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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.

 

Good Friday, Year A – 2020

10 avril 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: absence, God dying, Jn.1:14, Jn.19:23, Jn.19:25-27, Lk.23-27, Mk.15:31-32, Mt.27:32, Mt.27:38

At the scene, when God is dying…

Some people reading this title may possibly be tempted to move on to another reflection.
They may want a text that is less… shocking.
GOD DYING?

At Christmas time, some were reluctant to pronounce the words: GOD IS BORN.
They found it less shocking in the text of John’s gospel: « The word was made flesh.” (Jn.1:14)
And yet… who is this WORD?

The very one we see nailed to the cross – God’s own Son, God himself.
God himself become one-of-us…

As he slowly, painfully, made his way to the place where he was to die,  different people were there to see him pass…
Some women lamenting, as was the custom, offering a compassionate presence to one condemned to death. (Lk.23-27)
A man called Simon, perhaps returning from his field – he was originally from Cyrene in North Africa. (Mt.27:32)
Tradition tells us that a woman named Veronica bravely approached Jesus to wipe his face covered with sweat and blood.

We can imagine Mary, his mother, and John, near the cross. (Jn.19:25-27)
The soldiers were there, of course, they had a job to do, they could not do otherwise. (Jn.19:23)
There were two other men also condemned to death – thieves we are told. (Mt.27:38)
The leaders of the Jews were present as well – at long last they had obtained what they wanted: to get rid of the Man of Nazareth. (Mk.15:31-32)

I am looking for some other people, but I cannot see them… Where are they?
The blind who can now see everything clearly.
The deaf and dumb who can hear and speak like you and me.
The paralytics no longer needing even a stick to walk.
The lepers freely joining a group without shame or fear to be sent away.
Where are they all?

God was dying… it was shocking.
The absence of those who should have been there was also shocking.
My absence would be no less so… if it means that I fail to understand that… he was dying for me.

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

 

Source: Image: Unsplash

Holy Thursday, Year A – 2020

9 avril 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Apostle Peter, extrême, Jean ch.13, realising, understanding

From one extreme to the other…

Typical of Peter, is it not? He passes from one extreme to the other!  (Jean ch.13)
He does not want Jesus to wash his feet, but then… he wants that his face and hands be washed as well!

Jesus tells Peter:
“You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.

And when he has washed the feet of all the apostles,
“Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.

For the apostles – and for us – what is required is to understand… the ‘extreme’ of God!
“Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.”
 
Real-ising, UNDERSTANDING…
Understanding a love that goes so much beyond human understanding –
So much greater, so much deeper, so much more personal, so much more compassionate.

SO MUCH . . . “to the end.”

Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/jeudi-saint-annee-a-2020/

 

Source: Image: Third Hour

 

Psalm Sunday, Year A – 2020

3 avril 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: artists, historians, Jn.18:33, Jn.8:25, Lk.9:9, Mk.4:41, Mk.8:28, Mt.21:1-11, philosophers, question, scientists

“Who is this man?”
The question is old…
In fact, it is over 2000 years old…

It comes at the last verse of this Palm Sunday gospel text (Mt.21:1-11).
People acclaim Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey –
they throw branches on the ground, they wave palms and they shout praises with joy.
But, some are puzzled and voice THE question:
“Who is this man?”
 
After the calming of the storm, the apostles were asking precisely this:
“Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mk.4:41)

They had heard people discussing among themselves saying:
« Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets. » (Mk.8:28)

The leaders of the Jews had asked him directly:
“Who are you?” (Jn.8:25)

Herod wanted to see him to make up his mind:
“Who is this I hear such things about?” (Lk.9:9)

Pilate wanted to know what Jesus had to say for himself:
« Are you the king of the Jews? » (Jn.18:33)

Years of exegetical research, centuries of theological reflection, a long list of Councils
have pondered over the very same question about… the Man-God, God-become-man…
Philosophers, historians, scientists, artists, believers and unbelievers alike,
all have asked… and they are still asking…

The question remains – now addressed to each one of us personally:
“Who is this man”… for me?

 

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

 

Source: Image: crosswalk.com

 

 

5th Sunday of Lent, Year A – 2020

27 mars 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: believe, future, Gods promises, Jn.11:1-45, promise, waiting

 

W A I T I N G !

I know very few people who like to… WAIT.
In general people do not like delays, postponements, adjournments.
Of course, this can mean a pause, a rest, but this is not what we want.
We are a generation where not only business but busy-ness is the order of the day!

But, if we think about it, a promise involves precisely this: waiting…
Being promised something means that we have to wait for it.
The realization of the promise will come later, it is to come true… in the future.
We will get what has been promised after a certain time, a period possibly unknown, unspecified.

And, this is true of… God’s promises!
We just do not see yet that they can come true… that they WILL come true…
We have to believe that they will.

Writing these words, I come back to the gospel of this Sunday (Jn.11:1-45).
 
“The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 
and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”
“If you believe, you will see the glory of God.”
 
WILL live, WILL see, WILL never die – it is all to take place in the future,
it has definitely the form of a promise.

But the the wonderful thing is that the promises of God are… reality-in-the-making!
They are blessings-being-REALised!
 
As he was about to raise Lazarus, Jesus told his Father:
“I knew that you always hear me.”
 
