Merry and holy Christmas
&
Happy New Year 2010
&
Happy New Year 2010
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
£¥€$: "Possess or be possessed?"
This title is the central question of a sermon that Jean-Marie Cardinal Lustiger (1926-2007), Archbishop of Paris, preached in the mid-eighties. It was during one of the masses he used to preside every Sunday afternoons. I think I'll remember this homely forever.
It was a period of my life when I felt very lonesome . I returned from long years of expatriation, settling definitely in Paris. I worked and lived in La Defense which was — and still remains — a kind of excentered down town and one of Paris Business Districts. As you could guess, the unique theme of discussions around me was at work and after work was: Business!
Denizen in my own country, I tried to find how to spend usefully my time and especially during my week-ends. My Sunday afternoons were filled with a long five-mile walk from home to Notre-Dame, enjoying almost one half of Paris highly touristic avenues and monuments: The Champs and rue de Rivoli, the Concorde, Louvres, Chatelet, etc. The pretext was to attend the organ concert of sacred music in the cathedral.
I was one of few who remained for the mass. Most of the members of the parish of Ile-de-la-Cité — the district around Notre Dame were affluent people beyond the forties, very well-dressed as any Parisian of the upper classes should be.
This Sunday, Father Lustiger discussed on the word "possession" that has a double meaning in French. The first is: ownership ( "To own money, lands, houses: fortune".); The second expresses the state of being possessed by the Evil… He pointed out that the obsession of possession, in the first meaning, leads to possession, in the second meaning.
Turning my head around, I saw in my neighbors’ eyes a kind of sadness… like what the rich young man should have felt after listening Jesus. “When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth” (Matthew 19-22).
Conclusion: Money lies!
It was a period of my life when I felt very lonesome . I returned from long years of expatriation, settling definitely in Paris. I worked and lived in La Defense which was — and still remains — a kind of excentered down town and one of Paris Business Districts. As you could guess, the unique theme of discussions around me was at work and after work was: Business!
Denizen in my own country, I tried to find how to spend usefully my time and especially during my week-ends. My Sunday afternoons were filled with a long five-mile walk from home to Notre-Dame, enjoying almost one half of Paris highly touristic avenues and monuments: The Champs and rue de Rivoli, the Concorde, Louvres, Chatelet, etc. The pretext was to attend the organ concert of sacred music in the cathedral.
I was one of few who remained for the mass. Most of the members of the parish of Ile-de-la-Cité — the district around Notre Dame were affluent people beyond the forties, very well-dressed as any Parisian of the upper classes should be.
This Sunday, Father Lustiger discussed on the word "possession" that has a double meaning in French. The first is: ownership ( "To own money, lands, houses: fortune".); The second expresses the state of being possessed by the Evil… He pointed out that the obsession of possession, in the first meaning, leads to possession, in the second meaning.
Turning my head around, I saw in my neighbors’ eyes a kind of sadness… like what the rich young man should have felt after listening Jesus. “When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth” (Matthew 19-22).
Conclusion: Money lies!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Jesus' Genealogy
Like Jesus, we're all sons and daughters of Adam and Eve.
During his life on Earth, jesus shared our human conditions. Luke and Matthew have traced the filiation of Jesus:
During his life on Earth, jesus shared our human conditions. Luke and Matthew have traced the filiation of Jesus:
| Matthew 1:1-17 | Luke 3:23-37 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Sentence of Wisdom for: Easter
Fast until Easter, pray and give alms, seek repentance and reconciliation, turn your minds towards faith, hope and charity for by your baptism, you are committed to the Lord, in whom you have put your eternal trust.
Word of the day, Words of the Book: Fast
Acts 14:23
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
Word of the day, Words of the Book: Pray
Jude 1:20
But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
Word of the day, Words of the Book: Alms
Luke 11:41
But give what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.
But give what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.
Word of the day, Words of the Book: Repentance
Acts 2:38
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Word of the day, Words of the Book: Reconciliation
Corinthians 5-18
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation…
Word of the day, Words of the Book: Mind
Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Word of the day, Words of the Book: Hope
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Word of the day, Words of the Book: Charity
Corinthians 13:13
And now these three remain: faith, hope and charity. But the greatest of these is charity.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and charity. But the greatest of these is charity.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Word of the day, word of the Book: Trust
Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self–seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
================
Today, let's start a Sentence of Wisdom.
Each word of the day will be placed in the "Sentence of Wisdom for Easter". This is the last word out of the fifteen words of this sentence.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Word of the day, Words of the Book: Cross
Hebrew 12:2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the Cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the Cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Word of the day, Words of the Book: Heal
Peter 2:22-25
He committed no sin,and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
He committed no sin,and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Word of the day, Words of the Book: Heart
Colossians 3:1-2-3-16
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
...
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
Happy New Year 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
