19/08/2024

I am neither a young man nor a rich one but I too feel sad that I have not been able to arrive at perfection.

I am coming to a realisation that all generations that have lived since "Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church" are as imperfect in their to devotion to God as were the Jews both in the days of Ezekiel and in those of the Incarnation 500 years later.

I am living  2,500 years after the Babylonian Exile, 2000 years after the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple and 80 years after the attempted extermination of the Jewish race. I am still asking the same question to Jesus as did the "rich young man". A questioned asked then by one Jew to another.

I have been guided in my response by the teaching of the prophets interpreted and completed by Jesus, Son of FatherSonandHolySpirit. I know that the Resurrection, Jesus, is the "Eternal Life" sought by the rich young man. I know that his "chosen people" somehow failed to honour their part in IAMIAM's original covenants.

We have lived on earth, however, with the Sacramental presence of FatherSonandHolySpirit guarded by his Institution founded on St Peter for 2000 years and are still more like the "rich young man" than the Jesus from whom he sought guidance.

The people of the Old Testament failed to accept "loving kindness" from the Lord. Our Church has over the centuries accumulated vast wealth to become "worldly" on Earth and thus weakened its  authority to preach the Way, the Truth and the Eternal Life which is why we have to know, love and serve in perfection in this world for the promised happiness of the next is indeed the Eternal Life for which we have to abandon all faith in material goods and worldly triumphs.

Our God on the cross died, spat upon, bloodily scourged, in naked humiliation and we are lead by an Institution whose chief priest dared for centuries to wear a triple crown.

Dear Lord, you know what I am. The shame of my sins is always with me. I know that grace is not a limited allotment for each time I fail my hope is always reignited by your free gift of Love which revealed its glory in your acceptance of ignominious death to make it possible for sin to be wiped clean. Help your people on earth to truly renounce their attachment to the material world of Mammon and let the Church you founded to be in but not of this world at last admit it lost its way when it became a Power in this world. May Mary through whom God became Man, continue in her care of all mankind and lead the saints in the continuous prayer that brings Mercy to us sinners on earth and those living souls in Purgatory. Amen