I am coming to banish the excessive fear that My creatures have of Me, and to show them that My joy lies in being known and loved by My children . . . I am coming to bring hope to men and nations . . . to make Myself known just as I am, so that men’s trust may increase, together with their trust for Me, their Father. I have but one concern: to watch over all men and love them as My children.
I wish men to know as soon as possible that I love them and that I feel the greatest happiness in being with them and talking with them; like a father with his children. I am the Eternal One and, when I was alone, I had already thought of using all My power to create beings in My image . . . In the Old Testament, I created and chose prophets to live among men. To them I told My desires, My sorrows and My joys, so that they could communicate them to everyone . . . I have always wished to remain in this world among men. So, during the Flood, I was close to Noah: the only just man then. In the other calamities, also, I always found a just man with whom I could stay and, through him, I lived among the men of that time, and it has always been thus . . . I continued to choose certain souls in whom I was pleased, because through them I could be happy with My creatures: men.
When I realized that neither the patriarchs nor the prophets had been able to make Me known and loved by men, I decided to come Myself . . . in the Second Person of My divinity. Would men know Me? Would they listen to Me? . . . I Myself answered these two questions: ‘They will ignore My presence, even though they will be near Me. In My Son they will treat Me cruelly, notwithstanding all the good He will do for them. In My Son they will speak ill of Me, they will crucify Me to bring about My death. Shall I stop because of this? No, My love for My children, men, is too great’ . . . If one of My creatures had been enough to atone for the sins of other men, through a life and death similar to those of My Son, I would have hesitated. Why? Because I would have betrayed My love by making a beloved creature suffer, rather than suffering Myself, in My Son.
Now this love has been forgotten, I want to remind you of it, so that you can learn to know Me as I am. So that you will not be, like slaves, afraid of a Father Who loves you so much . . . I am your Father! I am the best of Fathers! I know My creatures’ weaknesses! Come to Me, come with confidence and love! I will forgive you after you have repented. Even if your sins were as repulsive as mud, your confidence and your love will make Me forget them, so you will not be judged! You must come to Me, I am so close to you! You must love Me and honor Me, so that you will not be judged. Or rather, that you will be judged with infinitely merciful love.
If My Heart were not like this, I would have already destroyed the world every time it committed sins! . . . No one has yet understood the infinite desire of My divine, paternal Heart to be known, loved and honored by all men, the just and the sinful. These are the three gifts that I wish to receive in homage from men, so that I may always be merciful and good even towards the most hardened sinners . . . I have not yet received this special veneration which I have so much hoped for and which I desire so much (Ravasio, 1932/1994).
