20. Tell the truth
Jesus declares to his disciples:
“Everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.” Luke, chapter 12, verse 8
True! But what does Jesus want us to say about him? The truth. This is more delicate. To talk about a person, especially Jesus, we need to spend years with him, talk with him, share with him, share in a group and read what is written about him, then enter into a better fellowship with him, naturally.
Above all, if we are talking about Jesus, let’s make sure we know ourselves well and gradually adjust to his will. However, a person who has not invested time to listen to his own life will hardly be able to put the reality of another person into perspective. It’s an everyday job to discover ourselves in reality and truth.
In the Gospels, there’s a lot of information about Jesus, his life is part of the history of his time. He is Jewish. And Jesus is surrounded by people who testify to his presence. However, to discern in the Gospels how Jesus really is, it is recommended to become more familiar with him:
“As proof that you are children, God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’” Galatians, chapter 4, verse 6
Only the Holy Spirit really knows the Creation of the Father and the Heart of the Son. But how to grasp the Holy Spirit if we don’t see him? Through the Love received from him, lived and shared. Gaining experience in this area is an asset.
To know Jesus, let’s comb the Bible in order to discover all of the Trinity’s reality and especially that which is particular to the Beloved Son Jesus.
May the Eucharist, the Body and the Blood of Jesus together, the living God, help us to make truth in us … if we want to discover his Truth in us. Then, by being totally free from ourselves and from some reducing principles about God, may the Holy Spirit teach us what to say about him for the salvation of the world and the Glory of the Trinity.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: The Shepherd’s Mission, Normand Thomas
Normandt' Bible reflexions
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
21. God passes
God comes before us. Let’s imagine God passing in front of us? Can we afford the time to receive God and let him reveal his presence to us?
God joins Elijah in front of a cave:
“A strong and heavy wind is rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the Lord - but the Lord is not in the wind. After the wind there’s an earthquake - but the Lord is not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there’s fire - but the Lord is not in the fire. After the fire there is a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hides his face in his cloak and goes and stands at the entrance of the cave. A voice says to him, “Elijah, why are you here?”” 1 Kings, chapter 19, verses 11b to 13
God does not show up in something very impressive. Elijah hears him as a delicate voice, in “a tiny whispering sound”, “the sound of sheer silence”. God is discreet. He stands before us and in our heart with the same discretion.
Do we want God to speak to us? God speaks to us like he does to Elijah. What is he telling us?
To hear God, we need to enter in the silence of our heart. Let’s seek God’s presence in us and in our environment and we’ll become more aware that he’s here.
God proposes to us the same question as to Elijah: “Elijah, why are you here?” Why is Elijah hidden in a cave? Why are we hiding from God and not inviting him into our life? Why are we hiding in our houses and apartments or in our “bubble” when we’re in a group?
“Elijah, why are you here?” God asks. And God asks us why we are confined in our body and in our heart by preventing his Loving power to live in it, to breathe in it.
We enter the covenant with God, we enter God’s Love when he can reach us. May we set free to him the space of our heart.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
God comes before us. Let’s imagine God passing in front of us? Can we afford the time to receive God and let him reveal his presence to us?
God joins Elijah in front of a cave:
“A strong and heavy wind is rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the Lord - but the Lord is not in the wind. After the wind there’s an earthquake - but the Lord is not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there’s fire - but the Lord is not in the fire. After the fire there is a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hides his face in his cloak and goes and stands at the entrance of the cave. A voice says to him, “Elijah, why are you here?”” 1 Kings, chapter 19, verses 11b to 13
God does not show up in something very impressive. Elijah hears him as a delicate voice, in “a tiny whispering sound”, “the sound of sheer silence”. God is discreet. He stands before us and in our heart with the same discretion.
Do we want God to speak to us? God speaks to us like he does to Elijah. What is he telling us?
To hear God, we need to enter in the silence of our heart. Let’s seek God’s presence in us and in our environment and we’ll become more aware that he’s here.
God proposes to us the same question as to Elijah: “Elijah, why are you here?” Why is Elijah hidden in a cave? Why are we hiding from God and not inviting him into our life? Why are we hiding in our houses and apartments or in our “bubble” when we’re in a group?
“Elijah, why are you here?” God asks. And God asks us why we are confined in our body and in our heart by preventing his Loving power to live in it, to breathe in it.
We enter the covenant with God, we enter God’s Love when he can reach us. May we set free to him the space of our heart.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
22 Follow me
Jesus loves to challenge people who are seated or lying down. Here is Matthew, a tax collector sitting at his desk, to which Jesus says:
“Follow me.” Matthew, chapter 9, verse 9b
Which means: “Stand up and walk with me.”
Jesus knows the heart of every person, of every individual. He chose Matthew because he’s ready to be plucked like a ripe fruit:
“He got up and followed him.” Matthew, chapter 9, verse 9c
Says Matthew, himself. Jesus touches Matthew at the heart of his being. Matthew gets up “immediately” and follows him.
Matthew will become Jesus’ Apostle and evangelist and he’ll continue, his whole life, to remain with him.
