Normandt' meditations

[Normandt]

92. The loss of meaning


Closing in on evil leads us to move away from Love. Then Love does not stick with us because of the limits that evil causes. Jesus conveys a strong enough image of the loss of meaning and sin:
“If the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.” Matthew, chapter 11, verse 21b

People who move away from faith in Jesus open the door to evil and lead others into it. When the Love of God does not pass, evil multiplies like a virus and contaminates those who let themselves be influenced by it.

Now, when Love passes, there is a progression in goodness, according to the pace of evolution of the person.

Jesus uses the example of these two cities to demonstrate to what extent sin can lead a person and groups of people, by a loss of meaning, a lack of good values, to their ruin. If Jesus’s miracles do not come to us, we should check the quality of reception we confide into his Love.

If we move away from people, for example, let’s check if the drug that we consume is not too strong and destructive. Evil and drugs acts in a similar way and destroys relationships between people.

When we reject God’s Love, what we really lack is the healing of the heart and soul through the flow of Love which is unfortunately diminished because of the evil that keeps us prisoners.

As soon as we ask Jesus for healing to welcome his Love, there is automatically something good happening in us. Even though the feeling may be subtle now, with determination, later on we will appreciate the inner transformations.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s be Loved, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

93. Negative choice or Holy Spirit​

There are choices that make a difference. First, what keeps us captive and imprisoned:
“Immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians, chapter 5, verses 19 to 21

The promised inheritance is the Love of God. But what Paul says is that these acts lead us away from the Love promised to us. Negative inclinations are those that lead us to become invalid, to become inhuman (thoughts, gestures, words), to evil and at the same time to the remoteness of God, even to the moving away from oneself. There are so many ways to refuse to let ourselves be Loved, the refusal to feed our body, our life of Love, the refusal to serve the Love of God in our neighbour.

We have the choice to let ourselves go to harmful and enemy inclinations or to collect the good with the Holy Spirit. What the Spirit offers us supports us and brings us closer to God:
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Galatians, chapter 5, verses 22 to 23a

Let’s be aware of these fruits in our life. Let’s look at them, collect them as invited friends at our home. Let’s spend our days observing them, meditating on them and recognizing their benefits.

Let’s keep our thoughts on the manifestations of the Holy Spirit and we will prefer this path that instills spiritual and human well-being. We will feel our life enter a major turning point that will amaze us.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s be Loved, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

94. The need to pray


Jesus recommends to us:
“Take care.” Luke, chapter 11, verse 35

The only way we do not weigh down our lives is to live our lives like Christ, to put our trust in him and to feed ourselves with his Love.

All distractions causes wrong and move us away from the presence of God. May we remain vigilant in prayer. God does not need our prayers, but we need to pray. Prayer pulls us out of evil and leads us to a more sincere relationship with God.

We need to pray for our heart to unite with the will of God. We need to pray to better understand his will. We need to pray in order to be enlightened and inspired by God in front of multiple choices and decisions.

It’s the complete opposite of living life without God, without Love. All that unites us to God distances us from temptations and evil. It’s the only law that governs our lives. Either we move toward God, or we move away from him.

And everything that challenges and unites us to the Trinity keeps us in life, joy, hope, service, friendly encounters, holy with ourselves, with others and with God.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s be Loved, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

95. Watch and pray


Jesus tells us:
“Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke, chapter 11, verse 36

Let’s watch and pray to discern good from evil in our lives and in the lives of others. Jesus watches over us and Loves us until sin is erased. He wants to guide us to salvation. May Jesus come and convert us, so that we live with him.

May Mary and Joseph help us, by their example, to listen to what God asks of us personally. For this reason, we are invited to receive the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit in our hearts as Mary and Joseph knew how to welcome him.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s be Loved, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

96. The refusal


Beyond the cause of evil on the person, there remains for us a principle that is undeniable. Even if we know that evil is mainly caused by the evil prince, it progresses when one or more people let themselves be tempted.

If, for example, someone starts bullying a student at school, he will experience the consequences of this bullying. He will “feel it deeply”. And this evil will develop in him, since he is a victim.

