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3rd Sunday of Lent, Year A – 2020

13 mars 2020
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Exodus 17:3-7, freedom, God's presence, hunger, need, power, quarrelling, thirst, to test

The 1st reading on this 3rd Sunday of Lent (Year A – Exodus 17:3-7) presents us with a scene known to many of us.
The people of Israel complain that they have no water and accuse Moses of bringing them to a desert place.
He, in turn, complains to the Lord who tells him what to do to remedy the situation.
Moses strikes a rock and water gushes out abundantly.

We say: Fantastic! Wonderful!
We may add with religious admiration: ‘God answers the prayer of his servant!’
This is one aspect of the scene.

There is another, no less important if seldom mentioned.
Moses gives the location where this happened the names of:
Massah which means testing, and Meribah which means quarrelling.

These names are definitely foreign to us, but the reality they describe is most certainly familiar!
No one can doubt that, in our world today, there is much of this: testing and quarrelling.

What had led the Israelites to quarrel, to test Moses, and more still, to test God?
They were thirsty.
The 1st Sunday of Lent spoke about hunger, this one speaks of thirst – basic human needs indeed.

Our hunger and our thirst can take many forms –
bread and water are only representations of all that we long for:
health and wealth, power and prestige, freedom and domination – and so much more.

This ‘so much more’ hides ONE deeper need:
it is the one mentioned in the last verse of the text:
« The Israelites “tested the Lord saying,
‘Is the Lord among us or not?’ ”
 
This is the need for God’s presence with us.
It may remain hidden deeply within us, but it is there…
This period of Lent is welcome if it enables us to identify both, the need AND the presence!

Note: The scene of the gospel of the Samaritan at the well is presented in a video (in English) at: https://youtu.be/jU09NpjS27w
And another reflection on a different theme is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/3e-dimanche-du-careme-annee-a-2020/

 

Source: Image: Wikimedia Commons

 

 

 

 

13th Sunday of Year C – 2019

28 juin 2019
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 21st century, disciple of Jesus, fascination, freedom, God's call, God's invitations, God's way, Lk.9:51-62

There are things we are so used to that, somehow, we take them for granted.
This is the case, I think, for the Apostles of Jesus – we know very well that there were 12 of them.
And it is as if this number were, in a way, ‘sacred’ –
we can only imagine the group of them counting 12 men, no more, no less!

But today’s gospel text (Lk.9:51-62) could lead us to think otherwise.
It seems rather obvious that there was someone who wanted to be a disciple of Jesus 
but the Master did not seem to welcome him readily.
While it is also very clear that he, Jesus, called some people who were hesitant,
if not reluctant, to follow him.

God’s call is not something having results ‘as a matter of fact’, we could say.
His invitations are not obligations… they belong more to the realm of… fascination, I would say!
Fascination for who he is and what he asks us to be and to become. 

God has created us free beings and allows us to remain so ‘for ever after’!
He invites us to live in close friendship with him but leaves it to us to accept, or refuse, his offer.
He wants us to share in Jesus’ mission of telling of his love and of what he has in store for us,
but here again his plan can fail, as far as we are concerned…

It does not mean that everyone must leave family, relatives, and all his/her possessions.
But leaving attitudes that are not compatible with the lifestyle of a follower of Christ.
Leaving some plans that go against God’s way for us.
Leaving some decisions based on pseudo-values and not gospel values –
all this is definitely part and parcel of answering God’s call in today’s world.

We can be mistaken in thinking that the 12 men called by Jesus ended the process of God calling people.
It is rather an on-going adventure – for us and… for God.
And we definitely have a place in the unfolding of his plan in this 21st century!

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/13e-dimanche-de-lannee-c-2019/

 

Source: Images: YouTube   Intersect

2nd Sunday of Lent, Year C – 2019

15 mars 2019
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Abraham, freedom, friendship, Gn.15:17-18, Gn.15:5-12, limitations, pedagogy, potential, stars

The texts from the Bible are often presented in a language quite different from our own way of speaking.
Different types of literature are used to transmit to us the message of God.
And, not only is the language different but, often too, the scenes represent actions and reactions that may seem foreign to our culture – and they are!
But the message has definitely something very appropriate for our own lives!

