Normandt' Catholic Meditations

[Normandt]

[Normandt]

310. Abide in Jesus


Jesus is Love. We have no reason to pull away from him. He is our joy. Let's take the example of food. As soon as we eat better, we feel better and with more vitality. Jesus leads us to spiritual vitality.

The desert is filled with Jesus's presence. It is there that he touches our hearts with his tenderness, compassion and mercy. Coming to Jesus leads to holiness. By a sustained journey toward him, we feel the benefits and much more vigour, intensity, endurance. Even if we seem to be used to this well-being with Jesus, let's continue.

According to Paul:

"God is righteous and justify the one who has faith in Jesus." Romans, chapter 3, verse 26

We have the best example in Jesus to receive what is right for us. That's what Paul recommends. May we abide in Jesus to receive what we need most, to continue on the road.

Book: ... for Love

Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

[Normandt]

311. We receive all



We need the Love of God, patience, peace, strength to go through hardships. We receive all this and more in Jesus, in the Church. It is the hope that fills the hearts of children.

All holiness and perfection of soul lies in our love for Jesus Christ our God, who is our Redeemer and our supreme good. It is part of the love of God to acquire and to nurture all the virtues which make a man perfect.

Has not God in fact won for himself a claim on all our love? From all eternity he has loved us. And it is in this vein that he speaks to us: "O man, consider carefully that I first loved you. You had not yet appeared in the light of day, nor did the world yet exist, but already I loved you. From all eternity I have loved you."

From a sermon Alphonse-Marie de Liguori on the Love of Christ, Office of readings, August 1, Tract. de praxi amandi Iesum Christum edit. latina. Romae, 1909, pp. 9-14

Sometimes we feel superb when we serve God and live in his Presence. May we never think we have succeeded though. This is a trap. We risk becoming lukewarm and let go of what we have lived for. The best way to make sure we move forward is to always deepen our faith through reading, teaching, Mass, to keep having questions and to search continually even if we think we have reached the goal.

Book: ... for Love
Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

[Normandt]

312. Whom you will serve



Joshua questions the people of Israel of what should be a priority, for us as well, to bring us back to basics:
"Decide today whom you will serve." Joshua, chapter 24, verse 15a

Let's choose who we want to serve. What is the god (other gods) to whom we give our life, our time, our habits, our desires? Is it to God? Where are our priorities? Is God first in our life? Joshua finishes and confirms:
"We also will serve the Lord, for he is our God." Joshua, chapter 24, verse 18b

We want to serve the Trinity. We want to follow Jesus, let ourselves be transformed by the Holy Spirit and be children (sons) of the same Father.

Are we really united to the Trinity wholeheartedly, with all our soul, with all our being? It's quite possible that we aren't. We are making efforts, but we know that we aren't succeeding alone in being captivated by the Trinity.

Let's ask God to come and surprise us with his presence and teach us how to love him, be Loved by him.

Book: ... for Love
Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

[Normandt]

313. Our relationship wiith Jesus



Jesus sent the Spirit to his Church to continue on his behalf to guide his family. The catechism is the fruit of the Holy Spirit transmitted to the authority of the Catholic Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (version 1999) is the christian reflection on what Jesus taught us, a Bible study, and all that the Church believes and teaches about the Testaments that complement each other, and that God has given as our heritage.

Let's ask Jesus to help us deepen our faith and our relationship to him by being firmly anchored in the Catholic Church. The Church conveys all the care we need by receiving it from God.

Jesus confers the authority of his Church to the Apostles and sends the Holy Spirit to nourish her in her roots. Let's subscribe, adhere to the Church of the Lord which continues to watch over the Body and Blood of Christ.

May Mary, our Mother of all, with Joseph, the Apostles and saints, teach us to take care of Jesus who is in our heart and to accept the teaching of the Church he has founded.

Book: The heart's mission
Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

[Normandt]

314. Let's pray with s. Joseph



Joseph, with Jesus and Mary, you knew hunger, uncertainty, and illness.
You turned your heart to God to lift up your needs and those of your family.
In faith you accepted the Father's response as events unfolded.

Be with me today as I offer my requests to the Father.

Joseph, help me recognize God's will as I open my hands to accept what God bestows in loving kindness. With tenderness, God fills creation with life and love. Open my eyes to the wonders that God works without ceasing.

Help me learn the true intention behind my request so that I may discover
within myself the lowly one that God commends. Amen.

I lift up my needs in prayer: Website of Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal:
saint-joseph.org/...spirituality/saint-joseph/prayers-to-saint-joseph/
Mary and Joseph, like all the saints, assist us with your prayers. Pray for us, with us!

Book: The heart's mission
Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

315. We hope


Through the liturgy, we celebrate the entrance to heaven. We hope for life in God and we give thanks for all the wonders he does in the world and in our lives.

Here is how it is expressed:
On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judah: 'A strong city have we; he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us. Open up the gates to let in a nation that is just, one that keeps faith.' Isaiah, chapter 26, verses 1 to 2

A sung canticle is part of the liturgy. Let's put our trust in God. Let's lean onto him. We will become the righteous nation, the believers who enter through the doorway to salvation.

Protection and salvation come from the Child Mary carries in her. This Child is the only one who can protect us and lead us as a nation of sheep to the enclosure of eternal joy. Generations have hoped for him. And we have the grace to know that this Child has come to Love and save us.

Book: The heart's mission
Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

[Normandt]

316. The House, the Church



The strong city is the Jerusalem on earth that represents the City of God, as also the Church, it is the New Jerusalem from above that nothing can destroy. To succeed:
"Trust in the Lord forever! For the Lord is an eternal Rock." Isaiah, chapter 26, verse 4

The house, the Church that is built on the rock that is Jesus, is our life that is built on the faith of the Apostles and on the promise of God for our salvation. Many will be converted because they will see us walking behind Jesus, walking on the mission road.

Jesus tells us:
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven." Matthew, chapter 7, verse 21

Let's seek Jesus, or even simpler, let's find Him. Let's become available. Let's welcome him as Mary welcomed him into her and learn from him all that is necessary for the pilgrimage here below and to present ourselves to heaven in thanksgiving.

Mary did not run after Jesus. The Holy Spirit simply offered to receive him. It's too simple to receive Jesus. Let's try it, to receive him in our heart. We don't have to beg, we only need to ask him to reveal himself in our heart. May he take off the veil we place before him.

Let's continue to deepen our relationship with Jesus just as Mary carries him in her and Joseph welcomes him into him, in his own way. Let's welcome him as we are. It is our mission, our personal base.

Book: The heart's mission
Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

[Normandt]

317. To know Jesus



Paul offers us his thoughts:
Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma. Ephesians, chapter 4, verse 32 to chapter 5, verse 2

To unite ourselves with God's plan, it's necessary to know Jesus. Then we will become: "kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving".

Book: The heart's mission
Normand Thomas