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15th Sunday of Year B – 2024

11 juillet 2024
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Ephesians 1:3-14, forgiveness of sins, free gift, freedom, God's adopted children, Holy Spirit, hopes, peace of mind, serenity

Rich, deep, and enlightening are the words I would use to describe the text of today’s 2nd reading (Ephesians 1:3-14).
Paul is writing to the first Christians of Ephesus, and he has much to tell them – much about God and much about themselves.

Reading again this long reflection, I find it a description of who a Christian is.
The words used by the apostle Paul reveal our true nature:

      – Before the world was made, the Father chose us to live through love in his presence.
      – He made us his adopted children.
      – He gave us this as a free gift.
      – Through Jesus we gain our freedom, the forgiveness of our sins.
      – He has let us know the mystery of his plan.
      – In Christ we are claimed as God’s own, chosen from the beginning.
      – Chosen to be people who put their hopes in Christ.
      – We have been stamped with the seal of the Holy Spirit.

As we live, from day to day, we may not often take the time to ponder this extraordinary reality.
If we did, the whole atmosphere that permeates our daily lives could be completely transformed.

Adoption by God, gift, freedom, forgiveness, hope…
More than enough to live with peace of mind, to live in serenity, relying on this God who claims us as his own,
“the Father who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven”.

 

Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French, at: 15è dimanche de l’année B -2024

 

Source: Image: https://www.scripture-images.com/bible-verse/kjv/ephesians-1-3-kjv.php

World Day Against Cyber Censorship – 12 March

12 mars 2024
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Amnesty International, Censorship, enemies, freedom, mouse, observation, online information, Reporters Without Borders, Under Watch

 

World Day Against Cyber Censorship is an online event held each year on March 12 to draw attention to the ways that governments around the world are deterring and censoring free speech online. The day was first observed on 12 March 2008 at the request of Reporters Without Borders and Amnesty International. A letter written by Jean-François Julliard, Secretary-General of Reporters Without Borders, and Larry Cox, Executive Director of Amnesty International, was sent to the Chief Executive Officers of Google, Yahoo!, Inc., and Microsoft Corporation to request observation of the day. The annual event is symbolized by a logo created by Reporters Without Borders consisting of a computer mouse breaking free from a chain.

Enemies of the Internet list

In conjunction with World Day Against Cyber Censorship, Reporters Without Borders updates its Enemies of the Internet and Countries Under Surveillance lists.

In 2006, Reporters without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF), a Paris-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press, started publishing a list of « Enemies of the Internet ». The organization classifies a country as an enemy of the internet because « all of these countries mark themselves out not just for their capacity to censor news and information online but also for their almost systematic repression of Internet users. » In 2007 a second list of countries « Under Surveillance » (originally « Under Watch ») was added.

 

Source: Text: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Day_Against_Cyber_Censorship    Image: Wikimedia Commons

3rd Sunday of Lent, Year B – 2024

2 mars 2024
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: “Thou shall not”, bondage, Eodus 20:1-17, freedom, Galatians 5:1, personal relationship, signposts to liberty, slavery, The 10 Commandments

The text of the 1st reading of today’s celebration is well known to us (Exodus 20:1-17).
Many of us have learnt it, long ago, memorizing every one of what is called ‘The Ten Commandments’.
We may think that we know them and… there is nothing to be added to our knowledge.
Really?

As I started to read the words, starting logically at the first words,
I was struck with what they said:

“God spoke all these words: “I am the Lord your God…”

These words come before the long text telling human beings what God wants of them.
He wants, first and foremost, to have a personal relationship with them –
He reveals himself as OUR God.

The remaining part of that sentence adds: “who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery”.
At the very beginning, God – OUR God – tells us who he is:
He is the one who gives freedom, a gift we desire so much.
He liberates us from slavery of every kind.
He wants to take us out of any type of bondage we could be submitted to.

This is the way to understand all that follows.
The commandments are not meant to be something to limit our freedom –
this would be completely the opposite of God’s meaning in giving us these guidelines.
Because this is what they are meant to be: signposts to a life of liberty!
 
