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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.

 

Ash Wednesday, Year A – 2020

26 février 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 21st century, blessing, invitation, Joel 2:12-18, message, return

An unusual day, especially for people of the 21st century.
But on this day a special message is addressed to us –
a message that is altogether demanding and comforting.
It is an invitation, would we say… a petition from God?

He speaks to us in a direct and personal way through the prophet Joel:
(1st reading – Joel 2:12-18).

”Even now, declares the Lord,
return to me with all your heart…
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love…
Who knows? He may turn and relent
and leave behind a blessing.”

The Lord, OUR God, we are told.
Who is he? Who does he want to be for US?

NOT a thought.
NOT a theme.
NOT a text.
NOT a thesis.
But a PERSON, really REAL.

He is the one calling us, urging us to turn to him, to return to him,
so that he may be able to bless us.

Could we refuse such a request… from him?

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/mercredi-des-centres-annee-a-2020/

 

Source: Image: biblia.com

 

7th Sunday of Year A – 2020

21 février 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 1 Cor.3:16-23, fake news, foolishness, gossip, paranoiac, pseudo-values, reputation, succeed, wisdom

Most people like to be seen… at their best!
In general, people want to have a reputation that can bring them praise.
We like to be known for our good qualities, our generous actions, our inspiring attitude in any given situation.
We wish people to appreciate who we are and what we do.

I expect that the Corinthians to whom the apostle Paul was writing (2nd reading: 1 Cor.3:16-23)
were quite the same as we are.
The words that Paul addressed them may have come rather as a shock, an unpleasant one at that!

“Do not deceive yourselves.
If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, 
you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight.
As it is written: ‘The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile’.”

In other words: our human wisdom is short-sighted, narrow-minded, incomplete,
in fact: not really wise at all.
I doubt whether any of us will accept this easily…
Whenever we make a good resolution, it would be surprising to find it worded as:
“From now on, I’ll be a fool.”

But Paul makes it clear that we should become fool in order to become wise.
We can ask ourselves: What is the foolishness we need to abandon?

It comes in many guises:

– the ‘fake news’ so popular nowadays;
– the malicious gossip;
– the hopeless plans;
– the foolhardy ventures;
– the futile pursuit of pseudo-values;
– the misguided attempts to succeed without effort;
– the empty boasting of one’s qualities;
– the erroneous belief that one is always right;
– the paranoiac attitude claiming that people are always against us;
   and you can add to the list…

God’s wisdom granted to us by God’s own Spirit is one of genuine trust and hope.
It makes us go through life at peace with God, with others and with ourselves.

It is worth becoming a fool to gain it, is it not?! 

 

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/7e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2020/

 

Source: Image: Calvary Chapel of Emmet

 

6th Sunday of Year A – 2020

14 février 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: achieve, choice, duty, Ecclesiasticus 15:15-20, escape, God's Spirit, Rom.8:24

I can’t do do this.
I’m not able to do that.
It’s too much for me.
I just can’t…

Children sometimes reply in this way to parents who tell them to do something.
The young people may want to avoid an unpleasant task.
They may try to escape a challenging duty and… they pretend…
Pretend that what is asked of them is beyond their capacity.

Surprisingly – or not – we, supposedly more… mature, may have the same attitude towards… God !
And today, he answers our ‘pretending’ in the words of the wise man, Ben Sira,
(1st reading – Ecclesiastius 15:15-20) telling us :

“If you choose, you can keep the commandments,
and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice.” 
 
In other words : « If you wish, you can… »
 
We may think that following God’s way is too difficult,
in fact, we may judge it to be beyond what we can achieve.
We feel we do not have the strength to fulfil what God is asking of us.

This may be true, it surely is, if we try on our own.
But, this is the point : we are NOT expected to be faithful to God on our own.
God’s own Spirit has been given to us precisely to neable us to do what we cannot do ourselves.

The apostle Paul was assuring the first Christians :
“The Spirit helps us in our weakness.” (Rom.8:24)

This remains true and valid for us!
Some remind themselves with a tattoo, others write it on their in/out tray!

