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Abram

2nd Sunday of Lent, Year A – 2023

3 mars 2023
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Abram, Genesis 12:1-4, God's faithfulness, human beings, John 16:2, Matthew 6:8, relationship, trust

Human beings and…God: the story of a relationship!
Would you agree to such a title?
Do you recognize it as a REALITY?

Somehow, he – God – is the one leading us to see this.
But, thinking more about it, we must discover what kind of relationship God wants with us…

Today’s 1st reading gives us the beginning of an answer (Genesis 12:1-4).
There, we meet Abram who is told by God:

“Go from your country, your people and your father’s household 
to the land I will show you.”
 
The rest of the text tells us more about what God says to Abram.
Seven promises – a symbolic number in the Bible for full measure –
yes, seven promises are given to the old man.
But… all the verbs outlining what is to come are precisely… in the future tense!

Abram must go now, what will happen to him… he cannot see…
He can only trust the words of the Lord to make all those good things happen.

If we look at our own lives, we realize that they are filled with God’s gifts and blessings.
There is one thing that God wants from us,
one that he especially expects from us: TRUST.

Trust that he loves us and cares for us.
Trust that we are precious to him and that he is always near.
Trust that he will not fail to provide us with all that we need.
Trust that he will not abandon us, no matter what happens.
Trust that even if we are unfaithful, he will remain faithful to us.

This message is constantly repeated by the prophets of the Old Testament.
And it is at the very heart of Jesus’ message:

“The Father Himself loves you.” (John 16:27)
“Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:8)

Perhaps, this is the one thing that we need to learn anew in this period of Lent…
Trusting God, no matter what… he CANNOT fail us.
  

Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/2e-dimanche-du-careme-annee-a-2023/

 

Source: Image: John Dobbs

 

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

16th Sunday of the Year, C

14 juillet 2016
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Abram, Bethany, Gn.18:1-10, guest, invitation, Jesus, Luke 10:38-42, Martha and Mary, Sarah

Martha, againComparisons, contrasts – they are part of our daily life and in all kinds of situations.
From them, a judgement arises deciding that things are different, equivalent, or plainly opposite!

The texts of the liturgy of this Sunday (16th, year C) present us with situations that reflect this.
In the 1st reading (Gn.18:1-10), we hear Abram telling his wife Sarah to hurry and prepare some food for the visitors who have come to their house.

The gospel scene (Lk.10:38-42) shows us a woman, Martha, doing exactly that for the special visitor who has come to their home.
But the visitor, Jesus, is the one now inviting his host NOT to hurry, not to fret about preparing food for him.

Jesus wants Martha to attend to him, yes, but attend to him by simply being there!
He insists that only one thing is necessary – that of sitting at his feet and listening to him, as her sister Mary is doing.

The comparison made between her and her sister must be somehow unwelcome to Martha.
She must find it unpleasant to be told to do what Mary does when Martha wanted the opposite: that Mary does a bit of the work that she, Martha, has been busy with.

It is somehow as if Jesus turns things around.
Last week, the gospel message was that we should not ask who is our neighbour but rather of whom we should make ourselves the neighbour.
This week, Jesus received as a guest in Bethany is the one inviting Martha to be his guest – a guest to whom he offers the most precious food: a sharing in his message about who he is, who the Father is.

No need to worry and to fret – that food is always ready, always available, and sufficient to satisfy all our needs!

Source: Image: blog.sina.com.cn