Recherche

image-i-nations trésor

gifts

6th Sunday of Easter, Year C – 2022

20 mai 2022
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: gifts, John 14:23-29, pétition, prayer, promises, relationship, requests

Among us, people, we often exchange services of different kinds.
We go to a neighbor, a friend, a doctor, a teacher, a builder, asking them to provide us with whatever we need at any given time.
And, we do the same… with God!

Very often, our prayer to God takes the form of a petition –
We bring to him all kinds of requests for ourselves and for people dear to us, or people we see in need.
We trust that he will answer our needs, our dreams, our hopes.
And he does so, very often.

But have you realized that, often, God gives us things that we never asked for?
He pours into our lives blessings and gifts that we would have never thought – or dared – to ask him for!

The text of today’s gospel is an obvious example of this (John 14:23-29).
On the eve of his death, Jesus assures his apostles:

“Anyone who loves me… my Father will love them,
and we will come to them
and make our home with them…
the Advocate, the Holy Spirit…will teach you all things 
and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give you.”

Amazing promises indeed!
Gifts we would not have dreamt of!
Relationships we would never have dared to imagine possible!

All this is given freely to “Anyone who loves me…” says Jesus.
Given with no conditions attached other than… our readiness to receive!

 

Note: And another reflection, on a different theme, is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/6e-dimanche-de-paques-annee-c-2022/

 

Source: Image: DailyVerses.net

17th Sunday of Year B – 2021

23 juillet 2021
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: (Is.55:8, blessings, food, gifts, Jn.6:1-15, methodology

The methodology of… God can be quite surprising and sometimes rather upsetting – we have all experienced it!
He has told us about this long ago through his prophet, Isaiah, when he said openly:

“My ways are not your ways” (Is.55:8).
But it seems that we do not get used to this easily…

This thought came to me as I read the gospel text of this Sunday (Jn.6:1-15).
A crowd has been listening to Jesus’ teaching for a long time and he does not want to send them back without giving them something to eat.

 So, he asks his apostle, Philip, where they could get food for all those people.
The text says:
 
“He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do”.
A little frustrating for poor Philip, if he knew… he, too, has to learn God’s ways!

But then, Jesus provides the food and we are told that the people were given “as much as they wanted”.
I said Jesus provides but, in fact, a child has made this abundant feast possible with his contribution.

So, after all, God’s methodology is not one of refusal, or measured provision, but an abundance of gifts and blessings.
And, often through our own sharing with those around us!

How long do we still need to understand?…

 

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/17e-dimanche-de-lannee-b-2021/

 

Source: Images: Jesus Film Project

28th Sunday of Year C – 2019

11 octobre 2019
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: blessings, gifts, Lk.17:11-19, services, taking for granted, Thanksgiving

There is an English expression used quite often by people.
It refers to the situation of ‘taking something for granted’.

It describes the attitude of making use of something as if it was ‘normal’ to have it.
We think that a certain object is meant to be at our service.
We assume that somehow we have a ‘right’ to dispose of this item.

This may not be a mistake if the object in question is ours and nobody else has a claim to it.
It is true that our possessions are meant for our own use.

But… what is seriously wrong is when we adopt the same attitude towards people.
And we do, sometimes… take people for granted!
Time and again we expect some people to do things for us, to render services to us,
as if we had a right to their help.
We take their assistance, their kindness, their patience, we take THEM for granted…

Today’s gospel (Lk.17:11-19) shows us 9 men who did exactly this with… Jesus!

And, amazingly, does it not happen that WE, also, take… God for granted?!
His tremendous generosity can be so much part of our lives that we fail to notice it.
We get used to the outpouring of his gifts and blessings, day after day, and we do not acknowledge this with thanksgiving.

This Sunday – and the Feast of Thanksgiving following on Monday – may be ideal occasions to become aware of this
and to say, wholeheartedly, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU to God who delights in showering on us so many good things!

Note: This gospel scene is presented in a video at: https://image-i-nations.com/the-grateful-leper/

Another reflection is also available on a similar theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/28e-dimanche-de-lannee-c-2019/

 

Source: Image: permahaus.com

Baptism of the Lord, Year C

12 janvier 2019
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: favours, gifts, hopes, needs, Rom.11:29, Titus 3:4-7

During the Christmas season, we have been exchanging gifts of all kinds. Gifts – small ones and bigger ones, ordinary and more unusual, wrapped in colourful paper and ribbons.

