Normandt' Catholic Meditations

[Normandt]

169. The one we talk about


The Holy Spirit passes in hearts and between people. The Church is moving when its members become fervent. The Church is growing and the Holy Spirit is helping to multiply its members. John writes in his first letter:
"Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth." 1 John, chapter 3, verse 18

What seems most difficult in the mission is to mention what is needed at the appropriate time or for the appropriate activity, meeting. It is about being in the best disposition of ourselves and knowing the one we're talking about, in truth. Are we really talking about God?

Even though sometimes the deeds and words are not always in accord with the Gospels, since we are not perfect, let's continue to improve our relationship with people. And if we succeed, may we remember that we have done only what we could.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: The Fruit that lasts, Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

170. Leave some space for others


"Behold, this too is vanity. Here is a man who has laboured with wisdom and knowledge and skill, and to another, who has not laboured over it, he must leave his property. This also is vanity and a great misfortune.

For what profit comes to a man from all the toil and anxiety of heart with which he has laboured under the sun?" Ecclesiastes, chapter 2, verses 1 and 21 to 22

We are invited to invest ourselves with balance. Some people try to achieve everything and they are so engaged in all kinds of activities that they don't realize that they are harming their health ... even sometimes the health of others.

What are our priorities?
Can we offer more of our services to the Church, for the world?
Do we carry out activities that will bring us closer to a relationship with Jesus and help others to know him?

Or are we just looking to put on a show, to look good, occupied?
It's always easier to participate in the life of the Church than to leave the work to one or two people. It's also necessary that those who work in the Church leave some space for others.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: The Fruit that lasts, Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

171. Talents


Let's invest in something that resembles us, brings us together and reflects our talents, supported by the teaching of the Church. It may seem simple, but it's good to think about it properly to fit and meet our talents.

Each person has his own charisms. It's also recommended to ask the Holy Spirit what would be best for us to achieve.

There are always people in the Church who hold on despite the adversity of everything that keeps the world away from churches. They hold on and that keeps the Church fruitful. They receive courage and tenacity from Our Lord. Glory be to Jesus!

Paul tells us:
"Think of what is above, not of what is on earth." Colossians, chapter 3, verse 2

May all that we do for the people be inspired by the realities from above. The realities of the earth are good and pleasant, like picking strawberries, but the realities of heaven are superior to them, like the fruit of charity toward people.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: The Fruit that lasts, Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

172. Fruits of paradise


Jesus invites us to think:
"Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?" Luke, chapter 12, verse 14

Jesus is not a judge as we may think. He doesn't judge us as we often do. He lets us judge of what we achieve. He lets us decide if we want to share the goods of the kingdom of God that we carry within us. He even questions us. He wonders why we perceive him as a judge, in the sense of a referee.

Let's ask Jesus to help recognize in us what we can share of our spiritual life, so that his Heart overflows on people and between hearts.

As the fields and the valleys are full of fruits and vegetables that feed us, all our actions and words are full of divine and beneficial seeds for those around us.

Let's gather the fruits of paradise and fill our baskets with hope, faith, charity and also prudence, temperance, strength and justice; the strength and righteousness that are from the Love of God, and offer them to all, so that they too may discover the beauty and wonder of the divine fields of God.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: The Fruit that lasts, Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

173. To walk in faith


If there are people who can help in one area or another, mechanics, caretaking, fraternal listening, helping one of the members in one of his needs, according to their talents, the help will be appreciated and they will receive a hundredfold from the Lord.

It would be easier to have about twenty people who offer their services than just a few who do everything. That doesn't prevent that the generosity is at hand when there is an important work to accomplish in the churches. Often people give themselves without counting in big events. Many people offer their services discreetly, without anyone being aware. All these people are generous.

To leave our task, when there's no one to assume it and to take over, for example, is to take risks, it's mortgaging the immediate future of the responsibilities and the activities of evangelization in the church.

Let's think of other people who could share our tasks, while we still have the capacity to do them. In this way, if something happens to us, a loss of health, an accident or a new job, a new opportunity for example, we know that the mission will continue. In addition, it allows others to walk in faith as they offer their services.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: The Fruit that lasts, Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

174. In the Light of Christ


In the book of Isaiah we read:
"The Lord called me from birth, from my mother's womb he gave me my name." Isaiah, chapter 49, verse 1

God calls all people, without exception, to a unique vocation and mission. Yet not all people respond to the invitation. Many people don't know it or ignore it or worse yet, refuse to believe it and slow themselves down. Yet it's when we're on the move that we discover the potential of faith that we receive from God.

We are called to a vocation and a mission from our conception. However, we have the freedom to answer yes or no:
"I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth." Isaiah, chapter 49, verse 6

Jesus is the Light of the nations and we need his Light to enlighten our faith and to understand the mission. Let's ask him his Light constantly to live well the mission in which he wishes to send us.

