07/09/2023

St Paul is writing to the recently converted at Colossae. We all today have the same need to pray and to try to understand God's will for us. The needs of all generations since the Resurrection are still the same. The circumstances, our place in God's Providence, are very different. Jesus and all the others we read about in the New Testament lived in the Roman Empire.

The "Pax Roma" is a great misnomer as there was never complete peace within the borders of the Empire. Some of  the first disciples expected Jesus to lead a rebellion against the the puppets of the Emperor. Jesus tells us time and time again "My Kingdom is not of this world". God's will for us is to live lives without sin. We are to live always in his presence and although aware of "Caesar" we are to obey only God. It is better to be killed rather than deny the supreme power of God and directly worship Mammon. 

The huge Temple complexes seen by St Paul were always used as treasuries by the the pre-Christian Civilizations of the Middle East. ( Egypt was somewhat different). The gold that covered the Statues in the Parthenon was stripped away and melted down whenever needed, usually to pay  the Wagner Groups of their day. Another huge Temple was also seen by St Paul in Ephesus and it too was Mammon's. 

The Pope St Leo is praised for deterring barbarian tribes from pillaging Rome. This was not the first time that the Church founded on St Peter had became entangled with the kingdoms and Empires of this world. It was not the last either. 

I know that Jesus did not say to St.Peter "thou art Peter and on this rock I will build my Church to rule the world". Our Church's long history of trying to compete with Mammon for political ownership of men's souls has failed because the attempt is intrinsically flawed; it goes against God's Word. That attempt in direct opposition to the sayings of our Lord has resulted in the mess that is  the Western Church today. 

Today (07/09/2023) it is announced that science has created an "human embryo-like-being" is there any Bishop in our Church who has the moral authority to deny this act as an affront to God? They always fudge on sexuality. Will any one of them disturb his own Episcopal comfort to condemn sin for what it is?

Dear Lord, please stop us now. You are our God. There is too much denial in our world. Help us to overcome the evil that dominates your providence. The tiny ones such as I am are useless to fight the mountains of money that disfigure your creation and the egos that completely deny you to your face. May Mary and all the Saints join me in pleading for mankind to know that the crucifixion of Jesus was not a bloodless myth and was needed to provide mankind with all the grace needed to self regulate ourselves into holiness. We need to do your will. Help us all poor and rich alike.