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The Alphabet of Life – Letter R

11 mars 2024
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: "back to his senses", Father, journey, Luke 15:11-32, Prodigal son, return

R for Return

Returning… THE return
The return that the period of Lent proposes to us.
It is one of the important themes of this special season.

An inspiring text of Luke’s gospel describes the journey to which we are invited.
The parable is well known to us – it is the one entitled: The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32).

The familiar story points out that, having squandered all his heritage, the young man finds himself without any resources.
He regrets bitterly all that he used to enjoy in his Father’s house.
It is then that the turnaround takes place!
The text says clearly: “He came to his senses”. Or, “He returned to himself”.

“He came to his senses, he said,
‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare,
and here I am starving to death! 
I will set out and go back to my father and say to him:
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 
I am no longer worthy to be called your son;
make me like one of your hired servants’.”

Having returned to himself, he decides to return to his father.
The welcome that awaits him goes far beyond what he could have anticipated – a feast, yes,
but more still the renewed relationship with his father in the manner of the Father whom Jesus evokes.

“While he was still a long way off,
his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him;
he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him”.

It is precisely this Father – the Father of Jesus – who awaits OUR return.
The return from… our self-complacency,… our obstinacy… our hypocrisy…

We have first to return to ourselves…
Then, step by step, to set out on the road which will bring us back ‘home’ – to HIM.

Source: Image: Free Bible Images

5th Sunday of Year C – 2022

4 février 2022
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Apostle Peter, compassion, fear of God, image of God, Isaiah 6:1-8, Luke 15:11-32, Luke 5:1-11, prophet Isaiah, return, sins


The mention of the word GOD can bring different images to our minds, images and feelings.
Sad to say, often the first feeling that arises within us is… fear.
It has been so through the history of humanity – people have been afraid of the God they worshipped.

The 1st reading of this Sunday (Isaiah 6:1-8) shows the prophet Isaiah reacting in fear to the vision he is given:

 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips…
and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

In the gospel (Luke 5:1-11), we see Peter, the apostle, who “fell at Jesus’ knees and said:
“Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

How long, indeed how long, does it take us to move from this picture of a fear-inspiring God,
to the picture of God that Jesus himself gave us – that of a God of tenderness and compassion.

In the parable of the Prodigal son – which is in fact that of the Prodigal God – (Luke 15:11-32) 
Jesus shows us, he literally shows us, what kind of a God his Father, and OUR Father, is:

  • a God who is NOT put off by our sins, no matter how shameful, but always ready to forgive us,
  • a God who is anxiously waiting for our return,
  • a God who bends to lift us up,
  • a God with no thought of punishment (as we so easily picture him) but only of showering on us his blessings of all kinds.

This is how God revealed himself in Jesus – nobody else would have dared to… ‘invent’ such a god…
Jesus became his incarnation, his very presence among us.

If this is not our image of God, then…
we need to abandon all other images of him and accept this ‘vision’ of him that is the true one.
 

Note: Another reflection on a different theme is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/5e-dimanche-de-lannee-c-2022/

 

Source: Images: istockphoto.com    bible.com    Worship House Media

Ash Wednesday, Year A – 2020

26 février 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 21st century, blessing, invitation, Joel 2:12-18, message, return

An unusual day, especially for people of the 21st century.
But on this day a special message is addressed to us –
a message that is altogether demanding and comforting.
It is an invitation, would we say… a petition from God?

He speaks to us in a direct and personal way through the prophet Joel:
(1st reading – Joel 2:12-18).

”Even now, declares the Lord,
return to me with all your heart…
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love…
Who knows? He may turn and relent
and leave behind a blessing.”

The Lord, OUR God, we are told.
Who is he? Who does he want to be for US?

NOT a thought.
NOT a theme.
NOT a text.
NOT a thesis.
But a PERSON, really REAL.

He is the one calling us, urging us to turn to him, to return to him,
so that he may be able to bless us.

Could we refuse such a request… from him?

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/mercredi-des-centres-annee-a-2020/

 

Source: Image: biblia.com

 

1st Sunday of Lent, Year C – 2019

9 mars 2019
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 'good news', God's answer, protection, Ps.91:10-15, remind, return, too good, trouble, waiting

“It is too good to be true!” – no doubt, you have heard these words as well as I have.
Some people do not want to be seen as naive, or gullible, believing easily any piece of good news.
They are not trusting easily the messengers of happy tidings.

Strange – and sad to say – some will even doubt THE… ‘good news’!
The good news of who God is and what he wants to be for us.

It is true that he goes far beyond what we could expect or even dream of.
This thought comes to me as I read again the words of today’s response
to the 1st reading (Ps.91:1-2,10-15) where God himself says:

“I rescue all who cling to me,
I protect whoever knows my name,
I answer everyone who invokes me,,
I am with them when they are in trouble.”
 
“All… Whoever… Everyone…”
No restriction, no limits, no qualification or credentials required.
No past experience or achievement of any kind.
One and all are acceptable to this God of ours –
a God who is waiting, always waiting for our return to him.

This is what Lent is about, is it not?
To return and to REMIND ourselves of this amazing truth…
When it is God who speaks, is it not too good NOT to be true!

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/1er-dimanche-du-careme-annee-c-2019/

A short video is also available on this theme in French: https://youtu.be/cpfWC7eed1A

Source: Image: Kozman