30/09/2021

I have often wondered how the crowds who listened to Jesus were able to hear him especially as his teaching was often outside in the open air. Today I find the answer in the Old Testament. Ezra had had a woodern pulpit erected so that his words were not muffled by the multitude of listeners. The priests who were in the crowd translated and passed the sense ot the Scriptures on to the people who received the "Word of the Lord" with joyful hearts.

Jesus' disciples must have performed the same function but there is nothing about  a pulpit in the New Testament. One visible result of Vatican 2 was the removal of pulpits from our churches. I suppose that the advances in technology had made them redundant. 

What happened to the 72 whom Jesus commissioned  to fufill the role of John the Baptist, preparing the way of the Lord.? What is the "peace" that in the event of it returning to them they were to abandon the town to the punishment of Sodom? 

Abandoning me to my deserved punishment is exactly what our God does not do.  The Mercy of the Lord is always with us. The Incarnation, life and death of God  the Son has brought the Kindom of God to this world. The Trinity has revealed the Persons of God. The will of the Father is ever present in that Body that is the Church. The Son has Risen from the dead. The Joy of the Holy Spirit fills our hearts with the Peace that is always available.

I have some awareness of God. I can hear the Word. I am yet a sinner in my deeds.

Dear Lord let me not add my bit to the sinful world that you have redeemed. Let me accept with open arms the Love that comes from you and continue from this moment throughout my life with more moments of true worship unclouded by sin.