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invitation

Une invitation… prometteuse?

14 octobre 2018
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Actualité
Mots-clés: Corée, invitation, Kim Jong Un, liberté religion, Pape François

Kim Jong Un souhaite que le pape lui rende visite à Pyongyang

Le dirigeant nord-coréen Kim Jong Un espère la venue du pape François à Pyongyang, en expliquant qu’il serait le cas échéant « accueilli avec enthousiasme », a annoncé mardi la présidence sud-coréenne en précisant qu’elle relaiera prochainement le message au Vatican.

Le président sud-coréen Moon Jae-in a une audience prévue avec le pape le jeudi 18 octobre à la mi-journée et participera aussi la veille à la basilique Saint-Pierre à une « messe pour la paix » sur la péninsule coréenne, a précisé mardi le Saint-Siège.

« Lors de sa réunion avec le pape François, il relaiera le message du président Kim Jong Un selon lequel il accueillera avec enthousiasme le pape s’il vient à Pyongyang », a déclaré aux journalistes le porte-parole de M. Moon, Kim Eui-kyeom. Le porte-parole du Vatican, Greg Burke, n’a pas voulu commenter mardi l’éventualité d’un voyage du pape en Corée du nord. « Attendons que l’invitation arrive », a-t-il dit.

Après plusieurs années de tensions en raison des programmes nucléaire et balistique du Nord, la péninsule est depuis le début de l’année le théâtre d’une exceptionnelle détente, marquée notamment par trois sommets entre MM. Moon et Kim. Lors de la dernière rencontre intercoréenne, à Pyongyang en septembre, M. Moon était accompagné de l’archevêque sud-coréen Hyginus Kim Hee-joong.

Lors d’une conversation avec ce dernier, M. Kim l’a d’ailleurs exhorté à relayer auprès du Vatican son intention de construire la paix, selon la présidence sud-coréenne. La liberté de religion est inscrite dans la Constitution nord-coréenne. Mais toute activité religieuse est étroitement encadrée et totalement interdite en dehors de structures officielles.

Au début du XXe siècle, avant la division de la péninsule, Pyongyang était un centre religieux de première importance comptant de nombreuses églises et une communauté chrétienne qui lui valurent le surnom de « Jérusalem de l’Asie ».

Mais le fondateur du régime nord-coréen et grand-père de l’actuel leader, Kim Il Sung, considérait la religion chrétienne comme une menace contre son règne autoritaire et l’éradiqua au moyen notamment d’exécutions et d’internements dans des camps de travaux forcés. Depuis, le régime nord-coréen a autorisé des organisations catholiques à mener des projets d’aide sur son sol, mais il n’entretient aucune relation avec le Vatican.

Lors de sa visite en Corée du Sud en 2014, le pape François avait dit une messe spéciale à Séoul dédiée à la réunification coréenne.

Source : Texte (abrégé) : AFP  09/10/2018 Image : New York Post

Des paraboles…

12 septembre 2018
Nicole Gregoire
2 Comments
Catégories: On m'a parlé de...
Mots-clés: collection d'objets, communiquer, information, inspiration, invitation, message

Des paraboles – il y en a de différentes sortes:
celles de Jésus nous sont bien connues,
mais il y en a d’autres qui le sont moins.
Cette nouvelle série de programmes sous le titre: UN MESSAGE POUR TOI
vous présente celles que l’on qualifie de Paraboles modernes.
Dans cette courte vidéo, Lise Massé nous en dit davantage à ce sujet.

 

3rd Sunday of the Year B

18 janvier 2018
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: call, convincing, disturbance, encounter with God, interference, interruption, invitation, libération, Mk.1:14-20

Being interrupted in the midst of an activity can be frustrating.
Being disturbed from a task one is busy with can also be rather unpleasant.
The attention is suddenly taken to something else, the concentration is moved to another area.
And… many of us resent such an interference!

Yet, it happens that such an interference comes from… God!
The gospel text of today (3rd Sunday of Year B – Mk.1:14-20) is a typical example.
Jesus is walking on the lakeshore and, suddenly, calls away some fishermen from their daily activity.
He assures them that will be become ‘fishers of men’.

It is not certain that they understood what this call was about.
And, personally, I imagine that they could not foresee what their new life would be like.
Yet, amazingly, we are told that: “At once, they left their nets…”

It was indeed a major ‘disturbance’ to their way of life up to then.
What made them so eager to follow this stranger with an equally strange invitation?
We can never know for sure, only perhaps think that his whole person had something convincing about it, convincing as only God can be!

Some of us have experienced such a major disturbing encounter with God.
We may still be adjusting to it…
And yet, many, perhaps all those who have known such an intervention will agree that it can be very much of a liberation!
Yes, a liberation from the routine, the worn out motivation that carried them up to the moment when God interfered!

