03/06/2024

There is an obvious difference between the circumstances of all the martyrs of the era of European Colonialism and those of the early Church. 

St Paul and all the Apostles fearlessly proclaimed the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the market-places of an Empire and opposed the world-view to which they themselves had adhered until the Resurrection had challenged and changed all their beliefs.

St Charles and his companions were being converted to Christianity by missionaries from powerful Christian nation states which were seeking to exploit the non-European parts of the world and their people in the interest of Mammon.

I grew up in an era when the evils of what had been "Christian Imperialism" were recognised and exposed for what was its devotion to Mammon. For nearly four centuries the gospel had been preached while  people and lands had been ravaged by Christians who were under the Power of Satan/Mammon.

I know that I am not alone in believing that the Incarnation teaches us that the reality of our world today is not in the unsatisfactory state it is because of the will of God. God knows that I am a sinner. He suffered the torment of crucifixion to enable us all to choose to be rid of our sins. But, God forgive me, I can still sin.

He founded the Church to be the guardian of our holiness and to spread that holiness throughout the world. Two thousand years ago in Jerusalem God was put on trial before Pilate, the representative of all worldly power, but who was nervous in the presence of the man Jesus, and declared for all time "My Kingdom is not of this world!". The Pope still rules "The Vatican".

We can only save the world from sin by each one of us renouncing as we did in baptism, the devil, the world and the flesh and choosing to do God's will. The will of God was not completed by  the Jews of the Old Testament so to make our place and being in creation clear to us the incarnate Word, Jesus fulfilled the will of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

There can never be as great a Saviour as Jesus, the founder of  our Church, but has the Church of the New Testament  ever fulfilled its purpose any better than did the Jews of the Old? 

We are today in greater need of the second coming than ever before. Marantha Lord, Jesus, come!

Dear Lord, help me to follow your will in all that I do. Help me to be holy and to love only that which is holy. Help me to think straight and search for Truth unfiltered by my ego. May Mary and all the Saints join their prayers with those of St Charles  and those who were his friends on earth and may all we sinners on earth and in Purgatory search out for the grace you shower like cherry blossom and collect it by the armful so that our beings can become the image that you created us to be. I make my prayer through Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen