She jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room.. She said: 'How is my little boy? Is he going to be all right? When can I see him?'

The surgeon said, 'I'm sorry. We did all we could, but your boy didn't make it.'

 Sally said, 'Why do little children get cancer? Doesn't God care any more? Where were you, God, when my son needed you?'

 The surgeon asked, 'Would you like some time alone with your son? One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he's transported to the university.'

 Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good bye to son. She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair. 'Would you like a lock of his hair?' the nurse asked. Sally nodded yes. The nurse cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally.

 The mother said, 'It was Jimmy's idea to donate his body to the University for Study. He said it might help somebody else. 'I said no at first, but Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mom.' She went on, 'My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone else. Always wanting to help others if he could.'

 Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there. She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the seat beside her in the car.

 The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter the empty house. She carried Jimmy's belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's room.

 She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly where he had always kept them. She lay down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep.

 It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Lying beside her on the bed was a folded letter. The letter said:

 'Dear Mom,

  I know you're going to miss me; but don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say 'I Love You'. I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day. Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, that's okay with me. He can have my room and old stuff to play with. But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things us boys do. You'll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know.

 Don't be sad thinking about me. This really is a neat place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything. The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD! And guess what, Mom? I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important. That's when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good bye and everything. But I already knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what Mom? God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you. God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him where was He when I needed him?' 'God said He was in the same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross. He was right there, as He always is with all His children.

Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've written except you. To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool? I have to give God His pen back now He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. I'm sure the food will be great.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore the cancer is all gone. I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either. That's when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I was a Special Delivery! How about that?

 Signed with Love from God, Jesus & Me.

Here is a source list for transcripts of the "Sunday Gospels" audio series – for the first three months of Year B: from the Feast of Christ the King to the Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time. Reference to The Poem’s volume/page text, containing Maria Valtorta’s first-hand account of each gospel passage, follows immediately after each passage’s Scriptural reference and theme. Also included below – for just some of these Sundays – are additional passages from Maria’s other writings, offering further insights for these particular Sunday reflections…

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30^th NOVEMBER: First Sunday of Advent - Year B

(Main text: The Poem, Vol. 5, pp. 466-7)

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7^th DECEMBER: Second Sunday of Advent - Year B

(Main text: The Poem, Vol. 1, pp. 242-3)

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« Baptise with water; in the Name of the God: One and Trine; in My Name; and through My infinite Merits.

In this way: the Original Sin may be cancelled from hearts; sins may be remitted; Grace and the Holy Virtues may be infused; and the Holy Spirit may descend to dwell in consecrated temples, that is, in the bodies of men living in the Grace of the Lord.

Was water necessary to cancel the Sin? Water does not touch the soul. But neither does the immaterial sign touch the sight of man, who is so material in all his actions. I could very well have infused Life without a visible means. But who would have believed it? How many are the men who can firmly believe if they do not see? Take the lustral water of the ancient Mosaic Law. (This was the water that was used to purify unclean people, and admit them again to the camps, after they had become contaminated by a corpse.) In actual fact, every man who is born, is contaminated, by having contact with a soul dead to Grace. So let it be purified of the unclean contact, by the lustral water, and made worthy of entering the eternal Temple.

And let water be a dear thing to you… After I had expiated and redeemed - through thirty-three years of laborious life, which culminated in the Passion - after giving all My Blood for the sins of men, then the wholesome waters to wash the Original Sin were drawn from the bloodless consumed Body of the Martyr. By means of the consumed Sacrifice, I redeemed you from that stain. If on the point of death, a divine miracle of Mine had made Me descend from the cross, I solemnly tell you that with the blood I had shed would have redeemed the sins, but not the Sin. The full consummation was required for that. Really, the wholesome water - of which Ezekiel speaks - came out of this Side of Mine. Immerse souls into it, so that they may come out of it spotless, to receive the Holy Spirit. That same Spirit - in recollection of that breath which the Creator breathed on Adam, to give him the spirit and thus the image and likeness of Himself – that Same Spirit will come to breathe and dwell in the hearts of men who have been redeemed.

