Friday December 7, "I have chosen you and not rejected you.."

Lesser Festival for Ambrose, bishop, teacher of the faith, 397

Isaiah 41.9b-13   Luke 22.24-30 Psalm 19.7-10  1 Corinthians 1.16-25

Esaie 41.9b-13    Luc 22.24-30 Psaume 19.7-10  1 Corinthiens 1.16-25

Fear of rejection can haunt many of us - whether it be by those we want to love us, those we want to impress, those we want to like us.  Rejection is often hard and cruel, usually unwanted and can make us doubt ourselves and our abilities. The prophet Isaiah turns this around, tells us that God has chosen us as His people, as the ones He loves.  We have not had to go to Him for acceptance, not had to impress Him or convince Him of our abilities or greatness.  Instead, God has come to us.  He has chosen to be with us, to accept us despite our faults and fallibilities.

To be sought out, to be wanted, to be pursued can make us feel great.  In the workplace the term ‘headhunted’ is often used to describe professional pursuit and there can be some kudos in being the one headhunted. 

Jesus ‘headhunted’ the disciples, seeking them out and calling them by name to join Him.  But Christ did not do this to assign greatness to those called but to teach and build His community of believers here on earth.  He chose.  He did not reject.  Even when the disciples started to argue amongst each other about who is the greatest.

God does not speak empty words of choice and acceptance.  He brings it up close and personal to us through Christ. Advent is a time to prepare but also to accept and celebrate the choice God has made in having us as His people, a people He is willing to do anything for to keep us close to Him – even sending His only Son to live among us and experience rejection so that we will never be rejected again.  What a Christmas gift – to be chosen and not rejected by God!

Heather Roy

Attribution:

Saint Ambrose in His Study, ca. 1500, Made in Palencia, Tamara, Spain, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917, www.metmuseum.org.  

Thursday December 6 ~~ The Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor ~~ L'Eternel m'a oint pour porter de bonnes nouvelles aux malheureux

Isaiah 61.1-3   Psalm 1     1 Timothy 6.6-11    Mark 10.13-16   

Esaie 61.1-3   Psaume 1   1 Timothée 6.6-11   Marc 10.13-16

The Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor

L'Eternel m'a oint pour porter de bonnes nouvelles aux malheureux

Isaiah, or rather a disciple of his who wrote just after the end of the Babylonian captivity, offers us a powerful message of hope and an insight into God’s compassion for the poor, the broken-hearted, the mourners and the captives.

Like the deported Jews, we live in a world that often rejects our values, and in which no Christian can feel completely at home. Populists are appealing to people’s worst fears and prejudices, often perverting our own Christian faith. Virtually everything we cherish is under relentless attack: the political and social progress that we have collectively made, our wonderful environment, indeed truth itself; and of course our Christian faith. But God gives us real hope in this world, as well as in the world to come. This hope comes with an exhortation to act urgently: it is our job “to proclaim good news to the poor, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives”.

And in Brussels, we have some of the means that we need to do this. We live in a city that symbolically embodies European values, which are of course rooted in our Christian faith. Many people are working for the oppressed and for the poor. Others are working to create a more fair and more sustainable economy, and to engage constructively with the world. We are blessed with a wonderful and vibrant church. Let these words of Isaiah at the same time comfort us and urge us to act.

Nicholas Deliyanakis

Attribution
Saint Nicholas Accuses the Consul from Scenes from the Life of Saint Nicholas, ca. 1200–1210, Made in Picardy, France, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The Cloisters Collection, 1980, www.metmuseum.org.  

Description:

This scene is one of two that illustrate an early episode in the life of Saint Nicholas, soon after he was elected bishop of Myra in Asia Minor in the fourth century. In the first scene (acc. no. 1980.263.2), two knights, identified by their shirts of mail, are being falsely accused of treason and condemned by the consul. A third knight, the right arm of the consul, and the beginning of the inscription—[S N]ICO/ LAVS: PR[A]ESES/ MILITES (Nicholas protects the soldiers)—were lost when the panel was cut down at an undetermined time. In the second scene here, Nicholas responds to the knights' prayers by appearing before the counsul to plead for their release. A palace guard looks on from the left.