FAITH should enable us to say the same… even while waiting…

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

 

Source: Images: Unsplash

 

 

 

 

 

4th Sunday of Lent, Year A – 2020

20 mars 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: (Is.55:8, blindness, Ezechiel 18:23, forgiveness, healing, Jn.9:1-41, Ps.145:8, sin

The question of the apostles to Jesus in today’s gospel (Jn.9:1-41)
reflects something of our own thinking at times:
“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
 
But long ago, God has told us:
“My thoughts are not your thoughts.” (Is.55:8)
 
And he questions us:
“Am I not pleased when sinners turn from their ways and live?” (Ezechiel 18:23)
 
We think: Sin means punishment.
God thinks: Sin means forgiveness in waiting.

We are so slow, so stubborn in refusing to accept God’s revelation of himself:
“The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.” (Ps.145:8)
 
LENT may be the time, at long last, to recognize him for who he is,
for what he wants to be for us still in need of… being healed of OUR blindness…

Note: A video showing this scene is offered at: https://youtu.be/cWtb_kH2Lf0
And another reflection on a different theme is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/4e-dimanche-du-careme-annee-a-2020/

 
Source: Image: churchofmormon.org
 

 

 

3rd Sunday of Lent, Year A – 2020

13 mars 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Exodus 17:3-7, freedom, God's presence, hunger, need, power, quarrelling, thirst, to test

The 1st reading on this 3rd Sunday of Lent (Year A – Exodus 17:3-7) presents us with a scene known to many of us.
The people of Israel complain that they have no water and accuse Moses of bringing them to a desert place.
He, in turn, complains to the Lord who tells him what to do to remedy the situation.
Moses strikes a rock and water gushes out abundantly.

We say: Fantastic! Wonderful!
We may add with religious admiration: ‘God answers the prayer of his servant!’
This is one aspect of the scene.

There is another, no less important if seldom mentioned.
Moses gives the location where this happened the names of:
Massah which means testing, and Meribah which means quarrelling.

These names are definitely foreign to us, but the reality they describe is most certainly familiar!
No one can doubt that, in our world today, there is much of this: testing and quarrelling.

What had led the Israelites to quarrel, to test Moses, and more still, to test God?
They were thirsty.
The 1st Sunday of Lent spoke about hunger, this one speaks of thirst – basic human needs indeed.

Our hunger and our thirst can take many forms –
bread and water are only representations of all that we long for:
health and wealth, power and prestige, freedom and domination – and so much more.

This ‘so much more’ hides ONE deeper need:
it is the one mentioned in the last verse of the text:
« The Israelites “tested the Lord saying,
‘Is the Lord among us or not?’ ”
 
This is the need for God’s presence with us.
It may remain hidden deeply within us, but it is there…
This period of Lent is welcome if it enables us to identify both, the need AND the presence!

Note: The scene of the gospel of the Samaritan at the well is presented in a video (in English) at: https://youtu.be/jU09NpjS27w
And another reflection on a different theme is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/3e-dimanche-du-careme-annee-a-2020/

 

Source: Image: Wikimedia Commons

 

 

 

 

2nd Sunday of Lent, Year A – 2020

6 mars 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Abram, Gn.12:1-4, God's word, Mt.28:20, Presence of God

When someone tells us something surprising, unusual, we may hesitate to accept what we hear.
Seeing our doubt, the person speaking will insist and assure us that it is true.
He or she may add: ‘You have to take my word for it!’

The scene in today’s 1st reading (Gn.12:1-4) reminds me of such a situation.
We see Abram to whom God tells, in no uncertain terms, to leave his country:

 “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household 
to the land I will show you.”
 
God’s command – for this is what it is – is very clear,
but the country where Abram is to go is not clear!
The future is unknown and the country mysterious.
Abram has, literally, to take God’s word for it!

Somehow, we are often invited, if not ordered, to repeat this experience.
It seems, at times, that we have no choice but to venture in the dark,
trusting God, taking his word for it that he will be with us for better or for worse!

And he will.
Because his Word « God-with-us » has become one of us
and he has promised:

“I am with you always until the end of times.” (Mt.28:20)

Mysterious future? Perhaps.
Assured presence? Absolutely!

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

 

Source: Image: Pinterest

1st Sunday of Lent, Year A – 2020

28 février 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: desire, escape, Gn.2:7-9; 3:1-7, knowledge, naked, Révélation, Temptation, to see

To see in order to know – this is a very human desire, a normal aspiration for human beings.
The 1st reading (Gn.2:7-9; 3:1-7) speaks about it and reveals the outcome of this natural inclination.

The result is shown in a two-fold tableau, could we say.

“The serpent said to the woman, 
‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened,
and you will be like God, knowing good and evil’.”
 
“They ate… the eyes of both of them were opened,
and they realized they were naked.”
 
They acquired knowledge, yes, but not the one they were hoping for.
What they learnt was that they were not what they thought they were.
They were faced with their nakedness, that is: their emptiness, their powerlessness.
They saw so clearly all that is missing in a human being… without God.

The human being trying to do things by himself, going his way,
searching for meaning where there is none, aiming at greatness where there is only absurdity.
It is a futile attempt, that of trying to… escape God –
or to venture to know him without listening to the revelation of himself…

But it remains an ever-present temptation.

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/1er-dimanche-du-careme-annee-a-2020/

 

Source: Image: Free Bible Images

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