Normandt' meditations

[Normandt]

253. Jesus divides
Here are two other extreme thoughts that come out of the Bible. When we hear a person sowing division, immediately we think that there’ll be a loss. Jesus tells us:
“Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” Luke, chapter 12, verse 51

If we follow the thread of this book, we’re already aware that Jesus is different, simply because of his infinite Love. In addition, Jesus’ Spirit illuminates the texts of the Bible. But here, Jesus challenges us.

Jesus, who is all Love, tells us that he comes to place division in the world. Is Jesus lying in this sentence? We might ask ourselves if he speaks the same language as us.

When we read a passage from the Bible, we must always keep in mind that God is Love and only Love. This should guide our way of thinking.

Jesus is the Word that divides us, but of what? His Word is a two-edged sword. His Word, like a sword, is the wall of grace before the wall of sin. It separates in us the evil that is against God.

Book: Let’s reveal God
Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

254. The fight
If we see a fight, what is our first intention? Divide the two people so that the fight stops. We want to divide them. Jesus does just that.

Jesus cannot bring peace if we court sin. Now, at the request of the sinner, Jesus divides the brawler who causes the evil in the person to lead him to love. Jesus divides sin in us so that we can live in peace.

If we let Jesus enter our lives, he will create a place of fierce fighting between him and evil. Evil cannot win. These moments of tension will be for our good.
However, let’s be careful, because evil derives, cuts from good and it attracts us away from Love.

The division of which Jesus speaks must be established before peace settles. Let’s place our trust in Jesus, to be free from sin and remain in peace.

Jesus necessarily causes division, and we lose something. We lose our unnecessary ties, our doubts, stress, fear, etc. There is a division between what divides us from God and what unites us to Life in God.

Jesus causes a division between good and evil, to lead us into the truth. Jesus establishes a life of grace and at the same time he illuminates our days with new hope.

Let’s leave it to Jesus to transform us or continue to participate carelessly in places and with tools that lead us far from grace.
Let’s choose eternal life in God.

Book: Let’s reveal God
Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

254. The fight

If we see a fight, what is our first intention? Divide the two people so that the fight stops. We want to divide them. Jesus does just that.

Jesus cannot bring peace if we court sin. Now, at the request of the sinner, Jesus divides the brawler who causes the evil in the person to lead him to love. Jesus divides sin in us so that we can live in peace.

If we let Jesus enter our lives, he will create a place of fierce fighting between him and evil. Evil cannot win. These moments of tension will be for our good.

However, let’s be careful, because evil derives, cuts from good and it attracts us away from Love.


The division of which Jesus speaks must be established before peace settles. Let’s place our trust in Jesus, to be free from sin and remain in peace.

Jesus necessarily causes division, and we lose something. We lose our unnecessary ties, our doubts, stress, fear, etc. There is a division between what divides us from God and what unites us to Life in God.

Jesus causes a division between good and evil, to lead us into the truth. Jesus establishes a life of grace and at the same time he illuminates our days with new hope.

Let’s leave it to Jesus to transform us or continue to participate carelessly in places and with tools that lead us far from grace.

Let’s choose eternal life in God.

Book: Let’s reveal God
Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

255. Paul’s thorn
Paul’s body, his own body, is rebellious to him or perhaps, by his faults, he pushes his body to rebel. He asks God three times to remove the splinter that sinks into his flesh. And God answers him:
“My grace is sufficient for you.” 2 Corinthians, chapter 12, verse 9

In reality, the body does not rebel. It cannot do anything without the intention, the will of the person. The person is responsible for his body and can lead it into rebellion.

God is still with this person. God supports him with his Spirit, with his presence, with his kindness and he wants to be trusted more.

There are also times when we ask God to remove a difficulty. But this inconvenience can remain there to allow us to grow in faith.

It isn’t God who allows this inconvenience. The circumstances of life put us to the test. The splinter, we often keep it with us. We are invited to give it to God, to receive his grace.

To let ourselves be loved by God makes it possible to pass through difficulties like Paul, with the splinter in his flesh.

