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. Book: … for Love Normand Thomas
Father Thomas, your whole reflection is rich. From the above, I am reminded of a v. from Hebrews 9: 27 And just as it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment... Would you say at our particular judgments, those who end up in Hell would be the ones who can't get past their own sins, and condemn themselves while refusing to embrace God's judgment of Love? O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!
Hi Mario. What is sometimes mind boggling in the Bible, is that sometimes there seems to be contradictions in some verses, like the one you mention about Hebrews 9: 27 As we know it, in other versions of Paul, we do not die, but sleep away into God's Kingdom, into God's Heart, God's Love. That's a total difference. ===== Back to your question: """ Father Thomas, your whole reflection is rich. From the above, I am reminded of a v. from Hebrews 9: 27 And just as it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment... Would you say at our particular judgments, those who end up in Hell would be the ones who can't get past their own sins, and condemn themselves while refusing to embrace God's judgment of Love? """ ===== Not quite. It would be more exact to say: Those who end up in Hell would be the ones who willingly block themselves from God's Love, which would be the only sin against the Holy Spirit, which is the ultimate sin. I would say also, most of the people do find salvation in God's Love as written by card. Hans Urs Von Balthasar in this wonderful book, in this link. https://books.google.ca/books?id=iqGfwuPIYdwC&printsec=frontcover&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false The ones who can't get by their own sins, like you suggests, doesn't mean that they're not going to heaven. I guess you know that already. There still is purgatory, which would be better called "Lovatory" (Fr. Daniel-Ange - [charitatoire] ). Lovatory, where the Love of God help's to melt the remaining ice surrounding our soul, our being, and wash, cleanse, purify and sanctify us. And there seems to be some contradiction between the writing of Paul and that of John': John 12: 47 In most of the english Bibles, it's the words "I judge him not; for I came not to judge". Whatever is written after, this seems to be God's Love, and only Love. https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/John 12:47 In french, it's also the word judge: "Je ne suis pas venu pour juger, mais pour sauver le monde." - Jésus The word judge is clear and precise. The answer is: When we shy away from the Love of God, we are already slippin' into sorrow, pain, hurt, then hell. Other people could've hurt that person and give the impression that God isn't around. But God knows and he is still with that person. We are there to help the person understand that God is still with him. We are the first person to be responsible to accept God's Love on us. To also accept his Love in us and to pass through us onto and into others. Then my signature phrase pops up. That's the way to stay with God. We are free and that is our responsability.
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. Book: … for Love Normand Thomas
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. Book: … for Love Normand Thomas
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. Book: … for Love Normand Thomas
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. Book: … for Love Normand Thomas
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. Book: … for Love Normand Thomas
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. Book: … for Love Normand Thomas
112. Discernment is a grace We can observe what we do, what we say, how we live, and here we have the basis for discovering and correcting many small annoyances we’re living in. Discernment is a grace that we can ask to the Holy Spirit. Discernment allows us to fully observe all facets of our lives and stay in a fair path. Better still, it’s a grace we already have, which comes with the gift of life. We only need to accept it and practice discernment. Grace will do the rest. Everything is simple when we only need to ask and receive. James tells us: “For one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, it is a sin.” James, chapter 4, verse 17 It’s clear that if we enter the good path, we move away from evil, we move away from sin. We are faced with multiple choices every day, but we also have the possibility to sort through our memory, clean our habits. In this way, we will learn to become more ourselves by avoiding clutches and traps. The freedom we have is to choose the right passage, the road that leads to the Heart of God and let go of the empty, illusory and useless. If there’s someone who does good in the name of Jesus: “do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me.” Mark, chapter 9, verses 39 to 40 Jesus assures us that if the person does good, according to the Heart of God, he is a person who discerns, makes good choices and does Jesus’s will. This is the path that leads to God’s Heart. Book: … for Love Normand Thomas
Thank you for posting all of these inspirational messages.. i am so grateful to have come across your posts. God bless you!!.
Thanks Fede, may Jesus be blessed. It's really a grace for me to be able to share theses thoughts. Maybe in 2 weeks, my books will be on Amazon. Here's another one.
