Normandt' meditations

[Normandt]

Today's text

52. Jesus fights temptations


Jesus, when tempted in the desert, teaches us how to fight evil.

Evil takes us away from the Eucharist and the Word of God. Evil brings us down to become lost kings and queens, far from the world and from our Church. We risk thinking that we are the only ones who can handle everything. Evil degrades us to the point of thinking that we own the goods and the people. Evil diminishes us, it pulls us away from others and from God.
In the midst of temptations:
“The Spirit drives Jesus out into the desert.” Mark, chapter 1, verse 12

The Spirit drives Jesus to the desert. Jesus goes freely because he is eager to fulfill his mission and to lead us on the road of life to Life everlasting. He shows us how to fight temptations:
“He remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.” Mark, chapter 1, verse 13

Jesus is tempted by evil, but not like us. He fights temptations for us; the temptation to move away from the Life and Love of God; the temptation of evil against God; the temptation of what distracts us from God and the temptation to possess what exists by repelling God.

The worst and most subtle temptation is to think that God is not Love.
Jesus doesn’t need to fight temptations for himself. Jesus is already victorious. He fights temptations for us and to show us how to be free. Every time we are tempted, Jesus fights with us, if we allow him to intervene in our life.

There are not many fruits growing in the desert, there is not much water. The desert certainly means death for a person. Let’s perceive that the desert contrasts with paradise, which was promised to us before the fall, before the original sin, the sin that only Baptism can wash out.

Jesus overcame the desert of temptations that leads to death and he turns it into a fertile land. Jesus comes to tell us not to fear because he has conquered death by leading us into his life. He invites us to walk behind him, to walk on the path of real life. It’s now the time of the great cleansing of our person, to empty it of all that is useless and to let it fill up with the Love of God.

May all the shady areas of our existence be purified in the Love of God. Let’s enjoy it! We will then avoid running into evil.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

55. Rebuke against God


The people of Israel still rebuke against Moses:
“Why did you ever make us leave Egypt? Was it just to have us die here of thirst with our children and our livestock?” Exodus, chapter 17, verse 3

It’s classic. When we do not have what we want, we often accuse others, the government, and then recriminate directly or indirectly against God. Why does God seem to cover us with misfortune?

As for families in Israel, we are used to living in an environment that can lead us to maximum security, to habits that are no longer to be dismantled. And we go around in circles, instead of bouncing our way back to God.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

56.Too heavy


After an interesting internal journey, surprisingly, Moses becomes free and lucid enough to ask God for help:
Was it I who conceived all this people? Or was it I who gave them birth, that you tell me to carry them at my bosom, like a foster father carrying an infant, to the land you have promised under oath to their fathers?

Where can I get meat to give to all this people? For they are crying to me, ‘Give us meat for our food.’
I cannot carry all this people by myself, for they are too heavy for me. Numbers, chapter 11, verses 12 to 14

What Moses understands is invaluable: “Was it I who conceived all this people?” He understands that the people of Israel are the people of God: “I cannot carry all this people by myself, for they are too heavy for me.”

Yes, Moses is a wanted guide of God for his people … and his mission is to lead him to God. Moses recognizes God as the one who leads his people. He hands the people over to God, since he is responsible for this people.
We cannot do anything without God. Let’s give him back all people and all groups.

Despite the weight of the moment, Moses clings to his relationship with God. He has always worked with God. But there are people who are never happy, never satisfied. They will demonstrate to Moses that they do not want freedom. Nevertheless, Moses wishes to take them out of their bad experience lived in Egypt and bring them back to freedom, in God.

Moses is in a listening attitude with God:
To the people, however, you shall say: Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, when you shall have meat to eat. For in the hearing of the Lord you have cried, “Would that we had meat for food! Oh, how well off we were in Egypt!” Therefore the Lord will give you meat for food, and you will eat it. Numbers, chapter 11, verses 18 to 19

God is always listening. As soon as Moses is released from the complaint of the people, he gets his answer.

