22/08/2022

Paul and Timothy are full of delight and praise for the Thessalonians who have responded and remained faithful to the Good News received via Paul from Jesus. These early Christians are usually faithful to the eye-opening that thay have received by the Grace that comes from God. There is some backsliding and bickering of course, they, as we, are only human, but the Faith that is ours today grew not by force of arms or state dictat but by the love that inspired the preachers and priests of those days long ago in the past. 

Our faith in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit  and our place in Creation brought to us directly by the the Resurrecton is still exactly the same as it was when Paul/Saul approved of the execution of Stephen and accepted the commission to harry the converts in Damascus. Saul's conversion to Paul was the the direct call of the Resurrected Son and his Sanhedrin-approved mission was radically overturned into preaching the life death and Resurrection.

There is a great contrast between Paul's joy and Jesus assesment of the "Church" leaders of his day. I felt so disappointed on first reading the Gospel for Jesus words more than reflected my own concerns about the condition of His Church today. ( I felt a rant coming on) but yesterday I was drawn to a TikTok posting by an African priest whose joy in the Gospel of the Lord shone out of screen and I remembered  being in my parish Church some time about 1950 when a Missionary priest forecast in his sermon that those to whom he was now preaching in Africa would one day bring the Faith back to us. Amen!

Dear Lord I have still to live through this day dedicated to Mary our Queen and Mother. Let me be close to you and far away from the sins that fill my consciousness and life. Just because the Western Church has lost its way in the concerns and stupidities the secular "isms" and direct challenges aimed at you put before our eyes each day does not mean that you are not still present with us even to the end of time. Of course, all this is known to you please accept my feeble response. May Mary whose feastday as Queen and Mother is celebrated today, place before you all our troubles in this life that we may become more secure in our knowledge that your grace never leaves us even if we ignore it.