Book: Let’s reveal God
Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

338. Pour l’humanité
La réception régulière du Corps et du Sang du Christ et l’approfondissement de la Parole, pendant le Banquet, nous garantissent la vie, le mouvement et l’être, pour que notre réalité humaine s’ajuste et devienne unifiée en Dieu.
Jésus nous dit :
« Moi, je suis la lumière du monde. Celui qui me suit ne marchera pas dans les ténèbres, il aura la lumière de la vie. » Jean, chapitre 8, verset 12

Jésus nous transmet la seule condition pour avoir la lumière de la vie. La lumière ne peut venir que de lui. Il est « la lumière du monde ».

Or pour obtenir sa lumière, il est nécessaire de le suivre. Ne pas le suivre diminue notre lumière interne. Mais pour le suivre, nous avons besoin de trouver tous les moyens possibles pour nous tenir avec lui.

Répétons ce que Jésus nous dit : « Celui qui me suit ne marchera pas dans les ténèbres, il aura la lumière de la vie ». La phrase de Jésus est précise. C’est la lumière ou bien nous choisissons de marcher dans les ténèbres, assombris.
Nous voulons voir clair dans la vie, nous voulons vivre dans la paix et dans la joie ? Apprenons de Jésus tout ce dont il nous est nécessaire pour avancer sur une route aplanie, dégagée du mal et qui conduit au Cœur de Dieu.

Laissons aussi à Jésus le soin d’enlever les roches qui pourraient entraver notre marche, notre apprentissage avec lui. Entrons davantage dans sa connaissance. Devenons des disciples de Jésus pour l’humanité, pour l’éternité, pour que sa Lumière se répande dans les cœurs et éclaire leur chemin et le nôtre.

Lv: Veiller avec foi
Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

257. God does not punish

Jonah also thinks that an east wind is God’s intention to punish him:
“When the sun arose, God sent a burning east wind; and the sun beat upon Jonah’s head till he became faint.” Jonah, chapter 4, verse 8

It’s impressive, how quickly Jonah deposits his trial on God’s account. He even thinks God sends it against him. “God sent a burning east wind.”

The east wind blows by itself and is part of terrestrial conditions. The heat of the sun is one of these conditions.

Let’s discern. God is not the one who purposely sends sickness to Jonah. And Jonah, did he think of drinking a lot of water or protecting himself by standing in the shade?

God repeats that he is always with us and that he is not the one who causes our misfortunes. God did not want him harm, nor to the city:

“Should I not be concerned over Nineveh, the great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot distinguish their right hand from their left?” Jonah, chapter 4, verse 11

Book: Let’s reveal God
Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

258. Reign on us

Let’s keep this in mind, God doesn’t harm anyone, or even the most subtle, the least, or the most hidden:
“Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.” Luke, chapter 11, verse 2

We are told by Jesus to pray as follows: “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.” At this request, we want to recognize that God is the one who sanctifies us, who offers us Life and Love in abundance:
“We ask this daily, for we need sanctification daily, so that we who fail daily may cleanse away our sins by being sanctified continually… We pray that this sanctification may remain in us.” (S. Cyprien, Dom. Order 12: PL 4, 526A-527A). Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 2813
vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__PA7.HTM

We need it every day. Being with Jesus helps us to improve.
May holiness abide in us, in order to recognize his Love, which comes from him.

We do not yet know how much God Loves us and how distracted we are. We’re not always united to him. Let’s recognize that evil is caused by our distance from God and not by him.

Book: Let’s reveal God
Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

259. Clean up our space

Let’s prepare our heart:
“Now, put away the strange gods that are among you and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” Joshua, chapter 24, verse 23

This is the key, in order to become free. Day by day, let’s leave the illusions, the automatisms that freeze and imprison without our knowledge, the spiritual disturbances of which we become accustomed to. Let’s deny these “strange gods”.

Destructive thoughts, manipulations, gossiping are all closures of the heart to oneself, to others and to the Trinity.

