5/11/2024

There is nothing that we can do during our lives that is more essential than doing the will of God. 

We, therefore, have to scrutinise all of our habitual actions that are a result of Providence and cancel all our worldly plans that do not comply with the will of God as completely revealed in the Bible.

At the time of Jesus, abandoning female babies to die was a common cultural practice. Today, preventing conception is the norm in most of our world. If there is a "mistake" the child is killed in it's mother's womb.

The Western Culture  into which I was born has completely changed in my lifetime from being vaguely trying to be Christian into one that promotes and celebrates the satisfaction of our physical appetites as the only reason  for living.

In today's parable the invited guests refused the invitation. The refusals were all within the acceptable cultural norms that were those into which they had been born. 

During Europe's equivalent of the Cultural Revolution the then rulers claimed to be doing the "Will of God" by killing opponents for their's was the only true Faith. 

The men who plotted to destroy the English Parliament this day in 1605 excused themselves for their sinful actions by claiming to be doing the will of God who was using them to protect the Catholic Church.

"Sorry Lord, I can't come to your banquet for I am busy doing your will by breaking your commandments" is still the reality of the evil paradox which is revealed throughout history and of which we must be wary during our lifetimes.

"Everybody does it" is the Catholic cultural blanket that stops us asking ourselves why we go to accept the Lord's Body but never go to confession.

Dear Lord, Today my prayer is the hymn of praise that St Paul uses in today's letter to the Philippians 

His state was divine,

Yet He did not cling

To his equality with God,

But emptied himself

To assume the condition of a slave

And became as all men are;

And being as all men are 

He became humbler yet

Even to accepting death,

Death on a cross.

But God raised him  high

And gave him the name

Which is above all other names 

So that all beings in heaven

On earth and in the underworld

Should bend the knee at the name of Jesus

And that every tongue should acclaim 

Jesus Christ as Lord,

To the Glory of God the Father.  Amen