image-i-nations trésor

1st Sunday of Advent, Year A – 2019

Many people resent being told what to do!
And… we know that the giving of advice is not always welcome.
Of course, much depends on who gives the advice!

During the period of Advent starting today, the Scripture readings often remind us about living with careful attention.
We are told to be mindful of how we live and be ready for the Lord’s coming.

Today’s gospel (Mt.24:37-44) is one of them.
“So you also must be ready,
because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

We believe that such texts refer to the coming of the Lord at the end of time.
But what about in the meantime? The time between now and… the end?
It is to be expected that, before the end of time, there will be the end of our time – the moment of our death.
We may life to think that… this is not just yet but… we do not know.

But the best way to prepare for ‘the end’, would it not be to welcome the Lord’s coming every day?
Because he does come every day… often unnoticed, unrecognized, unattended to… but come, he does!
His presence is usually silent, discreet, yet real and personal.
It can make itself experienced in:

  • The words of a book opening up new perspectives…
  • A sudden inspiration to help someone in need…
  • Words of encouragement received from a colleague…
  • Some unexpected gift from a neighbour…
  • The feeling of peace at the sight of a beautiful landscape…
  • A flash of insight into who HE is…
  • An impulse to start on a new way of living the gospel…
  • Or, simply the unmistaken realisation that he is indeed present here and now.

Yes, he does come indeed!

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/1er-dimanche-de-lavent-annee-a-2019/

 

Source: Image: Bible Verses

3rd Sunday of Advent, A

Things that are well known to us may tend to be so familiar that we forget about them, or we take them for granted. Either way, they do not have much impact on our lives. Could this be the case for the bible texts offered to our reflection during this Season of Advent?

We have heard the words so often: “The Lord is coming”. “The Lord will come again”. The message is so familiar, we have heard it repeated to us year after year and… life goes on as it has for a long time, a very long time…

Do we truly believe this? Is this really REAL for us? Has it any impact on what we live from Monday to Saturday? Even on Sundays, when the message is proclaimed again, does it reach us in the depth of our selves? Or is it simply one more item among so many others that come to our hearing?         

On this 3rd Sunday of Advent, Year A, Isaiah will say it again: “Your God is coming” (Is.35:1-6,10). But his words may give rise to some questions and those questions may linger somehow in our minds: When? Where? How?

Even John the Baptist in his prison had his own doubts: that man, Jesus of Nazareth, is he really THE one? The disciples he sent to the Nazarene asked plainly: “Have we got to wait for someone else?” (Mt.11:2-11).

And today this question softly arises within each one of us: ‘Is he really THE one… for me?’ I can only answer for myself…

Source: Image: www.photocase.com

 

 

Expectation

200120Come20Lord20JesusIn this period of waiting, of e x p e c t a t i o n , the words of Henri Nouwen are very appropriate.

« Those who think that they have arrived, have lost their way.

Those who think they have reached their goal, have missed it.

An important part of the spiritual life is to keep longing, waiting, hoping, expecting.

A good criticism, a frustrating day, an empty stomach, or tired eyes might help to reawaken our expectation and deepen our prayer:

« Come, Lord Jesus, come. »

Henri Nouwen, The Genesee Journal, p. 113