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Greetings to each and everyone of you.


This section for English-speaking viewers –
and all those enjoying the culture –

has developed over the months and is now offering materials of all kinds:

texts, images, poems, videos, etc.

It will continue to provide you with rich contents week after week.

 

Feast of Mary, Mother of God, C

28 décembre 2015
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: blessings, chance, good luck, Happy New Year, Mary Mother of God, Moses, Numbers 6:22-27, opportunity, Psalm 66-67, synchronicity

Moses, uncyclopedia.wiki« I will bless them… »

Our reflection for yesterday – the last day of the year – was inviting us to ‘Count our blessings’.
And our celebration today, on the first day of the New Year is all about BLESSINGS.
The word comes back in different texts of the liturgy.

In the 1st reading (Numbers 6:22-27), we see Moses calling on God’s blessing for his people: “May the Lord bless you…”
And we hear God’s own promise: “And I will bless them.”
The Psalm (66 (67) echoes the same words: “May God be gracious to us and bless us… May God still give us his blessing.”

Nativity Michael Gleghorn.com

As we celebrate today the Feast of Mary, Mother of God, we recall the prayer that we, Christians, address her so many times.
We repeat again and again: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.”

In our daily conversation, we do not often mention the word ‘blessing’. We hear people talk about chance, opportunity, good luck. A recent addition to this list is that of ‘synchronicity’ an expression that underlines the fact that something good happened just at the right time. Strangely, the word ‘blessing’ seems absent.

Is it that we do not recognise it under its disguises? Would it be that we no longer discern God’s visitation to us and the many gifts (another word for ‘blessings’) that his coming brings to us? Is it that… we look without seeing, that… we hear without perceiving?

In the text of Luke’s gospel today (2:16-21), we are told: “Mary stored up all these things in her heart.”
Perhaps that was the secret why she was happy (another word for ‘blessed’).
During this festive season, we exchange good wishes of all kinds and we often repeat to all those we meet: ‘HAPPY New Year!’ Yes, we want this new year to be happy in all manner of things.
We want it to be… ‘blessed’, filled with the Lord’s precious gifts as the weeks and months go by.

It will be so, if only we keep in our hearts the memory of God’s repeated blessings reaching us from day to day!

Pics: Moses uncyclopedia.wikia.com      Nativity Michael Gleghorn.com

The year comes to an end

28 décembre 2015
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: blessings, cross, end of the year, troubles

At one time or another, you may have come across a poster with this text: « Count your blessings, not your troubles! » At the end of the year, it is a good thing to look back and see, and recognize, and REALize all that the Lord has done for us.

On Youtube, I came across an Irish choir singing the ever meaningful song composed in 1897 by Johnson Oatman Jr., with this very title: COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS.
Here it is for your enjoyment and reflection.

 

 

 

 

Origin of the Christmas Crib

26 décembre 2015
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Behtlehem, Christmas crib, Infant Jesus, St. Francis of Assisi

free-photo-christmas-nativity-670-m

The Christmas Crib (crèche) dates back to St. Francis of Assisi (Feast October 4). It was in 1293 that the first crèche was celebrated in the woods of Greccio near Assisi, on Christmas Eve. There lived in that town a man by the name of John (Messier Giovanni Velitta), a very holy man who stood in high esteem. Blessed Francis loved with him a special affection because he despised the nobility of the flesh and strove after the nobility of the soul.

Blessed Francis called upon John about two weeks before Christmas and said to him, “If you desire that we should celebrate this year’s Christmas together at Greccio, go quickly and prepare what I tell you; for I want to enact the memory of the Infant who was born at Bethlehem and how He was bedded in the manger on hay between a donkey and an ox. I want to see all of this with my own eyes.” The good and faithful man departed quickly and prepared everything that the Saint had told him. The Friars who had come from many communities, gathered around St. Francis as did the men and women of the neighborhood. They bought candles and torches to brighten the night. St. Francis arrived and saw that everything had been prepared. The crib was ready, hay was brought, the ox and the donkey were led to the spot. Greccio became a new Bethlehem. The crowds gathered and rejoiced in the celebration. Solemn Mass was sung.