When the faith of the person enters its maturity, it becomes easier to follow Jesus. Jesus wants for Matthew to follow him. He knows that Matthew has made the necessary efforts to exercise faith. Matthew perhaps wasn’t aware of the degree of faith he had and maybe few people knew also. He is ready to walk on the road that Jesus borrows.
The completion of the conversion in Matthew is to hear and respond to the call of Jesus. Matthew goes and follows Jesus, step by step, without knowing in what Jesus is getting him into. His heart is touched, then he’s overturned by this unique moment with Jesus.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Jesus loves to challenge people who are seated or lying down. Here is Matthew, a tax collector sitting at his desk, to which Jesus says:
“Follow me.” Matthew, chapter 9, verse 9b
Which means: “Stand up and walk with me.”
Jesus knows the heart of every person, of every individual. He chose Matthew because he’s ready to be plucked like a ripe fruit:
“He got up and followed him.” Matthew, chapter 9, verse 9c
Says Matthew, himself. Jesus touches Matthew at the heart of his being. Matthew gets up “immediately” and follows him.
Matthew will become Jesus’ Apostle and evangelist and he’ll continue, his whole life, to remain with him.
When the faith of the person enters its maturity, it becomes easier to follow Jesus. Jesus wants for Matthew to follow him. He knows that Matthew has made the necessary efforts to exercise faith. Matthew perhaps wasn’t aware of the degree of faith he had and maybe few people knew also. He is ready to walk on the road that Jesus borrows.
The completion of the conversion in Matthew is to hear and respond to the call of Jesus. Matthew goes and follows Jesus, step by step, without knowing in what Jesus is getting him into. His heart is touched, then he’s overturned by this unique moment with Jesus.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
what the heck was the point of this?
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
23. Joy settles in
When adjusting to the will of God, we can receive the light, then joy settles in and peace becomes a constant reality. Jesus came to teach us the Good News and to free us.
Jesus invites us back to a child’s dignity from God, in purity of heart. Everything is better in God. The weight of past feelings and tomorrow’s worries recede from our conscience.
Paul is proposing that we visit our heart:
“It is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us, by putting his seal on us and giving us his Spirit in our hearts as a first instalment.” 2 Corinthians, chapter 1, verses 21 and 22
The past is a shadow, the future is a mirage, but the Holy Spirit dwells in our heart right now. Living in God improves our life. Welcoming the Holy Spirit into our heart leads to joy in God’s Love.
But when we drag the past on our shoulders, we fight for years and we lose energy. And when we suffer from anxiety for the future, we seek for the impossible for hours, months and years as time passes. God is found in the present.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew, chapter 5, verse 3
The poor of heart, of spirit, know they can rely on God. They receive the basic necessities. They hold the key to the Kingdom God.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
When adjusting to the will of God, we can receive the light, then joy settles in and peace becomes a constant reality. Jesus came to teach us the Good News and to free us.
Jesus invites us back to a child’s dignity from God, in purity of heart. Everything is better in God. The weight of past feelings and tomorrow’s worries recede from our conscience.
Paul is proposing that we visit our heart:
“It is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us, by putting his seal on us and giving us his Spirit in our hearts as a first instalment.” 2 Corinthians, chapter 1, verses 21 and 22
The past is a shadow, the future is a mirage, but the Holy Spirit dwells in our heart right now. Living in God improves our life. Welcoming the Holy Spirit into our heart leads to joy in God’s Love.
But when we drag the past on our shoulders, we fight for years and we lose energy. And when we suffer from anxiety for the future, we seek for the impossible for hours, months and years as time passes. God is found in the present.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew, chapter 5, verse 3
The poor of heart, of spirit, know they can rely on God. They receive the basic necessities. They hold the key to the Kingdom God.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
24. May we convert
This passage announces the disposition of the faith:
“Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people.” Psalm, chapter 85, verse 8
Let’s listen and be focused to what the Lord God will say in our heart. When we are vigilant, we turn our faith and our heart as a receiver to the Heart of God. His Heart is similar to the satellite that launches signals. We do need to put our faith towards the right frequency to receive God. We must not turn it to channels whose waves affect the reception of our soul. The dome of the heart adjusted in the right direction to the Heart of God will receive the signals of his Love.
If we do not listen, it’s possibly because we are troubled, we are elsewhere. We may be at war against our own heart. After the war, it’s the distress creeping in, loss of energy then lack of peace.
May we listen to what the Lord says in the silence of our heart. We think we’re not hearing anything? Still, God speaks to us all the same. Only experience will clarify our listening. Let’s count five seconds and gradually increase from week to week, the time to listen to God. Let’s adjust the beating of our heart to the Heart of God.
God offers us his peace, peace for his family and children. Peace is offered to us. Let’s listen and cling to the one that offers us his peace and his Love.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
This passage announces the disposition of the faith:
“Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people.” Psalm, chapter 85, verse 8
Let’s listen and be focused to what the Lord God will say in our heart. When we are vigilant, we turn our faith and our heart as a receiver to the Heart of God. His Heart is similar to the satellite that launches signals. We do need to put our faith towards the right frequency to receive God. We must not turn it to channels whose waves affect the reception of our soul. The dome of the heart adjusted in the right direction to the Heart of God will receive the signals of his Love.
