The Great Gospel of John
Volume 7
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord on the Mount of Olives. (cont.) Gospel of John, Chapter 8
- Chapter 92 -
About the good works. Guidance of the people by divine providence.
When we were comfortably and happily enjoying our beautiful olive grove, one of the group of 70 people, among whom was also the mentioned adulteress, said: "Oh, how nice it is for us to be here. We are receiving the highest spiritual nourishment for our souls and the best food for our bodies. How happy we are. Oh, If only all those who, undeservedly like us, are now in great misery could come into such a happy state. I wish that all people who are in need may be helped spiritually and physically, if that were possible."
2
I said: "My friend, everything would be possible, but for many wise reasons not all is feasible or admissible. There are many very poor people, and people suffering with all kinds of diseases, whom you would like to help according to your good heart, which is very pleasing to Me. But look, if you had helped them according to your knowledge and conscience, in reality they would not have been helped at all, but you would have achieved exactly the opposite for them.
3
It is therefore, most commendable in you - now that you are doing well - to think about those in need and misery, and you have the wish to help them. But truly, not everyone whom you had helped would be helped.
4
Look, no one knows better about the need and misery of men than I. And no one is more merciful and loving than I, but all men would be helped very little with only My love and mercy if My supreme wisdom would not work together with it.
5
Yes, a poor family is in a bad state. They have no work, no shelter, no bread and suffer hunger and thirst. They are begging from house to house, from place to place, and often after a day of begging they barely have enough to satisfy their hunger while others are living in abundance and are feasting, and are sending such a poor family away when they ask for help.
6
Undeniable, this is wicked of the hard-hearted rich who are treating such a poor family in a hard way. And when you see such a hard attitude you certainly can say: 'But great, very kind and almighty God, how can You allow without punishment such a cruelty which is crying to Heaven? Destroy such people with thunder and lightning from Your Heavens.' And look, God would still not grant your prayer. Yes, but then why not?
7
Must men's lack of love remain rampant on this Earth? No, I tell you, this certainly not. But look, according to God's wise decision, everything must have its time on Earth, so that men can come to maturity to become true sons of God. That is why the one who is rich has his time to be rich and to be merciful to the poor with his abundance, and the poor has his time to practice in patience and self-denial and to sacrifice his need and misery to God. And God will soon help the poor in the way that is best for the salvation of his soul, and also chastise the hard-hearted rich at the right time. For the rich as well as the poor are called to become sons of God.
8
Once our poor family was also wealthy and hard toward other poor people, and for the salvation of their souls the tide of their earthly prosperity had necessarily to turn one day. If you would help them now suddenly, then they soon would become arrogant and take revenge on those who treated them harshly. However, once they have been properly tried in patience, they will slowly but surely, as imperceptible as possible, be helped and therein they will recognize God's care better and clearer than if they had been suddenly raised to a state of happy prosperity.
9
But the hard-hearted rich man will also be placed step by step in a more unpleasant situation. Here and there he will be making a mistake in his speculations, he will have a bad harvest, will suffer losses in his herds, will get sick himself or his wife or one of his favorite children, and he will suffer one misfortune after another.
10
If he repents and recognizes his injustice, he also will be helped again. If, however, he does not repent and does not recognize his injustice, then he will lose everything and be reduced also to beggary or, depending on the circumstances, will have to suffer something worse.
11
Whoever will then comfort him in his poverty and support him will also be comforted and rewarded by God, but no one will be able to help him completely, until it is allowed by God's will. I surely know who is ripe to be helped."