Year C - First Sunday of Ordinary Time - The Baptism of Christ

First Sunday of Ordinary Time - Year C

Isaiah 42.1-7

Psalm 28

Luke 3,15-22

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Details

- John the baptist is baptising with water and Jesus is in the the Holy Spirit and in fire. This image shows a modern baptism. To the right, we see the priest welcoming the child with open arms, as Jesus did. The child is very receptive.
- The child is carried by his Godmother, for whom, her outfit may count for more than the baptism itself.
- The Godfather hold a fire extinguisher, in the event that a fire starts at the baptism. This is proof that he has heard the Word but has not understood.
- If we look closely, the cartoon is imbalanced between the exterior and the interior. The Godfather and Godmother show a richness in their clothes and a poverty inside because they do not understand the signification of a baptism. The child and the priest are clothed simply but with beaming smiles because they know that it is THE most important moment in the life of a Christian. The young child does not know it completely, but he is ready to welcome it all the same.

Questions

- Do I remember the date of my baptism ? Do I celebrate it ? Is it more or less important than my birthday ? Why ?
Questions for Godmothers and Godfathers :
- Do I understand my responsibilities towards my Godchild ? (I must be a solid believer, capable and ready to help the newly baptised child or adult, on their Christian path). Now that I know it, what must I do to be a solid believer ? Am I capable of helping my Godchild in this way ? How can I help them grow up in Faith ?

Year C - Epiphany

Epiphany - Year C

Isaiah 60.1-6

Psalm 71

Ephesians 3.2…6

Matthew 2.1-12

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Details

- As ever, upon first view, it is quite funny, yet there is something deeper beyond first glance...

- The kings are looking for the star. One has a map with a hole in it, the other doubts somewhat.

- Yet if we follow the stare of the first king, he sees much further than the map. With his right eye, he looks at you, and with his left eye, he seem to look further still, to the sky. You decide...

- The star which he seeks has six points, just as the star of David.

- In the cartoon, all the stars have 5 points, except for two. One has 8 and we can easily find it.

- If you are still looking for the star with 6 points, read on and I will tell you where it is.

We find it above God, represented in the cartoon (no really). He is represented by the question mark found in the bible verse, right up top. We cannot imagine God, so I have represented Him in this way.

- Last point, in the hole in the map, behind the rabbits head, there are no stars to be seen, because the brightest star here is the illuminated face of the rabbit who has found God.

Questions

- When you have found the star in the cartoon, can you now find the star in your life?

- How is it that the rabbit points his finger towards the star, even though the star is behind him ? I will leave that question open to you.

Year B - Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time – Year B

Jeremiah 31,.-9

Psalm 125

Hebrew 5.1-6 

Mark 10.46-52

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Details

- The rabbit who makes his praise echo is behind (in an orchestra the percussion section is in the last line).

- The cymbals are red, and the "DZIM" too.

- The trumpet player, although on a lower step, now finds himself higher than he who plays the cymbal. The praise of the other has awaken him.
- The blue rabbit finds himself at his place of praise and he holds it loyally. Just look at his face.

- It is his instrument which speaks, his mouth is closed.

Questions

Do not confuse praise (or thanks to God for what He is) and that action of grace (where we thank Him for what He has done). It is easy to give grace then to praise. Yet mankind was created to praise God.

- Do I stick to my role of Christian in my praises ?
- How ?

Year B - Twenty-Ninth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Twenty-Ninth Sunday of ordinary time – Year B

Isaiah 53.10-11

Psalm 32

Hebrews 4.14-16 

Marc 10.35-45

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Details

- Imagine somebody who is truly brilliant, who has all diplomas in all domains. Somebody who knows everything, and knows how to do everything. This person would have nothing missing on their CV, and when (if they manage to) they are recruited in a company they take the broomstick to clean the floor. 

We could interpret this in saying "What a waste, we are not using the qualities of this person !"

Yet the logic of man is not that of God.

This truly brilliant person, it is Jesus. He is so brilliant that he is the light of the world (He, par whom the world is created don't forget !...) He puts himself in last place.

Is He timid, introverted ?No, He is God, and God does not make a noise. He tames men by hiding among them.

Questions

- And I , how am I placed ? What speaks to me in what I have just read ?

- In all of my diplomas and talents, which have I placed at the service of God and humanity ?

- How can I use them, in my place, in daily life?

Year B - Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (2)

28^th Sunday of ordinary time – Year B

Wisdom 7.7-11

Psalm 89

Hebrews 4.12-13

Mark 10.17-30

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Details

-This rabbit as infinite patience. He is passive. He knows that he will manage to untie the knots, it is only a question of time.

 -If we look at his right hand we can see quite a level of dexterity.

-He works with all of his being (hands, feet, ears)

Questions

-If all is possible to God, that doesn't mean that he will give me anything and everything. Sometimes, we have very specific demands in our prayers, and despite our faith, God does not give us what we have asked of Him. In this case, how should I react ?

-If God does not give me my Ferrari or my castle, do I ask Him why, or do I conclude that God simply does not listen to me ?

-I ask for what I wish, et God gives me what I need (knowing that my gift is not in the immediate but in the eternal life). That which he gives to me, is to prepare me for that life.

-Knowing this, does it stop me from asking the impossible from God ?

Year B - Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

28^th Sunday of ordinary time - Year B

Wisdom 7.7-11

Psalm 89

Hebrews 4.12-13

Mark 10.17-30

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Details

The word of God is alive, we see this thanks to several points:

-1. The letters "a l i v e" are very warm and sporting an array of colours.

-2. The Bible has yellow pages inside, and a more modern fiery cover, with a light cross design. This signifies that its pages, although ancient, are still relevant now.

-3. The Bible bounces. I had thought about drawing it flying, but when it touches the ground, it gives more of an impression that it is down to earth, easy to reach.

-4. The Bible speaks. Jesus is the creator of words. Each of his words has logic. Jesus goes towards those who do no know them.

The blue rabbit who runs after the words, it is he who wishes to master them, to tame them and dress them up. Yet the word of God is not something one can chain up, it escapes from him. Nobody has a monopoly on the word of God, nobody has the one unique interpretation. 

Questions

-Do I have a real example of whereby the word of God is alive ?

-When did His word touch my heart profoundly ?

-When did it set me moving, to give my life direction ?

Year B - Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

27^ème Dimanche du Temps Ordinaire – Année B

Genesis 2.18 - 24

Psalm 127

Hebrews 2.9-11

Mark 10.2-16

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Details

-This Rabbit has cold feet for two reasons:

-He's afraid of getting hurt from falling, so he doesn't have much confidence in God ...

-He puts a quilt in front of him, as for protection from God.

It would have been better to put it behind him.

Questions

 -The Torpor, "the mysterious sleep" in the book of Genesis is used by God when he does something very important, as if he plunges a man into a trance so that he can stand it. There is another passage in which Abraham is plunged into this torpor (Gen 15:12) when God undertakes in alliance with him when God passes between the shared animals (why share animals between two people and then pass through the middle when an alliance is made with someone? It was a sign of the word given, and it was final. If I broke the alliance, if I retracted my word, the same could happen to me as these animals). To quickly summarize, it is man who broke the covenant with God, and God (Jesus) who sacrificed himself in the place of man)

-Do I trust the intervention of God to heal me, to save me? Or do I prefer to heal and save myself ?

-According to my answer, how do I experience this each day?