Recherche

image-i-nations trésor

possessions

28th Sunday of Year B – 2024

11 octobre 2024
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: assess anew, detachment, estimages, eternal life, Mark 10:17-30, poor, possessions, real value, reappraise, riches, wealth

There are times when we feel we are no longer sure about certain things which we thought we knew well.
We suddenly become aware that we may need to take into consideration some factors and readjust our thinking.

It could be so regarding… wealth, riches, possessions…
It may be that we need to reappraise, to evaluate anew, to assess again, to revise the estimates we had made…
Today’s gospel text may lead us to do just that (Mark 10:17-30).

The scene presents us a man who comes to Jesus with a most important question:
he wants to know how to inherit eternal life – no less!
The text tells us:
“He had great wealth”.

But, as Jesus answers him, he tells him openly:
“One thing you lack…”

No matter how great his wealth, or how many possessions he has acquired, he is told, and he knows, deeply, that something is missing.
This mysterious ‘thing’ is… DETACHMENT… he is ‘possessed’ by his possessions!

Jesus’ invitation is to let go, to give to the poor something of his riches and, in this way, obtain “a treasure in heaven”.
Jesus calls him to reconsider what is truly of value, something enduring, everlasting.
None of the riches he owns will last eternally – they may be damaged, lost, stolen…
But to let go of what he has amassed and considers precious… he cannot do.

No wonder we are told that:
“The man’s face fell. He went away sad…”
Because he was not ready to follow Jesus’ way – the way that brings liberation.

We may feel that we resemble him in some ways.
We may also be like the apostles who were “amazed” at Jesus’ words.
The Jews of the time believe that riches were a sign of God’s favour.

Jesus makes it clear that God’s true blessings enable us to do what is impossible for us:
leaving behind what we hold as precious to follow Jesus’ way…

 

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/28e-dimanche-de-lannee-b-2024/

 

Source: Image: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

3è dimanche de l’Avent, année B – 2023-2024

15 décembre 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Trésor ancien et nouveau
Mots-clés: 1 Thessaloniciens 5:16-24, bonheur, Isaïe 61:1-2, Isaïe 61:10-11, Joie, Luc 1:46-54, plaisir, possessions, relation avec Dieu, relations

Plaisir, joie, bonheur – ces mots se retrouvent souvent dans nos conversations.
La répétition que nous en faisons n’indique-t-elle pas un besoin, un espoir, une attente?
Qui de nous ne désire pas être heureux/heureuse?
La question ne se pose même pas!

Ce 3è dimanche de l’Avent est justement connu comme ‘le dimanche de la JOIE’.
Les textes de la célébration évoquent cette réalité.
Dans la 1ère lecture, le prophète Isaïe s’exclame (Isaïe 61:1-2,10-11):

« Je tressaille de joie dans le Seigneur,
mon âme exulte en mon Dieu ».

Le répons à la lecture est le Magnificat, le chant de joyeuse action de grâce de Marie –
un écho du texte du prophète (Luc 1:46-54):

« Mon âme exalte le Seigneur,
exulte mon esprit en Dieu, mon Sauveur! »

Dans la 2è lecture, nous entendons les paroles de l’apôtre Paul qui écrit aux Thessaloniciens.
Il leur dit (1 Thessaloniciens 5:16-24):

« Soyez toujours dans a joie ».

En lisant ces lignes, plusieurs penseront avec raison : ‘Mais on ne peut pas se commander d’être heureux!’
On ne peut pas non plus se procurer du bonheur aux magasins de grande surface ou à une boutique exclusive!
Mais on peut en découvrir la source et… se familiariser avec les chemins qui y conduisent…

Peut-être faut-il d’abord prendre conscience que le bonheur ne se trouve pas dans les possessions mais dans les relations.
Relations entre nous, évidemment – les relations harmonieuses ont un goût de bonheur, nous le savons.

Et relation… avec Dieu!
Il nous faut apprendre à connaître, et reconnaître, celui dont Jean le Baptiste affirme (Jean 1:6-8,19-28):

« Au milieu de vous se tient celui que vous ne connaissez pas ».