May the leaders of a people, a nation, a country, a church remain in God, like Moses. May they continue, in spite of everything and even in what seems impossible to comprehend, to return to God.

Moses relies on God. Let’s trust Jesus. Let’s receive what we need and the needs for others. It’s never necessary to complain, since God is there and he hears us very well. Although, to complain is often the reaction which precedes a serious reflection.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

57. No consequences for sin?


Are there no consequences for sin? Absolutely not. Because sin is lacking, separating from the Love of God. Sin is an action and evil is its consequence.

Through sin, the person hurts himself and can destroy himself. The only decision of the person to turn to sin causes him evil.

This is being unfaithful to the Love of God. Leaving God, which will cause us evil, leads to suffering. Without the love of God, we sink into the mud of evil.

Let’s continue with the next passage of the Exodus, which is not easy to understand, since it seems to contradict the message of Jesus:
“Love your enemies.” Matthew, chapter 5, verse 44

Let’s continue immediately with what is written in the Book of Exodus:
“I will be an enemy to your enemies.” Exodus, chapter 23, verse 22

For a people who are often at war, we can assume that he did not understand the message that God is transmitting to him. How can God be an “enemy” since he is Love?

It’s easy to conclude that God would hurt someone. But Jesus sets the clock back on time. He confirms that God loves even enemies.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

60. John, the beloved


John, Jesus’s Apostle and evangelist lives a relationship close to perfection with Jesus.

He’s not perfect, but John seems to have found the way to surrender to the Heart of God. He reveals to us the truth. John is the only one who sums up the Heart of God and the core message of the Bible, in three words:
“God is Love.” 1 John, chapter 4, verse 16b

And John wrote just before:
“We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us.” 1 John, chapter 4, verse 16a

John speaks to “us” in this last statement, but is he aware of what this implies: “We have come to know and to believe in the Love God has for us.” However, to have written it, John must have experienced the Love of God in the depths of his being.

John is near God. It is therefore possible to believe in God and to know his Love. But are we aware of it? How do we determine that we know his Love?

Some texts in the Bible give the impression that God isn’t Love. How many of our contemporaries like to rebel against God and say that with all that is happening in our world, God cannot be Love? It just keeps on going.
Let’s add this excerpt:
“Whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.” 1 John, Chapter 4, verse 16b
John’s powerful words remind us to remain in Love to know God.

So why do we deny God’s truth? What are the reasons for being opposed to John’s words? Consciously or unconsciously, in many ways and words we assume that God isn’t Love. Why does attraction to evil lead us so far?

It’s crucial to update our database. “God is Love” and God can only be Love. Maybe we underestimate the Love of God, but we can never overestimate the Love of God.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

61. Jesus respects the people


Jesus is very respectful of people. He cannot reach us if we don’t want to welcome him. Yet he could force us to receive his Love, but patiently he prefers to wait on us.

Jesus says to them:
“A prophet is not without honour except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.
He went around to the villages in the vicinity teaching. Mark, chapter 6, verses 4 to 6

Jesus leaves, he goes to the neighbouring villages. In fact, it is us, we are leaving and keeping Jesus away. It’s us who reject him because we’re not interested in his message. Jesus is always with us, but we are not always with him. Jesus goes so far as to be surprised at the lack of faith.

Jesus saves us, he heals us from evil, he shows us the only way to be joyful and to embark with him if we want.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

62. Conscious refusal


The extent of a fulfilling life is to receive the Love of God and cling to him. The opposite of hosting and living God’s Love is to let oneself fall into evil.

The abyss of evil is the conscious total refusal to receive God’s Love.
The prophet trumpets:
“Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; Indeed, she has received from the hand of the Lord double for all her sins.” Isaiah, chapter 40, verses 1 to 2

The guilt of skipping away from Love is forgiven by God. But it’s always tempting to move away from him, to lurk into evil, from which emerge the denials, the fears, the crimes.

