Year A - 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time

1^st Reading: Zephaniah 2.3 ; 3.12-13

                   Psalm 145                

2^nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 1.26-31 

Gospel: Matthieu 5.1-12

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Details

-The poor of heart, or spirit, is he who is aside, he who we leave alone. The poor man is he whom we do not listen to. He who has nothing for us to learn. Here, he is shown in a cave at the centre of the earth, with a microscopic gallery leading to the surface.

-He seems sad, timid, even stuck, and fearful in his regard. He has no possessions in his cave. God will come to him.

-Above the surface of the earth there are three scenes:

1. On the left, he who is rich, with his limousine, cash and safe.

2. In the middle, he who is strong, according to the world. He seduces and brings all success concerning romance.

3. To the right, he who is most powerful. He is on his throne and with his sceptre. He shouts orders, people bow before him and he is presented live-streaming on the TV.

These three people are rich, according to the criteria of our world. We would like to be like them. At new year, these are the kind of things that we wish for: Fortune, love and glory… and we think it is the real happiness.

-Jesus turned things on their head and said that the Kingdom belonged to those who were meek of heart. The gallery holds truffles, rare and highly sought mushrooms, veritable treasures which sprout around oak trees. It is the nose of a dog or pig which helps find these, thanks to the odours that these truffles leak out from the gallery and up to the surface of the earth.

-The meek heart is a sweet-smelling sacrifice for God. It is with God that the meek heart lives. He who manages to detect the odour of God in the meek of heart must have a refined and well-worked sense of smell. He must also be close to the ground, so therefore humble (which comes from the Latin for “earth”, “humus”)

Questions

-And I, what do I take from all that?

Year A - 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

1^st Reading : Isaiah 8.23 – 9.3

Psalm 26

2^nd Reading : 1 Corinthians 1.10-13. 17

Gospel: Matthieu 4.12-23

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Details

 

-Jesus takes his disciples off to "fish for men". To fish for men is to join with them to help them discover how much God loves them and is committed to them.

But there we are, to fish for men, what will trap them? What can we use as bait?

-Modernity? The last technological advancement? (here represented by the mobile phone).

-What might entice the senses, to give pleasure? (depicted here by the foie gras)

-Something which demands no effort? (represented here by the word "free" so we owe nothing to nobody)

-For Jesus, there is another type of bait ; begin by loving the person before proposing anything to him. This is the model proposed by Jesus.

Questions

 

-If we look well at the image, the disciples look elsewhere than Jésus. They are fixed on the men to be fished, moreover on the hook and bait. They are so focussed that they look very serious and preoccupied, quite in contrast with the serenity of Jesus, who begings by loving them.

-Finally, what most attracts men, when one wishes to speak to them of God?

-In my life, what pulls me towards God and gives me the desire to discover more?

Christmas Time - Year A

Year A - 4th Sunday of Advent

4^th Sunday of Advent – Year A

1^st Reading: Isaiah 7.10-14

Psalm 23

2^nd Reading: Romans 1.1-7   

Gospel: Matthieu 1.18-24

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Details

-The rabbit is alone. There is no hill, no bottom of a valley. He does not think that God could send him a sign.

-A little explanation of the Biblical text from which this is inspired. Ahaz is a young king, pulled every which way. He turns away from God to adore his idols. He even goes as far as to offer his own son in sacrifice to the god Moloch. Isaiah, the prophet, finds the king and reprimands him in the name of the Lord. He says this to him "Ask the Lord your God for a sign… " God is everywhere ( in the deepest depths and in the highest heights). Ahaz asks God for nothing.

In the cartoon, we see 6 ears. Six being the number of imperfection. The rabbit has "deaf ears". These ears are turned in all directions. He has not finished "paddling".

Questions

-Some of us look for signs from God as if they would be lights that clear the way ahead. Then, as soon as there is no more light, we stop and wait for the next light. It is not what we should be looking for. When the sign is there, we take it. When it is not we follow the previous sign.

-Some of us simply don't dare look for the signs, because it could have serious implications in our lives, and we would have to change something.