The panels probably came from an ambulatory chapel dedicated to Saint Nicolas in the cathedral of Soissons, whose choir was under construction in the 1190s. This type of composition, in which each narrative element is framed under an arcade, is among the earliest known examples of its kind and is strongly associated with Soissons. The elegant figural style and flowing drapery patterns exemplify a classicizing trend found in northern France from the late twelfth through early thirteenth century.

Wednesday 5th December 

Mattieu 12.38-50   Esaie 43.14-28  Psaumes 7   Apocalypse 21.1-8

Matthew 12.38-50    Isaiah 43. 14-28  Psalm 7   Revelation 21.1-8

En cette période de l’Avent, soyons attentifs aux signes qui nous montrent que Jésus est parmi nous

Durant cette période de l’année, si particulière, les chrétiens se remémorent, dans leur cœur, dans leur vie, la naissance de Jésus et se préparent à célébrer Noël. Matthieu nous lance un grand défi. Allons-nous douter et exiger un signe pour que Jésus nous prouve sa mission divine comme les pharisiens voire comme sa propre famille l’a fait ? Allons-nous croire et accepter de faire partie de sa « vraie » famille (famille chrétienne) ?

Dans son évangile, Matthieu évoque certaines difficultés que Jésus a rencontrées au commencement de son ministère.  D’un côté, les pharisiens exigent un signe prouvant qu’il est réellement le Fils de Dieu. De l’autre côté, il est obligé de définir sa vraie famille. Ses interlocuteurs, les pharisiens en l’occurrence, voulaient avoir un signe, preuve de sa mis­sion di­vine. Comme la gué­ri­son qu’il ve­nait d’ac­com­plir sous leurs yeux (lire Mt verset 22) ne leur suffisait pas, il rappela le prophète Jonas et sa prophétie. En évoquant Jonas, Jésus évoquait le fait qu’il se trouvait préfiguré dans le miracle de Jonas et après trois jours, vomi sur le rivage dans le ventre d’un poisson. Il ne faut pas chercher de signes plus loin. Jésus lui-même (dans ses paroles et dans ses œuvres) est un signe par excellence.

Matthieu souhaite que nous soyons attentifs à ce qu’il se passe dans notre vie quotidienne, en essayant d’identifier la présence de Jésus. Si on identifie une joie dans son cœur, cela pourrait être un signe et une preuve de son œuvre. En donnant un « 1 cent » ou un petit sourire par exemple à un sans-abri, Matthieu verrait dans ce geste la présence de Jésus. Le partage de l’amour et la paix est un signe irréfutable de son action. Personne ne peut interrompre ou arrêter Jésus dans cette action, dans sa mission divine même sa propre mère, ses frères, ses disciples ; il déclare que « sa vraie famille, ce sont ceux qui font la volonté de son Père (verset 46-50) ». Durant la période de l’Avent, pouvons-nous identifier des signes (amour, joie, paix…) de Jésus en action et les partager autour de nous ? 

In this season of Advent, let us be attentive to the signs that show us that Jesus is among us.

Jesus came to this world for a divine mission of giving a new vision to the world. Many signs show this mission in our lives. We can talk about the signs of peace, love, joy etc. During this Advent season, we ask ourselves, can we identify signs of Jesus in action and share them around us ?

Jean Bosco


Attribution:

Saint Ambrose in His Study, ca. 1500, Made in Palencia, Tamara, Spain, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917, www.metmuseum.org.

Tuesday 4 December ~~ Called by name to be God’s witnesses

Isaiah 43.1-13  Esaie 43.1-13

Psalm 80    Revelation 20   Matthew 12.22-37

Psaumes 80    Apocalypse 20    Matthieu 12.22-37

We all love to hear people call us by name, especially if it’s done in a loving fashion. A name is our identity and using that name gives us value and a sense of belonging. How wonderful that God, with his vast responsibilities, calls us by name and says “You are mine”.

As the redeemed children of God, we are important to God, and he also summons us by name and gives us his name. When we bear God’s wonderful name, we must never do anything that would bring shame to it. Going through rivers of difficulty will either cause us to drown or force us to grow stronger. If we go in our strength, we are more likely to drown. If we invite God to go with us, he will protect us.

