15/05/2024

St Luke's account of St Paul's farewell to the Ephesians is a snapshot of the mutual love that Jesus lived and preached and is the purpose of the Good News with which he had commissioned his Apostles to fill the whole world. St Paul sums up his mission on its completion. 

During his three years in Ephesus St Paul and his companions had preached, argued and been persecuted but he had never lost his own way and thus the humility of his own love had become the mutual heart of this Church in one of the great temple cities of the Western World.

St John's account is part of Jesus' own farewell discourse to his Apostles. Jesus is also summing up his mission and is reporting, as it were, to his Father what he has done in life before the coming "hour". Jesus has revealed to us that eternal truth is not to be found in this world, the material universe in which he too lived out his incarnation. 

There are no words that can contain the blessing that Jesus is conferring on the whole of humanity living in human time. We can open our hearts and allow the grace of the Eternal Father to rule our lives on Earth and so live in Truth, or we can refuse the promise that is to be sealed soon after this discourse with the blood of this new and everlasting covenant.

Dear Lord, you know that I am truthfully a little one overwhelmed by thoughts of the human beings who have not received your message of love. I cannot understand your ways but humbly pray that I may become one of the ones not lost after listening to Jesus. Help all the innumerable souls who have died not hearing your word and let us all be welcomed into your new and eternal kingdom whenever you choose that to be. May Mary and those saints already saved pray for all the millions of us who have become trapped by the Mammon which rules our world and disfigures your Church founded on St Peter.