If other people know that he is intimidated and they are joining in, they increase the harm. They place invisible bricks around this person and they slowly build his prison. The victim will live the evil in all the fibres of his being and in his heart.

Evil is pernicious. Diseases are related to evil. Evil will not come from the one who is intimidated unless he decides not to let himself be loved. He suffers the consequences of the hurt caused by people who distance themselves from God’s desired Love.

The spirit of contradiction keeps us away from God. It takes a tremendous amount of energy to counter the surge of God’s Love for us.

Health problems are related to the rejection of Love in our life, simply because we use stratagems and we exile ourselves away from Love. Unless this evil is caused by many. That said, the rejection of God’s Love in others can also cause illness and evil that progressively destroys us.

Only the Love of God can bring back everything good, keep us from harm and give us freedom. We do not want to be around evil, but sometimes we slip into it.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s be Loved, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

97. Ask for help


We have probably experienced this feeling where nothing seems possible for us. We are tired, exhausted. We lack energy. And suddenly, we have a “flash of genius” to turn to Jesus and ask for his help.

And what a surprise we had when we felt something deep happen in us. From that moment, our life was awakened and it was transformed delicately, joyfully, from within.

We had felt Jesus’s presence. All was unclear, but we knew, from a certain intelligence and wisdom, that something gloriously had happened, something luminous in us.

It’s like the intense joy of a moment that overwhelms us and that we fully live. Our life makes sense with Jesus. We want to remain in this state. We want to celebrate and pray this new momentum of life.

Let’s ask God, again, to come and touch what needs to be healed in our life.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s be Loved, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

99. Leave evil


The devil exists. He is a person, because of his movement, according to the thought of Thomas Aquinas. The devil fatally refuses the Love of God. The evil-doer refuses Love.

It is the responsibility of each person not to get caught, then to lose oneself and move away from God. The temptation for the human is to confine, then to isolate oneself in evil.

The devil totally refuses the Love of God. When we turn our backs on ourselves, on others and on God, we are moving toward division, the devil, the abyss of misfortune. He’s amused and looks forward to seeing us moving toward him.

Negative habits of some lead other people into harmful attitudes. We are often in solidarity with evil because we become accustomed to it. This bad way keeps us prisoners.

If we sin, we lead others to evil. If we pray to God, we lead people to good. At the very end of our lives, the Lord will reveal to us the sum of our good deeds. Prayer is like money in the bank and the time of retirement is eternal in the Kingdom of God.

This is why prayer is so important, even if sometimes we do not see any apparent results. Let’s accept to change our heart and our attitudes. A change for the better will come. As soon as we pray, God helps us because we allow him to Love us.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s be Loved, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

100. Love him or not


John, who was very close to Jesus and received his Love, offers an important reflection that should lead us to reconsider our understanding of the judgment of God:
“God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” John, chapter 3, verse 17

According to John, God does not judge. How did he come to such a conclusion? Surely that John has understood Love as he is. He also listened to Jesus.

If Jesus did not come to condemn the world, it means that God never judged the world. God does not judge, he Loves. If we speak of the judgment of God, his judgment can only be Love. It means that God will Love us whether we love him or not.

Let’s welcome Jesus to live in joy. Let’s acknowledge that we are sinners, that we are empty, that we are destitute without his Love.

Let’s ask him for forgiveness, for when people place their failures and faults on his back. Let’s recognize that humans cause their own misfortunes, since they succumb to temptations. They let themselves be attracted by tempters.

They become lukewarm, they neglect faith, then they move away from God.

Let’s thank Jesus for reminding us that he alone saves us and may we dwell in his Love and joy.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s be Loved, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

101. God wishes our conversion


Our faith can be affected by shadows, by interrogations, but it is raised in Jesus:

“’To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself’ is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices”. Mark, chapter 12, verse 33

What matters is to love. How to love? By following Christ.
But what confirms to us that we are really following Christ? By allowing Christ to become the centre of our lives and recognizing his manifestations of Love: joy, peace, mercy...

