08/07/2022

It is easy to understand why the early church was sure that the Kingdom was close at hand for Jesus told them what would happen in the lifetimes of those who would pass his teaching onto all the peoples of Israel. The first teachers who had been with Jesus throughout his lifetime and heard his words were in no doubt that he planned to return. We hear of divisions about the dietry laws and circumcision but the essentials of the Parousia seem to have been undisputed. It maybe true that the whole Christian community of Jerusalem moved to Pella before the war that ended in the complete destruction, without the power of cluster bombs, of the Holy City.

As the years grew into decades there must have been plenty of disputes and honestly held opinions as the recorded words of the Lord stand in stark contrast to what the second and third generations experienced. The Gospels as they were codified keep the possibility of conflict alive but we have to be sure that the experiences of the New Testament have not been edited and adjusted to suit the growth in Theology.

There is another contrast that we have witnessed. At a recent appearance before a modern Sanhedrin, a Public Enquiry in front of  television cameras to which we all became eyewitnesses, our modern day  descendants of the Apostles were not able to demonstrate the support of the Holy Spirit. Father, Son and the Holy Spirit cannot defend the indefensible. 

Dear Lord my sins cannot be denied. There is a failure in your Church. How can my sins be forgiven if you desert your Church. Show us the way to a reconciliation that will fulfill your promise to be with us until the end of time. Maranatha. May Mary who experinced so much in her life give us the support from Heaven that we lack from our Church here on Earth.