22/09/2023

I hope that I am not one of "the self-conceited with a craze for questioning everything and arguing about words". I certainly do write a lot that comes into my head. I have to trust that Our Father who knows and loves the sparrows that are two a penny knows me and can accept my repentance for all my sins.

This is what I understand about St Paul's advice to Timothy. He says that all disagreement and discord in the Churches comes about because the selfishness that each one of has is allowed to shape our beings and we allow ourselves to become enslaved by our physical bodies.

He is warning St Timothy to teach that "the Way" brings for us spiritual benefits that are much more than wealth and that his flock must be "saintly and religious, filled with faith and love, patient and gentle". This is what Jesus by his life of complete acceptance of his Father's will and confirmed as the Truth of God by his Resurrection has taught us.

Any attachment to Mammon will keep us from following the way, the truth and the life. We excuse ourselves by claiming that we are "poor in spirit" and even though we have more than enough that is necessary for daily living we are still "following Jesus in prayer and worship" and do support charities.

Rich women supported Jesus and his closest disciples. The rich young man gave up "learning about eternal life" literally preferring his great wealth. All Institutional Christian Churches Orthodox, Catholic or Reformed are organisations that are closer to this world than to the Kingdom of Heaven. They are trapped by the formation of their clergy which leads to     "jealousy  contention, abuse and wicked mistrust"  and the attachment of their flocks to the now of this life which concerns us more than being witnesses to our Ever Greater God of Love.

I am trying to keep my being focussed on understanding God's will for me but I am, undoubtedly, still part of the material reality that is life in this world. I do not place any trust in it for although it is not an illusion as some believe, it does keep on interfering with the sincerity that I hope I show to God and causes confusion in my mind that disturbs my soul.

Dear Lord, Let my prayers be heard and my soul be open to receive the Love that is your being, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Let the power of the Holy Spirit overcome the weakness of my being that I may be strengthened in Faith Hope and Charity and fear nothing in this world. May Mary who also knew many of us in addition to being Theotokos continue to pray for us who are sinners pressed on all sides by the wonders of the material world in which we live that we never forget that what we receive as free gift was won for us by the pains you her Son endured. We cannot know or even imagine anything like this for he emptied himself of God to do so. May our souls and the souls of all the faithful departed come into your Glory at the end of time Dear Lord hear my prayer and let it become my heavenly reality.