Solomon is the son of David and he becomes king of Israel. He is at a stage in his life where he understands the need to become one of God’s friends.
He wants to follow a straight path and become more anchored in the truth. He wishes to do well as a child who knows he’s loved. Solomon has a special relationship with God.
King Solomon gives us a very good idea of a person who lives a conversion. He leaped faithfully. He asks God:
“Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong. For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?” 1 Kings, chapter 3, verse 9
Judgment is not a method of judging recklessly the negative experience of the lives of others. Instead, it’s a way of being awake to what others are living, praying for them and guiding them to God when necessary.
We could say, “Give us a heart of judgment to love our neighbour, to discern between good and evil. To help in the good and to deliver evil to God. Who could …More

“I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.” Luke, chapter 15, verse 7
To dare to testify is to give thanks to God for the wonders he accomplishes in our life. His wonders are always in us, but we have a tendency to be embarrassed, to stay away from them, to let ourselves go astray, to search everywhere without finding an answer or without others offering us one.
God Loves his wonder, the treasure that we are, since he creates us with his Love. He can do nothing else but Love us.
Personally, I thank those who are around me, witnesses of faith. They transmitted to me the taste of God and the desire to follow Jesus.
Many other people have been role models for me. To name one would be injustice to others. Those who read these lines and feel concerned about having participated in my life of faith, consider that you are among those who helped me to know and follow Jesus.…More

When we realize that there’s evil in the world, it is because we’re in the grace of the prophet. Our eyes open, our stomach shudder. We’re the people sent who can introduce the goodness. We must continue to carry God’s Love to others. We are prophets thanks to our Baptism.
The Gospel of John allows us to know God more deeply. By his writings he enables us to become disciples of Jesus. It opens wide the doors to the mysteries that surround the life of Christ, as the other three evangelists did also.
If Father Marie-Eugene of the Infant-Jesus is able to become blessed, only by being a witness of the faith of Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross and Therese of the Infant-Jesus, meditating their lives in the light of Christ, let’s imagine what the writings of John the Evangelist and the texts of the Bible can achieve in our life, through the light of Christ!
John’s mission, the mission of the prophet is to open a path, so that we can meet Jesus, our Lord, the Love of the Holy Spirit and know …More

Jesus is the Word. At the time Jesus lived on earth, the people also had to understand it. He says all he has to say and the Word will only be understood by the opening of people’s hearts. Jesus’ Word is complete. We understand it imperfectly, by the way, because of the evolution of our time and because of the evolution of our thoughts and our heart. We must go beyond what limits us, return to the foundation to understand it.
Many prophets receive the Book to swallow. Now it’s John’s turn:
“I went up to the angel and told him to give me the small scroll. He said to me, ‘Take and swallow it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will taste as sweet as honey.’” Revelation, chapter 10, verse 9
A prophet is one who swallows the Word of God, it’s sweet and tastes honey, but in the stomach it’s bitter.
The bitterness of being unable to do anything, of feeling useless in the face of a world that is struggling and suffering. But in the mouth, the honey of the one who offered his …More

God said to Ezekiel,
“Son of man, go now to the house of Israel, and speak my words to them. Not to a people with difficult speech and barbarous language am I sending you.” Ezekiel, chapter 3, verses 4 to 5
Ezekiel receives from God the Word and at the same time Love. And what is asked of him is to go and bring the Word and the Love of God to the house of Israel: “Go now!”
By accepting God’s request, Ezekiel can help improve the lives of people in Israel. He can transmit the Word of God aware of the epoch in which he is and to the society to which he is sent. He will adapt to their language and their customs to pass the messages that God wants for the people.
Of course, he will not speak of Jesus, since this text is before the birth of Jesus. But in the Word that he will have to proclaim in the name of God, Jesus is there. The Word is whole, but the revealing of the revelation isn’t complete for Ezekiel.
Therefore, through the evolution in which he lives and to his personal limits, he …More

The Lord said to Ezekiel:
“Son of man, eat what is before you; eat this scroll, then go, speak to the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth and he gave me the scroll to eat. Son of man, he then said to me, feed your belly and fill your stomach with this scroll I am giving you. I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.” Ezekiel, chapter 3, verses 1 to 3
Let’s ask Jesus to increase the grace of his Word in us.
Ezekiel finds that the scroll tastes the golden honey of God. It’s the light that lights the way, that instructs, the Love that enters his heart. There’s all the sweetness and tenderness of God. This contrasts with the sometimes bitter taste of all that the world does wrong under the sun; sin, injustice, pride, greed, and all that leads to evil. Why is it bitter? Because the prophet now has his eyes open to the world. He now sees what’s wrong and that’s bitter.
It is the difficulty of evangelization: the more we walk, the more we observe that there’s hatred, evil. Our eyes …More