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Mark is a lion… who loved to bring out the figure of the Divine Miracle Worker (more than that of the Messiah as a Man, as Matthew had done). And this was for the purpose of causing amazement and winning the pagans over through astonishment, as they were always seduced by what appeared to be wondrous. (Notebooks 1945-50, p. 610)

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14^th DECEMBER: Third Sunday of Advent - Year B

(Main text: The Poem, Vol. 1, pp. 216-7, 244-5)

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21^st DECEMBER: Fourth Sunday of Advent - Year B

Lk. 1:26-38 – The Annunciation

(Main text: The Poem, Vol. 1, pp. 79-82)

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« …It was a clear afternoon in the month of Adar, and the trees were in bloom in the silent kitchen garden. Mary, Joseph's bride, had picked a flowery branch to replace the one that was in Her room. Taken from the Temple to adorn a house of saints, She had recently come to Nazareth. And with Her soul divided among Temple, house and Heaven, She was looking at the flowery branch, considering that by means of a similar branch… which had bloomed as if it were springtime before the Ark of the Lord… God had revealed His will to Her... And She was thinking also that on the day of their wedding, Joseph had brought Her other flowers, but never like the first one - on the thin petals of which it was written: "I want You united to Joseph"...

She was thinking of many things... And while thinking - Her hands busy with distaff and spindle, and spinning a yam that was thinner than the hair of Her young head - She ascended to God... Moving quickly, like a shuttle on a loom, Her soul was weaving a carpet of love: from the earth to Heaven; from the needs of the house, of Joseph - to those of the soul, of God. She sang and prayed. The carpet was forming on the mystical loom, it rolled off from the earth to Heaven, and it ascended to get lost up there... Formed with what? With the thin, perfect strong threads of Her virtues, and with the flying thread of the shuttle which She thought was "Hers", whereas it was God's. It was the shuttle of the Will of God, on which was rolled the will of the little, great Virgin of Israel, Unknown to the World, Known to God, rolled and made one with the Will of the Lord.

And the carpet was adorned with the flowers of love and of purity, with palms of peace and palms of glory, with sweet-smelling violets, with jasmines... Every virtue flowered on the carpet of love, which the Virgin of God unrolled invitingly from the earth to Heaven. And as the carpet was not sufficient, She thrust Her heart, singing: "Let My Beloved come into His garden and eat the fruit of His trees... Let My Beloved come down to His garden, to the bed of spices, to pasture in the gardens and gather lilies. I am My Beloved's, and My Beloved is Mine. He pastures among the lilies!".

And from infinite distance, among torrents of Light, a Voice came, that human ear cannot hear, and human throat cannot utter. And it said: "How beautiful You are, My love! How beautiful You are!... Your lips distill wild honey... You are a garden enclosed, a sealed fountain, My sister, My promised bride... " and the two voices joined together to sing the eternal truth: "Love is stronger than death. Nothing can quench or drown 'our' love".

The Virgin was thus transfigured when Gabriel descended He called Her back to the Earth with his ardour, and joined Her soul to Her body again: so that She might hear and understand the request of Him, Who had called Her "Sister" but wanted Her to be His "Bride".

And the Mystery took place there... A modest woman, the most modest of all women - Who was not even aware of the instinctive incentive of the flesh - fainted before the Angel of God. Because even an angel upsets the humility and modesty of the Virgin, and only when She heard him speak, She calmed down, and She believed. And She said the word, whereby "their" love became Flesh, and will defeat Death. No flood will be able to quench it, or no wickedness submerge it... »

Jesus bends gently over Mary Who has slid towards His feet, almost ecstatically, in the recollection of the remote hour. She shines with a special light, which seems to issue from Her soul, and He asks Her in a low voice: « Which was Your reply, Most Pure Mother, to him who assured You that by becoming Mother of God, You would not lose Your perfect Virginity? »

And Mary, almost in a dream, slowly, smiling, Her eyes shining with joyful tears, says: « I am the handmaid of the Lord! Let it be done to Me according to your Word. » And She reclines Her head on the knees of Her Son, adoring Him.

Jesus covers Her with His mantle, concealing Her from everybody's eyes, and He says: « And it was done. All will be done until the end. Until Her next transfiguration, and the one after that. She will always be the "Handmaid of God". She will always act according to what "the Word" says.

My Mother! That is My Mother. And you ought to begin to become fully acquainted with Her holy Figure... Mother! Mother! Raise You face, My Beloved... Call Your devout admirers back to the Earth, where we are for the time being... » He uncovers Mary after a little while, during which no noise is heard except the humming of bees and the gurgling of the little fountain.

Mary raises Her face, wet with tears, and whispers: « Why did You do that to Me, Son? The secrets of the King are sacred... »

And Jesus says: « But the King can reveal them whenever He wishes. Mother, I did it, so that the words of the Prophet may be understood: "A Woman will enclose the Man in Herself"; and the words of the other Prophet: "The Virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son".

