The Notebooks of 1943

**THE Notebooks of 1943**
Work Details
Cover page - CEV - 2003
Author	Maria Valtorta
Writing Period	From April 22 to December 31, 1943
Pages	632
First Italian Edition
Title	I Quaderni del 1943
Publication	1976
Publisher	Tipografia editrice E. Pisani
French Translation 1st Edition
Title	The Notebooks of 1943
Translator	-
Publication	1985
Publisher	Centro Editoriale Valtortiano
French Translation 2nd Edition
Translator	Bianca Zagolin
Preface	David G. Murray
Publication	2003
Publisher	Centro Editoriale Valtortiano
ISBN	978-8879870917

The three volumes of the Notebooks gather a set of spiritual, doctrinal, biblical, and sometimes autobiographical writings which do not belong to The Gospel as It Was Revealed to Me but are received in parallel.

In fact, it was only in 1944 that Maria Valtorta received the first visions of what would become her monumental life of Jesus. Just as He extensively prepared her to become "the instrument" of His gift, so too with these preparatory dictations, He will help us deepen the Catholic faith by explaining all its fundamentals such as the Gospel, Grace, the Trinity, the Eucharist, the Our Father, the Hail Mary, etc., and by opening us to a reading of the world, its condition, and its destiny.

Excerpts from the Preface

"On April 23, 1943, Good Friday, Maria Valtorta received the first of a series of “dictations” attributed mainly to the Christ, but also, occasionally, to God the Father, the Holy Spirit, Mary, and other persons associated with the divine Revelation. These dictations will unfold over many years that essentially coincide with the time during which, responding to the Christ’s invitation, she contemplated the main episodes of the life of the Redeemer and made the account.
This new phase of her human, and especially spiritual, development did not manifest suddenly; it was preceded by years of progressive union with Christ, culminating in an act of self-sacrifice by which Maria Valtorta offered herself as a “Victim Soul” willing to cooperate in the work of redemption.
The extent of her production and the sources to which she ascribes it make it an extraordinary spiritual event in this century, deserving careful consideration…
The entirety of Maria Valtorta’s work is thoroughly marked by an intense perception of “Catholicity,” that is, the deep sense of being a Catholic believer at this moment in our history, as well as a lively awareness of the twenty centuries of Christendom that have passed and the challenges awaiting the Church and all humanity.
The Notebooks collected in this volume were all written in 1943, in the midst of the War worldwide […] One of the dominant notes of these texts is the fusion of the force with which Christ asserts His divine filiation and His unique role in time and eternity, and the tenderness of His way of approaching troubled Souls and patiently seeking to raise them to faith, hope, and love, through the humility of His sacrifice and their cooperation. He repeatedly emphasizes the importance of purifying all believers — and religious attitudes themselves — from any impurity…
David G. Murray.

Contents of the Work

April

22. Like a violet at the foot of the cross.
23. Good Friday: first dictation of Jesus on co-Redemption.
24. Holy Saturday: Mary of Magdala (Magdalene) and the resurrection.

May

1. The sacrifice of little innocent victims of the War.
10. The miraculous birth of a lily.
13. Doubts and hesitations, visions and Presence of Jesus.
14. Beatitude of supernatural conversations.
19. Only the work of God remains.
21. Confessions granted to Souls by confident intercession.
22. The mystical experience of fusion in God.
24. Reflections on the goodness of the Father.
28. God works Good in the Soul.
31. Purification by love and sacramental union with God.

