately.
Then His disciples deserted him and fled. (Matt. 26:56)

The group from the temple bound Jesus with ropes and a chain, fastening
His arms behind his back. They left some ropes free, two in the front and
two at the back, whereby they could pull him back and forth or jerk him
from side to side. Others went down to the Kidron brook to pick up stones
and shower Jesus with these missiles as he passed by. Jesus is dragged
and beaten to the house of Annas, whose son-in-law Caiaphas is High
Priest. One thing is clear. At no stage were Roman soldiers involved in the
arrest of Jesus.
4. The Trials
The prisoner is subjected to preliminary questioning by Annas and then
taken to the house of the High Priest, Caiaphas, where the teachers of the
law and the elders were assembled.
Caiaphas notices that two or three seats are vacant and he asks `Where
is Eleazar? And where is John? a young man - - - stands up, he bows and
says,
`They refused to come. Here is their letter.
`Keep it and make a note of it. They will answer for that.
Witnesses are brought forward.
I have seen him live with well known prostitutes. - - -He turned His haunt
into a brothel ,and with heathen women of all people - - Jesus is silent.
`This session of ours is illegal. Stand up Simeon, and let us go. Says
Gamaliel. - - - it is not lawful to proceed as we are doing. And I will make
a public charge against it. And Rabbi Gamaliel goes out - - -followed by a
man about thirty five years old, who looks like him.
-

- `Gamaliel is right. The time and place are illicit, and the charges are
not consistent. - - I cover my head not for Him, but for us and I go out,
`says Nicodemus. Joseph of Arimathea strikes the table with his fist
and says: `May the fire of heaven fall upon you! As from this moment
be aware that Joseph the Elder is an enemy of the Sanhedrin and a
friend of the Christ. - - -

And he rushes out. - - - Nicodemus goes out more calmly without

speaking.

`Let the witnesses speak. Shouts Caiaphas.

`- -He evoked the dead - - - He said that he wanted to destroy the Temple
and rebuild it in three days with the assistance of demons.
Jesus is silent - - Caiaphas comes down from his seat and approaches
Jesus. - -`Tell me: `are you the Christ, the Son of God?
`You have said it. I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting on the right
hand of the power of the Father, come on the clouds of the sky? -- -
One of the soldiers strikes His mouth, making it bleed once again and he
shouts,
`Is that how you reply, O Satan, to the High
Pontiff?
Jesus replies - - - I am the High Priest, the Eternal Priest.
- - - I am the Anointed one. Pontiff and King I am - - - This temple will be
destroyed and it will rise again, new and holy. Because this one is corrupt
and God has abandoned it to its destiny.
`Blasphemer! they all shout in chorus.
Caiaphas - - tears his linen garments in affected horror - - `What shall we
do?
And all in chorus shout: `He deserves to die!
The members of the Sanhedrin leave the hall. Jesus is subjected to blows and
as it was already midnight, the whole council - - resolved that the Saviour,
be securely watched and confined until morning, - - - they ordered Him to be
locked, bound as he was in one of the subterranean dungeons, a prison cell
set apart for the most audacious robbers and criminals of the state. - - it had
not been cleaned for many years. 124
This cell was underneath the house of Caiaphas.
The dawn is starting to break. Jesus is taken back into the hall of Caiaphas.
`In the name of God, tell us: are you the Christ? And they receive the same
reply as the previous one. They sentence him to death and they give orders
to take Jesus to Pilate.
They take Him on a long tedious walk around Jerusalem, passing on purpose
by the markets, the stablings, the hostels full of people at Passover. And both

the waste vegetables in market places, and the excrement of animals in

stablings become projectiles for the innocent. 125.
The noisy crowd arrives at the fortress Antonia. Roman soldiers disperse the
crowd. Jesus, still bound is handed over to the Roman guard.
Jesus, escorted by ten soldiers is led into the praetorium. Two centurions go
to fetch the procurator.
they come back in with the governor, who is wearing a snow white toga
with a scarlet mantle on top of it. - - He comes in lazily, with a skeptical smile
on his shaven face, he rubs some leaves lemon scented verbena and
smells them voluptuously - - - He throws some grains of incense into the
brazier placed at the feet of a deity. He has citron water brought to him and
gargles his throat. He gazes at his completely wavy hair in a mirror of highly
polished metal.
- - At last - - Pilate goes straight to Jesus - - `Let the accusers come. And he goes and sits on the chair placed on the
platform. - - the chief priests, scribes and elders come forward.
- -`What charges do you bring against Him? He seems innocent to me.
`- -He has committed crimes against the Law of our forefathers.
`- - -Take him and Judge Him according to your laws.
`We cannot sentence anyone to death. - - `You are in need of Rome! Yes. To get rid of this man who causes trouble to
you.
`He was causing disturbances in our country - - -saying that He is the Christ,
the King of the Jews.
Pilate goes to Jesus. Are you the King of the Jews? - - -My kingdom does not
come from this world. If it were a kingdom of this world, My ministers and my
soldiers would have fought to prevent the Jews from arresting me. - - -You
assert it. I am a king. That is why I came into the world : to bear witness to
the Truth.
`What is truth? Are you a philosopher?
Pilate goes back to the Judeans.

`I find no fault in Him.

