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4th Sunday of Year B – 2024

26 janvier 2024
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 'the real thing', advice, authentic, décision, fake news, genuine, God's presence, Mark 1:21-28, real

Usually, most people look for things that are genuine, ‘the real thing’, they say.
The also want to relate to people who are authentic, they despise any form of pretense.
And of course, they easily detect what is ‘fake news,’ or doubtful information.

It is real appreciation when it is said of someone: “He knows what he is talking about!”

This expression came to my mind as I read the gospel text of today’s celebration (Mark 1:21-28).
The reaction of the those listening to Jesus’ preaching is described in these terms:

“The people were amazed at his teaching,
because he taught them as one who had authority,
not as the teachers of the law”.

This appraisal is repeated after the demoniac present in the group is cured by Jesus:
“The people were all so amazed that they asked each other,
‘What is this? A new teaching – and with authority’!”

Jesus’ words have the ring of truth and authenticity.
His message reaches people’s minds and touches people’s hearts.

At times, reading the gospel texts, some people tend to say:
‘Well, this is good to see but… it happened so long ago.
Nowadays, things are not the same…’

Of course, we do not witness a scene such as the one described in today’s text.
But God’s presence with us through Christ is no less real.
Christ’s message – if we allow it to do so – can also reach our minds and touch our hearts.

When we have an important decision to make…
When we must make a choice heavy with consequences…
When we have to deal with a situation that can have momentous results…
When we must help a person and give some advice that requires more than human wisdom…

Christ’s words, Christ’s real presence will not fail us… if only we entrust ourselves to him.
Having become one of us, he knows what our lives are about…

 

Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French, at: https://image-i-nations.com/4e-dimanche-de-lannee-b-2024/

 

Source: Image: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

 

 

 

Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, Year C – 2022

28 juin 2022
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: advice, anticipation, Einstein, life experiences, Luke 9:11-17, Niels Bohr, physicists, Sign, Temptation

It is recorded that Niels Bohr, a brilliant physicist told the no less brilliant Einstein : « Einstein, stop telling God what to do. »

It seems that we, human beings, often give in to the temptation of doing exactly that: telling God what to do!
We see the apostles doing this in today’s gospel (Luke 9:11-17).

They tell Jesus:

« Send the people away and they can go to the villages to find lodging and food.”
 
Had Jesus listened to the apostles, there would have been no multiplication of the loaves!
No anticipation of something more…
No sign of what was to come…
What we celebrate on today’s feast: Jesus giving us his own body and blood as food –
food permanently offered and always available to us…

It could be an interesting exercise – and quite a revelation –
To look at all those times when, in our life experiences – we told God what to do
and… he did not follow our suggestion or insistent request!

What did we not gain from his refusal to accept our advice!
Much to be thankful for… to this day!

 

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/fete-du-corps-et-du-sang-du-christ-annee-c-2022/

 

Source: Image: BiblePic.com

20th Sunday of Year A – 2020

14 août 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: advice, help, learn, methods, Mt.15:21-28, Mt.6:8, pray, words

Praying… an activity which always finds us in need to learn –
to learn how to approach God and, of course, what to say when we are in his presence.

Bookshops and libraries are full of material published precisely to guide us with methods and advice about praying.
Many spiritual authors suggest what they consider the best way to pray; their thoughts and suggestions cover many pages.

The Syrophoenician woman we meet in today’s gospel (Mt.15:21-28) may not have known how to read, but…
she knew how to pray, and how to pray well:

“Lord, have mercy on me.
Lord, help me.”
 
Few words – short words – simple words –
but words that touched Jesus to the point that he did for that woman precisely what she was asking for.

Why do we sometimes think that God needs long explanations of our needs and detailed requests for his assistance?
Jesus has assured us: “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Mt.6:8)
 
The Syrophoenician woman was right after all!
“Lord, have mercy on me. Lord, help me” – this could be enough… could it not?

 

Note: This gospel scene is also offered in video format at: https://youtu.be/M-KMEFoxhSE

And another reflection on a similar theme in French can be found at: https://image-i-nations.com/20e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2020/

 

Source: Image: theministryofezra.com

 

 

 

4th Sunday of Advent, Year A – 2019

20 décembre 2019
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 'God-with-us', advice, angels, compassion, help, information, Mt.1:18-24, présence, real

Do you have in your life some… ‘wingless angels’?
You smile, but they can be very REAL!

We are used to the representation of old showing us cherubim and seraphim angelic messengers.
It was the imagery of ancient times and it has made its way up to our days.
The illustration of today’s gospel – the dream of Saint Joseph – is one such picture (Mt.1:18-24).

Some may find it helpful, others not.
But the identity and the mission of such messengers remain valid and meaningful.

If you pause for a moment and look at your daily life, you will most probably recognize some people who are there –
there precisely when you need them!

  • There with some information you are looking for.
  • There with some help in a given situation.
  • There with some useful suggestion.
  • There with some discrete friendly advice.
  • And always there with compassion and comfort!

They are the ‘wingless angels’ you can count on – the very manifestation of a presence –
that of the One who made himself: “God-with-us”.

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/4e-dimanche-de-lavent-annee-a-2019/
 

Source: Images: russ-ramsey.com   topofart.com (painting, Georges de la Tour)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st Sunday of Advent, Year A – 2019

29 novembre 2019
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: advice, expect, God's presence, insight, inspiration, Lord's coming, Mt.24:37-44, the end

Many people resent being told what to do!
And… we know that the giving of advice is not always welcome.
Of course, much depends on who gives the advice!