The double punishment is to get away from the Love of God and slip toward evil. It is a double fault, a double distress, a double distance. That’s why in the text, the person receives double from God, accepting Love after having turned away from evil.

As a person seeks to identify the name of his illness to better be treated and heal, let’s dare to observe the evil that causes sin.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

63. Whoever believes


It is written in the Gospel:
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.” John, chapter 3, verse 36

The key phrase is: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.” We receive eternal life by believing in Jesus. Jesus enlightens the journey to the Kingdom of Heaven as soon as we allow him to.

This is more troubling: “Whoever disobeys the Son will not see life.” It’s honest: “Whoever disobeys (refuses to believe)”. Not the one who does not believe, but the one who refuses, who will not believe.

A person may not seem to believe and walk with Jesus without noticing it. But the person who refuses to believe in Jesus sets out. He goes on without him.
The last part of the sentence is difficult to read: “Whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.”

From a dehumanized point of view, God may seem angry, vengeful (wrath) but from God’s point of view, he is Love. What seems to be God’s anger is rather our lack of love and our rejection of Love.

To refuse God intentionally is to place ourselves before evil and let it make fun of who we are. Then, we think wrongly that God is the reflection of this evil.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

64. Far from God


Jesus comes to ease our struggles, to heal from disease:
“Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness.” Matthew, chapter 9, verse 35

There are people looking for the doctor. They fight their illness, they adapt to their disability day after day. But the most destructive disease of which God wishes to heal is unquestionably the closing of our heart, of wanting to keep God’s Love locked in. To imprison Love, to want to deny it and to do everything not to recognize it is the primary cause of our misfortune.

The person who is truly sick, the ultimate illness, is to shy away from the Love of God. Yet lacking his Love is impossible. Love is. Love remains.

Some people refuse love and they can give the impression that God’s Love doesn’t exist. But evil is always provoked either by us or by other people.

It becomes very sensitive when we experience the prolonged absence of people who care for us. We may have the impression that there’s no love and that it’s only for others. We think we are worthless, especially when we’ve been alone for too long.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

65. Being with others


We may not go and meet with others. We live with the “what will they say,” “what will others say about us” and we feel that if we approach them, we will disturb them. We come to think we’re a burden.

It’s a shame to think that way, since loving is never a burden. Even though we are not always perfect, we can learn to be with others. Let’s take steps and learn to trust others, carefully. It’s all about being ourselves and being peaceful.

Paul has a deep wish:
If I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing as I observe your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. So, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted in him and built upon him and established in the faith as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. Colossians, chapter 2, verses 5 to 7

Paul offers a good example of faith. Although he knows he’s far from his friends, he wants to reassure them that he is with them wholeheartedly. He reminds us that no one is alone. We think of others and they think of us in a special way through prayer.

Let’s give thanks to God who’s 100% with us. We are united by the will of Love. Jesus gives us the courage to meet people. When we are united with Jesus, then we are fully with others. May we let Jesus totally fill us with his presence.

Jesus surrounded himself with twelve Apostles so as not to be alone. And Jesus wants everyone, without exception, around him to console and bring us to happiness.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

66. We do not listen to God


Here’s a confession of the people:
We did not heed the voice of the Lord, our God, in all the words of the prophets whom he sent us, but each one of us went off after the devices of our own wicked hearts, served other gods, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, our God. Baruch, chapter 1, verses 21 to 22

It’s automatic, whenever people shy away from God’s will, the danger is real to get lost and seek compensation elsewhere.

God created us (creates), our body, our soul and our spirit. But if our judgment is not in conformity with his, our existence doesn’t always demonstrate what is of God. Even though we have received everything from God, all too often we are not conscious about it. We are then influenced by many ways and many discordant voices that have nothing similar to the will of God.

