10/11/2022

St Paul is an example of how Christianity dealt with what we know to be the great injustice that was slavery. He cared for Onesimus as his brother in Christ. St Paul is sure that Jesus lives on in anyone who can accept him as Father, Son and Holy Spirit and in his Church which is the Resurrection living onto the end of created time. We are all one Jew Gentile, Roman Greek, slave freeman. There is one Baptism and one Faith. The teaching of St Paul is God's revelation for all human time. Jesus is still saving us from the jaws of Hell, which we, another "stiff-necked race", are perversely knocking on loudly for admission.

The Gospel is our Lord at his enigmatical best. After the Resurrection the early Church accepted "but first he must suffer grievously and be rejected by this generation" as the foreknowledge always available to the Word. They had known Christ on earth. They had witnessed the grievous suffering of the Crucifixion. They had been awestricken by the Resurrection. They had been enlightened by the Apostles and come to a Faith that had the expectation of the imminent return as one of its key-elements.

"I come not to bring peace". This hard saying of Jesus, beloved of Islamic proselytizers can easily hurt us in our desire to be "gentle and lowly of heart". There is no place on Earth and in human time that being a Christian has guaranteed a peaceful life. The Church has been beset by severe differences of opinion ever since its foundation and it is not once but many times that its leaders have sought to benefit personally from their role rather than lead the faithful in worship.

 ‘The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. They will say to you, “Look there!” or “Look here!” Do not go, do not set off in pursuit. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must endure much suffering and be rejected by this generation.'

Dear Lord, your Word is truth. I am only myself and you are Evergreater. Are we still living to share your suffering which should have ended with the Resurrection? Your revelation is completed by Jesus so we have enough grace to live the holiness you expect of us. Let the inglorious institution that the Church has become recognise its failing and return to the prayer that is its true function as founded on St Peter. May Mary and al the Saints pray with all fervour for the Holy Souls and for us sinners still on Earth.