Mar 19 (Feast of St. Joseph) - Wk 3 - Day 2 - "Seeking to understand Jesus better"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Next to Mary, her husband Joseph, was a human person who sought as we are doing, to “understand Jesus Christ better” - and he learned as we are called to do, by listening to everything Jesus said and did.

The Gospel scene in Luke 2: 48-50 : finding 12 year old Jesus in the temple is important. When Mary asked Jesus, “Son why have you done this? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” Jesus replied:

“Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them.

That scene and those words are important because while Mary and Joseph did not understand His words at that time, they believed what He said was from God and continuing to believe, they learned more. So it is with us when we listen to God’s Word, we must continue to believe even when we do not yet understand. God is Faithful and He gives His Grace to those who earnestly seek to know Him.

Yesterday, on the thread for Day 2, hazcompat responded with a quote from “The Imitation of Christ” by Thomas a Kempis that is appropriate for this entire week during which we are seeking to know Jesus Christ better:

His teaching surpasseth all teaching of holy men, and such as
have His Spirit find therein the hidden manna. But there are
many who, though they frequently hear the Gospel, yet feel but
little longing after it, because they have not the mind of
Christ. He, therefore, that will fully and with true wisdom
understand the words of Christ, let him strive to conform his
whole life to that mind of Christ. (I put some words in bold for emphasis)

Let us pray with no doubting, but with the Supernatural Faith given to us in Baptism that by by God’s Grace, God will enable us to know Jesus Christ, better. By the power of His Holy Spirit and the intercession of His Son Jesus and our Mother Mary, we can strive to conform our whole life to the mind of Christ.

Litany of the Holy Spirit HERE
Ave Maris Stella HERE
Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus HERE

 

[hazcompat]

The Imitation of Christ
Thomas A Kempis

The Seventh Chapter

Loving Jesus Above All Things

BLESSED is he who appreciates what it is to love Jesus and who despises himself
for the sake of Jesus. Give up all other love for His, since He wishes to be loved alone
above all things.
Affection for creatures is deceitful and inconstant, but the love of Jesus is true
and enduring. He who clings to a creature will fall with its frailty, but he who gives
himself to Jesus will ever be strengthened.
Love Him, then; keep Him as a friend. He will not leave you as others do, or let
you suffer lasting death. Sometime, whether you will or not, you will have to part with
everything. Cling, therefore, to Jesus in life and death; trust yourself to the glory of Him
who alone can help you when all others fail.
Your Beloved is such that He will not accept what belongs to another – He wants
your heart for Himself alone, to be enthroned therein as King in His own right. If you
but knew how to free yourself entirely from all creatures, Jesus would gladly dwell
within you.
You will find, apart from Him, that nearly all the trust you place in men is a total
loss. Therefore, neither confide in nor depend upon a wind-shaken reed, for “all flesh is
grass” and all its glory, like the flower of grass, will fade away.
You will quickly be deceived if you look only to the outward appearance of men,
and you will often be disappointed if you seek comfort and gain in them. If, however,
you seek Jesus in all things, you will surely find Him. Likewise, if you seek yourself,
you will find yourself – to your own ruin. For the man who does not seek Jesus does
himself much greater harm than the whole world and all his enemies could ever do.

Peace

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks hazcompat, for your reply and once again, I can hear echoes of St. Louis de Montfort and also St. John Of the Cross – the Saints and holy men and women of the Church wrote the Truth they heard from Jesus, and they learned by the power of the Holy Spirit to love the Truth they heard.

The last few lines in the excerpt you posted today seems to sum it up well:

…You will quickly be deceived if you look only to the outward appearance of men, and you will often be disappointed if you seek comfort and gain in them. If, however, you seek Jesus in all things, you will surely find Him. Likewise, if you seek yourself, you will find yourself – to your own ruin. For the man who does not seek Jesus does himself much greater harm than the whole world and all his enemies could ever do.

Let us then continue to ask the help of the Holy Spirit and Mary our Mother to understand Jesus Christ better. Let us pray the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus with attention and devotion, asking Him to have mercy on us and deliver us from all evil, through His Life, Death, Resurrection and Ascension. Let us ponder all Jesus said and did as Mary pondered all in her heart.

Let us learn as Mary and Joseph learned, by listening and believing in His Word even when we do not at first understand. We can always trust that Jesus not only speaks the Truth but He Is The Truth, made flesh for us.