Let’s go back wholeheartedly to God. Let’s sort out what prevents us from being free. Let’s go to God with a child’s heart, free from all confinement. Jesus invites us:
“Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew, chapter 19, verse 14

Let’s love God, as the child surrenders to his parent’s heart. Let’s give him our fears, our ties and celebrate with joy and peace.

If we pursue negative conditioning, conditioning of fears or illusions (strange gods) we will reap the bitterness of our plantations.

It’s reassuring to know that there are only two choices. It’s one or the other; God or evil.

Book: Let’s reveal God
Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

260. God cannot curse

Jeremiah seems to say this in the name of God:
“Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in the flesh, whose heart turns away from the Lord.” Jeremiah, chapter 17, verse 5

Jeremiah, like all the prophets of his time, tries to understand what God is giving him and to share it to the people in the most appropriate way.

While giving a teaching or a rule of conduct on the part of God, the prophet sometimes includes inhuman thoughts.

Let’s be certain. All the texts of the Bible are wanted from God. They allow us to discover that humanity doesn’t always succeed in recognizing the Love of God.
God is Love, he does not curse. It is the person who moves away from the Love of God who curses himself.

If we move away from heat in the winter to minus thirty degrees celsius and we don’t wear proper clothing, we will freeze and die. If we refuse the Love of God, we will die. This is what the word “cursed” means by Jeremiah. Cursing here takes on the meaning of death. And God doesn’t want our death.

It’s more of a cry from God’s heart. As the parent says to the child, “Do not touch the fire, you will burn yourself!” God constantly tells us what looks like this: “Do not go away from my Love, you will curse yourself, you will die!” The rock thrown in the air will very possibly fall on our head. God wants us to live!

Book: Let’s reveal God
Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

261. Happiness in God

Happiness is not always where we seek it, but when we do the will of God. Committing ourselves to God will allow us not to sink. On the contrary, it values us.

May God guide our steps. Let’s leave him our plans and everything will be realized according to the Heart of God, if we really give them to him. May our projects be placed in the hands of God through prayer, heart to Heart with God and adoration of the Word (of the Verb) and the Eucharist.

Book: Let’s reveal God
Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

262. Forgive writers


We say that to forgive, we must be more giving, go beyond giving. To forgive, it’s important to stop and take time to assess the situation and then forgive.

May we forgive all authors who, with a lack of knowledge (quite normal), have placed on God’s shoulders many words contrary and harmful to his Love.

If a zebra made a painting of God, he would paint him with black and white stripes. We paint God too often as we think he is and not as he really is.

As we read the Bible, we must go ever deeper to understand God. Humans have given a representation of God who, sometimes, is vengeful, inhuman and even as unthoughtful as a tyrant.

Let’s imagine a beautiful play, with the expression that it supposes on the faces of the people. This is what is placed by Jeremiah in the mouth of God for the city of Sion:

“I struck you as an enemy would strike, punished you cruelly; Why cry out over your wound? Your pain is without relief. Because of your great guilt, your numerous sins, I have done this to you.” Jeremiah, chapter 30, verses 14 to 15

It’s as if God hurts someone with a “cruel punishment” if they don’t listen or do what is told. But it’s the person who is punishing and injuring himself by his faults. God can only Love. God doesn’t do any harm.


Book: Let’s reveal God

Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

263. Total and Definitive Love
God can only be Love. Although, even today, we still have thoughts of authors that resemble some described in the Bible.

Let’s venture far beyond forgiveness to know God. Let’s forgive human beings for placing too much burden on God’s shoulders. Then, change our perception of God and recognize that he is Total and Definite Love.

Let’s acknowledge our own wrongdoings and our own path full of hesitation, clutter and falsehood confusing the image of God. It takes time to get it right.

Book: Let’s reveal God
Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

264. Jesus cares for the sick

In this story, some recognize who is God. Jesus came to show us who he is. God wants to heal every person. Are we ready to be healed:

“When the men of that place recognized him, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought to him all those who were sick and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak, and as many as touched it were healed.” Matthew, chapter 14, verses 35 to 36

Let’s recognize the Love of God and let him touch our hearts. That he transforms our distorted image of him. Let’s rediscover his real image. May we let Jesus save us.

