Year B - Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B

Ezzechiel 17, 22-24

2 Corinthians 5, 6-10

Mark 4, 26-34

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Details

-A rabbit goes forwards, with a certain uneasiness. He gropes around.

-The light is behind him. He marches towards blackness.  This is what people look like if they don't believe in God; what is the point of going forwards, if it is only to go into the darkness ? The wall ? Into nothingness ?

-Those who are lucky enough to have faith, even if they cannot see it, they are less fearful for the future because they know that Jesus will not let them fall.

-The rabbits hands and ears are held to the front.  He has faith.

Questions

-Believe, what does it mean?

The "You Cat" (catechism given by Benoît XVI to the young people of JMJ in Madrid) told us at number 22 that it is to "seek a personal relationship with God and to believe in all which God shows to us of Himself"

At the beginning of faith, there is a shock : Man senses that the visible world is not the totality of existence. He finds, little by little, the confidence to address Him and to start a relationship with Him.

To believe, is to agree to Jesus and to place his life on Him.

-Where am I, concerning my faith, following this definition ?

Year B - Blessed Sacrament

Blessed Sacrament - Year B

Exodus 24, 3-8

Psalm 115

Hebrews 9, 11-15

Mark 14, 12...26

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Details

-A grateful rabbit. He is carrying 8 gifts.

-The 8th day is also the first of the week ; the day of the Lord. That which is particularly devoted.

-The angle of view could be that of the Lord, much closer than the rabbit imagines (who looks elsewhere, and far enough.)

-This rabbit recognises that God is at the origin of many things in his life, because he has still 3671 more gifts to get.

-We can see that the gifts on top are fruit and flowers, that is to say that they come from God, that which we cannot construct ourselves.

Questions

-During each mass, we bless the Lord who gives us bread, fruit of the earth and the work of men which actually becomes the body of Christ.
It is quite amazing, this mix between that which comes from the earth, which is the work of man (because bread doesn't simply grow). God makes use of these two elements (nature and work) to make the Temple of his presence when it is consecrated by His Spirit.

-God wants our work, our collaboration.

-Is my work for Him grafted on something He gave me ? That nature gave to me, or is it self-sufficient ?

-Do I recognise that which comes from Him ? On the Lords day, do I think less to ask him something than to say thank you ? (same for the other days…)

-In my spirit, do I give to him or do I receive ?

Year B - Blessed Trinity

Blessed Trinity - Year B

Deuteronomy 4, 32...40

Psalm 32

Romans 8, 14-17

Matthew 28, 16-20

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Details

-We can see a car rolling at full speed. On remarque une voiture qui roule à fond la caisse. It is preparing to overtake.

-The driver is invisible (the car is not remote controlled)

-We cannot see the scenery, it is going to quickly.

-The blue rabbit is almost white with fear. He has his feet on the glove compartment (on the airbag ?) to cling as much as possible.

Questions

 -Interpretation ; this car, it is his life. There are three ways to drive :

            -You take the wheel. You decide everything and God has to follow you.

            -You take the wheel and God sits next to you with the map. He tells you where to go, you listen to Him, but you drive, at your speed.

            -God takes the wheel, and you let him guide you completely.

Well, Gods driving could seem crazy for you (that doesn't mean to say that he would drive too fast but that he would go via some roads that may seem, at times, quite curious)

Yet the folly of God is wiser than that of men. He knows your instruction manual and he takes you where you can be most yourself.

Year B - Pentecost

Pentecost - Year B

Apostles Acts 2, 1-11

Psalm 103

Galatians 5, 16-25

John 15, 26-27 ; 16, 12-15

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Details

-This phrase is the judgement of those who see the Apostles Act, while they speak in other languages. Some are surprised, some choose to mock.
-Here, the rabbit is rather drunk. Visibly, he has imbibed quite a dose of Holy Spirit. (For the children, I point out that one must above all not drink white spirit, it is dangerous and not the Holy Spirit in bottled form!)

-We can distinguish 3 doves and 7 hearts (just as the 7 gifts of the Spirit that we found in Isaiah chapter 11, verse 2 and thereafter)

-The fact that the movements are in white, indicates light.

Questions

-Another liturgical detail, this verse (Ac 2.13) is not part of the text for this Sunday (which in fact stops at 2.11) , and curiously enough, we never hear it, not on Sunday, not in the week (unless I am mistaken...). This is why I wished to mention it here.

-To receive the holy spirit, it is not to say that we become, necessarily, as such. It can be externalised in one way or another. That said, what judgement do I have in front of "crazy" Christians ? 