Let's walk in the Light of Christ, walk with Christ, walk for Christ, live in Christ and in his Light every day, so that the mission has meaning and fits in God's will. Not my will, but your will, Jesus. It is you, Jesus, who makes us capable of such a beautiful, exciting and wonderful mission.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: The Fruit that lasts, Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

175. Jesus in our hearts


It must have been so difficult for the people who know Jesus to recognize him in his new mission. Jesus changed according to their eyes. From one day to the next, Jesus is on a mission and he must be very different before them. He says and he does what others can't do.

They perceive here and there fragments of what Jesus realizes and it's difficult to place the few pieces of the puzzle in a frame, especially when there are many missing pieces. In addition, they may receive conflicting messages of what they hear about Jesus.

Even today, the ambient message about Jesus, in general, in the world, is sometimes discordant. But it's sometimes easy to trust the fears, rather than what Jesus tells us and realizes.

The people from his home, watching him go, came to seize him because they said:
"He is out of his mind." Mark, chapter 3, verse 21

They want to protect their idea of Jesus. They can't imagine for a moment that Jesus entered another stage of his life.

It's a bit like that when a person causes problems in an environment. If people don't check the foundation of a person's mission, fear may be taking hold of some people and it may further harm the mission, instead of helping to build a more just, better world, merciful and true.

If we begin, in the immediate future, a mission in the name of Jesus, there is a good chance that our surroundings will find us different. It's also possible that some people won't recognize who we are, since we're experiencing a transformation by following Jesus. It is a sign that we're moving forward and a testimony of our faith to them.

Let's give them some time to join us and understand, in faith. Let's pray that they will also discover Jesus in their hearts. Let's give them time to adjust to this novelty.

It's then necessary to meet with other people who have faith in Jesus, to truly enter the mission that allows us to live and achieve goodness.

Let's listen, discern, then encourage and help those who evangelize honestly in the name of Christ, with Christ.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: The Fruit that lasts, Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

176. To evangelize and help others


Paul is right:
"The kindness of God would lead you to repentance." Romans, chapter 2, verse 4

... To conversion. By and large, Paul invites us to patience, and to receive from people their kindness and generosity. We discover God's goodness in them. The goodness of God overcomes reluctance and attracts to conversion. The call that God sends us is related to his kindness.

He also talks to us about this:
"By the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things." Romans, chapter 2, verse 1

It must be said that we tend to mix judgment about others with what is a constructive judgment.

Judging others about whom they are at first sight, without really knowing them, is a judgment. But, to observe the actions of another person in order to help, even if we have the same difficulty as this person, can still help.

We must not wait to be perfect to evangelize and help others. Otherwise, nothing would be possible for the world.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: The Fruit that lasts, Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

177. Let Jesus Love others


And this phrase said by some people sometimes blocks us: "Ah, and you, you are perfect!" In fact, the person may not want our help. We still can pray for him.

Let's face it, nobody's perfect. It would be a shame not to be able to help the people considering that we're also imperfect. Where would charity unfold in such circumstances? It would be like telling a doctor who has cancer that because of that he cannot heal us. We would tell him to heal himself before thinking of healing us. Yet, helping helps to improve who we are. We help each other to help each other, and so on.

Jesus seems to be leading the idea further, when he says to the pharisees:
"You pay no attention to judgment and to love for God." Luke, chapter 11, verse 42

That's the basis. A testimony must encourage good deeds. And Jesus brings us back to reality, respectfully. In fact, we're not perfect, and it's clear that our actions and words are not always the best.

What Paul wants us to understand, mostly, is that we cannot evangelize if we're not connected with Jesus. Jesus abounds here, in the same sense. We are invited to deeply convert if we want to evangelize others, but let's not wait to be perfect.

It would be illusory, in spite of our difficulties, not to evangelize when we have received so much, received all from the Lord. Let's trust and evangelize, according to our resources and abilities, according to the openness of our heart. May we remember that it isn't we who evangelize, but Jesus through us.

By improving our life of faith with Jesus, we're on the move. By helping others to improve their lives of faith, we will come closer to Jesus together. Let's destroy our illusions and let God Love us, and through us, let him Love others.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: The Fruit that lasts, Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

178. Lead people to salvation


All that we say, all that we achieve will be to lead us and draw people to salvation in the Lord's life.

Let's read a few times what Peter says in this little text and we will have a synthesis of the purpose of our faith:
"That the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of (your) faith, the salvation of your souls." 1 Peter, chapter 1, verses 7 to 9

All that we say, all that we realize will be to lead us and lead people to salvation in the kingdom of God. As soon as we direct our life to make it pleasing to God, we also help our neighbour to discover the purpose of life. We walk on the path of holiness.

This passage from Peter is revealing: "As you attain the goal of (your) faith, the salvation of your souls". The salvation of souls is the goal of our faith. It is the will of God and "genuineness of our faith". As soon as a few people come together in the name of Jesus Christ, there will be other people interested in discovering the reality of their faith, and in doing so fulfilling the Lord's mission.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: The Fruit that lasts, Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

179. God gives us his Love


The Church is on the move. We are in the world and we're invited to share what we have received from Jesus. We already carry everything in our heart. We will pass on what we receive in abundance. Jesus, through us, will come to listen, to watch, to console, to heal people of the great lack of missing out on Love.

