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17th Sunday of Year B – 2024

26 juillet 2024
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 'holy tricks', astuteness of God, bread, human logic, John 6:1-15, loving tricks, Providence of God, Saint Catherine of Siena, testing

The gospel texts teach us in all kinds of ways.
As we meet Jesus there, we can discover much about God and… much about ourselves.

In today’s celebration, the text of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes is given to our reflection (John 6:1-15).

I am tempted to give it the title: “The human logic and the astuteness of God”!
Some of you reading this may smile, others are puzzled.

 

What prompts me to think in these terms are the two verses saying something rather intriguing:

“Looking up at the crowds approaching, Jesus said to Philip,
‘Where can we buy some bread for these people to eat”.
He only said this to test Philip;
he himself knew exactly what he was going to do”.

Philip replies with the human logic that knows the practical impossibility of buying food for such crowds in a deserted area –
how can Jesus even think of it!
John, the gospel writer, who might have overheard the conversation gives his own interpretation:
Jesus is testing Philip.

Why? What was Jesus’ purpose in testing Philip?
What did he want his apostle to understand?
We can only surmise that Jesus wanted to teach him something.
We may suppose that seeing what Jesus eventually did – multiply the loaves and fishes – Philip realized a bit more who Jesus was.
But this is a guess, an approximation of the truth, perhaps.

Catherine of Siena was a 14th century Dominican who became a saint and was eventually recognized as a doctor of the Church.
We are told that “her spirituality was one of radical trust in the providence of God”. *
In her writings, she speaks of “the holy tricks” of the Providence of God!

She goes on to explain that, somehow, God uses such loving ‘tactics’ to draw us to himself.
Clever and astute, the way someone who loves would act!

This is where this gospel text brought me… to meeting a loving astute God whose love goes far beyond our human logic!

 

Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French, at: https://image-i-nations.com/17e-dimanche-de-lannee-b-2024/

 

* Mary Ann Fatula, o.p., Review for Religious, Jan.-Feb. 1985
Source: Images: Ebenezer Baptist Church            https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/           https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/april-29-saint-catherine-of-siena

World Bread Day – 16 October

16 octobre 2022
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: agriculture, bread, cereals, recipes, ritual, staple food

World Bread Day World Bread Day is an international observance celebrated on October 16 every year. It was initiated by the International Union of Bakers and Confectioners (UIBC). The observance is dedicated to a staple food that has been of important around the world since the dawn of agriculture.

Bread is one of the oldest prepared foods. It is possible that people used starch extract from the roots of plants to cook a primitive form of flatbread as early as 30,000 years ago. Grains became the mainstay of making bread with the dawn of Neolithic age. The ancient Egyptians are believed to be the first to use yeast to leaven the dough.

Bread is the staple food in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and in European-derived countries, whereas rice is the staple in East Asia. It is usually made from wheat, but bread can be also made from other cereals, including rye, barley, oats, maize, rice, millet, and sorghum. In many cuisines, there are traditional bread recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation.

Since ancient times, bread has had a significance beyond mere nutrition in many cultures, where it is a metaphor for basic necessities and living conditions in general. In some religions, including Christianity and Judaism, bread is an important ritual element.

Source: Text & Image: https://anydayguide.com/calendar/3377

3rd Easter Sunday, Year C – 2019

3 mai 2019
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: believe, bread, breakfast, catch of fish, collaboration, cooperation, Jn.21:1-19

Last Sunday’s reflection brought us to realize that God – our God – is a surprising God.
He does things, and relates to people, often in a manner that is not what we would expect from him.
He shows this constantly in our own lives, if we only take time to notice it!

In today’s gospel text (Jn.21:1-19), there is an interesting detail that illustrates this.
When the apostles return from the lake with an amazing catch of fish, totally unexpected,
they see on the shore Jesus near a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.
Breakfast has been prepared and is ready for them!

But then, Jesus tells them:
“Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” (v.10)
 
This is, shall I say, typical of God!
While some of us are not keen on… collaboration, God is.
This seems to be his preferred mode of action: interaction!
He does not want only to do things for us but he wants our cooperation.
He wants our contribution to the great things he is ready to work in our lives and in our world.

It is not often the idea we have of Someone with almighty power as we believe God to be!
But then, our God is not just ‘a’ god, he is the God of Jesus.
He who has become one of us to live with us as one of us.

Something we have never finished learning and reminding ourselves of!

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in English at: https://image-i-nations.com/3e-dimanche-de-paques-annee-c-2019/

 

Source: Image: Free Bible Images