L'Evangile dans ma vie/ The Gospel in my life

Gospel text

(Mk 6, 34-44): 

When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already very late. Dismiss them so that they can go to the surrounding farms and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” He said to them in reply, “Give them some food yourselves.” But they said to him, “Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food and give it to them to eat?” He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out they said, “Five loaves and two fish.”

So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass. The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties. Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; he also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied. And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments and what was left of the fish. Those who ate of the loaves were five thousand men.

The Application

I propose three points for contemplation with different orientations.

The Eucharist

The multiplication of the bread is a pre-taste of the Eucharist, because all those elements that are found in the multiplication of the bread are found in the Eucharist. Jesus wanted to show his love and in this love he established the Eucharist. He took the bread and gave thanks. He broke the bread and gave it to the disciples. Jesus established the Eucharist, so that his disciples would feel his presence in a permanent way.

Learning to look

Today's gospel teaches me to look at the world differently. To look at the concern and the problem from the other's point of view and to understand the depth of their suffering. It is a look full of love and it is not egocentric, but God-centric. It invites us to discover the divine will.

The inner resource

Who does not have a problem or concern in daily life? To solve a problem, we must look for a solution in our interiority rather than in our exteriority. Jesus invites us to look at the resources we already have with us. "How many peacocks do you have? Go and see. First of all, go and look in your own home and you will find a small loaf of bread, however small it may be. According to your need, you can multiply them little by little and his problem will be easily solved, with little effort on your part.

Action of the day: Trust the Lord.

“They were like sheep without a shepherd”

Fr. Xavier SOBREVÍA i Vidal

(Sant Just Desvern, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, Jesus shows Himself to be sensitive to the needs of people who are in search of Him. He just cannot remain indifferent to the needs of those he meets on the way. He feels compassion when He sees the great crowd that has been following Him “like sheep without a shepherd” (Mk 6:34). The Master leaves His immediate plans aside and starts preaching. How many times have we allowed urgency or impatience manage our behavior? How many times have we not wanted to change our plans in order to help with immediate and unforeseen needs? Jesus gives us an example of flexibility, of the ability to modify plans and be available for the people who follow Him.

Time goes by quickly. When you love, it is easy for time to go by very quickly. And Jesus, who loves much, preaches at length. The disciples remind the Master that it is getting late. What worries them is how the crowd is going to feed itself. Then Jesus makes an implausible proposal: “Give them some food yourselves.” (Mk 6:37). He is not only worried about spiritual bread but also about bodily food. The disciples find it difficult, very difficult. And it is true!: the cost would be “two hundred days’ wages worth of food” (Mk 6:37). They see the material difficulties, but their eyes do not still recognize that He who speaks to them is almighty; they need more faith.

Jesus does not make them stand in line, he organizes them in groups. They rest and share together as a community. He asked the disciples for the food they had: only five loaves and two fish. Jesus takes them, invokes God's blessing and distributes them. Such a small amount of food will feed thousands of people with twelve baskets in excess. This miracle introduces the spiritual bread of the Eucharist. The Bread of life that spreads freely to all the people of the Earth in order to give life and eternal life.

Texte de l'Évangile

(Mc 6, 34-44): 

En débarquant, Jésus vit une grande foule. Il fut saisi de pitié envers eux, parce qu'ils étaient comme des brebis sans berger. Alors, il se mit à les instruire longuement. Déjà l'heure était avancée; ses disciples s'étaient approchés et lui disaient: «L'endroit est désert et il est déjà tard. Renvoie-les, qu'ils aillent dans les fermes et les villages des environs s'acheter de quoi manger». Il leur répondit: «Donnez-leur vous-mêmes à manger». Ils répliquent: «Allons-nous dépenser le salaire de deux cents journées pour acheter du pain et leur donner à manger?». Jésus leur demande: «Combien avez-vous de pains? Allez voir». S'étant informés, ils lui disent: «Cinq, et deux poissons».

Il leur ordonna de les faire tous asseoir par groupes sur l'herbe verte. Ils s'assirent en rond par groupes de cent et de cinquante. Jésus prit les cinq pains et les deux poissons, et, levant les yeux au ciel, il prononça la bénédiction, rompit les pains, et il les donnait aux disciples pour qu'ils les distribuent. Il partagea aussi les deux poissons entre eux tous. Tous mangèrent à leur faim. Et l'on ramassa douze paniers pleins de morceaux de pain et de poisson. Ceux qui avaient mangé les pains étaient au nombre de cinq mille hommes.

