09/08/2022

Edith Stein was a woman of great intellect and academic prowess who repeated in her life the story of the chosen people and of Jesus.

The first believers to follow the teaching of Jesus and write their memoirs that have become our New Testament were all Jews and worshippers of God.  Many were persecuted by their co-religionists and many also lived to see not the Second Coming, but the complete obliteration of the centre of their worship. The Temple is no more but its teaching is our Old Testament.

I have read the life of this great saint but can only recall from my memory that her studying and teaching of philosophy drew her to the teaching of her fellow Jew and that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit called her to become a life devoted to worship. In her death the result of a denunciaton she also followed Jesus and was one of the victims of Nazi challenges to God.

There was a time in my lifetime a period when Bishops ( the Dutch Bishops in this case) did the right  thing and denounced evil politics and war. My own Bishops are characterised by avoidance of conflict with the state and with the politics that not only deny God but advise their fellow citizens to do the same.

Jesus in his Incarnation brought Good News. Our sins can be forgiven and our consciousnes of  Beauty Truth and Good can live on if we in our total being Know, Love and Obey.

Dear Lord newly inspire your Church to follow the example of your Saints and find joy in their choice to follow you. Let them avoid the perfidious influence of Satan working through the ever challenging denials of your teaching by the those who wield the power of politics and media influence. May your mother and ours help me to control my mind and know that there is nothing that is false in a life lived knowingly in the sight of her Son, the Resurrection and joy of all humanity.