Let’s ask ourselves, “Who would be on the point of wanting to come back or go to church?” Let’s go slowly, invite him, but leave him free. Whether he says yes or no, we’ll welcome his answer. We’ll continue to welcome him as he is. Either we’ll continue to pray for him, or we’ll pray for another person, since he will have accepted.
One day a person says that he has no connection with God even though he’s doing good. The answer was simple: “Yet you do what Jesus asks of you to watch every day on your two parents who are living their last passage to eternity.” He understood. Children do what God asks for when they take care of their parents. Parents do what God asks for when they take care of their children too.
Then remains to celebrate what God offers us for free by living Mass, listening to the Word and receiving the Eucharist. Everything we receive from God is perfect. When we share the good, beautiful, real and true, it comes from God. Why not thank him by confessing our faults and …More

There are thoughts, money, hatred, fear, lack of faith that, among other things, barricades that are difficult to overcome and even bypass. There are a thousand and one impediments, but only one way to lead us to God’s Heart. When we decide to walk the road toward God, he himself removes impediments, blockages, barricades, rocks.
We have just shared the importance of taking the right path with God, but it is just as important to follow the road of fraternity with our contemporaries. Jesus tells us:
“What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish?” Luke, chapter 11, verse 11
Who among us would want to offer something other than Jesus and his message to people?
We can continually sow the Love we receive from God. And if we gave ourselves the challenge of bringing only one new person to the Church in the next year, we would contribute to that person’s faith. Even by praying for him, and without his knowledge. We will have increased the prayer in our city and in …More

God hears what is said by some people:
“You have defied me in word, says the Lord, yet you ask, ‘What have we spoken against you?’ You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God, and what do we profit by keeping his command, and going about in penitential dress in awe of the Lord of hosts?’” Malachi, chapter 3, verses 13 to 14
It may be difficult for us to conceive of people thinking that about the Lord, but there are people who have let down by refusing God’s presence in their lives.
There’s nothing simpler than to get away from the Lord and there’s nothing more difficult thereafter than to return to him. Not because God would not welcome us if we come back, but because there are so many elements that get in the way of our march back. The reality should be the opposite; easy to approach Jesus and difficult to get away from him.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s evangelize, Normand Thomas

Jesus’s recommendation is clear. He addresses our freedom. He leaves us free to choose a mission with or without him. If we live our mission with Jesus, here is what he tells us:
“On that day you will not question me about anything. Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.” John, chapter 16, verses 23 to 24
While Jesus was with the Apostles, they had nothing to bother about. Jesus took care of everything. When Jesus will be back in heaven, he invites them to ask him everything, to remain united with him, to evangelize with him, to realize everything with him, in order to succeed in the mission of evangelization. Joy is linked to our demand for salvation and holiness of humanity.
Let’s ask Jesus to evangelize through us. We want to be precision instruments in his service for the salvation of humans. Let’s ask everything to Jesus, so that …More

Evangelization is realized to the extent that we are in communion with Jesus. Without Jesus, without welcoming his Love in our heart, there’s no evangelization and null is the mission.
Whatever the function or mission in the Church, to achieve success, we must be on the move with Jesus. This is what the first Apostles understood. The author of the Acts of the Apostles describes it well:
“After staying there some time, he left and travelled in orderly sequence through the Galatian country and Phrygia, bringing strength to all the disciples.” Acts, chapter 18, verse 23
Paul is successful and this success is indebted to Jesus. It is with Jesus that Paul succeeds in the mission.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s evangelize, Normand Thomas

Let’s ask the Father, by the name of Jesus, to help us find trust, that the Father will rejoice to see us follow Jesus for the good of souls. As Therese of Lisieux, who never went out after entering the cloister, may we believe that God works in our hearts, even if we think we have empty hands.
One night, the Lord tells Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you.”
When we come closer to the Lord, we develop the confidence to evangelize with the testimonies of faith that we give and the acts we do.
With Jesus, our mission is growing and becoming more secure. Let’s pray, meditate on the Word with a regular presence at Mass, and we’ll continually enter into a relationship with Jesus.
We can observe more and more the Lord acting in the hearts and lives of the people around us. Also, by becoming more patient with ourselves, we’ll become more patient in front of the faults of others. Believing more in Jesus leads us on the path with him.
It’s …More

