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God’s coming

32nd Sunday of Year A – 2023

10 novembre 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: foolish, God's coming, Matthew 25:1-13, oil, sensible, waiting

Have you ever stood at a door knocking and… being refused entry?
You knew that some people were there but did not open.
Finally, they simply said that… they did not know you.
A very frustrating experience, if ever there was one!

This is a scene we find in today’s gospel text (Matthew 25:1-13).
It is entitled: Ten bridesmaids ­­­– five of them qualify as ‘sensible’, the others are said to be ‘foolish’.
This parable of Jesus is well known to us and its message also but…
We may tend to keep seeing it as a story and remain reluctant to see where we, ourselves, stand…

All ten bridesmaids fell asleep – the problem was not there.
But some of them had prepared for a long wait… the others had not…

Waiting – there is much waiting in our lives!
Situations when we must wait for something to happen, for someone to arrive –
this is familiar to all of us.

But there is a special kind of waiting…
It is waiting for… GOD…

This means that, first, we believe that he is indeed coming, coming to us, personally.
When will he reach us?
We do not know.
How will his presence be manifest?
This is also unknown and… unpredictable!

Like us, the apostles wanted to know, and they had asked Jesus:
“The apostles came and asked him privately,
‘Tell us when is this going to happen,
and what will be the sign of your coming’.”

He, himself, says: “I am coming soon” (Revelation 22:7,12).

When they asked the question from Jesus, his apostles were thinking of the end of the world.
But this is not the only moment we should expect him.
He will definitely come to us… at the end of our lives, each one of us.
But again, there is more to his coming to us than this last moment of our existence.

In fact, God is constantly coming to us.
The sudden inspiration to help someone in need – he is coming…
The unexpected arrival of a hoped for visitor – he is coming…
The strength received to be faithful to a commitment – he is coming…
The compassion received from a friend in a time of loss – he is coming…
The health restored after a serious accident – he is coming…
The forgiveness received from him in spite of much unfaithfulness – he is coming…

But to see it all, one has to be… ‘sensible’ – having this special oil of perception of his constant coming!

 

Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French, at: https://image-i-nations.com/32e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2023/

 

Source: Image: Doyenné ­Pau – périphérie

 

Nativity of the Lord, Year C – 2021

24 décembre 2021
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 'good news', Christmas, faith, God's coming, home, joy, Luke 2:1-14, Nativity

Someone telling a group of friends that he, or she, has received some good news would set their minds thinking.
Their curiosity would lead them to try and guess what this piece of good news can be…
A promotion? Winning the lotto? Going on holidays?
Perhaps the visit of a loved one? Or, maybe, expecting a child?
If after a few moments enjoying the friends’ guessing, the person said:

“God has come to us, yes, he’s come to our home,” –
the reaction of the group would probably be one of silent… amazement!
The friends would be utterly bewildered…
GOD, GOD has gone to his/her home!

If these words were said, not in a joking fashion but as a statement of deep faith,
it might be an incentive for the listeners to become aware that…
the same thing could be true for them, the same good news!

In fact, this is precisely the message of the gospel on the feast of the Nativity (Luke 2:1-14).
The angel appearing to the shepherds tells them:

“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.”
 
Good news, great joy, and for everyone!

Those more discrete among us may not like to say openly:
“God has come to our home”,
and it may not be necessary to voice the words.

But what is necessary, what is essential, for Christmas to be truly Christmas is
to realize it deeply and…
to allow God to be at home with us!

 

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/nativite-du-seigneur-annee-c-2021/

 

Source: Image: verseoftheday.com

3rd Sunday of Advent, Year C – 2021

10 décembre 2021
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: dignity, expectation, God's coming, justice, Luke 3:10-18, questions, recognize, respect, waiting

Waiting – there is much of this in our lives, no doubt about it.
We wait for all kinds of things to happen and for different people to come.
We anticipate some events with joy and trepidation.
And we find it difficult to wait with patience for the arrival of certain people so eager are we to see them.

In the gospel of this Sunday (Luke 3:10-18), we see people coming to John the Baptist to be baptized.
And of them, the text says:

“The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts
if John might possibly be the Messiah”.
 
This description reveals some joyful anticipation, some eagerness for the coming of the one they call: ‘The Messiah’.

What about us… are we waiting for someone, truly waiting, eagerly expecting this Someone?
Are we wondering in our hearts… when he will be coming, under which form he will appear?…
Do we ask ourselves whether we will recognize him?…

Every year, in this period of Advent, we are invited anew to wait for the Lord.
We no longer wonder or ask ourselves questions –
it seems that we know well the One we are waiting for, and we can put a date on his arrival: Christmas day.

But… does this ‘historical’ coming not hide a more frequent coming of God in our lives?
Of God ‘dressed’ in a different clothing than the Child Jesus…
Of God, no longer lying in a manger, but knocking at our door for help…
Of God asking for food, work, justice, dignity – all that a human being has a right to…

God does not claim these for himself – we usually give him glory and praise and thanks, do we not? 
But he asks for, no, he demands respect, justice, help, for everyone of his children.
HE, TOO, IS… WAITING…

And our period of waiting should be an answer to HIS…

 

Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/3e-dimanche-de-lavent-annee-c-2021/

And in a short video, also in French, Ghislaine Deslières offers us another reflection on this 3rd Sunday of Advent, Year C, at: https://youtu.be/bEtz8IfMSOA

 

Source: Images: biblepic.com    VideoHive