At the beginning of a new year, we may perhaps contemplate such a possibility…

Source: Images: LDS  iStock

NOTE: a reflection in French on another theme is available at: https://image-i-nations.com/3e-dimanche-de-lannee-b/

28th Sunday of Year A

12 octobre 2017
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: invitation, Jn.1:39, Jn.12:35, Jn.3:1-16, Jn.4:5-30), Jn.8:1-11, Jn.8:46), joy, Lc.10:25-37, Lc.18:18-23, Lc.19:1-10, Mt.22:1-14, Mt.9:9, not interested, wedding feast

On this Sunday (28th of Year A) we are given another of those parables well-known to us: the invitation to a wedding party (Mt.22:1-14).
Who would want to miss this? But, obviously, some people are not keen on the idea…
The gospel text says as much: “They were not interested…” (v.5)

Looking at the gospel narratives as a whole, I realize that many of the texts show us scenes of… INVITATIONS.
It is obvious for the first disciples, Andrew and John, who were told: “Come and see… (Jn.1:39).”
 
The invitation was addressed, in one form or another, to all the apostles.
Matthew, among others, was asked to leave his tax collector work and follow Jesus (Mt.9:9).
And all the others accepted as well to join the group of Jesus’ close followers.

Much later, Thomas was invited to a life of a faith which no longer admits of doubt: “Doubt no longer but believe” (Jn.21:27).

Nicodemus (Jn.3:1-16) was invited to be born anew…

The Samaritan woman (Jn.4:5-30) was invited (requested…) to give Jesus water so that, in turn, he may do the same for her, but giving water of a different kind.

The adulterous woman (Jn.8:1-11) was invited to a new life leaving behind her old ways: “Go away, and don’t sin anymore.”…

The scribe asking the question (Lc.10:25-37) about his ‘neighbour’ was invited – more still, was told – to “do the same…”

In subtle, and not so subtle ways (as in today’s parable), the Pharisees too had been invited: “If I speak the truth, why do you not believe me?” (Jn.8:46). “Walk while you have the light or the dark will overtake you” (Jn.12:35). But they stubbornly refused any such invitation.

And Zachée (Lc.19:1-10) had his own special invitation: in fact, Jesus invited himself to his place asking him to be his host. Quite an invitation! 

And then, there was the rich young man (Lc.18:18-23) invited to follow Jesus, but his attitude resembled very much that of today’s invited guests of the parable… “He turned away sad…” 

Every one of them had a choice to make, a decision to take – this is what invitations are about!

Looking at my own life, I can notice as well a whole series of invitations from God – I could make a long list of them.
And I guess that you could make such a list for yourself.

Some of those requests from God, I accepted… sometimes reluctantly, sometimes wholeheartedly.
It happened that I debated with myself and I had to overcome my laziness, my indifference, my ‘busy-ness’ with so many other concerns…
At times, to my shame I must admit that… I was not very much interested… God had to convince me with ways that are uniquely his!

And, I find myself today, still on the way – on the way to readily welcome God’s interventions in my life, for this is what his invitations are.
Interventions of his to help me grow in readiness and willingness to welcome him in my day-to-day life and experiences.
This is THE way to taste the deep JOY of sharing in this exceptional feast he has prepared for me!

Source: Images: Pinterest, crosswalk.com

14th Sunday of the Year, A

6 juillet 2017
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: agenda, burdens, coping, demands, energy, gentle, invitation, meaning of life, Mt.11:25-30, rest, stress, tasks, time, time to breathe, tired, yoke

The conversations overheard at a bus shelter or in the waiting-room of a clinic can be quite revealing.
A woman may tell another: “You look tired…”
To which the other replies: “Tired is not the word I am exhausted! It seems I get up in the morning as tired as when I went to bed the night before…”

The man waiting for his medical appointment may whisper to a neighbour: “I want the doctor to give me tablets to sleep. I can’t cope any more.
The stress at work is more than I can bear, I am at the end of my tether, I am afraid I’m heading for a breakdown…”

Modern life can indeed be very stressful with its many tasks and its multiple demands made on our time and energy.
It seems that our agendas are always full of things to be done, people to meet, engagements to keep, commitments to honour –
and the list of them all is tiring even to look at!

And then… today’s gospel message (14th Sunday, Year A – Mt.11:25-30) finds its way to our attention and the words slowly sink in:

“Come to me all you who labour and are overburdened,
and I will give you rest.
Shoulder my yoke and learn from me,
for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.”

It sounds nearly too good to be true!
REST! Relief from the burdens we carry from day to day.
Some time to breathe, to stop running here and there.
A moment to look around and notice the green of the new leaves and the sun shining through them.

Reading the words of this text of the gospel, taking in each word slowly and letting it reach our worried minds and anxious hearts…
Of the many people who can speak like the two mentioned above, I ask myself: ‘How many would take Jesus at his word? 

How many would come to him and tell him what they spontaneously admit to a friend or neighbour?…’
“Lord, I can’t cope any longer, it’s too much for me.
I am so t i r e d , my burdens are too many and too heavy their weight…”
How many would heed his call: “Come to me… you will find rest.”
 
