11/12/2024

"My yoke is easy, my burden is light". 

The Lord knows that I am finding it very difficult this morning to find his promised rest. I am so pressured by the domestic tasks that I have neglected for weeks that I cannot find a place in my consciousness for me to become aware of my soul and raise it into the presence of God, "the peace that passeth all understanding."

I imagine that most human life is like that. Domestic tasks bring Martha to mind. The economically active rich young man went sorrowfully away.

 The more I read of ecclesiastical history the more convinced I become that what I have always known as "The Church" is not "The Body of Christ on Earth" as envisaged by St Paul nor is any of the other Institutions that call themselves Christian.

Jesus never preached to "a single disciple" instructing him how to continue his teaching after his Ascension. It is of course, impossible for a man or woman to become another Son of God. Peter's subsequent descendants in office have made much of the " The Keys" but Peter did not claim for himself to be "Christ's vicar on earth". As is the case with most Church dogma this claim came to be  after much protracted and often bloody struggles amongst ecclesiastical office holders.

The Passion of Jesus was certainly not "easy" or "light". Some of us have been called to live out our own versions of that in martyrdom even inflicted on "Christian" by "Christian" and many did so at the time of Pope Damasus.

 I cannot believe that the bloody strife that was the norm in Ecclesiastical Institutions during the first three centuries after the Apostles was in any way the "easy yoke and light burden" that Jesus promises to us all. Nor have there been many Bishops or Popes who match "the lowly and humble of heart" which Jesus holds up as the target to become which we have to direct our lives.

Dear Lord, you know how easily it is for me to fall into sin. Help me to find the grace that once found unites me within the spiritual body of believers that you founded on St Peter and guided by the teaching of your Apostles. I know that your Chosen People have not yet matched your promises made through the prophets and Your Institutions too have failed to do Your will. May my Faith in your words to Mary and John keep me unreservedly focussed on the sole aim in life that is to complete your will for me and all Souls to live righteously on Earth and then learn how great thou truly art. May the prayers of heaven join ours on earth in supplication for the forgiveness of sin both on Earth and in Purgatory. Amen