The Book of Heaven
—Unofficial Version—

November 24, 1922

Jesus before Herod. Effects of the word and of the gaze of Jesus. Jesus reprimands Luisa because she wants to keep these truths hidden.

I was thinking of when my sweet Jesus was presented to Herod, and I said to myself: ‘How is it possible that Jesus, who is so good, did not deign to say a word to him, or to give him a glance? Who knows whether that perfidious heart would have converted at the power of His gaze?’ And Jesus, making Himself seen, told me: "My daughter, his perversity and the lack of disposition of his soul were such that he did not deserve that I look at him or say a word to him. And if I had done it, he would have rendered himself more guilty, because each word or gaze of Mine are additional bonds which are formed between Me and the creature. Each word is one more union, one more closeness; and as the soul feels looked upon, grace begins its crafting. If the gaze or word was sweet and benign, she says: ‘How beautiful, penetrating, gentle, melodious it was! How not love Him?’ If then it was a majestic gaze or word, blazing with light, she says: ‘What majesty, what greatness, what penetrating light! How little I feel; how miserable I am; how much darkness in me before that light so blazing!’ If I wanted to tell you of the power, the grace, the good which my word or gaze bring, how many books would I make you write!

See then, how much good I have done to you in looking at you many times, in keeping you with Me in intimate conversations - they have not been just words, but complete discourses. From this you can comprehend that the unions between Me and you, the relations, the bonds, the closenesses, are innumerable. I acted with you like a teacher who says only a few words to the others who want some direction from him, but spends the entire day with his own disciples, wanting to make of them as many teachers similar to himself. He speaks at length, he is always over them, and now he develops one topic, now he gives them a simile to make himself better understood; nor does he ever leave them alone for fear that, getting distracted, they may waste his efforts; and if needed, he subtracts hours to his own rest in order to instruct them. He spares nothing, neither efforts, nor strains, nor sweat, in order to obtain the intent that his disciples become masters.

So I did with you: I spared nothing. With others I had just words; with you, discourses, long teachings, similes, at night, during the day - at all times. How many graces have I not given you? How much love, to the point of not being able to be without you? It is because of the great design I have made upon you - this is why I gave you much. You, then, in all gratitude, would want to keep what I have told and given you hidden within yourself, and therefore deny Me the glory I would receive by manifesting it. What would you say of that disciple who, after his teacher has reached the point of making of him a master with many toils, would want to keep for himself the education he has received, without imparting it to others? Would he not be ungrateful and cause of grief for his teacher? What would you say of the Sun, if after I gave it so much light and heat, it would not want to let this light and heat descend upon the earth? Would you not say to the Sun: ‘It is true that you make a good impression, but it is not good that you keep it for yourself. The earth, the plants, the generations await your light and your heat; they want them in order to receive life and fecundity. Why do you want to deprive us of such a great good? More so, since in giving them to us, you lose nothing; rather, you acquire more glory, and everyone will bless you.’

Such are you - and even more than Sun. I have placed in you so much light of truth about my Will that, more than Sun, it would be enough to illuminate all, and to do more good than the Sun itself does to the earth. I Myself and the generations await that this light be unleashed from you, while you think of how to hide it, and you almost afflict yourself if authoritative people want to occupy themselves with putting it out. No, no - this is not good."

I felt I was dying in hearing my sweet Jesus; and I felt even more guilty because during these days, since one of my writings had been withdrawn without achieving the purpose for which it had been released - that is, to publish it - I had felt great satisfaction. Oh, how bad I felt in being reproached so severely; and wholeheartedly I asked for His forgiveness. And Jesus, to calm me down, blessed me, telling me: "I forgive you and I bless you, but you will be more attentive and will not do it any more."