L’Application

Je propose trois points de contemplation avec des orientations différentes.

L'Eucharistie

La multiplication du pain est un avant-goût de l'Eucharistie, car tous les éléments qui se trouvent dans la multiplication du pain se trouvent dans l'Eucharistie. Jésus a voulu montrer son amour et dans cet amour il a établi l'Eucharistie. Il a pris le pain et a rendu grâce. Il a rompu le pain et l'a donné aux disciples. Jésus a établi l'Eucharistie pour que ses disciples ressentent sa présence de manière permanente.

Apprendre à regarder

L'évangile d'aujourd'hui m'apprend à regarder le monde différemment. À regarder la préoccupation et le problème du point de vue de l'autre et à comprendre la profondeur de sa souffrance. C'est un regard plein d'amour et il n'est pas égocentrique, mais centré sur Dieu. Il nous invite à découvrir la volonté divine.

La ressource intérieure

Qui n'a pas un problème ou une préoccupation dans la vie quotidienne ? Pour résoudre un problème, nous devons chercher la solution dans notre intériorité plutôt que dans notre extériorité. Jésus nous invite à regarder les ressources que nous avons déjà avec nous. « Combien-avez-vous de paons ? Allez voir ». Tout d'abord, va regarder dans ta propre maison et tu trouveras une petite miche de pain, aussi petite soit-elle. Selon ton besoin, tu peux les multiplier petit à petit et ton problème sera facilement résolu, avec peu d'effort de ta part.

«Ils étaient comme des brebis sans berger»

Abbé Xavier SOBREVÍA i Vidal

(Sant Just Desvern, Barcelona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, Jésus nous montre qu'Il est attentif aux nécessités des personnes qui viennent à sa rencontre. Il ne peut pas rencontrer quelqu'un et demeurer insensible à ses besoins. Le cœur de Jésus s'émeut en voyant la grande foule qui le suit «comme des brebis sans berger» (Mc 6,34). Le maître abandonne ses projets et se met à enseigner. Que de fois avons-nous laissé l'urgence ou l'impatience nous imposer notre conduite! Que de fois avons-nous refusé de changer de plan pour nous occuper de besoins immédiats et imprévus! Jésus nous donne l'exemple de la flexibilité, de l'art de modifier son programme et d'être disponible pour les personnes qui le suivent.

Le temps passe vite. Quand tu aimes, le temps passe facilement très vite. Et Jésus, qui aime beaucoup, se met longuement à expliquer la doctrine. Il se fait tard, les disciples le rappellent au maître, qui est soucieux que la foule puisse manger. Alors Jésus fait une proposition incroyable: «Donnez-leur vous-mêmes à manger» (Mc 6,37). Il a non seulement le souci de donner par ses enseignements une nourriture spirituelle, Il veut aussi nourrir les corps. Les disciples voient les difficultés, réelles, très réelles. Les pains vont coûter beaucoup d'argent (cf. Mc 6,37). Ils voient les difficultés matérielles, mais leurs yeux ne savent pas reconnaître que Celui qui leur parle peut tout; leur foi n'est pas assez grande.

Jésus ne commande pas que les gens se mettent en rang debout; il les fait s'asseoir par groupes. Ensemble, ils se reposeront et partageront. Il demande aux disciples quelle nourriture ils ont emporté: seulement cinq pains et deux poissons. Jésus les prend, invoque la bénédiction de Dieu et les répartit. Un modeste repas qui servira à nourrir des milliers d'hommes et il en restera encore douze couffins. Miracle qui préfigure l'aliment spirituel de l'Eucharistie, Pain de vie qui s'étend gratuitement à tous les peuples de la Terre pour donner la vie et la vie éternelle.

Gospel text

(Mt 4,12-17.23-25): 

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to settle down in Capernaum, a town by the lake of Galilee, at the border of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the word of the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled: «Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali crossed by the Road of the Sea, and you who live by the Jordan, Galilee, land of pagans, listen: The people who lived in darkness have seen a great light; on those who live in the land of the shadow of death, a light has shone».