Book: Let’s reveal God
Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

265. God does not condemn

Sometimes God seems severe:
“The Lord, therefore, became angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel.” 1 Kings, chapter 11, verse 9
God “is angry” at the impiety of Solomon. But God, in reality, doesn’t need to be angry, since its Solomon who persecutes himself with his impiety. Solomon’s unhealthy words and gestures irritate himself.

The inner light that God gives us allows us to judge between what is good and what is less good. God gives us everything; that we have good use of it. To misuse the graces of God is to condemn ourselves to wrongdoings, to evil.

In the following two texts, we have a summary of the importance of being enlightened to choose between bad and good:
“Contemplation is a gaze of faith, fixed on Jesus. ‘I look at him and he looks at me’: this is what a certain peasant of Ars used to say to his holy cure about his prayer before the tabernacle.” Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 2715, Saint Jean-Marie Vianney

This focus on Jesus is a renunciation of self. His gaze purifies our heart; the light of the countenance of Jesus illumines the eyes of our heart and teaches us to see everything in the light of his truth and his compassion for all men.

Contemplation also turns its gaze on the mysteries of the life of Christ. Thus it learns the “interior knowledge of our Lord”, the more to love him and follow him (see St. Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises, 104). Catechism of the Catholic Church, ## 2715-16. Website: http: //vatican.va/archive/FRA0013/_P9H.HTM

Book: Let’s reveal God
Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

266. He is close by
Too many people are not listening to God. Too many people take their bundle and start walking alone. They are growing away from God, as if God does not exist, as if God has let them down. Yet it is they who leave and let God and the people out. They go to idols or become idols themselves. Then, turned to these idols they want to promote them. These idols will not bring anything good to the people.

It’s always the people who are disappearing from God. We know it’s impossible for God to let us down, for God to be far from us. He is closer to us than we can be of ourselves. He helps us to the extent that we want good for all.

Let’s pray that the rulers will always lead with human thoughtful feelings and lead to achievements that are truly inspired by God’s will.

Book: Refusing sin
Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

267. Be ourselves
In the Psalm, it is written:
“Who may go up the mountain of the Lord? Who can stand in his holy place? The clean of hand and pure of heart, who are not devoted to idols, who have not sworn falsely.” Psalm 24, verses 3 to 4

With this wise passage, we have a master idea to properly embark on the journey that leads to the Kingdom of God or more precisely, in the Heart of God.

We want to “go up the mountain of the Lord” and “stand in his holy place”. We want to enter the true Love, Love that God offers and receive it, simply by asking him.

“Climbing the Mountain” can make us think of some climbers who are struggling and sweating in a dangerous and high-risk environment. But with God, to go up the mountain means to become more ourselves, to welcome others more, to create bonds in order to transmit his Love.

This is “the pure of heart” mentioned in the text. The person who allows himself to be transformed by God becomes a freer person. This freedom makes it possible to climb into the Heart of God and to guide people well.

The passage ends with a recommendation. Men: “who are not devoted to idols.” Idols keep us away … far from God.

Let’s search in our life for what distances from God and we will find what idols we serve. They will become visible and may be dismantled by Jesus.

Book: Refusing sin
Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

268. Fleeing idols

Paul says:
“My beloved, avoid idolatry.” 1 Corinthians, chapter 10, verse 14

Avoiding, fleeing idols is quite difficult in a world that constantly offers it to us. Idols are everything that keeps us focused on other people or objects rather than on Jesus. Paul tells the people who accompany him not to follow him, but to follow Jesus:
“Whenever someone says, ‘I belong to Paul,’ and another, ‘I belong to Apollos,’ are you not merely human?” 1 Corinthians, chapter 3, verse 4
We belong to no one else but to God.

Paul also speaks of worship. Worship is what a group will live together, for a common purpose to worship or adulate a person or object. There is the cult of sport, the cult of films, the cult of artists, the cult of leaders, the cult of cats, the cult of chocolate, etc.

Otherwise, we can choose some different activities to bring out some good for us and for society, for example, to improve health. It’s not a bad thing to have all these activities and professions, but they must not become a cult that monopolizes our energies, our perceptions and our actions, without regards to a life of faith in God. The true worship to render is to God.

