10/08/2023

There are hundreds of organisations in this country that are called "Charities". All of them are started with enthusiastic zeal to do good. Many of them become "professional" and provide a career pathway for their employees. They thus all resemble the Church founded on Peter by Jesus. 

We are not told much about how Jesus dealt with the economic problems of his daily life, which we all face, except that his trusted "Treasurer" became first a pilferer of petty cash and then a traitor. The Apostles soon had to back away from the domestic problems of communal life and handed over the distribution of food and money to deacons, from whose number came the first martyr and also the Saint whose heroic example and death we commemorate today. A hierarchy of mission and service was thus soon accepted by the nucleus of the Church.

Those who had heard directly from Jesus,"Go out to the whole world and spread the Good News" and "do this in memory of me" became the authorities and charismatic leaders. Of these, we only hear of St Paul supporting himself and it is he who delivers funds collected for the relief of the Early Church in Jerusalem.

Today the twelve have become thousands and  they control property and other forms of wealth worth Trillions of Dollars. In the face of this worldly wealth coupled with a visible moral corruption many of the faithful are loth to give money in "support of their pastors". 

 The most visible sign of our Church is the Hierarchy and the buildings that they use. The Vicar of Christ may be personally austere but he and his Bishops inhabit and use huge palaces and cathedrals. Even humble parish priests and monks in the West have a life style that mocks the poverty of some of their own congregations.

I believe that there is also a Church of Faith that is hearts and souls consciously living in the love of God. I cannot be more visible than these humble thoughts and words inspired by the Mass readings of the day. I can only join Mary, John and the other Marys at the foot of the Cross waiting for the bloodied corpse to be taken down and returned to his sinless yet sorrowful Mother. 

Dear Lord you know me better than I can ever know my self. Let me avoid all sin and let my heart and soul be open to the Love that is all I need to know on earth. May Mary and all the angels and saints continue to plead for your forgiveness to be given to me and all sinners still breathing on earth and to the holy souls in Purgatory. We are all in your hands; help us Lord.