Lent 2025
We begin our Lent with three pillars that are essential to grow in our faith and to rediscover the presence of God in our lives. three very simple and very concrete ways for us to re-examine the quality of our relationship with God, either by prayer, or by fasting, and by looking at our relationship with our neighbour by giving alms. These pillars of the Christian life - almsgiving, fasting and prayer - must be lived for oneself, to open us to others by discovering the presence of God in our life. We are invited to intensify our prayer life and to seek moments of silence and recollection to better see and understand the presence of God in our personal life. Fasting is much more than a simple food deprivation; it is an exercise in self-control that helps us make room for God in our life rather than for our own comfort. Almsgiving is love in action, because praying and fasting by themselves do not make us stronger if we are not attentive to the needs of others. As we step into the sacred season of Lent, I invite you to pause, reflect, and draw closer to the heart of God. Blessings, Gilles+ This Advent Season
At first glance, it might not seem like it, but it has already been a year since I arrived here with you at St. Matthew’s. Fortunately, we have learned to be patient with each other, to learn from each other, and to grow spiritually to be bold witnesses. “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15) What is our retrospective of this year together? What have we learned? What have we let go to fully embrace some change and adjustment? Now together, we are entering into a new liturgical Season, Advent, the first season of the Liturgical Year, with the four Sundays prior to Christmas, a time of expectation and of looking forward to the coming of Christ. So, in this new season, we are invited to look and walk forward, together with expectations and an eye turned towards the mission of fully living the Gospel and being witnesses to it. During this new Liturgical year, we are invited to follow Jesus through the Gospel of Luke. The Gospel of Luke is read almost in its entirety on consecutive Sundays. Throughout this gospel, there are some very unique stories like that of the Good Samaritan, or the Prodigal Son, which are not found in the other Gospels. Luke’s Gospel reveals to us some very important characteristics; we clearly see that his Gospel is oriented towards the poor and that his message is universal, his approach having a great open-mindedness towards all. Luke also recognizes the importance of women’s roles in the great mission of proclaiming the Gospel, and we also see the Holy Spirit’s actions and prayer in al its greatness. From these learnings, what do we want to experience together for the next year? How are we going to live the message of the Gospel of Luke together? Is this not an opportunity for us to let ourselves be inspired by its features, to truly live our mission, our commitments, our projects, and to fully trust the movement of the Spirit in prayer? Can we give ourselves, together, to renew our desire to be bold witnesses of Christ’s good news and speak of all God’s actions in our life and our community? We are therefore invited to be bold,joyful, inspiring, transformative and effective, to truly make the Good News present. Blessings to you and yours, Gilles+ An Invitation this Fall Season
Here we are, entering a new season that invites us to look at all this magnificent creation that surrounds us, given to us to discover all the goodness that God does for us. This new autumn season also invites us to look at all that we have accomplished together, and to go further in our vision and mission of church; it sets the tone for self-examination and discovery of what we must do together for renewal, broadening our overall vision, and our mission. In the coming months, I would like as a goal for us, to develop a new way of discipleship to reach those who are waiting, to provide to the hearts of many people a taste of how it is to be part in this mission of church whether on the social, community or pastoral level. We affirm to be a spiritual family and that we are inclusive, open to the world, and that we live our faith through concrete commitments; but what does this consist of, and how do we transmit this affirmation? Is this inclusiveness and openness simply about looking at what we experience together as a Christian community or should we do more to renew, so that this mission can reach and go beyond the walls of our routines? “Behold, I am doing a new thing: it is already sprouting, do you not see it?” (Is 43:19). God challenges us through the words of Isaiah: do we not see the call for renewal of the Church? So, what more can we do together, to bring about renewal, change and a new way of being church together and to reach out more to those who need it? There is in these biblical verses, a beautiful reflection, that we are all invited to make, and to become aware of. It is about seeing that renewal is not called to be a simple fad or recurring effect, the Church that we are is called to better correspond to the spirit of the times, and to be an essential presence in our community in general. How could our way of evangelizing be more of a reflection of our mission? How can we let the miracle of Pentecost