We are told:
“We have been disobedient to the Lord, our God, and only too ready to disregard his voice.” Baruch, chapter 1, verse 19

We turn easily from the goal and we risk a lot by not planting our roots in God. Let’s go back to our roots, back to the Heart of Jesus.
In order to discern, let’s listen to the voice of the Lord.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

67. Our actions

God’s invitation:
“Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil.” Isaiah, chapter 1, verse 16

The central message of the Bible is to stop doing evil and learn to radiate goodness. There are natural foundations for life and we are invited to discover them. Conversion, a return to the Love of God, is to take the narrow path and live the only journey that leads to God’s Heart.

Even if past sins are heavy [with meaning], with God’s forgiveness, we will gradually feel the lightness of the feather. The more feathers we have, the more we can fly to the Kingdom of God.

It’s difficult to watch the snow when it reflects the sun. The same phenomenon occurs when the dry sand of the beach receives and reflects the sun’s rays. Our eyes do not support it.

God’s light is even more powerful than the sun’s glow on snow and sand, but infinitely softer and observable. The light will be bright, but progressive and very respectful for the person who receives and enters into it.

The more we follow Jesus’s recommendations, the more we will decide to follow him, the more we’ll become confident disciples. We will want to gradually enter God’s Heart and follow his will. Let’s pray for all humans to be taught by Jesus.

This light is Jesus’s testimony to all. What we need to do is to recognize that we are servants and allow Jesus to be the master of our lives. May his light spread over all humans and into them.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

68. God is here


“Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.” Ezekiel, chapter 18, verse 31

Let’s ask Jesus to clean our heart and free it from all the little undesirable teachings we collect. May Jesus become the only Master of our heart, our thoughts and of our life.

“You, Lord, give light to my lamp; my God brightens the darkness about me.” Psalm 18, verse 29

Yes:
“Lord, hear my prayer; let my cry come to you. Do not hide your face from me now that I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly.” Psalm 102, verses 2 to 3

When we are in deep distress, we often feel that there is no one who can help. We also feel our helplessness. Sometimes we meet someone and he question in this way, “How are you?” and we become more anxious. We seem confronted over and over again by the same question. And we say to ourselves: “Yet people should see it or know that we are not doing well!”

Here, in the passage of the Psalm that we have brought up, the feeling is quite the same. We believe that God is not aware of what we’re going through. By saying, “Lord, hear my prayer,” we hope he will hear. But the Lord hears very well. He knows. Even if the people don’t see or feel our distress, God knows and he sees it. He understands and supports us already.

It’s normal to seek God in times of unease. That’s what we do, of course. It would be better to learn to trust God more, before discomfort occurs. Let’s reserve time every day, when we are healthy and when we are sick too. We will have greater certainty that he is present with us and we will feel his consolation. We will know that he is with us.

Just thinking about God is already a wise move. Let’s give him a few minutes. Then, for God to tame us, let’s come back often to meet with him.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

69. To manipulate


The difficulty for people in authority who are afraid of losing their place, mostly their ideal, is to manipulate their surroundings. They will find the means to be the “ones”. To remain at the top, they will provoke and bring down the person who seems to contradict them. This is happening with Jesus and also with Jeremiah. God asks Jeremiah to speak on his behalf to the crowd:
They have forsaken me and alienated this place by burning in it incense to strange gods which neither they nor their fathers knew; and the kings of Judah have filled this place with the blood of the innocent. Jeremiah, chapter 19, verse 4

After Jeremiah describes the people’s attitude, he hears the murmur that threatens him:
“‘Terror on every side! Denounce! let us denounce him!’ All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. ‘Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him.’” Jeremiah, chapter 20, verse 10

Jeremiah understands and feels that his remarks shock people. They are not listening. They do not seek to understand the urgency included in his message. Jeremiah listens to the Lord and does everything to help the people, but they do not listen to the Lord. They are withdrawing from God.