It has been said that God does not necessarily take away from us those burdens we find heavy and painful but he will carry them with us.
Shouldering his yoke means: to take on his ways, walking and working at his rhythm.
And yes, accepting to learn from him the meaning of life and its many tasks – those we take on willingly and those imposed on us…
And – amazingly – finding with him an unexpected and so welcome REST!

Source: Image: Pinterest

Feast of Epiphany, year A

5 janvier 2017
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 'God-with-us', comfort, encouragement, Epiphany, foreighners, invitation, Is.60:1-6, light, Magi, outsiders, reproach, strangers

Day after day, week after week, the Bible texts call to us in different ways.
We believe that this is God’s message addressed to us.
We are convinced that the words we hear are not simply human words but God’s own words.

They may be words of invitation, or words of comfort;
words of reproach, or words of encouragement.

 God’s messengers speaking to us in his name sometimes ask us to do something.
In the first reading, this is what Isaiah does today (Is.60:1-6). He tells us:
“Lift up your eyes and look around.”
 
Did you notice how many people go about doing… exactly the opposite?!
Many walk around head bent down, with stooped shoulders…
Their steps are heavy… and, possibly, their hearts as well.
 
Through Isaiah, God invites us to lift up our eyes to see what?
He wants his people to realize:
“The nations come to your light… all are assembling.”
 
This is the meaning of today’s celebration on this feast of Epiphany.
It is a celebration for all nations, all peoples are called to recognize God in our midst, “God-with-us”.
The Magi – those Wise Men from the East –are the symbol of all the many we may see as strangers, foreigners, outsiders.
They are all called to be God’s people.
 
They, from afar, who come close to this new-born Child, represent already the Samaritan woman, the Roman soldier, the Syro-Phoenician woman, to whom He will make himself close to.
This will be… Epiphany continued!…
God’s revelation to each and everyone, notwithstanding their nation or language, their origin or belief.
 
God is the GOD OF ALL – by His own choice!

Source: Images: Daily Record; The Well Community Church

 
 

1st Sunday of Advent, A

24 novembre 2016
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Advent, awake, dark, invitation, Let us, light, ready

Some people are… shall we say: ‘bossy’ by nature. It seems that their preferred mode of relationship is ordering others around – telling them to do things, or not to do them. To have their way, they often resort to coercion. Domination is what they know best.

Other people are of a different nature altogether. Theirs is the gentle approach. They will entice you, suggest things to you, invite you, tempt you to join them, encourage you to follow a suggestion. Amazingly, such people seem to achieve much more and in a manner that is so much more pleasant for everyone. The reason may be that those people side with us when they put a request to us. They include themselves in their appeal, saying: “Let us…”

The readings of this 1st Sunday of Advent, Year A, are an excellent example of this gentle coaxing, the kind of inspiring invitation that, somehow, we feel we should listen to. It is best expressed in these very words: “Let us…” The two short words keep coming back from one reading to the next (Is.2:1-5; Rom.13:11-14; Mt.24:37-44).

“Let us go to the Lord.let-us
Let us walk in the light of the Lord…”     (Isaiah)

Let us give up the things we do in the dark;
Let us appear in the light;
Let us live decently.”       (Paul to the Romans)

The gospel while not using the very words is also an invitation to us:
Let us stay awake.
Let us stand ready.

Is this not a good… ‘programme’ as we start this special season of ADVENT?
So, let us indeed open our hearts and let us heed the message addressed to us!…

 Source: Image: Victory Greenhills

 

 

 

                                                                                         

16th Sunday of the Year, C

14 juillet 2016
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Abram, Bethany, Gn.18:1-10, guest, invitation, Jesus, Luke 10:38-42, Martha and Mary, Sarah

Martha, againComparisons, contrasts – they are part of our daily life and in all kinds of situations.
From them, a judgement arises deciding that things are different, equivalent, or plainly opposite!

The texts of the liturgy of this Sunday (16th, year C) present us with situations that reflect this.
In the 1st reading (Gn.18:1-10), we hear Abram telling his wife Sarah to hurry and prepare some food for the visitors who have come to their house.

The gospel scene (Lk.10:38-42) shows us a woman, Martha, doing exactly that for the special visitor who has come to their home.
But the visitor, Jesus, is the one now inviting his host NOT to hurry, not to fret about preparing food for him.

Jesus wants Martha to attend to him, yes, but attend to him by simply being there!
He insists that only one thing is necessary – that of sitting at his feet and listening to him, as her sister Mary is doing.

The comparison made between her and her sister must be somehow unwelcome to Martha.
She must find it unpleasant to be told to do what Mary does when Martha wanted the opposite: that Mary does a bit of the work that she, Martha, has been busy with.

It is somehow as if Jesus turns things around.
Last week, the gospel message was that we should not ask who is our neighbour but rather of whom we should make ourselves the neighbour.
This week, Jesus received as a guest in Bethany is the one inviting Martha to be his guest – a guest to whom he offers the most precious food: a sharing in his message about who he is, who the Father is.

No need to worry and to fret – that food is always ready, always available, and sufficient to satisfy all our needs!

Source: Image: blog.sina.com.cn