If we do not listen, it’s possibly because we are troubled, we are elsewhere. We may be at war against our own heart. After the war, it’s the distress creeping in, loss of energy then lack of peace.
May we listen to what the Lord says in the silence of our heart. We think we’re not hearing anything? Still, God speaks to us all the same. Only experience will clarify our listening. Let’s count five seconds and gradually increase from week to week, the time to listen to God. Let’s adjust the beating of our heart to the Heart of God.
God offers us his peace, peace for his family and children. Peace is offered to us. Let’s listen and cling to the one that offers us his peace and his Love.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
Hello!!! Hello, @Normandt! What is the point of all these posts? You know no one reads them right?
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
25. It’s time
Peter tells us that God wants all of us to have time to convert:
“The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard ‘delay’, but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter, chapter 3, verse 9
God is in a hurry, because he wants all of us with him, without exception. But he respects us. He waits for us to decide. Are we going to wait until tomorrow? Do we want to convert from the depths of our heart? For God is eternal, but we’re passing through a limited time. Time is the passage between our conception and eternity. The responsibility for an answer is ours.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Peter tells us that God wants all of us to have time to convert:
“The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard ‘delay’, but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter, chapter 3, verse 9
God is in a hurry, because he wants all of us with him, without exception. But he respects us. He waits for us to decide. Are we going to wait until tomorrow? Do we want to convert from the depths of our heart? For God is eternal, but we’re passing through a limited time. Time is the passage between our conception and eternity. The responsibility for an answer is ours.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
26. Choosing Jesus
In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus proclaims:
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew, chapter 4, verse 17b
Let’s convert and we’ll get a bonus by receiving the kingdom of God. Or more precisely, we receive the kingdom of God by a true conversion. Our yes to God guarantees life in the kingdom of God. God is with us. All that is ours should be to thank God. Let’s discover the infinite Love of the Trinity. We are invited to a wonderful fellowship, to welcome God’s Love and live it to obtain a gradual transformation of our person to wellness, a free life at last and the guarantee of a return to God.
Conversion of the heart, conversion of ourselves to the Persons of the Trinity, listening to what God’s wisdom proposes, implementation of charity without expecting, in doing so we attune gradually to the will of God.
As soon as we follow Christ, we become like the Light of Christ, in the image of God. We become his Love. The offer remains … to choose Jesus … and this claim belongs to us. To receive as much, with such great a promise, our demand to God should be simple, fast and efficient.
How do we please God? Preferring Jesus pleases God. It’s the ultimate option that improves all the others, especially our relationships with people. Dare we say “yes” to Jesus with our heart and our life.
God never ceases to invite us to conversion to a wiser life, more charitable, more beautiful, full of value, holier. God draws us to himself, here and now.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus proclaims:
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew, chapter 4, verse 17b
Let’s convert and we’ll get a bonus by receiving the kingdom of God. Or more precisely, we receive the kingdom of God by a true conversion. Our yes to God guarantees life in the kingdom of God. God is with us. All that is ours should be to thank God. Let’s discover the infinite Love of the Trinity. We are invited to a wonderful fellowship, to welcome God’s Love and live it to obtain a gradual transformation of our person to wellness, a free life at last and the guarantee of a return to God.
Conversion of the heart, conversion of ourselves to the Persons of the Trinity, listening to what God’s wisdom proposes, implementation of charity without expecting, in doing so we attune gradually to the will of God.
As soon as we follow Christ, we become like the Light of Christ, in the image of God. We become his Love. The offer remains … to choose Jesus … and this claim belongs to us. To receive as much, with such great a promise, our demand to God should be simple, fast and efficient.
How do we please God? Preferring Jesus pleases God. It’s the ultimate option that improves all the others, especially our relationships with people. Dare we say “yes” to Jesus with our heart and our life.
God never ceases to invite us to conversion to a wiser life, more charitable, more beautiful, full of value, holier. God draws us to himself, here and now.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
27. John lives with Jesus
Let’s imagine a moment that John has the grace to follow Jesus wherever he goes, for three years. John, the Apostle and Evangelist ate and drank with Jesus, he slept next to Jesus, he leaned his head on the Sacred Heart of Jesus. John is privileged because he decided for Jesus.
If we have ever felt the presence of Jesus, may we try to remember the exact moment when it happened. Let’s meditate on it. If we experienced a conversion as the biblical persons in the first chapter of this book, let’s try to remember the spark that has awakened and unsettled us to convert. Was it a person, an event, the construction of a church, a word, a gesture, joy, peace, silence, nature, “or so on”?
“What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life.” 1 John, chapter 1, verse 1
John agrees to follow Jesus and he spends three years on the road with him. Before meeting Jesus, John has readied his heart for his encounter with Jesus, John vibrated and after spending quality time with Jesus, John taught it. John remembers what Jesus lived and taught to the Apostles. John saw and he believed.
