Noel
Probably four years ago now, I had a transformational experience while walking through the streets of my old neighborhood, Westmount. I saw a frail man with a ripped up jean jacket, shabby torn jeans, boots with his toes sticking out of them, wearing a tattered hoodie concealing most of his face. His frail weak body was hardly sufficient to haul the heavy cart filled with bottles and cans he was pulling. I stood in front of him and as he lifted his gaze from the ground, I saw beauty, as I have never seen before. I said hello and he returned my greeting. He took off his right beaten up glove and offered his hand. When our hands met I experienced a sensation like nothing I had ever felt previously or have felt since. The warmth of his hand was all encompassing. It felt like my entire body was engulfed by his warmth, his love. We stood and talked for what must have been more than an hour, his speech seriously impaired by cerebral palsy, but, understandable with close attention. As we set off on our separate paths, I felt compelled to give him something and stuck a $100 bill in his jacket. It was the last money he would ever accept from me.
Every Wednesday from spring through fall, I would head down to my old neighborhood, in the hopes of meeting up with Noel. On most occasions we would connect and engage in wonderful conversations on everything from the beginnings of the earth to modern music which he loves. I would walk with him, sometimes pulling his cart, sometimes helping him with bags and bottles. The most amazing thing about my time with Noel was when he would cross paths with residents who knew him, loved him and saved all their bottles for him, to help him. Noel brought out the humanity in these people, showing to me a side that in my life I had seldom seen in the people with whom I interacted.
Last year, possibly about six months ago, I was doing my daily morning meditation and a thought struck me which had occured to me before, but, always passed. Noel is God God has revealed Himself to me. As I lay on my couch, I cried in thankfulness. I never saw Him again and have seldom heard from him. He is meek, lowly, very shy. He is a vegetarian, and it was through his refusal to eat meat because he did not believe in killing animals when there are other alternatives that I decided to set a course towards the same. He has never read the bible, but knows the Truth in his heart. He is truth.
So now, I have introduced Noel, God to you. He is everywhere. In the grass, the trees, the flowers, the snow, all the animals, in you. He speaks to you continuously helping to guide you. But, he is also a physical being and will stay so. He will stay in Montreal, New Jerusalem. He wants to meet every one of you. Every one of his most prized creations, from the time of Adam. When you meet him you will be transformed. When that time will be is for Noel to decide.