Like Jesus at Nazareth

Byjosephhouse

blog_may_27_2015_nazareth

Br. Charles desired to imitate the hidden life of Jesus, the life of Jesus at Nazareth. In a journal entry dated May 17, 1906, he listed 14 resolutions that reveal his understanding of this life:

1.  I must remember to what kind of life it is I have been called: the imitation of Jesus at Nazareth; the adoration of the sacred Host exposed; the silent sanctification of unbelieving peoples by carrying Jesus among them; adoring Him and imitating His hidden life.

2.  I must remember always to imitate Jesus in His life at Nazareth.

3.  I must remember penance, the narrow way, Jesus’ cross at Nazareth.

4.  I must remember Jesus’ poverty at Nazareth.

5.  I must remember the lowliness and humble manual labor of Jesus at Nazareth.

6.  I must remember the withdrawal, the silence of Jesus at Nazareth.

7.  I must remember Jesus’ distance from the world and the things of the world at Nazareth.

8.  I must remember Jesus’ life of spiritual communion, adoration, interior prayer, petition and vigils at Nazareth.

9.  I must remember to have a zeal for souls, seeking to bring them together around the Sacred Victim in these lands of unbelievers, to build up a small family in imitation of Jesus’ life at Nazareth.

10.  I must remember to show zeal for souls in charity, goodness and well-doing towards all human beings, like Jesus at Nazareth.

11.  I must remember to show zeal for souls by gentleness, humility and forgiveness of injuries, the quiet acceptance of ill-treatment, like Jesus at Nazareth.

12.  I must remember to show zeal for souls by giving a good example, like Jesus at Nazareth.

13.  I must remember to show zeal for souls by prayer, penance and personal sanctification, like Jesus at Nazareth.

14.  I must remember to let the Heart of Jesus live in my heart, so that it may be no longer I who live, but the Heart of Jesus living in me, as it lived in Nazareth.

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The image is from a bas-relief located in a chapel in honor of Br. Charles at the Abbey Notre Dame des Neiges (Our Lady of the Snows). In 1890, Br. Charles entered this Cistercian monastery in France and was a monk for several years. The chapel was built in 2006 and houses his relics.