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fear of God

Sunday of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Year A – 2023

4 août 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: fear of God, God's compassion tenderness kindness faithfulness, God's presence, Matthew 17:1-9

 

When we experience something good, we would like this experience to last.
What we enjoy, we would want to keep on enjoying.

Today’s gospel text shows us a vivid example of this (Matthew 17:1-9).
Three of Jesus’ apostles see him transfigured, he appears glorified before them.
So, Peter says spontaneously:

“Lord, it is good for us to be here.
If you wish, I will put up three shelters –
one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

But when this experience becomes one that envelops them in God’s presence,
suddenly, the reaction of the apostles changes completely.
We are told:

“When the disciples heard this, (God speaking to them, addressing them personally)
they fell facedown to the ground, terrified.”

Amazing, is it not?
So often, we want to reach God, we try to get closer to him.
And… when he, himself, gets close to us, we are terrified!

Jesus touched the apostles. He said: “Don’t be afraid.”

The lesson we need to learn, and learn again…
NOT to be afraid of God!

Why would we perceive his presence as a threat?
Why do we interpret his closeness as something we should fear?
Long ago he has revealed himself as:

“A God of tenderness and compassion…
 rich in kindness and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6).

Tenderness, compassion, kindness, faithfulness…
We could repeat these words like a mantra… and remain ever at peace…

 

Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French, at: https://image-i-nations.com/dimanche-de-la-transfiguration-du-seigneur-annee-a-2023/

 

Source: Image: LiturgyTools.net

 

5th Sunday of Year C – 2022

4 février 2022
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Apostle Peter, compassion, fear of God, image of God, Isaiah 6:1-8, Luke 15:11-32, Luke 5:1-11, prophet Isaiah, return, sins


The mention of the word GOD can bring different images to our minds, images and feelings.
Sad to say, often the first feeling that arises within us is… fear.
It has been so through the history of humanity – people have been afraid of the God they worshipped.

The 1st reading of this Sunday (Isaiah 6:1-8) shows the prophet Isaiah reacting in fear to the vision he is given:

 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips…
and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

In the gospel (Luke 5:1-11), we see Peter, the apostle, who “fell at Jesus’ knees and said:
“Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

How long, indeed how long, does it take us to move from this picture of a fear-inspiring God,
to the picture of God that Jesus himself gave us – that of a God of tenderness and compassion.

In the parable of the Prodigal son – which is in fact that of the Prodigal God – (Luke 15:11-32) 
Jesus shows us, he literally shows us, what kind of a God his Father, and OUR Father, is:

  • a God who is NOT put off by our sins, no matter how shameful, but always ready to forgive us,
  • a God who is anxiously waiting for our return,
  • a God who bends to lift us up,
  • a God with no thought of punishment (as we so easily picture him) but only of showering on us his blessings of all kinds.

This is how God revealed himself in Jesus – nobody else would have dared to… ‘invent’ such a god…
Jesus became his incarnation, his very presence among us.

If this is not our image of God, then…
we need to abandon all other images of him and accept this ‘vision’ of him that is the true one.
 

Note: Another reflection on a different theme is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/5e-dimanche-de-lannee-c-2022/

 

Source: Images: istockphoto.com    bible.com    Worship House Media

31st Sunday of Year C – 2019

2 novembre 2019
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: compassion, faithfulness, fear of God, Mercy, picture of God, Ps.145:1-2, Ps.145:13-14, Ps.145:8-9, sins, Wis.11:22 – 12:2, y

Every Sunday, we are given some Bible texts to reflect upon.
They help us in different ways:
teaching and instructing us, guiding and inspiring us.

The 1st reading (Wis.11:22 – 12:2) and the Psalm (Ps.145:1-2,8-11,13-14) of this Sunday 
give us a description of God, they tell us what kind of a God he is.
And they tell us of his methodology, the way he is with us, human beings.

The picture of God found in these two texts are amazing!

He is merciful to all and overlooks people’s sins.
He spares all things, he who loves the living.
He corrects little by little those who trespass. (1st reading)

 “The Lord is gracious and merciful,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
The Lord is good to all,
    and his compassion is over all that he has made.

The Lord is faithful in all his words,
    and gracious in all his deeds.
The Lord upholds all who are falling,
    and raises up all who are bowed down.”   (Psalm)

I wonder how many people reading these lines could say, in all truth:
‘This is exactly how I perceive God’…

So many keep away from him… fear him… do not trust what these texts say of him…
And yet… THIS IS GOD!

Note: A video presents the scene of this Sunday’s gospel, the story of Zacchaeus, at: https://youtu.be/7TIwA1YgPII

And another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/31e-dimanche-de-lannee-c-2019/

  

Source: Image: thebottomofabottle.wordpress.com

33rd Sunday of Year A

16 novembre 2017
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: appreciation, compliment, doubt, efforts, faithful servant, fear of God, fear of judgement, God happy, good intentions, message, Mt.25:14-30, Saint John Marie Vianney

Do you like receiving compliments?
Most people do.
Very rare are those who are not happy when congratulated for something.
We usually enjoy the appreciation shown for what we have done.

And what if the appreciation comes from… God?
Yes, God does rejoice in what we do to please him.
You smile?… You doubt?…

The parable of Jesus in today’s gospel (33rd Sunday of Year A – Mt.25:14-30) says as much.
We often focus our attention on the reprimand given to the third servant.
We rush to the conclusion of the story thinking that this is where the ‘message’ will be found.

But personally, I find a message – and as important as the concluding one – in the words of the master to the first and the second servants:
“Well done, good and faithful servant…”
A statement that is a real compliment showing genuine appreciation!

It was probably unexpected and rather surprising coming from a master known to be:
“a hard man, reaping where he had not sown and gathering where he had not scattered.”
But the man knew how to recognize goodness and faithfulness when he saw them.

And God knows that also.
God is obviously NOT a harsh master demanding from us what we are unable to give.
In fact, our offerings to him are already his gifts to us!
Whatever we do to please him, he is the one enabling us to do it.
Yes, he is genuinely happy when he sees our good intentions.
He delights in our efforts to carry out what we discover is pleasing to him.

How far this picture of God is from that of a demanding and exacting master.
How remote from our misguided imagining which pictures him constantly checking on us to see where we may go wrong.
Yet, sad to say but… it can take a lifetime to correct our wrong ideas of God…

Saint John Marie Vianney – known as the Curé D’Ars – used to say that God is much more eager to forgive a sinner than a mother would be to take her child out of a fire!
And we fear his judgement, we are afraid of punishment!…

At the end of a day, when we have tried to do our best, it may be good to hear again – this time addressed to us – the words of the parable: “Well done, good and faithful servant…”

Source: Image: Pinterest