St. Francis’ idea of bringing Bethlehem into one’s own town spread quickly all over the Christian world, and soon there were Christmas cribs in churches and homes.

Source: http://www.catholicdoors.com/misc/christmascrib.htm                Pic: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ak_win/

Feast of the Holy Family, C

22 décembre 2015
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: anxiety, exiles, fleeing, IDP, insecurity, Jerome Herauf, Mary and Joseph, refugees. new-born Child, safety, violence

I have a treasure. No, I am not afraid it will be stolen for it does not hold any silver or gold, nor any valuable currency. What I keep therein is a whole collection of texts and quotes – texts and quotes from many people, some long dead, others alive in our world, all over the world. Today, I want to share one such text with you. It was published in Living with Christ ( the English version of Prions en Église). It was published for Christmas  1980. At the time, Fr. Jerome Herauf wrote:

« God is ‘at home with us’. People travelling, or exiled from their native lands, long to be home again. This same expectant feeling may have grown on us during our Advent days. Recently, I was delighted to read a prominent theologian speculate that God felt the same way about being with us that first Christmas. He longed to be ‘at home’ with us. The more I have thought about this since, the more it has affected my own understanding about us, about Christmas and even about God himself. God is at home with us because he wants to be! And therefore could we not want rather than fear to be with him? »

Mary-and-Joseph on the way, www.lds.org

Mary and Joseph would not be home for Christmas. They were among what we call nowadays the IDP – Internally Displaced People – on the way to a major city and soon to become refugees in another country. The new-born child was taken to safety by his parents fleeing to escape violence and possible death. He knew early on in life what is the lot of so many people in our world today.

Today, we remember all those who find themselves in such a situation – exiles, refugees –  faced with insecurity, anxiety, lacking the basic necessities of life, and not knowing what the future has in store for them . . .

Source: Image: www.lds.org

Christmas, C

21 décembre 2015
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 'God-with-us', celebrate, Eucharistic celebration, God-Child, joy, Mt.28:20, peace, people, Rejoice, season, situations, time

CHRISTMAS, a time to rejoice and to celebrate. We somehow move a short distance away from our routine tasks and daily activities. We try to take time – time to reflect, time to look at things, situations, and people, in a different way. Strange, but it seems that those very things, situations and people that are part of our daily lives suddenly take on, is it a glow? Or a meaning? that was not there before… It is as if things around us now have a special quality, a special depth, drawing our attention, perhaps even our admiration.

NativityReflecting on this, I started looking at the texts of the Christmas liturgy. Different aspects struck me: the light, the simplicity, the newness, the peace, that a birth – THE birth – of this God-Child brought into our world. It happened long ago, but the effect is enduring, permanent!

Then, one short text came to my mind. It stood out, not of those beautiful Christmas readings, but it appeared suddenly from the often-repeated ritual of the daily Eucharistic celebration. The words are spoken by the priest when he addresses us, saying: « The Lord is with you. »

A new meaning dawned on me and I know that, when I hear these words during the Christmas celebration, I will be tempted to reply: « HE IS ! » « Yes, indeed, HE IS, ‘GOD-WITH-US’! »

This is in fact, the meaning of all that happens during this season, what people call « the reason for the season »! It is announced at the very beginning of the gospel of Luke and it is confirmed at the end of the gospel of Matthew by that Child who has become a man who promises: « Behold, I am with you until the end of time! » (Mt.28:20) This is Christmas for me…

Pic: www.rforh.com

International Solidarity Day – December 20

19 décembre 2015
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: cooperation, culture, global understanding, inernational development, international peace, Millenium Declaration, security, UN

earth-hour-2009Solidarity refers to a union of interests, purposes or sympathies among members of a group. In the Millennium Declaration world leaders agreed that solidarity was a value that was important to international relations in the 21st century. In light of globalization and growing inequality, the UN realized that strong international solidarity and cooperation was needed to achieve its Millennium Development Goals. The UN was founded on the idea unity and harmony via the concept of collective security that relies on its members’ solidarity to unite for international peace and security.