Although John had never known Christ, he had never touched him, we could still believe in Jesus.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Let’s imagine a moment that John has the grace to follow Jesus wherever he goes, for three years. John, the Apostle and Evangelist ate and drank with Jesus, he slept next to Jesus, he leaned his head on the Sacred Heart of Jesus. John is privileged because he decided for Jesus.
If we have ever felt the presence of Jesus, may we try to remember the exact moment when it happened. Let’s meditate on it. If we experienced a conversion as the biblical persons in the first chapter of this book, let’s try to remember the spark that has awakened and unsettled us to convert. Was it a person, an event, the construction of a church, a word, a gesture, joy, peace, silence, nature, “or so on”?
“What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life.” 1 John, chapter 1, verse 1
John agrees to follow Jesus and he spends three years on the road with him. Before meeting Jesus, John has readied his heart for his encounter with Jesus, John vibrated and after spending quality time with Jesus, John taught it. John remembers what Jesus lived and taught to the Apostles. John saw and he believed.
Although John had never known Christ, he had never touched him, we could still believe in Jesus.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
28. Don’t wait
The vast majority of conversions become effective after a very unfortunate event or suffering that endures. Many people seek God when they are injured, when they hit a wall, in an accident or during a burnout. We wait often too long before considering Jesus.
It’s not necessary to suffer, wait for the suffering to torture us to finally know God, be anxious to shout at him or to be trapped to request for him to free us.
Like us, the world needs to know that God is always here, constantly. In joy, we praise, in troubled times we can thank him for the past joy. Jesus becomes the first dialogue of our consciousness. This will help us move pass the wall that approaches instead of hitting it and collapse before it.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
The vast majority of conversions become effective after a very unfortunate event or suffering that endures. Many people seek God when they are injured, when they hit a wall, in an accident or during a burnout. We wait often too long before considering Jesus.
It’s not necessary to suffer, wait for the suffering to torture us to finally know God, be anxious to shout at him or to be trapped to request for him to free us.
Like us, the world needs to know that God is always here, constantly. In joy, we praise, in troubled times we can thank him for the past joy. Jesus becomes the first dialogue of our consciousness. This will help us move pass the wall that approaches instead of hitting it and collapse before it.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
29. Conversion destabilizes
To offer our life to Christ, by a sincere conversion, destabilizes our personal universe. Even if we are converted for years, even today, if we give our life to Christ, we must not be surprised that there are events that will incline us like the wind against the trees.
We are not accustomed to see clearly, to meet reality and feel the resistance against our faith. But to give ourselves to Jesus Christ and to be loved by him will illuminate our path on which we are engaged. Jesus will take control of our life and lead us on the right track. We lose our control by giving control to Jesus. And that’s salvation!
And, let’s face it, we’re not fond of leaving our existence to someone or even to Jesus. We have difficulty in trusting. But that is what Jesus asks of us, to allow him to receive our life in his hand.
We are also invited to live in the present, to leave behind what is unnecessary in the past and the apprehension of the future, but it’s destabilizing and undermines our bad habits. In the present, we are in God.
What grace constantly remind us that Jesus is Lord and Saviour of our life, that God created us and is the author of our life, our body, our soul, our spirit! He creates us now. May we thank Jesus for the graces received. Let’s trust in Jesus!
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
To offer our life to Christ, by a sincere conversion, destabilizes our personal universe. Even if we are converted for years, even today, if we give our life to Christ, we must not be surprised that there are events that will incline us like the wind against the trees.
We are not accustomed to see clearly, to meet reality and feel the resistance against our faith. But to give ourselves to Jesus Christ and to be loved by him will illuminate our path on which we are engaged. Jesus will take control of our life and lead us on the right track. We lose our control by giving control to Jesus. And that’s salvation!
And, let’s face it, we’re not fond of leaving our existence to someone or even to Jesus. We have difficulty in trusting. But that is what Jesus asks of us, to allow him to receive our life in his hand.
We are also invited to live in the present, to leave behind what is unnecessary in the past and the apprehension of the future, but it’s destabilizing and undermines our bad habits. In the present, we are in God.
What grace constantly remind us that Jesus is Lord and Saviour of our life, that God created us and is the author of our life, our body, our soul, our spirit! He creates us now. May we thank Jesus for the graces received. Let’s trust in Jesus!
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
30. Two choices
Two choices are offered with the surprise of the new conversion. The first choice is to sit on the novelty and think about it. It’s demanding, but it also allows to regroup and to situate us in relation to sudden major interior changes.
Like a person lost in the forest of the opportunities that offers conversion, it’s important to stop, to sit down, assess our position and observe that we live deeply in order to resume our journey. It’s like someone who tells us wonderful news, we’d better sit down.
It’s not wise to run in all directions. That’s the second choice. There is a risk of going astray in the misunderstanding of people confronting us and getting to think we really have “lost our mind”. And we could also lose our orientation in this forest. Rather, it’s time to enjoy peace in the joy of God.
Let’s think about it! In Jesus, it’s impossible to lose our head since it’s now safer than ever. Others will adapt to the enhanced version of our person. We are not changed, we do not become someone else, we are only improved through faith in Jesus.