The 1st reading of this Sunday (Gn.15:5-12,17-18) is a good example of this.
The scene describes God who invites Abraham to enter a special friendship with him –
this is the meaning of the word ‘alliance’, a pact, an agreement of close relationship between two people.

Strange enough, God asks Abraham for something… quite impossible!
“Look up at the sky and count the stars…”
Who could do this? An impossible task if ever there was one!
But God adds: “If you can…”
 
This text which would not usually attract the comments of writers on the Bible has struck me.
The reason is that it illustrates, for me, the pedagogy of God!
God knows well what we can or cannot do, but… we are not always aware of this ourselves!
We are not always conscious of our tremendous potential and our limitations!

And, as important and even more so: we need to become aware of what God can do… if only we allow him.
We know and it is often repeated to us that God can do everything.
Yes, everything except… one, I believe!

He cannot, he does not, infringe on the freedom he has given us.
God calls, he invites, he may urge, or even… cajole us into friendship with him but it is a decision WE must make.
The decision of accepting him in our lives, every aspect of it, every situation, every moment…

A good thing to remember… the next time you lift up your eyes to the sky… and see the stars! 

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/2e-dimanche-du-careme-annee-c-2019/

 
Source: Images: The Jerusalem Post   The conversation
                                                                            

World Day of Prayer, Reflection and Action Against Human Trafficking – 8 February

7 février 2019
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: forced labour, forced marriage, freedom, migration, prayer, sexual exploitation, slavery

Time to end slavery

Pope Francis has declared the feast of St Josephine Bakhita, which is celebrated each year on 8th February to be the World Day of Prayer, Reflection and Action Against Human Trafficking.

St Josephine Bakhita is the patron saint of victims of slavery and of Sudan. Australians are being urged to work together, through grass roots action and corporate governance, to end slavery around the world. (…)

It is estimated that millions of women, girls, men and boys are trafficked annually into domestic servitude, sexual exploitation, pornography production, forced marriage and forced labour.

“These forms of exploitation flourish because of society’s greed for cheap goods and services and because it is easy to forget that those who meet these needs are human beings with their own innate God-given dignity,” the Bishop of Parramatta, Vincent Long Van Nguyen, wrote.
 

Source: Text: www.cathnews.com   Image: www.renate-europe.com

International Day for Tolerance – 16 November

15 novembre 2018
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: commitment, cooperation, dialogue, freedom, human welfare, progress, respect, UN, UNESCO

The United Nations’ (UN) International Day for Tolerance is annually observed on November 16 to educate people about the need for tolerance in society and to help them understand the negative effects of intolerance.

Background
In 1996 the UN General Assembly invited member states to observe the International Day for Tolerance on November 16, with activities directed towards both educational establishments and the wider public (resolution 51/95 of 12 December). This action came in the wake of the United Nations Year for Tolerance, 1995, proclaimed by the assembly in 1993 (resolution 48/126). The year was declared on the General Conference of UNESCO’s initiative. On November 16, 1995, the UNESCO member states adopted the Declaration of Principles on Tolerance and Follow-up Plan of Action for the year.

The 2005 World Summit Outcome document outlines the commitment of Heads of State and Government to advance human welfare, freedom and progress everywhere, as well as to encourage tolerance, respect, dialogue and cooperation among different cultures, civilizations and peoples.

Source: Text: timeanddate.com Image: catholicworkreport.com

Nelson Mandela International Day – 18 July

18 juillet 2018
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: conflict resolution, democracy, freedom, human rights, human suffering, imprisonment, peace, racial issues, reconciliation

Nelson Mandela International Day, also known as Mandela Day, is held on July 18 each year. The day remembers Mandela’s achievements in working towards conflict resolution, democracy, human rights, peace, and reconciliation.

Background
Nelson Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa, on July 18, 1918. He is one of the most well-known anti-apartheid activists in South Africa. He was jailed in 1963 for leading the liberation movement against apartheid and for his stance on the human right to live in freedom.

