Mary is the Co-Redeemer.

An overview of a chapter from Maria Valtorta’s Poem of the Man-God.

 

(If you have been exposed to negative opinions about this book, please see the Nota Bene at bottom).

 

Jesus is with his apostles and some disciples at a town called Nob, not far from Jerusalem. He is talking about a woman who has been entrusted with a young boy. He remarks that she has a very womanly mission, that of bringing up this child. But this is not a child who needs milk, rather he is an infant in the faith. A woman, the Lord says, is always a mother and can do such things as bringing a child up in the faith. A woman is as good as a man, and has the power of maternal kindness to boot. 

 

Eliza, one of the female disciples who is present, looks a the Lord lovingly, and praises him for speaking so kindly about women. Jesus responds that He is simply being truthful. Israelis as well as other peoples have been accustomed to consider women as inferior beings. But it is not so. If she has been subjected to man, struck severely as punishment for Eve’s sin, if she has to carry out her mission with deeds and words that are veiled and not showy, nevertheless she is not less capable and not less strong than a man. 

 

Even without recalling the great women of Israel, Jesus continues, in the heart of a woman there is great strength – in her heart as in the intelligence of men. And the situation of women in the world is about to change, regarding customs and in many other things. And this will be justly so because grace and redemption will be obtained by a Woman, and particularly for women, as He will do for all men. 

 

An objection is raised by Judas Iscariot. With a mocking laugh he asks how can one expect a woman, a woman, to redeem?

 

Jesus replies by solemnly telling him that She is already redeeming. He asks the Iscariot if he knows what to redeem means. And Judas replies that of course he does, it means to remove from sin. 

 

The Lord answers yes, but just to remove from sin would not suffice, because the eternal Opponent would continue to keep laying snares. But the voice of God was heard in the earthly paradise saying “I will create enmity between you and the Woman; She will crush your head and you will lay snares for Her heel.” They will be nothing but snares, because the Woman will have within herself that which defeats the enemy. She has been redeeming with an active, but concealed, redemption even since She existed. She will soon come out in the open to the world, and women will be strengthened in Her. 

 

Judas says that he can accept that Jesus redeems, but as for a woman, he cannot accept it. 

 

The Lord asks does Jerusalem still have a Tabernacle in which God resides? Can the glory of God be present alongside the sins committed within the walls of the Temple? No, another holy Tabernacle was necessary in order to lead people who err back to the Most High God. That is accomplished by the Co-Redeemer, who will rejoice throughout the ages as being the Mother of the redeemed. 

 

Presenting the true hymn of the Co-Redeemer, the Lord begins to quote various scripture verses: “You shall shine with a bright light. All the peoples of the earth will prostrate themselves before You. The nations will come to You from afar bringing gifts and will worship the Lord in You . . . They will invoke Your great name . . . Those who will not listen to You will be among those cursed, and blessed will be those who gather round You . . . You will be happy in Your children because they will be the blessed ones gathered near the Lord.” 

 

Such is the true hymn of the Co-Redeemer, continues Jesus. She is the beginning of the new heavenly Jerusalem, and the angels who see are already singing. This is the truth, yet the world is not aware of Her. And the clouded minds of the rabbis of Israel do not know Her. 

 

The Iscariot asks the Apostle Philip, who is near him, just who Jesus is speaking of? Before Philip can reply, Eliza rather harshly responds that can’t he understand that Jesus is speaking of His Mother? 

 

Judas answers that the prophets only mention a Redeemer, and not a Woman martyr. He starts to say more but Eliza interrupts. She asks Judas if he thinks that there is only the torture of the flesh? For a mother that is nothing, compared to seeing her son die. Eliza says she does not know about the heart of Judas, but does not his mind, of which he is so boastful, tell him that a mother would undergo torture and death ten times in order not to hear her son moan? Continuing, Eliza says that although she is only a woman and he is a learned man, he is more ignorant that she is because he does not even know the heart of a mother!

 

Judas whimpers that she is offending him.

 

Eliza replies that no, she is older and is giving him advice. He should let his heart be wise, if he can, in order to avoid tears and punishment.

 

The frank, sharp words of Eliza to the Apostle who thinks he is so perfect elicit smiles on the lips of the other Apostles, who lower their heads to conceal their smirks, as they stealthily cast sidelong glances to each other. 