From that time on Jesus began to proclaim his message, «Change your ways: the kingdom of heaven is near». Jesus went around all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom, and curing all kinds of sickness and disease among the people. The news about him spread through the whole of Syria, and the people brought all their sick to him, and all those who suffered: the possessed, the deranged, the paralyzed, and he healed them all. Large crowds followed him from Galilee and the Ten Cities, from Jerusalem, Judea, and from across the Jordan.

The Application

The Word of Jesus has a power that the centurion recognised and enjoyed. The name of Jesus has a power that his disciples recognised in their mission. All those who recognised this power were never disappointed. The celebration of the NAME of Jesus invites us to recognise the power of this name and to take advantage of it, for the good of ourselves, but also for the good of others. Let us begin and end all things in the name of the Lord and may He be our Alfa and Omega.

Action of the day: Call Him by His NAME.

“The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Fr. Jordi CASTELLET i Sala

(Sant Hipòlit de Voltregà, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, we begin again, so to speak. “The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.” (Mt 4:16), Isaiah, quoted in the gospel —which takes us back to Christmas, tells us. We start again, we get another opportunity. Our time is new, the occasion asks for it, let's humbly let the Father work in our lives.

Today we start the time that God has given us yet again, for us to sanctify, so that we can get close to Him, so that we can turn our lives into service to others. Christmas is coming to an end next Sunday with the Baptism of the Lord, and a new year starts with the ordinary time —as we say in Christian liturgy— to live “in extenso” the mystery of Christmas. The Incarnation of the Word has visited us in these days and has sown his Grace in our hearts in an infallible way, a grace which takes us back to the Kingdom of Heaven, the kingdom of God that Christ has come to open up to us with His deeds and commitment from the Heart of our humanity.

Because of that, Saint Leo the Great said that “the providence and the mercy of God, who had already thought of helping a world which was collapsing at the time, determined the salvation of all peoples through Christ.”

This is the right time. We cannot think that God worked more in the past than now, that it was easier to believe in Jesus —physically, I mean— than now that we do not see Him. The sacraments of the Church and the prayer of the community grant us pardon and peace and an opportunity to participate, once again, in the works of God in the world, through our work, study, friends, family, entertainment or the daily life with our brothers. May the Lord, source of every gift and every good, make it possible for us!

Texte de l'Évangile

(Mt 4,12-17.23-25): 

Quand Jésus apprit l'arrestation de Jean Baptiste, il se retira en Galilée. Il quitta Nazareth et vint habiter à Capharnaüm, ville située au bord du lac, dans les territoires de Zabulon et de Nephtali. Ainsi s'accomplit ce que le Seigneur avait dit par le prophète Isaïe: «Pays de Zabulon et pays de Nephtali, route de la mer et pays au-delà du Jourdain, Galilée, toi le carrefour des païens: le peuple qui habitait dans les ténèbres a vu se lever une grande lumière. Sur ceux qui habitaient dans le pays de l'ombre et de la mort, une lumière s'est levée».

A partir de ce moment, Jésus se mit à proclamer: «Convertissez-vous, car le Royaume des cieux est tout proche». Jésus, parcourant toute la Galilée, enseignait dans leurs synagogues, proclamait la Bonne Nouvelle du Royaume, guérissait toute maladie et toute infirmité dans le peuple. Sa renommée se répandit dans toute la Syrie et on lui amena tous ceux qui souffraient, atteints de maladies et de tourments de toutes sortes: possédés, épileptiques, paralysés; et il les guérit. De grandes foules le suivirent, venues de la Galilée, de la Décapole, de Jérusalem, de la Judée, et de la Transjordanie.

L’Application

La Parole de Jésus a un pouvoir que le centurion a reconnu et apprécié. Le nom de Jésus a un pouvoir que ses disciples ont reconnu dans leur mission. Tous ceux qui ont reconnu cette puissance n'ont jamais été déçus. La célébration du NOM de Jésus nous invite à reconnaître la puissance de ce nom et à en profiter, pour notre bien, mais aussi pour le bien des autres. Commençons et terminons toute chose au nom du Seigneur et qu'Il soit notre Alfa et notre Omega.

