Normandt' Catholic Meditations

[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]

[Normandt]

105. The True Servant



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]

[Normandt]

106. Like a flower



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]

[Normandt]

107. Reconciliation



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]

[Normandt]

108. Charity



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]

[Normandt]

109. Staying in God



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]

[Normandt]

110. The needles hole



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]

[Normandt]

111. The door



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