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34th Sunday of Year B, Feast of Christ the King – 2021

19 novembre 2021
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: authority, different, fake news, fame, glory, John 18:33-37, John 6:15, John 7:46, justice, king, voice

He came, long ago, but some still speak about him.
What he said, what he did, what he taught, how he related to people.
It was said that: “Nobody ever spoke like this man” (John 7:46).
 
He was… different, yes, everyone could see this, different yet…
There was something about him that drew people to him.
He did not look for glory or fame, no, he was concerned about others.
One day, they had tried to make him king (John 6:15) but he had escaped –
this was not at all what he had in mind.

Brought before the authority, he told a Roman procurator why he had come to our world (John 18:33-37):
“The reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth.
Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

If he came back to our world today…
If he came back, would he repeat these words?
Would he find people ready to listen to his voice?

He would be all too aware of:

the fake news,
the unfounded revelation of presumed facts,
the systematic distortion of evidence,
the prevailing disinformation,
the exaggeration of narratives,
the manipulation of witnesses,
the bias of some medias,
the misrepresentation of events,
the falsification of documents,
the attempts to pervert justice…

“Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
Would there be some?
Would we be among them, no matter the cost?
 

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/34e-dimanche-de-lannee-b-fete-du-christ-roi-2021/

 

Source: Image: www.pinterest.com

4th Sunday of Year B – 2021

29 janvier 2021
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: authority, counsellor, doctor, Jesus, lawyer, Mk.1:21-28, synagogue

Recently, I watched a webinar, a seminar on the web, it is popular nowadays.
There are all kinds of them on different topics.

Of course, in this time of pandemic, many of them are about the virus causing havoc in our lives.
The doctor giving the lecture I listened to was a specialist in epidemics.
His manner was simple and he spoke in such a way that everyone could follow what he was explaining.
When the presentation was over, I said to myself: ‘That man knows what he is talking about!’

Later in the day, I took my Bible to read the gospel of this coming Sunday (Mk.1:21-28).
There, I met a group of people who could have said exactly the same words I spoke about the lecturer I watched on the web.

The text says:
“When the sabbath came, he (Jesus) entered the synagogue and taught. 
The people were astounded at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”
 
In today’s language, these people could have said of Jesus:
‘He knows what he is talking about.’

If we look at our own lives, when we are in need, this is the kind of person we look for.
In need of a lawyer for a judicial case,
in need of a financial counselor for a transaction,
in need of a doctor for some health matter,
in every situation, we want the best, someone who knows what our need is and how to remedy it –
in other words: someone who knows what he is talking about.

I personally think that, when it comes to my very life – now and… the life after this life…
I need, I really do, someone who knows what he is talking about,
someone who knows from experience what life means, and what death means as well.

I know the very Person I can address myself to…
You probably know Him also?…

Note: Another reflection on a different theme is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/4e-dimanche-de-lannee-b-2021/

  

Source: Image: lisu.rvasia.org

26th Sunday of Year B

28 septembre 2018
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: authority, exclusion, jealousy, Mk.9:38-43, Nb.11:25-29, outsiders, power, prejudice, pride, segregation, séparation

I read and read again the 1st reading of this Sunday (26th Sunday of Year B – Nb.11:25-29)
and the first part of the gospel (Mk.9:38-43)
and… I try to read between the lines –
read the words and the meaning that is hidden there.

The two texts are similar and their message is equally so.
What is depicted there is, unfortunately, something still very much part of our landscape in this 21st century.

We see people trying to jealously keep some prerogatives.
People refusing that some good can be performed by ‘outsiders’.
People who try to prevent others to realize something positive as if it were their sole responsibility to do so.
People who want those in authority to side with them and support their attitude.

All this results in separation, segregation, exclusion, under the pretext:
those others are not from among us!
Power, pride, prejudice – all present there in a shameful display!

“If only the whole people of the Lord were prophets,
and the Lord gave his Spirit to them all!”
 
Moses, the wise leader, has the right answer as he replies to Joshua – an old saying which would serve us well.
If only… we lived according to it.

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/26e-dimanche-de-lannee-b/

Source: Image: Free Bible Images