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4th Sunday of Year C – 2022

28 janvier 2022
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: difficulties, God's ways, Jeremiah 1:17-19, Jeremiah 1:4-5, learning, obstacles, problems, prophet Jeremiah, students

God’s ways are not our ways – we have been told long ago and we know it, perhaps… from experience!
The prophet Jeremiah had certainly learned this from experience!
The 1st reading of today is a good example of this (Jeremiah 1:4-5,17-19).

« Get yourself ready. Stand up!”

With these words, God sends Jeremiah on a mission:
“Pronounce my judgments on my people”.

The prophet may try to object that he is too young, that he does not know how to speak.
God does not listen to any of this and he adds some surprising words:
“Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.”

Is this not strange?
We would think that God will encourage his prophet but these words sound rather like a threat…

However, God goes on with words of reassurance.
Referring to his rebellious people, God tells Jeremiah:

“They will fight against you but will not overcome you,
for I am with you and will rescue you”.

This is an obvious display of God’s ways:
God does not remove obstacles but helps his people to overcome them.

This was his method in the time of Jeremiah and…
it is rather clear that he has not changed his method in our own time!
We would prefer that he makes things easier for us, and then… we could manage on our own!
But precisely, God does not expect us to manage on our own! 

Problems, difficulties, failures, losses – all these are part of our daily life.
God who is all-powerful could take them away from our path.
He surely could, but he does not… and we have to believe that he knows what is best for us.

This kind of learning finds us… students all through our lives…
We need to learn that God does not expect us to manage on our own, he wants us to manage with him!

To us also God’s words are addressed:
“I am with you and will rescue you”.
 
Note: Another reflection on a different theme is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/4e-dimanche-de-lannee-c-2022/

 

Source: Image: chretiensaujourdhui.com

28th Sunday of Year A – 2020

9 octobre 2020
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: difficulties, enjoyment, feast, hope, Is.25:6-10, overcome, problems, tears

 It is quite surprising how often we can catch ourselves saying: ‘I hope that…’
‘I hope that this will happen…’
‘I hope that this situation will improve…’
‘I hope that my child will soon get better…’
‘I hope that my friend will get a promotion…’

Somehow, it seems that our days are filled with… wishful thinking, or is it… hope?
HOPE is something strong, enduring, it can see us through the worse and enable us to overcome.
Yes, overcome the problems and difficulties, the obstacles and worries that threaten us with despair.

HOPE is the conviction that the best is yet to come – not because we wish for it,
but because God will make it happen.

This is what has come to my mind as I read the 1st reading of this Sunday (Is.25:6-10).
The text describes a feast where abundance and delight are offered for our pure enjoyment.
And to add to this we are told, indeed we are promised:

“The Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces.”
 
What else could we wish for?

 

Note: Another reflection on a different theme in French can be found at: https://image-i-nations.com/28e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2020/

 

Source: Image: aleteia

27th Sunday of Year A – 2020

2 octobre 2020
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: anxiety, difficulties, God's help, Ph.4:6-9, prayer, problem, question, request, worry

At times, when reading a text from Scripture, you may stop short and ask yourself: ‘Is this really possible?’

The 2nd reading of this Sunday (Ph.4:6-9) could provoke such a reaction.
Writing to the Philippians, the apostle Paul tells them:       

“Do not be anxious about anything.”
 
The question cannot fail to come to our minds: ‘Is this really possible?’
God knows how many things make us worry and how many situations bring anxiety to us.
Problems and difficulties are sometimes too many, too heavy, and we experience insecurity and fear.
We feel that what we have to face is just too much for us.

Paul tells the first Christians what they should do to overcome their anxiety:
“In every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
 
THE problem might be that… we try to manage on our own… while God’s help is there at hand.
God’s strength, God’s comfort, God’s assistance, GOD is there… waiting that we turn to him –
turn to him with our requests for all that we are in need of.

The result of such relying on him can be astonishing.
Paul assures us:
 
“The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, 
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

It is worth trying…

 

Note: Another reflection on a different theme in French can be found at: https://image-i-nations.com/27e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2020/

 

Source: Image: Inspirational Bible Verse Images – Knowing Jesus

4th Sunday of Easter, Year C – 2019

10 mai 2019
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Ap.7:14-17, challenges, courage, difficulties, faith, hold on for dear life, obstacle, problems

Many people are familiar with this English expression: “To hold on for dear life.”
Its meaning is obvious: it involves holding on tightly to someone, or something, not to fall.

Hearing this expression recently, I went on thinking that, in life, there are quite a few occasions when we must do this.
Not always in a practical manner, but metaphorically, quite often! 
There are situations when we struggle not to give up, or give in…
We have to call on all our resources to face what life presents us with – problems, difficulties, or challenges.
We may feel we do not have what is required to overcome whatever obstacle is on our way.

We do hold on… for dear life!
But to what, or to whom?…

The 2nd reading of this Sunday (Ap.7:9,14-17) speaks of:
“the people who have been through the great persecution.”
 
The book of Apocalypse (or Revelation), has been written to encourage those in that situation.
Its author, John the apostle, wanted his words to bring comfort to those facing persecution because of their being followers of Christ.
In the first centuries after the death and Resurrection of Jesus, many believers had to suffer cruelly and even die for his sake.

What was enabling them, precisely, to hold on for dear life?
Surely, Christ himself, and most probably the conviction expressed in the last verse of the reading:
“God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.”
 
A conviction that could help many of us to follow the same path… holding on for dear life…
with the same faith and with no less courage.

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/4e-dimanche-de-paques-annee-c-2019/

 

Source: Image: iStock

 

 

1st Sunday of ADVENT, C

26 novembre 2015
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: difficulties, First Sunday Advent, guilty feelings, heads up, hope, problems, promises, regrets, relationships

When walking on the streets, I observe people around. Even on the move, some are busy keying in a texto! Others are hurrying, running to catch a bus or rushing to meet a deadline. Sad to say, many people are walking with stooped shoulders and sad faces. Their steps seem heavy, and their hearts even more so!… They move with their heads down seeming overwhelmed with negative feelings of all kinds.

As I read the gospel for this 1st SundGroup of multi racial business people looking up at copyspaceay of Advent (Lk.21:25-28,34-36), I thought of those people when I read the words: « Hold your heads high » (v.28). There is no denying that life can be hard at times – difficulties of all kinds keep coming at us: sickness, financial problems, strained relationships with the people we live and work with. Add to that the bitter regrets, dashed hopes, guilty feelings, lack of incentive, broken promises from those we love, and your list and mine could go on…

We really don’t feel like ‘lifting our heads high’ in such situations. We would be more inclined to bury our heads in the sand like the proverbial ostrich! How can we hold our heads high? We don’t feel the energy even to attempt doing that…

But the second part of verse 28 opens up a new perspective when it assures us: « Because your liberation is near at hand. »

People talk much of liberty, but liberation? Yet, is it not what we most need, all of us? Being freed from our fears and regrets, our obsessions, our tensions and frustrations – all that prevents us from being as God meant us to be. All too often, we find ourselves in a land of slavery – a slavery we may have grown accustomed to. This is what ADVENT is about: it is a time when we allow Someone to take over as he tells us: « I am coming, I am already here to free you from what is not your true self. » And it is the time to allow him to do so . . .