11/02/2024

In the Old Testament all the books are written within the context of the "Law" which governed the communal life of the human community we know as "The Chosen People", the Jews. The "Law" had become much more than the "Ten Commandments".

Mankind has always been the same in that self-centredness rules our very beings; try as we may to be "objective" we can only see the world from our own standpoint; we are not multiple beings. There is only one of us and we are amazed and enthralled by the wonder of the "I" we all know ourselves to be. We see the achievements of our ancestors and glorify their intelligence and mastery of the material of this world and forget God. It is only God who knows us all and He "so loved the world that he sent his only Son that we all might be saved".

The Chosen People also continually lost sight of "IAMIAM" and became one with all the nations in that they forgot the First Commandment and sought only the things of this world. They turned their worship away from its focus on God into another of those things. The Pharisees' piety became a "good" the possession of which filled them with pride that overtook  "Thou shalt love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all Soul and with all your mind" as the mainstay of their lives.

Similarly, The Institutional Church founded on Peter soon became so wrapped up in the things of this world, power, prestige, wealth, wars  that for centuries she seems to have been in the same state as were the Chosen People at the time Jesus' announced the "Kingdom of God"; not really confident that they believed in their own God

At the most public moment of his entire life on Earth, his trial before Pilate, Jesus assured all mankind  then and for all time "My Kingdom is not of this World". We have to know that the Kingdom of Father, Son and Holy Spirit is far greater than our Universe and that God is always ready to welcome repentant sinners at our bodily deaths and to fill our open hearts with the  Love that never dies. Maranatha, Lord Jesus. Return to us soon to fill the world with righteous joy.

Dear Lord let us all know that there is nothing in life better than knowing your Word and seeking out to do good. Inspire all Church leaders to become sincere in their preaching and to believe in the Sacraments that preserve your Incarnate Grace on Earth. May Mary and all the saints of heaven welcome those who have finished with time and been freed from their bodies to the  boundless love that is the Glory of the Lord. Amen