Isaiah was speaking of Israel’s return from Babylon. But there is a broader meaning : all God’s people will be regathered when Christ comes to rule in peace over the earth. Israel’s task was to be a witness, telling the world who God is and what he has done. Today we are called to be God’s witnesses.

Do people know what God is like through your words and example ? They cannot see God directly, but they can see him reflected in you.

Ce chapitre parle de la délivrance d’Israël de la captivité babylonienne, grâce à l’amour de Dieu pour son peuple. Bien que Israël fut encore spirituellement aveugle, Dieu avait un avenir pour lui dans son plan de rédemption.  Les Israélites seraient encore ses témoins et ses serviteurs.

Ce chapitre parle de la délivrance d’Israël de la captivité babylonienne, grâce à l’amour de Dieu pour son peuple. Bien que Israël fut encore spirituellement aveugle, Dieu avait un avenir pour lui dans son plan de rédemption.  Les Israélites seraient encore ses témoins et ses serviteurs.

Grace West 
Attribution
Puryear, Martin, 1941-. Bearing Witness, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=56260 [retrieved December 3, 2018]. Original source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sculpture_%22Bearing_Witness,%22_by_Martin_Puryear_at_the_Environmental_Protection_Agency,_Ronald_Reagan_Building,_Washington,_D.C_LCCN2013634580.tif.

Monday 3 December - The one who offers thanksgivings as his sacrifice glorifies me

Psalm50    Psaumes 50   Psalmen 50

Isaiah 42.18-25  Revelation19    Matthew 12.1-21

Esaie 42.18-25   Apocalypse 19  Matthieu 12.1-21

Jesaja 42.18-25       Openbaring 19  Mattheus 12.1-21

The one who offers thanksgivings as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God (v. 23)

Zou jij ook zo graag deze advent God's heil en redding (opnieuw) ervaren? Voelen en weten dat Jezus redt..... Ervaren dat Hij de mens nooit en te nimmer opgeeft, ook al trek je door donkere dalen, word je je bewust van nood en gemis.... Hij steeds met open armen voor je klaar staat.

Het slot van Ps 50 leert ons dat een leven van welgemeend dankzeggen een weg is om Gods heil te mogen ervaren. Dit is iets anders dan dankzeggen als hier een directe aanleiding toe is. Nee, hier is sprake van een leven leiden van welgemeende dankzegging, en als gevolg zijn zegen en heil mogen ervaren.
Wat ook onze situatie, bewuste en waarachtige dankzegging baant een weg om Gods heil te ervaren.

Dank Hem steeds met hart en ziel en ervaar (opnieuw) dat Jezus redt!
Dank en zie, een stuk van de hemel is reeds open!!

Are you also desperately longing to experience (afresh), to enjoy, to possess Christ's grace and salvation? To know, to feel that Jesus came to save US, sinners....?!
Implementing daily thank offerings may be the best place to begin. Not 'just' offering our thanks following an answered prayer or any other specific reason. No, it is about making a life of sincere thankfulness your daily sacrifice to God. Ps 53:23 says that living a life full of praise proceeding from the heart (not a mere outward form), showing a spirit of true thankfulness opens the way to see and enjoy spiritual and eternal salvation, and particularly Christ, our Saviour, God's glory sent to us at Christmas! ! 

Janine Vrolijk

Attribution

Terbrugghen, Hendrik, 1588?-1629. Boy Singing, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=51104 [retrieved December 2, 2018]. Original source: http://www.mfa.org/.