The crowd riots - -` He is a rebel; He refuses respect for Caesar; He feigns
that He is a prophet. He practices magic. - - -He stirs up people - - -He came
from Galilee.
Pilate goes back to Jesus. Are you a Galilean?
Jesus is silent
`Let a century take Him to Herod to be judged. He is Herods subject. I
acknowledge the right of the Tetrach and I assent to his verdict in advance.
126
Pilate sent Jesus over to Herod who happened to be in Jerusalem at that
time. Herod was delighted to have Jesus before him now, - - - he was hoping
to see Jesus work some miracle. - - -Finally, Herod ridiculed him and with his
guards mocked Him. And when he had put a rich cloak on him, he sent him
back to Pilate. Pilate and Herod who were enemies before, became friends
from that day. (Luke 23:7-12)
The soldiers return Jesus to Pilate.
`Here again! Cursed be this race! - - Herod did not find more than I did. -He does not deserve death. I will give you Barabbas.!
`Not Barabbas! Death to Jesus! - - - I will have him scourged then! It is
terrible, you know? He may die through it. - `Crucify Him! Crucify Him! Death to Him! You are the protector of criminals!
Heathen! You are Satan too! - - `Let him be scourged. Pilate orders a centurion.
`How many blows?
`As many as you like - - in any case the matter is over. And I am bored. Go.
Jesus is led by four soldiers to the courtyard beyond the hall. 127.
The Scourging
In the courtyard there is a high column.
At about three meters from the floor, it has an iron bar protruding at least a
meter and ending with a ring, to which Jesus is tied, with his hands joined

above His head, after He has been undressed. He has on only short linen
drawers and sandals. - - -Although tall, he rests only the tips of his toes on
the floor - - and even that position is a torture.
Behind Him stands one who looks like an executioner - - in front of Him,
another man - - They are armed with scourges, made of seven leather strips
tied to a handle and ending with small lead hammers. They begin to strike
Him rhythmically, as if they were practicing. One in front and one behind, so
that Jesus trunk is in a whirl of lashes and scourges.
`- - -Hey stop! He must be alive when He is killed. Shouts a soldier scoffingly.
- - - the two executioners stop and wipe their perspiration.
` We are exhausted. They say. `Give us our pay, so that we may have a
refreshing drink.
- - -and a decurion throws a large coin to each executioner.
`You have done a good job. He is like a mosaic. 128.
The scourging has been brutal and inhuman. The imprint on the shroud of
Turin bears evidence to this. A weaker man would have died.

The Crowning with Thorns

They untie Him and Jesus falls on the floor like a dead body. To revive Him,
one soldier goes towards a fountain, fills a container with water and pours it
on Jesus head and body.
Jesus rises in agony and bends to pick up his clothes. A soldier kicks and
scatters them. They do this several times enjoying themselves. Finally he is
allowed to dress.
Fever begins to torture Him with cold shivers. The soldiers tie his hands
again. - `Wait. The Jews want a king .now we will give them one.
And he runs out to a court that is in the back, from which He comes back
with a bunch of branches of wild Hawthorn, still flexible because springtime
keeps the branches relatively tender. - - with a dagger they remove leaves

and buds, they bend the branches forming a circle and they place them on
His poor head. 129.
A crown is not sufficient to make a king. So the soldiers,
Clothed him in a purple cloak - - -then they began saluting him, `Long life to
the King of the Jews! With a stick they gave him blows on the head and spat
on his; then they knelt down, pretending to worship him. When they had
finished mocking him, they pulled off the purple cloak and put his own
clothes on him. (Mark 15:17-20)
Jesus is taken back to the entrance hall.
Before Pilate Again
Come forward, that I may show You to the people.
`Listen Jews. Here is the man. I have punished Him. But now let Him go!
`- - - No death to Him. Crucify Him.
`I will give you Barabbas.
`No. the Christ. - - Jesus is silent.
- -Pontius, Claudia Proculas freed woman - - kneels down handing Pilate a
waxed tablet. - - `I am advised to avoid your being put to death.
In a thundering voice Pilate shouts:
`He is not guilty.
`If you say so, you are no friend of Caesars he who proclaims himself king is
his enemy. You want to free the Nazarene. We will inform Caesar of that.
`So , you want him dead? Let it be so. But the blood of this just man is not to
stain my hands, and having a basin brought to him, washes his hands in the
presence of the people, who appear to be seized with frenzy while they
shout:
`His blood on us. His blood be on us and on our children; we are not afraid of
Him. Crucify Him! Crucify Him! - - Pilate orders a slave to bring him a board
on which he places a notice and has the words written on it: `Jesus Nazarene,
King of the Jews. 130.

the title was written in Hebrew, Latin and Greek. The chief priests said to
Pilate `Do not write `the King of the Jews but, `This man claimed to be the
King of the Jews. Pilate answered them,
`What I have written, I have written. (John 19:20-22)
Pilate stands, stretches his hand forward with its palm turned down and he
orders: `Let him go the cross.
5. The Way of the Cross
Jesus was in a very weakened state. The executioners placed on his right
shoulder a heavy complete cross, prepared well in advance of the scourging
and crowning with thorns. The High Priests had seen to that.
The Centurion Longinus is entrusted with the task of superintending the
execution. He sees the pitiful state of Jesus and offers him, from his canteen,
a drink of water mixed with honey. Jesus tells him,
`May God reward you for your compassion, and he takes a draught of the
drink.
Along with Jesus, two criminals also were led out to be executed. (Luke
23:32)
The procession of the condemned, passes through the cobbled streets of
Jerusalem. Jesus staggers as the long end of the heavy cross bounces on the
uneven ground. The Jews laugh as they see him lurching from side to side
like a drunken man.
The ascent to Calvary begins. There is no shade. He stumbles and falls
several times. Longinus orders a halt. Here Jesus sees through bloodied eyes
the group of sorrowful shepherds. They are desolate, dusty and in rags. Ten
of the original twelve at His birth have survived to witness this tragedy.
Jesus seems to quench his thirst and fortify Himself with their tears and he
smiles. A little further on a group of women have positioned themselves to
see their savior pass by. They weep and kneel at his feet. He speaks to them
words of comfort.
Another woman, accompanied by a maidservant, leaves the crowd further
along the road and the soldiers do not hinder her as she offers the Redeemer
a cloth to wipe His face. He has only one hand free, so the woman helps him