June

1. The penance of co-redeemers.
2. The ingratitude of humans toward the infinite love of Jesus.
3. The Gospel, a lasting sign of divine power.
4. Reparation to the Heart of God in the Eucharist.
5. The second coming of Christ: the hour of judgment. Supplication to Our Lady of Sorrows.
6. Nature and effects of Grace.
7. Vigilance of the Soul to preserve Grace. The refusal of Grace. Considerations on the purpose of sufferings.
8. Vanity of all science without the Spirit of love. Necessity to desire salvation.
9. Offering to God of legitimate sadness.
10. The effects of the Eucharist.
11. Understanding and Consolation of Jesus.
12. The conquest and domination of the Soul by love. The salvation of the world through victim Souls.
13. Preparation of the Soul to the Home of the Holy Spirit.
14. The Invisible Stigmata of pain. Invitation to prayer for enough worthy priests.
15. The Temptation of Doubt. Invitation to prayer for nuns.
16. The necessity of sacrifice by victim Souls. Penance, sacrifice, and charity Against the corruption of sin.
17. Human prudence and supernatural prudence.
18. The Eucharist, miraculous nourishment.
19. The Struggle of Angels Against demons. Mary, model of eternally eucharistic life.
20. The Eucharist, gift of the Heart of Jesus.
21. The Soul, a cistern of Grace in the desert.
22. Never lose sight of God.
23. Mary, ciborium of the Eucharist and co-Redemptrix by her suffering. Vision of Mary.
24. Maria’s “little Horeb”. Jesus-Eucharist and innocent Souls among the ruins of the War.
25. Detachment from earthly things.
26. Casting off all spiritual anguish to fix on God.
27. The sweet light of Mary.
28. The parable of the Wedding Banquet. Prayer to the Precious Blood.
29. Sharing the word of God.
30. Mercy and forgiveness, the Lord’s hands tied. Detachment from human affections.

July

1. Persistence of Temptation. The mystery of the divine Trinity.
2. The great pain of Mary, co-Redemptrix. The bent Woman of the Gospel.
3. The two kinds of infirmities and divine possession.
4. Mary, bridge between heaven and earth. The penance of victims. The Temptation of fatigue and fear.
5. The militant Church, garden of the royal palace. The true believers.
6. The second mystical conception of Mary.
7. Explanation of the “Our Father”.
8. The sublime and total gift of the divine Blood.
9. Deliverance from original sin.
10. Spiritual love between parents and children.
11. Peace, sign of true love. Qualities of the Beloved disciple.
12. Reparation to the Eucharist.
13. Possession of the kingdom of God by suffering and charity.
14. The Presence of God in all humans and the apostolate of mercy.
15. Comfort and teaching of Jesus.
16. True and generous love, source of life and eternal sweetness.
17. The Soul must be worked like a natural fiber.
18. How to use the dictations facing the rationalism of our time. Refusal of the Love emanating from the Three Persons.
19. Gift of the Word to the pure and the converts.
20. The choice of Peter as head of the Church. Horrible vision of the Beast.
21. Wickedness and Pride in the world: humanity has not heeded Christ’s offering.
22. Jesus’ love for Italy; its just punishment for sinful Italians.
23. Unworthy priests, stars fallen from the firmament. The reign of The Antichrist.
24. Mercy to Save sinners.
25. Explanation of two miracles of the Gospel.
26. Love and forgive to be forgiven.
27. Courage to bear witness to faith in danger.
28. Prayer and suffering to avoid the ultimate fault.
29. Commentary on Isaiah passages: misuse of power.
30. Commentary on Isaiah: the Church, the earthly Jerusalem.

August

1. Faith, essential to salvation.
2. Condemnation of rationalism.
3. Night of suffering with Jesus.
4. Condemnation of those who kill the spirit.
5. Commentary on an Apocalypse passage: spirit-dead and spirit-alive.
6. Those who curse and those who lack love.
7. Commentary on an Apocalypse passage: forgiveness of sinners and eternal horror for the impious.
8. Intimate advice from Jesus.
9. Reasons for a long life. Moment of Ecstasy.
10. Commentary on Jeremiah: the need for pure prayer.
11. Offering suffering for the salvation of the world.
12. Immolation out of love makes one greater than Angels. The parable of the pearl.
13. Advice of the Lord to Father Migliorini and Maria. Vision of Jesus carrying the cross.
14. The communion of saints.
15. Contamination of prayer for Peace by belligerents’ selfish interests.
16. The human and divine primogeniture of Christ. Spiritual path of the human after the fall.
17. At the dazzling light of His return, sinners will Contemplate the wounds of Christ.
18. The conquerors of the flesh and the demon.
19. The Hidden manna of the Word.
20. The time has not yet come: precursors of The Antichrist and signs of the end.
21. The masters and martyrs of the faith. Satan’s War behind the War of men.
22. The demons, rivals of Angels. The seven plagues and demonic Doctrines: the reign of great Babylon. First and second death, first and second resurrection.
23. Teaching to father and Maria to guide them in their Mission.
24. Madame Curie: perfect humanity and imperfect spirituality.
25. Presence of the Lord wherever His brothers suffer.
26. Perfection and immutability of true faith.
27. Details on the unfolding of the Apocalypse.
28. Eternal knowledge of God and the eternal immolation of Christ.
29. Meritorious value of obedience to God.
30. Overcoming Trials by faith and with the help of the Sacraments.
31. Current manifestations, fruit of internal corruption and misuse of God’s gifts.

