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21st Sunday of Year B – 2024

23 août 2024
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: commitment, Joshua 24:1-2.15-18, list of things, memory, thanking God, what God has done

Making lists – we are quite used to this exercise!
The rhythm of our daily lives is so fast that we feel we cannot always rely only on our memory.
To make sure that we do not forget anything – anything important and even less important – we make lists!
Lists of… things to do, items to buy, phone calls to make, people to meet, tasks to carry out, etc.

Have you ever thought of making a list about… what God has done for you?
This question may cause much surprise to some people reading these lines, but…
This could be a very interesting activity and one that leads to some enriching discovery!

In the 1st reading of today’s celebration, we see the people of Israel doing exactly that (Joshua 24:1-2,15-18).
Prompted by Joshua to say if they want to commit themselves to serving the Lord God,
they reply with precisely this: a list of what God has done for them over the years.

“It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt,
from that land of slavery,
and performed those great signs before our eyes.
He protected us on our entire journey
and among all the nations through which we traveled.
And the Lord drove out before us all the nations”.

The people have become aware that the freedom they now enjoy has been given to them by God.
The security that is theirs, they have received from God, a gift from his loving care.
So, they commit themselves to serving him, and being faithful to what he asks from them.

“We will serve the Lord; for he is our God”.

At this point, I pause and… I start looking back…
Looking at all that I, and those dear to me, enjoy in terms of good health, success, security…

      – the protection from accidents,
      – the recovery from sickness for myself and those near to me,
      – the unexpected return of a fugitive child,
      – the helpful encounters with some people,
      – the escape from a dangerous situation,
      – the successful resolution of a conflict with a colleague,
      – the positive results of a college exam,
      – the happy conclusion of a business deal, etc.

The personal list of each one can go on… and it may get longer from day to day…

Then, should not our commitment also grow in thanksgiving to the Lord and faithfulness to him?…

 

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/21e-dimanche-de-lannee-b-2024/

 

Source: Images: unsplash.com (Torbjorn Helgesen; Jakub Zerdzicki)

World Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day – 15 October

15 octobre 2023
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: awareness, baby, guilt, health care, memory, remembrance, sudden infant death

World Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day is a global healthcare event celebrated on the 15th of October every year to raise awareness regarding Pregnancy loss, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and infant death, which include miscarriage, stillbirth and newborn mortality.

Women have varying levels of access to healthcare services; hospitals and clinics worldwide in many countries are frequently under-resourced and understaffed. As diverse as the experience of losing a baby may be, stigma and guilt emerge as similar themes worldwide. As these first-person tales demonstrate, mothers who lose their kids are made to remain silent about their loss, either because miscarriage and stillbirth are still so common or because they are thought to be unavoidable, so World Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day is established to create public awareness of pregnancy loss, and the importance of acknowledging their lives and the impact it has on greater families.

On this day, in honour of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, around the world people light a candle at 7 p.m. in their own time zones to create a wave of light in memory of babies lost to pregnancy and infant loss.

History of World Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day

In 2002, Robyn Bear, Lisa Brown, and Tammy Novak have started the movement by petitioning the federal government to recognize the World Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day on October 15. In 2006, on September 28th, the House of Representatives finally approved National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.

Source: Text & Image: https://www.pacehospital.com/world-pregnancy-infant-loss-remembrance-day

International Archives Day – 9 June 2023

9 juin 2023
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: audio-visual, democracy, documentary, héritage, memory, transparency, UNESCO

Celebrate Archives!   

Did you know that June 9 is International Archives Day? All around the world, professionals in the archival community unite their voices on June 9 to make you understand why it is essential to support archives and the profession.  

Background  

The ICA believes that the value of archives and archivists should be promoted at the international level. Archives and archivists play an important role in accountability, transparency, democracy, heritage, memory and society.  

During the 2004 International Congress in Vienna, 2000 attending participants adopted a resolution requesting that the United Nations (UN) designates a specific day to mark the importance and value of archives. 

In 2005, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared October 27 as the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage (WDAH) during the 33rd session of the UNESCO General Conference held in Paris, France. WDAH makes an occasion to raise widespread awareness of the need to take urgent measures and acknowledge the importance of audio-visual documents as a representation of our shared heritage and memory. However, audio-visual documents are only a portion of our documentary heritage that warrants international attention. 

Subsequently, it was decided at the 2007 ICA Annual General Meeting that June 9 would be celebrated as International Archives Day. The date, June 9, was chosen to commemorate the date ICA was created under the auspices of UNESCO in 1948. 

 

Source: Text & Image: https://www.ica.org/

International Archives Day – 9 June

9 juin 2022
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: archives, continuity, décisions, memory, rights, safeguarding, testimonies, UNESCO

« Everyone keeps archives, in an private or professional setting. Through this universal day, we wish to democratize the profession of archivist and improve the perception of the general public regarding the notion of archive »

David Leitch, Secretary General of the ICA.

Why an International Archives Day?

Since its creation in 2008, the International Archives Day aims to raise awareness …

… among the public, of the importance of archives.

Archives are the memory of nations and societies; they provide the foundation for their identities and are a key element of the information society.

… among the decision makers, of the advantages of good archiving to establish quality governance.

Archives constitute a cultural heritage and a leading source of information. The archival heritage is an important testimony to the economic, political, social and cultural development of mankind.

… among the general public, the public and private sectors, of the need to preserve the archives over the long term, and to facilitate access to them.

By documenting activities and decisions, archives ensure both the continuity of organizations and the justification of their rights, as well as those of individuals and States.

June 9, a day of international celebration.