press the cool linen cloth to his feverish face. He thanks her. It was Nike.
(Later called Veronica)
Finally Mary his mother, Martha, Mary of Alphaeus, Mary of Zebedee and
Susanna of Cana, wait in the middle of the road and only step aside when the
mounted soldiers approach. 131.
Mother and Son
Meet face to face in sweetest recognition of each other - - -yet they do not
speak to one another - - - the most prudent Mother - - -interiorly besought
Him, that since she could not relieve Him of the weight of the cross and since
she was not permitted to command her holy angels to lighten it, He would
inspire these ministers of cruelty to procure someone for His assistance.
132
This prayer had an immediate effect. Longinus was concerned that Jesus
might die on the road, so
On the way they met Simon of Cyrene, father of Alexander and Rufus, who
was coming in from the country and forced him to carry the cross of Jesus.
(Mark 15:@1)
Longinus looks at Simon and says, `Man come here.
`Do you see this man? He points to Jesus.
`He cannot proceed further, laden as he is. You are strong. Take His cross and
carry it in His stead as far as the summit.
`I have a donkey - - it is restive - - the boys cannot handle it - -
`Go, if you dont want to lose your donkey and get twenty blows as
punishment.
Simon orders his boys to go home and then he takes the cross gently from
Jesus for whom he has begun to feel pity. Little did he realize the great
privilege he had been given.
The dragon and his associates, though they could not understand the
humiliation of the Lord, were most attentive to all that happened in the
Passion of the Lord. When He took upon Himself the cross, all these enemies
felt a new and mysterious tremor and weakness, - - - the dragon resolved to
retire and fly with all his followers to the caverns of Hell. But when he sought

to execute this resolve, he was prevented by the great Queen and Mistress of
all creation.
- - - the heavenly Mother turning toward Lucifer and his squadrons, by her
imperial command hindered them from flying; ordering them to await and
witness the Passion to the end on mount Calvary. The demons could not
resist the command of the mighty Queen - - - they walked along to Calvary
like criminals condemned to a terrible death - -. 133
When the summit of the hill is reached, Simon of Cyrene relinquishes the
cross of Christ. He is reluctant to leave but is ordered to so do.
The procession has reached Golgotha. It is crowded with hostile onlookers,
ordered away by Longinus.
Golgotha is the transliteration of the Aram gulgulta. The skull - - -the
traditional name Calvary comes from the Latin word calvaria for skull.
134.
The condemned men are ordered to undress. The two robbers do so without
shame. On the contrary they amuse themselves making obscene gestures
towards the crowd and in particular towards a group of priests. - - - the
executioners offer the three men rags to tie around their groins. Jesus
refuses the rag but is told to take off the drawers he is wearing. He then
stretches out his hand to beg for the rag of the executioners.
- - - Mary has noticed everything and she has removed the long thin white
veil covering her head - - and gives it to John so that he may hand it to
Longinus for her son. The centurion takes the veil without any objection.
135.
While it is true that Christ died at the hand of Roman soldiers, the soldiers
themselves were not the executioners. As was the case with the men
employed at the scourging, they were vagabonds.
the executioners were dark complexioned, short, thickset fellows, with short
black hair, crisp and scrubby. Their beard was sparse, a few little tufts
scattered over the chin. The shape of their face was not Jewish. They were
canal laborers and belonged to a race of Egyptian slaves. 136.

6. The Crucifixion
Tradition has it that the execution took place at approximately midday. St.
Mark says 9:00 o clock. However it is generally believed that Christ hung
on the cross for three hours and expired at 3:00 pm in the afternoon.
The two thieves, called by tradition, Dismas and Gesmas had been
imprisoned for a long time. Their last evil deed was the suspected murder
of a woman and her children whom they had accosted on the road leading
to Jerusalem from Joppa. Both men belonged to a band of robbers on the
Egyptian frontier.
The arms of the thieves were bent and twisted over the cross pieces and
around the wrists and elbows, the knees and ankles cords were wound. - -The poor creatures uttered frightful shrieks of pain. 137.
It is the turn of Jesus. The executioners show no pity. Two of them sit on
His chest to hold Him fast. Another takes a long quadrangular nail and
places the point on the wrist of Christs right hand. With savage blows the
nail is force between the bones and through the small hole already bored
in the cross beam.
The Saviour utters a cry of sharp pain as the nail pierces flesh, lacerates
the median nerve, crushes veins and shatters bones. The thumb moves
towards the palm in a reflex spasm.
The executioners move to the left hand of Jesus.
The hole in the wood does not correspond to the carpus. So they take a
rope, they tie it to the left wrist and they pull it until the joint is dislocated,
tearing tendons and muscles. - - they nail the hand where they can
between the thumb and the other fingers. - - -At two meters and more
from the foot of the cross there is a small wedge. - - - The feet hardly
reach it - - the very long nail is hammered through the feet, one on top of
the other. 138.
The cross is dragged near the hole. Twice it slips to the ground out of the
hands attempting to raise it. This drops into a prepared hold, the jolt is
atrocious. The wounds become larger and blood drips more copiously.

Soldiers are placed all around the summit of Golgotha. Inside this circle
there are the ten dismounted horsemen. They throw dice for the garments
of the crucified men.
But as the tunic was woven in one piece from top to bottom, they said,
`let us not tear it, but cast lots to decide who will get it. This fulfilled the
words of scripture: `They divided my clothes among them; they cast lots
for my garment. (John 19:24) Ps.22:19)
Just at this point of the proceedings, a messenger sent by Nicodemus
and Joseph of Arimathea, came running towards them to say that a
purchaser has been found for the clothes of Jesus. So they bundled them
up, ran down the mount and sold them. It was in this way that these
sacred relies came into the possession of the Christians. 139.
The where abouts of these relics, especially the Robe woven by the Holy
Mother, are unknown to this day.
The sacred body of Jesus was wracked with fever and cramp. To exhale,
He had to raise his body on his nailed limbs. Each such exertion was a
torture to his bleeding, wounded body.
But I am a worm and not human, scorned by everyone, despised by the
people. - - - my throat is dried up like a potsherd; My tongue cleaves to
my palate. You have laid me down in the dust of death. Round about me
are vicious dogs villainous rogues encircling me. They have tied up my
hands and feet, they can count all my bones for they are looking and
watching me, dividing my garments among them and casting lots for my
raiment.
(Ps. 22:7-19)
The people standing by shook their heads and insulted Him.
In the same way, the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the
Law mocked Him. They said, `the man who saved others cannot save
himself. Let the king of Israel now come down from the cross and we will
believe in Him. He trusted in God; let God rescue him if God wants to, for
he himself said, `I am the Son of God. (Matt. 27:41-43)
One of the criminals hanging with Jesus insulted, him,
`So you are the Messiah? Save yourself, and us as well!; but the other
rebuked him saying, `Have you no fear of God, you who received the
same sentence as he did? For us, it is just: this is payment for what we