«Le Royaume des cieux est tout proche»

Abbé Jordi CASTELLET i Sala

(Sant Hipòlit de Voltregà, Barcelona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, nous recommençons, pour ainsi dire. «Le peuple qui habitait dans les ténèbres a vu se lever une grande lumière» (Mt 4,16), nous dit le prophète Isaïe, cité dans l'Évangile du jour. Il nous réachemine vers ce que nous écoutions à Noël. Nous recommençons, une nouvelle chance nous est offerte. Un temps tout neuf: laissons humblement, à cette occasion, le Père agir dans nos vies.

Aujourd'hui débute l'époque où Dieu nous donne une fois encore son temps pour que nous le sanctifiions, pour que nous soyons près de Lui et que nous fassions de notre vie un service des autres. La période de Noël s'achèvera, si Dieu le veut, dimanche prochain, avec la fête du Baptême du Seigneur, qui tirera le coup d'envoi d'une nouvelle année -le temps ordinaire, comme on dit dans la liturgie chrétienne-, afin de vivre in extenso le mystère de Noël. L'Incarnation du Verbe nous a visités en ces jours et, infailliblement, elle a semé dans nos coeurs sa Grâce salvifique qui nous oriente de nouveau vers le Royaume des Cieux, le Règne de Dieu que le Christ est venu inaugurer parmi nous, grâce à son action et à son engagement au sein de notre humanité.

C'est la raison pour laquelle, saint Léon le Grand nous dit que «la providence et la miséricorde de Dieu, qui avait déjà pensé -dans les temps récents- à aider le monde qui s'enfonçait, a décidé le salut de tous les peuples par l'intermédiaire de Jésus-Christ».

Voici le temps favorable. Ne pensons pas que Dieu agissait davantage auparavant, qu'il était plus facile de croire auprès de Jésus -physiquement, veux-je dire-, qu'à présent où nous ne le voyons plus tel qu'Il est. Les sacrements de l'Église et la prière communautaire nous obtiennent le pardon et la paix, ainsi que la possibilité de participer de nouveau à l'œuvre de Dieu dans le monde par notre travail, notre étude, notre famille, nos amis, nos divertissements ou notre vie parmi nos frères. Que le Seigneur, source de tout don et de tout bien, nous le permette!

"Arise, Jerusalem, shine! Your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. This is the Good News that rings in our ears. It is amazing that it is the strangers who announce it to us. The feast of the Epiphany helps us to understand our God, a God who loves us, a God who works in all discretion, leading the whole world, with its diversity, once again forming one people, his people, his beloved. Today we are witnesses to this marvellous event.

We rejoice because God has chosen this day for the world to discover this God in this child. It is no longer a chosen race, but in it all races have been unified. We are no longer Greek or Roman, we are Christians, a new race has been born which has received a new identity, an identity in love and forgiveness. Love one another as I have loved you. We now become bearers of the radiant light, the Light of Christ, through our life of witness.

St. Paul in the second reading reveals this truth to us in the light of his own conversion, of his encounter with Christ, and through Christ, the Church of the Lord, for whom he became the ambassador, to the Gentile people. "This mystery is that all nations are associated with the same inheritance, the same body, the sharing of the same promise, in Christ Jesus, through the proclamation of the Gospel.

The Church invites us to discover the Magi, who are the seekers of truth, by interpreting the signs of heaven that they saw. They were intelligent men, and also men of wisdom. Looking at these men we can easily understand the basis of Pope Francis' Encyclical, 'Laudato Si', where the whole world is invited to see and look at creation. Looking at the Lord's creation, it is invited to discern and judge. In his discernment and decision, we must commit ourselves, so that Creation may regain its beauty and majesty. There we can celebrate. Life must be a celebration.

In this celebration, we can easily make mistakes, especially in our discernment, like those of Magi, who went to knock on the palace door. All was well, and in the end they missed the point, because they thought that their journey to worship the Saviour ended in the palace. How many of us end our journey in the middle of the road, without being able to reach and enjoy the years of work? Let us not lose confidence, they teach us to start all over again, and they will restart, fully guided by the stars, seeking now on a new path, strangely without the stars which accompanied them, after knowing how to worship the Lord. For the living and for people of faith, life is always a new beginning. Everyday is a new life. Let’s not be blocked in our past mistakes. We should keep going, giving the same hope to all those who search this living God.  