Archives represent an unparalleled wealth. They are the documentary product of human activity and as such constitute irreplaceable testimonies of past events. They ensure the democratic functioning of societies, the identity of individuals and communities and the defense of human rights.

During the International Congress of Archives in Vienna in 2004, the 2000 participants adopted a resolution calling on the United Nations to create an International Archives Day. At its General Assembly in November 2007, the ICA formalized the International Archives Day on June 9.

This date was obvious: ​​on the 9th of June 1948 the International Council on Archives was created under the auspices of UNESCO. This choice was immediately approved and adopted by the archives community as a whole.

“Archives record decisions, actions and memories. Archives are a unique and irreplaceable heritage passed from one generation to another. Archives are managed from creation to preserve their value and meaning. They are authoritative sources of information underpinning accountable and transparent administrative actions. They play an essential role in the development of societies by safeguarding and contributing to individual and community memory.

Open access to archives enriches our knowledge of human society, promotes democracy, protects citizens’ rights and enhances the quality of life.”

– Universal Declaration on Archives, adopted at the General Assembly of the International Council on Archives, Oslo, September 2010

 

Source: Text: ica.org   Image: VSN

Holy Thursday, Year A

13 avril 2017
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: commémoration, freedom, libération, Lk.22:19, Memories, memory, peace, precious, Remember, Remembrance Day, shared, special events, think of me

Memory… Memories…
Personal… Shared… Cherished… Sometimes surprising… Precious…

Our memory is an important part of ourselves.
It can bring back to us forgotten experiences.
It can recapture the sights and sounds of long-past events.
It can place before our mind’s eye the faces of loved ones.

At times, some people will tell us: “Remember me tomorrow; I have an appointment with the doctor…”
Others will ask: “Think of me, remember I have a job interview next week…”
They may not openly request that we pray for them –
nowadays they will speak more in terms of ‘good vibes’, or ‘positive thoughts’.
What they want, in fact, is that we remain ‘connected’ with them!

Today, Jesus asks us for this: “Do this in memory of me = Remember me…” (Lk.22:19)

People create special days of ‘commemoration’ for special events.
The one that first comes to mind is November 11th called precisely: Remembrance Day.
On that day, we remember those who have given their lives for the freedom of their country
and peace in the world.

We could say that today is indeed: Remembrance Day par excellence –
we remember what God himself, yes, God-made-man, has done for us,
for our liberation, for our lasting peace.

Source: Image: www.lds.org

4th Sunday of Lent, Year A

23 mars 2017
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: advice, afraid, attitude, drive away, escape, incompetent, information, insight, Jesus, Jn.9:1-41, man born-blind, memory, Pharisees, pray, reaction, remark, see, truth, waarning

Strange things happen among us, people.
Something good can be done for someone and the person who benefits from the good deed is penalized for it!
 
It should not surprise us – this is what happened already in the time of Jesus.
We see it in today’s gospel on this 4th Sunday of Lent, Year A (Jn.9:1-41).

Jesus has cured a man who had been born blind and the religious leaders give this fortunate man – (or, unfortunate?) –
a hard time indeed.
Questions upon questions to him, to his parents, back to him again – evidently trying to find Jesus somehow guilty.
Unable to have the man say anything that would enable them to reach such a verdict, “They drove him away…”

They cannot SEE the good.
They cannot accept the evidence.
They push aside what is plain and clear.
They cannot face the truth.
They blind themselves in the most obvious way.

Why? Why such an attitude? What this kind of reaction?
But the next question is… Can this not be found in… us?
 
We may ‘drive away’ a memory… too painful to face.
We may ‘drive away’ a remark… unpleasant to acknowledge.
We may ‘drive away’ a warning… that would call for a decision.
We may ‘drive away’ a piece of advice… that would ask for a change of attitude.
We may ‘drive away’ some information… that invites me to do something.
So, we do as if the truth were not the truth!

We may fell afraid, ashamed, incompetent, powerful, not equal to a situation.
So, we hide, we pretend, we escape.
We literally ‘drive away’ what is plain to SEE but which threatens us.

LENT may be precisely that: the time to make special efforts to SEE.
And to pray for, yes, vision AND insight!

See also:  http://image-i-nations.com/the-man-born-blind/
Source: Image: request.org.uk
 
 

Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, C

26 mai 2016
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 1 Cor.11:23-26, Eucharistic celebration, Jesus last supper, keep in mind, memory, Remember, souvenirs

Last-Supper-croppedOur memory is a wonderful ‘instrument’ indeed. It is amazing what it can do. It has the power of bringing back to our minds things long past. It suddenly awakens memories of events of long ago, happenings great and small, pleasant encounters, even the faces of people who have since disappeared from our lives.

Yes, ‘memories’ and souvenirs are part of our ‘emotional baggage’ and they still influence in different ways our thoughts and attitudes. Of course, an important part of our lives is the place that our loved ones hold, what they are for us. Some of the relationships we have with our relatives, friends, and colleagues, are precious to us and we store in… our memory the souvenirs of the experiences shared with them.

This is what Jesus was referring to when, on the eve of his death, during the Last Supper he had with his friends he told them: “Do this in memory of me” – words that Paul repeats to the Corinthians in the 2nd reading (1 Cor.11:23-26).

Jesus asks us to remember him:

– Remember this gift of himself in the Eucharist.
– Remember who he is and what he wants to be for us.
– Remember what he has done for us, and what he is ready to do for us in the future.
– Remember what he taught us, what he asks us to do and to be.
– Remember what he has promised us,  what is waiting for us.

Indeed, there is much to remember and… to keep in mind. Every Eucharistic celebration, and especially that of today’s feast, helps us to do so.

Source: Image: saltandlighttv.org