01/06/2023

In today's readings, two sons are subjected to incredible pain.

Poor Isaac in the first reading was forced to come to the realisation that his father was ready to slaughter him as a Sacrifice to God who had captured his father's entire being.

Jesus knows that his "hour has come" and knows that he has to use his human freedom to subject his human will to the will of his Father. He pleads with Peter and the others for the loving support that he has taught we owe to our "neighbour" especially in his hour of need. They sleep.

I have heard it preached that the drama of Abraham and Isaac is, as it were, a fable told to forbid human sacrifice which was a commonplace in the first years of humanity."Do not teach your children that God ordered Abraham to kill his son!"

The earliest years of our Faith were similarly blighted by those who could not accept the Crucifixion, "a scandal to the Jews and a foolishness to the Greeks", as the torture and death of a real body. Jesus on the Cross was some sort of wraith or deception. This is still the teaching of Jews and Moslems.

 Jesus undoubtedly consecrated his Apostles to become priests of his new Sacramental Covenant but their authority was to be exercised within his own Eternal High Priesthood. Our priests say the words of Consecration but our Sacrament is confected in heaven by the action of the High priest whose feast is celebrated today.

Dear Lord, you know the doubts that are generated in the hearts of your faithful by the lack of belief in either faith or morals of too many of your clergy. Teach us how to reform so that we all can feel confident that the words of institution are spoken at Mass with a firm belief in your Son, our High Priest. May Mary continue to lead the faithful priests on earth and the saints in heaven in their continuing fight against the evil powers of darkness that smother our world in disobedience and sin.