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Spirit of God

Feast of Pentecost, Year A – 2023

26 mai 2023
Nicole Gregoire
2 Comments
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Abba, Acts 2:1-3, dove, Genesis 1:2, Jean 3:8, Matthew 3:16, Romans 8:15, Spirit of God, tongues of fire, wind, wisdom

People think about God… and they talk about God…
Some ask the question whether God exists…
Others wonder about him… Who is he really?…

Professors explain his attributes with expertise,
Scripture scholars search ancient documents to know more about him, as they should…
Theologians teach about his nature and his relation to human beings, of course…
Wise people continue to reflect about what they hear…

It may be appropriate to remind ourselves that…
GOD is NOT
                      a thought
                     a theme
                     a thesis…

He is not the product of our imagination, he is beyond all we can think of.
He is a PERSON really and truly.

Such a reflection is relevant on this feast of Pentecost.
It is significant because it is precisely in ‘signs’ or ‘symbols’ that we can speak of God’s Spirit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Different Bible texts evoke his presence:

  • “hovering over the surface of the waters” (Genesis 1:2).
  • “descending like a dove and alighting on Jesus” after his baptism in the Jordan (Matthew 3:16).
  • Like “the wind (that) blows where it wishes… So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit”, in the words of Jesus to Nicodemus (John 3:8).
  • “When the day of Pentecost came… they saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that came to rest on each of them” (Acts 2:1,3).

Sings, symbols, evocation… leading to the perception of God’s Spirit who alone can reveal himself to us.

A lifetime attuned to this Spirit,
moving under his guidance,
transformed by his presence…

The Spirit enlightening our own spirit,
gently blowing within us his wisdom,
teaching us to speak ‘Abba’ with the unique accent of his children… (Romans 8:15)

This is what this celebration is about.
      

Another text is available on a different theme, in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/fete-de-la-pentecote-annee-a-2023/

 

Source: Images: pexels.com (Cesar Coni)   3-Minute Bible Studies    pexels.com (Indonesia Nature)    Living in the Spirit

 

32nd Sunday of Year A – 2020

6 novembre 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: commitment, consequence, Mt.25:1-13, question, reminder, sleeping, Spirit of God, waiting for the Lord, waiting on the Lord

Listening to a speaker not very interesting, one may fall asleep.
Falling asleep watching a television program rather dull is also common.
It happens also that we fall asleep while waiting for someone who delays in coming.

Such situations are not serious and of not much consequence.
But… Jesus’ parable in today’s gospel – that of the Ten bridesmaids – (Mt.25:1-13) leads us to ask the question:
‘Are we falling asleep while waiting for… the Lord?’
This is more serious indeed.

It may be that we are distracted by more pressing concerns, more interesting activities, perhaps.
We have possibly somehow forgotten the presence of God and our commitment to follow him.
We may feel that he does not make his presence felt as we would like him to do…
His action in the world is not obvious and…
his intervention in our lives when we need him most does not always correspond to what we hope for.

So, Jesus’ words are a reminder – serious and urgent – that we are to keep watch,
to be alert and intent on welcoming him
at whatever time and in whatever situation he chooses to reach us.

Waiting for the Lord we should be waiting on the Lord:
being attentive to him and responsive to the inspiration of his Spirit.
 

Note: Another reflection on a different theme in French can be found at: https://image-i-nations.com/32e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2020/

 

Source: Images: www.marysrosaries.com   Pinterest

Feast of Pentecost, Year B

18 mai 2018
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Acts 2:1-11, Asking, downcast, Gal.5:16-25, joy, love, patience, peace, self-control, Spirit of God

« Each one bewildered…
They were amazed and astonished… »    

This is what the 1st reading of this feast of Pentecost tells us (Acts 2:1-11)
about the Christians of the first century.
Fast forward to the 21st century, our own period of Christian living,
could not this text describe us as well?
Confused, amazed, astonished, wondering…

We must confess that we try

  • to have interesting ideas,
  • to share joyful messages,
  • to speak words of comfort.

We do our best to be serene and adopt a positive outlook on life.
We want to radiate good feelings and be generally… optimistic, do we not?

But we need to admit that… it does not work –
at least not always, not as often as we would want to.
It happens that we are simply… ‘not in the mood’, as we say.
Our spirits are low and we feel downcast.
We realize that we need a change – a change of… spirit.

Could it be that we need… the Spirit of God?!
In the 2nd reading (Gal.5:16-25) Paul writing to the Christians of Galatia tells them of the fruits of the Spirit:
“Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness, and self-control…”

Different from what we think, feel, see around?
Definitely!
But we cannot simply, take, grab, appropriate such attitudes –
we need to learn to… grow into them.
With some help? Of course!

But help is available, offered and freely given… if we only ask for it… yes, ASK FOR IT –
on Pentecost, and every day!

Source: Images: jw.org   memorizesciptureonthego.com