September

1. Christ, Cyrenean of Maria; and Mary, His Veronica.
2. Jesus, sun and vintner of the Soul for divine harvests.
3. “The "Hail Mary" (Ave Maria)”; exhortation to pray to Mary.
4. “Full of Grace”: Mary’s perfect correspondence to grace’s intervention in her.
5. “The Lord is with you”: Mary’s perfect union with God.
6. “Blessed among all Women”: masterpiece of creation, redeemer of humanity.
7. “Blessed is the fruit of your womb”: Mary’s glory and pain.
8. Vision of the smiling and silent Virgin.
10. Mission of the “little Christ”: to love and transmit the Word.
11. Condemnation of violators of the mysteries beyond.
12. Necessity for the Christ spokesperson of humility and generosity. Description of the vision of light that is Mary’s glorified body.
13. The Father’s abandonment and Mary’s tears.
14. The places where Christ’s Blood was shed and their meaning.
15. Mary, co-Redemptrix, mistress of pain, except in childbirth and death.
16. Commentary of Joel on the last times.
17. The immutable law of God. Destiny: knowledge of God and human freedom.
18. The human, maker of his destiny; knowing how to obey following Jesus and Mary’s example.
19. Detailed description of Mary’s vision.
20. Love and humility among her spokespersons: reproaches of the Lord to materialistic and proud priests.
22. Example of the three just Gentiles.
23. Two necessities: love and penance.
24. Imitation of Christ in suffering, gentleness, and humility to combat Pride, wrath, and lust, works of Satan.
25. Condemnation of adultery.
26. Chastity of spouses, co-creators with the Father.
27. The essence of faith: acceptance of God’s word in its entirety.
28. Peter, an example of limited faith.
29. The denyers of God.
30. The sign of the true disciple.

October

1. Rediscovering the true meaning of prayer and Religious Practices.
2-3. Imminent death of Maria’s mother: Jesus’ exhortation to offer her suffering and Heart.
4. Her mother’s death: Jesus’ consolation.
5. Faith in Jesus softens pain.
7. The Eucharist, guarantee of eternal life.
8. Mercy of the Lamb of love.
9. Death, temporary separation. The predestined in God’s service.
10. Herod: example of a man deaf and disobedient to the Spirit; true death, separation from God. The love of God, perfect knowledge.
11. Ecstasy of fusion in God, fruit of a creature’s love.
12. Leaving earthly things and preparing one’s Soul to join God by love.
13. Leaving unhealthy Doctrines and reading the laws of obedience and harmony in the universe; imitating the Master in all. Poverty of spirit: living in the world, but detached from the world.
14. Supernatural interpretation of Wisdom and the Song of Songs. Violence of love-fusion.
15. The praises of the bridegroom to his Beloved applied to Mary’s physical and spiritual purity. Ugliness, consequence of sin.
16. The lesson of Christ on the cross on the immense value of the spirit.
17. The Fire of love of Purgatory.
18. Casting off everything to seek only God.
19. Conclusion of commentary on the Song of Songs: the stratagems of love.
20. The miracle: Maria, like the bent Woman, is healed.
21. Expiation by love in Purgatory.
23. The prophecy of Obadiah applied to Italy.
24. Fulfillment for Italy of Isaiah’s prophecy to King Hezekiah; renewed plea for prayers.
25. Loving obedience, sole duty toward the Father. The author’s Mission will bear Fruit after her death.
26. The two different tones of divine communications.
27. The Baptism of Fire, pain and joy for the elect. Prayer to Jesus-Eucharist.
28. Grave responsibilities of heads of state and priests.
29. Events of the last times.
30. Severe judgment of the mighty.
31. The little death of the flesh and the great death of the spirit.

