06/02/2024

I always seem to be concerned with myself when I begin these writings inspired by the Mass Readings for the day. 

I am not writing anything other than my own thoughts in an attempt to understand how God was/is always with the Jews and how the Son of God has corrected the foolish sinfulness of all mankind. Sometimes I am sure that what I have written is a fair reaction to the Word of God but I am never dogmatic and always know that Father, Son and Holy Spirit is Evergreater and beyond all human comprehension.

The Revelation of himself that God made to Moses put the Jews into a unique position in our ancient World. Alone among the nations their Temple contained no graven image of the Almighty Power worshipped therein. God was the giver of the Ten Commandments and had empowered Moses to reveal to his People how to live in holiness. The pagans had an entirely different view of their Gods whom they had created or taken from other people.

Solomon stood before the Altar and proclaimed that God is greater than anything. He then began the process that resulted in the hypocrisy condemned by Jesus. The leaders of the people were able to use the "Law" to protect themselves from the aspects of the Law that were inconvenient to themselves.

The Pope, leader of the Church that knows that it is descended from Jesus' foundation on Peter claims that "God's Blessing" passed on by him and all his clergy to a homosexual couple is a "blessing on the persons" and not on their sinful union.

Today's Gospel tells him and all of us that that statement is nonsense. I pray that as he reads "How ingeniously you get around the commandment of God in order to preserve your own traditions" he is open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and and confesses this sin of false leadership to all the World as the Pharisaical casuistry unfortunately preserved in the legacy of his own Order.

Dear Lord, while you were on Earth you confronted hypocrisy whenever you faced it. You our God could promise just punishment for all recalcitrant sinners. On Earth you enable all sinners to recognise their own sins before "casting the first stone. Your Mercy is without limits. You sought forgiveness for your own torturers. Can we repeat your prayer for the men who, 2000 years ago, hammered nails through your flesh, for our shepherds who have lost their way? "Father forgive them for they know not what they do". May the prayers of Mary and all the saints of Heaven bring forgiveness to all sinners both on Earth and in Purgatory.