What are they seeing in this child, the men of wisdom and understanding, that they fall to their knees, fall at His feet, prostrate themselves before Him? What a wonderful gesture! Surrendering themselves, before this Holy Child, and adore the God of creation. Shouldn’t we learn to repeat the same with our brothers and sisters, where God is actively and sometime passively present and manifest? Have we had this experience of prostrating ourselves before our Lord, Jesus Christ, dead and risen, in the Blessed Sacrament? As I have already mentioned, that life is a celebration. We celebrate the manifestation of the Lord and let the world discover and celebrate it in us. God bless you all.

What a joy it is for us to begin the year in the maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Gospel begins with the statement, "They found Mary and Joseph with the new-born child lying in the manger". We are invited to discover, like Elizabeth, the divine motherhood of Mary, and to adore the Child God, invisible to the world, yet visible to the eyes of faith. Let us discover each day of this year with these eyes of faith, and in every individual this divine presence.

To do this, we must know how to listen to the word of the angels, a word that is very foreign, provoking fear and uncertainty, never seen or heard. Let us dare and listen to it.  With this message of joy and wonder, a message of peace and serenity,  we must learn to take the risk of moving, leaving the sheep in their place, towards an unknown direction. Like those shepherds, let us go with an eagerness, a Marian eagerness that we heard immediately after the Annunciation.  It is not enough to say Lord, Lord, but to put his Word into practice. They left immediately to adore the New Born Child.

Our God is a God of Covenant and thus we are a covenant people. In this covenant, an encounter is proposed and favoured, by listening to and carrying out the Word of the angels. Let us not hesitate to take this risk of life, and to commit ourselves to this displacement, to the peripheries of society. Every divine covenant makes us participative, raises us up towards God. Life does not reveal all the details of its beauty and majesty. We will discover them, like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, who later said, "Is not our heart burning? Like our God, the creator of life, our life is also surprising. Let us accept it with an open heart. Then, we will be able to sing with the angels of Lord, just like these shepherds, filled with joy and gratitude.

Jesus was not born in Mary, he was born of Mary, of her own flesh. He was truly her son, her beloved son. Since He chose to be born of a woman, it was in her that He chose to save humanity. She gave her flesh, so that this corruptible human being might put on the incorruptible, this mortal being might put on immortality. In Mary's maternity, we commemorate this mystery of the Incarnation, a great divine gift that Mary passed on to us, through her own flesh. Let’s humbly accept the divine gift of God, to the humanity.

In order for this gift to benefit all humanity, we must imitate Mary in her contemplation, and the shepherds in the adoration of the Invisible in the visible. They all gave glory to God, says the gospel of the day. A life of contemplation that directs us towards action will de facto give glory to God. This life will be a life of witness, inviting all those around us to savour life as a divine gift and to give Him the fruits of life. May this year be for you all, in the maternal love of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a year of blessing and grace.

"May the Lord bless you and keep you!

May the Lord make his face shine upon you,

may he take you into his grace!

May the Lord turn his face towards you,

may he bring you peace!"

Gospel text

(Jn 1:1-18): 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God. And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth

John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me. ’” From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace, because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.

The Application

In this last moments of the year of 2021, we are invited to give thanks to God for the events we have experienced et lived, the people whom we have encountered and known, new discoveries and adventures, etc. The good and the pleasant have helped us to savour life. The not so good and the unpleasant events have helped us to grow in maturity, to recognise differences and to appreciate them. We recognise that in these events our God was alive and working, within us and outside of us, so that humanity could appropriate and enjoy the creation in its totality.

We do constate that some of our friends lost their jobs, others had no time to rest. We certainly discovered different technologies and software that existed before, that were ignored, that have now become very useful for all of us.  Certainly, the extension of COVID in different forms surprised us. As believers, we cannot deny that in these events and the people whom we have met, we have discovered a living and surprising God.

The beginning of St. John's Gospel confirms us yet another truth that the contemporary world does not want to acknowledge. Christ is our Light, coming down from heaven to dispel the darkness. If we listen to Him and put into practice all that He tells us, we will discover in the events of the day the true divine action and in His works we will discover God and a recognition of His presence in our daily lives will comfort and transform us.   

Action of the day: B grateful to God.

“The Word became flesh”

Fr. David COMPTE i Verdaguer

(Manlleu, Barcelona, Spain)

Today is the last day of the year. Often, mixed feelings —even contradictory ones— can be found in our hearts at this time. It is as though a sample of the different moments we have lived and those we would like to have lived make themselves present in our memories. Today's Gospel can help us pour them out, in order to start the New Year with strength.