These people have lost their judgment because they try to subject God to their ideas. They lack charity toward Jeremiah. They are not at peace and they think they are right to be that way. They want to trap him who seems to be disturbing.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

70. The facts announce God


Jesus is caught in the middle of a situation. He administers wellness, he warns against evil, and some want to stone him. Jesus encounters incomprehension:
“The Jews again picked up rocks to stone him. Jesus answered them, ‘I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?’” John, chapter 10, verses 31 to 32

We know all the good works that Jesus did. He has multiplied them. We can read or reread the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, to discover or rediscover them.

People are stuck in their hearts and they don’t let the light through. They fear losing control over situations, over the people and they fear Jesus. They have trouble to align themselves properly.

These people answer him:
“We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.” John, chapter 10, verse 33

The reason they want to stone Jesus is that they think he thinks he is God. And yet, absolutely all the signs that Jesus did describe God, also describe the values of life. Forgiveness, justice, great love, mercy are signs and facts that Jesus is God. Jesus doesn’t think he’s God, he doesn’t propose himself to be God, he is God.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

71. The lie


To think that God is blaspheming, to think that God is lying is the ultimate lie of too many people in Jesus’s days and this is still happening now. It is written and still today people think that Jesus is not God.

The person distorts reality by slipping away from Jesus. He comes to not even recognize that Jesus is God. The remoteness from God removes the person from believing in him. He loses sense of reality and the meaning of God.
It’s not surprizing that some people responsible of the Temple want to stone Jesus, with their incomprehension, their loss of meaning, to the point of thinking that Jesus blasphemes.

Let’s find Jesus in our heart, in our life, let’s keep him close by. This is the only way to recognize Jesus. Let’s continue our walk with Jesus to the cross. Let’s take advantage today to free ourselves from the evil that we carry and give it to Jesus, so that he may cleanse and save us too. May we recognize him as he is.

May Jesus guide and encourage us to discover the misunderstanding of people toward him. This will help us to hand everyone to him. He wants to heal them. Jesus came to bear the burden of the sins of the world. Let’s let him take upon himself our evil and our sins. Only Jesus can bear it and give peace.

Let’s get out of pride and egoism that electrify lies. And let’s walk with him to the victory of Love over evil, hatred, despair, God’s victory over satan, the victory of our liberation and salvation in Jesus Christ, God and Lord.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

72. God’s authority


What a beautiful passage:

“Since in this way I have profited, I will give my teacher grateful praise.” Sirach, chapter 51, verse 17

Let’s acknowledge that everything that has been accomplished in beauty, truth, good and reality during our life has not happened by chance.

We did not create wisdom. We did not invent love. We did not think our intelligence. Let’s face the facts and recognize that all talents, values, gifts, charisms and graces come exclusively from the Lord.

Let’s also recognize that the wisdom of God has been given us to receive him. If God had not allowed receiving him, we would be like a cloth that has no interest, no will, no movement.

Yes, there are still people who think that they are the only kings of their lives, that they have given themselves everything and that they can even stand above Jesus. Temple officials question Jesus:

“By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them?” Mark, chapter 11, verse 28

Strange question indeed. It is still possible today to have this question: “By what authority do you do that?” It’s as if we’d say, “Jesus, I do not know you, and what you do is a lie.”

Jesus has just healed a person. And it is acknowledged that only God can heal in his name. Yet Jesus keeps reminding us that he’s healing in his name. They only need to open their eyes. Jesus healed a person before them.

Jesus, we do not recognize your authority. Jesus, we question ourselves to know if you are really God. Yet there is a multitude of signs in the world right now that are from you.

We need to see clearly and accept that you are truly God and Lord. Without you we are lost, without you we have no real life or soul. Without you we exist not.

We need to recognize that you are God Jesus, the Lord of our life.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas

 

[Normandt]

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]

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

 

[Normandt]

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.
à

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