be reproduced through our actions and commitments? How can we be a presence of the Church? Does this not involve not only a conversion of hearts and mentalities, but a conversion of practices or ways of acting? Together, we must carefully review the way in which we welcome people and receive their requests. It is important to return to the heart of the Gospel to operate a discernment that will lead us to rethink our actions, our commitments, and our mission. Furthermore, what do we want for the next three or five years to come? How do we see our mission, our community and our way of living the gospel? Where do we want to be? I challenge us to reflect on this, and see how we can renew our commitments to be a loving, welcoming and living presence that could better reflect the Gospel. This season, I will be inviting us to reflect more on this urgent need to define our vision and mission to be a church close to all. May this new season be for us, a renewal and a path to grow together, and to fully live our mission as baptized people. Let us be good to each other and in unity, be open to renewal, to truly be a life-giving church. Blessings, Gilles+ |
This Summer Season
During the few weeks of summer, everyone will take a time to rest or a vacation, or many will still be at work, or continue their respective commitments and responsibilities. At the community level here at St. Matthew's, meetings will pause, community activities will take a break, some will require a change of pace, a desire for sunshine, time to reunite with friends or family, to give the chance to build new strength for a new start in September. Vacation time is also often a good time to fully experience charity with family or friends, again, “It is by the love you have for one another that they will know that you are my disciples” (John 13-35). During the holidays, we are invited to contemplate the beauty of nature. The beauty of creation, hiking, walking in the forest. It is an opportunity to give thanks for the beauty, the immensity and to ensure the preservation of our Earth, so beautiful and so fragile. Don't put God on vacation, though! On the contrary, it is possible even on vacation to make room for God and recognize his presence, by keeping God also either in your suitcases, or in your schedule, finding time for prayer and listening to what he wants to tell us. Summertime is also a time to bear witness – Even during holidays, we are Christians, called to bear witness to our Christian faith. Let us remain united together in prayer and also keep our community alive, beautiful and resplendent. May the Grace of Jesus our Lord, may the Love of God the Father and may the communion of the Holy Spirit be always with you. Happy summer to everyone, to those who are leaving and those who are staying! Blessings, Gilles+ An Easter Message
For us Christians, Easter is the celebration of a new spring, the celebration of all new beginnings, the celebration of hope and the celebration of life. It is the most important celebration of the year. They rolled away the stone, and so did we, saying that Christ is Risen, rolling away the stone for us to make room for new life. Do not be afraid! Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified, is resurrected…If we celebrate the great feast of Easter, it is because an unbroken chain of believers have transmitted to us this faith full of hope in the resurrection of Christ. We celebrate the victory of life over death. We celebrate Jesus Christ, our hope, who gives meaning to our life, despite the anxieties, suffering and difficulties of everyday life. On this day of the resurrection, Christ invites us to start living fully again, to move from fear to joy, from past to present, from winter to spring, from death to life. Today we celebrate the greatest victory there is, the victory of Christ over death. On this season of the Lord's resurrection, Happy Easter to all. Blessings, Gilles+ Dear sisters and brothers of St. Matthew’s,
At this moment when I am preparing to celebrate a first Christmas with you all, it is with this feeling of joy and hope that I come to offer you my best wishes. In a few days, we will experience together, the celebrations that express our faith, and the beauty and depth of the mystery of the incarnation of Jesus. In our Sunday gathering place, our church, the Chrismon tree expresses our joy, and lets the light shine before our eyes, the Christmas wreaths are placed to remind us of the unity of our community, and of our desire to live together. We are all here together in this Christmas time, a time of pure tenderness which comes to bring us the peace that we want to share with a big smile, perhaps to express the happiness that we carry in our hearts. And with all my heart, I wish you and I wish us, to be able to welcome Jesus together, who is born with us in our community, but by giving birth to him in the secret of our life, in our relationships with others, in our families and in our heart. Let us dare together to let love and tenderness be born and let Christ, who came, who is coming, and who will return, shine through our lives. Together, let's open this gift from God, a Saviour is born to us. I wish you all a wonderful Christmas, filled with peace, love, joy and the light of God. Merry Christmas. Blessings, Gilles+ |