22/03/22022

Jesus' parable of the Kingdom of God is a story that would have been familiar to the ears of his listeners, those people of lang ago who saw and heard God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, speaking to them directly. He told them straightforwardly that he wanted us to live without any disputes as forgiveness for others must be first in our hearts. Although our world, society, politics have changed so much since those days human nature has not and we still would put ourselves first in everything. The tragic events in Ukraine, in the Congo, in Mali are not the inevitable result of People against each other but of leaders throttling those weaker than themselves to fulfill their own wishes.

Azariah's prayer is the cry of the poor to Our Father. Jesus had not yet walked the earth but God reveals that his teaching was always the wish of God for all his peoples. Perhaps this story is no more than that , a story, as it was first recorded long after the Babylon captivity but Jesus too revealed his truth through parables. The inn of the Good Samaritan never existed but the story centred there tells us exactly what love of my neighbour is.

Dear Lord let me this day live in your Love and avoid the self-love that puts me before everything. Let your Holy Spirit come in to the hearts of war-lords whose self-love is beyond comprehension. May Mary and all the saints support the victims of war and of illness who are known individually to you.