“The Word was with God (...). All things came to be through him” (Jn 1:1.3). When taking inventory of the year, it is necessary to think that every day we have lived was a gift. Because of that, and whatever the profit might be, it is necessary to thank God for every minute of the year.

The gift of life is not whole, though. We are needy. Because of that, today's Gospel gives us the key words: “to welcome, to accept”. “And the Word became flesh” (Jn 1:14). Accept God Himself! God, turning into man, puts Himself within our reach. “To welcome,” means to open our doors, to allow Him to enter our lives, to be in our projects, in those acts, which fill our days. To what degree are we welcoming God, letting Him into our lives?

“The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world” (Jn 1:9). Accepting Jesus means to allow Him to question us. Letting His criteria influence our more intimate thoughts as well as our social and work performance. Let's reconcile our actions to His!

“Through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race” (Jn 1:4). Faith is more, however, than a few criteria. It is our life embedded into Life. It is not only effort —which indeed it is, but above all, it is gift and grace— life received at the heart of the Church, especially through the sacraments. What is the place of the sacraments in my Christian life?

“But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name” (Jn 1:12). What a passionate project for the year that we are about to start!

Texte de l'Évangile

(Jn 1,1-18): 

Au commencement était la Parole, et la Parole était avec Dieu, et la Parole était Dieu. Elle était au commencement avec Dieu. Toutes choses ont été faites par elle, et rien de ce qui a été fait n'a été fait sans elle. En elle était la vie, et la vie était la lumière des hommes. La lumière luit dans les ténèbres, et les ténèbres ne l'ont point reçue.

Il y eut un homme envoyé de Dieu: son nom était Jean. Il vint pour servir de témoin, pour rendre témoignage à la lumière, afin que tous crussent par lui. Il n'était pas la lumière, mais il parut pour rendre témoignage à la lumière.

Cette lumière était la véritable lumière, qui, en venant dans le monde, éclaire tout homme. Elle était dans le monde, et le monde a été fait par elle, et le monde ne l'a point connue. Elle est venue chez les siens, et les siens ne l'ont point reçue. Mais à tous ceux qui l'ont reçue, à ceux qui croient en son nom, elle a donné le pouvoir de devenir enfants de Dieu, lesquels sont nés, non du sang, ni de la volonté de la chair, ni de la volonté de l'homme, mais de Dieu. Et la parole a été faite chair, et elle a habité parmi nous, pleine de grâce et de vérité; et nous avons contemplé sa gloire, une gloire comme la gloire du Fils unique venu du Père.

Jean lui a rendu témoignage, et s'est écrié: «C'est celui dont j'ai dit: Celui qui vient après moi m'a précédé, car il était avant moi». Et nous avons tous reçu de sa plénitude, et grâce pour grâce; car la loi a été donnée par Moïse, la grâce et la vérité sont venues par Jésus Christ. Personne n'a jamais vu Dieu; le Fils unique, qui est dans le sein du Père, est celui qui l'a fait connaître.

L’Application

En ces derniers moments de l'année 2021, nous sommes invités à rendre grâce à Dieu pour les événements que nous avons vécus et expérimentés. Les bons et les agréables nous ont aidés à savourer la vie. Les événements moins bons et désagréables nous ont aidés à grandir en maturité, à reconnaître les différences et à les apprécier. Nous reconnaissons que dans ces événements, notre Dieu était vivant et à l'œuvre, afin que l'humanité puisse se les approprier et en profiter.

Nous constatons que certains de nos amis ont perdu leur emploi, d'autres n'ont pas eu le temps de se reposer. Nous avons certainement découvert différentes technologies et logiciels qui existaient auparavant, qui étaient ignorés, et qui sont maintenant devenus très utiles pour nous tous.  Certainement, l'extension de COVID sous différentes formes nous a surpris. En tant que croyants, nous ne pouvons nier que dans ces événements nous avons découvert un Dieu vivant et surprenant.

