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Post by Normandt on Dec 3, 2020 13:55:48 GMT
166. How many times! How many times do we have to forgive, asks Peter? Here is Jesus’s answer: “Seventy-seven times.” Matthew, chapter 18, verse 22 Jesus answers as only God can answer. Forgive all the time. Do not stop forgiving. This is another way of liberating the world and especially of converting us to God’s Heart. It’s not always easy to understand, especially if we’re experiencing a painful injustice. But to forgive remains the best heart remedy for us, and for the people of our time. To forgive in our heart is a mission. Teaching others to forgive is evangelization. And when we confess, we free people from our mistakes. Book: Watch with faith Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Dec 3, 2020 21:14:18 GMT
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Post by Normandt on Dec 4, 2020 12:21:19 GMT
167. The Doctor Jesus declares: “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” Matthew, chapter 9, verses 12 to 13 Ah well, it’s surprising! Jesus calls “sinners” to him. He Lo-o-o-o-ves sinners! Not because he encourages us to sin, but because he knows that our request for forgiveness will heal us and grant us peace of heart. His Love will be able to go through our life. Jesus comes not for the ones who are well, but for the sick, for those who need the Doctor. To acknowledge that we are sinners, to recognize that we need Jesus, to recognize that we need the Doctor is already a step ahead. Book: Watch with faith Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Dec 4, 2020 23:01:48 GMT
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Post by Normandt on Dec 5, 2020 12:29:46 GMT
168. Mission school May we recognize that Jesus is Lord and saves us from evil and sin. Jesus sends his disciples to learn at the mission school. He sends us there too. He tells us, “Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” It’s reassuring. We are all called to him. Here and now, he asks us to be merciful. It’s difficult for us to become “righteous”, but it’s to become righteous that we are called to be. We are sinners and yet we are asked to offer to others what God offers us. God’s justice is what he transmits to us through Love; joy, peace, mercy, hope, etc. Let’s offer them too. In this way, we will always be searching, standing, walking. The school of life and faith in Jesus is just beginning. Let’s remain in the mission and stay awake to seek the Doctor. Here we’re on the road to follow Jesus and we want to enter salvation, freely. Book: Watch with faith Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Dec 5, 2020 20:09:08 GMT
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Post by Normandt on Dec 6, 2020 12:07:41 GMT
169. The church is growing The Holy Spirit passes in hearts and between people. The Church is moving when its members become fervent. The Church is growing and the Holy Spirit is helping to multiply its members. John writes in his first letter: “Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.” 1 John, chapter 3, verse 18 What seems most difficult in the mission is to mention what is needed at the appropriate time or for the appropriate activity, meeting. It is about being in the best disposition of ourselves and knowing the one we’re talking about, in truth. Are we really talking about God? Even though sometimes the deeds and words are not always in accord with the Gospels, since we are not perfect, let’s continue to improve our relationship with people. And if we succeed, may we remember that we have done only what we could. Book: The Fruit that lasts Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Dec 6, 2020 23:39:33 GMT
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Post by Normandt on Dec 7, 2020 11:53:31 GMT
170. Balance “Behold, this too is vanity. Here is a man who has laboured with wisdom and knowledge and skill, and to another, who has not laboured over it, he must leave his property. This also is vanity and a great misfortune. For what profit comes to a man from all the toil and anxiety of heart with which he has laboured under the sun?” Ecclesiastes, chapter 2, verses 1 and 21 to 22 We are invited to invest ourselves with balance. Some people try to achieve everything and they are so engaged in all kinds of activities that they don’t realize that they are harming their health … even sometimes the health of others. What are our priorities? Can we offer more of our services to the Church, for the world? Do we carry out activities that will bring us closer to a relationship with Jesus and help others to know him? Or are we just looking to put on a show, to look good, occupied? It’s always easier to participate in the life of the Church than to leave the work to one or two people. It’s also necessary that those who work in the Church leave some space for others. Book: The Fruit that lasts Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Dec 7, 2020 11:54:25 GMT
posted twice
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Post by Normandt on Dec 7, 2020 21:01:54 GMT
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Post by Normandt on Dec 8, 2020 13:06:02 GMT
171. Talents Let’s invest in something that resembles us, brings us together and reflects our talents, supported by the teaching of the Church. It may seem simple, but it’s good to think about it properly to fit and meet our talents. Each person has his own charisms. It’s also recommended to ask the Holy Spirit what would be best for us to achieve. There are always people in the Church who hold on despite the adversity of everything that keeps the world away from churches. They hold on and that keeps the Church fruitful. They receive courage and tenacity from Our Lord. Glory be to Jesus! Paul tells us: “Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.” Colossians, chapter 3, verse 2 May all that we do for the people be inspired by the realities from above. The realities of the earth are good and pleasant, like picking strawberries, but the realities of heaven are superior to them, like the fruit of charity toward people. Book: The Fruit that lasts Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Dec 9, 2020 11:45:14 GMT
172. Seeds Jesus invites us to think: “Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?” Luke, chapter 12, verse 14 Jesus is not a judge as we may think. He doesn’t judge us as we often do. He lets us judge of what we achieve. He lets us decide if we want to share the goods of the kingdom of God that we carry within us. He even questions us. He wonders why we perceive him as a judge, in the sense of a referee. Let’s ask Jesus to help recognize in us what we can share of our spiritual life, so that his Heart overflows on people and between hearts. As the fields and the valleys are full of fruits and vegetables that feed us, all our actions and words are full of divine and beneficial seeds for those around us. Let’s gather the fruits of paradise and fill our baskets with hope, faith, charity and also prudence, temperance, strength and justice; the strength and righteousness that are from the Love of God, and offer them to all, so that they too may discover the beauty and wonder of the divine fields of God. Book: The Fruit that lasts Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Dec 9, 2020 19:54:49 GMT
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Post by Normandt on Dec 10, 2020 13:15:33 GMT
173. Mutual aid If there are people who can help in one area or another, mechanics, caretaking, fraternal listening, helping one of the members in one of his needs, according to their talents, the help will be appreciated and they will receive a hundredfold from the Lord. It would be easier to have about twenty people who offer their services than just a few who do everything. That doesn’t prevent that the generosity is at hand when there is an important work to accomplish in the churches. Often people give themselves without counting in big events. Many people offer their services discreetly, without anyone being aware. All these people are generous. To leave our task, when there’s no one to assume it and to take over, for example, is to take risks, it’s mortgaging the immediate future of the responsibilities and the activities of evangelization in the church. Let’s think of other people who could share our tasks, while we still have the capacity to do them. In this way, if something happens to us, a loss of health, an accident or a new job, a new opportunity for example, we know that the mission will continue. In addition, it allows others to walk in faith as they offer their services. Book: The Fruit that lasts Normand Thomas
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