Year A - Fifth Sunday of Lent

Fifth Sunday of Lent - Year A

Ezekiel 37, 12-14

Psalm 129

Romans 8, 8-11

John 11, 1-45

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Details

- This rabbit who's all wrapped up is Lazarus in his grave who Jesus has come to resurrect. He is embalmed and his bandages make him trip over a branch that is growing inside the grave.

- This picture could be a representation of the purgatory. The purgatory is a state (not a place)where we've made the choice of God instead of death ... except we're not quite ready enough to see it straight away. Him, his absolute Holiness (on the picture, he's the light on the right).

- The rabbit is stretching forward, ears included (the light is the resurrection), his desire to see God is there, and it will be granted after this time of purification. He looks quite impatient.

- Some things are still holding him back (the bandages) which are mainly unforgiveness or the awareness of everything wrong he has done during his existence on Earth. Here, it's close to nothing that prevents him from going further, but there's still something ... 

Questions

- Jesus is asking for him to be released but he doesn't do it himself. Maybe we'll have to ask for forgiveness to those who we've hurt, therefore repairing an insult, and we will then be the instrument that will release and free the other ...

Annunciation

Annunciation

Isaiah 7, 10-14 . 8-10

Psalm 39

Hebrews 10, 4-10

Lk 1, 26-38

  

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Details

- This picture is inspired by the impossible stairs created by Lionel Penrose in 1958

- Four rabbits are forever climbing up

- The blue rabbit, enthusiastic, is counting the stairs. The orange rabbit serenely walks on but looks back. The pink one is starting to get tired and needs the help of his hands. The purple one is sighing, it's starting to be long ...

- These stairs could represent the spiritual life which must never stop. At the beginning we're ardently enthusiastic, we try and evaluate our progress, we count. Then we realise what we've lost by following Jesus. Sometimes with regret or bitterness if we forget to look forward. Then we're starting to struggle. We stick to our humanity, we experience our very down to earth misery. We have the choice to stop or carry on struggling.

Questions

- This picture can also represent how I represent Lent. Never forget that on this picture, all seems to depend on the man's efforts without counting on God's grace.

- What is the proportion between the efforts I make and the grace I'm welcoming (by praying, supplication, listening) ? 50%-50% ? 20%-80% ? 90%-10% ?

- I'll help you, the best solution is 100%-100%. The Virgin Mary tested it first. My turn to follow. Nothing is impossible for God, is it ?

Year A - Fourth Sunday of Lent

 Fourth Sunday of Lent - Year A

1 Samuel 16, 13

Psalm 22

Ephesians 5, 8-14

John 9, 1-41

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Details

- The rabbit giving the  unction is the prophet. The one receiving it will become the king.

- The horn has the colours of a flame. Fire and oil are symbols of the Holy Ghost which resides in the king. The king is praying.

- The oil is being poured in abundance, just like God's grace which flows abundantly.

- The other rabbits are unstable on their legs, they're slipping. The oil is also what wrestlers put onto their body to escape from their opponent. In the spiritual field, it's the oil unction (the baptism, as there are the symbols of water and oil) which allows us to fight against evil forces.

- Oil is also used for lamps (oil lamps ... of course), symbol of foresight and fidelity ("keep your lamps on" Jesus tells us)

- And finally there is an aspect of "permanence". Oil penetrates (try and get rid of an oil stain ...). Unction is indelible, permanent.

-The horn, in the Bible, is a symbol of power.

Questions

- Of all the meanings, which is the one that talks to me the most when I think about the action of the Holy Ghost in my life ? Why ?

Saint Joseph

Saint Joseph

2 Samuel 7, 4 ... 16

Psalm 88

Romans 4, 16 ... 22

Matthew 1, 16 - 24

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Details

- On this picture, there is a contrast between the temple which is imposing and Joseph's house which is very small. Nevertheless, God needs Joseph to be Jesus' adoptive father, to teach him to grow up, to read, to pray.

- If we look carefully, the house, the tree and the rock make us think of the Trinity icon where, above the Father there is the house (heaven), above the Son there is a tree (the Tree of life, the tree of the Cross) and above the Holy Ghost there is the rock (or the wave which leads). This being one og the interpretations and not THE interpretation.

- Still on the picture, we can see that the Temple has one only door whereas Joseph's house has plenty. Where Jesus is, salvation is proposed at the four corners of the world.

- There is only one way that leads to Josep's house. Jesus is the way that leads to the Father's house.

- The rock, on the right of the tree, is shaped like an ear. This is the Holy Ghost listening.

Questions

- In his life, Joseph has constantly been pushed around by the Holy Ghost. Maybe he had planned for a straight well-framed life. Here he is, finding out his fiancée is pregnant, that the child is coming from the Holy Ghost and that God chose him to be his adoptive father. He must flee from Herod who wants to eliminate the child ... His whole life takes a different turn to what he had expected. Yet he keeps trust and staith faithful.

- What about me ? What does Joseph's behaviour tell me about my life ?

Year A - Third Sunday of Lent

Third Sunday of Lent - Year A

Exodus 17, 3-7

Psalm 94

Romans 5, 1 ... 8

John 4, 5-42

 

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Details

- The rabbit makes multiple efforts :

• he's climbing (the mountains in the background accentuate the climb)

• he's carrying something heavy (and quite useless because his jug seems to be 99% empty

- Where God is (we can see his hand) there is no need for water because everything is green, nature is luxuriant

- But between what Jesus says and what we understand, there is sometimes a big difference, for instance when he talks to Francis of Assisi asking him to rebuild his Church. Francis goes to get his tools and works with his hands to rebuild the chapel although the Lord is talking about his Church (the people that it is made of). It's obvious that had he had a fax machine, he wouldn't have made a mistake thanks to the spelling ...

Questions

- Here, Jesus is asking for a drink, he's thirsty to be loved, to be loved for what he is, him the creator of love.

- He's thirsty for my presence, not for my jug. When I'm invited, it's not the flowers, the bottle or the chocolates that I offer which will be at the centre of the evening, it's my presence in front of the other one.

- I can make considerable efforts and realise that they were misplaced. What I think I can hear God say "rebuild my Church" can use up all my energy and close my ears. It's only once I will have accomplished what I thought was God's work (but in fact, it was rather my idea) that I will finally be available to open my ears. But how difficult it is to let go of our idea ...

- What about me ? What is the idea (or the project) which I wouldn't want to let go of ? Something or someone which I care for and that I wouldn't want the Lord to get involved into ? (what image do I have of him if I think that way ?)

Mind your back, that is a real question of Lent !

Year A - Second Sunday of Lent

Second Sunday of Lent - Year A

Genesis 12, 1-4

Psalm 32

2 Timothy 1, 8 - 10

Matthew 17, 1-9

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Details

- Obviously no one has ever seen the reality of such a picture : it NE-VER happens.

- After the Booted Cat, the Booted Rabbit (or Pooted), unaware, hands in his pockets, one ear facing front one facing back, whistling. He has a revealing role. His passage reveals what we really think.

- There are a lot of revealing agents along our way. We are also revealing agents for others, without necessarily knowing.

Questions

- The words "I will bless those who bless you" are words from God adressed to Abraham. At that moment, he doesn't really know God.  

- God's blessing passes through mediations, mediators.

- Today, I have the power to bless (to say nice things or to wish them). Blessing is easy when the sun is shining, when all is well, when I am loved.

- Maybe I believe that the blessing is a consequence of all these causes if they are all happening (all is well so I'm blessing). It's quite the opposite : if I bless, then all may be better. Carfeul, there's no magic. It's only because we decide to put ourselves in a situation where we're not at the centre of ourselves.