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25th Sunday of Year A – 2020

18 septembre 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Children, Is.55:6-9, lepers, Mt.20:1-16, rejected, sick, sinners

It happens that we witness situations that go against what we would expect; what we see is totally different from the usual way.
At such times, someone can exclaim: “It’s the world upside down!”

I suppose that the last verse of this Sunday’s gospel (Mt.20:1-16) would lead us to say the same as we hear:

“The last will be first, and the first will be last.”
 
With God, it seems to be the reality in so many ways! A world… upside down!
It is a world where:

  • the sick can touch the Master and be cured
  • the lepers are not kept at a distance
  • the sinners are not condemned without an offer of forgiveness
  • the children are not sent away by adults too serious
  • the Law is at the service of people, not the other way around.

It is a world where the lowly, the impure, the outcast, the rejected, the unworthy are accepted and saved.
A world where… we, too, would feel welcomed – if we accept to take on Jesus’ way.

This way – God’s way – the prophets had spoken about it in his name (1st reading: Is.55:6-9).
Jesus came to live it in our midst inviting us to follow him on this way.

A world upside down but… where it is so good to live!
« The kingdom of God », nothing less!

 

Note: Another reflection on a similar theme in French can be found at: https://image-i-nations.com/25e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2020/

 

Source: Image: World of Empowerment

 

15th Sunday of Year B

13 juillet 2018
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Amos 7:12-17, expérience, God's call, God's message, hardships, hope for, imagine, Mk.6:7-13, rejected, struggles

Bible translations vary one from the other – some use rather strong language while others may opt for expressions with softer overtones.
I always find it interesting to read the same text in different translations; it can be quite enlightening.

Today’s 1st reading (15th Sunday of Year B – Amos 7:12-17), tells us of the prophet Amos’ vocation.
One text reads as follows: “The Lord called me away from my flock and told me, ‘Go…’ ”
Another says: “The Lord took me from my flock and told me, ‘Go…’ ”
Still another tells us: “The Lord seized me from my flock and told me, ‘Go…’ ”
 
“The Lord called…
The Lord, took…
The Lord seized…”
 
To be ‘seized’ by God is… quite an experience!
Some of you reading these lines could vouch for that…
It was something unexpected, perhaps, but you do remember the day, even the place, where it happened.
And, from then on, your life has not been the same again…

Such an intervention by God is not a reward.
It is not either the coronation of our efforts.
It is not the sign of some achievement or success on our part.
In fact, it often carries an implicit ‘warning’ that things may not be easy in the future.

The kind of warning Jesus gives his apostles as he sends them to people (today’s gospel: Mk.6:7-13).
Like Amos before them, they too may be rejected together with Go’s message they are bringing.

But being seized by God is a unique experience and goes beyond all that we could imagine or hope for!
It is worth all the hardships and the struggles.

Note: Another reflection is available in French on a different theme at: https://image-i-nations.com/15e-dimanche-de-lannee-b/

Source: Images: Ernest Angley Ministries   youtube.com