11/08/2021

Moses had finished his long and productive life but he was treated with Justice and not with forgiveness and Mercy. Maybe he had used up all his merit with God in the problems he had extricated his brethren from during their escape and sojourn in the desert or maybe it was Justice that allowed him to see the Promised Land for God's Justice is merciful. Many are the ways of God that if we think we can understand them it is then that we don't..

The" Jesus name"  passage needs to be understood as it is seems quite evident  that that promise has not been realised on earth.  How much trouble has been prayed against by Christians in Jesus' name since His time on earth and has still come to pass?

 It is quite usual to extract from this teaching rules for dealing with problems of discipline in the Church. Jesus does say "where two or three are gathered in my name " he does also say "to ask for anything at all". God knows if I am just  being childishly "clever" and speaking only my own words because they have come into my head but the comprehensive nature of both the above quotes is hard to accept at face value.

I will keep on trying to feel comfortable with this passage. I do know that " my name" is not the word "Jesus" used as some magical formula. and that to call on Jesus one must have some understanding of the Father Son and Holy Spirit; one must acknowledge the facts of his life; that his Incarnation was a direct intervention into our world by God who thus revealed the Trinity; and that salvation from our sins was won by the Passion Death and Resurrection of this Jesus. This one word contains for us  a lifetime of thought prayer and action.

Dear Lord, Let me truthfully be with you in mind and deed this day. Let me call on the abundance of your  mercy and let me avoid the simple sins that all contribute to the sufferings of Son our Lord Jesus.