Le début de l'Évangile de saint Jean nous confirme une autre vérité que le monde contemporain ne veut pas reconnaître. Le Christ est notre Lumière, descendant du ciel pour dissiper les ténèbres. Si nous l'écoutons et mettons en pratique tout ce qu'il nous dit, nous découvrirons dans les événements de la journée la véritable action divine. Dans ses œuvres, nous découvrirons Dieu et la reconnaissance de sa présence dans notre vie quotidienne nous réconfortera et nous transformera.   

«Et la parole a été faite chair»

Abbé David COMPTE i Verdaguer

(Manlleu, Barcelona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, c'est le dernier jour de l'année. Fréquemment, un mélange de sentiments —même contradictoires— refont surface dans nos coeurs en cette période de l'année. C'est comme si un échantillon des différents moments vécus dans le courant de l'année, et aussi de ceux qu'on aurait aimé vivre, viennent dans nos esprits. L'Evangile d'aujourd'hui peut nous aider à les mettre en perspective pour pouvoir commencer le nouvel an avec entrain.

«La Parole était Dieu (…). Tout se fit pour elle» (Jn 1,1.3). A l'heure de faire le bilan de l'année, il faut se rappeler que chaque jour vécu est un don reçu. C'est pour cela que quel que soit la manière dont nous en avons profité, aujourd'hui nous devons rendre grâce pour chaque minute de l'année.

Mais le don de la vie ne suffit pas. Nous sommes toujours dans le besoin. C'est pour cela que l'Evangile d'aujourd'hui nous apporte une parole clé: “accueillir”. «Et la parole s'est fait chair» (Jn 1,14). Accueillir Dieu lui-même! Dieu, se faisant homme, se met à notre portée. “Accueillir” signifie Lui ouvrir nos portes, Le laisser entrer dans nos vies, dans nos projets, dans ces actes qui remplissent nos journées. Jusqu'à quel point avons-nous accueilli Dieu et lui avons-nous permis d'entrer en nous?

«La Parole est la lumière véritable qui illumine tout homme qui vient de ce monde» (Jn 1,9). Accueillir Jésus veut dire se laisser questionner par lui. Laisser ses critères illuminer tant nos pensées les plus intimes comme nos actions, dans le travail ou dans nos relations sociales. Que nos actions puissent s'accorder aux siennes!

«La vie est la lumière» (Jn 1,4). Mais la foi est quelque chose de plus que de simples critères. C'est notre vie joint à la Vie. Ce n'est pas seulement notre effort mais surtout, don et grâce. Vie reçue au sein de l'Eglise, surtout à travers les sacrements. Quelle place ont-ils dans ma vie chrétienne?

«A tous ceux qui l'ont reçu il leur a donné le pouvoir de se faire Fils de Dieu» (Jn 1,12). Tout un projet passionnant pour cette année que nous allons entamer!

Gospel text

(Lk 2:36-40): 

There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.

The Application

Let us imitate and appropriate Anne's preparation: fasting and prayer. I interpret them as self-control (fasting) especially of the carnal, and a recognition of God's presence in our daily lives. By doing so, we will put human temptations behind us, and we can put ourselves at God's service, in a radical way.

The Christian life has two fronts, action, which is born of contemplation. If Hannah is here (the action), she was driven by this contemplation of God's promise to Abraham, and with her, all those who were in contemplation were able to enjoy the divine presence, in this child. It is in this contemplation that we learn to love one another as Jesus loved us. It is in this love that others will recognise us as Christians.

Action of the day: Give importance to your daily prayer
 

“She gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all.”

Fr. Joaquim FLURIACH i Domínguez

(St. Esteve de P., Barcelona, Spain)

Today, Joseph and Mary have just celebrated the presentation rites of their first-born, Jesus, at the Temple in Jerusalem. Mary and Joseph observe what the law says, because doing what God wants is a sign of faithfulness and love for God.

Since their Son —and God's Son— was born, Joseph and Mary have experienced surprise after surprise: the shepherds, the three wise men, angels... Not only external extraordinary events, but also interior ones, in the heart of people who have had some sort of contact with the Child.

Today Anne turns up. She is an elderly widow, who at a given moment decided to devote all her life to the Lord, with fasts and prayer. We are not making a mistake when we say that this woman was one of the “prudent virgins” of our Lord Jesus Christ's parable (cf. Mt 25:1-13): always faithfully watching over what seems to be God's will for her. And of course: when the moment comes, the Lord finds Her ready. The Boy fully rewards her for all the time she has dedicated to the Lord. Ask her; ask Anna if so much prayer, fast and generosity was worthwhile!

