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30th Sunday of Year B – 2024

25 octobre 2024
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: arrogance, blind spots, blindness, indifférence, injustice, John 9:41, Mark 10:46-52, prejudice, selfishness

Every person reading the gospel texts has his/her own reaction.
One may find a text helpful and inspiring, while the same text may not speak personally to someone else.
A certain scene presented in detail may retain the attention of someone but will leave another indifferent.

God’s moment, God’s touch, may not happen at the same time for everyone.
But God’s touch can be one of healing – healing the blindness as yet unrecognized.

Today’s gospel text shows us a blind man calling loudly and asking Jesus to have pity on him (Mark 10:46-52).
A few people may end the reading telling themselves: ‘Well, I am not blind, thank God!’,
and they move on to some activity.

Personally, I keep on mentally looking at the man and thinking: He was aware of his condition…
And some words come back to me, words of another gospel text also about blindness (John 9:41).
Jesus tells the Pharisees:

“If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin;
but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains”.

There is physical blindness and… there are other kinds of blindness…
Many people do not see what they do not want to see…
Some choose what to see and what not to see…

There are those who know that they would be faced with a challenge if they accepted to see the truth,
so, they deliberately close their eyes to what is plain to see!
Others are aware that they would be confronted with the need to change something in their lives, so they pretend they do not see…

Being willing to see may involved having a close look at different areas of my life to identify some… blind spots!

      – I may be blind to some injustice in my work practices…
      – I may be blind to the prejudice I have towards some groups of people…
      – I may be blind to the selfishness that leads me to ignore the needs of those close me…
      – I may be blind to the arrogance of my attitude lacking respect to those I judge as inferiors…
      – I may be blind to the kindness of the people I live and work with…

Blind spots – they can be of different kinds but all too obvious to people around me.

The prayer of the blind man of today’s gospel may be an appropriate request on my part as well:
« Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! »

 

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/30e-dimanche-de-lannee-b-2024/

 

Source: Image: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/john-9-16-913-1734-38-2020/

20th Sunday of Year B – 2024

16 août 2024
Nicole Gregoire
1 commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: awareness, blindness, Ephesians 5:15-20, forgetfulness, give thanks to God, God's blessings, half-empty half-full glass, positive outlook

We are all familiar with the concept of the glass half full/half empty and the meaning attached to it.
This example is often used to describe the character of people –
those with a positive outlook and those with a more negative one!
We all know someone whose attitude is one of constant cheerful assessment of life situations.
While another one will constantly find fault with whatever happens…

This mental picture came to my mind as I read the last verse of the 2nd reading of today’s celebration (Ephesians 5:15-20).
Writing to the first Christians of Ephesus, the apostle Paul tells them:

“Always and everywhere give thanks to God”.

Reading, or hearing these words, some may think: ‘Well I don’t always have some reason to give thanks to God…’
A long litany of misfortunes, or unfulfilled desires, presents itself to the mind of the person thinking.
The person’s focus is on what is missing, what he wishes for and is lacking… the half-empty glass!

What is sad is that, often, such a reaction is one of blindness, or forgetfulness.
The memory of happy situations, joyful events, successful ventures, all this has been wiped out.
God’s many gifts are as if… they had never been received – they have passed unnoticed!
The recurring blessings of God, his daily assistance, his on-going protection, all this is perhaps… taken for granted…

We need to develop an attitude of awareness of all the good things that come our way, and be grateful to God.
We need to direct our sight, and our memory, to the positive, enjoyable, encouraging, aspects of life, and be refreshed by them.
After all, a glass that is half-full is NOT empty!

We will then be spontaneously led to be grateful to God “always and everywhere”.

 

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/20e-dimanche-de-lannee-b-2024/

 

Source: Images: unsplash.com (Joseph Greve)         https://www.scripture-images.com/desktop-wallpaper/kjv/ephesians-5-20

World Sight Day – 12 October 2023

12 octobre 2023
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: blindness, eyes, preventable, treatable, vision, visual impairment

World Sight day is an annual awareness day that falls on the second Thursday of October. Its objective is to bring attention to blindness and vision impairment. WSD is coordinated by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness under the VISION 2020 Global Initiative. 

World Vision Facts from IAPB:

  • Approximately 285 million people worldwide live with low vision and blindness
  • Of these, 39 million people are blind and 246 million have moderate or severe visual impairment
  • 90% of blind people live in low-income countries
  • Yet 80% of visual impairment is avoidable – i.e. readily treatable and/or preventable
  • Restorations of sight, and blindness prevention strategies are among the most cost-effective interventions in health care
  • The number of people blind from infectious causes has greatly reduced in the past 20 years
  • An estimated 19 million children are visually impaired
  • About 65% of all people who are visually impaired are aged 50 and older, while this age group comprises only 20% of the world’s population
  • Increasing elderly populations in many countries mean that more people will be at risk of age-related visual impairment.

CAO encourages all Canadians to think about their eyes on World Sight Day and every day. 