have done, but this man has done nothing wrong.

23:39-41)

(Luke

Jesus, in great pain, his right eye almost closed, his body trembling,
speaks for his executioners,
Father, forgive them because they do not know what they are doing!
(Luke 23:34)
This prayer overcomes all fear in Dismas. He dares to look at the Christ
and says `Lord remember me when you are in your kingdom. It is just that
I should suffer. But give me mercy and peace here after. I heard you speak
once and I foolishly rejected your word. I now repent. And I repent of my
sins before You, the Son of the Most High. I believe you come from God. I
believe in your power. I believe in Your mercy. Christ, forgive me in the
name of Your Mother and of Your Most Holy Father. 140.
Jesus replied, `Truly this day you will be with me in Paradise. (Luke
23:43)
Longinus sees Mary with her tormented face raised towards her crucified
son.
He calls one of the soldiers who are playing dice and says to him: `If His
mother wants to come up with the son who is escorting Her, let Her come.
Escort Her and help Her. And Mary with John, who is believed to be Her
son climbs the steps cut into the rock. 141.
When Jesus saw the mother, and the disciple whom he loved, he said to
the mother, `Woman this is your son. Then he said to the disciples,
`There is your Mother. `And from that moment the disciple took her to his
own home. (John 19:26-27)
Mary was given into the care of John. This is proof that the Christ had no
other siblings. Jewish custom would have consigned Jesus to a living
brother or sister. But Mary also took upon herself at that moment by
Divine command, the care of all mankind, especially the care of the infant
church. For this reason she is called the Mother of the church.
The soldiers point to the sky. It has become an ominous dark colour. An
eerie silence enveloped Golgotha. People move away, panicked by the
unusual phenomena in the sky. Some rush down the hill back to their
houses.

With great difficulty, moaning pitifully, Jesus once again raises his body
using the cramping muscles in his legs and with great will power he cries
through his parched and broken lips,
Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabbacthani. Which means `My God, My God, why have
you forsaken me? (Matt. 27:46)
A soldier goes towards a jar, in which the assistants of the executioners
have put some vinegar with gall, so its bitterness will cause more pain to
those condemned.
putting a sponge soaked in the wine on a twig of hyssop, they raised it to
his lips. Jesus took the wine and said, `It is accomplished. Then he bowed
his head and gave up the spirit. (John 19:29-30)
The three other Maries all who have come near the cross, are weeping.
Apart from Mary the Mother of Jesus there was Mary of Alphaeus, Mary
Magdalen and Mary of Zebedee. At the last cry of Jesus there is a dreadful
convulsion, and his head falls on his chest. It is still crowned with the
thorns of the wild hawthorn.
Longinus has witnessed it all.
his face is affected in the effort of overcoming his emotion. And his eyes
begin to shine with tears that only his iron discipline can refrain. 142.
Having seen how Christ died and having heard the final cry that he gave,
said,
Truly, this man was the Son of God. (Mark. 15:39)
By the divine force of these words (of Christ) Lucifer with all his demons
were hurled into the deepest caverns of hell, there they lay motionless.
143.
At the same time the slaughter of the Paschal lambs was taking place in
the Temple.
Suddenly the whole region was struck with a severe earthquake. The
summit of Golgotha trembled and quaked. The crosses swayed
dramatically. The two thieves, despite their pain, howl in terror. A
whirlwind lashes the hill of crucifixion. Lightning strikes the crowd.

Longinus, John, the soldiers grab whatever they can, as best they can,
not to fall. John, while grasping the cross with one arm, with the other
supports Mary. 144.
Just then the curtain of the Temple sanctuary was torn in two from top to
bottom, the earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and
many holy people who had died were raised to life. (Matt. 27:51-52)
In a vision Anne Catherine Emmerich says,
I saw isolated buildings in many places, and especially numerous houses
belonging to the Pharisees who had persecuted the Lord most violently,
toppling down over wife and child, - - - In Capernaum many buildings were
overturned - - -the sea of Galilee was greatly disturbed, - - In the
Decapolis half of the cities sank, and many places in Asia sustained
severe damage: for instance, Nicea - - - the course of the river (Jordan)
was in many places considerably turned aside.
7. The Burial
After the earthquake had passed and the lightning and wind had ceased,
the High Council were eager for the bodies of the condemned men to be
removed before the Beginning of the Sabbath.
They asked Pilate to have the legs of the condemned men broken, so
that the bodies might be taken away. (John 19:31)
An ensign reported to Longinus concerning the intention of the Judeans.
Longinus asks a soldier for his lance.
Longinus places himself in front of the Crucified, he ponders carefully
how to deal the blow and he strikes it. The lance penetrates deeply from
the bottom upwards - - `It is done my friend - - - better so. As for a knight,
and without fracturing bones. - - -A lot of water and just a trickle of blood.
146.
In the meantime, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus have gone to Pilate
to ask for the body of Jesus. Pilate is surprised that Jesus is dead. He
knows the perfidious Jews wanted Jesus to be buried ignominiously so he
is pleased to frustrate their plans and allow these respected men to take
Christs body for burial.
Longinus calls the four executioners and orders them to give the two
robbers the death blow with a club. Which takes place without any protest

