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Apostle Peter

Holy Thursday, The Last Supper, Year B – 2024

27 mars 2024
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Apostle Peter, bewildered, faithful disciples, Jesus washing feet, Last Supper of Jesus, never - for ever, protestations, questions, understand

Human beings are complex beings, to say the least!
Somehow, we know this from experience.
The scene of the Last Supper of Jesus with his apostles gives us a vivid picture of it as well (Jean 13:1-15).
Especially the dialogue between Jesus and Peter.

It starts silently as Jesus comes near to Peter and kneels to wash his feet.
Bewildered – I think this is a fair description of him – Peter questions Jesus:

“Lord, do you wash my feet?”

This seems an impossible course of action – it is absolutely unworthy of Jesus, their Master!
Jesus explains that Peter cannot understand now, but he will understand later.
Peter remains adamant:

“You shall never wash my feet.”

He will finally accept when Jesus links this gesture to the relationship with him that Peter wants very much, of course.

The attitude of Peter is perhaps characteristic of our reaction in certain situations…
We present God with… questions and protestations!…
It is as if, somehow, we knew better than God!

God could give us the answer of Jesus to Peter:
“You cannot understand now…”

It is so very true: there are many situations that puzzle us.
Many events baffle us completely.
We are bewildered by what takes place before our eyes, or in our lives.

Perhaps we need to follow the example Peter’s yielding to Jesus’ request.
What brought the change in the apostle was his desire to remain for ever the friend of Jesus.
His strong affirmation: “You shall never wash my feet”,
was transformed by his eagerness to remain a faithful friend and disciple for ever…

Our repeated ‘never’ can also be transformed into ‘for ever’…
Thus becoming, in our turn, faithful friends and disciples of Christ.

 

Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French, at: https://image-i-nations.com/jeudi-saint-la-cene-du-seigneur-annee-b-2024/

 

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

Peter, the apostle, shares his life experience…

2 septembre 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Apostle Peter, denial, storm on the lake, the Man of Nazareth, the Master, transfiguration

The gospel texts of the 21st and 22nd Sunday of the Year (A)
have allowed us to meet with Peter, the apostle.
He is a special character among the group of the Twelve
chosen by Jesus to be his followers and friends.

In the following video, Peter shares what his life has been
with the Master, the Man of Nazareth.

Holy Thursday, Year A – 2023

6 avril 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: allowing God, Apostle Peter, God's friendship, Jeremiah 32:27, Jesus washing feet, John 13:1-15, Luke 1:37, Psalm 91:1, understand later

We know that God is all powerful.
We call him ‘the Almighty’ (Psalm 91:1).
We repeat that he can do all things (Jeremiah 32:27).
We have learned that “nothing is impossible to God” (Luke 1:37).

And yet… yet, on this very special day – Holy Thursday – we have yet to learn.
We have to learn to allow God, yes, to allow God to have his way with us!

This may sound strange, but it is so much part of our experience –
in so many situations we pretend we know better than God!

This was exactly the reaction of Peter when Jesus knelt before him to wash his feet (John 13:1-15).
“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus had to use strong language to bring Peter to accept.
In no uncertain terms, Jesus said to him:
“Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
In other words: “You can no longer be by friend if I do not wash your feet”.

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

How many times would God need to say this to us?!
Our daily life is full of situations when we do not understand God’s ways.
The events taking place – in our family, at work, in the world – are really confusing.
The situations we are faced with leave us puzzled.
Problems, difficulties, failures of all kinds, are just too much for us.

“Later you will understand…”
God’s closeness, God’s friendship, will enable us to understand… later…
To understand, and to realize, that it was the best for us.

Later… but sometimes, at the moment, it feels very much like… a crucifixion…
Christ understands… he has gone this way before us.
He can go this way with us now…

 

Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/jeudi-saint-annee-a-2023/

 

Source: Image: www.churchofjesuschrist.org

 

3rd Sunday of Easter, Year C – 2022

29 avril 2022
Nicole Gregoire
2 Comments
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: answer, Apostle Peter, be reminded, friendship with God, God knows, insights, John 21:19-31, proximity, questions

Reading the gospel texts, each one is inspired by them in his/her own way.
Any given text, at different moments, may open up new perspectives and offer new messages.

Today the long gospel text presents us with two different scenes (John 21:19-31).
In the second one, we see Jesus with Peter – a scene quite special indeed and rich in insights.
I read it again and… an unusual idea comes – the title I would give to this scene:
‘What God knows but… wants to be told again!’
 
