Normandt' Catholic Meditations

[Normandt]

252. We believe

Jesus leads us to the Father. Paul tells us:
“Jesus is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them.” Hebrews, Chapter 7, verse 25

The key to christian hope is there. Jesus is still alive and he intercedes for us.

We know that as we approach Jesus, he will lead us to the Father. This is why we are continually at Mass, which is why we pray regularly and demand him to be forgiven, in order to become free in him.



What we want for us, we also wish for the world. Prayer and forgiveness also opens a way for God’s grace to those who need it most.

We believe that Jesus is our Saviour and that he is the one who will keep us in the Love of God until the day we see him face to face.

Book: The Shepherd’s Mission
Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

[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]

[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]

[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]

[Normandt]

256. It’s not easy

The existence on earth isn’t always easy, even for Jesus. And, if it’s not easy for Jesus, we can be in trouble too:
“A prophet is not without honour except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” Mark, chapter 6, verse 4

Whether we are believers or not, we will someday have challenges that will require patience and time to get through it. From childhood to today, the challenges were multiplied.



For Jesus, he will be continually persecuted. Not because of his mistakes because he didn’t sin, but because the people around him don’t understand him. It’s not the thorn that he wears in the manner of Paul, but the insults, the spittle, the thorns. Then the nails and the spear will be revealed when he receives them on the Cross.

We move forward day by day with our sorrows and with our joys too. Let’s ask Jesus to help us persevere in faith and continue to grow in the Love of God, with the Holy Spirit as our guide.

Book: Let’s reveal God
Normand Thomas

[Normandt]

[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]

[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]

[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