For some Pharisees go beyond the idea that Jesus has only lost his head and that he is possessed, now they falsely perceive Jesus as the devil, satan. Jesus’ answer is quite illuminating:
“If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, that is the end of him.” Mark, chapter 3, verse 26
Jesus speaks of the nature of evil, satan, that he manipulates to divide. Jesus recalls he’s just the opposite. He came to liberate what is split apart, without love, without joy, without light. Jesus cannot be divided, because Love is not divisible. Evil cannot be joy. We know that we are close to Jesus when we are in joy, peace, real love.
Jesus came to heal the internal infirmities that distance from God, heal what divides us from our relationship to God. Jesus eliminates, eradicates and dethrones evil. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the one (Satan) who dares to keep people away from Love and the Covenant with God. The confusion starts from the principle of the great lie that Jesus is Satan just to prevent the conversion of people to the Love of God.
The Son Jesus keeps us in life, without division, without death, with the promise of eternity. It’s eternity in God we live in this very moment with Jesus.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Two choices are offered with the surprise of the new conversion. The first choice is to sit on the novelty and think about it. It’s demanding, but it also allows to regroup and to situate us in relation to sudden major interior changes.
Like a person lost in the forest of the opportunities that offers conversion, it’s important to stop, to sit down, assess our position and observe that we live deeply in order to resume our journey. It’s like someone who tells us wonderful news, we’d better sit down.
It’s not wise to run in all directions. That’s the second choice. There is a risk of going astray in the misunderstanding of people confronting us and getting to think we really have “lost our mind”. And we could also lose our orientation in this forest. Rather, it’s time to enjoy peace in the joy of God.
Let’s think about it! In Jesus, it’s impossible to lose our head since it’s now safer than ever. Others will adapt to the enhanced version of our person. We are not changed, we do not become someone else, we are only improved through faith in Jesus.
For some Pharisees go beyond the idea that Jesus has only lost his head and that he is possessed, now they falsely perceive Jesus as the devil, satan. Jesus’ answer is quite illuminating:
“If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, that is the end of him.” Mark, chapter 3, verse 26
Jesus speaks of the nature of evil, satan, that he manipulates to divide. Jesus recalls he’s just the opposite. He came to liberate what is split apart, without love, without joy, without light. Jesus cannot be divided, because Love is not divisible. Evil cannot be joy. We know that we are close to Jesus when we are in joy, peace, real love.
Jesus came to heal the internal infirmities that distance from God, heal what divides us from our relationship to God. Jesus eliminates, eradicates and dethrones evil. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the one (Satan) who dares to keep people away from Love and the Covenant with God. The confusion starts from the principle of the great lie that Jesus is Satan just to prevent the conversion of people to the Love of God.
The Son Jesus keeps us in life, without division, without death, with the promise of eternity. It’s eternity in God we live in this very moment with Jesus.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
31. There are many discoveries
The first conversion, a brand new one, needs a very strong push to propel it in the heights of reality. It’s like the plane taking off and displays great power to rise. We feel like something interesting is happening, again and again. We’re in motion.
There are many discoveries, many novelties. This can last for weeks, months. Our heart is cheering and we continually marvel at the wonders of God, one after another. We are witnessing the awakening of our senses taming faith.
As the plane takes off and settles “on” air, we possibly get the impression that our faith has stabilized. So, for the new convert to Jesus as for the disciple, eventually everything seems to normalize. The landscape does not change as fast as in the beginning. We don’t have the same feeling of elevation in faith as for the time of the initial conversion.
We quickly run the risk of getting bored, thinking that nothing is moving and that we are even possibly not in God’s plans anymore. Then we may find comforting thrills in anything other than faith in God.
It’s time to allow us a moment to recheck the path that we have just experienced and to thank God for the evolution through the months or years since our first conversion. This will allow us to get back to the foundation of our faith, to know ourselves better and re-centre our life on Jesus.
This is the right time to strengthen our faith, to dare the periodic conversion of a continuous journey, to be with people who travel together and who want to follow Jesus more confidently.
Then, we must not forget that the people who practise faith in groups are not perfect, as we are not perfect, and that our first goal is to follow Jesus. Let’s try not observing the faults of others, but seek Jesus in the heart of these people. Let’s seek God’s qualities in them and leave to Jesus what isn’t his.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
The first conversion, a brand new one, needs a very strong push to propel it in the heights of reality. It’s like the plane taking off and displays great power to rise. We feel like something interesting is happening, again and again. We’re in motion.
There are many discoveries, many novelties. This can last for weeks, months. Our heart is cheering and we continually marvel at the wonders of God, one after another. We are witnessing the awakening of our senses taming faith.
As the plane takes off and settles “on” air, we possibly get the impression that our faith has stabilized. So, for the new convert to Jesus as for the disciple, eventually everything seems to normalize. The landscape does not change as fast as in the beginning. We don’t have the same feeling of elevation in faith as for the time of the initial conversion.
We quickly run the risk of getting bored, thinking that nothing is moving and that we are even possibly not in God’s plans anymore. Then we may find comforting thrills in anything other than faith in God.
It’s time to allow us a moment to recheck the path that we have just experienced and to thank God for the evolution through the months or years since our first conversion. This will allow us to get back to the foundation of our faith, to know ourselves better and re-centre our life on Jesus.
