What a wonderful initiative to hold a Bible Day during this Jubilee Year of Hope! The reference to “headwinds” ran through the entire day’s activities — and yet, with each one, my hope only grew stronger, from beginning to end.

The “winds” began to blow early in the program, with a lively dramatization featuring an enthusiastic scout (Sr. Violaine Paradis) and a somewhat skeptical sailor (Fr. Jean-Chrysostome Zoloshi). Their good-natured banter and faith-filled humor drew us in, leaving us laughing together and renewed in the Word of God at every interlude.

And what can I say about the music offered by the Etoa family? A gentle breeze! A mother and her two sons lifted our spirits — especially through the theme song, Hoping Against All Hope.

The day’s activities opened with an invitation from Fr. Yves Guillemette to enter the biblical world of Hope, focusing on Simeon — a man whose hope was fulfilled (Luke 2:25-32). I was deeply reassured by the stories of hope drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. Hope, I realized, takes on the colors of the times we live in — and that is truly comforting.

We continued with a Visio Divina led by Mr. Sylvain Campeau, reflecting on The Calming of the Storm by artist Sieger Köder. Though I am familiar with this form of prayer, I once again found myself immersed in contemplation, inviting God to speak to my heart — this time about faith and hope.

Mr. Francis Daoust then guided us through a narrative analysis of Matthew 14:22-23, Jesus Walks on the Sea. We stepped into the shoes of biblical scholars, discovering the richness of the characters, settings, and movements within the story. Among us, a young participant even showed remarkable talent for exegesis — surely a sign of hope!

The day concluded with a biblical storytelling session led by Ms. Colette Beauchemin and Ms. Francine Vincent, on the voyage of Paul with Aristarchus (Acts 27:1-44). I was not very familiar with this method, but I let myself be carried along by the waves: Francine became Aristarchus, and we, the participants, became the people of Crete. Paul’s journey was long and difficult, yet it reminded us of the importance of holding fast to signs of hope — such as the compassion of the Roman centurion Julius, and Paul’s unwavering trust in God even when the ship’s tackle was thrown overboard!

At the very end, members of the Catholic community Semences du Verbe (Seeds of the Word) shared their vocation “to make the Word of God accessible to all.” Before that, they had quite literally lent a helping hand — preparing and serving the meal and coffee breaks!

I left that day with deep gratitude — strengthened by the Word and ready to face the headwinds of life with renewed hope. I am already looking forward to the 2026 Week of the Word, to be held from January 23 to February 1, 2026, under the theme “Settling Our Accounts” (Matthew 18:21-35).

The program is now being prepared — stay tuned!
👉 bit.ly/ProgrammeSP2026

Pascale Haddad, participant