The text reads that “she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem” (Lk 2:38). Joy turns into determined apostleship: it is cause and effect. The Lord is infinitely generous with those who are generous with him.

Jesus, God incarnate, lives a family life in Nazareth, like in all families: growing, working, learning, asking, playing... “Holy and daily routine”, where the souls of men grow stronger almost without realizing of it. How important the little things of every day are!

Texte de l'Évangile

(Lc 2,36-40): 

Il y avait là une femme qui était prophète, Anne, fille de Phanuel, de la tribu d'Aser. Demeurée veuve après sept ans de mariage, elle avait atteint l'âge de quatre-vingt-quatre ans. Elle ne s'éloignait pas du Temple, servant Dieu jour et nuit dans le jeûne et la prière. S'approchant d'eux à ce moment, elle proclamait les louanges de Dieu et parlait de l'enfant à tous ceux qui attendaient la délivrance de Jérusalem.

Lorsqu'ils eurent accompli tout ce que prescrivait la loi du Seigneur, ils retournèrent en Galilée, dans leur ville de Nazareth. L'enfant grandissait et se fortifiait, tout rempli de sagesse, et la grâce de Dieu était sur lui.

L’Application

Imitons et approprions la préparation d'Anne : le jeûne et la prière. Je les interprète comme une maîtrise de soi (jeûne) surtout charnelle, et une reconnaissance de la présence de Dieu dans notre vie quotidienne. En agissant ainsi, nous laisserons derrière nous les tentations humaines, et nous pourrons nous mettre au service de Dieu, de manière radicale.

La vie chrétienne a deux fronts, l'action, qui naît de la contemplation. Si Anne est là (l'action), elle a été poussée par cette contemplation de la promesse de Dieu à Abraham, et avec elle, tous ceux qui étaient dans la contemplation ont pu jouir de la présence divine, dans cet enfant. C'est dans cette contemplation que nous apprenons à nous aimer les uns les autres comme Jésus nous a aimés. C'est dans cet amour que les autres nous reconnaîtront comme chrétiens.

«Proclamait les louanges de Dieu et parlait de l'enfant à tous»

Abbé Joaquim FLURIACH i Domínguez

(St. Esteve de P., Barcelona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, Joseph et Marie viennent de célébrer le rite de la présentation de leur premier né, Jésus, dans le Temple de Jérusalem. Marie et Joseph n'épargnent rien pour accomplir avec soin tout ce que la loi prescrit, car accomplir ce que Dieu veut est un signe de fidélité, d'amour de Dieu.

Depuis que son fils —et Fils de Dieu— est né, Joseph et Marie expérimentent merveille après merveille: les pasteurs, les mages d'Orient, les anges… Non seulement des évènements extraordinaires extérieurs, mais aussi intérieurs, dans le cœur des personnes qui ont un certain contact avec cet Enfant.

Aujourd'hui apparaît Anne, une femme, veuve, qui à un moment déterminé a pris la décision de dédier toute sa vie au Seigneur, avec des jeûnes et des prières. Nous ne nous trompons pas si nous disons que cette femme était une des “vierges prudentes” de la parabole du Seigneur (cf. Mt 25,1-13): veillant toujours fidèlement sur tout ce qui lui semble être la volonté de Dieu. Et bien sur: le moment venu, le Seigneur la trouve prête. Tout le temps qu'elle a dédié au Seigneur, cet Enfant le lui récompense largement. —Demandez-lui, demandez à Anne si ça valait la peine tant de prières, tant de jeûnes et tant de générosité!

Le texte dit que «elle proclamait les louanges de Dieu et parlait de l'enfant à tous ceux qui attendaient la délivrance de Jérusalem» (Lc 2,38). La joie se transformait en apostolat décidé: elle est le motif et la racine. Le Seigneur est incroyablement généreux avec ceux qui sont généreux avec Lui.

Jésus, Dieu incarné, vit la vie de famille à Nazareth, comme toutes les familles: grandir, travailler, apprendre, prier, jouer… “Sainte quotidienneté!”, routine bénie où grandissent et se forgent presque sans s’en rendre compte les âmes des hommes de Dieu! Comme les petites choses de tous les jours sont importantes!