This is the right time to strengthen our faith, to dare the periodic conversion of a continuous journey, to be with people who travel together and who want to follow Jesus more confidently.
Then, we must not forget that the people who practise faith in groups are not perfect, as we are not perfect, and that our first goal is to follow Jesus. Let’s try not observing the faults of others, but seek Jesus in the heart of these people. Let’s seek God’s qualities in them and leave to Jesus what isn’t his.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
32. Day after day
All believers are called and invited to eternal life. God says to Abraham:
“My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations.” Genesis, chapter, 17, verse 4
Abraham believes in God’s Word, but he may not know what it definitely means. Often, we get intuitions from God, but there’s a mystery surrounding these intuitions, even if after a longer or shorter discernment, they’re from God.
God wants us to remain with him. He wants us to trust him. Day after day, year after year and for the duration of our lives, we’ll need to work the foundation of our faith and solidify it. We then become examples for others, often unknowingly. Like the conversion of Abraham, our own conversion will help lead people to God.
For this friendship (Covenant) to be feasible, God says to Abraham:
“You and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.” Genesis, chapter 17, verse 9
To become credible believers, we need to enter into a relationship with God, in his Covenant. For how can we know someone without trying to know him? God wants to be known. As we were visited in our heart by God, he seeks to be exposed in our surroundings for everyone.
However, some will say to us: “Why do you invite us to perfection, if you are not perfect yourself?” And “why do you talk so much of Jesus, when you’re not that converted to him? Why dare you even speak of Jesus?”
Let’s not wait to be perfect beings before inviting to the perfection of faith to which Jesus calls us. Let’s not expect to be “Jesus” ourselves, before talking about Jesus. We are all called to become like him, to abide in him. And yes, this book is written for the author, so that he may also, himself, convert.
Jesus invites us to evangelize. It’s never in our own name but in Jesus’ name. It’s charitable to invite to the perfection of faith and it’s charitable to mention Jesus’s name. The soul thirsts to hear his name!
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
All believers are called and invited to eternal life. God says to Abraham:
“My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations.” Genesis, chapter, 17, verse 4
Abraham believes in God’s Word, but he may not know what it definitely means. Often, we get intuitions from God, but there’s a mystery surrounding these intuitions, even if after a longer or shorter discernment, they’re from God.
God wants us to remain with him. He wants us to trust him. Day after day, year after year and for the duration of our lives, we’ll need to work the foundation of our faith and solidify it. We then become examples for others, often unknowingly. Like the conversion of Abraham, our own conversion will help lead people to God.
For this friendship (Covenant) to be feasible, God says to Abraham:
“You and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.” Genesis, chapter 17, verse 9
To become credible believers, we need to enter into a relationship with God, in his Covenant. For how can we know someone without trying to know him? God wants to be known. As we were visited in our heart by God, he seeks to be exposed in our surroundings for everyone.
However, some will say to us: “Why do you invite us to perfection, if you are not perfect yourself?” And “why do you talk so much of Jesus, when you’re not that converted to him? Why dare you even speak of Jesus?”
Let’s not wait to be perfect beings before inviting to the perfection of faith to which Jesus calls us. Let’s not expect to be “Jesus” ourselves, before talking about Jesus. We are all called to become like him, to abide in him. And yes, this book is written for the author, so that he may also, himself, convert.
Jesus invites us to evangelize. It’s never in our own name but in Jesus’ name. It’s charitable to invite to the perfection of faith and it’s charitable to mention Jesus’s name. The soul thirsts to hear his name!
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
33. Invitation to conversion
Paul is not perfect, but he invites us nevertheless to a conversion:
You should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth. Ephesians, chapter 4, verses 22 to 24
May we get rid of ways that lead us to forget God in our meetings, while we’re sharing memories with our family or with our friends.
Then Paul continues in the quoted text: “put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth”.
Paul offers us a beautiful journey of faith. Let’s trust in Jesus. Let’s find time to explore God’s reality, to thank him, to let him love us. But let’s not think that we have achieved our goal. Let’s continue to move forward in faith, simply, with whom we already are.
Being in God allows us to become more ourselves. We want to be like him, give our lives to him, recognizing him in humanity and inviting people to follow him by charitable ways.
May we let God’s Word transform us to the point of becoming like him.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Paul is not perfect, but he invites us nevertheless to a conversion:
You should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth. Ephesians, chapter 4, verses 22 to 24
May we get rid of ways that lead us to forget God in our meetings, while we’re sharing memories with our family or with our friends.
Then Paul continues in the quoted text: “put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth”.
Paul offers us a beautiful journey of faith. Let’s trust in Jesus. Let’s find time to explore God’s reality, to thank him, to let him love us. But let’s not think that we have achieved our goal. Let’s continue to move forward in faith, simply, with whom we already are.
Being in God allows us to become more ourselves. We want to be like him, give our lives to him, recognizing him in humanity and inviting people to follow him by charitable ways.
