01/08/2024

The image that Jeremiah uses in today's first reading could be interpreted as a metaphor for a doctrine of reincarnation as it is the same clay that is reused by the potter to perfect his new vessel.

The revealed religion practised by Jews before the coming of Christ does not have a lot to say about the after-life. The priestly opinion was that this world was the place where we followed the Law. At death we enter a place/state of half-life, Sheol, where there are delights and suffering.The Pharisees increasingly preached a general resurrection and judgement at the end of time.

With the incarnation, God, IAMIAMFATHERSONANDHOLY SPIRIT, reveals that his infinite being knows/loves each particle of created matter and that the sin created by his finite image and likeness can be forgiven, but only by the Son emptying himself and becoming truly a human being and by human suffering create the forgiving grace that is not created out of nothing but out of the humiliating pain of the public death on Calvary.

Even from the earliest times of the Church men have tried to reconcile the gentle peaceful message of Jesus with the more "hard sayings" and with the reality of the  horror of his passion and death.

Human intelligence is great enough to create machines to mimic human thinking and to understand the origin of life. We all, however must never forget that "Evergreater" creates out of nothing. We humans are always within Creation. We are known by God. We cannot escape the dragnet of death which for us is the end of worldliness. 

We are not going to be reworked by a potter but we will be judged by our deeds in this our only life and the same sweet, kindly Jesus "come to me for I am gentle and lowly of heart, and you will find rest for your souls" is not a "soft touch" but the crystal clear Justice of God although tempered by the mercy which we can all invoke. We only have one choice yes or no for God.

We can all also hope that "Hell is empty" but God cannot lie; "there will be weeping and grinding of teeth" is a strict warning from our merciful Saviour. It tells us that we are responsible for our own choices and that we are free to choose a way of life that will end either in joy, the infinite moment of knowing God, or in its alternative disaster from which there is no return.

Dear Lord, help me to do your will and condemn the sin that has dirtied my soul. Let me be overcome by the Love/ Grace/ Hope/ and Sorrow that is the mixture of feelings the Holy Spirit inspires within me. Out of this mix I can find Faith Hope and Charity to address you directly in prayer knowing that my words are encouraged by the unity of my prayer with that of the faithful on earth, your saints in heaven and Mary the mother of us all including the Holy Souls who are in the atoning safety of Purgatory.