24/01/2023

Those who are prolonging the slaughter today in Gaza are the descendants of the people to whom God makes the promises recorded in the Book of Samuel from which is taken our first reading for today's mass. I can only remain speechless.

People are being killed because another human takes aim at their bodies and pulls the trigger of a firearm with the only intention of doing them harm.

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all your might and all your strength and your neighbour as yourself."

We cannot take anything in Scripture except as part of the totality which is the complete Biblical Revelation. Today Mark reveals a saying of Jesus made in private to the Apostles.

"The secret of the kingdom of God is given to you, but to them who are outside everything comes in parables, so that they may see and see again, but not perceive; may hear and hear again, but not understand; otherwise they might be converted and forgiven."

The immediate implications of this saying are unthinkable and have their immediate contradiction in "Father forgive them for they know not what they do."

Dear Lord, you know that I am not challenging your Word in anyway. Are you permitting the slaughter in Gaza. Have your Chosen People gone entirely over to Satan? Does "otherwise they might be converted and forgiven" really mean that some of us are excluded from Your Mercy. Our lives only have meaning and value in that we can love, know and serve. Please open my senses that I might see, hear and believe. May the prayers of Mary and all the saints bring to all your people on earth a true sight of the magnitude of your Mercy for all of us who humbly seek forgiveness and your Loving Kindness for you are Our Father and our souls the little children whom we must let come unto thee.