Recherche

image-i-nations trésor

adjustment

22nd Sunday of Year A – 2020

29 août 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: adjustment, death, God's way, Mt.16:21-27, obstacles, suffering

Last Sunday, the gospel text showed us Peter being praised by Jesus –
praised for recognizing him as he is, the Christ.
But in today’s text, far from being congratulated, Peter is reprimanded in no uncertain terms! (Mt.16:21-27)
 
“Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me;
you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
 
Peter wants the best for Jesus, his friend and Master, and he thinks that… he (Peter) knows best!
According to him, it is certainly not suffering and death at the hands of the leaders of the Jews.

Jesus sees in Peter a tempter – the meaning of the word ‘Satan’,
someone who puts obstacles on the path of Jesus carrying out his mission.

Peter has yet to learn to see life’s situations in the light of “the concerns of God,”
he is focused on “merely human concerns.”
In other words, Peter has to get adjusted to God’s ways of thinking – a life-long adjustment!

Looking at our own ways of seeing situations and people, it would seem that we need to make the same adjustment –

We are constantly in danger of thinking that we know best!
We like to believe that we know what is good and appropriate for ourselves and for others!
We would not admit it – possibly not even to ourselves – but we tend to think that God’s way should follow ours!

Yes, a life-long adjustment is needed!…

 

Note: Another reflection on a similar theme in French can be found at: https://image-i-nations.com/22e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2020/

 

Source: Images: www.this-mormon-life.com.  reasonforjesus.com

 

2nd Sunday of Year A – 2019

6 décembre 2019
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: adjustment, conversion, correction, follower of Christ, Is.11:1-10, John the Baptist, Mt.3:1-12, repent

When keying in a text on the computer, it happens that we write a word incorrectly.
A red line appears under the faulty text and we know that a correction is required.

Practising a sport of any kind, we know from experience that we must sometimes change our technique.
A type of movement – a shot, a stretch or a sprint – may need to be corrected also.

As we travel to a certain place, we may suddenly realise that we have lost our way.
We need to turn back and take another direction.

We do it constantly and in all kinds of situations: correct, adjust, redress.
Why would we not do it with… our lives as Christians?

In a forceful manner, this is what John the Baptist calls us to do in today’s gospel (Mt.3:1-12).
He repeats that we need to REPENT.
The word may not sound appealing and what it asks of us may not appear promising.
Yet, we know that it happens that our lives need some correction and adjustment.

Another translation speaks of CONVERSION – literally this means a change of direction.
A turning back to find and take a new orientation.
It is as simple as that!
Simple? Yes. Easy? No.

But we are not expected to do this on our own.
God’s Spirit will enable us to take the direction leading us on the way of Christ.
In the 1st reading, Isaiah speaks of this “Spirit of wisdom, insight and power” (Is.11:1-10).
He is always ready to help us if only we ask him to do so…

This is what it means to be a ‘follower of Christ’: walking as he walked in the direction he took.

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/2e-dimanche-de-lavent-annee-a-2019/

 

Source: Images: Free Bible Images   Resources for Catholic Education