Eliza of Bethzur
"[...] his sons died last year. The first one died of a disease in a few hours, and no one knows of what he died. The other died of a slow death and nothing stopped his decline. [...] When we came back to the plain the young man would not take any food. When we came back in Adar, he had been dead two months."[1]She has common ancestors with Mary since she also descends from King David. She also went to the Temple during her childhood, where she was the "main companion" of Mary. She left the Temple two years before Mary to marry her husband. The Virgin Mary says:
"Eliza was much older than I was. She was waiting in the Temple for her fiance to come back from Egypt where he had gone on inheritance matters and so she remained there up to an unusual age. She is almost ten years older than I am. The teachers used to entrust the little girls to the guidance of adult pupils… and she was My companion-teacher. She was good [...]"[2]Jesus and Mary visit her to console her and to heal her from her despair:
"Oh! It is I who have not slept for months… I weep… and weep… I can do nothing else…» [...] And Jesus goes away with the maidservant who is dumbfounded and keeps repeating: «What a miracle, my Lord! What a miracle! After so many months she has spoken, she has reasoned… Oh! what a wonderful thing!… They were saying that she would die insane… And I was sorry, because she is good."[3]
After all these trials, she is taken in by Johanna of Chuza and decides to Follow Jesus, "her peace".
Happy and fulfilled, she receives the care of Anastasica, the healed leper.[4] Gradually Elise settles in Nob, a village near Jerusalem, to serve Jesus. Indeed, he no longer has places in Judea where he can stop peacefully, except this one.[5] One of the first trials she will face will be that of a Judas, a runaway, who plots his betrayal.[6]
Despite her aversion, she manages to hold him back while waiting for Jesus' return, but nevertheless thinks it wise to keep Anastasica away from a lustful Judas lustful. She will similarly overcome her aversion to him when it comes to watching over him, as he grows increasingly close to the final betrayal, during the exile in Samaria.[7] Very bravely, she even puts her life in danger to Save Judas during the altercation at Tirzah.[8]
Character and Appearance
She is ten years older than the Virgin Mary (around 57/60 years old). Thin, white hair. A woman to whom the great pain of the past has given a majesty of a suffering queen.[9]
Apostolic Path
She is at Calvary with the holy Women.[10] She is also witness to the Ascension.[11]
Her Name
אליז (Elise)[12]
Elise, like Elisha (Èlisha), means "God is Salvation". Historical reference: the great prophet Elisha.
Where is she mentioned in the work?
The second paschal journey: GRM 199 - Apostolate in Judea: GRM 208 GRM 209 GRM 210 GRM 214 GRM 215 Apostolate in Philistia: GRM 224The conversion of Mary Magdalene: GRM 226 GRM 228 Perea, Gilead and Trachonitis: GRM 281 GRM 285 GRM 286 GRM 290 GRM 293 GRM 294 GRM 302
Phoenicia and Upper Galilee: GRM 334 The Transfiguration and the Bread of Heaven: GRM 360 The penultimate Passover: GRM 366 GRM 367 GRM 370 GRM 371 GRM 375 GRM 378
Gods in Judea: GRM 393 GRM 399 GRM 400 GRM 401 GRM 402 Pentecost, Decapolis and Esdraelon Plain: GRM 427 Summer in Nazareth: GRM 441
In Moab and in Judea: GRM 511 The Feast of the Dedication: GRM 528 GRM 529 GRM 531 GRM 532 GRM 535
The exile in Samaria: GRM 560 GRM 566 GRM 567 GRM 568 GRM 571 GRM 573 GRM 574 GRM 575 The return to Jerusalem: GRM 576 GRM 582 GRM 583
Holy Week: GRM 596
Resurrection Sunday: GRM 626 From Resurrection to Ascension: GRM 632 GRM 638 The apostolic times: GRM 641