In truth, we are incapable of loving. God Loves through us.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s be Loved, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

102. Coverage


When we are not aware of evil, it spies on us. With the multiplicity of means to feed it, evil transforms like a blanket. This cover is cunningly transformed and becomes more and more difficult to remove. This cover of evil extends to us and onto others. The Lord of the universe reminds us of what is good to do to get away from evil:
“Consider your ways! Go up into the hill country; bring timber, and build the house that I may take pleasure in it and receive my glory, says the Lord.” Haggai, chapter 1, verses 7 to 8

To get out of the trap of evil and to learn to love ourselves better, it is about serving the Lord, with the fear of doing harm. This fear is the signal to continually adjust our heart toward Jesus.

The only way to build the house of the Lord and stay there is to move away from all forms of evil that we smoulder, often in spite of ourselves and sometimes because of us. Let’s rebuild and gather together with the Lord.

Let’s ask Jesus to uncover where we let evil dominate us. Let’s offer him our discoveries, in a process of forgiveness and reconciliation. May Jesus wash us from his side with his Precious Blood and Water.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s be Loved, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

103. Impossible to love


Oh, love! Everyone is looking for it and thinks they have found it. In life, there is always a choice between loving or not loving. I love one thing, I do not love another. For things the choice is often easier. But for people, we often consider them, more or less, depending on our preferences.

In reality, it’s impossible for us to love, since Love is from God. Without the Love of God in us, we have no love to offer.

We are created to receive Love and allow it to pass through us to love. Sometimes we do not accept everything in one person, but we are invited to open our hearts for God to pass through. All people are Loved by God, without exception.

There are also judgments about what people wear, about their ways, their way of speaking, their way of life. There are many reasons to get around people. But James tells us:
“Show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.” James, chapter 2, verse 1

James proposes that we see people, all people as children of God. If all relationships begin and continue this way, God’s Love will cover the world. The Love of God already embraces all people of the earth, but we give the impression that God is not Love because of our resistance to him.

Let’s accept that the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, that God is Love, and people will simply find out that they are Loved.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s be Loved, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

104. Persecution



We know it, persecution is not new. We find it at home, in schools, at work and on the street. Bullying is physical and verbal abuse.

Persecutions, divisions, God does not provoke them, but inhuman foolishness covets it. Some work hard to keep the power on them. They manage everything in their heads and by pride they persecute people. The persecutors do not need anyone to collapse, to self-destruct, considering they do not need God. The persecutor hurts himself whenever he hurts another. A double hurting.

Persecution and loss of meaning are awaiting us. Whether we are practising believers and celebrants or non-believers, we will be persecuted.

The difference is great for those who follow Jesus. They receive graces to live better, avoid persecution and pass through divisions that shake the world.
Jesus recalls that persecution is real:
“They will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defence beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.” Luke, chapter 21, verses 12 to 15

We are invited to receive the Love of God, to allow us a joyful transformation, to live in peace. We can, afterward, bring this joy and peace to others, even to the persecutors.

The solution Jesus offers is to always bear witness to our faith in God. If we leave God more room in our lives, we will have the strength and courage to persevere in faith, especially during trials.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s be Loved, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

105. The flowing grace


God offers us a servant. He is Love:
“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom I delight; I shall place my spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not contend or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.

A bruised reed he will not break, a smouldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory.” Matthew, chapter 12, verses 18 to 20

Let’s be touched and moved by the unconditional Love of God. The more we distribute the Love of God, the more we receive. May we let the flowing grace of the Love of God descend on us. Let’s let it flow into the crowd and we will receive plenty of it.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s be Loved, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

106. Trusting in our Saviour


A phrase like this helps us to discover God in the Bible:
“Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.” Isaiah, chapter 40, verse 1

The people will sin against himself, the world will sin so much against God that he can no longer see God in his environment, because he believes that God is the one who disturbs him.

Yet God constantly reminds us that he watches over us: “Comfort, give comfort to my people.” Whether we sin or not, he wants to join us and touch our heart. Let’s continue with Isaiah:
“The grass withers, the flower wilts, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it. (So then, the people is the grass.) Though the grass withers and the flower wilts, the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah, chapter 40, verses 7b to 8

To move away from God is like a plant that dries up. It fades. So, as water raises the flower, the only one that can give strength to humans is God.

To receive the Eucharist is like the plant that is nourished with vitamins and receives what it needs. He who offers eternal life is God. The Eucharist and the Word guarantees eternal life when we receive them with heart. They awake and elevate us.

