« “And have no doubts. This is His evidence: spirit of peace, perfect love, greatest wisdom, heavenly doctrine, absolute meekness, power over everything, total humility, angelical chastity.
You cannot be wrong.
When you breathe peace near a man Who says He is the Messiah, when you drink the love emanating from Him, when you pass from your darkness into Light, when you see sinners being redeemed and flesh being cured, then say: ‘This is truly the Lamb of God!’.”»
– John the Baptist to his disciples who aiming to be loyal to him, had not followed Jesus.
211. They get up and go towards Hebron, towards the Baptist’s house. When they are almost there, they see a serried group of citizens coming forward rather hesitatingly. They seem curious and embarrassed. But Jesus greets them smiling. They take heart, they open out and that severe person, the head of the synagogue, whom they had met in the previous year, emerges from the group.
« Peace to you! » greets Jesus instantly. « Will you allow us to stop in your town? I am here with all My favorite disciples and with some of their mothers. »
« Master, but do You not bear us, or me, a grudge? »
« Grudge? I do not know what it is, neither do I know why I should bear it. »
« Last year I offended You…»
« You offended an Unknown man, thinking it was your right to do so. Later you understood and you were sorry you had done it. But that is past. And as repentance cancels sin, so the present deletes the past. Now I am no longer Unknown to you. So what are your sentiments towards Me? »
« Of respect. Lord. Of… desire…»
« Desire? What do you want from Me? »
« To know You better than I do at present. »
« How? In what way? »
« Through Your word and Your deeds. We have received news about You, Your doctrine, Your power, and we were told that You were involved in the liberation of the Baptist. So You did not hate him, You did not try to oust our John!… He himself admitted that it was through You that he saw once again the valley of the holy Jordan. We went to him and spoke to him of You and he said to us: “You do not know what you have rejected. I should curse you, but I forgive you because He taught me to forgive and to be meek. But if you do not wish to be anathematized by the Lord and by me, love the Messiah. And have no doubts. This is His evidence: spirit of peace, perfect love, greatest wisdom, heavenly doctrine, absolute meekness, power over everything, total humility, angelical chastity. You cannot be wrong. When you breathe peace near a man Who says He is the Messiah, when you drink the love emanating from Him, when you pass from your darkness into Light, when you see sinners being redeemed and flesh being cured, then say: ‘This is truly the Lamb of God!’.” We know that Your deeds are those mentioned by John. Therefore forgive us, love us, give us what the world expects from You. »
« That is why I am here. I have come from far away to give to the town of John also what I give every place that accepts Me. Tell Me what you wish from Me. »
