06/09/2023

All of us live in God's Providence. There is nothing that is or ever has been independent of God. It is when we forget this  and attribute our success or our failure to our own selves that we grow in pride and our faith is reduced. St Peter's is the only mother-in-law that is mentioned in the Gospels. There must have been others but what place they played in the lives of the Apostles we have not been told.

 Some of us from birth are assigned roles in the drama of life that is God's providence that are not possible for all of us. The sons of kings expect to be kings. Some of us are born more intelligent than others and can think their way into greatness. What about the Apostles? They were chosen by God from among the people He has always favoured to be the direct receivers of the Final Revelation. They abandoned everything including family to follow Jesus.

We are told very little about what effect this free choice by all the Apostles had on their families. At first the wives and families must have been shocked to their cores. Mary and St Joseph had to be reassured by the message of an angel but the families of the Apostles had to wait as Jesus' message unfolded. The mother of James and John in anticipation of earthly glory sought to influence Jesus. Did she stand with Mary at the foot of the cross, did she see the resurrected Lord? How did the family of Judas  react to the part their son played the night before the Crucifixion?

Each soul that has ever been created is known to Our Father. Some are carried and born as they flee from evil. Some are instantly pampered by the good things of life. Some are not so welcomed by the love that is due to each child as are others. Some are seen as a threat and are killed in the wombs of their mothers as were the infants slaughtered by Herod.

God says to each one of us individually "Receive your being given to you in Love, you are my child and I am your God; the only thing I ask of you is to love and thus avoid all evil. Fear not, for my Mercy is with you always even to the end of time."

Dear Lord help me in my pondering. Help me to stay true to you each day. Help me to do deeds of goodness and let the prayers of all the mothers, mothers-in -law, wives sisters and daughters who were abandoned by their menfolk for thy sake bring to those still sinful on Earth the spirit of repentance and the Mercy that we all need to do thy will.