8. Let’s remain free


Jesus then invites us to the virtue of prudence:
“Be vigilant at all times and pray.” Luke, chapter 21, verse 36

This is the secret that isn’t secret. Let’s keep the light of our salvation in plain sight, let’s keep Jesus, our Light, close to us. His presence will help us to see the obstacles on our way to minimize, move or circumvent them.

Let’s remain free, knowing that we are loved by God and may Jesus be the Lord of our life. In this way, we will see the face of God. Jesus confirms it:
“That you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke, chapter 21, verse 36

To escape all that will happen, to circumvent the obstacles, to remain on the road of holiness, is to draw water and light from Jesus, from the Well of his Sacred Heart, who keeps us in hope.

Let’s also observe the other missionaries who fight with the light of peace, joy, justice and mercy. Jesus is the wisdom that allows us to properly assess the situations around us, then to teach the world, in confidence. The more our path aligns with that of Jesus, the better we will discern. The mission will become efficient and precise. Others have succeeded, why not us? It is humanly feasible.

We want to give thanks to the Lord and reiterate our “yes” to Jesus so that he may remain with us in the days of purification, in the crucible of transformation as in the days of trust with him, our host and guide.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: The Shepherd’s Mission, Normand Thomas

9. Let’s listen


We are in the core of a treasure mine that never stops twinkling. We receive everything to be happy:
Hear then, Israel, and be careful to observe them, that you may grow and prosper the more, in keeping with the promise of the Lord, the God of your fathers, to give you a land flowing with milk and honey. Deuteronomy, chapter 6, verse 3

In short, it tells us: “To watch, listen and practise what brings us happiness and fruitfulness.” Joy in God is the sign that we are following Jesus and listening to him. We become fruitful and offer God’s graces.

First, let’s be watchful. Let’s keep our hearts open and ready to reach people on the road. Let’s watch what they live to know them better.

Let’s receive from Jesus what we’ll give back to them. Joy restores and allows us living from its fullness.

Secondly, listen. Let’s listen to what people tell us. They give us points of reference as to possible evangelization with them.

Jesus gave us his Catholic Church for us to have teachings, sacraments, the Word and the Eucharist. Let’s listen to what will lead us to the Holy Trinity for eternity.

Third one, let’s practice. Let’s practice what we learn and discover what amazes us through faith in Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. Let’s practice all that will allow us to progress in faith and that will make our surroundings holier and anchored in the divine (God).

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: The Shepherd’s Mission, Normand Thomas

10. Love reflects


Then there is this piece of text we know well and which is to be regularly meditated. This prayer is a jewel, a beacon for the Jews:
“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy, chapter 6, verses 4 to 5 (See also Mark, chapter 12 verses 29-30)

It’s a whole lesson, in a few sentences. There’s: “Listen.” Listening means being all ears to what the Lord says to us: “The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.” Our God is One. Let’s listen to what God tells us and not everything that is said to be negative about him in a clumsy and inexperienced way.

Then the sweet recommendation for our conversion, through a path of holiness: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Love the Lord your God with the strength of his Love that he lays down upon you. Love God, since he is Love and he wants to observe the brilliance of his pure diamond, his Love which reflects of a thousand colours, out of you.

Let’s love God. Then, how do we love God if we don’t love the person he has created, ourselves? God created us Love. He is still creating us right now. Let’s love in ourselves the Love that God creates at every

moment. This Love will reflect on our contemporaries. We love God in return when we let him go through us to Love humanity.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: The Shepherd’s Mission, Normand Thomas

11. Easy and light


Paul testifies:
“Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible.” 1 Corinthians, chapter 9, verse 19
First, Paul says he is “free in regard to all”. It’s the result of being as free as possible from worries and staying on the road with Jesus.

It’s not always easy to live in this way with all the distractions and illusions that surround us, with all that takes us away from Jesus, all that causes us to leave the path.

But Paul’s intention is to invite us to stay on the path of holiness, to remain focused on the mission that Jesus proposes to us for the glory of God and for the salvation of the world.

We are not here to block the people around us. Every step we take is to help our neighbour. We walk with them and offer them ways to improve their lives.

Paul says that he wants to “win over as many as possible” to Jesus. Only a free person can really lead souls, lead people to Jesus. But Paul knows, like all of us, that he isn’t perfect and that he depends entirely on the will of God. To be a “slave” as Paul mentions means to love the Love of God for the mission of salvation.