   

 

 

 

 

 

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/6e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2020/

Source: Images: American Threads hogartherapia.com
 

 

5th Sunday of Year A – 2020

7 février 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 1 Cor.2:1-5, Gamaliel, God's Spirit, language, message, philosophy, power, wisdom, words

Language – of whatever nation or tribe – is made of words: short words, long words, simple words, difficult words.
They are uttered, spoken, whispered, proclaimed, sung or shouted – we cannot escape them.
They take on different shades of meaning according to the way they are used –
in joy or anger, in hope or desperation, inviting or rejecting, encouraging or despising.

Yes, words have a tremendous power, for good or… bad.
They can be uplifting or dispiriting.
But what a power they have when they are… God’s own words!
When they convey God’s message being inspired by God’s Spirit.

This is the meaning of the apostle Paul in the 2nd reading of this Sunday (5th Sunday, Year A).
He assures the Corinthians to whom he is writing that
the message he sends them is not something deriving from human insight,
but it comes from the Spirit of God himself (1 Cor.2:1-5).

He is not relying on the Jewish wisdom his master Gamaliel had passed on to him,
nor on the arguments of the Greek philosophy he is familiar with.
He says it clearly:

“Far from relying on any power of my own…
in my speeches and the sermons I gave
there (was) only a demonstration of the power of the Spirit.”
 
In our own attempts to speak about God,
we could do no better than rely on this same power!
 

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/5e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2020/

 

Source: Image: www.areasonforhope.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, Year A – 2020

31 janvier 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: consolation, difficulty, gift, Lk.2:22-40, petitions, question, Sumeon, the Spirit

A young Jewish couple brings their first-born child to the Temple, as it was the custom.
An older man is there, Simeon, who is known to be faithful to the Lord.
Of this man, it was said that he was:

“looking forward to the consolation of Israel.”

The gospel of this Sunday is a long text (Lk.2:22-40),
But there is one sentence that struck me and… questioned me…
The question addressed to me is whether I expect the consolation of God.

Our prayers to him are of different kinds, and length, and intensity!
Of course, we praise him and we thank him.
But, we – most of us – have a long list of petitions that we address to him regularly,
especially in times of doubt, difficulty, distress.

But do we look forward – as if we were sure that it will come – to his consolation?
It may be that, for a long time, God has wanted to give us this special gift and…
he has not been asked for it!

Or, is it that… we did not recognize it?
Simeon held a baby in his arms and he recognize God’s salvation!

We are told that he was “guided by the Spirit”,
perhaps we need to allow this same Spirit to guide us also…

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/fete-de-la-presentation-de-jesus-au-temple-annee-a-2020/

 

Source: Image: youtube.com

 

 

 

 

3rd Sunday of Year A – 2020

24 janvier 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: God's invitation, inner voice, listen, Mt.4:12-23, recognize, respond

Reading texts of the Bible, we may be drawn by a scene or a person.
Our attention may be caught by an event or a story.
A parable or a text may speak to us in a special way.
But it happens that a single word strikes us so much that we remain pondering it.

It is the case for me with this Sunday’s gospel text (Mt.4:12-23) where we are told that
Jesus called some fishermen to follow him and
“immediately they left their nets and followed him.”
 
“Immediately”, no hesitation, no delay.
No waiting, no wondering, no questioning.

Most of us are not fishermen, we have obviously no boats or nets to leave.
Yet… God calls us, he calls everyone in a way that is altogether personal and unique.
We may not perceive his voice, we may not always recognize that he is the one calling…

Some people speak of a small, inner voice… an invitation to…
To do what? To be what?

This may be the moment to listen… to recognize… and to respond… immediately…

Note: Another reflection is available on a different them in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/3e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2020/

 

Source : Image : holytrinityhillsdale.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2nd Sunday of Year A – 2020

17 janvier 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: eyes, insight, Jn.1:29-34, look, recognize, see, sight, vision

To SEE – To LOOK – To RECOGNIZE.

This is the invitation addressed to us in today’s gospel text (Jn.1:29-34).
In only 5 verses, the words ‘look’ and ‘see’ are used 4 times – the message is rather obvious!

Seeing… our eyes are constantly busy with this activity.
Countless things pass before our eyes every minute of the day, unless we close our eyes, of course.
But do we really see them?
If asked about the colour of the car that just passed, or the name of the building in large letters before us,
we may be taken aback and ask ourselves…
We just did not see this.

