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. God bless all! Book: Let’s Love God Normand Thomas
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. Book: Let’s Love God Normand Thomas
82. Two Choices The human person has two choices: to focus on God or to move away from him. The image represented by the escape of the Israelites before the Egyptians represent a return to God. To return to God is to be placed in the line of good, to want his Love, to accept the best he offers, to let ourselves be raised and then be peacefully embraced. A nation who is in God and on the move is recovering his freedom. All peoples should be on the way, together, both feet in the Kingdom of God. It’s with the Love of God that people and the environment are transformed. They are walking with him. Let’s cling to this thought: “Whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.” Matthew, chapter 12, verse 50 The one who loves his brother and his sister, his mother and his father and all humans, place himself in God’s family. Book: Let’s Love God Normand Thomas
God's Love is passing through the hearts. Thanks for the welcome Mary's Child and Booklady. Blessed be Jesus for everything.
83. Evil hates Light Often in the Bible, there are clear passages like this one and at the same time, precise and without appeal: For everyone who does wicked things, hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God. John, chapter 3, verses 20 to 21 To do evil is to hate light. To hate light is to hate God. Evil and light are not compatible. It is unthinkable to build up a bad action and declare that it’s luminous. It’s also difficult to get rid of bad habits. When they don’t seem too damaging, we tend to forget them. And yet the tiniest bad habit can degenerate into unhealthy or even harmful habits. So, it’s important to watch over our habits and dig out those that can cause harm. If they can harm others, they can also hurt us: “Whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.” We move in faith only with the light of God. To come to the truth and to get rid of our bad habits is to allow the truth to be generated in our life. God’s light helps us to discern the issues of life. Moreover, when we feel bad after an action, it’s necessary to check if it really is good or bad, true or false. It would be nice to take some time to find solutions. To realize this discernment and to want to return to goodness is to let ourselves be improved by God. Book: Let’s Love God Normand Thomas
84. The Lamb Jeremiah has a very beautiful relationship with God. We feel he’s like a son talking to his father: “The Lord informed me; at that time you, O Lord, showed me their doings.” Jeremiah, chapter 11, verse 18 The closer Jeremiah is to God, the more the Spirit of God guides him through difficulties and sorrows. God helps him maneuver among people who hurt him and does not seem to listen to the Lord. Besides, it doesn’t prevent the prophet of God to be persecuted because he disturbs while transmitting the truths of God: “I was like a gentle lamb led to slaughter.” Jeremiah, chapter 11, verse 19a This text prefigures what Christ will live: “I was like a gentle lamb led to slaughter.” The only difference is that Jesus is not “like” the Lamb, but he “is” the Lamb who will be led to slaughter, because of the evil in the world and for his sole purpose to save us. The psalm reveals the same thought: “Lord my God, in you I take refuge; rescue me; save me from all who pursue me, lest they maul me like lions, tear me to pieces with none to save.” Psalm 7, verses 2 to 3 Book: Let’s Love God Normand Thomas
85. Free Jesus! Nicodemus allows us to think and understand that persons can condemn other persons without knowing a lot about them. Nicodemus is touched by Jesus: “There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. He came to Jesus at night.” John, chapter 3, verses 1 and 2a Nicodemus meets Jesus and he appreciates his quality of God. Only a person who knows Jesus and who loves him can understand what Jesus is doing in the world. He will defend Jesus after his capture: “Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them, ‘Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?’” John, chapter 7, verses 50 to 51 Can we judge Jesus? Can we ensnare Love? This is the impression that emerges: “I was like a gentle lamb led to slaughter.” Book: Let’s Love God Normand Thomas
Who really knows someone? Who really can see a life lived? Who can see the pain and angst inside? Who can see behind the mask? Only God. So let God judge. Let us pray for all poor sinners. Pray the Rosary - make sure you add the Fatima prayer at the end of each decade for poor sinners: "O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Your Mercy". (Our Lady at Fatima, 13th July 1917)
Yes Garabandal, God is Love and he Loves us. We judge ourselves and we are sometime harsh on ourselves. This harshness on ourselves hurts others too. Confidence in God, prayer, Eucharist and Word + Sacraments. Let's meditate on the Love of God passing through our heart into others hearts.
86. The confusion There is confusion around Jesus. Instead of looking in each of their hearts, the people openly question themselves and become confused. Some say Jesus is the Messiah, others say no. Another group would like to stop him. They question the guards who come back: “‘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 come back to some priests and pharisees and say to them, “Never before has anyone spoken like this one!” Let’s imagine the Romans, in the drawings of Asterix and Obelix, return to the emperor and say to him: “Ave, Caesar! These Gaul’s are too strong!” Here, the Love of Jesus is too powerful. Book: Let’s Love God Normand Thomas
87. Jesus is so Holy This man speaks so well that he turns us upside down and inside out. He is so true that he fills us with his presence. He is so God, that we have no more doubt. He opens our eyes. But not of all. The only way to really follow Jesus is to take our responsibility in hand and follow him. Let’s grant to Jesus, the High Priest of the Eternal Covenant, to fill us with his presence, to open our heart, to dispel our doubts. Let’s live in joy and hope to see the Church filled with people renewed by grace. May Jesus be unveiled and known by the future generations. Book: Let’s Love God Normand Thomas
88. Our sins Peter does not accept that Jesus must die for our sins. Peter stands before the reality of his own sins, his old sins, and he cannot understand why Jesus would die for him. Peter does not understand Jesus’s words and mission and he tells Jesus how he must behave. He doesn’t want Jesus to leave for Jerusalem because he’s going to be killed. “Peter, takes him aside and begins to rebuke him, ‘God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.’” Matthew, chapter 1, verse 22 We would also like to tell Jesus what he needs to do to make us happy, but we need to walk away from that conception. It’s easier to understand how Jesus wants us to be happy. Let’s not refuse Jesus anymore in our life. God alone knows the way. And when Jesus says he will have to surrender to the elders of Jerusalem and they will kill him, he knows what he means. He shows us his way. Jesus says what he does and does what he says. Book: Let’s Love God Normand Thomas
