12/06/2024

In today's Gospel Jesus emphasises the continuity of his revelation of himself to mankind; not to all mankind, but to the Jews to whom had been given the promised land. The exclusivity of this revelation is for me a stumbling block. I have to ask "Why? Why did God favour only one part of humanity? Many others have been faced by this quite obvious question.

In the earliest records of Christianity the difference between Jew and Gentile were solved but in the solving many Jews were lost by the Apostles. The early Church did not completely solve this problem but saw in the conversion of pagans the growing success of their Mission to go out and teach all nations. 

The world at that time, however, contained not only many more civilised nations than those conquered by Alexander and now ruled from Rome but also there were unknown continents over the horizon. Millions of human beings have lived without ever being made aware of God's revelation. 

In today's Gospel Jesus tells us that those who break the commandments and teach others to do the same will be considered to be the least in the kingdom of heaven but the man who keeps them and teaches others to do the same will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven.

Our God is unseen but Evergreater. We can witness his words and deeds but we can never know fully the perfect Love that is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God looked on his creation and saw that it was good. He is "well-pleased" with his "Only Begotten Son". The Holy Spirit is the surety of his trust in us. 

God entered into his own creation as the Incarnation. We are created to become able to enter the kingdom of heaven as the souls that will become part of the New Creation. Today, Jesus sees us as "least" and "great" but he excludes no one from the kingdom of heaven.

Dear Lord, help me to understand that your revelation excludes no-one and that you give us all the grace to be the human beings that can resist the self-love that enables us to sin. Let these morning thoughts of mine be sincere searching for your Truth and an opening up to the Holy Spirit. The holiness that you offer to us is not confined to any body, Institution or Church but is a cloud of love from which we can all feed our faith as from the sacraments that are so dishonoured by corrupt clergy. May Mary and all the saints, the great of the kingdom of heaven, continue in their prayers for us the outsiders on Earth or in Purgatory and may all created souls remain in your love even as the least in your Kingdom.