Johanna of Chuza
Jeanne is a royal princess,[1] descendant of the "valiant men of David" who rallied the king in the struggle against Saul[2] and of the Hasideans who joined the Maccabees during the war of Independence.[3]
Jeanne was born in Bether (Beitar), in Judea. She owns the castle of her birth there. Situated on several hills, it is surrounded by large rose gardens used to make perfume, a true "garden of dreams".[4] Hundreds of employees work there under Jeanne’s direction.
Orphaned very young, Jeanne found in her wet nurse Esther the affection she lacked. She marries Chuza, steward of Herod Antipas, then loses her firstborn. On this occasion, she contracts phthisis (pulmonary tuberculosis). At her last extremity, she is healed by Jesus. Jonathas, one of the shepherds of the Nativity, who became steward of this wealthy family, attests to the miraculous healing [5] he witnessed, but Jeanne could no longer have children. Her healing was a sign for Herod’s Court: it prompted "the royal officer"[6] to seek Jesus for his dying son, whom He healed at a distance.[7]
Healed, Jeanne consecrates her life to Jesus:[8]
"Do as You please, Lord. I leave everything to You: my past, my present and my future. I owe You everything and I give You everything. Give Your servant what You know is better."[9]
She becomes one of the women disciples along with Esther her wet nurse. She takes part in several apostolic journeys but primarily supports them with her fortune and social standing.[10]
Her house in Tiberias often serves as a place of rest for the apostolic group after trips in Galilee.
At the return of one such journey, Jesus entrusts her with two young orphans: Mary and Matthias. They had been successively expelled by Ishmael Ben Phabi[11] and Jacob of Merom.[12] Jeanne and Chuza happily adopt them.[13]
The Virgin Mary says of her:
"Johanna wants to persuade her [Elise] to leave Bethzur and go to her castle. And she will succeed because she is as sweet as a dove but as firm as a rock in her decisions."[14]
At the 3rd Passover, in her palace in Jerusalem, she gives the city poor a banquet commanded by Jesus.[15] The Princess Salome, coming from the nearby palace of Herod Antipas, makes a provocative appearance. She is expelled by Chuza.[16]
A close friend of the Roman patrician women, Jeanne introduces them to Jesus. She acts as intermediary to reassure them and the Roman authorities when Judas alarms the Roman women by letting them believe that Jesus wants to restore the (earthly) kingdom of Israel, thus taking Herod’s throne.[17] This core group of upper-class Roman women believers gathers around her.[18] Her two brothers, Elijah and Elkana, Judean aristocrats, also eventually follow Jesus.[19]
Jeanne is present at the Calvary. She gives the centurion Longinus a purse and a jar of anesthetic drink, which Jesus refuses, then rejoins the other Women disciples present.[20] Overcome by fatigue and emotion, she suffers a fainting spell.[21] The shepherds escort her back to her palace by parting the hostile crowd. Because of this, these disciples are unable to witness the Lord’s last cry and the burial.[22]
On Easter morning, the holy Women, en route to the tomb, split into small groups. Mary of Alphaeus and Martha come to fetch Jeanne. This dispersion explains, according to Maria Valtorta, part of the back-and-forth reported in the Gospels.[23] Jesus appears to her some time later, but not at the tomb. Jeanne confides to Him her sorrow: her husband had for some time displayed a changeable attitude toward her[24] and had always had an ambiguous attitude towards Jesus. She suffered because of it.[25] Now Chuza fears for his social position and forbids her to venerate the memory of the Savior. He has also dismissed Jonathas, his steward.[26] Jesus consoles her and asks her to take refuge with the Virgin Mary, which she does. Mary promises Jeanne to help in Chuza’s conversion:
"«Oh! Mother, help me to give life to Chuza! He has abandoned Faith!…» Johanna begins to weep again. Mary takes her in Her arms: «Love is stronger than faith. It is the most active virtue. With it you will create a new soul for Chuza. Be not afraid. But I will help you.»"[27]
Jesus holds her up as an example when He appears late in the day to the apostles:
"And Chuza’s delicate wife. Delicate? She really surpasses all of you! The first martyr of My faith."[28]
He no doubt alludes to the trial she experiences in her marriage and social standing.[29]
Character and Physical Appearance
Jeanne is gentle and shy. She is a very beautiful woman, taller than her husband. According to Maria Valtorta:
"Johanna is taller than her husband. The only trace of her recent illness is her remarkable slenderness, which, however, is less gaunt than before. She looks like a thin supple palm-tree crowned with her beautiful head with deep black very sweet eyes. She has a thick shock of raven black hair charmingly arranged. Her smooth large forehead looks even whiter under such genuine blackness and her well shaped little mouth stands out with its healthy red lips between soft pale cheeks, which are like petals of camellias. She is a beautiful woman [...]"[30]
Example of one of her outfits: GRM 167.2.