This is how we are to understand what some see has negative prescriptions.
Every time God speaks the words: “Thou shall not”,
he wants to prevent us from being enslaved in one form or another.

Every mention: “Thou shall not”, is reminding us not to open the doors that lead into captivity –
killing, lying, deceiving others, depriving them of their belongings, etc., are forms of slavery.
The slavery, no longer of Egypt, but that of our own making…

The apostle Paul was reminding the Galatians precisely against this:

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. 
Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1).
 

Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French, at: https://image-i-nations.com/3e-dimanche-du-careme-annee-b-2024/

 

Source: Image: Scripture Images

 

International Day of Conscience – 5 ِApril

5 avril 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: conscience, culture, freedom, human rights, love, peace, solidarity, war


Promoting a Culture of Peace with Love and Conscience

The preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that « disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of humankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people. » Moreover, article 1 of the Declaration states that « all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. »

The task of the United Nations to save future generations from the scourge of war requires transformation towards a culture of peace, which consists of values, attitudes and behaviours that reflect and inspire social interaction and sharing based on the principles of freedom, justice and democracy, all human rights, tolerance and solidarity, that reject violence and endeavour to prevent conflicts by tackling their root causes to solve problems through dialogue and negotiation and that guarantee the full exercise of all rights and the means to participate fully in the development process of their society.

Origins of a Culture of Peace

The concept of a culture of peace emerged from the International Congress on Peace in the Minds of Men, organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Côte d’Ivoire in July 1989. Since then the promotion of a culture of peace has increasingly been seen as a worthwhile objective of the international community. The evolving concept has inspired activities at so many levels and in so many regions with the full participation of civil society that the culture of peace is gradually taking on the characteristics of a global movement.

 

Source: Text (abridged) & Image: https://www.un.org/en/observances/conscience    Photo: UN Photo/Mohamad Almahady People taking part in activities related to the Peace and Peaceful Coexistence Festival organized by the Communication and Public Information Section of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID).

 

1st Sunday of Lent, Year A – 2023

24 février 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: challenges, freedom, If, Matthew 4:1-11, options, purpose, Satan, temptations, the Devil

A very small word (in the English language), it can determine much of life… IF…

 IF… suggests some conditions,
          opens up possibilities,
          outlines options,
          implies choices,
          calls on a person’s freedom…

It is the very word that we find repeated three times in today’s gospel text (Matthew 4:1-11).
Satan, sometimes referred to as ‘the Devil’, uses this expression in addressing Jesus.
He frames in this way the temptations with which he challenges Jesus.

Twice, Satan says:
       “If you are the Son of God…”

Having failed to obtain what he wants, Satan changes the format of his attack and says:
      “If you will bow down and worship me.”

The strategy of the Devil is threefold, it is all at once:

  • a challenge to Jesus very identity,
  • a test of his total commitment to the only God,
  • a promise of reward for giving in to the temptation.

Our daily life presents us with many ‘IF situations’…
They have the same purpose:
challenging our identity and testing our commitment to God,
with a promise, of course, to satisfy our longing, and our craving, for some desired ‘good’.

Often times, we are faced with these words or similar ones:
         ‘If you think about it, you will agree that…
         ‘If you see what others do, you will accept also…
         ‘If you remember what happened, you cannot refuse…
         ‘If you love me, you will do this…

Each one of us can make his/her own list of IF statements of confrontation, or provocation.
Every one entails a decision that will make clear who we are, and to whom we have committed ourselves.

This period of Lent is precisely a moment of becoming aware of
who we are,
and who God is for us.

The very challenge that Jesus faced.
He cannot fail to help us respond to it as he did.

      

Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/1er-dimanche-du-careme-annee-a-2023/

 

Source: Image: Aleteia

6th Sunday of Year A – 2023

10 février 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Ben Sira, choice, death, décisions, Ecclesiasticus 15:15-20, freedom, Life, options

You may have overheard a conversation when, suddenly, one of the speakers said:
“It’s a matter of life and death.”
You knew immediately that they were speaking about some serious matter.
In life, there are situations which are that important and we are aware of it.

