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10th Sunday of Year B – 2024

7 juin 2024
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: accusing, authentic, Christ-like, duplicity, Genesis 3:9-15, hiding, Mark 3:20-35, pretending, scapegoating

Excusing oneself by accusing someone else – this is as old as the world, it seems!
Today’s Scripture texts are inviting us to reflect on this.

The 1st reading reminds us of the well-known story of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:9-15).
Questioned by God about their misdeed, the man accuses his wife while she, in turn, accuses the serpent.

And in today’s gospel, we meet the Scribes challenging Jesus (Mark 3:20-25).
Unable to accept Jesus as having the power of God, they accuse him of being possessed by Satan.
They claim that he is casting out devils by Beelzebul, the prince of devils.

The daily news broadcast is full of examples of such attitudes: blaming others and failing to accept one’s responsibility.
Or, refusing to accept the good accomplished by someone fearing that it overshadows one’s reputation.

We can lament such duplicity, dishonesty, lack of transparency.
It seems that there is plenty of deceitfulness and double-dealing in our world,

But… we should turn our look inwards and ask ourselves whether we are immune to such behavior.

In the text of the scene related in the 1st reading we see that:
“The man and his wife… hid from the Lord in the trees of the garden”.

“The Lord called to the man: ‘Where are you?’
‘I heard the sound of you in the garden’;
he replied “I was afraid’…”

Hiding out of fear may be a natural reaction for many of us…
We may still be on the way to a more mature acknowledgement of what we do…

Hiding, pretending, scapegoating – all too human, some may say…
Less than truly human – it should be said…

Less than authentically Christ-like…

 

Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French, at: https://image-i-nations.com/10e-dimanche-de-lannee-b-2024/

 

Source: Images: https://www.biblword.net/what-about-the-fall-of-man-in-the-garden-of-eden/ https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/image/jesus-authority-questioned-bab5358?lang=eng

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

 

 

 

4th Sunday of Year B

25 janvier 2018
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: authentic, God the really REAL, gospel, impression, Jesus message, Mk.1:21-28, new, original, the Word

The word IMPRESSION is used in different ways and has different connotations.
Someone walking in the wet sand will leave a mark, a footprint, an impression.
Leaves pressed between two surfaces will also remain imprinted, or create an impression.

Political figures and business executives are very keen on making a good impression!
Actors and athletes are equally eager to please crowds of fans and create a favorable impression!

These reflections came to me as I read this Sunday’s gospel text (4th Sunday of Year B – Mk.1:21-28) where we are told:
“His (Jesus) teaching made a deep impression on them…”
 
A ‘deep impression’ – something that goes beyond the surface to reach the depths of a person.
Is that the way Jesus’ message touches us every time it is proclaimed?

Listening to Jesus preaching, the people in the synagogue of Caparnaum were hearing these words for the first time.
The message was new, the sound of it was original – not a repetition of past teaching.
It did not have a familiar ring to it, it was an unheard of speech, something creative.

They said it openly: “Here is a teaching that is new…”
And they added: “And with authority behind it.”
No wonder it made a deep impression on them – it answered their longing to hear God’s message in a way that we would qualify nowadays as ‘authentic’.

Our situation is very different from theirs: we know well the texts of the gospel, perhaps too well?
For years we have been reading them, listening to homilies, following retreats preached on this and that section of the gospel accounts.
Hearing the first words of a given text, we may say to ourselves: ‘Oh, I know this story,’ and our mind is soon carried away to other more pressing concerns!
Will the text leave a deep impression on us?
Can it really do so in the circumstances?… 

One day, I heard someone say that God is ‘the really REAL’ – an unusual theological statement, but how true!
It may be that for Jesus message to make ‘a deep impression’ on us – and a lasting one – Jesus would need to become ‘really REAL’…

Words spoken and written having become THE Word – a person encountered in the flesh of my daily life and experience…

Source: Images: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee    whereisyvette.com    lds.org

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