This way of Paul is also ours. We are walking with Jesus and we can ask each day what Jesus would do if he were us. What would Jesus say or propose to people? Each person is unique, they are not like others. How would Jesus join the hearts of people very different from each other?

The freedom of which Paul speaks is of primary importance. Jesus sets us free. He is Liberty. Where Jesus passes and where he is welcomed, he sets free. Darkness has no influence over Jesus or those who trust in him.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: The Shepherd’s Mission, Normand Thomas

12. Offer hospitality to Jesus


How is it that Jesus is not known and loved more? Why is love so hard to spread and hatred seems to take over? How many people are not free right now?

So:
Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, ‘Everyone is looking for you.’ He told them, ‘Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.’ Mark, chapter 1, verses 36 to 38

Simon and his companions look for Jesus, they find him and they tell him: “Everyone is looking for you.”

We all seek Jesus and at the same time we only have to receive and welcome him into our hearts, sharing him with others, then discover Jesus in the hearts of others.

Let’s not waste time revealing the flaws of others. Let’s find instead their qualities that come from God and teach them to discover them, so that they also recognize his presence from within.

Let’s offer hospitality to Jesus every moment in our heart and it will not be necessary to seek him. Let’s not let ourselves be disappointed, thinking that Jesus is not with us. Jesus is always with us. How do we listen then and receive him? By listening to him, welcoming him and sharing Jesus’ Love with others, we will truly be in his mission and evangelize.

Jesus answers them: “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.”

People are looking for Jesus and that’s exactly what he wants. Now he invites his Apostles to go elsewhere. It’s like he’s saying, “Do not just stay between you where everything seems to be going well and in a group that loves you. Go elsewhere too, find others, bring my Good News to them.” To proclaim the Gospel is to evangelize.

We feel good between us. We are sometimes too happy with our friends, so Jesus invites us to cross the borderline to create encounters of faith with new people.

It will be a sign of our freedom with Jesus when we want to create friendships of faith and walk with some new people we meet. This will not keep us away from the circle of friends we already have. Rather, it will improve it.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: The Shepherd’s Mission, Normand Thomas

14. God does it


This is what is said in the book of Isaiah:

“O Lord, you mete out peace to us, for it is you who have accomplished all we have done.” Isaiah, chapter 26, verse 12

The works, the Lord fulfills them for us and with us. It’s kind of curious to say that what we do, God does for us.

But it’s the truth. Let’s assume that God is the one who prepares us for the mission. We are only the instrument. When we do something human, true, peaceful, following the road with Jesus, we will succeed. God does it (in his way, by his will) through us.

If what we are undertaking is linked to a refusal to love, to a refusal to let God be the one who realizes his works, we skid to our loss. We stifle the Love of God who wants to go through us to touch hearts and who wants to realize in them the salvation he promised.

We are aware that we aren’t perfect. Precisely, let’s let the Lord’s care pass through us even more. He will transform us while touching the hearts of our contemporaries. God will accomplish his works through us.

Let’s become the passers of the faith of God, people who gently undertake to evangelize the world. God will fulfill in these people the salvation he promises.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: The Shepherd’s Mission, Normand Thomas

15. To sow peace


Let’s imagine that we sow iron balls in the garden. There will be no vegetables or iron growing. But if we sow grains of vegetables in the garden, it will give us good vegetables.

First, we need to know what we want to grow in the garden. We need a minimum of knowledge to be aware that iron doesn’t grow there. Then we did not form the grain. We did not create the grain. We do not do anything for the garden to offer us vegetables. They grow alone, but not completely alone. So, we aren’t even soil or nutrients that help vegetables grow. All this is offered to us, as well as the participating rain and sun.

We undertake to sow peace, justice, love in the world, but God realizes it in us and around us by the good, the beautiful, the real and the true. Let’s be certain and meticulous that what we sow comes from God. When it is God who transmits his graces, the task is easy as Jesus tells us:
“My yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Matthew, chapter 11, verse 30

If it’s not easy and light, we don’t let God carry out his work. We place ourselves between people and him. We are exhausting ourselves. But when it’s easy and light, we don’t get tired because we allow God to work. Even in effort and pain, the joy of God supports us.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: The Shepherd’s Mission, Normand Thomas

16. Strength from above


Moses encourages Joshua. He conveys to him his courage and determination:
“It is the Lord who marches before you; he will be with you and will never fail you or forsake you. So do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy, chapter 31, verse 8

Now, let’s take Moses’ words for us. They are comforting and they encourage to dare to walk with Jesus in the mission he proposes to us; to announce his Good News in a simple and respectful way with a courageous, audacious, decided and dedicated attitude.

