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God’s call

23rd Sunday of Year A – 2023

8 septembre 2023
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: blessings, God's call, God's message, harden not your hearts, If, listen, Psalm 95:1-2, Psalm 95:6-9

 

The reflection on the Sunday celebration is usually focused on one of the readings.

However, this Sunday, the Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 95:1-2,6-9) has been chosen.
The text calls to us in these words:

“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.”
 
This text could be interpreted as some kind of advice, a recommendation, or an exhortation.

But there is a ‘IF’… if you hear…
It implies that you may, or you may not, perceive that God is speaking to you…

But there is a different translation available and what it says is somehow different:
 
“If only you would listen to God today,
do not harden your hearts…”

It expresses something of a regret, it has the tone of a lamentation.
As if the writer realizes that, somehow, his people are not listening to God.

The author of the Psalm may imagine the blessings that those who listen to God would receive.
He possibly regrets that those who fail to listen will miss much…
He may be aware of what happens to those who are attuned to God’s voice –
how they come to know God, and they may then draw closer to him.

In both instances, the writer insists, adding:
“Do not harden your hearts…”

This may be a recurring temptation: not to pay attention, not to listen to God speaking to us.
We may be drawn by many other voices…
seduced by different invitations…
tempted to follow other calls…

We do as if…
As if God did not really speak.
As if his message was not truly addressed to us personally.
As if his words did not concern our own situation.

Hardening our hearts can be a slow, a subtle process,
but it can lead us very far from what we would like to become…

If only we would listen…
 

Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French, at: https://image-i-nations.com/23e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2023/ 

 

Source: Image: Stray Thoughts (Barbara Harper)

 

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

15th Sunday of Year B

13 juillet 2018
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Amos 7:12-17, expérience, God's call, God's message, hardships, hope for, imagine, Mk.6:7-13, rejected, struggles

Bible translations vary one from the other – some use rather strong language while others may opt for expressions with softer overtones.
I always find it interesting to read the same text in different translations; it can be quite enlightening.

Today’s 1st reading (15th Sunday of Year B – Amos 7:12-17), tells us of the prophet Amos’ vocation.
One text reads as follows: “The Lord called me away from my flock and told me, ‘Go…’ ”
Another says: “The Lord took me from my flock and told me, ‘Go…’ ”
Still another tells us: “The Lord seized me from my flock and told me, ‘Go…’ ”
 
“The Lord called…
The Lord, took…
The Lord seized…”
 
To be ‘seized’ by God is… quite an experience!
Some of you reading these lines could vouch for that…
It was something unexpected, perhaps, but you do remember the day, even the place, where it happened.
And, from then on, your life has not been the same again…

Such an intervention by God is not a reward.
It has not either the coronation of our efforts.
It is not the sign of some achievement or success on our part.
In fact, it often carries an implicit ‘warning’ that things may not be easy in the future.

The kind of warning Jesus gives his apostles as he sends them to people (today’s gospel: Mk.6:7-13).
Like Amos before them, they too may be rejected together with Go’s message they are bringing.

But being seized by God is a unique experience and goes beyond all that we could imagine or hope for!
It is worth all the hardships and the struggles.

Note: Another reflection is available in French on a different theme at: https://image-i-nations.com/15e-dimanche-de-lannee-b/

Source: Images: Ernest Angley Ministries   youtube.com