Actions
The writings of Maria Valtorta highlight God's judgment on our Actions. This judgment is both demanding and merciful, full of mercy for the one who shows repentance for their faults.
In "The Gospel as It Was Revealed to Me"[edit | edit source]
- (Jesus) : A good deed is virginal when it is not combined with a second thought of praise or esteem or feelings of Pride.[1]
- Knowing that God sees is a restraint for bad behavior, a comfort for good Actions: You have heard how God is omnipresent by His gaze and His word. In truth we are always in His Presence. (...)
All are in His Presence and likewise the Actions of man are in His Presence. All the Actions of man! Terrible word! And consoling word! They will be terrible if the Actions aim at sin, they will be consoling if they pursue holiness.
Knowing that God sees is a restraint for bad behavior, a comfort for good Actions. God sees the one who acts Good. I know that He does not forget what He sees. I believe that He rewards good Actions. Therefore I am certain of having this reward and I rest on this certainty. It will give me a serene life and a peaceful death, because in life and in death my Soul will be consoled by the shining star of the friendship of God. This is how one who acts Good reasons.[2] - Keep the Good you do shielded from violations of the world's sensuality. Keep it pure from human praise. Do not profane the fragrant rose; the true censer of odors pleasing to the Lord, the fragrant rose of your charity and your good Actions. What profanes Good is the Spirit of Pride, the desire to be noticed when doing Good and seeking praise.[3]
- The second creation of the Soul is proper to the righteous who by their will lead the Soul to an even more complete creation, by uniting their good Actions to the goodness of God's work and therefore make themselves a soul already more perfect spiritually than the first.[4]
- Anything can produce good Actions. Even what seems least able to do so.[5]
- How can one persevere in justice if not animated by the hope that each of our good Actions is seen by God and to receive from Him a reward?[6]
- One does not buy God nor seduce Him with jewels and golden talents, but one makes Him a friend through our good Actions.[7]
- But with what difference they practice what I teach! You say for every good action you perform: "I did," The child says: "Jesus, I remembered You today, and because of You I obeyed, I loved, I contained a desire to fight...[8]
- It is not good Actions, or seemingly such, that earn praise from men, but holy Actions that deserve God's praise.[9]
- When subjects compete with leaders for faults or good Actions, they share their rewards or their punishments.[10]
- From the moment the child can distinguish bad action from good action, he is responsible. Not before.[11]
- The good action, performed before sin, remains and counts for forgiveness, when the sinner repents after sin.[12]
- For which of these works do you stone me? For having taught justice? For having brought to men the Good News? For having come to invite you to the Kingdom of God? For having healed your sick, restored sight to your blind, granted movement to the paralyzed, speech to the mute, delivered the obsessed, raised the dead, done Good to the poor, forgiven sinners, loved everyone, even those who hate me: you and those who send you? For which of these works then do you want to stone me?"[13]
- They are unhappy. We must not judge why they are, but we must try to To Save them. A good action can be the beginning of their salvation...[14]
In Other Works by Maria Valtorta[edit | edit source]
The Notebooks of 1944[edit | edit source]
- All your Actions are imperfect in my eyes. But I take into account your effort, your affection and your uprightness when you offer them. And I do not despise them, Good on the contrary! I take them with love and sanctify them, I purify them by my contact and, once all have become holy and pure, I use them for the Good of the world, and for your Good. (March 18, 1944)