04/11/2021

Today we are assured that Jesus is the Lord of the whole of humanity. He is our guide our teacher our example and our friend. He does not exclude any of us from the salvation he brings. The salvation he brings releases sinners from the chains of sinfulness. There is great joy within God that sinners seek the the Grace made available to all of us. We sinners have to breath freely when we realise that the disaster awaiting our sinfulness does not have to happen now that the Mercy of the Lord is with us. The Kingdom of God is present with us today.

St Paul emphasises the teaching of Jesus revealed in today's Gospel. The rejoicing over the lost sheep is part of Christian culture as is the lady looking for her drachma. Paul tells us that we are not to disdain any other human being. We know ourselves and the care we have for ourselves also must be given to the other.

"Care" for myself means that I have to recognise my own sins to be able to  share in their forgiveness. I look to myself and accept that I have to constantly guard against sin. Is not that same care to be applied to my brother? I am not judging when I see or hear or have it thrust into my face that in the present world there is a huge number of people who seek to challenge God in his very Existence.

My efforts here are a poor attempt to oppose the world and to remain in the Grace that many of our pastors seem to have rejected. The priest should warn the sinner about the insult he is to the Crucifixion when he does not follow the teaching of the Church on the reception of the Sacraments. The sinner has to recognise his own sinfulness for we will all have to be scrutinised by Father, Son and Holy Spirit for the Lord is Lord of the living and the dead.

Dear Lord enlighten me to a clear knowledge of myself and let me avoid all sinfulness and condemn it in myself. Let me not be blinded by the failings of our world and of our Church but to always spotlight my own sins before seeing the sins of others.