73. God is with us
Jeremiah, from the beginning of his ministry, as soon as he works with God, he understands him, since he’s with him:
“I knew it because the Lord informed me; at that time you, O Lord, showed me their doings.” Jeremiah, chapter 11, verse 18
The Lord informs and guides us. He is with us when we are with him. From then on, the Lord teaches us, as he informs Jeremiah.
Are we listening like the prophet Jeremiah? Too often, we do not feel that Jesus is close. Too often, too, we are busy elsewhere. Jesus cannot speak to us if we aren’t in a listening state.
If we are not listening to Jesus, we enter a risky zone. For Jesus alone can really teach us about himself.
We are, ourselves, a mystery when we do not understand God. The Lord is not a mystery. The greatest mystery is that we are not listening to him.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas
Normandt' Bible reflexions
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
74. Jesus is the target
Some people from the temple want to stop Jesus. They closed their hearts. They are convinced that he isn’t God:
“The guards went to the chief priests and pharisees, who asked them, ‘Why did you not bring him?’ The guards answered, ‘Never before has anyone spoken like this one.’” John, chapter 7, verses 45 to 46
The guards hear reason. They find no reason to stop Jesus, because they know that Jesus did nothing wrong.
Still, the temple officials will insist and plan Jesus’s capture. Nicodemus questions them:
“Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?” John, chapter 7, verse 51
Nicodemus seeks to rescue Jesus, but some of them don’t want to listen. When we are convinced that a person is false, even wrongly and because of false rumours and conscience manipulation, even if the person is fundamentally authentic, the door closes on the truthfulness of this person.
Then, they develop obscure ways to crucify Jesus. And that’s how, in the world, so many people are crushed, disfigured, so many people are persecuted, abused, killed. It is the same sin that is constantly repeated, because some people are not listening. They do not reflect and observe, hear and understand. Collective prejudice causes death.
Our prayer can help to make a difference, so that people be spared from the deafness of others. But sometimes even our good intentions are not enough because of their heart’s closure. May God be known for who he is. God is completely natural and real for humans.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas
Some people from the temple want to stop Jesus. They closed their hearts. They are convinced that he isn’t God:
“The guards went to the chief priests and pharisees, who asked them, ‘Why did you not bring him?’ The guards answered, ‘Never before has anyone spoken like this one.’” John, chapter 7, verses 45 to 46
The guards hear reason. They find no reason to stop Jesus, because they know that Jesus did nothing wrong.
Still, the temple officials will insist and plan Jesus’s capture. Nicodemus questions them:
“Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?” John, chapter 7, verse 51
Nicodemus seeks to rescue Jesus, but some of them don’t want to listen. When we are convinced that a person is false, even wrongly and because of false rumours and conscience manipulation, even if the person is fundamentally authentic, the door closes on the truthfulness of this person.
Then, they develop obscure ways to crucify Jesus. And that’s how, in the world, so many people are crushed, disfigured, so many people are persecuted, abused, killed. It is the same sin that is constantly repeated, because some people are not listening. They do not reflect and observe, hear and understand. Collective prejudice causes death.
Our prayer can help to make a difference, so that people be spared from the deafness of others. But sometimes even our good intentions are not enough because of their heart’s closure. May God be known for who he is. God is completely natural and real for humans.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
75. We scream to the Lord
To this demand:
“Graciously rescue me, God! Come quickly to help me, Lord!” Psalm 70, verse 1
Let’s add:
“I waited, waited for the Lord; who bent down and heard my cry.” Psalm 40, verse 2
This cry is the realization that we are sinners, since we think that God is not around. The cry helps in recognizing that we are making too much effort that leads to nothing and that we do not let ourselves be Loved by God or by others.
This cry is also about thinking that we can manage everything on our own, that we can manipulate for our popularity, that we can go so far as to hurt others.
Let’s not wait. Let’s accept the Lord’s truth, fully. He will free us from harm, since he hears our cry. Better still, he had heard our inner complaint before our cry.
God separates within us evil from good to elevate peace anew from our baptism:
“He drew me out of the pit of destruction, out of the mud of the swamp, set my feet upon rock, steadied my steps.” Psalm 40, verse 3
When we are drawn from the mud and placed on the rock, it is God who embraces and establishes us in a safe place.
With confidence (faith), may God take us in his arms as the child lets himself be embraced by his parents. May the truth of God filter our being to remove the residue of evil.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas
To this demand:
“Graciously rescue me, God! Come quickly to help me, Lord!” Psalm 70, verse 1
Let’s add:
“I waited, waited for the Lord; who bent down and heard my cry.” Psalm 40, verse 2
This cry is the realization that we are sinners, since we think that God is not around. The cry helps in recognizing that we are making too much effort that leads to nothing and that we do not let ourselves be Loved by God or by others.