May we let God’s Word transform us to the point of becoming like him.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
34. God elevates us
Jesus wants us as friends:
“I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.” John, chapter 15, verse 15
We become friends if we stay close to what Jesus is teaching us. God seeks to clothe us with his presence. He speaks with his Heart:
“I will be like the dew for Israel: he shall blossom like the lily; He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar.” Hosea, chapter 14, verse 6
God says: “I will be like the dew for Israel.” But we don’t really understand this passage. Because usually our relation with others contains conscious and unconscious blockages and we’ll say: “When you’ll become my friend, I’ll be your friend.”
Usually, we need to know the person, trust him, and then that person can enter our group of friends. This seems the norm in our way of proceeding, before welcoming and accepting friendship.
But for God, when he says: “I will be like the dew for Israel,” he does not say that he will test us to see if he will love us. God isn’t us. He doesn’t expect to create a relationship with us. He loves us immediately. God loves us unconditionally. He loves us despite our faults and sins. He loves us eternally. God is always the dew that surrounds us, he’s always present to his people, his family, he’s the perpetual love that covers us.
The more we’re hurt, the more people have let us down, the more we have experienced disappointments, the more we become trivial in choosing friends. God isn’t such a person. God will never let us down. God lifts us and loves us without any special request from us.
So, the difficulty of entering a relation with God always comes from us, because we fear some of our past supposed friends. We confuse God with people from our past. We fear God, instead of letting him love us. We block our relationship with God in a thousand ways.
We are resourceful in finding reasons and excuses for not honestly following Jesus. We cut ourselves from his love, and we terribly suffer from the lost. We cannot count the cost of refused blessings.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Jesus wants us as friends:
“I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.” John, chapter 15, verse 15
We become friends if we stay close to what Jesus is teaching us. God seeks to clothe us with his presence. He speaks with his Heart:
“I will be like the dew for Israel: he shall blossom like the lily; He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar.” Hosea, chapter 14, verse 6
God says: “I will be like the dew for Israel.” But we don’t really understand this passage. Because usually our relation with others contains conscious and unconscious blockages and we’ll say: “When you’ll become my friend, I’ll be your friend.”
Usually, we need to know the person, trust him, and then that person can enter our group of friends. This seems the norm in our way of proceeding, before welcoming and accepting friendship.
But for God, when he says: “I will be like the dew for Israel,” he does not say that he will test us to see if he will love us. God isn’t us. He doesn’t expect to create a relationship with us. He loves us immediately. God loves us unconditionally. He loves us despite our faults and sins. He loves us eternally. God is always the dew that surrounds us, he’s always present to his people, his family, he’s the perpetual love that covers us.
The more we’re hurt, the more people have let us down, the more we have experienced disappointments, the more we become trivial in choosing friends. God isn’t such a person. God will never let us down. God lifts us and loves us without any special request from us.
So, the difficulty of entering a relation with God always comes from us, because we fear some of our past supposed friends. We confuse God with people from our past. We fear God, instead of letting him love us. We block our relationship with God in a thousand ways.
We are resourceful in finding reasons and excuses for not honestly following Jesus. We cut ourselves from his love, and we terribly suffer from the lost. We cannot count the cost of refused blessings.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
35. Keeping Jesus with us
Jesus reminds us of God’s Law of Love:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these. Mark, chapter 12, verses 30 to 31
Then one of the scribes say:
Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, “He is One and there is no other than he.” And “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, verses 32 to 33
Jesus knows that he makes a good point then adds:
“You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Mark, chapter 12, verse 34a
He’s not far, but… he’s not near the kingdom. He still needs to recognize Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. He will need to accept and follow Jesus.
And we have so many activities and projects underway that it will be difficult not to start the journey of faith, but to continue it. A small inconvenience could jeopardize the realization of the journey.
Turbulence under the airplane will make us doubt the craft quality. A negative distraction, especially from people in the church or even elsewhere, can lead us to believe less in Jesus and back off. May we not let distractions or negative situations end our walk with Jesus.
It demands our personal decision, not the one of others, for us to remain forever with Jesus. And it’s for us now, to bring more joy, serenity, positive thoughts and prayers in our parish, then to our surroundings. This is our mission! Let’s keep Jesus with us. It is he who completes us with his presence and grants us his gifts to share.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Jesus reminds us of God’s Law of Love:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these. Mark, chapter 12, verses 30 to 31
Then one of the scribes say:
Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, “He is One and there is no other than he.” And “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, verses 32 to 33
Jesus knows that he makes a good point then adds:
“You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Mark, chapter 12, verse 34a
He’s not far, but… he’s not near the kingdom. He still needs to recognize Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. He will need to accept and follow Jesus.
And we have so many activities and projects underway that it will be difficult not to start the journey of faith, but to continue it. A small inconvenience could jeopardize the realization of the journey.
Turbulence under the airplane will make us doubt the craft quality. A negative distraction, especially from people in the church or even elsewhere, can lead us to believe less in Jesus and back off. May we not let distractions or negative situations end our walk with Jesus.