Notes:

"Psalms received new life during the Reformation when the appearance of vernacular Psalters allowed the canonical book of Psalms to be reinstated as a congregational hymnal. John Calvin went as far as to declare that psalmody was the only biblically allowed form of liturgical singing. This resurgence was initiated by the publication of "La Forme des Prieres et Chants Ecclesiastiques" in 1542, a vernacular Psalter that placed thirty-nine of the psalms into meter, enabling them to be sung to commonly known folk tunes (previously, psalm-singing was limited to arrhythmic chant tones). John Calvin later expanded this into the Genevan Psalter, the final edition of which contains all 150 psalms in rhymed, metrical form. As a liturgical innovation, the Genevan Psalter had far-reaching influence..." (Everett, 6)

Sunday December 2, First Sunday of Advent

Jeremiah 33.14-16      Luke 21.25-36    Psalm 25.1-9        1 Thessalonians 3.9-13

Jérémie 33.14-16        Luc 21.25-36      Psaumes 25.1-9   1 Thessaloniciens 3.9-13

The Light

Having spent my childhood in a place closer to the equator, the darkness of winter always gets me. The days grow shorter and shorter, and colder and colder. This happens every year without fail, but still after seven years in Belgium I am annually surprised. In the midst of this, though, we come to Advent and eventually to Christmas, seasons of light and hope.

For us in the Northern hemisphere, the symbols of light in all the stories we hear throughout this time become even more poignant: the star shining in the sky, the glory of the angels, and the beginning of John’s Gospel! The Light of the World is born at Christmas, and throughout Advent we are preparing to witness that Light and we are expecting for that Light to return as Lord and King. Light for us is inextricably linked to hope.

We don’t have to lose daylight to understand that the human condition is one in which darkness is present and at times overpoweringly so. The darkness that the Light of the World displays is so much deeper than daylight returning. That Light is the light of life, the light of hope, the light of God’s love and grace.

As Jeremiah reminds us and as Luke warns, the days are coming. Days when God’s glory will be revealed in full, when Light bursts into the world. At this time, things will change -- all darkness will be defeated. Are we getting ready for this? Are we expecting it? Are we hoping for it? Are we living into light and love?

May this Advent we live more and more into the Light. May we bear witness to the one who is the Light of the World, whose days are coming. May we be filled with light and hope and love. Amen.

Jeremy Heuslein

Easter Day +++ They were afraid +++ Elles avaient peur.

Mark 16.1-8    Marc 16.1- 8

Isaiah 25.6-9   Psalm 118.1-2, 14-24,   Acts 10.34-43   

Esaie 25.6-9    Psaumes 118.1-2, 14-24   Actes 10.34-43

Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.  
Mark 16.8

Well?  Wouldn’t you?

But, if you are anything like me, Easter is just about as exciting as it gets!

Christ is risen! Alleluia!

Christ est ressuscité ! Alléluia !

Christus is verrezen ! Alleluia !

So, it may be worth pausing to take in how Mark ends his gospel.  (The following verses are almost certainly not in the original text and may have been added because the original ending was too subdued!)

Those who had followed Jesus, had not really taken in what Jesus had been saying to them; that he was going to be killed and then rise again.

And now it seems to have happened.  The body is not there and the young man in white tells them that Jesus is risen.

So why were they afraid?

Because they realised that they hadn’t believed Jesus?   Because they thought they had lost their minds?  Because they now thought that they probably needed to tell the others, but were unsure of the reception they would get.

I wonder, as we echo the words of the angel today, in joy and celebration, in faith and proclamation, if we don’t face similar feelings:  Do I really believe this or have I lost my mind?  I couldn’t possibly tell anyone because they would think I am mad.

But even though we know that they left the tomb trembling, bewildered, and afraid, Mary Magdalene went back, met the risen Lord and rushed back to tell the others.   Fear turned to joy, bewilderment to confidence.

As we celebrate today, may we do so with joy and confidence to proclaim:

“Christ is risen !  Christ est ressuscité !  Christus is verrezen !  Alleluia!”

Elles sortirent du sépulcre et s’enfuirent. La peur et le trouble les avaient saisies ; et elles ne dirent rien à personne, à cause de leur effroi.  Marc 16.8 

Nous sommes pleines de joie parce que le Seigneur est ressuscité, mais ces femmes étaient pleines de peur et de trouble.

Elle n’avait pas cru les paroles de Jésus ?  Elles avaient peur qu’elles soient devenues folles ?  Elles avaient peur de le dire aux autres ?

Avons-nous peur aussi devant la vérité que Jésus vit ?

Nous célébrons aujourd’hui.  Que nous le fassions pleins de joie et de confiance, en proclamant : « Christ est ressuscité ! » 

John Wilkinson