Today, the gospel text is that of the Woman caught in Adultery.
The text is found in the gospel of John (John 8:1-11).
This scene offers a unique perspective on Jesus’ attitude to those in need of forgiveness.
In the following video, Jeannie Calavrias personifies the woman in a very meaningful way.
God has made himself known to us, human beings, little by little.
Our minds and hearts needed to understand what kind of a God our God is, but this had to happen gradually.
The texts of the Bible show us how this has taken place over centuries.
It is through events and situations, and the people involved in them, that God revealed himself.
The 1st reading of today’s celebration is a very important text in terms of revelation (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
Through the prophet Jeremiah, God makes himself known as a God of covenant and promises.
It gives us a message that is astonishing:
“I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah…
“I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God, and they will be my people…
I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
A covenant is a term that is not used frequently in our daily conversations –
we think more in terms of an agreement, or a plan of cooperation.
Between them, heads of states will come to a deal, or an understanding of mutual assistance.
As for promises, they are indeed part of our daily life, for better or for worse, some may say…
As far as God is concerned, it is as if he could not speak… otherwise than promising good things to people!
He knows that in terms of covenant… our own record is not glorious…
And the same can be said about our way of keeping our promises to him…
Yet, again and again, he will renew his plan of a relationship with us –
a relationship that is ongoing, through thick and thin.
God will not abandon us no matter if we go away from him.
He keeps on trying to reach us – wherever we are – to win our friendship.
For that, he is ready to say, to repeat, to promise:
“I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
Our response can be that of the Psalmist:
“I have treasured your promises in my heart, I have no wish to sin against you.”
“This has been my comfort in my suffering: that your promise gives me life.”
“Direct my steps as you have promised, let evil win no power over me.”
I rejoice in your promise, like someone on finding a vast treasure.” (Psalm 119:11,50,133,162)
Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French, at: https://image-i-nations.com/5-e-dimanche-du-careme-annee-b-2024/
In prayer, saints of all times have said all kinds of things to God – at times surprising things!
You wonder…
Think of St. Philip of Neri who, with his usual sense of humour, would tell God:
“Lord, beware of Philip, before the day is over he could have betrayed you!”
At times, what is said to God is very exacting, it is demanding indeed.
It is the case with what the prophet Jeremiah says in the 1st reading (Jer.20:10-13).
He tells God:
“To you I have committed my cause.”
In other words, he has entrusted to God whatever is of concern to him.
When we think about it, what is most of concern to us if not… ourselves!
Whatever touches us deeply, whatever involves our own selves, this is our ‘cause’.
Our thoughts, from moment to moment.
Our secret desires and most daring hopes.
Our hunger for success and recognition.
Our search for rewarding experiences.
Our eagerness to reach cherished goals.
Our striving for achievement and self-fulfilment.
Our longing for deep and lasting happiness.
Our craving for true love and companionship.
Our constant need of forgiveness…
All this is part of our very selves, it is all included when I pronounce the word ‘I’.
But there is also, we cannot forget or deny it, the more ‘shadowy’ part of us…
Our problems and difficulties.
Our bitter regrets and guilt feelings.
Our painful memories.
Our disappointements and misfortunes.
Our failings and failures.
And for each one of us , the list could go on, and on…
All this is part or who we are, part of what is called our ‘cause’.
Like a jigsaw puzzle with countless pieces that have all to fit together so as to offer a beautiful picture.
Dare we say to God, as Jeremiah did:
“To you I have committed my cause”?
If not, what is the alternative?…
Especially in this period of pandemic when so much is unknown, unsure, unpredictable…
Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/12e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2020/
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/
Today’s gospel text (Jn.20:19-31) is rather discrete in terms of the apostles’ reaction to Jesus sudden appearance to them on Easter Sunday.
John simply tells us that “The disciples were filled with joy.”
In his telling of the same happening, Luke says that they were “in a state of alarm and fright as they thought they were seeing a ghost.” (Lk.24:37).
As I try to picture the scene and imagine what the apostles must have felt, the words that come to me to describe them are: surprised, astonished, amazed… utterly dumbfounded!