The 1st reading of today’s celebration leads us to think of such situations (Ecclesiasticus 15:15-20).
The writer, Ben Sira, says clearly:

“Man has life and death before him;
whichever a man likes better will be given him.”

Some people may think that this arises as a sudden happening and that a choice has to be made instantly.
Most often, it is not so.
The choice is in fact a multiple one, spread over months and years.
Options are offered to us leading to decisions, one after the other.
And… these decisions fashion the person we become.

The options vary in kind and their impact is also different in intensity.
They open up different opportunities…

      • compassion or aggression
      • honesty or deceit
      • faithfulness or betrayal
      • authenticity or corruption
      • courage or cowardice
      • generosity or selfishness
      • forgiveness or revenge

and the list can go on, every time offering a challenge –
the challenge to become a better person, more truly human, more essentially Christ-like, or… the opposite.

LIFE… or DEATH options, this is what they are.
Of course, they lead to a more meaningful and happier life or… the opposite.

The choice remains ours: what we like better will be given to us –
this is the astonishing gift of freedom!
 

Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/6e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2023/

 

Source: Image: Monday Morning Minutes

 

 

 

24th Sunday of Year C – 2022

9 septembre 2022
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: enjoy, Father, freedom, illusion, Luke 15:11-32, situation, son

A gospel text – THE gospel text so well known! (Luke 15:11-32).
Too well known, perhaps… to the point that we fail to recognize the real identity of the people –
those presented in Jesus’ parable.

A son like… many other…
Cherished by a loving father…
Unaware of all that the father’s love does lavish on him…
Dreaming of other places where freedom should be found…
Clinging to the illusion that no bonds or boundaries is liberty…
Wanting to enjoy life in his own way…
Suddenly aware of all that has been lost…
Making the experience of need, real need…
Realizing that what he had was the answer to this need…

 

 

 

 

 

 

A son like many… of us…
We may try not to notice our situation as it is…
We may use different means to deceive ourselves…
We may say that all is well while knowing it is not…
We may cling to the illusion that being free is all that matters…
We may pretend that we do not need anybody…
We may protest any intervention of those near to us seeing it as interference…
We may claim that we do not need ‘a god’ and all that it means…
We may have gone far… far away indeed… far from our true selves…

Shall we, at long last, “come to our senses” as the young man in the parable did?
Shall we have the courage to “leave this place” of pseudo-freedom and start on the way to return ‘home’?
Shall we dare to acknowledge to ourselves, and to our Father, that we have not been what he and we want most?

Then, the festive spirit that will be ours can hardly be described – it needs to be experienced!

 

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/24e-dimanche-de-lannee-c-2022/

 

Source: Images: freebibleimages.org

World Bicycle Day – 3 June

2 juin 2022
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: adventure, bicycle, environment, freedom, health, pollution, tandem, transportation

For many of us, riding a bicycle without training wheels is the first challenging physical activity we ever learn how to master. We all remember, don’t we? A running start. The protective hand secured to the bicycle seat is released. And then — ZOOM! — the child is off and peddling, and a lifetime of adventure and freedom awaits aboard a succession of beloved two-wheeled conveyances. In the spirit of that very first trip, let’s take a closer look at World Bicycle Day, June 3, shall we?

Training wheels or tandem, cycle your worries away on World Bicycle Day on June 3.

HISTORY OF WORLD BICYCLE DAY

Getting your first bicycle and learning how to ride it is a rite of passage for almost all of us. Despite the marks and scabs from falling from our bicycles while learning, it is a memory we always cherish. Bicycling is quite a useful activity — in the hustle and bustle of today’s world, bicycling allows us to exercise our muscles, cut back on fuel consumption as it is quite a popular alternative to driving a car, and feel the wind in our hair. Really, there is nothing quite like the exhilaration of riding a bicycle. World Bicycle Day acknowledges this and the durability and longevity of the bicycle. Providing a simple and sustainable means of transportation, bicycling is rejuvenating for our physical- and mental health, and good for the economy, and the environment. 

