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26th Sunday of Year B

28 septembre 2018
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: authority, exclusion, jealousy, Mk.9:38-43, Nb.11:25-29, outsiders, power, prejudice, pride, segregation, séparation

I read and read again the 1st reading of this Sunday (26th Sunday of Year B – Nb.11:25-29)
and the first part of the gospel (Mk.9:38-43)
and… I try to read between the lines –
read the words and the meaning that is hidden there.

The two texts are similar and their message is equally so.
What is depicted there is, unfortunately, something still very much part of our landscape in this 21st century.

We see people trying to jealously keep some prerogatives.
People refusing that some good can be performed by ‘outsiders’.
People who try to prevent others to realize something positive as if it were their sole responsibility to do so.
People who want those in authority to side with them and support their attitude.

All this results in separation, segregation, exclusion, under the pretext:
those others are not from among us!
Power, pride, prejudice – all present there in a shameful display!

“If only the whole people of the Lord were prophets,
and the Lord gave his Spirit to them all!”
 
Moses, the wise leader, has the right answer as he replies to Joshua – an old saying which would serve us well.
If only… we lived according to it.

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/26e-dimanche-de-lannee-b/

Source: Image: Free Bible Images

Feast of Epiphany, year A

5 janvier 2017
Nicole Gregoire
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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