Maria Valtorta was given the divine gift of experiencing our Lord's Passion and Life as if she were with him at that very moment. Her visual detail and exacting explanation of events brings to life the life of JESUS CHRIST in a most profound way. I can not encourage you enough to dig deep into this gift from Heaven, which opens up insight into the life of our Savior here on earth. Not only is there historical data provided, but meaning, flavor, colors, emotions, everything is laid out for the reader. The relationships between the Apostles, their thoughts, fears and worries are all here as well. Even something so small as Peter getting out of breath on the climb up the mountain and our lord JESUS CHRIST taking a break so that Peter could catch his breath.
The following is a tiny excerpt from the 10,000 page works of Maria Valtorta's writing...
THE
TRANSFIGURATION
Which
man has never seen, at least once, a clear dawn in the month of March?
If such a man exists, he must be very unhappy, because he is unaware of
one of the most beautiful charms of nature awakening in springtime,
when she becomes the virgin girl as creation must have been on its first
day.
In
such graceful charm, which is pure from every point of view, from its
fresh dewy herbs, to the little flowers that are opening, like babies
who are born, to the first smile of daylight, to the birds that awake
flapping their wings and utter their first chirps, which sound like
questions and are a prelude to all their singing conversation of
the day, to the very smell of the air that during the night has lost
all pollution of dust, smoke and smell of human bodies through the
lavation of dew and the absence of man, Jesus is proceeding with His
apostles and disciples. Simon of Alphaeus is with them, too.
They are
going southwards, crossing the hills that encircle Nazareth and a
torrent, and are walking across a narrow plain between the Nazarene
hills and a group of mountains to the east. These mountains are preceded
by the semi-truncate cone of the Tabor, the top of which strangely
reminds me of the cocked-hat of our carabineers, seen in profile.
They
reach it. Jesus stops and says: « Peter, John and James of Zebedee will
come up the mountain with Me. The rest will spread out at its foot,
going in groups towards the roads that run along it, to preach the Lord.
I want to be back in Nazareth by evening. So do not go too far away.
Peace be with you. » And addressing the three He had called, He says:
« 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 there is only that old fortress. Do You want to
go and preach there? »
« I
would have gone up the other side. But you can see that I have turned
My back to it. 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! »
« Oh!
My Lord! Could we not go a little slower, instead, and speak of what
we heard and saw yesterday, which kept us awake all night to talk about
it? »
«
You always go quickly to the appointments with God. Come on, Simon
Peter. I will let you rest up there. » And He resumes climbing...
Today, I
am with my Jesus upon a high mountain. Peter, James and John are with
Jesus. They climb higher up and their eyes rove over open horizons, the
details of which are well defined, even in the distance, in the
beautiful clear day. The
mountain is not part of a range of mountains like the one in Judaea; it
rises isolated, with the east in front, with respect to the place
where we are, the north to the left, the south to the right, and at the
rear, to the west, the summit, which is about one hundred steps higher
up. It is very high and the view extends over a very wide range.
The
lake of Gennesaret looks like a strip of sky that has come down to be
set in the green of the earth, an oval turquoise enclosed by emeralds of
various shades, a mirror that trembles and ripples in a light breeze,
and on which boats in full sail glide as nimbly as sea-gulls, lightly
bent towards the blue water, exactly with the grace of the flight of a
kingfisher skimming the water in search of prey. Then a vein flows out
from the vast turquoise, it is pale blue where the river-bed is wider,
and darker where the banks narrow and the water is deeper and in the
shade of the trees that grow luxuriantly near the river, nourished by
its water. The Jordan looks like an almost straight stroke of a brush
in the greenery of the plain.
Some
villages are scattered here and there on both sides of the river. Some
are only a handful of houses, others are somewhat larger, with the airs
of little towns. The main roads are yellowish lines among the green.
But here, on the side of the mountain, the plain is more cultivated and
fertile and it is really beautiful. The various hues of the several
growths are a most pleasant sight in the beautiful sunshine of a very
clear day.
It
must be springtime, perhaps the month of March, if I take into account
the latitude of Palestine, because I see the corn, which is already
high, although still green, waving like a blue-green sea and I see the
crests of the early fruit-trees decorate this little vegetable sea with
something like tiny white and rosy clouds, and meadows strewn with the
flowers of the high hay, where grazing sheep look like piles of snow
spread here and there on the green grass.
Just
near the mountain, on the low short hills at its foot, there are two
little towns, one to the south and the other to the north. The very
fertile plain extends particularly and more widely to the south.
Jesus,
after a short rest in the cool shade of a group of trees, a pause which
He certainly granted out of pity for Peter, who clearly has great
difficulty in climbing, resumes going up. He goes almost to the top,
where there is a grassy tableland with a semicircle of trees near the
side of the mountain.
« You
may rest, My friends. I am going over there to pray. » And He points
to a large stone, a rock that appears on the surface of the mountain and
is not near the slope, but it lies internally, towards the summit.
Jesus kneels on the grass and rests His hands and head on the rock, in the posture that He will take also when praying in Gethsemane.
The top of the mountain protects Him from the sun. The remaining part
of the grass-covered clearing is in the bright sun as far as the
bordering trees, where the apostles are sitting in the shade.
Peter
takes off his sandals, shakes off dust and grit and remains barefooted,
with his tired feet on the cool grass, almost lying down, with his head
resting on an emerald green tuft, as a pillow. James does the same,
but in order to be comfortable he looks for a tree, against which he
leans his mantle and rests his back. John remains sitting looking at
the Master. But the calm of the place, the fresh breeze, silence and
fatigue overcome him also and he droops his head and eyes. None of them
are fast asleep, but they are in the state of summer drowsiness that
stuns people.