The United Nations established World Bicycle Day for many reasons. As basic as it is, the impact of the bicycle on society is quite transformative — even the poorest people get access to basic transport with the bicycle. 

It all started when U.S.-based Professor Leszek Sibilski initiated a grassroots campaign with his sociology class to promote a U.N. resolution that would designate a day for the advocacy and celebration of the humble bicycle all over the world. In 2015, Sibilski dedicated himself to an academic project, exploring bicycles and their role in development. His project catapulted into a massive movement backed by ‘Sustainable Mobility for All,’ and eventually resulted in a dedicated international day set by the United Nations for the promotion of bicycling. On April 12, 2018, the resolution declaring June 3 as World Bicycle Day was unanimously adopted by all 193 member states of the UN General Assembly. The resolution was greatly supported by Turkmenistan and co-sponsored by around 56 countries. 

 

Source: Text: nationaltoday.com    Image: Freepik

Africa Day – 25 May

25 mai 2022
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: détermination, domination, exploitation, freedom, goals, libération, OAU

Africa Day (formerly African Freedom Day and African Liberation Day) is the annual commemoration of the foundation of the Organisation of African Unity on 25 May 1963. It is celebrated in various countries on the African continent, as well as around the world. The organisation was transformed into the African Union on 9 July 2002 in Durban, South Africa, but the holiday continues to be celebrated on 25 May.

Background

The First Congress of Independent African States was held in Accra, Ghana on 15 April 1958. It was convened by Prime Minister of Ghana Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and comprised representatives from Egypt (then a constituent part of the United Arab Republic), Ethiopia, Liberia, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon and of the host country Ghana. The Union of South Africa was not invited. The conference showcased progress of liberation movements on the African continent in addition to symbolising the determination of the people of Africa to free themselves from foreign domination and exploitation. Although the Pan-African Congress had been working towards similar goals since its foundation in 1900, this was the first time such a meeting had taken place on African soil.

The Conference called for the founding of an African Freedom Day, a day to « …mark each year the onward progress of the liberation movement, and to symbolise the determination of the people of Africa to free themselves from foreign domination and exploitation. »

The conference was notable in that it laid the basis for the subsequent meetings of African heads of state and government during the Casablanca Group and the Monrovia Group era, until the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1963.

 

Source: Text: Wikipedia    Image: facebook

4th Sunday of Lent, Year C – 2022

25 mars 2022
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: bitterness, compassion, émotions, feelings, freedom, hunger, Luke 15:1-3, Luke 15:11-32, need, pleasures, regret, The Father, the Spirit

In many ways, feelings and emotions mold our personalities.
They mark our actions and reactions.
They influence much of what we live, for better or for worse.

Today’s gospel is filled with emotions (Luke 15:1-3,11-32):
The eagerness of sinners to hear Jesus.
The frustration of the Pharisees seeing them at the table.
The desire for freedom of the younger son.
The compassion and generosity of the father.
The anger of the jealous brother.

In this whole panorama describing human attitudes, there is one verse that stands out.
It refers to the young man and says:
“He came to himself” (v.17).
 
And this has been quite a long journey indeed!
He has gone through a whole landscape of feelings.

 

His desire for freedom, his enjoyment of life’s pleasures,
his hunger and need, the awareness of what he has lost,
his regret, his planning to return home,
the preparation of his ‘confession’ to his father,
and… finally setting on the road…
with, probably, more than a little bitterness.

This was the l o n g  process of ‘coming to himself’…
And, strangely enough, it had to take place before he could come to his father!

This may be the experience we need to make in this period of Lent:
We have to come to ourselves.
We have to become aware of what lies deep within us –
become aware and acknowledge what makes us act and react as we do.

Then, with all that ‘inhabits’ the depths of our being,
we will be able to set on the way to return to our Father.

This may involve a long pilgrimage but the Spirit can accompany us every step of the way…
If we allow him to do so…

                                                              

And another reflection, on a different theme, is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/4e-dimanche-du-careme-annee-c-2022/

 

Source: Images: Free Bible Images