And I did it so that My disciples, who are struck with horror at too many things that they consider degrading for the Word of God, may have, as counterbalance, many other things, confirming them in the joy of being "Mine". Thus they will no longer be scandalised, and will conquer Heaven... »

(The Poem, Vol. 3, pp. 403-5)

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Luke was patient and strong as an ox, in persevering: with the full work of God for the salvation of humanity; and in investigation of the events leading up to the real apostolic activity of Christ and of his followers. This work of infinite love began with the Immaculate Conception of Mary, with the fullness of Grace granted to Her, and with continuous communion with her Lord. God, as a Father, created Her with unique perfection among all the bodies of those born to man and woman. As his most beloved Daughter, He then filled Her with his Light, the Word, who had revealed Himself to Her in the divine, intimate lessons by which She was the Seat of Wisdom from her earliest years. As the Holy Spirit, in these early years, the Eternal Lover of the Pure poured the fires of his most perfect charity into Her. And making Her an altar and ark that was holier and more beloved than those in the Temple, He took up his repose in Her, and shone forth in the full splendor of his Glory…

The glory of the Lord always covered the Inviolate Virgin, the God-Bearing Mother, whether She halted or moved by divine orders. Such orders led Her from Nazareth to the Temple; from the Temple to Nazareth as a Virgin Bride; from Nazareth to Hebron and Bethlehem as a Virgin Mother; from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, as a support in the prophecy of Simeon; from Bethlehem to Egypt… because She was the Mother of God; to Nazareth and then to Jerusalem, leading Her to the place where the Boy was with the Doctors; from Nazareth to one place or another where the Teacher-Son was persecuted and afflicted; from Nazareth to Jerusalem and Golgotha to participate in the Redemption; and to the Mount of Olives, where the Son ascended to the Father…

Luke, unique and patient, consulted and also wrote what may be termed the introduction to the Gospel, which means "announcement", speaking to us of Our Lady of the Annunciation, without whom - and without whose absolute obedience - the Redemption would not have been carried out.

It is the property of an ox to ruminate on what was swallowed some time previously. Luke imitates the ox. Over many years, time had swallowed the preliminary episodes of the coming of the Messiah as such - that is, as Master and Savior-Redeemer. Luke brings them back to light. He shows us the Virgin, a necessary instrument in order for us to have Jesus Christ, the God-Man. He shows us the Most Humble Woman Full of Grace: the Most Obedient One in her "Let it be done to me according to your word"; and the Most Charitable One rushing with holy swiftness to her cousin Elizabeth to comfort and help her. Though She did not have any idea about it, She was to sanctify him who was to prepare the ways for the Lord Jesus, her Son.

She was the Most Pure, and always the physically, morally, and spiritually Inviolate One… (Notebooks 1945-50, pp 610-1)

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25^th December: Christmas Day. Midnight Mass

(Main text: Vol. 1. pp. 129-32, 134-42)

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25^th December: Christmas Day. Mass at Dawn

(Main text: The Poem, Vol. 1. pp. 147-55)

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25^th December: Christmas Day. Mass During the Day

(Main text: The Poem Vol. 2. pp. 559-64)

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« …Remember everything, the actions and the words of My Son. Remember His kind parables. Live them, that is, put them into practice. And write them: so that they may remain for future generations, to the end of time; and that they may always serve as a guide for men of good will, to achieve life and eternal glory.

You will certainly not be able to repeat all the bright words of the Eternal Word of Life and Truth. But write as many of them as you can. The Spirit of God descended upon Me so that I might give the Saviour to the world. And He descended also upon you... He will help you to remember: [when you write], and when you speak to the crowds, in order to convert them to the true God… » (The Poem, Vol. 5, p. 928)

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John, the fourth Evangelist, is the Eagle. High, powerful and solitary flight, and the ability to look fixedly at the sun, are proper to the eagle. In John the Evangelist, there is the nobility of the noble bird: powerful flight; and the capacity to gaze fixedly at the Divine Sun, Jesus - the Light of the world, the Light of Heaven, the Light of God, Infinite Splendour. It is the ability to rise up to supernatural heights, to which no other evangelist rose. And in this way, by rising up, [it is the ability] to be able to penetrate the mystery and truth and doctrine - everything - of the Man who was God…

The eagle does not sing more or less melodiously, as other birds do. But he casts forth a powerful cry, which is such an affirmation of power that it makes the hearts of men and of animals tremble. John does not sweetly sing the story of Christ, either. But he hurls forth his powerful cry to celebrate the Hero. And it is such a forceful cry - in asserting the Divinity and most luminous Wisdom of Christ - that it makes souls and hearts tremble from the first words of his introduction…