During the period of Advent starting today, the Scripture readings often remind us about living with careful attention.
We are told to be mindful of how we live and be ready for the Lord’s coming.

Today’s gospel (Mt.24:37-44) is one of them.
“So you also must be ready,
because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

We believe that such texts refer to the coming of the Lord at the end of time.
But what about in the meantime? The time between now and… the end?
It is to be expected that, before the end of time, there will be the end of our time – the moment of our death.
We may life to think that… this is not just yet but… we do not know.

But the best way to prepare for ‘the end’, would it not be to welcome the Lord’s coming every day?
Because he does come every day… often unnoticed, unrecognized, unattended to… but come, he does!
His presence is usually silent, discreet, yet real and personal.
It can make itself experienced in:

  • The words of a book opening up new perspectives…
  • A sudden inspiration to help someone in need…
  • Words of encouragement received from a colleague…
  • Some unexpected gift from a neighbour…
  • The feeling of peace at the sight of a beautiful landscape…
  • A flash of insight into who HE is…
  • An impulse to start on a new way of living the gospel…
  • Or, simply the unmistaken realisation that he is indeed present here and now.

Yes, he does come indeed!

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/1er-dimanche-de-lavent-annee-a-2019/

 

Source: Image: Bible Verses

16th Sunday of Year A

20 juillet 2017
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: advice, enemy, evil, God, good, harvest, injustice, lenient, Mt.13:24-43, poor, powerful, présence, real, rich, right, seed, selfish, separate, situation, sort out, suffering, wait, way of God, weak, weeds, wisdom, wrong

There is so much that is wrong in our world today, is it not so?
The powerful bring suffering to the weak.
The selfish – legions of them – grab all they can.
The rich keep adding to their share while the poor have to manage on what they can scrape together.

It seems that evil spreads far and wide, and goodness has a hard time existing at all.
Examples we see every day are only too many and too easy to find.

Poverty, sickness, injustice, suffering – evil under all its forms – everywhere we turn it seems that we see only more of that!
Some people mutter to themselves: “Not much sign of God in a world like this…”
Others get really angry, and yes, angry with God: Why does he not do something to right all that is wrong?
They whisper under their breath: “If I were God, things would be different!”

We have to admit it: we are troubled by the presence of evil in our world, in people…
Perhaps today’s gospel (16th Sunday of Year A – Mt.13:24-43) can bring light to this situation.
At first sight, some would think: ‘More of the same!’
Good seed has been planted and there comes an enemy who spoils the whole thing as the weeds in plenty show.
The workers question the owner of the field about it and they are ready to put things right.

The owner shows wisdom: removing the weeds may destroy the good plants as well.
So, his advice is… to wait.
WAIT – waiting… till the harvest, waiting till all has grown and then… then will be the time to sort out and to separate.

For many of us, this is not our preferred mode of operating.
Yet, surprisingly perhaps, this is the way… of God!
He waits, and waits… for us!
He waits that we change…

The 1st reading (Wis.12:13,16-19) says it beautifully:
“Your sovereignty makes you lenient to all…
You are mild in judgement,
You govern us with great leniency.”

He waits that we recognize him, accept his ways, see him as REAL – really present in our lives.
How much longer will he have to wait for this to happen?…

Source: Images: Wikipedia, Experimental Theology – blogger

 

 

4th Sunday of Lent, Year A

23 mars 2017
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: advice, afraid, attitude, drive away, escape, incompetent, information, insight, Jesus, Jn.9:1-41, man born-blind, memory, Pharisees, pray, reaction, remark, see, truth, waarning

Strange things happen among us, people.
Something good can be done for someone and the person who benefits from the good deed is penalized for it!
 
It should not surprise us – this is what happened already in the time of Jesus.
We see it in today’s gospel on this 4th Sunday of Lent, Year A (Jn.9:1-41).

Jesus has cured a man who had been born blind and the religious leaders give this fortunate man – (or, unfortunate?) –
a hard time indeed.
Questions upon questions to him, to his parents, back to him again – evidently trying to find Jesus somehow guilty.
Unable to have the man say anything that would enable them to reach such a verdict, “They drove him away…”

They cannot SEE the good.
They cannot accept the evidence.
They push aside what is plain and clear.
They cannot face the truth.
They blind themselves in the most obvious way.

Why? Why such an attitude? What this kind of reaction?
But the next question is… Can this not be found in… us?
 
We may ‘drive away’ a memory… too painful to face.
We may ‘drive away’ a remark… unpleasant to acknowledge.
We may ‘drive away’ a warning… that would call for a decision.
We may ‘drive away’ a piece of advice… that would ask for a change of attitude.
We may ‘drive away’ some information… that invites me to do something.
So, we do as if the truth were not the truth!

We may fell afraid, ashamed, incompetent, powerful, not equal to a situation.
So, we hide, we pretend, we escape.
We literally ‘drive away’ what is plain to SEE but which threatens us.

LENT may be precisely that: the time to make special efforts to SEE.
And to pray for, yes, vision AND insight!

See also:  http://image-i-nations.com/the-man-born-blind/
Source: Image: request.org.uk