 

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An overview of Chapter 509 of the Poem of the Man-God by Maria Valtorta. 

 

Nota Bene: To anyone with concerns about reading the Poem, I recommend Stephen Austin’s 1300-page online encyclopedic Summa which refutes, and even utterly demolishes, the arguments put forth by the opponents of the Poem. See this Link. There are some educated and well-meaning Catholics who oppose it, often because they have been misled by flawed articles about the Poem. A very few even have recourse to personal innuendos about the authoress, Maria Valtorta, a woman who offered her sufferings to the Lord as a victim-soul. 

 

View my Catholic books Here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Do Not be Afraid, Little Flock.”

An overview of a chapter from Maria Valtorta’s Poem of the Man-God. 

 

Jesus is on a hill near the western edge of the Sea of Galilee, teaching his apostles and disciples. He continues to speak to them while they take some food and rest in a thicket. He says that man should only worry about becoming rich in virtues rather than in worldly goods, progressing without anxiety or fearful haste. If he makes an error, he should remain peaceful; being angry with oneself is a symptom of pride and lack of confidence. Be humble and serene, even if defeated by some weakness. Be active in spiritual matters the way worldly people are with their bodies. 

 

In fact, as far as your bodies are concerned, do not imitate those who are always trembling about their future. They worry about being taken ill, about dying, about losing their goods to enemies, or about lacking things that are superfluous. Do not be anxious about what to eat or drink or wear and other necessities of life. The spirit is more important than the body, and the body is worth more than the garments that clothe it. The mortification of your bodies will help your souls to attain eternal life. Only God knows how long He will let your souls remain in your bodies, and until the hour of separation He will provide for what is necessary. 

 

He does so even for crows, which eat the carrion of dead animals. And their reason for being is to remove such putrefying matter. These impure birds have neither larders nor granaries, yet God takes care of them. So how could God neglect you, even in the matter of clothing? The lilies of the valleys perform no work except to raise their pleasing scent to the Most High, yet the Lord gives them growth and garbs them more beautifully than any of the robes of Solomon [Luke 12:27]. 

 

On your own, you cannot add a tooth to a toothless mouth, or lengthen a shortened leg by even an inch, or make an eye see brighter. If you cannot do such things, how can you think that by yourselves you can hold back miseries and disease, or turn the dust of the earth into food. No, you cannot do such things, but do not be lacking in faith, because you will always have what your need. 

 

So stop worrying like worldly people, who only strive to satisfy their pleasures. Your Father in Heaven knows what you need. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His justice, and all these things shall be added to you [Luke 12:31; Matt. 6:33].

 

Do not be afraid, little flock. Our heavenly Father has been pleased to call you to His kingdom. Therefore, aspire to it, and assist Him with your good will and holy deeds. Thieves cannot break into heaven, and its treasures and purses never fail. Wood-worms cannot reach them. Keep heaven in your hearts, and your hearts in heaven, near your true treasures. 

 

Jesus is silent for a moment. Peter has been listening so intently as to forget to finish his food. He takes advantage of this silence to ask the Lord if this teaching is for everyone, or just the apostles and disciples. The Lord responds that while it is for everybody, it is primarily for those who have been chosen as stewards of the Master. They are to be twice as vigilant, both as stewards and as simple believers.

 

The more one is aware of the will and the mind of his Teacher, the more one is expected to fulfill it faithfully. Much is asked of him who has been given much. The more that is entrusted to his care, the more he must return. The stewards of the Lord will be held to account even to the soul of an hour-old infant. 

 

Jesus explains that to be His follower does not mean relaxation in the cool air of a flowery wood. He has come to bring fire upon the earth, and what else does He desire except that it be ignited. This is why He tires Himself, and wants His followers to also tire themselves, even until their death, until the entire earth is a “celestial bonfire!” He is to be baptized with a baptism, such that He is distressed until it is accomplished. But through it He will be able to make His followers and stewards fire-bearers and yes, agitators, who will act in and against every social stratum, to make of it one thing only, the flock of Christ. 

 

Truly, it is not restful to serve the Lord, according the worldly meaning of that word. Heroism and unwearying effort are required. But at the end it will be He Himself who will gird His waist and serve His disciples. He will sit with them at the eternal banquet where all labors and sorrows are forgotten. 

 

An overview of part of Chapter 275 of the Poem of the Man-God by Maria Valtorta. 

 

View my Catholic writings Here.