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21st century

Good Friday, Year C – 2022

14 avril 2022
Nicole Gregoire
2 Comments
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 1st century, 21st century, actors, betrayal, blindness, denials, guilt, innocence, Isaiah 53:12, John 18:1 – 19:42

The Good Friday celebration includes, of course, the text of the Passion of Jesus (John 18:1 – 19:42).
The version is that of John, he who was present up to the very end as events unfolded.

He was there at the time… we come more than 2000 years after.
We know well – too well, perhaps – what happened.
Reading about the Passion on the left page of our Bible,
we know that, on the right page, we will read that Jesus rises from the dead!
Can were capture something of the reality of what Jesus has experienced?

The Passion of Jesus – it is… humanity at its most contemptible… and at its most noble, its most… divine!

Some people call this… a drama… they identify the ‘actors’…

‘Actors’ of the 1st century…
Betrayal (Judas)
Triple denial (Peter)
Blind religious leaders (scribes and Pharisees)
Escapist authority in power washing its hands (Pilate)
The guilty freed, his condemnation assumed by the innocent (Barabbas)
Sycophant attitude of a servant who slaps the innocent (an official at the High Priest’s residence)
Shameful absence of friends (the apostles)

‘Actors’ of the 21st century…
OUR betrayals…
OUR denials…
OUR blindness…
OUR escapism and lack of responsibility…
OUR substitution of guilt for innocence …
OUR subservient attitude…
OUR shameful absence…

The contemporary scene can take on all the shadows and dark aspects of the original one.
But this is not the ending… it has never been…

“Because he poured out himself to death,
the righteous one, my servant, shall make many to be accounted righteous.”  (Isaiah 53:12,11)

The innocent one, the righteous one, has made us innocent and righteous.
His humanity betrayed and beaten has uplifted and ennobled our humanity.

Being saved… is nothing less!
And the cost to Him… was no less!
                                                             

Note: Another reflection, on a different theme, is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/vendredi-saint-annee-c-2022/

 

Source: Image: Fox Nation – Fox News

Feast of Pentecost, Year A – 2020

29 mai 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 21st century, Acts 2:1-11, God's Spirit, marveling, perception, reality, survey, vision

Nowadays, public surveys are popular.
People want to be informed about popular opinions about this, or that, topic.
An unusual event, especially, will prompt reporters to analyze and publish detailed information about such happening.

The first reading of today’s feast (Acts 2:1-11) is interesting in that respect –
it is a little as if we were given a report about precisely an unusual event.
We are told in much detail about what has been happening.
 
“A sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven;
what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of the apostles;
they began to speak in other tongues.”

“A crowd came together in bewilderment…”
The listeners listening represented no less than 15 nations!

Not surprisingly, the text says:
 “They were utterly amazed.”
Another translation of the text adds that people were marveling at what they saw happening.
And now, fast forward to… our own 21st century…
And… three questions come to my mind:

Are we still bewildered by God’s coming to our world?
Are we amazed at what he does in our own situation?
And… do we still marvel at the wonders he works in our days?

I am personally convinced that

  • God is still present.
  • God still works among us.
  • God still realizes wonderful things for us.

Perhaps it is a question of asking God’s Spirit to give us the perception, the vision of this permanent REALITY.

 

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

 

 Source: Image: Aleteia

 

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

 

15th Sunday of Year C – 2019

12 juillet 2019
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 1st century, 21st century, adaptation, attitude, commitment, Concern, condemnation, involvement, Lc.10:25-37, one of us

Some of Jesus’ parables are well-known, nearly too well-known, yet not known well enough…
We may be tempted to think that his message is equally familiar but…
Intellectual knowledge is one thing, daily living is another – we are aware of this!

This Sunday’s parable of The Good Samaritan (Lk.10:25-37) is one of those in danger of a… simple and hasty adaptation!
The levite and the priest are no longer among us, but we may easily picture that among the members of…
this Catholic grouping, that pious association, those participants in a prayerful gathering…
well, surely there are some who would personify the attitude of… non-involvement of those two people of old.

Simple and hasty adaptation and… condemnation.
Yet, in mentally attributing blame to others, we may be missing the point altogether…
What if there were hidden within us – each one of us –
a modern-day levite and a contemporary of the priest in the time of Jesus?

Perhaps, we must admit that there are moments when soft voices within us suggest:

  • This is none of your business.
  • You have a more urgent commitment just now.
  • Someone is waiting for you, you can’t upset him.
  • Let someone else, more qualified, take care of this situation.
  • Surely you have more important things to see to.
  • After all, he’s not, she’s not, of us, really…

The words have a familiar and contemporary accent, and yet, they echo faithfully the Aramaic unspoken thoughts of the two people of Jesus’ parable.
Yes, they are sometimes part of a statement we may not dare to utter but which inspire our attitude to the one in need.

Strange how the 21st century may resemble so much… the 1st!

Note: Another reflection is available on a similar theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/15e-dimanche-de-lannee-c-2019/

 

Source: Image: Pinterest

13th Sunday of Year C – 2019

28 juin 2019
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 21st century, disciple of Jesus, fascination, freedom, God's call, God's invitations, God's way, Lk.9:51-62

There are things we are so used to that, somehow, we take them for granted.
This is the case, I think, for the Apostles of Jesus – we know very well that there were 12 of them.
And it is as if this number were, in a way, ‘sacred’ –
we can only imagine the group of them counting 12 men, no more, no less!

But today’s gospel text (Lk.9:51-62) could lead us to think otherwise.
It seems rather obvious that there was someone who wanted to be a disciple of Jesus 
but the Master did not seem to welcome him readily.
While it is also very clear that he, Jesus, called some people who were hesitant,
if not reluctant, to follow him.

God’s call is not something having results ‘as a matter of fact’, we could say.
His invitations are not obligations… they belong more to the realm of… fascination, I would say!
Fascination for who he is and what he asks us to be and to become. 

God has created us free beings and allows us to remain so ‘for ever after’!
He invites us to live in close friendship with him but leaves it to us to accept, or refuse, his offer.
He wants us to share in Jesus’ mission of telling of his love and of what he has in store for us,
but here again his plan can fail, as far as we are concerned…

It does not mean that everyone must leave family, relatives, and all his/her possessions.
But leaving attitudes that are not compatible with the lifestyle of a follower of Christ.
Leaving some plans that go against God’s way for us.
Leaving some decisions based on pseudo-values and not gospel values –
all this is definitely part and parcel of answering God’s call in today’s world.

We can be mistaken in thinking that the 12 men called by Jesus ended the process of God calling people.
It is rather an on-going adventure – for us and… for God.
And we definitely have a place in the unfolding of his plan in this 21st century!

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/13e-dimanche-de-lannee-c-2019/

 

Source: Images: YouTube   Intersect