Discovery of the work
I discovered The Poem of the Man-God, or The Gospel as Revealed to Me, through my sister, an avid reader and advocate of Maria Valtorta.
Impact on love for the Gospel
The Poem of the Man-God brings the Gospel to life, so much so that you LIVE THE GOSPEL, because as you read every scene shown to and described by Valtorta, you feel present for and are edified by it. We are shown the broad strokes of God's love and the lives of the characters in Scripture, which is sufficient, but in this Work we're shown the minute details; and when I see in-depth what Mary/Jesus gifted, sacrificed, and endured for others, including ME, my gratitude, love, and desire to be obedient grow. There's a scene of Jesus sobbing in intense prayer with hope to the Father for the saving of Judas, despite already KNOWING it would never come, of Judas's own free will. This scene alone demonstrates incalculable faith, hope, love, and the power of free will, and teaches us—who are not omniscient as God is—to persevere in loving every soul with all we have, no matter what. Jesus and others are no longer characters I hope to meet and know in Heaven one day in the future, but rather, I know Them more than I thought possible in the present because of having "lived" with Them in the past.
Concrete impact on faith life
I speak not only for myself, but for my children, as well as my husband, who is currently undergoing RCIA classes, when I say that the Work, for example, helps us to understand and prepare ourselves for receiving the Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, as well as recognize and resist temptation by Satan and his servants, and it has also deepened our understanding and practice of faith, prayer, sacrifice, humility, and love.
What would you say to someone who hesitates to discover this work?
Jesus said to Maria Valtorta, "Also nowadays, as twenty centuries ago, good people—those of good will [who read the Work]—will have the good reactions of the shepherds and of humble people. The others [who read without a good will] will react in a wicked manner, like the scribes, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and priests of those days. One gives what one has."