The first words of his Gospel canticle are praise of the Light. His last words in the Apocalypse are two cries…: "I am coming soon!" and "Come, Lord Jesus! " And these two cries - of the Beloved and of the Lover - disclose to us more than anything else what John meant to Jesus, and Jesus to John: Love… (Notebooks 1945-50, pp. 614-7)

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25^th DECEMBER: Mary recalls Her giving Birth to Jesus

(The Poem, Vol. 2, pp. 357-65)

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28^th DECEMBER: Feast of the Holy Family - Year B

(Main text: The Poem, Vol. 1, pp. 160-3. See also Vol. 4, pp. 126-7)

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(Mary says to Maria Valtorta:)

"…Among those present at the presentation at the Temple, no one had a thought for me. They looked at my Treasure, and praised Him for his superhuman beauty. But they did not praise his Mother, except in human terms. Only the saints knew me for what I was, and Elizabeth, Simeon, and Anna saw - in me - the Mother of the Savior, giving me the most sublime praise with their recognition…

"The Holy Spirit acts in the hearts of the saints, and gives them lights of supernatural knowledge. The Holy Spirit illuminates the hearts of the saints, to make them see me. To see me in the light of God means to love me in truth. My Most Holy Son works on his own, to attract you to his love. I love you and wait, praying for you…" (Notebooks 1943, p. 531)

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« …Nowadays, as twenty centuries ago, those to whom I reveal Myself, will contradict one another. Once again I am the sign that is rejected. Not with regard to Myself, but with regard to what I stir up in them.

Good people, those of good will, will have the good reactions of the shepherds and of humble people. The others will react in a wicked manner, like the scribes, the Pharisees, the Sadducees and priests of those days.

One gives what one has. A good person who comes in touch with wicked people provokes a surge of greater wickedness in them. And judgement will be passed on men as it was done on Good Friday, according to how they have judged, accepted and followed the Master, Who with a fresh attempt of infinite mercy has made Himself known once again... »

(The Poem, Vol. 4, p. 828)

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4^th JANUARY: The Epiphany of the Lord - Year B

(Main text: The Poem, Vol. 1, pp. 168-174)

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" I was calling the world to the Light... I have been calling it incessantly for twenty centuries. I do not cease to make my Light shine over your darkness. If you were able to raise yourselves over the barrier of the haze you have spread over the world, you would see the Divine Sun, always glowing and kindly over men, over all men.

"Nor is it any wonder if those who are farthest from Catholic Rome now precede you. Gaspar, Melchor, and Baldazar - from three points of the earth - came on the patient backs of camels to the Light of the world, which was not seen by the compatriots of the Son of Mary. Africans, Asians, and Southerners are coming to the Cross which you have rejected. And they will surpass you. On the last day, when time and men are illuminated at every point and side, the unpleasant gap left by you, Catholics for centuries, will be seen. While the others - idolaters and heretics, fascinated by the Christ, the Holy Lord - will have poured in, with their souls rendered virginal by Grace…"

(Notebooks 1943, p. 518)

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11^th JANUARY: The Baptism of the Lord - Year B

(Main text: The Poem, Vol. 1, pp. 243-4)

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« I was a disciple of the Baptist. And when we were not fishing, I used to go to him with other companions. It was a day of this month... The banks of the Jordan were crowded with people, who trembled when hearing the words of the Baptist. I had noticed a young handsome man come calmly towards us along a path. His garments were plain, His countenance kind. He seemed to be asking for love, and to be giving love. His blue eyes rested for a moment on me, and I felt something that I have never felt again. I felt as if my soul were being caressed, as if I were being lightly touched by the wings of angels. For a moment I felt that I was so far away from the earth, so different, that I said: "I shall die now! This is God calling my soul". But I did not die. I was fascinated, contemplating the young unknown man, whose blue eyes were now staring at the Baptist.

The Baptist turned around, ran to Him, and bowed. They spoke to each other. And as John's voice was as loud as thunder, their mysterious words reached me, tense as I was in the keen desire to know who the unknown young man was. My soul felt that He was different from everybody. They were saying to each other: "I should be baptised by You... and ... Never mind just now. It is necessary to fulfil all justice"...

John had already said: "Someone will come, and I am not fit to undo the straps of His sandals". He had already said: "There is among you, in Israel, One Whom you do not know. His winnowing-fan is already in His hand. He will clear His threshing-floor, and He will burn the chaff in a fire that will never go out". I had in front of me a young man of the common people, whose countenance was mild and humble, and yet I felt that He was the One, Whose sandal-straps not even the Holy One in Israel - the last Prophet, the Precursor - was fit to undo. I felt that He was the One, Whom we did not know.

