Discovery of the work
I discovered this work 10 years ago during the time of Lent through the book by J.F.Lavere while I was plunged into the darkness of a severe depression. Having only read a few pages, the imperative desire to read the work itself imposed itself. When I received it, I felt, to my astonishment, a deep joy. Each time I read it, I was captivated and seized. It was as if a ray of light came to illuminate my darkness. On Easter day, God, through a mystical experience, gave me the grace of a profound conversion and this work was the instrument.
Impact on faith
For me, this work has been the instrument of my encounter with Jesus. How can one not fall in love with Him when reading it? It has allowed me to hear the Gospels that I have been hearing without really understanding them since my childhood in a new way, making them alive and current. When I read this work, I am with Jesus, Mary, the apostles, I live in a way with them. In addition to the teachings of Jesus reported in much more detail than in the Gospels and which allow us to grasp their sometimes enigmatic aspects, it is the everyday life situations described that are an inexhaustible source of teaching because Jesus instructs as much by his way of being as by his Word! I find particularly edifying the way she makes us apprehend with strength and clarity the dual nature, human and divine of Jesus whose all qualities shine through in a striking way. Finally, this work has led me to rediscover the Old Testament and its close link with the New as well as to better understand the historical context of the time.
Graces received
It nourishes the contemplation and meditation of the life of Jesus and thus, prayer (particularly the Rosary) and oration, as well as it leads me to action, to put into practice the teachings of Jesus. The reported situations are so numerous that they allow for an in-depth study of the example Jesus gives us and it is a true guide to live in imitation of Jesus but also of Mary. Reading, rereading and meditating on it helps to immerse oneself more and more in the Spirit of Jesus, besides finding so many answers to the doctrinal questions of our time. I also find that this work helps to rediscover the sense of the sacred and to perceive the immense greatness and value of the Sacraments. Today, the Eucharist and the adoration of the Most Holy Sacrament are at the center of my days. The commitment in the Church to the catechumens, the organization of continuous adoration, and the help given to the poorest are the fruits of this, and the reading of Valtorta's work is one of the nourishments (after the Bible, of course!)
What would you say to someone hesitating to discover this work?
This work is a true gift of Divine Mercy that can only help us nourish our faith and our love for Christ and to live it by rediscovering the profound meaning of the Gospels that it illuminates. We cannot love Jesus without knowing him and the more we know him, the more we love him and this work makes us know him in a remarkable way!
Additional testimony
The richness and density of this work is such that it is difficult to talk about it in just a few words. This work, which I read and reread almost daily for 10 years and of which I share excerpts with my prayer group friends and goddaughters, is an essential nourishment of my spiritual life. I also hear, since discovering the writings of Louisa Piccarreta on the Divine Will, echoes of this Divine Will.
Every time I read it, it puts me in the presence of Jesus and all parts of my being are mobilized, spiritual, intellectual, emotional and affective. In times of battles or troubles or even great dryness, it helps me regain my footing and find Peace or the feeling of closeness with Jesus. The contemplation of the scenes so remarkably described permeates my daily life and His Words resonate in me constantly. What a precious tool when you want to respond to Jesus' burning desire to share every moment of our life with Him, and this, always more intimately!