17/10/2022

St Paul's faith and total acceptance of his mission shines out from all of his preaching by letter to the Churches he has founded. Sometimes he emphasises that he is a Jew, one of the chosen ones who have been brought up to believe in only one God and in whose Scripture can be seen a record of God's dealings with his own people, favouring them or punishing according to their deeds. 

Today Paul includes himself in the same mass of humanity that had been living by nature under God's anger and makes no claims on his status as a devout Jew. He too had been living sinfully "dead" in this world until all is changed by the overwhelming tidal wave of infinite love that is poured out over all the peoples of the world and he has been chosen to be a Rabi of this new covenant which is available in this redeemed world for us all to accept or refuse. We need to respect our God-given freedom.

In his human nature Jesus is also a devout Jew and his first preaching is to the "chosen ones". God is always true to himself. Jesus clarifies what it is God has created in our Universe. His being is love and out of love he has created this world and we are to recognise, accept and share in this Divine love by directing our human love first to Father, Son and Holy Spirit and then to our "neighbour" for Jesus has tasted the pains and total suffering of death to save me, him, us from our sin-choosing selves.

Treasure on earth is an ever-fading mirage that is always "that tainted thing". Is today's gospel the source of Pope Francis', "Who am I to judge?"? I hope so!

Dear Lord, you make yourself known in the world by your deeds. We can only be your servants by our deeds. Let me avoid temptation this day and let me chip away at the mountain of sin I leave wherever I go. You know that "willing" is not enough and showed this in the "impossible sacrifice" you made on our behalf. May Mary's and all the Saints' and Martyrs' prayers support my family and all the peoples of the world and let there be Glory to you Father Son and Holy Spirit now and for ever more.