03/11/2025

Tuesday Week 31 Ordinary Time

In his guidance to the Early Church in Rome, St Paul has accepted his own personal Faith in Christ as the only way in which any of us can live out our lives in holiness. Each of us has the obligation to welcome the Resurrection into our souls during our lifetimes and thus live as one being with Jesus, IAMFATHERSONHOLYSPIRIT, 

We have all been given spiritual gifts but it is we who have to recognise these and cooperate by using them to become the adopted children, spiritually living as one with the "Only Begotten Son".

I don't think that there has ever been an age when St Paul's Faith in his Mission has been completely realised on Earth except, possibly, during the time when John and Mary lived as the Incarnate Church of Love the New Holy Family in Ephesus and personal martyrdom was a real-time possibility for every Christian.

During the brief spell of his Life on Earth, Jesus became the perfect model for us to follow in our own lives. In today's Gospel he is again among the Scribes and Pharisees. ( I wonder whether any of the fishermen of Galilee were present with him at this public meal.)

We all recognise that those first invited to the feast are the "Chosen People", "The Jews of John's Gospel" and that the excuses presented in the parable are all "the things of this world" which Jesus continually warns us about.

I have always believed that all men are free to accept or refuse the Will of the Father. That is why we pray "Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven", but today I have noticed that in his exasperation "The Lord of the Feast" orders his servants to "compel people to come in".

In recognising the facts of History, I have had to come to the conclusion late in my lifetime that the Church founded on St Peter very soon lost its way in this world and came to resemble the Temple of Scribes and Pharisees more than the Mystical Body of Christ, Church preached particularly by St Paul.

Today's Gospel contains a warning that we should not be ruled by the things of this world. We are not born to become engrossed in material goods land, chattels or anything bodily but to accept the invitation to get ready for the "the other-worldly banquet" the spiritual feast that the Lord has prepared for us.

There is no way in which anyone can doubt the simple meaning of Jesus' declaration at his public trial in Jerusalem. He tells the Roman Judge "My kingdom is not of this world." 

How is it possible that any Pope could have worn a Tiara or any Byzantine Emperor claim to speak for Christ?