Then Paul, following this sentence, adds:
“Judge for yourself what I am saying.” 1 Corinthians, chapter 10, verse 15

Paul wants people to take responsibility and to verify if they follow idols or if they are constantly turning to God. Paul suggests to “avoid idolatry”.

As we deepen our relationship with Jesus, idols will fall and disappear one after the other. Jesus will enlighten our life and help us to choose reality, truth and well-being.

Book: Refusing sin
Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

269. A good tree

Jesus teaches us:
“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.” Luke, chapter 6, verse 43

Everyone hasn’t God’s knowledge. When a person lives a conversion, he comes equipped with the idols he carried, that he followed, those who sit in his environment. He still can follow some. These idols, these imprisonments, we cannot usually see them with the naked eye. On the other hand, other idols, we see them well. We know they’re there.

With Jesus in our life we are like trees that give good fruit. Let’s give our heart to Jesus. Jesus will transform our way of living, seeing, speaking, listening, because he is the Light we need so much. His light illuminates in our life the possible idols. All in all, we have the choice and the responsibility to either keep these idols or to keep away from them.

Book: Refusing sin
Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

270. Detecting idols
It is precious to know how to listen to the people, with our ears glued to our hearts. If we hear in their language ideas (ideals) that seem to be related to idols, we can give them to Jesus. For example, the word “energy” is fashionable.

Energy is caused by movement. And the movement is caused by the Love of God. It is better to convert to the Love of God than to energy. Otherwise, we remain in a state of less importance then we stray and stay away from God.

If we hear a person talking about energy, we can silently, in our heart, hand over to Jesus what leads them to talk about it. As another example, if a person has often negative and unnecessary comments, we can offer this negativity to Jesus. He will come into his heart to add his light.

We can help many people in a day by praying for them in silence and offering their difficulties to Jesus. Detecting what is difficult in people is not a judgment if we know how to do it. Moreover, it will prevent us from judging since we are doing a good deed for them.

This will also allow us to find in ourselves what we have not thought of checking before. We too may have repeated negative comments, for example. The same practice is essential for ourselves; giving everything back to Jesus.
Jesus declares:
“Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew, chapter 5, verse 44

Let’s love, in the sense of discovering the enemies, the idols in our life, in the lives of others, and handing them over to Jesus. Let’s help people get rid of the shadows they carry, that persecute them, of their idols, too often without being aware of their presence. Our prayer will become precise. We therefore ask God’s purity for all.

If the difficulty of another person bothers us, destabilizes us, it’s an opportunity to let Jesus take care of it. Something good will happen in our life and in the lives of others. Let’s leave it to Jesus. He will take care of it.

Book: Refusing sin
Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

271. Let’s adore Jesus

The only true worship to render is to Jesus Christ and to no one else.
It’s liberating to think of worshiping one person (Jesus)! This solves the quest of knowing whom to worship or not:
“May God form you in all that is good to fulfill his will, that he may realize in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs glory forever and ever.” Hebrews, chapter 13, verse 21

“To fulfill the will of God”. God alone can make such a request because what he asks of us are what in turn is best for our salvation and for the salvation of the world.

Two rather strong expressions are included in this short piece of text: “to fulfill the will of God” and to “realize in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ”. We can never say that for someone other than him.

Jesus invites people to worship him because he is God. He says:
“If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John, chapter 8, verses 31 to 32

Being faithful to meditate on the Word of God and to bring out what’s good and true in the texts of the Bible, especially to discover all that is Love of God, is to worship God. No more worry. To fulfill the will of God is to let him be Lord in our life, let him Love, transform, sanctify us with his presence. May God: “realize in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ”.

By allowing God to take charge of our lives, we ensure our salvation, we lead others to salvation, since we allow ourselves to be purified for the great day of our entry into Eternity. We need to do everything with Jesus, accomplish everything with Jesus, hope totally in Jesus. (It’s) Just to be with Jesus!

Book: Refusing sin
Normand Thomas