26/12/2023

I did not even try to make a record of prayer yesterday for I was overcome by visitors, the  feast and exchange of material gifts. I have undoubtedly been graced by Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I have misused my body over many years but not yet received the payback that I have deserved. Our visitors are my youngest child, his wife and family. They makeup a lovely family but I am the only one of all of whom I am father that knows that only God shows us the way to live our lives.

I know that my faith begins in the Providence of God. I did not choose my family but my own commitment to their teaching has been my own "Yes to God ". I have been despicable in my sins over the years but I have always come back to a love of the Church the Institution on earth founded by Jesus.

That love was shaken to the core when the enormity of the evil of child abuse was revealed and is still occurring. I was afraid that the Apostolic origin of Sacramental Grace had been broken by the priests who continued to say mass when they must have  known that they were not in a state of grace for God's forgiveness of Sin needs the sinner to make amends not to cover up. The Church teaches that the act of an anointed man is enough to confect the Sacrament and that nothing depends on the "holiness" of the celebrant and she will not be shaken in that belief.

St Stephen saw Jesus in the total Holiness of Heaven and was killed for this by having his body broken by rocks. I know that this vision was not given to fool him but to open the eyes of the witnesses including St Paul and us. 

 I can, however, find in the shameful history of the Catholic Church  an ever greater Church beyond the reach of the worldliness that has continued to corrupt the successors to St Peter. St Stephen saw the Kingdom that Jesus witnessed before Pilate " For this I came into the world"; the Spiritual Kingdom of Heaven.

Peter asked "What of this man?". Before Jesus was ripped apart in the agony of death he had placed Mary and John in reciprocal care of each other, maternal and filial Love. Another Son but the same Mother. The wickedness perpetrated by the successors to St Peter has always been atoned for by the Holiness at the heart of the Church still in the Mother of My Lord. The holiness, "Love Alone", that cannot succumb to the Power of Hell is witnessed by the  Gospel and by Mary and has sometimes broken through the shields of sin raised over our heads by self centered sinners such as I.

There is absolutely no need for sin. The prayers of Heaven, Angelic and Saintly are a continuous opening of the side of Jesus and we too can share in the same Flood of grace by raising our minds and hearts to Our Father in Heaven

Dear Lord you understand my musing and mumblings. I pray that the souls of all those who are without faith come to the understanding that everything in this world will pass away but that the Word and Love are the unseen purpose of our being. Jesus really does love us but we must open ourselves to receive that love. May Mary continue to pray for the forgiveness of all sinners on Earth and in Purgatory. Amen. St Stephen pray for us!