But I was not afraid. On the contrary, when John, after the enrapturing thunder of God, and after the unimaginable brightness of the Light in the shape of a dove of peace, said: "Here is the Lamb of God", I cried: "I believe!" with the voice of my soul, rejoicing because I had foreseen the King Messiah in the young man who looked so mild and humble. Because of this faith I am His servant. Be so yourselves, and you will have peace… » (The Poem, Vol. 3, pp. 255-6)

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18^th JANUARY: Second Sunday of Ordinary Time - Year B

Jn. 1:35-42: Jesus meets His first disciples

(Main text: The Poem, Vol. 1, pp. 253-60, 265-8)

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25^th JANUARY: Third Sunday of Ordinary Time - Year B

Mk. 1:14-20: The disciples leave their boats to follow Jesus

(Main text: The Poem, Vol. 1, pp. 342-2)

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(As the first year of Jesus’ public life draws to an end, Simon Peter tells Jesus of an inadequacy he feels…)

« …Many times people ask me questions, and I never know what to say… The others are clever, I mean Your cousins, and Simon [the Zealot], Bartholomew, and Judas [Iscariot]. Yes, Thomas is also good at speaking… he sounds like a crier at the market… selling goods. But he can speak… Matthew… well, it's no problem for him! He makes use of his old skill at the customs bench [when he used to] fleece people and compel them to say: "You are right". But I!…

Poor Simon of Jonas! What did the fish teach me? And the lake? Two things… but they are of no use: the fish taught me to be silent and persevering. They persevered in escaping from the net, and I persevered in keeping them in it. The lake taught me to be brave and vigilant. And what about the boat? It taught me to slog away without sparing any of my muscles, and to stand up even when the lake was rough and one might fall. To watch the pole-star, to hold the rudder with a firm hand, to be strong, brave, constant, careful, that is what my poor life taught me… »

Jesus lays a hand on Peter’s shoulder and shakes him, looking at him with loving admiration - a true admiration of such sincerity - and says to him: « Don’t you think that that is a lot, Simon Peter? You have what is necessary to be My "stone". Nothing is to be added, nothing to be taken away. You will be the eternal navigator, Simon. And you will say to those who comes after you: "Watch the pole-star, that is, Jesus. A firm hand on the rudder, strength, courage, firmness, carefulness, hard work without sparing oneself, an eye on everything, also capability of standing up on rough seas… "

No, My dear Peter. You will not have one, but a thousand, ten thousand sons, and in every country… Don’t you remember what I said to you: "You will be a fisher of men"? »

« Oh!… Yes… but… A child who called me "father" would be just as kind! »

« You will have so many [children] that you will not be able to count them. You will give them eternal life. And you will find them in Heaven, and will bring them to Me, saying: "Here are the children of Your Peter, and I want them to be where I am". And I will say to you: "Yes, Peter. It will be done as you wish. Because you have done everything for Me, and I will do everything for you". » Jesus is most kind in making such promises.

Peter swallows saliva, while weeping over the dying hope of an earthly paternity. And at the same time he sheds joyful tears at the rapture announced to him. « Oh! Lord! » he says. « But to give eternal life, it is necessary to persuade souls to be good. And we are back to the same point: I am not good at speaking. »

And Jesus says: « When the time comes, you will be able to speak better than Gamaliel. » (The Poem, Vol. 1, pp. 718-9)

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1^st FEBRUARY: Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time - Year B

Mk. 1:21-8: Jesus expels a demon in Capernaum

(Main text: The Poem, Vol. 1, pp. 314-9)

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8^th FEBRUARY: Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time - Year B

Mk. 1:29-39: Jesus cures Peter’s mother-in-law,

(Main text: The Poem, Vol. 1, pp. 319-23, 326-31)

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15^th FEBRUARY: Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time - Year B

Mk. 1:40-5: Jesus cures a leper in Capernaum

(Main text: The Poem, Vol. 1, pp. 332-6)

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22^nd FEBRUARY: Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time - Year B

Mk. 2:1-12: Jesus cures a paralytic

(Main text: The Poem, Vol. 1, pp. 337-40)

John Van der Staak, a Readers’ Group member who lives here in Melbourne, has developed a single CD which contains the texts of passages from all of the 4 Evangelists’ Gospel verses which were actually witnessed by Maria Valtorta - in Chronological order (as they appear in the 5 volumes of The Poem). Each separate passage can be called up with a 4-digit number, and its volume/page number is cross-referenced to the chapter/verse numbers of the Gospel. The price for this CD is $ 8.50, including postage.

or phone: (03) 9735 3945.

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