Not once, not twice, but three times, Jesus asks a question from Peter.
A searching question, one that is very personal, and… evocative…
Every time Peter answers repeating the words:
“Lord, you know that I love you.”
 
The third time, Peter adds the words:
“Lord, you know everything…”
 
Peter is right: Jesus knows it but wants to hear it, he wants Peter to pronounce the words –
words that will remind him who has been weak, and betrayed Jesus, that he is still Jesus’ friend.

There are people who refuse to pray saying that God knows everything and does not need to be told of our needs.
They are convinced that God knows whatever situation we find ourselves in and does not need to be reminded of anything.

It is true but… perhaps WE need to realize what our situation is, what our needs are, and… what is the friendship that God offers us!
God who wants to share our life, in close proximity to us, from day to day…

It may be something that WE need to be reminded of!

 

Note: And another reflection, on a different theme, is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/3e-dimanche-de-paques-annee-c-2022/

 

Source: Image: Church of Jesus Christ

 

5th Sunday of Year C – 2022

4 février 2022
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Apostle Peter, compassion, fear of God, image of God, Isaiah 6:1-8, Luke 15:11-32, Luke 5:1-11, prophet Isaiah, return, sins


The mention of the word GOD can bring different images to our minds, images and feelings.
Sad to say, often the first feeling that arises within us is… fear.
It has been so through the history of humanity – people have been afraid of the God they worshipped.

The 1st reading of this Sunday (Isaiah 6:1-8) shows the prophet Isaiah reacting in fear to the vision he is given:

 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips…
and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

In the gospel (Luke 5:1-11), we see Peter, the apostle, who “fell at Jesus’ knees and said:
“Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

How long, indeed how long, does it take us to move from this picture of a fear-inspiring God,
to the picture of God that Jesus himself gave us – that of a God of tenderness and compassion.

In the parable of the Prodigal son – which is in fact that of the Prodigal God – (Luke 15:11-32) 
Jesus shows us, he literally shows us, what kind of a God his Father, and OUR Father, is:

  • a God who is NOT put off by our sins, no matter how shameful, but always ready to forgive us,
  • a God who is anxiously waiting for our return,
  • a God who bends to lift us up,
  • a God with no thought of punishment (as we so easily picture him) but only of showering on us his blessings of all kinds.

This is how God revealed himself in Jesus – nobody else would have dared to… ‘invent’ such a god…
Jesus became his incarnation, his very presence among us.

If this is not our image of God, then…
we need to abandon all other images of him and accept this ‘vision’ of him that is the true one.
 

Note: Another reflection on a different theme is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/5e-dimanche-de-lannee-c-2022/

 

Source: Images: istockphoto.com    bible.com    Worship House Media

Holy Thursday, Year A – 2020

9 avril 2020
Nicole Gregoire
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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

 

19th Sunday of the Year A

10 août 2017
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: alone, answer, Apostle Peter, apostles, faith, fear, Jesus test, pray, rely on, request, storm, struggle, trust

The theme of last Sunday (Feast of the Transfiguration, Year A) is back again: “Do not be afraid…”

Yet, the situation described in today’s gospel (19th Sunday of Year A – Mt.14:22-33) is quite frightening!
A storm on the lake and the apparition of… a mysterious being walking on the water – this is most unusual and rather scary, even for grown-up fishermen like the Apostles.

After the multiplication of the loaves, Jesus had stayed behind to send back the people.
He had remained on his own to pray.
An unexpected storm is raging and the apostles are alone.
They feel insecure and they struggle to face a situation which they seem unable to control.

The strange being moving in the distance does not reassure them in any way.
Then, they hear the voice they know well: that of Jesus himself telling them, yes, not to be afraid!
As usual, the first to react is Peter who utters a request typically true-to-character:
“Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water.”
 
We know the rest!
Peter has somehow put Jesus to the test and… Jesus took him to his word.
But the test was, in fact, one of Peter’s faith!

The struggle on the lake was between the strength of the fishermen and that of the waves, of course,
But it was also a struggle between doubt and faith…
A struggle between fear and trust…
A struggle between relying on oneself and… on someone else – the one who calls to us.

And the answer needs to be repeated day in day out, on a stormy day as well as when the sun shines bright!

Source: Image: lds.org