Going beyond our capabilities doesn't require greater effort. It requires above all living in faith, to let Jesus be Lord and to be conscientious to what others are going through.

In reality, we don't need to go beyond our capacities. We discover what is essential in us, what God has placed. It creates balance. We don't need more. We already have what's necessary.

As a guitar player retreats alone to practice his pieces of music, before making them available to the public, we'll retreat in a favorable environment and pay attention, in a place of prayer, hear and discover what lives in us, of what God gives us, bound to his Love.

Then, as the musician, we will be able to join others and create a harmony of talents that we have received, practiced and developed. We'll go to places where people recognize our style, our music, what is natural and what is of God for us and for them.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Up! Let's go!, Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

180. The Holy Spirit prepares the hearts


The basis of evangelization begins with this:
"Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me." Matthew, chapter 10, verse 40

It would be interesting to ask ourselves these questions: "Who is the person who seems interested in knowing Jesus, but doesn't seem to dare move forward?" "Who welcomes our faith in Jesus? "Who shows signs of faith by their words, by their gestures?" "In whom do we welcome Jesus?"
We need to create a dialogue of faith with someone close to us.

Logically, in the world, there are many people who seek meaning in their lives, who wish to see more values spread, who are thirsty for a good word, who struggle for the lack of the presence of believing and convinced people.

These people may welcome us already. But did we suggest they discover the richness in their heart, which is of God, by telling them of the talents he wants to reveal in them?

It may be the glass of water we can offer:
"Whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple - amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward." Matthew, chapter 10, verse 42

In the smallest daily gestures, with words of encouragement, simple words that Jesus himself would say in the current context, we can reach the people around us.

Let's ask the Holy Spirit to prepare the hearts of the people we visit. May the Holy Spirit come to meet us and put a balm of Love on these people and especially in their hearts. Let's take the opportunity to make the same request for us.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Up! Let's go!, Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

181. Charity


Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, invites us to charity. To evangelize today, let's develop charity towards people. Here is one of his famous passages:
"If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. Love is patient, love is kind (...) rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 1 Corinthians, chapter 13, verses 1, 4 and 6 to 7

Anchored in Jesus' Heart, we're on the move (mission) and we're joyful militants (evangelization) so that the world finds what is still current in biblical values; free the captives, feed the hungry, visit the lonely, evangelize people far from Church, from God.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Up! Let's go!, Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

182. Fulfilled in our heart


We're invited to say like Jesus:
"Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." Luke, chapter 4, verse 21

Today, what God offers, is fulfilled in our heart because we freely accept it. Let's meditate on what we receive. Then, about what we must offer.

May the Holy Trinity inspire us with the urgency of evangelization for our time, for today. Not the urgency to run everywhere and in all directions, but the urgency to recognize what we receive from God and to overflow with all that we receive, to be filled and to quench the thirst of love that so many are longing for.

It's also important to always adjust our dedication to what each person really needs. We're called to be charitable, watchful and just.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Up! Let's go!, Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

183. For Jesus to be known


Paul's letter to Timothy is a teaching to revisit. He tells him :
You, man of God, avoid all this. Instead, pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.

"Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called when you made the noble confession in the presence of many witnesses." 1 Timothy, chapter 6, verses 11 to 12

Are we capable of such a beautiful affirmation of faith before many witnesses? It is the foundation of evangelization: to stay in the good, the beautiful, the true, the real, in what is eternal, and to reveal it to our contemporaries. We want to reel in eternal life and stay there.

We're invited to reflect on how we can affirm our faith before many witnesses. What meaning do we want to give to our faith life from day to day? What do we want the world to discover about faith? How are we to reveal the Love of God that swells in our heart?

We see in the world the many persecutions against christians or against other religions and its progressing, in different peoples and nations. People are persecuted and defending their faith without fail and with courage that certainly surpasses us.

We're in an environment where faith in our God seems already acquired, but this false acquisition of faith left behind all sorts of complications and closed the possibilities of growing in God. What could we do while we still live in peace, to transmit, to sow signs of faith? What are the means we use for Jesus to be known to the world?

Faith in us must be in motion if we want to progress and hope for more joy and peace in the world. Let's run away from evil. It's important to be on the move before we fall below the bar of what is unreasonable, and then have to fight to keep our faith in a world that thinks no longer having reasons to believe in God.

Jesus is looking for people to announce the good news, where they are. He wants us to participate. Only if the Good News is announced will we see the gifts of the Holy Spirit at work: joy, peace, love, etc., in the hearts of others.

The good news is that we are Loved by God and are called to live free, responsible and joyful until the resurrection with Jesus.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Up! Let's go!, Normand Thomas