from Dismas, to whom the blow of the club, delivered to the heart, after
striking his knees, breaks in half, on his lips, the name of Jesus, in a death
rattle. The other robber utters horrible curses. 147.
The removal of the bodies of the two thieves is done quickly and they are
dragged to a shallow grave at the bottom of the hill. There is no ceremony
or ritual preparation. Longinus leaves on his black horse.
On the other hand, the three men, Joseph, Nicodemus and John, begin the
delicate task of recovering the body of Jesus. With the use of ladders the
task is accomplished. The un-nailing of the right arm is the most difficult
operation. With reverence and great care they place the body in the lap of
his mother. She removes the crown of thorns and ruffles his long blood
stained hair. Nicodemus takes the spices he has brought and the linen
winding sheet given by Lazarus, down to the sepulcher of Joseph of
Arimathea, and returns.
The three men place the sacred body covered in another winding sheet
and resting on their mantles. The woman collect the crown of thorns, the
nails, the sponge, the cane and the tongs and light the way down to the
sepulcher. Evening has fallen.
Inside the freshly hewn limestone chamber, the men wash the body of
Jesus, lay it on the burial stone; rapidly cover it with spices, back and
front; place flowers and small olive branches along the sides; close the
eyes with coins and fold over the whole body the second half of the
winding sheet. They support the chin with a napkin tied over the Crown of
the head and then place ties at several places along the shrouded body.
They hope to return after the Sabbath and finish the preparation more
thoroughly.
As a final act, the men roll a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb.
Mary, the Mother of Jesus refuses to leave despite the pleas of all. Finally
with the Temple guards coming, Mary Magdalen persuades the Holy
Mother to return to the Cenacle where others need her faith and her
encouragement.
8. The Resurrection Sequence
The Resurrection narratives of the Son of Man are confusing. Some of
the passages are contradictory. St. Matthew tells us that Mary Magdalen
went to the tomb with the other Mary. (Matt.28:1) St. Mark says that

Mary Salome, the mother of James and John, accompanied Mary Magdalen
as well as Mary Alphaeus. (Mark. 16:1)
St. John says that Mary Magdalen was on her own. (Jn. 20:1)
What are we to believe?
The visions granted by Christ to Maria Valtorta clarify the account for us.
Here is her sequence of events. 148.
a) Six women were involved
Mary Magdalen, Mary ALphaeus, Mary Salome ,Martha and the Cana
bride- Susanna, as well as Johanna.
b) On the first Easter Morning
Martha and Mary Alphaeus go to the house of Johanna, the
wife of Chuza.
Salome and Susanna go to the tomb the long way round.
Mary Magdalen goes quickly on her own to the Tomb.
c) The Earthquake
As Mary Magdalen comes near the tomb, there is a sudden violent
earthquake and a flash of light, like the earth has been struck by a
meteorite. Dawn is breaking.
The guards are thrown to the ground. The large circular stone
used to close the entrance to the tomb is thrown aside.
Mary Magdalen hesitates some distance from the tomb.
Martha, Mary Alphaeus and Johanna retreat back to Johannas
house. They are frightened by the earthquake.
Mary Magdalen continues. She sees the empty tomb but does
not go in. she believes Christs body has been stolen and runs
immediately back to the Cenacle to inform Peter and John.
d) Peter And John
Peter and John run to the tomb. Mary Magdalen follows. Peter and
John see the burial sheets there, with the Sudarium rolled up. The
Tomb is empty. They leave quickly but are mystified. The guards are
no longer there. Peter concludes that they stole Christs body.
Mary Magdalen arrives for the second time and crouching down
near the entrance she weeps. As she continues to look, she sees
two angels, one at the head and one at the feet of the anointing
stone.
They said, `Woman, `Why are you weeping? She answered,
`Because they have taken my Lord and I dont know where they

have put him. As she said this she turned and saw Jesus
standing there. (Jn.2:13-14)
Mary did not recognize Jesus. She thinks He is the gardener.
If you have taken Him away, tell me where you have put Him - -I will not tell anybody - - -It will be a secret between you and me.
- - -Do you want me to pay you for His body? I will do so. I am
rich.
e) The Other Women
Mary Alphaeus, Martha and Johanna had plucked up courage and
leave Johannas house. They proceed quickly to the Tomb.
They see the two angels that Mary Magdalen saw. Astonished, they
rush back to the Cenacle to reinforce what Mary Magdalen related.
Peter is unimpressed. He and John saw no angels. This was all
womens fancy.
f) The last to arrive at the Tomb
Salome and Susanna finally arrive at the empty tomb.
They see an angel near the anointing stone. One only. He informs
them that Christ has risen. They are excited and afraid but hurry
back to the room of the Last Supper. Their vision of the scene at
the tomb conflicts with that of the other women. Peter is even more
doubtful.
g) The Two elderly women
Mary Alphaeus and Salome decide to go back to the tomb and
clarify matters for good. They set out hurriedly. They come back
almost immediately full of excitement.
It is true! It is true! We have seen Him. He said to us near
Barnabas kitchen garden. `Peace to you. Do not afraid. Go and tell
my brothers that I have risen from the dead, and that they should
go within a few days to Galilee. We shall be together again there.
150.
All the women are jubilant and ecstatic. Mary the Mother of Christ
confirms that He has risen. Christ had appeared to her also. Peter
and John are disconcerted and distressed. Christ has not appeared
to them, but only to all the women.