This cry is also about thinking that we can manage everything on our own, that we can manipulate for our popularity, that we can go so far as to hurt others.
Let’s not wait. Let’s accept the Lord’s truth, fully. He will free us from harm, since he hears our cry. Better still, he had heard our inner complaint before our cry.
God separates within us evil from good to elevate peace anew from our baptism:
“He drew me out of the pit of destruction, out of the mud of the swamp, set my feet upon rock, steadied my steps.” Psalm 40, verse 3
When we are drawn from the mud and placed on the rock, it is God who embraces and establishes us in a safe place.
With confidence (faith), may God take us in his arms as the child lets himself be embraced by his parents. May the truth of God filter our being to remove the residue of evil.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
76. The rule of Love
God is Love and his Love contains a Law:
“Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.” 1 John, chapter 4, verse 7
A person who has a grudge or hatred is invited to do an examination of conscience. Why is he like this? Well, it’s because he is like that or has he become like that? Is it because he himself did not receive love from people or did not discover the Love of God?
It’s very difficult to define someone’s fault. This is why we are invited to let this person observe himself before God. The person who did some harm is the only one who can figure out what led him there. This harm comes either from him or caused by another person. He did not receive this evil from God.
We are invited to perform an examination of conscience before God. Jesus invites us to receive faith by inviting him into our life. The faith that will abound in us will help better understand the more difficult situations.
The Love of God is the rule of love between people. Let’s give the people back to God, even if they are unfair to us, even if we don’t understand everything.
Let’s put ourselves in Jesus’s hands, so that his Love will lead us to a new conversion. And gradually, we will obtain lights to become better, to better understand.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas
God is Love and his Love contains a Law:
“Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.” 1 John, chapter 4, verse 7
A person who has a grudge or hatred is invited to do an examination of conscience. Why is he like this? Well, it’s because he is like that or has he become like that? Is it because he himself did not receive love from people or did not discover the Love of God?
It’s very difficult to define someone’s fault. This is why we are invited to let this person observe himself before God. The person who did some harm is the only one who can figure out what led him there. This harm comes either from him or caused by another person. He did not receive this evil from God.
We are invited to perform an examination of conscience before God. Jesus invites us to receive faith by inviting him into our life. The faith that will abound in us will help better understand the more difficult situations.
The Love of God is the rule of love between people. Let’s give the people back to God, even if they are unfair to us, even if we don’t understand everything.
Let’s put ourselves in Jesus’s hands, so that his Love will lead us to a new conversion. And gradually, we will obtain lights to become better, to better understand.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
77. Indispensable Love
Love is abused and very often refused. If God is Love, why does it seem there’s lack of love on earth?
Believing in God, transforming our way of life, returning to a heart to Heart with God, so that his Love flows freely within us, is indispensable.
Otherwise, we block God’s Love and without a compass we drift away. The implications of misleading ourselves or not following Jesus are many. The risk is to have difficulty returning to him.
The only compass we can trust is the Love of God. Jesus invites us to welcome and follow him to truly live within his Love. We are also encouraged to humbly find our place before God.
May we be persons who are signs of Christ present among our contemporaries, to help them receive the Love of God.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
Love is abused and very often refused. If God is Love, why does it seem there’s lack of love on earth?
Believing in God, transforming our way of life, returning to a heart to Heart with God, so that his Love flows freely within us, is indispensable.
Otherwise, we block God’s Love and without a compass we drift away. The implications of misleading ourselves or not following Jesus are many. The risk is to have difficulty returning to him.
The only compass we can trust is the Love of God. Jesus invites us to welcome and follow him to truly live within his Love. We are also encouraged to humbly find our place before God.
May we be persons who are signs of Christ present among our contemporaries, to help them receive the Love of God.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
78. God's Kingdom
Paul gives us a very beautiful message:
“For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.” Ephesian, chapter 2, verse 10
“We are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus.” How powerful, just these few words!
We usually live in a house and we always come back to the house. Our real home is in Jesus Christ. We are true when we establish ourselves in him.
Mary and all the saints are also in the Kingdom of God and they watch over us helping us constantly to get closer to Jesus. Everything is there, now, freely offered, to lead us in Jesus.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
Paul gives us a very beautiful message:
“For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.” Ephesian, chapter 2, verse 10
“We are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus.” How powerful, just these few words!
We usually live in a house and we always come back to the house. Our real home is in Jesus Christ. We are true when we establish ourselves in him.