On December 22, 2005, the UN General Assembly proclaimed that International Solidarity Day would take place on December 20 each year. The event aimed to raise people’s awareness of the importance of advancing the international development agenda and promoting global understanding of the value of human solidarity. The assembly felt that the promotion of a culture of solidarity and the spirit of sharing was important in combating poverty.

4th Sunday of Advent, C

18 décembre 2015
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: early Church, faith, gift, happiness, happy life, Mary's cousin Elisabeth, Mother of God

life-is-meant-to-be-happyAre you happy? Oh, I know, this is a personal question and you need not answer me. Some philosophers or ‘masters’, or ‘gurus’ will tell us that, yes, « Life is meant to be happy ». But… we all know that true happiness seems, at times, to be in short supply for many people. If you asked yourself and tried to reply in all honesty to the question, what would you say? Perhaps you would admit that you are sometimes truly happy but that, at other times, you are not carried by a big wave of happiness. But, if you pursue your introspection, or soul searching, and look at what makes you truly happy you may admit that the love of those around you, good health, success in your daily activities, some appreciation of friends and colleagues – all this can bring some measure of happiness, yet . . .

If someone dared to ask: « Are you happy because you believe? » You may be taken aback and, to save time before you give an answer, you may ask the person: « What did you say – happy because… I believe? » You may never had thought about it… happiness born of… faith.

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In the gospel of this 4th Sunday of Advent, this is what Mary’s cousin, Elisabeth, told her: « Happy (or blessed, in some translations) is she who believed… » (Luke 1:45).
In the early Church, there was a tradition that honoured Mary more because of her faith than because of her being the Mother of God. At first, this may seem surprising, but when we think of it, somehow, it makes sense! God asking Mary to be the Mother of his Son, was a great gift HE was giving her – making her the Mother of God! But Mary accepting this very special offer – believing that God wanted her to be exactly that – was HER gift to God! Of course, she said her ‘Yes’ with the help of the Holy Spirit, but it was HER ‘Yes’! Elisabeth added: « … because you believed that the promise of the Lord would be fulfilled ».
Have you thought of giving God a gift this Christmas? Another question you need not answer … but you may like to think about it, and FAITH in his promises to you might be… the perfect gift for HIM! 

Religious Art, Dorothy Webster, Blessed Mother, The Visitation on Pintarest

World Day of Migrants and Refugees – 18 December

18 décembre 2015
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: challenge, Church, crisis, human life, Mercy, migrants, Pope Francis, refugees, tragedy, Vatican radio, violence

AFP4577491_Articolo
The theme chosen by Pope Francis for 2016 is “Migrants and Refugees Challenge Us. The Response of the Gospel of Mercy.”
“The tragic stories of millions of men and women daily confront the international community as a result of the outbreak of unacceptable humanitarian crises in different parts of the world,” writes Pope Francis.
“Indifference and silence lead to complicity whenever we stand by as people are dying of suffocation, starvation, violence and shipwreck,” he continues. “Whether large or small in scale, these are always tragedies, even when a single human life is lost.”
“The Church stands at the side of all who work to defend each person’s right to live with dignity, first and foremost by exercising the right not to emigrate and to contribute to the development of one’s country of origin. This process should include, from the outset, the need to assist the countries which migrants and refugees leave.         (Vatican Radio)

The head of the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has urged European leaders to set up a « massive » refugee settlement programme. Antonio Guterres was speaking as a new UN report warned that the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide would « far surpass » a record 60 million this year.     (Source: BBC News email, December 18, 2015)

 

Expectation

17 décembre 2015
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: expecting, goal, Henri Nouwen, hoping, longing, Lord's coming, waiting, way

200120Come20Lord20JesusIn this period of waiting, of e x p e c t a t i o n , the words of Henri Nouwen are very appropriate.

« Those who think that they have arrived, have lost their way.

Those who think they have reached their goal, have missed it.

An important part of the spiritual life is to keep longing, waiting, hoping, expecting.

A good criticism, a frustrating day, an empty stomach, or tired eyes might help to reawaken our expectation and deepen our prayer:

« Come, Lord Jesus, come. »

Henri Nouwen, The Genesee Journal, p. 113