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International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking – 2024

8 février 2024
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: act, commitment, cultures, dignity, dream, exploitation, faiths, human trafficking, listen

« I greet the young people of many countries who have come for the World Day for Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking, which will be celebrated on 8 February, memorial of Saint Josephine Bakhita, the Sudanese religious sister who was enslaved as a child. Today too, many brothers and sisters are deceived with false promises and are then subjected to exploitation and abuse. Let us all join to counter the dramatic global phenomenon of human trafficking. »          Pope Francis – Angelus – Feb 4, 2024

X° International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking 2024
“Be confident of this, that the One Who began a good work in you will carry it on
to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 1:6)
Inspired by the commitment of young people from all over the world, the theme of the 10th Edition International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against

Human Trafficking 2024
JOURNEYING IN DIGNITY: LISTEN, DREAM, ACT
The International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking (IDPAAHT) is celebrated annually on the Feast of Saint Josephine Bakhita on 8 February, since formally observed in 2015.

The primary objective of this Day is to create a greater awareness of the phenomenon of human trafficking and to reflect on the situation of violence and injustice that affects so many people’s lives. Another goal is to attempt to provide solutions to counter human trafficking by taking concrete actions.

The theme of the 10th Edition of the Day continued on from 2023 (Journeying in Dignity), chosen by an international group of young people involved in the fight against trafficking. This year, the subtitle LISTEN, DREAM, ACT is added to materialize the “Call to Action” commitment made by the international representatives of young people gathered in Rome in February 2023.

The 10th Edition has the following objectives:

– To pray together as brothers and sisters of all ages, cultures, and faiths to end human trafficking and other forms of exploitation;
– Raising awareness about human trafficking at all levels – local churches, traditions, and communities;
– Celebrating the 10th year anniversary of the Day with partners and people of goodwill;
– Closing the year dedicated to young people (2023-2024).

Source: Text: https://preghieracontrotratta.org/   Image: unsplash.com

23rd Sunday of Year A – 2023

8 septembre 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
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)

 

4th Sunday of Easter, Year C – 2022

6 mai 2022
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: eternal life, follow, God Father, Jesus Good Shepherd, John 10:27-30, listen, security, serenity

A theology lesson in 4 Bible verses – this is what the text of this Sunday’s gospel offers us (John 10:27-30).
Such a short text and so rich is the reality it describes.

This 4th Easter Sunday is known as Good Shepherd Sunday as it focuses on Jesus, the Risen Lord, as our Shepherd.
What the words describe, what the text affirms, is really amazing.
It offers us a promise of belonging, of security, and a gift beyond what we could imagine: eternal life!

“My sheep listen to my voice;
I know them, 
and they follow me. 
 I give them eternal life, 
and they shall never perish; 
no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

Christ knows us, yes, just as we are, deeply, truly…
He gives us eternal life, his own life, the very life that he shares with the Father.

That is, of course, if…
We listen to his voice and follow him,
then, we shall never perish – an assurance with no condition attached, other than that of following him…

And, Christ adds that nobody can take us away from him – the Father vouches for that!

What could be added to this that would anchor us in more security and give us deeper serenity?…

Note: Another reflection, on a different theme, is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/4e-dimanche-de-paques-annee-c-2022/

 

Source: Image: Michael Youssef

Baptism of the Lord, Year B – 2021

8 janvier 2021
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: choices, happiness, invitation, Is.55:1-11, Life, listen, offer, question, satisfy, values

Questions are asked of us throughout the day and every day.
Some are about minor things, or small matters, and they require little thinking.
Other questions are about more serious aspects of our lives
and we may need to pause before we give an answer.

Of course, much depends also on… who is asking the question.
What about if it is… GOD who is asking us questions?!
Because he does ask us and these questions reach us personally and intimately.

In the text of the 1st reading today, God’s question is addressed to us through the prophet Isaiah (Is.55:1-11).
We hear him say:

”Why spend money… and your labor on what does not satisfy?”
 
This question may reach us when we did not expect it and yet…
it involves something that touches us closely:
our money, our labor, ultimately, our choices and our values.
In simple words: What do we live for?
From what do we expect to find satisfaction, in fact: where do we look for happiness?

After questioning us, God invites us:
“Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live.”
 
At the beginning of a new year, this invitation opens up for us the path to follow –
to listen to the Lord and find the path to LIFE, a life full and meaningful.

Personally, I believe that if this is what God offers, it is the best that can truly SATISFY us.
 

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

 

Source: Image: Pinterest

15th Sunday of Year A – 2020  

10 juillet 2020
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: blessing, choice, ears, eyes, hear, listen, Mt.13:1-23, noise, perceive, sounds

There is a proverb that says: “There is no deafness worse than that of the one who does not want to hear.”
Jesus’ words as he concludes his parable in this Sunday’s gospel text (Mt.13:1-23) could be addressing this condition:

He says: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
 
It is a matter of choice, the occasion of a personal decision.
We are all aware how much our daily life is filled with sounds, and noises, and cries.
Words, music, shouts surround us, much of it hardly registered in our consciousness.

Could it be that we let God’s Word go by equally unnoticed, unacknowledged?
We would then miss the blessing that Jesus says that his apostles enjoy:

“Blessed are your eyes because they see,
and your ears because they hear.”
 
I ask myself: Am I missing out?…
Lacking attention, interest, motivation?
Perhaps not aware that the Word is addressed to ME personally?
Not daring to believe that I, too, could be blessed?

LISTEN – HEAR – PERCEIVE… a BLESSING!

Note: Another reflection on a different theme in French can be found at: https://image-i-nations.com/15e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2020/

 

Source: Image: Wisdom and Instruction

 

 

 

3rd Sunday of Year A – 2020

24 janvier 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: God's invitation, inner voice, listen, Mt.4:12-23, recognize, respond

Reading texts of the Bible, we may be drawn by a scene or a person.
Our attention may be caught by an event or a story.
A parable or a text may speak to us in a special way.
But it happens that a single word strikes us so much that we remain pondering it.

It is the case for me with this Sunday’s gospel text (Mt.4:12-23) where we are told that
Jesus called some fishermen to follow him and
“immediately they left their nets and followed him.”
 
“Immediately”, no hesitation, no delay.
No waiting, no wondering, no questioning.

Most of us are not fishermen, we have obviously no boats or nets to leave.
Yet… God calls us, he calls everyone in a way that is altogether personal and unique.
We may not perceive his voice, we may not always recognize that he is the one calling…

Some people speak of a small, inner voice… an invitation to…
To do what? To be what?

This may be the moment to listen… to recognize… and to respond… immediately…

Note: Another reflection is available on a different them in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/3e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2020/

 

Source : Image : holytrinityhillsdale.org