28/04/2025

In this morning's first reading St John is entranced that some of his "Church", the flock that he has guided into holiness have remained faithful even to their deaths. He hears the "voice" of God confirming that IAMFATHERSONHOLYSPIRIT knows that for a human "holiness" is not an automatic state of being and celebrated when it is achieved in the  Kingdom of Heaven for it is in total accord with God's purpose and an individual's participation in the victory that is the unimaginable pain of Calvary.

The psalm which would have been known and often sung in the synagogue by Jesus and his Apostles is the total joy of the people of God when they returned from the Babylonian exile to the Holy Land.

I always have to laugh in amazement at the realistic power of St Paul. He could easily be seen as an egotistical narcissist as he writes about his missionary experiences and achievements. What he does do in his "my" sentences, however, is present himself as a true example of what Jesus tells us all that we should expect in this life  if we are sincere in our commitment to Him.

I know that I have had an easy life in comparison to the experience of millions of others. I cannot say that I have been hated by anyone because of my Christian principles. I have been disliked by many for my character defects, but never hated for my principles. 

Maybe that is not true for one of the reasons that I had to begin this record of personal prayer is that I was denounced in public from the pulpit and responded in kind as it was made clear that I was not to be welcomed in that House of God.