Johanna of Chuza

From Wiki Maria Valtorta
Drawing of Johanna of Chuza and Chuza by Lorenzo Ferri according to the indications of Maria Valtorta. Source: documentary collection of the Maria Valtorta Heritage Foundation.

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 what you want, Lord. I surrender all to you: my past, my present, my Future. I owe you everything and I give you everything back. Give to your servant what you know is best."[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:
"Jeanne wants to persuade (Elise) to leave Bet-Çur and come to her castle. And she will succeed because she is gentle as a dove but firm as granite when she wants."[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]-[20]

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.[21] Overcome by fatigue and emotion, she suffers a fainting spell.[22] 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.[23]  

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.[24] 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[25] and had always had an ambiguous attitude towards Jesus. She suffered because of it.[26] Now Chuza fears for his social position and forbids her to venerate the memory of the Savior. He has also dismissed Jonathas, his steward.[27] 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 give life to Chuza! He has left faith!..." Jeanne starts crying again. Mary takes her in her arms: "Stronger than faith is love. It is the most active virtue. It is through it that you will create Chuza’s new soul. Do not fear. But I will help you."[28]
Jesus holds her up as an example when He appears late in the day to the Apostles:
"The weak wife of Chuza? In reality, she surpasses you all! She is the first martyr of my faith."[29]
He no doubt alludes to the trial she experiences in her marriage and social standing.[30]

Character and Physical Appearance

Jeanne is gentle and shy. She is a very beautiful Woman, taller than her husband. According to Maria Valtorta:
"She resembles a tall and flexible palm tree crowned by a graceful head with deep, black, and very gentle eyes. Her thick hair, jet black in color, is carefully combed. Her smooth and clear forehead appears even whiter against this dark color. Her small, well-shaped mouth stands out with its natural red color in the middle of cheeks of delicate paleness, like the petals of some camellias. She is a very beautiful Woman..."[31]

Example of one of her outfits: EMV 167.2.

Her Name

Johanna (היוהנ), feminine of YoHanan, "The Eternal has shown Grace, has been favorable".[32]

Where is she mentioned in the Work?

EMV 99

EMV 102 EMV 104 EMV 107 EMV 151 EMV 157 EMV 158 EMV 167 EMV 174 EMV 198 EMV 199

EMV 204 EMV 211 EMV 214 EMV 215 EMV 224 EMV 226 EMV 281 EMV 285 EMV 286 EMV 287 EMV 290 EMV 293 EMV 294 EMV 299

EMV 309 EMV 312 EMV 334 EMV 335 EMV 338 EMV 344 EMV 346 EMV 348 EMV 350 EMV 362 EMV 366 EMV 367 EMV 368 EMV 369 EMV 370 EMV 371 EMV 373 EMV 378 EMV 399

EMV 400 EMV 401 EMV 402 EMV 415 EMV 427 EMV 433 EMV 437 EMV 438 EMV 439 EMV 441 EMV 442 EMV 445 EMV 446 EMV 447 EMV 448 EMV 461 EMV 462 EMV 463 EMV 488

EMV 549 EMV 560 EMV 562 EMV 566 EMV 567 EMV 568 EMV 571 EMV 574 EMV 576 EMV 578 EMV 579 EMV 580 EMV 581 EMV 582 EMV 583 EMV 584 EMV 586 EMV 590 EMV 596

EMV 604 EMV 608 EMV 614 EMV 619 EMV 622 EMV 626 EMV 627 EMV 630 EMV 638 EMV 641

Learn More About This Character

Excerpts from the Dictionary of Gospel Characters, according to Maria Valtorta (Mgr René Laurentin, François-Michel Debroise, Jean-François Lavère, Éditions Salvator, 2012):
Saint Jeanne, Woman 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.[33]-[34] 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.[35]

Notes and references

  1. ↑ EMV 107; EMV 562.
  2. ↑ 1 Chronicles 12:8-15.
  3. ↑ 1 Maccabees 2:42.
  4. ↑ EMV 224.5
  5. ↑ EMV 151.1
  6. ↑ John 4:46-53.
  7. ↑ EMV 151.1
  8. ↑ Luke 8:3.
  9. ↑ EMV 102.7
  10. ↑ Luke 8:3.
  11. ↑ EMV 335.14
  12. ↑ EMV 298.2-6
  13. ↑ EMV 299.3-8
  14. ↑ EMV 214.4
  15. ↑ EMV 370.1-24
  16. ↑ EMV 370.23
  17. ↑ EMV 400.4-6
  18. ↑ EMV 583.1
  19. ↑ EMV 580.1
  20. ↑ EMV 581.3
  21. ↑ EMV 608.17
  22. ↑ EMV 609.18
  23. ↑ EMV 614
  24. ↑ EMV 619
  25. ↑ EMV 281.11
  26. ↑ EMV 583.15
  27. ↑ EMV 624.4
  28. ↑ EMV 622.4
  29. ↑ EMV 627.15
  30. ↑ EMV 622.1
  31. ↑ EMV 107.1
  32. ↑ Hebrew alphabet on croixsens.net
  33. ↑ Luke 8:2-3
  34. ↑ Luke 24:10
  35. ↑ Dion Cassius, Roman History, Book 69.
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