20/10/2022

The readings at mass are all from the Holy Spirit inspired scripture. On some days, however, they seem to be more powerful than on others. St Paul's recommendation/exhortation to the Ephesians is Father, Son and Holy Spirit speaking through the chosen apostle to all mankind. If we keep our hearts and minds free from malice and open to grace, this is the spirit of prayer that will be given to us.

All the psalms, which were Jesus Mary and Joseph's own prayer book, although composed well before the Incarnation are filled by the beauty that is not only the result of diligence and poetical talent, but also of the Glory of the Divine Truth that shines through them directly into our hearts.

Jesus' own words however are a sometimes hard reality of the Truth that is Son, Father and Spirit; today it is a "baptism of fire". He doesn't say that human sinfulness will cause division by the misunderstanding of his words. Nor does the inter-generational strife he describes resemble the Glory that is the object of Paul's prayer of praise.

Dear Lord let me not seek to be clever by answering all the questions raised by your life and words. Your words in today's Gospel are a challenge but not as great a challenge as "This is My Body". Let not the prayer of St Paul, another realist, become pious escapism and let the unity of your Holy Family be the model for all families on earth. May Mary and all the saints pray that their mystical unity with Christ as head and with us co-parts of the body become not an ideal but a blazing reality here on earth. Maranatha!