9. The Ressurrection Appearances

In the fraction of a second, the Divine Spirit descends into the Sepulchre
like a flash of brilliant light.
Under the Sudarium and the shroud, the glorious body is recomposed in
eternal beauty. He stands without the many wounds or dripping blood,
only blazing with the light that comes from the five wounds and issues
from every pore of his skin. 151.
The Blessed Mother is praying prostrate on the floor of a small room
adjacent to the Supper room in the Cenacle. There is a banging of the
heavy shutters. Mary raises her head and
Sees her radiant son - - -she straightens and says with a sob that is joy
and grief:
`Lord my God! And she remains thus, enraptured in contemplating Him - -He calls Her, stretching out his hands - - He bends over His mother - - His
hands under Her bent elbows, and He lifts Her up. He presses Her to His
heart and kisses her. - - - She flings Her arms round His neck, and she
embraces and kisses Him - - -`It is over, Mother, you no longer have to
weep over your Son. The trial is over. Redemption has taken place. - - -I
am going now to make the other Mary happy. Then I will ascend to the
Father. 152.
From the day of the Resurrection up to the Ascension, the Son of Man
appears to many of His followers. This list of appearances is recorded in
the visions of Maria Valtortas work, the Poem of the Man God, Bk. 5,
P.735-737, 192-856. Those events that are recorded in the Gospels have
the appropriate reference indicated.
The appearances in approximate order is as follows: 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

First of all to his Mother.

To Mary Magdalen. (near the Tomb) (Jn. 20:11-18)
Lazarus of Bethany. (Christs greatest admirer and benefactor.)
Johanna of Chuza. (Whom Christ had healed of a serious illness.
Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus and Manaen. (At the house of
Nicodemus. Joseph and Nicodemus were later ordained priests)
6. The Shepherds who were all alive (10). (They witnessed Christ on
the Way of the cross and stood resolutely near the summit, at the
crucifixion)

7. Longinus the Centurion. (He became a deacon and preached the

gospel in his native Italy.)
8. The Roman Ladies: Plautina and Claudia (the wife of Pilate) Both
returned to Rome, converted. Also Valeria. (who joined Johanna and
a group of Holy women.)
9. Christ appears to two disciples, Cleophas and Simon on the road to
Emmaus.
(Luke 24:13-35, Mark 16:12-13)
10. Christ appears to the ten Apostles in the Cenacle. (Luke 24:3642, Jn.20:19-23)
11. Christ appears to the Apostles again. (This time to show Thomas
his wounds Jn.20:26-29)
12. Eliza Mother of the first female proto religious consecrated to
Christ Annaleah.
13. Mary (the Mother of Judas) and Anne (the mother of the fiance
of Judas Iscariot.)
14. To a variety of people :Sarah of Juttah, Jaia of Pello, John at Nob, Matthias, Abraham of
Engedi, Dorcas, a group of rabbis at Giscala, Joachim and Mary of
Bozrah, Mary of Jacob, Syntyche at Antioch, the shepherds on Mt.
Hermon, Sidon, (the blind boy he cured) Johannas peasants, Daniel
and others.
15. Christ appears to some of the Apostles and some disciples fishing
on Lake Tiberias. This is the occasion of the second miraculous
draught of fish and the commission of Peter as shepherd of Christs
followers.
16. Christ appears to Peter. (1 Cor. 15:5)
17. Jesus appears on Mount Tabor to the apostles, the shepherds,
many of the 72 disciples and many others making up a crowd of 500
people. (1 Cor. 15:6)
18. A special appearance to James. (1 Cor.15:7)
19. To all the Apostles (1 Cor.15:7)
Perhaps there were more, but they are not recorded.
10.
The Last teachings before the Ascension. (Bk.5 M.Valtorta)
(on the Side of a mountain)
Baptize with water in the name of the God One and Triune and in My name
and through My infinite Merits, so that the Original Sin may be cancelled
from hearts, sins may be remitted, Grace and the Holy Virtues may be
infused, and the Holy Spirit may descend to dwell in consecrated temples.
(P.843)

Take the Bread and Wine as I did, and bless them, break them and hand
them out in My name. (P.843-44)
In the Mosaic religion matrimony is a contract. In the New Christian religion
let it be a sacred indissoluble act. (P.845)
Marriage is a grave and holy act. And to prove that, I took part at a wedding
and I worked my first miracle there. (P.846)
transmit the Priesthood in my Name to the best disciples, that the earth
may not be left without priests. And ensure that the sacred character is
granted after a severe examination, not verbal but of the deeds of him who
asks to be priest. (P.847)
Defend the treasure of the faith. (P.848)
Your compass is the Gospel. In it there is Life and safety. And everything is
said in it. - - -every answer for the manifold cases of souls are in it. (P.850)
I am going back to My Father, but I am not leaving you all alone, because I
leave you the Eucharist, that is, your Jesus made food for men. (P.851)
There is no lack of just people in any country and any religion. (P.852)
The Passion of Christ continues in Christians. I have not excluded you from
this great work, which is the Redemption of the World. (P.854)
Go To all peoples. As far as the boundaries of the world. (P.854)
Assist your brothers who are being purified. (P.855)
11.

The Ascension

Jesus and the eleven apostles have a last meal together in the house of
the keeper of the Gethsemane Olive grove, downstairs in the very clean
threshing floor where tables have been set up.
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. 153.

Strive to change into Seraphim. Throw yourselves into the furnace, into
the flames. - - -You will not have the kingdom of God in you, if you do not
have love. - - You must be holy. - -And I shall be with you every day till the
end of the world. And I want also this: James (the less) my brother,
(cousin) to preside over the meeting in Jerusalem. 154.
`Mark stands up saying: Lord the olive-groves along the Bethany road
are full of disciples awaiting you.
`Go and tell them to go the Field of the Galileans. 155.
The whole crowd of apostles and disciples move towards the top of the
Mount of Olives. Jesus goes higher and stands on a large stone facing
them all.
St. Luke tells us that,
He lifted up His hands and blessed them. (Luke 24:50)
I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Go therefore, and
make disciples from all nations. Baptize them in the Name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all that I
have commanded you. I am with you always, even to the end of the
world. (Matt.28:18-20)
The Son of Man has fulfilled His mission. He has given to His followers
the Divine Commission, and is transfigured in beauty and splendor
before their eyes. He rises majestically by His own power and is lost to
sight in a cloud of brilliance.
while they were still looking up to heaven where He went, suddenly, two
men dressed in white stood beside them and said, Men of Galilee, why
do you stand here looking up at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken
from you into heaven, will return in the same way as you have seen him
go there. (Acts 1:1-11)
We can ask ourselves again the question raised at the start of this
manuscript.
Why did Christ so often refer to Himself as the Son of Man?
A strong hint to the answer is given in a vision to Maria Valtorta.