They knew that Jesus had been nailed on a cross (we can suppose that John who was present had given them some of the details…) and a soldier had pierced his side with a lance (Jn.19:26).
He had died, there was no doubt about this.
And now, suddenly, absolutely unexpected, there he is in front of them – ALIVE!
The word ‘surprise’ is hardly strong enough to mention what the apostles experienced at that moment.
Writing the word ‘surprise’, I recall a book published some years ago entitled: God of surprises (Gerard W. Hughes).
It may not be an attribute that is often given to God, but personally I believe it is very appropriate.
Looking at my life, what happened in the distant past and more recently, I can vouch for this truth:
God is indeed a surprising God!
Surprising, absolutely!
Have you not noticed this for yourself?…
Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/2e-dimanche-de-paques-annee-c-2019/
And a video (in English) is also offered where the second part of the gospel is presented: https://image-i-nations.com/thomas-the-apostle/
“When he came do his senses…” (Lk.15:11-32)
Herding pigs, for a Jew, was a shameful occupation.
To a Jew faithful to the prescriptions of the Law, these animals were considered ‘impure’.
And there he was, minding pigs for the owner who did not even give him a share of the food the pigs were eating.
Could he go any lower?
He had left with his small fortune thinking it would last much longer.
But he had enjoyed it to the full until… it was all spent – nothing left even to survive.
He was hungry and there was a famine in the country so not much food around
let alone sympathy for someone like him!
Illusion, denial, escapism, – all the modern vocabulary could apply.
He needed to real-ize what he had done, what he had become, to see himself for real!
He had not much choice but to come out of his dream-like adventure and face his present situation.
It is somehow surprising that as he ‘comes to his senses’, he thinks first of all
of the fair salary and the privileged condition of the workmen employed by his father.
He remembers how life could be good at home if he had been willing to notice it.
But he seems still unaware of where this goodness came from.
He has yet to discover, to understand something of his father’s love.
For this, he must set on the return journey.
He has known need and regret, he must still experience the tenderness and forgiveness of his father.
This period of Lent gives us the same opportunity of a return journey…
if only we, too, ‘come to our senses.’
Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/4e-dimanche-du-careme-annee-c-2019/
And, in a short video, France Doucet shares with us her insight into this parable at: https://youtu.be/cyaE_S4WqGI
One can also look at: https://image-i-nations.com/des-mains-differentes/
The parable of Jesus in the gospel of this Sunday (24th Sunday of Year A – Mt 18:21-35) is well-known but, I must admit, I never get used to its… demanding message!
Simply put, the last verse says that if we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us either.
This makes me more than a little… uncomfortable!
I wonder if there is any one among us who does not find it hard, very hard at times, to forgive someone who has hurt us.
To forgive:
And the list could go on, every example more painful than the previous one.
The deed may have been wicked, the outcome devastating, and the wound may seem incurable.
Every time I hear, or read, this gospel text, I feel inclined to tell the Lord: “You don’t really mean this, Lord!…”
But I know well that he does…
This time, having read the gospel, I went to the text of the 1st reading (Si.27:30 – 28:7)
and… the last verse caught my attention (in the French text):
“Ne garde pas de rancune envers le prochain…
et sois indulgent pour qui ne sait pas. »
The English translation of the Jerusalem Bible simply says:
“Do not bear your neighbour ill-will…
and overlook the offence.” (Si.28:7-8)
(The American Bible translation has: “Overlook a mistake”).
Neither of them gave the meaning I had found in the French words…
I kept searching and…
In the King James version I found this interesting translation:
“Bear no malice to thy neighbour… and wink at ignorance.”
These words immediately brought back to my mind the words Jesus spoke on the cross:
“Forgive them, Father, they do not know what they are doing” (Lc.23:34).
So often, it is so…
People do not realize, they can be foolish, but not really evil.
If they truly saw and understood, if they were aware of what their words and actions do to others, then… perhaps they would not do what they do…
When I feel like telling the Lord: “You don’t really mean this, Lord!…”, it seems to me that I hear:
“Of course, not… not on your own… but my Spirit is with you to enable you to do it…”
Personally, this is the only way I can stop protesting and … start pardoning – poorly, awkwardly perhaps, but sincerely.