Her Name
Johanna (היוהנ), feminine of YoHanan, "The Eternal has shown Grace, has been favorable".[31]
Where is she mentioned in the Work?
GRM 102 GRM 104 GRM 107 GRM 151 GRM 157 GRM 158 GRM 167 GRM 174 GRM 198 GRM 199
GRM 204 GRM 211 GRM 214 GRM 215 GRM 224 GRM 226 GRM 281 GRM 285 GRM 286 GRM 287 GRM 290 GRM 293 GRM 294 GRM 299
GRM 309 GRM 312 GRM 334 GRM 335 GRM 338 GRM 344 GRM 346 GRM 348 GRM 350 GRM 362 GRM 366 GRM 367 GRM 368 GRM 369 GRM 370 GRM 371 GRM 373 GRM 378 GRM 399
GRM 400 GRM 401 GRM 402 GRM 415 GRM 427 GRM 433 GRM 437 GRM 438 GRM 439 GRM 441 GRM 442 GRM 445 GRM 446 GRM 447 GRM 448 GRM 461 GRM 462 GRM 463 GRM 488
GRM 549 GRM 560 GRM 562 GRM 566 GRM 567 GRM 568 GRM 571 GRM 574 GRM 576 GRM 578 GRM 579 GRM 580 GRM 581 GRM 582 GRM 583 GRM 584 GRM 586 GRM 590 GRM 596
GRM 604 GRM 608 GRM 614 GRM 619 GRM 622 GRM 626 GRM 627 GRM 630 GRM 638 GRM 641
Learn More About This Character
Excerpts from the Dictionary of Gospel Characters, according to Maria Valtorta (Msgr. René Laurentin, François-Michel Debroise, Jean-François Lavère, Éditions Salvator, 2012):
Saint Jeanne, wife of Chuza is commemorated on May 24th by the Catholic Church and on June 27th by the Orthodox. She is nicknamed "the myrrhbearer" in relation to the anointing of Christ. History and tradition contain no information about her except what Luke reports.[32] Yet she is a named character in the Gospel. She appears more than fifty times in the work of Maria Valtorta. A century after these events, Bar Kokhba, in revolt against Rome, takes refuge in Bether (Betar). Jeanne’s castle has become a fortress. The failure of the revolt leads to a bloodbath: 580,000 Jews are massacred.[33]
Notes and references
- ↑ GRM 107; GRM 562.
- ↑ 1 Chronicles 12:8-15.
- ↑ 1 Maccabees 2:42.
- ↑ GRM 224.5
- ↑ GRM 151.1
- ↑ John 4:46-53.
- ↑ GRM 151.1
- ↑ Luke 8:3.
- ↑ GRM 102.7
- ↑ Luke 8:3.
- ↑ GRM 335.14
- ↑ GRM 298.2-6
- ↑ GRM 299.3-8
- ↑ GRM 214.4
- ↑ GRM 370.1-24
- ↑ GRM 370.23
- ↑ GRM 400.4-6
- ↑ GRM 583.1
- ↑ GRM 580.1 ; GRM 581.3.
- ↑ GRM 608.17
- ↑ GRM 609.18
- ↑ GRM 614
- ↑ GRM 619
- ↑ GRM 281.11
- ↑ GRM 583.15
- ↑ GRM 624.4
- ↑ GRM 622.5.
- ↑ GRM 627.15
- ↑ GRM 622.1
- ↑ GRM 107.1
- ↑ Hebrew alphabet on croixsens.net
- ↑ Luke 8:2-3 ; Luke 24:10.
- ↑ Dion Cassius, Roman History, Book 69.