Mary and all the saints are also in the Kingdom of God and they watch over us helping us constantly to get closer to Jesus. Everything is there, now, freely offered, to lead us in Jesus.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
79. Dehumanized thinking
This is a reflection that God proposes to Job. It can also feed our thoughts. The Lord addresses Job from the midst of his personal storm:
“Who is this that obscures divine plans with words of ignorance?” Job, chapter 38, verse 2
Jesus showed us, when he passed into our world, how we disfigure God. We risk being upset when we chase God away. We expose ourselves to lose a lot when we back away from him.
We observe humans, we fall into the faults and sins of the past to such an extent that we come to think God is like us. We hear it everywhere. This one is like that, that one is like this. Why should I follow people in the Church if they are not able to be charitable, to be happy?
We believe that by observing the human being, we see God there. But it’s a little simpler than that. The human being is not God. So, it’s impossible for a human to be perfect either in the world or in the Church.
It will always be easy to find some fault with someone, but let’s not put that fault on God’s back.
We should be responsible in the faith to understand that a fault, a human who sin is contrary to the reality of God. God has created us Love, but we have trouble sharing and receiving it.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
This is a reflection that God proposes to Job. It can also feed our thoughts. The Lord addresses Job from the midst of his personal storm:
“Who is this that obscures divine plans with words of ignorance?” Job, chapter 38, verse 2
Jesus showed us, when he passed into our world, how we disfigure God. We risk being upset when we chase God away. We expose ourselves to lose a lot when we back away from him.
We observe humans, we fall into the faults and sins of the past to such an extent that we come to think God is like us. We hear it everywhere. This one is like that, that one is like this. Why should I follow people in the Church if they are not able to be charitable, to be happy?
We believe that by observing the human being, we see God there. But it’s a little simpler than that. The human being is not God. So, it’s impossible for a human to be perfect either in the world or in the Church.
It will always be easy to find some fault with someone, but let’s not put that fault on God’s back.
We should be responsible in the faith to understand that a fault, a human who sin is contrary to the reality of God. God has created us Love, but we have trouble sharing and receiving it.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
80. God's grace on us
Job is in the middle of the storm. And he responds to God with wisdom:
“I am of little account; what can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth. Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again; though twice, I will do so no more.” Job, chapter 40, verses 4 to 5
In seeking the good in the other, we will discover goodness in us and we’ll move forward together by following Jesus. Easy.
Let’s become beings filled with the Presence and the Light of God, in order to become familiar with his Light. Let’s ask God’s grace on us to discover his light in the heart, the life and the being of the people around us.
Let’s give thanks for the Presence of God in our life and welcome his Light that enlightens us on the daily path of conversion and faith.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
Job is in the middle of the storm. And he responds to God with wisdom:
“I am of little account; what can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth. Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again; though twice, I will do so no more.” Job, chapter 40, verses 4 to 5
In seeking the good in the other, we will discover goodness in us and we’ll move forward together by following Jesus. Easy.
Let’s become beings filled with the Presence and the Light of God, in order to become familiar with his Light. Let’s ask God’s grace on us to discover his light in the heart, the life and the being of the people around us.
Let’s give thanks for the Presence of God in our life and welcome his Light that enlightens us on the daily path of conversion and faith.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
81. To run away
Moses responds to the people:
“Fear not! Stand your ground, and you will see the victory the Lord will win for you today. These Egyptians whom you see today you will never see again. The Lord himself will fight for you; you have only to keep still.” Exodus, chapter 14, verses 13 to 14
It takes caution to clearly understand this text. The Lord fights evil among the Egyptians, although God does not fight the Egyptians. Pharaoh chooses evil by confining a nation to slavery.
Pharaoh lays his evil on the backs of his own Egyptians. He makes the Egyptians, his people, responsible for his evil and he swings his evil against the Israelites.
If the Lord fights for the people of Israel, it is simply to give them the courage of their convictions and to continue on the road of faith in God. That will set them free.
Fleeing evil leads to God. By fleeing the state of slavery in which the Israelites have been for far too long, they are giving themselves the means to take back their lives.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
Moses responds to the people:
“Fear not! Stand your ground, and you will see the victory the Lord will win for you today. These Egyptians whom you see today you will never see again. The Lord himself will fight for you; you have only to keep still.” Exodus, chapter 14, verses 13 to 14
It takes caution to clearly understand this text. The Lord fights evil among the Egyptians, although God does not fight the Egyptians. Pharaoh chooses evil by confining a nation to slavery.
Pharaoh lays his evil on the backs of his own Egyptians. He makes the Egyptians, his people, responsible for his evil and he swings his evil against the Israelites.
If the Lord fights for the people of Israel, it is simply to give them the courage of their convictions and to continue on the road of faith in God. That will set them free.
Fleeing evil leads to God. By fleeing the state of slavery in which the Israelites have been for far too long, they are giving themselves the means to take back their lives.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas