148. Jesus Visits the Baptist near Ennon.
27th April 1945.
It is a clear moonlight night, so clear that the ground appears in all its details
and the fields, covered with corn which has just come up, look like green-silver
plush carpets, on which the country paths seem dark stripes, watched over by
the tree trunks that are white on the moonlit side and completely dark on the
other.
Jesus is walking steadfast and alone. He proceeds very fast along His way until
He reaches a stream that is flowing down gurgling towards the plain in a north-
east direction. He goes upstream as far as a lonely spot near a woody slope. He
moves to one side, climbs up a steep path and arrives at a natural cave on the
side of the hill.
He goes in and bends over a body that is lying on the ground and can be seen
only indistinctly in the moonlight, which shines on the path outside, but does not
illuminate the cave. He calls him: « John. »
The man awakes and sits up, still drowsy. But he soon realises Who is calling
him and jumps to his feet, then prostrates himself saying: « How is it that my
Lord came to me? »
« To make your heart and Mine happy. You wanted Me, John. Here I am. Get
up. Let us go out into the moonlight and sit and talk on the rock near the grotto.
»
John obeys, gets up and goes out. But when Jesus sits down, he kneels down in
front of Christ. He is wearing a sheepskin, which hardly covers his very lean
body, and he pushes back his long dishevelled hair, which had fallen over his
eyes, to see the Son of God better.
The contrast between them is very strong. Jesus is pale and fairhaired, His hair is
soft and tidy and His beard is trimmed round the lower part of His face. John is
like a bush of very dark hairs, in which two deep set eyes can be seen: two
feverish eyes, I would say, as they shine so much in their jet black setting.
« I have come to thank you. You have fulfilled and are fulfilling, with the
perfection of Grace within you, your mission as My Precursor. When the hour
comes, you will enter Heaven beside Me, because you will have deserved
everything from God. And in the expectation, you will already be in the peace of
the Lord, My beloved friend. »
« I will enter peace very soon, my Master and God, bless Your servant to
strengthen him for his last trial. I am aware it is now near and that there is still
one witness I have to bear: the witness of my blood. And You are aware more
than I am, that my hour is about to arrive. The merciful bounty of Your Divine
heart has brought You here, to fortify the last martyr of Israel and the first of the
new era. Tell me only one thing: will I have to wait long for Your coming? »
« No, John. Not much longer than the time that elapsed between your birth and
Mine. »
« May the Most High be blessed for that. Jesus... may I call You so? »
« You can, because of our blood and your holiness. The Name, which also
sinners pronounce, can be pronounced by the holy one in Israel. It is salvation
for them, let it be kindness to you. What do you want from Jesus, your Master
and cousin? »
« I am about to die. As a father is anxious for his children, so I am anxious for
my disciples. My disciples... You are a Master and You know how fondly we
love them. My only fear in dying is that they may get lost like sheep without a
shepherd. Will You please gather them. I give You back the three who are
Yours and who have been perfect disciples while waiting for You. They, and
Matthew in particular, really possess wisdom. I have some more and they will
come to You. Allow me to entrust those three to You personally. They are the
dearest. »
« And they are dear to Me. Do not worry, John. They shall not perish. Neither
those three, nor the other true disciples of yours. I will collect your inheritance
and look after it as the dearest treasure received from the perfect friend and
servant of the Lord. »
John prostrates himself to the ground, and what seems impossible in such an
austere personage, he bursts into tears sobbing out of spiritual joy.
Jesus lays a hand on his head: « Your joyful and humble tears are in unison with
a song of long ago at the sound of which your little heart leapt out of joy. The
song and your tears are the same hymn of praise to the Eternal Father, Who "has
done great things, He that is Mighty, to humble souls."
Also My Mother is about to intone once again the song that She sang then. But
later, the greatest glory will come also to Her as to you after your martyrdom. I
convey also Her greetings to you. You deserve all respect and comfort. Here it is
only the hand of the Son of man, which is laid on your head, but Light and Love
are descending from the open Heavens to bless you, John. »
« I do not deserve so much. I am Your servant. »
« You are My John. That day at the Jordan, I was the Messiah Who was being
revealed; here, now, it is your cousin and God Who wishes to give you the
viaticum of His love as God and as a relative. Get up, John. Let us kiss each
other goodbye. »
« I do not deserve so much. I have longed so much for it, all my life. But I dare
not do that to You. You are my God. »
« I am your Jesus. Goodbye. My soul will be near yours until peace comes. Live
and die in peace for the sake of your disciples. That is all I can give you for the
time being. But in Heaven I will give you one hundredfold, because you have
found grace in the eyes of God. »
Jesus has lifted him and embraced him, kissing him on his cheeks and being
kissed by him. Then John kneels once again and Jesus lays both hands on his
head and prays with His eyes turned to Heaven. He seems to be consecrating
him. He is impressive. They are silent for some time. Then Jesus takes His leave
with His kind salutation: « May peace be always with you » and He resumes the
same road as before.
