Monday 23 February 2015

Year B - Second Sunday of Lent

Second Sunday of Lent - Year B
Genesis 22, 1-2-9...18
Psalm 115
Romans 8, 31-34
Mark 9, 2-10

To go further
Details

- It's time for judgement. The demin carries on, quite vehemently, with his accusing work (which explains his name "Akusator". He's the accusation attorney, dressed in red.
- On the other side, there is God, who has the last word. Here, he says "STOP" and he's going to decide.

Questions

- Have you ever noticed that amongst Christians, the defense attorney (Jesus) is also the judge?
- These words, from Romans 8,31 should be known by heart. It's powerful and so true. No-one can take anything for the Father's hands. We're there, and no-one can separate us from God's love, expressed through Jesus Christ.

I won't say more than that, there's already a lot to think about.

Wednesday 18 February 2015

Year B - Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday - Year B

A joyful Lent? Easy.
On Ash Wednesday, Christians meet for a celebration where there is an "imposition of ashes". This is a sign of penitence.
The gesture is a cross which the priest makes on each person's forehead, together with some words. "Convert yourselves and believe in the Gospel" or "Remember that you once were dust and you will go back to dust".

Depending on the priest, the gesture isn't always the same...

What about you? Which one of those were you?
If anyone says 6, I may not quite believe him...

Monday 16 February 2015

Year B - First Sunday of Lent

First Sunday of Lent - Year B
Genesis 9, 8-15
Psalm 24
1 Peter 3, 18 - 22
Mark 1, 12-15

To go further
Details

- When we are baptised, God makes a commitment towards us. We become "Children of God", His children ! Those of you who have children know that we can't have children without committing to feed them, house them, bring them up...
- On this drawing, God commits, he's already signed. He's asking the baptised person for something in return.
- Baptism isn't a stamp that gives your a right to other sacraments (communion, confirmation, confession, marriage…), it's first and foremost a gift. God gives his life for me. God commits for me. Check on the picture, where you're supposed to sign, what can you see ? There's a cross on the cap of the pen. This is God's commitment. He commits to loving me even if I turn my back on Him, loving me even if I betray Him, loving me to the death, even to death on a cross.
- The rabbit is trying to get away from it. "He wasn't told" that you had to give something in return. Maybe I didn't ask to be baptised ? Maybe I feel like I was forced and now I'm forced to commit ? If that's the case, then maybe I should first try to understand the real meaning of baptism. Then, I will probably be quite pleased to have been baptised.

Questions

- The rabbit is accusing the other "I wasn't told". It's often quite easy to say so. It takes away any responsibility. It's just like saying "It's not my fault" and the problem is solved. When I commit to something, do I think about the consequences ?
- If things don't turn out as expected, do I run away from my responsibilities, do I look for answers somewhere else or do I accept my responsibilities ?
- Find an example when you ran away from your responsibilities and one when you accepted them.

Monday 9 February 2015

Year B - Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B
Leviticus 13, 1...46
Psalm 31
1 Corinthians 10, 31-11, 1
Mark 1, 40-45



To go further

Details and questions:

-There's not much to see, apart from two details : the angle of vision and the colours.
-The angle of vision used is called "high angle": we look from up high. It reinforces the superiority of the one who is observing and the smallness of what is observed. How do I consider the people or the material tasks which are less rewarding? Standing on my pedestal?
-The colours, everything is dull (grayscale) apart from the rabbit, his gloves, his sink strainer, his apron... This shows that everything in our life, the same events, the same people, the same landscapes... can be dull or amazing, depending on how we look at them.
Do everything for the glory of God... The secret resides in the "Spirit in which we do things."
Do I do things simply because they have to be done?
Or do I give some meaning to everything I do? A soul? A goal? To anticipate the reign of God?

Monday 2 February 2015

Year B - Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B
Job 7, 1...7
Psalm 146
1 Corinthians 9, 16...23
Mark 1, 29-39



To go further

Details and questions:

- Sometimes, we look for God... but we close our eyes... The rabbits' attitudes reflect the way in which we look for God. From left to right.
-We walk forwards and we look backwards. We refuse to let go of the past.
-We shout towards God but we close our eyes to make sure we can't see what he's asking for...
-We face him, we hold a magnifying glass and inspect details, but we forget the Essential (Him)
-We are close to Him (the rabbit in the middle) and we look somewhere else (distraction while we pray)
-We are lost in the bushes and we struggle. Why are we looking for Him in the bushes? (we refuse to leave our entanglement and stubbornness)
-We're looking under the stones. All these stones are so heavy to lift! (exhaustion from looking the wrong way, occultism, pseudo-revelations, miracle makers...)
-We're looking for Him in dialogue "Haven't you seen him?" and the other one shakes his head "No" (refusal to testify to the wonders that God made in our lives, and which could help the other one move forward)
-And also, the cross is very visible, but we prefer to look for God in glory... Don't we?