-The white-spirit is used to dissolve paint,  varnish and printing ink (so some hefty stuff). The Holy Spirit does he not dissolve the superficial veneer from our lives, to go deeper? What is my veneer ? How many layers are there ? And if we remove them, I run the risk of being less protected... yet very much more authentic ! I would shine less, but I would have my natural colour.

What is the interest to be shielded ? Do I appreciate shielded people,  hermetic people ? Why ?

If I shield myself, in what way will it distort me ?

Year B - Seventh Sunday of Easter

Seventh Sunday of Easter - Year B

Apostles Acts 1, 15-17, 20-26

Psalm 102

1 John 4, 11-16

John 17, 11-19

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Details

-These glasses represent the Holy Trinity.

The lens on the left, it is the Father that we don't see but who is the Light.

The lens on the right, it is the Son, Jesus, who reveals the Father to us. When we look upon Jesus, we see the Father. He show us the Father with his hand.

He who links the Father to the Son, it is the Holy Spirit (The bar in the centre upon which is written Spirit)

-On the left arm, we see (and not so easily) "FIDES". It is the faith which reveals our God to us, in three people. In other words, by faith and the Revelation, it is possible to find God with ones intelligence, but impossible to arrive at the conclusion that God is three people.

Questions

(Here, one must decide upon which to work, because there are too many)

-In the Gospal of John, chapter 14, Jesus says "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father". Can I say "Whoever sees me, sees Christ"? Following this verse, it shows me that if reside in Love, we can see God in me. How am I positioned concerning those perons who I like the least ? Who are they ? Why do they disgust me? What would Jesus do in my place ? How would he welcome them ? Have I completely rejected someone? Why ?

- Have I ever been met by someone, who truly loved, to the point of giving their time, their money, their skills, without expecting anything in return ? Have I myself experienced this ? Have I been conscious that this internal voice pushing me to react came from further than me (from God without doubt) ?

Year B - Ascension

Ascension - Year A

Apostles Acts 1, 1 - 11

Psalm 46

Ephesians 1, 17 - 23

Mark 16, 15-20

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Details

A lot of unexpected things in one image. From left to right ;

- A demon expelled from a rabbit (visibly surprised to have such a thing inside him)

- The rabbit who announces the good news , on a background of the rising sun. He only needs to speak for the Lord to act.

- At the front, on the right, the deaf rabbit starts to hear.

- Behind him, silhouetted, the lame rabbit who jumps whilst throwing his crutch.

- And all the way to the right, the dead rabbit is resuscitated and comes out of his tomb jumping as well.

- The decor is simple, there is nothing but nature, we can not see any "human works".

- Man returns to his initial purpose , he came from God and is made for God. The only "instruments" (crutch for the lame rabbit, horn for the deaf rabbit) are now useless.

Questions

-In the order of faith, we can do things for God or do things for God. Both are good, but the second is better. If we rely on ourselves, we can accomplish great things which might be fine, but if we rely on God, it will be even better, even if the result is not always perceptible to us. What do I prefer in my heart? How can I implement it this week?

Year B - Sixth Sunday of Easter

Sixth Sunday of Easter - Year B

Apostles Acts 10, 25-26, 34-35, 44-48, 8, 15-17

Psalm 97

1 John 4, 7-10

John 15, 9-17

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Details

This verse is taken from a story that I like very much. A centurion who does not know God (his name is Cornelius) has an apparition and God asks him to go to Joppa, and look in a particular house, for a certain Peter. He does not know him, he does not know why but he sends men to get him. The same day, Peter has a vision of a great sheet, falling from the sky, filled with animals. God asks him to eat these animals. Peter refuses because, he says, "They are impure". This vision works and at that moment the men sent by Cornelius arrive. Peter follows them, then once he arrives, he begins to speak to Jesus. Right in the middle of his discourse, the holy spirit takes hold of all those who listen (it is the cartoon of the week). We see Peter on the right, the first to be surprised.

Cornelius is represented on the left. When the Holy Spirit falls on him, he becomes inhabited by the spirit. He has the form of a dove, symbol of the Holy Spirit. He seems happy, he is in the light,  he is ready to fly with his own wings.

The three rays show that God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is at work (everywhere where there is the holy spirit, there is the father and the son) and the twelve stars show that the mission of the twelve is to transmit the word of God so that the Holy Spirit can do the rest.

Questions

-And I, am I conscious of the power of the word of God? When this good news is proclaimed and experienced in my life, the Holy Spirit can act through me.

-Am I available like Cornelius? Do I shake myself in my prayer like Peter to the point of changing my way of seeing things? When ?