God invites us. He wants to console us of what can hurt. He wants to lead and feed us at the source, in green pastures.

Jesus makes unceasing calls to distant hearts. The Lord is the Good Shepherd who wants to gather all the sheep and lead them into the community of saints, in his Kingdom.

Let’s be attracted by our Father and trusting in our Saviour, the Good Shepherd of heaven and earth, Jesus Christ. May we be led to the Altar of the Gift of God, the Altar of Love for each person, to the Word and the Eucharist.
There is joy in heaven and peace on earth, since the promised Saviour liberates and consoles the one who really seeks him, wholeheartedly.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: … for Love, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

107. Spiritual improvement


Paul tells us:
“We know that all creation is groaning in labour pains even until now.” Romans, chapter 8, verse 22

Many women can share their feelings about the pain of giving birth. They know what Paul is talking about. But this pain is much more stinging, even if it doesn’t seem perceptible, when we are away from Jesus.

Sin in us is stubborn and constantly assails us. But we are invited to return to awareness and accept healing, so that we may live happily and unite in God.

When we read God’s recommendations in the Bible, we find that they always lead to avoid problems. The Bible is full of examples. Yet it’s necessary not to twist, to bend the good to the point of thinking that it’s wrong and to not sublimate evil and think to succeed in transforming it into a good deed.

Let’s face it, a person who doesn’t know that he’s doing wrong is getting trapped. But a person who likes to live peacefully, when evil comes, does everything possible to avoid it, circumvent it or, ideally as soon as possible ask Jesus to help him pass by it.

Let’s read:
“Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil.” Isaiah, chapter 1, verse 16

We often give our faults, our sins to Jesus, and we know the good he brings us and the healing that follows. We give it to him because we trust him. God purifies then consoles us beyond our expectations.

Every time we confess, Jesus’s Precious Blood washes us, cleanses us. He makes the hurting part of our confession white as snow. It provides well-being.

To this is added a way to repair, a way to become better. After the forgiven fault, these are attitudes that help us to improve:
“Learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.” Isaiah, chapter 1, verse 17

We tend to move away from God, and that is evil, and ultimately we hurt ourselves. It requires discernment to fully understand the difference between what is really bad or good. Let’s return and God will do his work in us.

Getting people to become truthful could be disastrous, if it’s not well framed, with patience and gentleness. We must not make people flee as much as to pray for their spiritual improvement. We hope they’ll find themselves in the grace of God. God will do his work in them.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: … for Love, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

108. The good we perceive


Many people are alone, even in groups, because they feel misunderstood, judged, left out too. Let’s defend the lonely person's cause. Offering charity helps others and helps us too. There is a clear advantage. While we are doing good, we are freeing ourselves from evil.

The Bible often offers ways to improve our faith, to reach God. This sentence is timely, while Jesus speaks of some scribes and pharisees:
“Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practise.” Matthew, chapter 23, verse 3

Let’s be careful not to judge people but gather their qualities, the gifts they’ve received from God. Thus, if we cannot trust the actions or words of some people, we can however retain their good counsel and perseverance in following Jesus. So, we shouldn’t take apart what they might not be doing good, it’s more about making sure we move forward and do good. We too are not perfect.

It’s up to each person to discern and be empowered to become better christians and truly God’s children. The good we perceive in others teaches us to become better ourselves.

But let’s be careful not to mix up good and bad. Discovering the evil in others is also a great way to avoid slipping into the same evil. We learn from their failures. This teaches us and it’s an opportunity to pray for them. Learning from their failures helps us and will help them eventually.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: … for Love, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

109. Love is the journey to our salvation


God offers us his creation. We are the fruit of his creation. He offers us life, joy, peace and above all the freedom to choose. But we often live as people who stay away from God.

This freedom to choose, we often seem not to know what to do with it. The proof is that with our freedom, we could feel free to choose something other than God. Or we just stay far enough, so as not to be afraid of God, which is a totally useless fear.

We are especially afraid of being afraid of God. We believe that God is the cause of our fear. However, he cannot scare us because Love is not scary. Fear is the sign of us leaving the Lord.

