Year B - Third Sunday of Easter

Third Sunday of Easter - Year B

Apostles Acts 3, 3-15, 17-19

Psalm 4

1 John 2, 1-5

Luke 24, 35-48

To go further

Details

-The Blue rabbit testifies to what he saw (and even feels it on his head ...) the resurrection has projected the tombstone, and he was in the corner.

-Strong from his experience, he's surrounded by bandages, but super happy from his experience.

-However, the grey rabbit wonders if it's bacon or ... rabbit 

Questions

-We can testify to the resurrection of Christ when it has had an impact in our lives (as we can speak with enthusiasm of a movie when we saw it, or of a food recipe when he have tasted it )

-Have I had a resurrection experience in my life over something that was hopeless?

-Do I ask God to put his life in me, for that which I think is now ruined?

-Am I always grateful, or is it all in the past?

-Am I conscious of that fact that if I testify, this could give others the opportunity to find hope? to perhaps find a solution to their impasse?

Year B - Second Sunday of Easter

Second Sunday of Easter - Year B

Apostles Acts 4, 32-35

Psalm 117

1 John 5, 1-6

John 20, 19-31

To go further

Details

-The disciples are closed in. They are verifying that all exits are well guarded. They are on the alert.

-There are several possible locks : On the left, two beams, like a cross, that one can unlock quite quickly. The one in the middle is a final lock. If we look well, the latch cannot be pushed to the left or to the right due to the walls. The door will never open. Then there is the door on the right which is blocked by a bunch of stuff that we can find inside the house ; a mattress, a broom, a fridge, a table (and a bucket of water for the joke)

-And then, Jesus stands in their midst. He is there but nobody sees him. The important thing is not to know how he came to be there but to know that he is there.  He said himself "I am with you until the end of the world". He has not stopped keeping this promise.

-And finally, there is Thomas who stays outside. In the Gospel, we know that he was not there when Jesus appeared for the first time before his disciples.  What is important, is who is inside the house, inside you. It is there that we can meet Jesus.

Questions 

-Fear locks me inside with a phobia for outside, even though my powers are inside me.

E-E Schmitt wrote : "Everything that man has built begins, most often, in fear of the other man. The power of Christianity, it is to denounce this fear and to dare to affirm that human relationships can develop into love".

In what way is this true for me ? Am I aware ?

Year B - Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday - Year B

Apostles Act 10, 34, 37-43

Psalm 117

Colossians 3, 1-4

1 Corinthians 5, 6-8

John 20, 1-9

To go further

Details

-The two disciples arrive at the tomb. John arrives first, and waits outside. Peter enters.

-Peter is perplexed, John enters afterwards, he BELIEVES when he sees... NOTHING.

-In this drawing, Peter scans the shroud, with his glasses, trying to find a rational explanation to the thing. He is looking for something. Maybe he does not know what he is looking for ?
-John seems to have understood. Understood the words of Christ which resonate in him currently "And on the third day he will rise again"
-John looks in two places ; the wall and the exit. Towards what should I look ?

Questions

-In which of these two people do I see myself right now ?-Sometimes, we look for God in wanting him to present himself to us in our way.
-But no, Jesus surprises ! The proof, he has even made his bed before leaving... And this we hadn't seen ? (Yes ? you had noticed ?)

Year B - Good Friday

This reading was not heard today but last Sunday. It is not a problem, there is something to learn anyway...

To go further

Details

Saint Peter will arrange so that the rooster does not sing (Jesus told him "Before the rooster crows twice, you yourself will disown me three times") 

-By this image, I want to underline the fact that there is no "predestination". It is not because the rooster sings that Peter will disown Jesus. It is not because Jesus gave a mouthful to Judas that Satan enters in him. The devil is not in the mouthful, he is in the heart of Judas who has already decided to accomplish his demands. Jesus does not consider Judas as his enemy, he gives him opportunities (when  Judas delivers him, Jesus still calls him "my friend" and he really means it)

-Jesus said "this is my body delivered FOR you". He could have said "delivered BY you", but he keeps the initiative. He gives his life actively, and not passively.

Questions

-It is easier to accuse "destiny", things, people, and try to get rid of the issue, rather than looking at our responsibility head on, concerning evil and sin.

-It is not by knocking the rooster out that my heart will change.

-What are the roosters that I want to knock out ? Which are the people that I want to accuse to clear me of my sins ? of my responsibility ?

Year B - Good Thursday - Mass of the Last Supper

Good Thursday - Mass of the Last Supper - Year A

Exodus 12, 1 - 14

Psalm 115

1 Corinthians 11, 23 - 26

John 13, 1 - 15

To go further

Details

- "How to become a Christian with only one piece of advice"... The only lesson is to do like Jesus.

- At the beginning, this rabbit (on the left) really wants to become a Christian. He receives a sheet, some help from another Christian. The silence of this hand means that at some point, you have to choose and you're alone in front of this choice.