Am I looking more for signs than for God?

Do I prefer to not look for signs? Why?

Year C - 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

29^th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C

1^st Reading : Exodus 17.8-13

Psalm 120

2^nd Reading : 2 Timothy 3.14 – 4.2

Gospel : Luke 18.1-8

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Details

–This rabbit is on the pendulum of a metronome. The metronome is an instrument that gives a signal to measure the tempo, or speed, at which the music must be played.

This kind of metronome has a a pendulum, and the heart (on the pendulum) can be adjusted up or down. The lower the heart, the quicker the tempo.

The pendulum has graduations marked by musical terms denoting tempos from slow to fast. In this image, everything is fast (grouillo, rapido, presto, magno) however, the rabbit does not seem to be too shaken.

-One colour is common: red. We see it on the bible, in the heart, with the rabbits' tongue. The three are in harmony. "Preach the word", this is done with the heart.

-Behind the metronome, there is a key to wind it up. We can each ask ourselves, which is the key that lifts us up to proclaim the word of God.

-The side of the metronome is graded between red and blue. Blue is cold, red is hot. To proclaim the word when things are going well (red) and when things are not going so well (blue).

-The background is also graded: grey at the bottom, light yellow at the top. The rabbits' head is in the yellow. The rabbit is in the light when he speaks of God.

Questions

-A setback, in my day, it is something that was unexpected, and which bothers me

-A setback, in my Christian life, it is something unexpected, but which could help me grow tremendously.

Which are the setbacks that helped me grow? Why?

Which are the ones that made me fall off my feet? Why?

Year C - 18th Sunday of ordinary time

Ecclesiastes 1.2 ; 2.21-23   

 Psalm 89   

 Colossians 3.1-5 & 9-11   

 Luke 12.13-21

 

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Details

-Inheritance, it is the ice cream cone: which is intended to be used to hold 2 scoops of ice cream (an inheritance for 2 people)

- The number of scoops and the different flavours show that inheritance is important. The yellow rabbit is eating everything, mockingly it seems (the nasty villain!)

- The green rabbit pulls on the arm of Jesus, asking Him to make His verdict. Notably, this rabbit is turned towards his brother and he is not even looking at Jesus. He is "caught up in his thing." He wants Jesus to serve him to his own advantage, rather than to serve Jesus.

- And from a little further away, comes death, looking very perky. He proposes a ready-made solution ; cut everything in two. Inheritance or not, case closed !

- The inheritance "melts" (just look at the scoops of ice cream on top). In other words, the inheritance will "pass". It is not eternal.

Questions

-The green rabbit becomes a practising Christian on the day when he feels he has something to gain. On that day, he seeks Jesus. Not to listen to Him, but to tell Him what to do.

- Have I ever had that attitude towards Jesus?

- Can I remember the last time I did such a thing?

- How have I evolved since?

 

Year C - 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time

1^st Reading : Isaiah 66.10-14

Psalm 65

2^nd Reading: Galatians 6.14-18

Gospel: Luke 10.1-12 ; 17-20

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Details

    -This rabbit is a little overloaded. If we take a look at all of his tools, there are quite a few for outside, gardening or agricultural tools in fact.

    –There are also some tools for indoor use, such as the hammer, screwdriver, electric cable, paint, white spirit etc.

    -And there are some items which are little more unusual: a hanger, an anvil...

    -And in the middle of all that, a little flute (you saw it right?) which shows the free quality of music, whilst the tools are held (more or less) in place.

    -So, what is the most important thing here? The multitude of things to do, or the gratuity of the smallest thing (the flute)

Questions

-If the rabbit does everything, all alone, is it because he has "found" nobody to help him? Or is it because he "looks" for nobody? I could ask myself the same questions. Often we start out saying that we cannot find anybody, and so we do it ourselves.

-Do I have an abundant harvest like the cartoon?

-What is important for me?

-What is important for me is not necessarily important for somebody else. Despite this, do I listen to the point of view of others or do I impose my own?