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Feast of Mary, Mother of God, Year B – 1st January 2024

31 décembre 2023
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: children of God, Galatians 4:4-7, proof

Proofs – there are all kinds of them, some more reliable than others, of course.
Some proofs are solid and justify our trust, others may be promising but they are rather whimsical.

When their origin is… God himself, proofs deserve our full attention.
Mysterious proofs… dependable proofs…

The text of today’s 2nd reading speaks of proof, and it offers a powerful message (Galatians 4:4-7):
“The proof that you are sons (children) is that God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts”. *

An amazing affirmation, is it not?
It may be that God knows that we do not always realize that we are indeed his children.
He reminds us of this through the apostle Paul writing to the first Christians of Galatia.

Often, we live our lives, from day to day, without being aware of this astonishing reality:
WE ARE INDEED GOD’S CHILDREN.
The Spirit of God makes us so and, in our name, dares to call God ‘Abba, Father’.

The period of Christmas has made us more conscious of God’s Son – Jesus who became a human being like us.
This feast of his Mother, Mary, may be a good opportunity for us to renew our conviction that we, too, are God’s children.

 

* Note from the author: This translation is from the Jerusalem Bible. Some other translations do not use the word ‘proof’.

 

Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French, at: https://image-i-nations.com/fete-de-marie-mere-de-dieu-annee-b-1er-janvier-2024/

 

Source: Image: https://christinesbiblestudy.wordpress.com/

 

 

 

Feast of the Ascension, Year A – 2020

22 mai 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Acts 1:1-11, believe, difficulty, doubts, Mk.9:24, Mt.28:16-20, proof, trust

The gospel texts have much for us to learn, to reflect upon, to be inspired and to be challenged by.
But at times, there are some texts which are also giving us some comfort and encouragement.
It can be a series of verses, but it can also happen that only one line, or even a few words, have some unexpected comforting message.

This is the case in today’s gospel text (Mt.28:16-20) where we are told:
“The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.”
 
This is surprising indeed.
The apostles had been with Jesus for some three years.
They had seen, heard and touched him (as John would later write: 1 Jn.1:1),
noticing what he said and observing what he did.

In the 1st reading is is also said:
“After his suffering, he presented himself to them
and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive.”  (Acts 1:1-11)
 
Still some of the apostles doubted – is it not quite astonishing?
Astonishing, yes, but also encouraging for us who are struggling to believe.

There are moments when our faith is tested… questions arise in our minds.
We find ourselves in situations where we no longer see God present with us.
Some circumstances see us puzzled and perplexed, wondering and searching for meaning.
We are trying to make sense of some event that seems meaningless.

We should not think that this makes us guilty in God’s eyes.
He knows us, fragility is part of our human nature.
God understands our difficulty in trusting him in all things and at all times.
What he expects from us is that we try, and try again… and again.

And he is pleased when we make ours the prayer of the man in the gospel who said to Jesus:
“Lord, I believe but help my unbelief.” (Mk.9:24)
In other words: Help this part of me which is still struggling to overcome my doubts…

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/fete-de-lascension-annee-a-2020/

 
 
Source: Image: www.joyfulheart.com
 
 

 

Easter Sunday, C

26 mars 2016
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 1 Cor.1:25, dram of, German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, God is alive, God is dead, hope for, Jesus' resurrection, miracle, Mt.18:3, proof

time-is-god-coming-back-to-life_friedrich-nietzscheTime-is-god-dead-Friedrich_Nietzsche, redone“God is dead” – the idea has been proclaimed already in 1882 by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.

In fact, this statement could have been voiced – in all truth – on the first ‘Good Friday’, on that day when Jesus was crucified and died on the cross. In Jesus, God-made-man, had died as all human beings do.
And some 40 hours or so later, someone could have proclaimed – again in all truth: GOD IS ALIVE – for this is what Jesus’ resurrection is about!

The simple, astonishing, amazing, staggering truth that GOD IS ALIVE in our midst – this is what we celebrate at Easter.
Who can believe this? Precisely, only those who have… faith.

No miracle is convincing enough for anyone who is not ready to accept this.crosswalk.com
No sign is obvious enough for anyone who does not want to see.
No proof is satisfactory for anyone who wants to entertain doubts.
No argument is conclusive enough for anyone who is not ready to make the leap… of faith!

You ask: Is it not irrational? The Corinthians thought so and were told: “God’s foolishness is wiser that human wisdom” (1 Cor.1:25).
You wonder: Is it not childish? Long ago, we have been reminded: “Unless you become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt.18:3).

The texts telling us of the resurrection of Jesus can remain stories relating some event that happened in the past and… belongs there!
Or, they can provide us with the moment that becomes ‘a point of no return’ – the decision of committing ourselves to Him who opens up to us a life beyond all we could dream of, or hope for…

Source: Images: www.age-of-the-sage.org         crosswalk.com