Cette période de l’Avent est un moment privilégié pour cette expérience de ‘re-connaissance’…

 

Note: Cette réflexion se prolonge dans la courte vidéo qui suit: https://youtu.be/FkbFjFQHFvQ?si=xvQba5ZKyMmzpwGD

 Et une autre réflexion, sur un thème différent, est disponible en anglais à: https://image-i-nations.com/3rd-sunday-of-advent-year-b-2023-2024/

Source: Images: Scripture Media – Savior Connect      The Scarlet Thread

4è dimanche de l’année A – 2023

27 janvier 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Trésor ancien et nouveau
Mots-clés: 1 Corinthiens 1:26-31, économie, libération, Matthieu 5:1-12, obsession, pauvreté, possessions, Sophonie 2:3, Sophonie 3:12-13

Le bulletin quotidien des nouvelles, locales ou internationales, ne manque pas de présenter de l’information sur l’économie.
« Ça va de soi, direz-vous: l’économie ça touche tout un chacun, ça intéresse tout le monde! »

Et… la pauvreté? Ah… de la pauvreté, on ne peut pas en dire autant…
La pauvreté, on ne veut pas la voir,
on préfère ne pas connaître les statistiques qui l’expliquent,
on essaie d’oublier les lieux et les situations qui la démontrent trop clairement…

Dans ce cas, il faudrait alors ne pas s’attarder aux lectures de la célébration de ce dimanche –
chacune d’elles nous en parle et… en termes presque… choquants!

1ère lecture: « Je laisserai chez toi un peuple pauvre et petit… » (Sophonie 2:3; 3:12-13)
2è lecture: « Ce qui est d’origine modeste… voilà ce que Dieu a choisi… » (1 Corinthiens 1:26-31)

Évangile: « Heureux les pauvres de cœur… » (Matthieu 5:1-12)

Être pauvre, vraiment pauvre…
Connaître au quotidien: besoin, manque, misère, destitution, dénuement, détresse…
Tant de gens en font l’expérience jour après jour…

Mais Jésus nous appelle-t-il à cela dans ce texte bien connu des Béatitudes –
cette répétition des contrastes frappants qu’il affirme: « Bienheureux… »
« Bienheureux… » tous ceux/celles dont la situation nous semble bien peu favorable au bonheur!

NON, Jésus ne nous demande pas de rechercher la pauvreté sous forme de misère et destitution.
Au contraire, il nous demande de contribuer à l’enrayer autant que possible!
Alors, à quoi nous invite-t-il en nous promettant le bonheur?

Il nous invite à: la libération de l’obsession des possessions!
Et cette bienheureuse attitude surgit du détachement et du partage.
Le cœur ‘pauvre’ est le cœur qui n’est pas possédé par ses possessions…

C’est le cœur de celui/celle
        prêt/e à donner comme à recevoir,
       disposé/e à offrir autant qu’à amasser,
       heureux/se, oui, vraiment heureux/se de se déposséder pour enrichir l’autre.

Avons-nous un tel coeur?…

 

Note: Une autre réflexion, sur un thème différent, est disponible en anglais à: https://image-i-nations.com/4th-sunday-of-year-a-2023/

 

Source: Image: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Days

6th Sunday of Year C – 2022

11 février 2022
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: happiness, hatred from others, hunger, Jeremiah 17:5-8, pleasures, possessions, poverty, prestige, sadness

Poverty, hunger, sadness, hatred from others – who would dare say that these will bring happiness?
Someone has dared to say so – Jesus did when speaking to the crowds eager to listen to him (Luke 6:17,20-26).

I wonder how they reacted, all those listening to him on that day…
As they walked back home, they must have been puzzled, wondering about such an unusual message.

I ask myself: ‘Nowadays, how many people are listening to these words, listening and being ready to accept the message given – such a challenging message!’…

Possessions and prestige, this is what people are looking for, not poverty and hunger.
Enjoying life and all the pleasures it can offer, this is what appeals to people, not suffering and sadness.

Of course, there is the promise – the promise of the kingdom of God, of future satisfaction and joy, a reward waiting in heaven.
But precisely, this is all to come… in the future.
This perspective has not much interest for people living in what has been qualified as a time of instant gratification!
Enjoying life now, not in what seems to many as a doubtful future.

We, each one of us, are faced with a choice, a challenge: accepting Jesus’ message and following him, or…
Or, following our own path, searching, and searching, never really finding what we are longing for…

In the 1st reading, the prophet Jeremiah says (Jeremiah 17:5-8):

“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord”.

Trust and hope: relying on someone who cannot disappoint our search – this is the option offered to us.
Instead of a constant search leading to… a dead end.

 

Note: Another reflection on a different theme is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/6e-dimanche-de-lannee-c-2022/

 

Source: Image: historyandthenews.wordpress

Chemise… Bonheur?… Trésor!

11 août 2019
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Image - message
Mots-clés: malheureux, or, possessions, riche, solitaire, un sage

L’évangile de ce 19è dimanche (année C – Lc.12:34) parle de trésor…

Un homme astucieux avait amassé une grande fortune. Il avait réussi à obtenir tout ce qu’il désirait.
Mais après un certain temps, il a réalisé qu’il possédait tout… excepté le bonheur.

Un jour, il entendit parler d’un sage qui vivait en solitaire au désert.
Les gens disaient de lui qu’il était l’homme le plus heureux du monde et qu’il suffisait de porter sa chemise pour être heureux.

L’homme riche se rendit le voir et lui offrit un sac rempli d’or lui demandant d’acheter sa chemise.
– Je ne peux te la vendre, dit le sage.
– Pourquoi pas? demanda l’homme riche.
– Parce que je n’en ai pas.
– Si tu n’as même pas une chemise, comment donc peux-tu être heureux?

À ceci, le sage répondit :
– Une seule chose peut rendre un homme heureux – un trésor. Malheur à celui qui n’a pas de trésor.
L’homme fortuné s’exclama :
– J’ai de multiples trésors, et pourtant, je ne suis pas heureux.

Lentement, ces mots de sagesse lui furent adressés :
Tu as beaucoup d’argent et des biens de tous genres, mais tu n’as pas de trésor. Voilà pourquoi tu es si malheureux.

Source : Adaptation, Texte : George Madore, Prions en Église, 10 août 1980   Images : commons.wikipedia.org   soonyata.home.xs4all.nl

 

 

5th Sunday of Lent, Year B

15 mars 2018
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: choice, detachment, disciple of Christ, dying, dying to oneself, Jn.12:20-33, modern parable, possessions, real self, realizations, reputation

Among the gospel texts, there are some which are more than a little demanding…
And, when it is Jesus himself who speaks to us, there is no trying to escape.
Some may try to pretend they do not understand, but somehow they know they are deceiving themselves.

On this 5th Sunday of Lent (Year B – Jn.12:20-33) we are told:

“Anyone who loves his life loses it;
anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (v.25)
(Text also found in Luke 9:24)
 
Some may discuss on the real meaning of ‘losing one’s life’.
Some may argue about what it entails.
Some may wonder what it demands from each one of us.

Most people will admit that it is about detachment.
But what is it ‘to be detached’?
Detached from what and… detached for what?

A modern parable makes it quite clear.
A man on pilgrimage to a renowned shrine was passing through a remote area where a poor man was living who had a reputation of holiness.
The pilgrim happened to reach the hut of the holy man at lunch time.
The poor man quickly opened a small bag and he took out a slice of bread which he broke into two pieces giving one half to his visitor.
As he did this, a precious stone also came out of the bag.
The traveler was amazed at the jewel sparkling in the noon sun.
He asked the poor man for the stone and the holy man gave it to him without hesitation.
On his return journey, the traveler brought back the jewel to the poor man saying:
“Now, give me rather what enabled you to give me so readily the only thing you possessed!”
 
This holy man was truly detached – he did possess something and something very precious –
yet, he was ready to give it without the slightest hesitation.