I want myself called the Son of Man because I lower Myself taking upon
Myself all the miseries of man, to bear them as My first scaffold, and
cancel them, after bearing them, without suffering from them Myself.
What a burden, My friends! But I bear it with Joy.

Section Five
Review Questions
1. What can you say about the Mountain of the Transfiguration in terms of
geography and appearance?
2. What were Moses and Elijah talking about to Jesus?
3. What was Peters reaction?
4. The Last Supper Passover celebration was a day ahead of the normal
celebration. Was this legal?
5. Who were sent in to Jerusalem to prepare the meal?
6. What did the prophet Jeremiah say about the New Covenant.
7. Were the Blessed Mother and the women disciples present at the Last
Supper?
8. Why did Jesus wash the feet of the Apostles?
9. Did the other apostles know who would betray Jesus?
10.
Does the sacred species of bread and wine contain only the body
and blood of Christ?
11.
What did St. Paul clarify to the Corinthians concerning the Bread
and Wine? Write out his exact words.
12.
Who owned the Garden of Gethsemane?
13.
Did Christ really perspire blood when he prayed in Gethsemane?
14.
Did the Roman soldiers arrest Jesus?
15.
When Christ uttered the words `I am he, what happened to the
members of the arresting party?

16.
What did Christ say to Peter when he cut the ear of the man
holding ropes?
17.
When Christ was arrested what did the apostles do?
18.
Where was Jesus first taken after being arrested?
19.
What was the reaction of the following council members when
called to the Hall of Caiaphas? Eleazer, John, Gamaliel, Joseph of
Arimathea and Nicodemus.
20.
The first trial took place at midnight. The second at Dawn. Where
was the prisoner kept during the interviewing period?
21.
Christ is denounced as a blasphemer. What does this mean?
(check it in a dictionary)
22.
When he is brought before Pilate the charge is different. What is
the charge that eventually led to his execution?
23.
If Pilate believed that Christ is not guilty, why did Pilate order his
execution?
24.
How did Herod Antipas treat Jesus?
25.
Describe the brutal scourging of Jesus. More specifically answer
these four questions. How was he tied up? How many executioners did
the scourging? What did they use? Were they Roman soldiers?
26.
What is the greatest evidence, we have for the inhuman
scourging of Christ?
27.
The Crowning of Thorns was a purely innovative idea of Roman
soldiers. What did they use to construct the Crown of Thorns.
28.
Who is Claudia Procula?
29.
Pilate washed his hands as a symbol of his innocence in the
death of Christ. Was he really innocent?
30.
What was the argument about that the chief priests had with
Pilate?
31.
To make the condemnation of Christ more dramatic, two
criminals were also led out to execution. Ten men known to Jesus
witness the sorrowful Way of the Cross. Who were they?
32.
Who pressed a linen cloth to the face of Jesus?
33.
What happened to Satan and his cohorts on the way to Cavalry?
34.
A strong middle aged man was ordered to take the cross of Jesus.
His name was Simon. What country did he come from in North Africa?
35.
Explain the meaning of the words, Golgotha and Calvary.
36.
Was Jesus crucified naked on the cross?
37.
The executioners were not Roman soldiers. Who were they?
38.
The two thieves, traditionally called Dismas, and Gesmas, were
executed for what reason?
39.
When the executioners tried to nail the left hand of Jesus, it
would not reach the hole previously bored in the cross piece. What did
they do?

40.
What happened to the clothes of Jesus?
41.
Write down the words of psalm 22 that seem to prophesy the
crucifixion of the savior.
42.
What was the effect on Dismas when he heard Jesus utter these
words?
Father, forgive them because they do not know what they are doing
43.
When Mary and John were allowed to come near the cross, what
commission did the dying Jesus give to both of them?
44.
In his agonizing pain Jesus feels entirely abandoned. What cry
does he utter?
45.
The centurion Longinus has witnessed the heroic death of Jesus.
What did he say?
46.
What does St. Matthew write, when he describes the effect of the
earthquake that struck the hill of Calvary?
47.
The earthquake was not isolated to Jerusalem. What other places
were affected?
48.
With regard to the burial of Jesus, how did Jesus frustrate the
intentions of the members of the Sanhedrin?
49.
Who provided the shroud that Jesus was buried in?
50.
Describe the brief burial ritual that Joseph of Arimathea and
Nicodemus carry out on the body of Jesus.
51.
Who were the six women involved in the Resurrection sequence?
52.
When Peter leaves the empty tomb, who does he blame for the
removal of Christs body.
53.
Mary Magdalen thinks Jesus is the gardener. What did she say to
the gardener?
54.
Why did Peter say, womens fancy?
55.
Mary Alphaeus and Salome decide to return to the Tomb to clarify
matters. Why did they come back excited?
56.
To whom does Christ appear first?
57.
Christ appeared also to Longinus. What effect did this have on
him?
58.
Who were the two Roman ladies who were converted and helped
take knowledge of Christs teachings to Rome.
59.
Where did Christ appear to a crowd of 500 followers?
60.
Why does the passion of Christ continue in every Christian?
61.
What is the Divine Commission?
62.
From what place did Christ ascend into heaven?

