14/06/2024

 I want to be honest about today's readings and confess again that I am not familiar enough with the Old Testament. 

I have heard this passage from Elijah many times. I am, of course, impressed with the imagery but am pressed to find a connection between it and Israel's relationship with IAMIAM. There was not a lot of "gentleness" amidst the slaughtering in Palestine then as there is still not today.

We only know about ten percent of Jesus' life on earth. He reveals to us that the IAMIAM of the Old Testament is a Trinity of Persons but the  unity of perfect Being. The relationship between the Persons is the Creative Love which enables us to say "Our Father" as we begin to pray. 

Jesus grew up exactly the same way as we do except for sin. His "I"  had humbled himself by renouncing his divinity to become man as we are. Which means that he did experience the human family relationships which we all "enjoy" so much. It was his family that wanted to "put him away" in their shame at his first public display in the Synagogue.

New family relationships begin with the agreement of man and woman to join their lives together. The Holy Family was always in the direct presence of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. St Joseph accepted Mary as his wife even though he knew Jesus was not his own son. All married people agree to live together "till death us do part".

"Changing my mind" is not an option for a promise made before God. We create sin anew  when we chose to break God's Commandments, our Part of the Covenant, or Sacramental Vows.It is from sin that Jesus accepted the total humiliation of non-being for us to be brought back to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Dear Lord, let my heart and mind be open to the Holy Spirit. We can respond to you by listening to Scripture and understanding that The Bible is not just a collection of Historical texts and moral maxims but the complete guide book as to how to develop the most important relationship that each one of us has in life. You are the total "Other" to whom each"I" has the chance to respond prayerfully in the only "real time" that we can know in creation. If we choose to find your "code" and follow it we are not limiting ourselves to your preprograming. There is nothing "artificial" about our being or intelligence.  We are free  to chose between life or the horror of being aware of eternal non-being. Jesus wants us all to accept the Love that he pours out on the whole of creation so that ultimately we can see and be seen in the total Glory that is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, our father and our mother. Amen