Mandela’s prisoner number was 466 and the year was 1963 when he was imprisoned on Robben Island, off Cape Town in South Africa. The Robben Island prisoners were never referred to by their names, but rather by their numbers and year of imprisonment – hence 46664 was Nelson Mandela’s number. His release from prison in 1990 fed political debates in the country and contributed to South Africa’s transition towards a multi-racial democracy.

After his release, Nelson Mandela continued addressing racial issues in his country and supported reconciliation initiatives. His efforts resulted in him becoming elected as South Africa’s president in 1994. He remained in office as president until 1999. He also won the Nobel Peace Prize, together with another former South African president Frederik Willem de Klerk, in 1993. In 2007 Mandela formed the Elders, an independent group of global leaders who offer their influence and experience to support peace building, help address major human suffering causes and promote shared interests of humanity.

The first Mandela Day was launched in New York on July 18, 2009, but the UN’s resolution to declare the day occurred later that year. On November 10, 2009, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring July 18 as “Nelson Mandela International Day”. The day marks Nelson Mandela’s contribution to peace through his active involvement in resolving conflicts, promoting human rights, international democracy and reconciliation, and in addressing racial issues.

Source : Text: www.timeanddate.com Image: Whatsaap Messages Status DP

 

6th Sunday of Easter, Year B

4 mai 2018
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: discoveries, freedom, friend of God, friends, Jn.15:9-17, requirement, The Father, value

Whether we like it or not, Facebook is one of the most popular social media.
It has taken on the ‘mission’ of ‘connecting’ us, of linking together the inhabitants Planet Earth.
To achieve this task, it makes use of all kinds of clever ways one of which is the ’FRIENDS’ feature.

It is interesting to listen to people telling one another how many ‘friends’ they have on Facebook.
Some will boast of having thousands of friendly followers who faithfully check, daily of course, what is happening to them.

Today, I ask myself: How many people have in their personal list the name of… GOD?!
Strange to say, I have never heard anyone make such a claim!

Reading the gospel of this Sunday (6th Sunday of Easter, Year B – Jn.15:9-17)
I find the words of Jesus who says clearly:

”I shall not call you servants any more…
I call you friends
because I have made known to you
everything I have learnt from my Father.”
 
An amazing statement indeed and for more than one reason.
Each one of us can say, in all truth: ‘I am a friend of God’.
This does NOT require any qualification, social status, privileged background or exceptional experience.
The only requirement is that… we accept his friendship!

By definition becoming the friend of someone is a free decision.
It is no different with friendship with God.
He has created us free beings and will not force us into anything –
surely not into accepting him as a personal friend in our lives.
Coercion would destroy the beauty and value of friendship.

The second aspect of Jesus’ words that I find amazing is that he claims that
he has made known to us all that he, himself, has learned from his Father.

I personally feel that… I have still to make an inventory of all of this…
I am convinced that I am bound to make astonishing discoveries when I seriously get down to it!…
The same may happen to you . . .

Note: Another reflection is available in French on a different theme at: https://image-i-nations.com/6e-dimanche-de-paques-annee-b/

Source: Image: Alan Kraft

World Press Freedom Day – 3 May

3 mai 2018
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: attacks, credibility, EU, freedom, freedom of expression, journalists, media, press, rights, rule of law, threats, transparency

Declaration by the High Representative, Federica Mogherini, on behalf of the EU on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, 3 May 2018.

On this day we celebrate the World Press Freedom Day in a difficult context for journalism. Freedom of expression and Freedom of the press are threatened around the world.

Attacks against media and journalists are attacks against democracy, against the freedom of all of us. We pay tribute to all journalists in Europe and worldwide who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession. We call on all states to condemn violence against journalists, to take action to improve the safety of journalists with particular attention to women journalists, and to bring perpetrators and instigators of such violence to justice.

The European Union is founded on the values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, on free and pluralistic media as enshrined in the EU’s fundamental rights charter. Press freedom plays a crucial role in promoting good governance, transparency, and accountability. Independent journalism is vital to hold states accountable and to monitor democratic processes. Free, diverse and independent media, both online and offline, are pillars of a pluralistic and open society, and they bear the great responsibility to guarantee checked and correct news to the public.