They
are roused by a brilliancy that is so striking that it overwhelms the
brightness of the sun and spreads and penetrates even into the shade of
bushes and trees where the apostles are.
They
open their eyes and are astonished at seeing Jesus transfigured. He is
exactly as I see in the visions of Paradise. Of course He has no
Wounds and there is no banner of the Cross. But the majesty of His Face
and Body is the same, the brightness is also the same and His garment,
too, is identical: from deep red it has changed into an immaterial
fabric of diamonds and pearls, in which He is clad in Heaven. His Face
shines with an extremely intense sidereal light in which His sapphire
eyes are beaming. He looks taller, as if His glorification had
increased His height. I cannot say whether the brilliancy, which makes
even the tableland phosphorescent, emanates entirely from Him, or
whether His own is mingled with the brightness that all the light of the
Universe and of Heaven has concentrated on Him. I can only say that it
is something indescribable'
Jesus
is now standing, I would say that He is raised off the ground, because
between Him and the green meadow there is something like a luminous
vapour, a space consisting only of a light upon which He seems to be
standing. But it is so bright that I may be wrong, and the fact that I
no longer see any green grass under Jesus' feet may be due to the bright
light that vibrates and waves, as is often seen in bonfires. It is a
snow-white incandescent light. Jesus is looking at the sky and smiling
at a vision that enraptures Him.
The
apostles are almost afraid and they call Him, as He is transfigured so
much that He no longer appears to be their Master.
« Master, Master »
they call in low voices, full of anxiety.
He does not hear.
« He is in an ecstasy » says Peter trembling. « I wonder what He sees? »
The three are now standing up. They would like to approach Jesus, but they dare not.
The
light increases further because of two lights that descend from the sky
and take place at Jesus' sides. When they settle on the tableland,
their veils open and two majestic bright personages appear. One is more
elderly than the other, with a sharp severe countenance, and he has a
double-pointed beard. Two horns of light depart from his forehead and
make me understand that he is Moses.
The other one is emaciated,
bearded and hairy, more or less like the Baptist, whom I would say he
resembles in height, leanness, structure and severity. While the light
emanating from Moses is white, like that of Jesus, particularly with
regard to the beams issuing from their foreheads, the light of Elijah is
like the bright flame of the sun.
The
two Prophets take a reverential attitude before their God Incarnate and
although He speaks to them with familiarity, they do not drop their
respectful attitude. I do not understand even one of the words they
speak.
The
three apostles fall on their knees trembling and covering their faces
with their hands. They would like to look, but they are afraid. At last
Peter says: « Master, listen to me. » Jesus looks round smiling
towards His Peter, who takes heart again and says: « It is wonderful to
be here with You, Moses and Elijah. If You wish, we will make three
tents, one for You, one for Moses and one for Elijah, and we will stay
here to serve you... »
Jesus
looks at him again and smiles more warmly. He looks also at John and
James. A glance that is a loving embrace. Also Moses and Elijah stare
at the three. Their eyes flash fire. They must be like rays piercing
hearts.
The
apostles dare not say anything more. Frightened as they are, they
lapse into silence. They look as if they were inebriated, like people
who are bewildered. But when a veil, which is neither fog, nor a cloud,
nor a ray, envelops the Three glorious personages behind a screen that
is even brighter than the one that surrounded them previously, and hides
them from the sight of the apostles, a powerful harmonious Voice
vibrates filling the air, the three bow down with their faces on the
grass.
« This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him. »
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! »
Even
when there is total silence again, none of them dare raise their
heads. Thus they do not even see that the light has come back to its
natural state of daylight and that Jesus is alone and has become the
usual Jesus wearing His red mantle. He
walks towards them smiling, touches them and calls them by their
names.
« Stand up. It is I. Be not afraid » He says, because the
three dare not raise their faces and are imploring mercy for their sins,
fearing that the Lamb of God wants to show them to the Most High.
« Stand up, now. I order you » repeats Jesus authoritatively. They
look up and see Jesus smile.
« Oh!
Master, my God! » exclaims Peter. « How shall we be able to live near
You, now that we have seen Your Glory? How shall we be able to live
among men and among ourselves, since we are sinners, and we have heard
the Voice of God? »
« You
will have to live beside Me and see My glory until the end. Be worthy
of that because the time is close at hand. Obey My Father and yours.
Let us now go back among men because I came to stay with them and to
bring God to them. Let us go. Be holy, strong and faithful in
remembrance of this hour. You will take part in My greater glory. But
do not speak now to anybody of what you have seen. Do not tell your
companions either. When the Son of man has risen from the dead and gone
back to the glory of the Father, then you will speak. Because it will
be necessary to believe then, to take part in My Kingdom. »
« But is Elijah not to come to prepare people for Your Kingdom? So the rabbis say. »
« Elijah
has already come to prepare the way for the Lord. Everything is
happening as was revealed. But those who teach Revelation do not know
and do not understand it, neither do they see or recognize the signs of
the time or the messengers of God. Elijah has come back once. He will
come for the second time when the last time is close at hand to prepare
the last for God. He now came to prepare the first for the Christ, and
men refused to acknowledge him, they tortured him and put him to death.
They will do the same to the Son of man, because men do not want to
acknowledge what is good for them. »
The three lower their heads and become pensive and sad while descending the mountain with Jesus by the same road they came up.
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