30/09/2023

For the Jews of Jesus' day the return of their ancestors from their captivity in Babylon was still a hugely important event which was kept alive in their minds every time they heard the Scriptures or visited Jerusalem. 

Zechariah is one of several prophets who are given visions of the rebuilding of the Temple. His image of a city guarded only by God who was located in the Temple did not come about and ruined walls are a characteristic of all the cities of the Old World that are still visited today.

Today Luke tells us that when Jesus was seemingly admired and accepted by all he warned his disciples that there was a lot more to him than preaching and miracles. He was the Son of man and had a role to play in the world of God's Providence; he had to destroy the power of sin by making for us a direct line, as it were, to Salvation. A line that has always been open at God's end but which we have, in the confusion and sinfulness of our worldly lives not used to contact him.

The image of God being at the other end of a telephone line is much too simplistic to apply to "our Father who art in heaven" but does emphasise the forever open loving relationship he offers to all his human children. The Incarnate Word is with us to know and be accepted. The arms stretched wide in bitter pain on the cross enfold us in infinite Love. 

This is the meaning of the words the disciples couldn't understand when spoken by Jesus and the event when witnessed on Calvary could only bring despair.

Dear Lord, Let me be truly yours in all of my being. Let me not lose touch with your mercy and be devoted to you in every moment of my life. Let these be more than words but the truth of my being that recognises its sin and cries out for mercy. May Mary never forget as she leads the Heavenly Chorus of Angels and Saints in praise of you that as Theotokos she is a direct part of the Salvation that Father Son and Holy Spirit revealed ultimately by the Resurrection but others of us, having initially rejected it by sin, look to her to plead for the grace which the Crucifixion of your and her Son brought into the world to be given to us, sinners as we still are. May all of us come to know your grace by cleansing our beings of sin and opening ourselves to your everlasting free gift of Loving Mercy. Amen