Respect for freedom of expression is integrated in all EU policies and development programmes. EU legislation, policies and instruments have been designed to strengthen media freedom across the union and to improve transparency, credibility and diversity of information online. The EU will continue funding targeted projects in third countries enhancing quality of journalism, access to public information and freedom of expression.

We will consistently condemn violence against journalists and oppose – in bilateral contacts with third countries as well as in multilateral and regional fora – any legislation, regulation or political pressure that limits freedom of expression and will take concrete steps to prevent and respond to attacks against journalists and bloggers, including emergency assistance to protect human rights defenders at high risk, sometimes by means of relocation.

Today we reaffirm EU’s determination to keep protecting and promoting freedom of opinion and of expression as rights to be exercised by everyone everywhere, based on the principles of equality, non-discrimination and universality, through any media, within our borders and beyond.

Source: Text: European Council Council of the European Union Image: Unesco

 

 

International Migrants Day – 18 December

18 décembre 2017
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: communication, experiences, freedom, globalization, human rights, information, protection, UN

Migration has been a courageous expression of the individual’s will to overcome adversity and to live a better life. Today, globalization, together with advances in communications and transportation, has greatly increased the number of people who have the desire and the capacity to move to other places. This new era has created challenges and opportunities for societies throughout the world. It also has served to underscore the clear linkage between migration and development, as well as the opportunities it provides for co-development, that is, the concerted improvement of economic and social conditions at both origin and destination. So, now let’s jump right into the past of what is International Migrant’s Day!

History of International Migrant’s Day
International Migrants Day is an international day overseen on the 18th of December as International Migrant’s Day, which was appointed by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 4th 2000, after having taken into account the large and increasing number of migrants in the world. On December 18th 1990, the General Assembly adopted the international convention on the protection of the rights of migrant workers and members of their families. International Migrants Day is observed throughout many countries, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations through the spread of information on human rights and fundamental political freedoms of migrants, and through sharing of experiences and the design of actions to ensure the protection of migrants.

Migration, in the case of human beings is the act of moving from one place to another. Mainly moving from a country of origin to a new country to start new lives as permanent residents in their new home. Now, Nomadic movements are normally not regarded as migrations as there is no intention to settle in the new place and because the movement is generally seasonal. Only a few nomadic peoples have retained this form of lifestyle in modern times. Also, the temporary movement of people for the purpose of travel, tourism, pilgrimages, or the commute is not regarded as migration, in the absence of an intention to live and settle in the visited places.

Source: Text & Image: DAYSoftheYEAR

International Day for the Abolition of Slavery – 2 December

2 décembre 2017
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: chidren, debt bondage, forced labour, forced marriage, freedom, human trafficking, sexual exploitation, threats, victims, violence, Women

Slavery is not merely a historical relic. According to the  International Labour Organisation (ILO) more than 40 million people worldwide are victims of modern slavery. Although modern slavery is not defined in law, it is used as an umbrella term covering practices such as forced labour, debt bondage, forced marriage, and human trafficking. Essentially, it refers to situations of exploitation that a person cannot refuse or leave because of threats, violence, coercion, deception, and/or abuse of power.

In addition, more than 150 million children are subject to child labour, accounting for almost one in ten children around the world.

Facts and figures:

An estimated 40.3 million people are in modern slavery, including 24.9 in forced labour and 15.4 million in forced marriage.

There are 5.4 victims of modern slavery for every 1,000 people in the world.

1 in 4 victims of modern slavery are children.

Out of the 24.9 million people trapped in forced labour, 16 million people are exploited in the private sector such as domestic work, construction or agriculture; 4.8 million people in forced sexual exploitation, and 4 million people in forced labour imposed by state authorities.

Women and girls are disproportionately affected by forced labour, accounting for 99% of victims in the commercial sex industry, and 58% in other sectors.

ILO has adopted a new legally binding Protocol designed to strengthen global efforts to eliminate forced labour, which entered into force in November 2016.

The 50 for Freedom campaign aims to persuade at least 50 countries to ratify the Forced Labour Protocol by 2018.

Source: Text: UN Image: Ecpat.UK