06/02/2005

Today St Mark records what he had heard from Peter about the first mission that had been entrusted to the twelve. They were to walk through the towns and villages of Palestine without any preparation and proclaim that ........?

After the Resurrection and Pentecost it is obvious that they would  proclaim Jesus to be "the Son of God" but there was nothing new about teaching the people to "repent". They were still not sure that Jesus was the "promised one" for he did not meet any of their expectations about the Messiah and his instructions for them to go, without any preparations, in absolute poverty did not impress them let alone any potential believers.

They would, however, not have been completely unknown for John had prepared the way and Jesus was mystifying "multitudes" by his presence and ability to cure the sick. He was already known to the "Temple" as a "wonder-worker" who was therefore a challenge to their place in the World as the only mediators between IAMIAM and the people of God.

Jesus tells us that "True Faith" can move mountains. He himself cured the sick by his words alone. He had changed water into wine at Cana for the humdrum reason of saving his acquaintances from social embarrassment at the non-too- happily received request of his mother. He brought dead people back to life. He fed multitudes with very little resources. He also passed on this power to defy the laws of nature to his Apostles.

It is no wonder that the miracles of Jesus caused the multitudes to flock around him. Those who first heard the words of his teaching, however, were appalled to the extent that they wanted to throw him off a cliff.

The Miracles of Jesus are by the limitless power of IAMFATHERSONHOLYSPIRIT acting within temporal reality. They are part of the Good News that is the Resurrection and the teaching of Jesus. We may feel that we do not need them to believe in the teacher of the Beatitudes but they were necessary to prove to the "Institutional Temple"  that they, the Chosen Ones had lost their way and had yet again broken the covenants which their Ancestors had made IAMIAM.

Our churches are haemorrhaging the faithful and yet the Institutions continue to bolster themselves. e.g. Jubilee year in Rome. The first "preachers" sent out by Jesus were explicitly told to take nothing with them. How can today's readings be ignored by those who should be clamouring for all their worldly tasks to be removed so that they can concentrate on achieving the holiness that is the only thing asked from each one of us in this life.

We can all access the Grace that is available for all who are willing to repent. We do, however have to be 100% sincere in our admission of the guilt that needs the torture and death of Christ to create that grace which is the only source of Salvation. "Rejoice for our Saviour liveth".