May the force come from above to discern what is good to achieve, how to challenge people and how to transmit the fire of faith. Let’s meditate on the best ways to reach people’s hearts today. The strength is to welcome God’s Love. May God enlighten what we must do to help in the salvation of the world.

God trust’s us. Let’s also trust God, for us, our children, our friends, and especially for the people to whom we think the least about.

The Lord walks with us. The Holy Spirit in our heart, Jesus on the road and the Father who watches, we have every reason to feel the confidence for evangelization of the hearts of people we meet on a daily basis.

With trust in the Trinity, with faith as a plan of salvation, with the outpouring of happy pilgrims on the road to holiness, we bring light so that others receive it in the heart of their lives.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
The Shepherd’s Mission, Normand Thomas

17. It’s quality that leads sheep


Jesus tells us that the Shepherd:
“Rejoices over [for the found sheep] more than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.” Matthew, chapter 18, verse 13

We can think that Jesus is very happy for one sheep. However, Jesus has a bigger plan. Yes, for starters, it’s good practice to discover a soul to lead to Jesus. If each person leads one person to Jesus, the world will be evangelized in a fairly short period of time.

In reality, when Jesus speaks of the “lost sheep” to be saved, he speaks of the importance of preparing to evangelize each sheep as we pass by them. Jesus thinks of all sheep.

It isn’t as much the quantity of sheep to find that matters most, because we will only pull on their chains and they will not want to follow, but it’s with the quality of the faith and the message that we will join the people more and that we will entrust them to the Shepherd himself, Jesus. In this case, the number of sheep will grow.

We are thus invited to attract the sheep with the good grain of faith, to nourish them with authentic faith in Jesus Christ while asking Jesus of what they need most. Because each sheep has a potential to discover and develop to become stronger and attracted to the good, the real, the beautiful and the true.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: The Shepherd’s Mission, Normand Thomas

18. Leading sheep to Jesus


We walk, we meet, we share, we do everything in prayer and a clear relationship with Jesus so that all are saved by him. All we do in faith and following Jesus is to offer to him, person after person, so that their faith increases and they may be saved.

The mission is to always lead the sheep, the people to Jesus, so that he can touch their souls and ignite their hearts with Love. Let’s begin by giving the people back to Jesus in our hearts and on every occasion.

At the same time, we observe that the more we work for others with Jesus, the more the doors of our own holiness opens. The more we work for others, the more we learn how to unite with Jesus and the more we convert ourselves. It’s a good deal.

Jesus invites us to become his Love missionaries. Jesus wishes us to become contagious of his presence for the world. We who know that Jesus saves us, he wants us to participate in attracting others to salvation.

To enter into a mission with Jesus is to do the will of God. But to do our own will, our mission without reference to God, is to hide as Adam and Eve.

Sometimes there are people who think they are so “on a mission” that they take control of others just to make themselves feel like they are doing something. But on the contrary, they have to let go more and let the Lord pass.

When we let go, we can return to Jesus’s mission and lead people to the Word and Eucharist. They are the food of heaven for human life.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014

19. God guides us


The Lord is rallying. Humanity, God has never stopped wanting to bring him back to his Covenant. Then there’s the community. God keeps inviting the living communities of faith to enter into his Intelligence and Wisdom, so that we can also feed people who aren’t of these communities. The common good for all people is to lead them to their salvation in Jesus Christ.

Jesus was present in his region. Crowds followed Jesus to welcome him and hear his teaching.

Life on earth would be so much simpler if we let God guide us. We see it here, it’s party time:
“On this mountain the Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.” Isaiah, chapter 25, verse 6

God continually invites us to a meal with him. It is the eternal banquet that begins with our yes to the feast with God, the banquet of the Word and the Eucharist.

All this is already promised to us by God, since Christ has come into our world to lead us to definite salvation.

Let’s give glory to God:
“Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us! This is the Lord for whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!” Isaiah, chapter 25, verse 9

It is the promise, the only promise of God, our hope. We know he is saving us, now we want others to be saved by him.

Let’s tell him we’ll receive his gifts for him to touch the heart of each person. Let’s pray for people to let themselves be touched.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: The Shepherd’s Mission, Normand Thomas

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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