It demands our personal decision, not the one of others, for us to remain forever with Jesus. And it’s for us now, to bring more joy, serenity, positive thoughts and prayers in our parish, then to our surroundings. This is our mission! Let’s keep Jesus with us. It is he who completes us with his presence and grants us his gifts to share.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
36. United in God
Jesus tells us:
“The Father and I are one.” John, chapter 10, verse 30
And since God is one, he wants us to unite in his Kingdom. God wants us to unite in him, every one of us, without exception.
May we continue to step forward with Jesus in our lives, in our heart, even if we have the illusion that nothing is happening, and may we be transformed from day to day in Jesus’s manner, with Jesus, for Jesus, for the world and for our salvation.
Let’s continue to go to faith gatherings and share the Word of God in the Bible with others. Let’s walk with Jesus. The small steps that we’ll achieve will lead us one day, perhaps in a few years to discover the improved person we’ve become.
Jesus will rejoice to see each small step we’re taking, like with our parents the day when, very unsettled and unsure of ourselves, we walked toward them with outstretched hands.
If our parents had not allowed us to take these steps, maybe we wouldn’t walk today. They even left us fall with love, to the ground, so that we progress in walking toward them. If our parents had not taught us to speak, and it has taken time to learn, we would not be talking. And yet today we’re still learning our language.
So it’s necessary to rejoice being in places of worship, just to be there even if we don’t seem to bring a lot to the group. Or even by thinking we’re not receiving much out of the group. The important thing is to be there. Jesus is there. Let’s be reassured, we are moving at high speed, like the plane stabilized “on” air at 800 kilometres or more per hour. Even if the landscape seems at a stand still.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Jesus tells us:
“The Father and I are one.” John, chapter 10, verse 30
And since God is one, he wants us to unite in his Kingdom. God wants us to unite in him, every one of us, without exception.
May we continue to step forward with Jesus in our lives, in our heart, even if we have the illusion that nothing is happening, and may we be transformed from day to day in Jesus’s manner, with Jesus, for Jesus, for the world and for our salvation.
Let’s continue to go to faith gatherings and share the Word of God in the Bible with others. Let’s walk with Jesus. The small steps that we’ll achieve will lead us one day, perhaps in a few years to discover the improved person we’ve become.
Jesus will rejoice to see each small step we’re taking, like with our parents the day when, very unsettled and unsure of ourselves, we walked toward them with outstretched hands.
If our parents had not allowed us to take these steps, maybe we wouldn’t walk today. They even left us fall with love, to the ground, so that we progress in walking toward them. If our parents had not taught us to speak, and it has taken time to learn, we would not be talking. And yet today we’re still learning our language.
So it’s necessary to rejoice being in places of worship, just to be there even if we don’t seem to bring a lot to the group. Or even by thinking we’re not receiving much out of the group. The important thing is to be there. Jesus is there. Let’s be reassured, we are moving at high speed, like the plane stabilized “on” air at 800 kilometres or more per hour. Even if the landscape seems at a stand still.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
37. Learning to love
We’re not in a relationship with God to please God, because he has everything he needs. We are in a relationship with God to improve our perception of reality, to see clearly and to learn to love like God loves us.
We are invited to feel the movements of God’s grace as we feel the wind’s breeze on us. God is the light breeze that surrounds us externally and internally.
We can welcome the Holy Spirit in every fibre, in every cell, in all that is infinitely small in our being. Let’s ask him to fill us, complete us with his graces. God’s presence accepted in our heart fulfills, transforms, and embellishes us.
Wherever we go, whatever we do, whatever sin we’ve done, with sincere repentance and confessing to a priest, God will be with us in the joyful struggle for peace and the wonder of new discovery of his grace, if we keep him in us.
We can live a relationship with God as important as all the people in the Bible, of all the saints, making small gestures and saying good and daily edifying words. Moreover, it’s much easier to experience joy and offer the joy of living than to be in despair and collect misery.
Let’s work to help those around us to recognize God’s Love manifested in a multitude of ways, starting with mercy, joy, hope, peace… A small step with open arms, a good deed, a kind word every day and it will illuminate the world around us. When the world becomes joyful and peaceful, our quality of life improves.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
We’re not in a relationship with God to please God, because he has everything he needs. We are in a relationship with God to improve our perception of reality, to see clearly and to learn to love like God loves us.
We are invited to feel the movements of God’s grace as we feel the wind’s breeze on us. God is the light breeze that surrounds us externally and internally.
We can welcome the Holy Spirit in every fibre, in every cell, in all that is infinitely small in our being. Let’s ask him to fill us, complete us with his graces. God’s presence accepted in our heart fulfills, transforms, and embellishes us.
Wherever we go, whatever we do, whatever sin we’ve done, with sincere repentance and confessing to a priest, God will be with us in the joyful struggle for peace and the wonder of new discovery of his grace, if we keep him in us.
We can live a relationship with God as important as all the people in the Bible, of all the saints, making small gestures and saying good and daily edifying words. Moreover, it’s much easier to experience joy and offer the joy of living than to be in despair and collect misery.
Let’s work to help those around us to recognize God’s Love manifested in a multitude of ways, starting with mercy, joy, hope, peace… A small step with open arms, a good deed, a kind word every day and it will illuminate the world around us. When the world becomes joyful and peaceful, our quality of life improves.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas