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Feast of Mary, Mother of God, Year A – 2020

31 décembre 2019
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: adventure, finding, glorify God, hurry, Lk.2:16-21, New Year, praise God, shepherds

There are different ways of reading a gospel text, or listening to it.
Sometimes, we have a sense of ‘déjà vu’ – it seems we know all about it for such a long time.
At other times, what is described feels strange, foreign, not related to our own experience.

But the quiet contemplation of a scene can be instructive and truly inspiring.
On this Feast of Mary, Mother of God, today’s gospel text (Lk.2:16-21) can be exactly this for us.

“The Shepherds hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby…
They spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child…
They returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen.”
 
“All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them…”

“Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” 

  • Hurrying to find…
  • Sharing what has been discovered…
  • Glorifying and praising God…
  • Marvelling at what happens…
  • Treasuring up and keep pondering…

A good programme for the adventure through the new year just beginning!

Note: another reflection is available on a different theme on French at: https://image-i-nations.com/fete-de-marie-mere-de-dieu-annee-a-2020/

 

Source: Image: Armenian church us (Rembrandt painting)
 

 

 

 

 

 

Feast of the Holy Family, Year B

28 décembre 2017
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Child Jesus, creativity, distance, expérience, imagination, intergenerational, Lk.2:22-40, Mary and Joseph, message, misunderstanding, praise God, Simeon and Anna, wisdom

‘Intergenerational’ – this is the ‘in-word’ nowadays!
People use it in all kinds of situations:

  • reports about prevailing trends in society speak about it;
  • architects and builders offer us new ‘intergenerational’ houses;
  • even people of our liturgical team invite us to ‘intergenerational celebrations’.

It is interesting to note that today’s gospel text on the Feast of Holy Family (Year B – Lk.2:22-40) shows us an ‘intergenerational scene’.
We meet first a young couple following the Jewish custom of presenting their first-born to the Temple.
And there, in the Temple, we see an old prophetic figure – that of Simeon – followed by an equally old feminine prophetic presence – that of Anna.

The elderly people praise God for the gift of this Child.
They also have a message for the younger man and woman: Mary and Joseph.
These two will listen to the words of this message and keep them.

Their attitude makes us wonder… how great it would be it the same happened in our world today.
Sad to say, when speaking of different generations, what is often stated is: refusal to listen to one another, misunderstanding, distance…

Perhaps today’s celebration could be seen as an invitation to pause and think…
Think of the experience and wisdom older people have to offer.
Think also of the imagination and creativity the younger people can contribute.
And think how all of these: experience, wisdom, imagination and creativity, could make life so much richer and interesting!

Source: Images: lds.org   joeskillen.com   heartlight.org