12/02/2023

Mankind has always been in the care of God. We are still the same humanity as were our first parents but have by our labour and ingenuity changed the face of the Earth. Some say that we have not changed it for the better. They are probably right, but God has revealed that the Earth is ours to live in and use. He has further revealed that our only important task for us living in this world is to know, love and serve. We have to remember that what has gone wrong in the past has been the result of the first disobedience. We are not programmed by our instincts but, although we have the same instincts as animals we have the freedom of will to control them. God does not create any of us to sin.

The reading from Ecclesiasticus rightly reminds us that we have been given the tools with which to control our environment but without Wisdom they are nothing. Each moment of our lives gives us the opportunity to do right or to do wrong. Wisdom begins with "the fear of God",  we have to worship in awe for we exist and God has made himself known to us. The Psalmist is sure that to follow  the commands of God in every detail will bring us to happiness. 

Jesus, however, warns us that obeying the will of Father, Son and Holy Spirit is not just a matter of precision in our private or public daily liturgy. Again he warns that the fiddliness of the professional religious class, the scribes and the Pharisees, the priests, has taken the place of the Holy Spirit in Temple worship. 

Jesus, the Lamb of God is in the world to be the ultimate animal sacrifice of mankind to God. He is pure Love, total obedience to the will of the Father and as such our Lord and our God. He has fulfilled the Law. In him we have the exemplar of perfection to be followed every moment of our lives. To honour the will of the Father we have to bring the Holy Spirit into our lives by following the Son to Calvary.

Scrupulous washings and phylacteries were not wrong in themselves but had become distractions that had turned religion into a matter of appearances rather than the raising of individual minds and hearts to God, to keep the joy of the "Law" in their hearts.

Dear Lord let me hear the words of Jesus and keep them in my heart to protect me from all temptations. May Mary lead all the Saints in the true worship that we can only strive for on Earth. May all we sinners open our hearts to you so that we can become all that you made us to be and may your Mercy pardon all the Holy Souls who are now truly aware of their sinfulness but secure in their hopes.