November

1. The Eucharist, source of wisdom and possession of God.
2. State of Soul and impressions of Maria during a bombardment.
3. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, models of obedience. Description of the ways the Lord manifests Himself.
4. Maria’s biblical culture and Jesus’ commentary to her on Scripture passages. Importance of never contaminating God’s thought by human thought or betraying it.
5. Idolatry of the senses and power.
6. God’s mercy for those who fall by snare or weakness.
8. “Now and at the hour of our death”: pray to the Virgin.
9. The increase of evil prepares The Antichrist.
10. The parable of the sower applied to the evils of rationalism. Transformation of victims’ pain into eternal joy.
11. The role of the Church at the end of times.
12. The last battle.
13. Required qualities of priests.
14. Paternal love and forgiveness in priests, heroic sacrifice and immolation.
15. Intellectual vision of the Father’s love.
16. Condemnation of occult powers.
17. Precursors of Christ Against precursors of The Antichrist.
18. Reward of faithful servants.
19. Loss of freedom in the hands of the precursors of Evil.
20. Dangers of knowledge and prideful reason. Praise to the Pope. Virgin’s caresses to Maria: Ecstasy.
21. True life, life of the spirit. Tears, Hair, and the perfume of the sinner.
22. The total gift leading to the fusion of love.
23. Preparing the ways of the Lord and reading the Lord’s name in the book of the universe.
24. Words of the Father.
25. Convergence of the love of the Three Persons in Mary’s creation.
26. The fallen Jerusalem.
27. Mary’s Ecstasy at the birth of the Word.
28. Light, sign of the Lord’s birth.
29. Daniel’s prayer.
30. The eternal Father celebrates the birth of the Son.

December

1. Transformation of Mary by the love of the flesh she carries within her.
2. Impossibility of supernatural happiness and wellbeing without God. The Lord’s return and establishment of the reign of Peace. Condemnation of racism. Mary’s love.
3. The conqueror of Satan; disobedience to God, humanity’s greatest sin. Mary, luminous and humble Virgin.
4. Christ, East and Sun that never sets, second creator of the Temple of the spirit, supreme priest.
5. Condemnation of hypocritical Religious Practices. The “conversation in the heavens”. Different degrees of understanding of divine mysteries in Mary and Joseph.
6. Jesus awaits His people’s repentance.
7. Greatness of the Lord in His abasement. Greatness of Mary in her obedience and purity.
8. Mary’s life with her Son from childhood to death. The shared torment of Mother and Son at Golgotha. Beginning of the painful spiritual Maternity at the foot of the cross.
9. Instructions to the Pope. To Believe without evidence.
11. Confirmation of Zechariah’s prophecy by John’s: the precursor sign of the end times will come from the very errors of the Church enslaved to political power. Divine origin of the dictations. Virgin’s prayer to the Word.
12. The victim Souls.
13. Comfort and encouragement of victims.
14. The second glorious mystery.
15. Supernatural joy of the simple. Remaining in God amid the agitation of the world.
16. Obedience, sign of God’s servants.
17. Unbelief, plague of our time. Symbolic vision of fallen and guilty priests.
18. Third glorious mystery. Fourth glorious mystery. Fifth glorious mystery.
19. The eternal validity of the Decalogue.
20. Critique of Darwinian theory.
21. Peace in the world at the birth of Christ.
22. Recognition and love toward the Father and freedom of the human being.
23. The duty to pray for those who cannot. Obedience to authorities; their duty of justice.
24. The just and the sinner. The Master must repeat Himself.
25. The remembrance of the Ecstasy of the Son’s birth, Mary’s strength and Consolation in pain. Vision of the Madonna and Child.
26. Mystical accompaniment of Maria by the Virgin.
27. The teaching of John, apostle and evangelist. The Mission of the four evangelists.
28. Jesus' Circumcision, first pain and consecration. The blood of the innocents.
29. The holy Name of Jesus celebrated by the Father. Condemnation of the Italian people, chosen by the Lord. Invitation to the Pope to watch and pray. Vision of Jesus and His Mother. Christ’s explanation of His wounds in His hands.
30. Jesus’ mercy.
31. “All is possible with God”.

Notes and References