- In the middle, there's an instruction manual which seems very simple: "Do as I have done for you". But that's the issue, WHO are we supposed to copy? If I'm supposed to do like Mother Teresa, that will be very complicated. So if I'm supposed to do like Jesus...Ouch! It's both simple and complicated. Simple because he puts himself at our level and he's no Olympic champion, but a close friend. Complicated because we have to commit to much more than one hour every Sunday. You're committing every place and moments you live. If I am a Christian, I need to represent Jesus wherever I am.

- The rabbit on the right (still the same) prefers a more complicated solution, he wants something measurable. How can you evaluate whether or not you're like Jesus? At the end of the day, you can't say whether you succeeded or not. On the other hand, accomplish a good action, say a particular prayer, that's easier to evaluate. My Christian life will always be judged by someone else.

Questions

- The rabbit would prefer something more complicated, something he can assess, measure. Jesus asks us to stay simple because he is the master. My uncertainty concerning whether I'm doing right or wrong will remain an uncertainty. And that's a good thing, otherwise I would become self-righteous.

- So, how will I follow this one piece of advice in one lesson today?

Year B - Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday - Year B

Mark 11, 1-10

Isaiah 50, 4-7

Psalm 21

Philippians 2, 6-11

Mark 14, 1-15, 47

To go further

Details

- Scenery: a deserted town, apart from a person passing by and calling.

- A rabbit who's carrying as much as a mule would, who's walking straight on, and climbing...

- For those who don't know about the story, Cana is the place where Jesus turned the water into wine. If the rabbit offers this little detour, that's only because it would benefit him...

Questions 

- Let's say that the rabbit with a jar is called C, like "Christian advanced in his faith" and the one behindis called N, like "neophyte" (newborn in faith).

- C is well ahead, he's carrying something heavy, he's almost reached the top, he's struggling... Difficult!

- N is still at the bottom, quite happy, he looks at the bright side of things, he's following the other one but offers an alternative route. Maybe N is right? Despite the fact he's wrong because he's looking for a simple option, his inner attitude is right because he trusts God.

- What about me, do I listen to whomever is "lower than I"? Are "the poors my masters"? Do I let them challenge me? Do I stand my ground and refuse to move an inch?

- To be specific, when did I listen to someone smaller than I, whether it be on the social ladder, the family ladder, or the professional ladder? Did I take their opinion into account?

Year B - Fifth Sunday of Lent

Fifth Sunday of Lent - Year B

Jeremiah 31, 31-34

Psalm 50

Hebrews 5, 7-9

John 12, 20-33

To go further

Details

- The rabbit on the left is Jesus, he has the power to throw the demon (the red rabbit on the right) out of the world.

- We can see that there is light everywhere, except around the demon. Hell is not a place but a state. Hell is where I have shaded areas, where I lock myself in darkness.

- The demon carries his own darkness. But darkness runs away from the Light of Christ.

- The one-way trip shows that it is something permanent.

Questions

- What are my areas of darkness? There are some which I am aware of, and those that get thrown to my face. Do I give more credit to what I think about myself, or to what others think of me? Why?

Year B - Fourth Sunday of Lent

Fourth Sunday of Lent - Year B

2 Chronicles 36, 14-16, 19-23

Psalm 136

Ephesians 2, 4-10

John 3, 14-21

To go further

Details

- A rabbit trying to move a mountain, using a wheelbarrow. It's exhausting!

- In his wheelbarrow, we can see big rocks which have been trimmed (added effort) and show an inscription "merit", "GA" (good action). THE good action that any Christian has to do during the day (as if there was only one).

- He's just realised that he is saved by grace, free of charge, despite the fact he's already sweated a lot.

Questions

- What about me, what's my attitude towards God's free gift? Do I rely more on my strengths, on my merits, or on God?

- At the end of my life, after working a lot for God, and having used my strengths for Him as well as others, will I be jealous if God gives his graces to those who didn't work as much as myself?

- Am I exempt of any effort simply because Jesus will save me no matter what?

Year B - Third Sunday of Lent

Third Sunday of Lent - Year B

Exodus 20, 1-17

Psalm 18

Corinthians 1, 22-25

John 2, 13-25

To go further

Details

- The "gods" pull us away from God himself. I won't need to give a new line of thought, but only a question. What pulls me away from God?

- On this drawing, if we look carefully, we can see that the rabbit's desk is completely empty (apart from the computer). Only one thing can pull me away from God. Only one thing can really pull me away, if my heart is fully devoted to it. When I say "thing", I can also say "person".

- This rabbit is blinded because he "doesn't see" that he has other gods. His weird gaze shows that he's unable to look elsewhere, as if he was hypnotised.

Questions

- When I drew this picture, tablets didn't exist yet, phones weren't as important as they are now.
- An idol is something we can't live without. What or who can't I live without for a whole week ? Am I dependent on this thing ? In other words, it is manipulating me considering I can't live without it. An idol is not always something external, it can be inside me.

- Everywhere in France, we talk about freedom, but how can someone be truly free if he is chained to something, no matter how little (like this computer on an empty desk)?

