04/04/2023

The promise of the Lord revealed by Isaiah is fulfilled in Jesus. The Great Nation, however, is not of this world. It is not yet a material Kingdom it is the  Spiritual Body of Christ which links the souls of all believers in the unity of of the Word. The Word is God. Jesus is God and Man and we are God's creation in his own image and likeness.

In poor Judas we see our corruption. He has been pilfering from the common funds of Jesus and his Apostles. As we all can be, he has been habitually sinful for some time although he has successfully covered it up. The Father does not force righteousness on any of us. Jesus, too,knows that Judas is less than honest but allows him to exercise his freedom for the love of Father, Son and Holy Spirit has to be willingly returned to be effective.

"Satan" enters into Judas at the moment he is offered bread by Jesus to partake of the meal. Could this mean that he sealed his fate at this moment. It takes only a moment to sin but its effects can be life-shattering not only for the sinner but  also for many. We all have to be free from Mortal sin to share the Sacrificial Meal that is the Eucharist, if not, Satan can enter into us and grasps tight hold of this chance we give him in our freedom.The Father of Lies never refuses an opportunity and what was a moment can easily become a wasted life that refuses Love and chooses Death.

Judas is not the only sinner at table in the Upper Room. The rock on which Jesus is to build his church is also there and he refuses to bear witness to God, not once but three times during the action of that Thursday and Friday night. That first Church is our hope and our Faith. Jesus and his mother Mary were the only sinless ones. The rest are just like us a mixed bunch of humanity whose only strength comes from the seemingly weakness of the Cross and the Glory of the Resurrection.

The gates of the Kingdom are always open to us but God will accept only free choice for we are made in his image and likeness and have been given total freedom within the norms that are the Ten Commandments. Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Dear Lord, may I learn how to pray in the peace that comes from you. I cannot do anything without your support. May I grow in Love to be able to know the grace that comes to all whose consciences are kept free from self love and thus have cleared the way to receive your free gift of Faith, Hope and Charity. May your people receive the grace that comes to us via the prayers of Mary and All the Saints and may the Institution that is your Mystical Body on earth live up to her mission and dig up and discard the stumbling stones she litters on our way to you on Calvary and so to the Promised Land.