Last Sunday (8th Sunday of the Year, A) we were reflecting on the idea of ‘painting’- painting with colours and paintbrushes.
Throughout history people have tried to paint even… GOD – at least, what they thought God was like!
Still today, artists try to do the same.
But we said that we also ‘paint’ with words.
Describing things, situations and people and thus creating an image of them.
We said that we do this also with… GOD.
Saints, spiritual writers, religious leaders, all of them try to give us a picture of God.
At the beginning of this period of Lent, the same theme comes again.
The prophet Joel, in the 1st reading (Joel 2:12-18), is the one who gives us an idea – a picture – of… God’s personality!
The text says:
“Your God is all tenderness and compassion,
slow to anger, rich in graciousness,
and ready to relent…
Who knows if he will not leave a blessing as he passes.”
Simple words, a clear message, a description in human terms, with concepts familiar to us, telling us who God is. God’s character, if we can speak in these terms, is one of tenderness, of compassion, of graciousness, of readiness to forgive and forget our failings and failures.
Who would not want to experience personally such acceptance, such mercy, such love?
Only one thing is required for this experience to be ours:
“It is the Lord who speaks,
‘Come back to me with all your heart’…”
Nowadays, people do not speak much about kingdoms; these political systems are somehow a legacy from the past. Kings and queens are still respected in many places, but their role is mostly ceremonial – the real power is in the hands of presidents and prime ministers. The people want to see themselves as citizens who can elect their leaders.
Today’s feast of Christ, the King, (34th Sunday, Year C) may not appear meaningful to many of us. We may accept Jesus as our Lord but his being our King may not inspire us very much. The text of the 2nd reading – the letter of Paul to the Colossians (Col.1:11-20) – has two verses which give meaning to our celebration.
Paul writes: “He (God) has taken us out of the power of darkness and created a place for us in the kingdom of the Son that he loves, and in him we gain our freedom, the forgiveness of our sins.” In other words, what we are celebrating today is our situation of being in the light, free and forgiven! This is the meaning of Jesus’ kingdom which he shares with us.
It may have happened to many of us, the experience of missing an important occasion. We did not know it would take place. It was not planned, we had not expected that a person would come at that moment – but he did and we missed his arrival. Of course, we would have liked to be there but… But did the person REALLY come, or… no, it can’t be!…
This was the situation of Thomas, Thomas the apostle. His character is well-known to us, at least one aspect of it! The Thomas who will not believe without proofs. Thomas who is not easily convinced of things that are just too much to believe. He will not be ‘taken for a ride’, as the popular expression goes! He is not that gullible! His friends tell him that a man who died a few days before has been visiting them – no, this can’t be. The others want him to believe that, unexpectedly, doors closed, all of a sudden, their Master who was crucified has… 
appeared, yes, appeared from… nowhere!
His position is clear: he cannot give faith to that… that story of theirs. He will believe it only if he can make sure that it is true, that it is REAL. He needs a proof – THE proof which will convince him such as touching, yes, putting his fingers into the wounds of Jesus, placing his hand where the spear of the soldier entered the side of Jesus’ body.
One day passed, two days, more days followed and then… the unexpected happened again but this time Thomas was present. Not only was he there but he was addressed personally: “Thomas, put your finger… give me your hand… put it into my side…” It was exactly as Thomas had asked for. And then, the words are spoken: “Doubt no longer but believe” (Jn.20:27).
I close the Bible, close my eyes and open my heart, open that secret place where my multi-faceted doubt is rooted, deep, deep within… Doubt that I am accepted by God as I am. Doubt that I am forgiven and will be forgiven as often as I return to him. Doubt that he walks with me on the paths of my daily experience. Doubt that he will enable me to become what he wants me to become. Doubts, so many of them…
What can I do, what can I say? The words come of themselves – the very words pronounced long ago: “My Lord and my God!” (Jn.20:28). There is really no need to add anything more…