Looking is more than simply seeing, it asks for attention. 
We need to focus, to concentrate and ‘take in’ the vision of what our eyes perceive.
The photo we look at is perhaps not clear, the landscape before us may be misty:
perhaps we need to look more closely, to adjust to what we see so as to… recognize the picture.

To recognize is even more demanding, it requires a deeper perception still.
This is perhaps the difference between ‘sight’ and ‘insight’…

In today’s gospel scene, John the Baptist invites his disciples to do precisely this:
to recognize Jesus, recognize him for who he truly is.

And this invitation is addressed to us as well . . . 

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/2e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2020/

 

Source: Images: unsplash.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Year A – 2020

10 janvier 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: giving in, ideas, insights, John the Baptist, let go, meet God, Mt.3:13-17, Our Father, plan of God, plans, reporter

The gospel text of today (Mt.3:13-17) is rich in insights, perhaps not obvious at first sight
but looking into and beyond the words we discover the deeper meaning of what we see and hear.

A modern reporter could give this scene of Jesus baptized by John the striking title of:
Doing what one would rather not do and… meet God!

The words can provoke a smile but this is exactly what happened to John the Baptist
as Jesus presented himself to him to be baptized.
We are told:

“John tried to dissuade him…
But Jesus replied: ‘Leave it like this for the time being…’
John gave in to him. »

Give in to God!
One day, I saw a poster with the caption:
LET GO – LET GOD!

Let go of my ideas – God may have better ideas…
Let go of my plans – God may have a better plan…
Let go of what I want – so that his “will may be done”…
 
Our lips repeat it so often praying the ‘Our Father’, but… somehow…
Today is a good day to start… giving in to him.

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/fete-du-bapteme-du-seigneur-annee-a-2020/

 

Source: Images: thechurchofjesuschrist.org   fineartamerica.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, Year A – 2020

3 janvier 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: destination, encounters, goal, hurry, journey, Mt.2:1-12, obstacles, on the move, surprises

Repeatedly, and in many ways, poets and prophets have said it: LIFE IS A JOURNEY.
The beginning of a new year is, somehow, a reminder of this.
Of course, a journey means setting out and being on the move.

Today’s gospel, on the Feast of Epiphany (Mt.2:1-12) illustrates this very clearly.
We see three men on the way, they have set out towards… the unknown.
Ready for whatever the journey has in store for them:
Joyful surprises, painful circumstances, threatening obstacles, suspicious encounters…
There may be moments of darkness, periods of questioning – it is all part of the journey.

Being on the move – we are!
So often running here and there, rushing, hurrying, always on the go.
But… a journey must have… a goal.
Setting out is meant to be towards a destination.

Moving for the sake of moving is not being on a journey.
We may be caught in a frenzy of perpetual movement but this cannot bring to a definite place –
the place we are longing to reach – that of happiness, peace of mind and heart, true serenity.

So, perhaps today’s feast reminds us that, at the beginning of a year still new,
we need to see clearly the destination we want to reach…
the place where we want to find ourselves… at the end of the year.

Or, at the end of our journey on this earth…

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/fete-de-lepiphanie-annee-a-2020/

 

Source: Image: www.pinterest.de

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feast of Mary, Mother of God, Year A – 2020

31 décembre 2019
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: adventure, finding, glorify God, hurry, Lk.2:16-21, New Year, praise God, shepherds

There are different ways of reading a gospel text, or listening to it.
Sometimes, we have a sense of ‘déjà vu’ – it seems we know all about it for such a long time.
At other times, what is described feels strange, foreign, not related to our own experience.

But the quiet contemplation of a scene can be instructive and truly inspiring.
On this Feast of Mary, Mother of God, today’s gospel text (Lk.2:16-21) can be exactly this for us.

“The Shepherds hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby…
They spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child…
They returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen.”
 
“All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them…”

“Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” 

  • Hurrying to find…
  • Sharing what has been discovered…
  • Glorifying and praising God…
  • Marvelling at what happens…
  • Treasuring up and keep pondering…

A good programme for the adventure through the new year just beginning!

Note: another reflection is available on a different theme on French at: https://image-i-nations.com/fete-de-marie-mere-de-dieu-annee-a-2020/

 

Source: Image: Armenian church us (Rembrandt painting)