 

Source: Text: https://opto.ca/world-sight-day    Image: Operation Eyesight Universal, Calgary AB

Good Friday, Year C – 2022

14 avril 2022
Nicole Gregoire
2 Comments
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 1st century, 21st century, actors, betrayal, blindness, denials, guilt, innocence, Isaiah 53:12, John 18:1 – 19:42

The Good Friday celebration includes, of course, the text of the Passion of Jesus (John 18:1 – 19:42).
The version is that of John, he who was present up to the very end as events unfolded.

He was there at the time… we come more than 2000 years after.
We know well – too well, perhaps – what happened.
Reading about the Passion on the left page of our Bible,
we know that, on the right page, we will read that Jesus rises from the dead!
Can were capture something of the reality of what Jesus has experienced?

The Passion of Jesus – it is… humanity at its most contemptible… and at its most noble, its most… divine!

Some people call this… a drama… they identify the ‘actors’…

‘Actors’ of the 1st century…
Betrayal (Judas)
Triple denial (Peter)
Blind religious leaders (scribes and Pharisees)
Escapist authority in power washing its hands (Pilate)
The guilty freed, his condemnation assumed by the innocent (Barabbas)
Sycophant attitude of a servant who slaps the innocent (an official at the High Priest’s residence)
Shameful absence of friends (the apostles)

‘Actors’ of the 21st century…
OUR betrayals…
OUR denials…
OUR blindness…
OUR escapism and lack of responsibility…
OUR substitution of guilt for innocence …
OUR subservient attitude…
OUR shameful absence…

The contemporary scene can take on all the shadows and dark aspects of the original one.
But this is not the ending… it has never been…

“Because he poured out himself to death,
the righteous one, my servant, shall make many to be accounted righteous.”  (Isaiah 53:12,11)

The innocent one, the righteous one, has made us innocent and righteous.
His humanity betrayed and beaten has uplifted and ennobled our humanity.

Being saved… is nothing less!
And the cost to Him… was no less!
                                                             

Note: Another reflection, on a different theme, is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/vendredi-saint-annee-c-2022/

 

Source: Image: Fox Nation – Fox News

3rd Sunday of Easter, Year A – 2020

24 avril 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: blindness, fear, indifférence, Luke 24:13-35, path, présence, recognize, road, shame

The scene of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, today’s gospel (Luke 24:13-35)
offers many interesting aspects for reflection.

One especially retains my attention; the text says:
“Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 
but they were kept from recognizing him. »

Many writers have been speculating on the cause of this:
what was it that prevented the disciples from recognizing Jesus?
What caused them to be blind in this way, unable to see that the man walking with them was Jesus?

Different commentators have proposed different reasons.
As far as their explanations are concerned, the usual expression can be used:
‘On this matter, the jury is still out.’
In other words, nobody knows for sure! 

The reason why this verse keeps me thinking does not belong to exegesis.
It is more personal, much closer to ‘home’, one could say.
The question then becomes formulated in a different way,
and it is addressed to me directly:
‘What is it that prevents ME from recognizing Jesus in my own life?

What prevents me from perceiving Christ, the Risen Lord, present with me from day to day?
What is the cause if this unusual blindness,
this failure to be aware of the obvious presence –
even though hidden from the eyes of my body?

An impediment of what kind?
An obstacle of what sort?

Fear of seeing something within myself that I would prefer not to see?
Shame for something of the past which I do not want to acknowledge?
Inattention? Indifference?

Perhaps simply forgetfulness?
Whenever I walk alone on whatever road or path, perhaps I could find out?…
 

Note: A video presentation of this scene can be found at: https://youtu.be/4QwKU442-80

And another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/3e-dimanche-de-paques-annee-a-2020/

 

Source: Image: Catholic online

4th Sunday of Lent, Year A – 2020

20 mars 2020
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: (Is.55:8, blindness, Ezechiel 18:23, forgiveness, healing, Jn.9:1-41, Ps.145:8, sin

The question of the apostles to Jesus in today’s gospel (Jn.9:1-41)
reflects something of our own thinking at times:
“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
 
But long ago, God has told us:
“My thoughts are not your thoughts.” (Is.55:8)
 
And he questions us:
“Am I not pleased when sinners turn from their ways and live?” (Ezechiel 18:23)
 
We think: Sin means punishment.
God thinks: Sin means forgiveness in waiting.

We are so slow, so stubborn in refusing to accept God’s revelation of himself:
“The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.” (Ps.145:8)
 
LENT may be the time, at long last, to recognize him for who he is,
for what he wants to be for us still in need of… being healed of OUR blindness…

Note: A video showing this scene is offered at: https://youtu.be/cWtb_kH2Lf0
And another reflection on a different theme is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/4e-dimanche-du-careme-annee-a-2020/

 
Source: Image: churchofmormon.org
 

 

 

World Sight Day – 11 October

11 octobre 2018
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: awareness, blindness, eye care, global action

World Sight Day (WSD) is an annual day of awareness held on the second Thursday of October, to focus global attention on blindness and vision impairment. World Sight Day 2018 is on 11 October 2018.

2018 is the sixth year of the WHO Global Action Plan and IAPB encourages our members and partners to continue with our rolling theme:

Universal Eye Health

This year, the ‘Call to Action‘ for World Sight Day is: Eye Care Everywhere.

  • 1.2 Billion people need #glasses to see better.
  • More than 75% of visual impairment is avoidable.
Source: Text & Image: IABP