God’s Law is simple. Let’s remain suspended to his Love and we will be saved. We’re already in his Love. Jesus shares with us his law of Love. Let’s love Jesus. It’s an easy choice.

God’s Law is related to his Perfect, True, and Real Love. The word “law” may seem to mean something strict and caging. Yes, we can say that for a badly practised law that becomes dehumanizing, but never for the law of God.

God’s Law of Love is the real journey to our salvation. If it seems strict and stifling, we’re not grasping it. Such an interpretation prevents us from living peacefully in God.

Let’s ask Jesus for healing and purification, in order to advance in faith. May fear and suffocation stay away from us. Let’s get closer to Jesus.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: … for Love, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

110. To meditate on


Someone has this question for Jesus:
“‘Lord, will only a few people be saved?’ He answered them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.’” Luke, chapter 13, verses 23 to 24

We will be saved to the extent that we find the narrow door.

There are many people who wonder, in the light of this passage, whether their families, their friends will be saved if they don’t find this door, if they don’t open to the will of God. The question is launched. Do we want to live this passage toward, then in God’s Heart? Jesus tells us how easy it is:
“It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew, chapter 19, verse 24

Jesus says that it’s necessary to go through the hole of a needle to enter the Kingdom of God. The camel succeeds easily. This is a message he sends us. It invites us to go beyond the conceptions, the sense that we usually give to things and to meditate on what he proposes.

The narrow door, the hole of the needle, is to be aware of what God asks of us. We must dare to rise and walk in Jesus’s steps, so that we may always find the unique pathway to truth and Love that leads to the Father’s house. Anyone can find it, because that’s the easiest thing to do.

Let’s ask Jesus if we are on the right path. Are we on the right track, Jesus?

Are we doing what is right? Do we live in the present moment as something precious, to cherish and celebrate with good deeds and good words?

Are we watchful of the poor? Not only to throw money at him, but to help him on his way and help him walk in your footsteps, Jesus. The answer Jesus offers us is in our heart.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: … for Love, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

111. He opens our heart


For people who cannot be involved a lot, prayer is the answer. Prayer helps us to stay focused on the Trinity for the world.

It is up to us, who have found the narrow door in our heart, to let it stay open and let God’s Love pass through. We will be saved to the extent that we find the door and let Jesus open it.

The narrow door is to always move forward to God by following Jesus; it is hoping to adjust ourselves to what Christ wants us to achieve in us and around us; it’s becoming so united to Christ that people see Christ in us; it’s wanting to be at the service of the neighbour, because Christ invites us to love, with his Love. This is the only path that leads to the narrow gate. Many other trails lead out of Love.

Let’s trust and walk with Jesus. We will evolve to the extent that we will keep him with us.

For the Love of God, everything is possible. It’s too easy. The needles hole and the narrow door represent the path, the tunnel that leads to the Trinity.

If we really think about it, it is possible for Love to make us pass into eternal life, in the Heart of God. Love doesn’t suffer restrictions. It goes anywhere. It opens the main door of the Kingdom of God at the same time it opens our heart.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: … for Love, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

112. Discernment is a grace


We can observe what we do, what we say, how we live, and here we have the basis for discovering and correcting many small annoyances we’re living in.

Discernment is a grace that we can ask to the Holy Spirit. Discernment allows us to fully observe all facets of our lives and stay in a fair path. Better still, it’s a grace we already have, which comes with the gift of life. We only need to accept it and practice discernment. Grace will do the rest. Everything is simple when we only need to ask and receive.
James tells us:
“For one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, it is a sin.” James, chapter 4, verse 17

It’s clear that if we enter the good path, we move away from evil, we move away from sin.

We are faced with multiple choices every day, but we also have the possibility to sort through our memory, clean our habits. In this way, we will learn to become more ourselves by avoiding clutches and traps.

The freedom we have is to choose the right passage, the road that leads to the Heart of God and let go of the empty, illusory and useless.

If there’s someone who does good in the name of Jesus:
“do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me.” Mark, chapter 9, verses 39 to 40

Jesus assures us that if the person does good, according to the Heart of God, he is a person who discerns, makes good choices and does Jesus’s will. This is the path that leads to God’s Heart.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: … for Love, Normand Thomas