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The Alphabet of Lent – Letter E

21 février 2024
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: children of the Father, compassionate, difficult things, enemies, forgive, God's Spirit, Matthew 5:43-45, motivation

E pour ENEMIES 

There are things which are not easy to do…
There are others that we find really hard to realize…
But there are still others that we find absolutely impossible to accomplish!…

The words of Jesus cannot be misinterpreted (Matthew 5:43-45).
They reach us, every one of us, personally:

“You have heard that it was said,
‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ 
But I tell you, love your enemies,
and pray for those who persecute you.”

It seems to us that this is really… impossible.
Those who persecute us – to treat them the very opposite than the way they behave towards us!

Our whole being rebels against this, we do not even want to think about it.
Who can act in this way?

But Jesus adds:
“That you may be children of your Father in heaven.
 He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good,
and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous”.

This is the motivation that can help us: becoming the children of our Father in heaven…
He knows as well as we do – better than we do – that, left to ourselves, we cannot be like him.

If he asks this from us, we can, in our turn, ask him to enable us to do it!
Enable us to do it by giving us his own Spirit who will make us like him: compassionate and forgiving.

 

Note: In a video (in French), Diane Conte helps us to continue this reflection: https://youtu.be/JJQ6-D5w548?si=HQ0aN0xgDlsNIsy3

 

Source: Image: The Noontimes

 

24th Sunday of Year A – 2020

11 septembre 2020
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: burden, forgive, libération, Mt 18:21-35, stone

Looking for pictures on the theme of forgiveness, I came across this illustration:

A small stone really… and it launched my reflection about this demand – for it is one – of the gospel text of this Sunday (Mt.18:21-35).

To forgive: a task that feels as a big stone, at times.
In fact, sometimes it appears to be a huge rock which we are unable to move,
let alone to dislodge from inside us!
To remove this from our hearts – because it usually hides deep in there – seems absolutely impossible.

Yet, if we think about it, forgiving is beneficial to ourselves perhaps even before than to the one we give the forgiveness.
We may not see it this way at first, but it can give such a feeling of liberation.
It can provide us with a tremendous sense of being rid of a burden that was bending us under its weight.

Being hurt can be really painful, especially if the hurt is caused willingly by someone we trusted.
But wanting to hurt back, trying to ‘get even’, as people say, keeping within oneself a burning desire to take revenge –
this is hurting oneself as well!

One day, I saw a poster with the caption : ’Let go, let God!’
This may be a good attitude in this respect:
Letting go of the hurt and the pain it brought,
Letting God give us HIS forgiveness to pass on to the one who hurt us…

Note: Another reflection on a similar theme in French can be found at: https://image-i-nations.com/24e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2020/

 

Source: Image: tonyagnesi.com   Fine Art America

 

7th Sunday of Year C

22 février 2019
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 1 Sam.26, enemies, forgive, God's help, King Saul, Mt.5:44, Nelson Mandela

If you were to ask me what I find most difficult, near… impossible, in living as a Christian,
my answer would come without hesitation: to forgive our enemies.
Our enemies or… those we believe are such!

It is already difficult, sometimes very difficult, to forgive our friends!
And we are asked to forgive those who are against us,
those who intend to hurt us or have done so already.

The 1st reading of this Sunday (1 Sam.26:2,7-9,12-13,22-23) shows us  
someone who has done this in an amazing way.
We meet David who is fleeing before King Saul who wants to kill him.
David is given a unique opportunity to destroy the man who wants him dead.
One of his companions intends to do exactly this but David refuses.

He spares his enemy, not out of fear, but he is convinced that he should not touch
« the one who has been anointed by the Lord.”

This takes place many centuries before Jesus coming into our world
and telling us to love our enemies.
Near to impossible for us? Yes, at times really.
But, precisely, we are not asked to do it on our own.
In fact, only God’s help can enable us to do this.
But his help is always offered…

There is an inspiring story about Nelson Mandela who, coming out of prison, was asked:
“How can you forgive those who have treated you so badly for so many years?”
Mandela replied: “If I did not forget, I would still be a prisoner.”

Note: A short video is offered on this theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/ca-ca-minterpelle-8e-episode/

Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/7e-dimanche-de-lannee-c/

Source: Images: keyway.ca  JesusWalk   abcnews.go.com