Some of them have brought delight, others we may have politely shown pleasure at receiving them but… we may have found them useless – either too big or too small in size, or definitely not to our liking. On the other hand, some gifts which we especially liked may soon be damaged, we will be sorry to see them broken or lost.

During that period, we have also received gifts… from God! Did you not include them on your list of… ‘things’ received? Well, in fact… they are not of the ‘thing category’ but, when giving blessings and favours, God gives HIMSELF.

In the 2nd reading of today’s feast: the Baptism of our Lord, Paul reminds his friend Titus (Titus 3:4-7) that God has given us his own Spirit:

“the Holy Spirit which he has so generously poured over us through Jesus.” 

God’s Spirit is his own gift to us and it will never be taken away, disappear, or be damaged.

When writing to the first Christians of Rome, Paul assured them: “God never takes back his gifts.” (Rom.11:29)

So, we have a most precious gift, totally ours, fully answering our needs and hopes, for all of 2019 and… for ever!

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/?p=12952

 

Source: Image: sec-gobiemorgen-rmi.blogshpot.com

 

 

 

 

 

30th Sunday of Year B

26 octobre 2018
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: blessings, blind, gifts, God calling, gracious God, Mk.10:46-52

Let us imagine for a moment that someone would tell you: “God is calling you.”
What would your reaction be?
Many people would possibly think: “What does God want from me?”
But should the question not rather be: “What does God want FOR me?”

This thought came to me as I read the gospel of this Sunday 
(30th Sunday of Year B – Mk.10:46-52).
This text presents us with the scene of the blind man of Jericho named Bartimaeus. 
Hearing from the crowd that Jesus is coming, he shouts asking Jesus to have pity on him.

“Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him here’.
So they called the blind man.
‘Courage,’ they said ‘get up; he is calling you’.”
 
Many of us often suppose that God wants something from us –
prayers, good deeds, sacrifices, offerings of different kinds.
How many of us, thinking of God’s call, would immediately conclude:
’God wants to give me something!’

Yet, this is the deep meaning of God calling us:
he wants to provide us with his gifts.
He wants to shower on us blessings of all kinds.
We often speak of God’s ‘grace’ forgetting that he is a ‘gracious’ God –
a God so generous that we have never finished discovering all the wonders he has worked for us!

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at:  https://image-i-nations.com/30e-dimanche-de-lannee-b/

Source : Images : mdevega.blogspot.com   youtube.com

Epiphany, C

30 décembre 2015
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: gifts, gifts to God, gold incesne myrrh, Magi, Three Kings, Wise Men

Magi

We often hear the Feast of the Epiphany being called ‘the Feast of the Three Kings’. Yet, the Bible does not mention that they were kings nor that there were three of them! But tradition goes on telling us this and telling us something else as well. Yes, it speaks of the three very special gifts that those Wise Men – for they were really so – brought to the new-born Child. We are told that they offered him gold, incense, and myrrh.

On December 31st, we were looking at the past year and all that the Lord has gifted us with! And today, our celebration speaks again of gifts. This word is very much part of our daily experiences. We buy birthday gifts, we exchange Christmas gifts, we present graduation gifts, and wedding gifts must be given to the newly-wed couple. The list could go on for other special occasions.

Suddenly, I ask myself: Is there a list of gifts for… God? Not many people would have some gold hidden somewhere in their house. Incense is used in church, sometimes too by a few people who say they want to ‘feel zen’! As for myrrh, well even the word itself is a little strange…

What can be offered to God? I found my own answer: the very gifts that he, himself, has given us.
So, today I offer him my intelligence so I may come to know him better.
I present him with my imagination and the creativity he has placed within me.
I give him my will so that he may attune it to his will.
To these, I add my memory and all the wonderful things preciously stored there.
Of course, the health he has blessed me with, the healing after some sickness, the safe journeys, the happy occasions, the fruitful ventures,
the kind people around me, the helpful neighbours and faithful friends, and…
Here… I leave it to you to complete your list while I keep on silently unfolding my other gifts before the Lord……………