- The important thing today is not to feel guilty but to realise "What am I missing?", "What may I miss if I stay focused on something or someone?"

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.

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...

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.

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?

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?

Year B - Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B

Deuteronomy 18, 15-20

Psalm 94

1 Corinthians 7, 32-35

Mark 1, 21-28

To go further

Details

- This rabbit on the stage is a prophet. He speaks in the name of God, he "climbs on high", he proclaims (with all his might because we can see his tongue really extended). 
Curiously enough, there is no microphone but his words are reflected  in the speakers (which signifies that God helps to amplify the small part of the action that he has asked us to accomplish).

- Beneath, there is a priest who is with his Bible, to announce the Good News but without success, visibly.

- He who speaks to the priest reproaches to him the fact that he cannot hear him. We need to meet three criteria in order to be audible:

         1. To make oneself heard (if I speak very softly, I take the risk of not being heard)

         2. To make oneself understood (I adapt the message. I do not adapt the content of the message, but the manner of saying it, the vocabulary...)

         3. Live, myself, that which I say.

Questions

- What do I reproach to priests in the manner of conducting themselves? What do I expect of them?

- And I, how can I give a speech of life? With whom am I most at ease to speak with? Maybe it is in this place that God will call me?

- In the apostolic letter to the devoted Pope Francis said "The prophet receives from God the capacity to scrutinize the history in which he lives, and to interpret events: he is like a sentinel who watches during the night and knows when dawn comes (cf. Is 21: 11-12).  He knows God and he knows men and women, his brothers and sisters.  He is capable of discernment and also capable of denouncing the evil of sin and of injustices, because he is free; He answers to no master but God, he has no other interest but those of God.  The prophet is usually on the side of the poor and of those without recourse, because God himself is on their side"

- In what way does this speak to me? How ?

Year B - Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B

Jonah 3, 1-10

Psalm 24

1 Corinthians 7, 29-31

Mark 1, 14-20

To go further

Details

- Religion of fear, it is to do things by obligation, without necessarilly putting ones heart into it. I go along with something, but un reaility, why do I go along with it? Does it give me a place, and ideal, a goal? If I don't adhere to it, what will happen to me?

The rabbit of the religion of fear is livid. He has no strong colour. He does things which makes him lose his colour, his personality. He goes forward because he is forced to do so.

- The religion of love, it is not so much to follow the commandements, it is more to follow a living person, Christ. And starting from the moment that we follow Christ, it becomes logical to follow the commandments as well but we do the with all our heart, without judging he who does not do like me. The rabbit of the religion of love has a real colour, his own. He is motivated and has hi eyes fixed on the love of God.

The rabbit of the religion of fear and the one of the religion of love have the same remark "Ok Ok". Except that one of them believes in it, the other does not.

God is attractive to us when we feel loved by Him. Am I not attracted by someone because I feel there is love, goodness in them?

Questions

- And I, where am I? What does this comic strip reveal of myself, of the others, of God?

- And when I look to bring someone else to God, is it with force or love?

In the religion of fear, be careful to not put yourself in the place of God in saying to the other what they must do.

In the religion of love, it will be God himself who will educate you progressively.

Year B - Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B

1 Samuel 3, 3...19

Psalm 39

1 Corinthians 6, 13...20

John 1, 35 - 42

To go further

Details

- John and Andrew are asking Jesus where he is staying. With a gaze, they are looking up.

- Jesus answers by showing his dwell : the heart of Man. To find Jesus, you need to go deep into the heart of human beings, very deep.

- There is a ladder, which shows how long the journey is. We have to go down one step at a time. Looking closer at the ladder, we can see that the further down we go,  the narrower it gets. This represents the spiritual path which becomes more and more refined.

- You don't get to know the Man's heart at once. Trust is something that gets created over time.

- The heart-shaped hole was covered by a stone which has been rolled away. This is an image of the Resurrection. When Jesus is present in the heart of the Man, there is life in the darkness.

- Jesus tells the two apostles to get ready before going down: "Come and see". To be able to come, you need shoes, and to be able to see, you need glasses.

Questions

- To walk and to watch, isn't that the attitude of whomever is constantly searching for God?

- Before sending off his disciples, Jesus invites them to come, to get to know him. He invites them to come down.

- What about me ? How does this image talke to me today ?

- What does it reveal to me about God ? About others ? About myself ?

Year B - First Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B

Isaiah 42, 1...7

Psalm 28

Apostles Acts 10, 34-38

Mark 1, 7-11

To go further

Details

- There is no likely detail which can help meditation, except for the rabbit at the top of the tree. Clearly, he missed the mark. He should have gone over or next to the tree, but no...

Questions

- Usually, the more I step back, the further I go
- Do I take the time to look back on my day ? To think about my behaviour, my words, my attitudes, so that I'm not in a slave position next time the situation presents itself ?

- To what extent are God's ways not necesarily the ones I was thinking about ?

- In what way did God surprise those who lived in his time ?

- What was expected of him ? How did he respond to it ?

- What about me ? What do I expect of him ? How do I react if he doesn't fulfill my expectations ?