Perhaps it is a question of NOT being possessed by our possessions…
Someone has given a very simple definition of ‘detachment’ saying :
‘If I have something I like, it’s fine;
if I don’t have it, it’s also fine!’

Detachment of our possessions, our realizations, our reputation –
our real self is so much deeper!

In general, dying is something people do not like to think about and even less so to speak about.
Dying to … oneself, is no easier to envisage and yet…
It is essential to one who calls himself, or herself, a disciple of Christ.

Of such is discipleship made of, but the choice to be and a disciple of Christ is and remains ours…

Note: Another reflection on a different theme is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/5e-dimanche-careme-annee-b/

Source: Image: Pinterest

17th Sunday of Year A

27 juillet 2017
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: buying, choices, décisions, delay, field, giving up, gospel, happy, Mt.13:44-46, options, pearl, possessions, postpone, radical, roots, selling, treasure, venture

The gospel message is quite… radical!
This statement may appear somehow shocking to some people but it is very true.
The term ‘radical’ comes from a foreign word meaning ‘roots’ and the gospel message does exactly that:
It goes to the root of reality, and it wants to reach us at the very root of our being,

The few verses of Matthew’s gospel assigned for today’s celebration (17th Sunday of Year A – Mt.13:44-46) exemplify this.
The text is short, to the point, and its message is more than a little demanding!

The examples given are very clear and challenging:
A man discovers a treasure in a field, he sells everything he owns to buy the field.
Another finds a pearl of great price and he, too, gives up all he possesses to get this precious jewel.

The two narratives are so clear but the attitude they express is, yes, radical:
Selling everything, giving up all one has – a risky venture:
What if the treasure is a fake?
What if the pearl is not genuine?
But the man trusts the preciousness of his find and has no hesitation in parting with whatever was a ‘treasure’ to him up to then.

He does not hesitate, he does not postpone, he does not delay.
More still the gospel text says: “He goes off happy…” to sell and to buy.

No need of lengthy explanation as to what this means for a Christian.
Our daily choices, the many options offered to us, the decisions called for day in day out, ask for the same radical commitment.
This is the authentic living of Christ’s message.

Source: Images: pampanos.wordpress.com   JesusWalk

 

 

 

 

25th Sunday of the Year, C

15 septembre 2016
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: cheating, free, honesty, liberty, Lk.16:1-13, money, possessions, riches, slave

None of us would like to be seen as … a slave – the only thought of it is shocking! We cherish and defend our liberty and we do not want it diminished in any way. And yet… in some rare moments of lucidity and honesty, perhaps… perhaps we would admit – only to ourselves, of course – that we may not be as free as we like to believe…

1080-plusToday may be such a moment. The gospel text of this Sunday (25th, Year C – Lk.16:1-13) gives us some food for thought when we hear Jesus say: “No servant can be the slave of two masters… you cannot be the slave both of God and of money.”

Here again, we may be tempted to protest and say: ‘A slave, me? Of course not!’ Yet… a small inner voice may rise gently and say something different.
MONEY, we need it, we save it, we spend it, we… give some of it, no? It is a ‘must’ of our daily life and activities. What can be done without money? What can be obtained without coins, and bills, and credit cards – all this ‘tainted’ currency? It is only ‘normal’ to acquire possessions, and riches of all kinds, if we can manage it!

We know well that the words of Jesus are the echo of the old saying: “Money is a good servant but a bad master.”
We strive to reach the proper balance between possessing and being possessed… no easy feat…

m-dailyhunt-in

 Some questions can help us look at our status of… slave or free person:
– Do I often complain that I do not have enough money?
– Do I use money properly or do I spend it on useless items?
– Do I sometimes cheat to be able to get things I would not otherwise be able to afford?
– Do I use most of the money I earn for my own purposes and little for my family?
– Do I give money to those in need, or… pretend that I need it myself?

Some are quick to defend themselves saying: ‘I am not rich, I really don’t have much!’ The danger lies not in how rich one is but how attached one is to the little he or she has.
So, perhaps today is THE day to start making friends with money – the kind of friends Jesus speaks about!…

Source: Images: 1080.plus    m.dailyhunt.in