Sources
Section I Beginnings of the Son of Man
1. Poem of the Man-God, Vol. P.92
2. The Mystical city of God. Mother Mary of Agreda, P.233 abridged
edition.
3. Agreda, P.241-242.
4. Agreda, P.245.
5. Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1 P.690.
6. Agreda, P.257.
7. Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1 P.119-121.
8. Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1 P.125.
9. Agreda, P.274.
10. Agreda, P.298.
11. Agreda, P.299.
12. Agreda, P.310.
13. Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1 , P.149.
14. Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1, P.153.
15. The Life of Jesus Christ Anne Catherine Emmerich, Vol.1
P.240.
16. Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1, P.172.
17. Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1 P.174-175.

18. The Life of the Virgin Mary, Anne Catherine Emmerich, Tan
books, P.229.
19. The life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Anne Catherine Emmerich
Tan books, P.227.
20. The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, P.287.
21. My First Book of Saints Quality Catholic Publications.
Paranaque, Manila. S.H.M.I P.210.
22. The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary P.289.
23. Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1, P.183.
24. Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1, P.384-385.
25. Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1, Footnote P.375.
26. Agreda, P.362.
27. Agreda P.366-367.
28. New Jerome Biblical Commentary Arts 158 and 159, P.1247.
29. N.J.B.C. Art 164, P.1248.
30. Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1, P.202-204.
31. Agreda, P.389.
32. Agreda, P.391-392.
33. Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1, P.214-219.
34. Agreda, P.394.
35. Agreda, P.418-419.
36. Agreda, P.413.
37. Agreda, P.414.
38. Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1, P.227.
Sources
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.

Section Two The Mission Begins for the Son of Man

Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1,
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1,
Agreda, P.438.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1,
N.J.B.C, Art 19, P.638.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1,
N.J.B.C, Art 19, P.638.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1,
Agreda, P.441.
N.J.B.C. Art.186, P.1251.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.2,
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.3,
N.J.B.C. Art.140, P.1378.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1,
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1,
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1,
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1,
N.J.B.C. Art. 105, P.659.
N.J.B.C. Art.79, P.654.

P.244.
P.243-244.
P.248-249.
P.250.
P.251.
P.403.
P.270.
P.540-541.
P.291.
P.299.
P.303-304.

Section three
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
71.
72.
73.
74.
75.
76.
77.
78.
79.
80.
81.
82.

Agreda, P.661.
Agreda P.664.
N.J.B.C. Art 23, P.640.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.2, P.138.
N.J.B.C. Art.25, P.640.
N.J.B.C. Art. 34, P.644.
True Life in God, Vol.1, National Bookstore. P.93.
N.J.B.C Art.39, P.645.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.2, P.152-153.
N.J.B.C., Art.46, P.646.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.2, P.174.
N.J.B.C. Art.37, P.644.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.287-289.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.2, P.743-747.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.3, P.447.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.2, P.339-341.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.2, P.342.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.2, P.351-352.
N.J.B.C. Art. 130, P.665.
True Life in God Vol.1 National Bookstore, P.268-269.
N.J.B.C., Art.104, P.1235.
N.J.B.C., Art.62, P.181.
N.J.B.C., Art.118, P.1237.
N.J.B.C, Art.145, P.669.
N.J.B.C., Art.145, P.669.

Section Four
83.
84.
85.
86.
87.
88.
89.
90.
91.
92.
93.
94.
95.
96.
97.
98.

Teachings of the Son of Man

Selected Miracles of the Son of Man

Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1, P.322-323.

Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1, P.342-343.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.826-828.
N.J.B.C., Art.242, P.985.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1, P.276.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.281.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol. 1 P.281.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1 P.283.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.2, P.189-190.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.2, P.190.
N.J.B.C., Art.54, P.648.
N.J.B.C., Art.107, P.698.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.2, P.236.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.2, P.236-237.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.2, P.231.
N.J.B.C., Art.34, P.606-607.

99.
100.
101.
102.
103.
104.
105.
106.
107.
108.
109.
110.

Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5,

N.J.B.C, Art.47, P.619.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.3,
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.3,
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5,
N.J.B.C. Art.71, P.619-620.
N.J.B.C. Art.126, P.664.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.3,
N.J.B.C., Art.59, P.616.
N.J.B.C>, Art 59, P.616.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.4,
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5,

Section Five
111.
112.
113.
114.
115.
116.
117.
118.
119.
120.
121.
122.
123.
124.
125.
126.
127.
128.
129.
130.
131.
132.
133.
134.
135.
136.
137.
138.
139.
140.
141.

P.313-314.
P.777-780.
P.417-421.
P.419, 428-430.
P.412.
P.441-444.
P.49-61.

Final Events in the Life of the Son of Man.

Agreda, P.473.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.3, P.406.
N.J.B.C., Art.107, P.660.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.3, P.409.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.3, P.410.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.492.
Agreda, P.487.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.517.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.532.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.535.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.536.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.538.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.551-554.
Agreda, P.520.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.555.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.558-560.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.563.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.563-564.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.565.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.567-568.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5 P.595-601. (Freely Edited)
Agreda, P.547.
Agreda, P.545
N.J.B.C, Art.105, P.628.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.606.
A.C. Emmerich, The Life of Jesus Christ, Vol.4 P.244.
A.C. Emmerich, The Life of Jesus Christ, Vol.4 P.275-277.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.608.
A.C. Emmerich, The Life of Jesus Christ, Vol.4 P.277.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.614.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5 P.610.

142.
143.
144.
145.
146.
147.
148.
149.
150.
151.
152.
153.
154.
155.

Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.620.

Agreda, P.563.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.621.
Anne Catherine Emmerich, The Life of Christ Vol.4, P.307-308.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.623.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.626.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.701-714.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.709.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.711.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.700.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.701-703.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.869.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.871-872.
Poem of the Man-God, Vol.5, P.874.
156. Poem of the Man-God, Vol.1, P.293.