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22nd Sunday of Year B

1 septembre 2018
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: appearances, change, exterior, heart, image-making, interior, Mc.7:1-8.14-15.21-23, perspective, Pharisees and scribes, success, traditons

« It is a question of perspective… »
These words are sometimes spoken by someone who does not agree with a statement from somebody else.
That person does not want to express disapproval outright.
He, or she, does not want to manifest too bluntly a difference of opinion, or taste.
But, the person wants to distance him/herself from the affirmation heard.

It could be a temptation to react in this way to the texts of the gospel.
Jesus’ example invites us to a completely different attitude.
In the scene of this Sunday (22nd Sunday of Year B – Mc.7:1-8.14-15.21-23),
we see him responding with force to the Pharisees and scribes who challenge the attitude of his apostles.

What we see happening is, yes, a change of perspective, but much more than that.
Jesus leads them to change their focus from the following of traditions for traditions’ sake
to a genuine faithfulness to God’s message.
He calls his audience to move from appearances to the heart.
It is quite a change indeed!

Nowadays more than ever our society focuses on appearances.
‘Image-making’ has become an art and success in business, politics, entertainment, depends very much on this.
The gospel does NOT!

We are faced with the on-going challenge to move

  • from the outward expressions to the inner reality,
  • from what is manifest to what is hidden,
  • from what is superficial to what lies in the depths of ourselves and others –
    • the place where God is present and where our true self is being shaped by his Spirit…

“Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them,
but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them…
The things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them.”

A change of perspective indeed!

Note: Another reflection is available in French on a different theme at: https://image-i-nations.com/22e-dimanche-de-lannee-b/

Source: Image: twitter.com

Ash Wednesday, Year A

28 février 2017
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: acceptance, compassion, forgiveness, God's character, God's image, graciousness, heart, Joel 2:12-18, love, painting, tenderness

Last Sunday (8th Sunday of the Year, A) we were reflecting on the idea of ‘painting’- painting with colours and paintbrushes.
Throughout history people have tried to paint even… GOD – at least, what they thought God was like!
Still today, artists try to do the same.

But we said that we also ‘paint’ with words.
Describing things, situations and people and thus creating an image of them.
We said that we do this also with… GOD.
Saints, spiritual writers, religious leaders, all of them try to give us a picture of God.

At the beginning of this period of Lent, the same theme comes again.
The prophet Joel, in the 1st reading (Joel 2:12-18), is the one who gives us an idea – a picture – of… God’s personality!

The text says:
“Your God is all tenderness and compassion,
slow to anger, rich in graciousness,
and ready to relent…
Who knows if he will not leave a blessing as he passes.”
 
Simple words, a clear message, a description in human terms, with concepts familiar to us, telling us who God is. God’s character, if we can speak in these terms, is one of tenderness, of compassion, of graciousness, of readiness to forgive and forget our failings and failures.

Who would not want to experience personally such acceptance, such mercy, such love?
Only one thing is required for this experience to be ours:

“It is the Lord who speaks,
‘Come back to me with all your heart’…”

 

Source: Images: www.pinterest.com;  stedward.com

 

Ash Wednesday, C

9 février 2016
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 16-18, Ash Wenesday, heart, Joel 2:12-18, Lent, Matthew 6:1-6, prayer

ash heartASH WEDNESDAY – Hearing the words we may think : Already? And we go on thinking silently… Lent is there… It means: sacrifices, depriving one self of this and that, a bit… morbid? Gloomy?

Strange, this is not the picture given by the Scripture readings. The main idea standing out from the texts is that of God longing, yes longing, to have us back with him – for real and for good! The words of Joel (Joel 2:12-18) ring loud and clear. “It is the Lord who speaks – Come back to me with all your heart, let your heart be broken not your garments torn.”

The word ‘heart’ refers to much more than the life-sustaining organ of our physical bodies. Someone will chide another saying: “Put your heart into your work.” A person who is discouraged will admit: “I don’t have the heart to do this just now.” While encouraged by a friend, a person will say: “His words gave me heart.”

Our relationship with God is a matter of the heart – or, at least, it should be! This is the message of today’s celebration. During the Lenten period starting now, we are invited to pray. What is prayer if not a heart-to-heart conversation with God?

And whatever form that will take, we are reassured by Jesus’ own words (Mt.6:6) that the Father sees the depths of our heart and all that is hidden there, and that is enough for him. Gloomy? In no way, on the contrary, very comforting indeed!

Source: Image: www.dreamstime.com