Jesus tells us as in John’s text:
“You also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.” John, chapter 16, verse 22
Jesus seems to be saying, “Yes, maybe now you are wondering, you don’t see clearly, you throw some grain in the wind and it doesn’t seem to fall into a fertile land. But your heart will rejoice, you will be happy, because you will follow me and you will have done the will of my Father under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Be confident! Do not be afraid!”
Then Jesus adds:
“On that day you will not question me about anything. Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.” John chapter 16, verse 23
Questions are no longer needed when Jesus goes through our life, through our heart, when we’re connected to the source.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s evangelize, Normand Thomas

God knows his friends. God knows the people who follow him and hope to accomplish his will. The Lord says to Paul:
“Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you. No one will attack and harm you, for I have many people in this city.” Acts, chapter 18, verses 9 to 10
It’s as if God is telling us: “Be without fear, keep talking, don’t remain silent. Stop worrying. Don’t just trust what you see, what you hear and what can discourage you. Go on! Exceed your first impression of this city. Yes, you have had some difficult times, but there will be fruit. This is what the Lord seems to say to Paul.”
Today, the Lord speaks to us too. We’re doing it for many reasons. We don’t see all the people who really follow Jesus, it’s within the heart.
God knows everything that is done secretly in hearts. God knows that there are people who do his will and who are at the bedside of sick people, who extend their hand to offer money or food, who open their arms to offer health care …More

Paul tells us the way:
“He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” 2 Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 15
That: “those who live might no longer live for themselves”.
Christ has come to show us that life has all its meaning to love one’s neighbour and to live so that the hearts of people be transformed.
For that, we are invited to be free from what closes us on ourselves, to receive Jesus’ teaching and to make him visible in our life, in order to become lights in this world. Let’s run away from what tends to cut us off from God’s will and from others.
The influences today are manifold and evil continues to be a counter-testimony, but there’s only one way that leads to God. To receive his Love is the only way that leads to Jesus’s Sacred Heart.
Jesus teaches us:
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow.’” Matthew, chapter …More

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
For the scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him. For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach?
And how can people preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring (the) good news!’
But not everyone has heeded the good news; for Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed what was heard from us?’
Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.
But I ask, did …More

Jesus chose people of his time to send on a mission, such as Peter, John, and the other Apostles. The first to be evangelized are the Apostles. After Jesus’s resurrection, they are left to themselves, but they are not alone. Jesus has already breathed his Spirit upon them and they are sent into the world to join all nations, languages and peoples:
“Receive the Holy Spirit.” John, chapter 20, verse 22
Today, where we are, every person is called to share the Good News of our salvation in Jesus Christ. Jesus sends us as we are. We’re the people Jesus needs for our time and his Spirit will guide us to share what he wants the world to receive and hear. We are not alone. We: “receive the Holy Spirit,” says Jesus.
The only effort is to be sure we’re really listening to Jesus and his Spirit. For this we must become his disciples. We think we cannot be true disciples? We’re not perfect? The important thing is to stay close to Jesus. And he will guide us. Let’s accept to not be perfect. From our …More

There may be something left in us that still need transformation. We’ll always be able to move forward, even if sometimes we feel tried or we seem stationary.
In spite of the journey that Paul has gone through, remains the test that will increase his faith and lead him to the best of himself. Since he has not finished living the purification of his being to lead him in the Love of God,
Paul describes to us the ordeal he bears:
A thorn in the flesh (…) Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. 2 Corinthians, chapter 12, verses 7 to 9
To put one’s pride in one’s weaknesses is not so pleasing, to let ourselves be drawn into our weaknesses, but to remind us that God Loves us no matter what our difficulties are is a blessing.
To acknowledge that we have weaknesses allows us …More

God has all eternity. We only have a few years. He’s totally patient with us. He is mercy. He continues to want the fig tree to produce fruit and is ready to weed it and put new soil around it. God takes care of it.
Let’s imagine that this next story is forever repeated. We understand that God constantly wants to give us opportunities to come back to him. Jesus tells this parable:
“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. (So) cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’” Luke, chapter 13, verses 6 to 9
God, the gardener, by his great mercy, doesn’t stop wanting to help us to develop roots into his Love. The …More

Let’s return to Love, let’s get away from what isn’t good:
“You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” Matthew, chapter 22, verse 39
To love oneself with the Love of God is to avoid violence and evil to stick to our life. When we listen to people talking to us, we don’t accept that they yell at us. Why do we accept it in certain programs and music, for example?
Suffering is already in the world because of evil. But we are invited to become saints by being ourselves and spread peace, joy and hope of life in Jesus Christ for the glory of God and the salvation of the world.
We are continually doing our best not to enter into a plan of misfortune. We must also help the world around us not to embark on ideas that will cause misfortune.
Quite simply, we are responsible for bringing the good news that Jesus is to the world and for keeping us, as we can, away from evil. It’s a decision: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Caring for our poverties …More