06/12/2023

Today Jesus has gone into the hills and crowds of people have followed him. He is one with us in his physical being and he himself knows that after three days our bodies are crying out for food. Water is not mentioned. Jesus has already made a huge impression on all those who have seen him and listened to his teaching and so they have not separated from him.

What is it about this preacher from Nazareth that captivates so many people who see and hear him.? As Jews they are familiar with the Scriptures. The Temple again dominates life in Jerusalem and is always crowded with believers particularly at the times of festivals. The Jews know IAMIAM. Nowhere in the world other than Palestine is there a nation devoted to knowing and serving one God who has revealed himself to them his Chosen People.

The Jews of the first century are not at all content in their political situation. They are now dominated by foreigners. Herod and Rome. Their history is one in which they are linked to God. They have a covenant and so those who agitate or are deemed to be agitating against these rulers and in support of the covenant can always find an audience.

Jesus' presence, words and deeds radiate  power and those who are following him can only relate to power that comes from God but is made visible in their great Kings. Even Jesus' closest disciples cannot get their heads round a "Kingdom of Heaven", not of this world.

The wonders that are Jesus' deeds in today's Gospel are all experienced as further proof that the one they surround in the hills of Galilee is indeed the one hinted at in their scriptures, the Messiah who will save their nation and become ruler of all the world.

Jesus is, however, the one who reveals the infinite capacity for love that is his being in Father, Son and Holy Spirit. His life, death and resurrection is not speaking to the "nations" but to  each individual person that he has created us to be in his Love and to use our share in his Love with every other being in his creation.

Killing other people is not a part of God's Providence. Each individual has to follow the way as did the first disciples and achieve for himself the place in the Kingdom that God has prepared for him. Throwing people to the beasts in the circus, beheading and burning at the stake, invading other nations have nothing that is holy about them. They are all doing the work of the devil.

We can only appreciate the horror of sin by keeping in mind that to erase its effect Father, Son and Holy Spirit had to become human and become the final and everlasting Sacrifice. These are not just words but are the Salvation of mankind.

Dear Lord, you know how I have begun this day. Let me not ignore your grace and continue to pray aware of the depths of my own needs. May Mary and all the saints plead for the grace that is needed by every individual in our world and in Purgatory to bring us into the merciful forgiveness of the outstretched arms of the crucified Jesus on Calvary.