07/12/2025

Second Sunday of Avent

St Paul is the first "Christian" who faces up to the divide that separates himself and the rest of the "brood of vipers" from the Gentiles whom Jesus unites in the historical events of the Incarnation.

Matthew quotes the words of John the Baptizer who, in no uncertain terms, challenges the hypocrisy of the Temple/ Synagogue religion of his day even before Jesus becomes its Saving Victim.

During our lifetimes we too have to challenge  the assumptions that constitute our providential economic and moral environments. St Paul was first blasted into Faith and then confirmed it by his acceptance of grace to avoid sin but he remains a Jew which means that he is one of those first chosen by God's direct guidance to know, love and serve in this world. 

The Resurrection, however, has taught him that "IAMIAM" is not to be possessed and limited by birthright but now self-revealed as IAMFATHERSONHOLYSPIRIT Jesus brings the possibility of salvation to each individual soul regardless of the circumstances of birth.

It is impossible for any of us to know why it was that God appeared in time when and where he did.

Five hundred years ago Blaise Pascal was able to find in the continuing Jewishness of the Jews of his generation a proof that confirmed his belief in IAMFATHERSONHOLYSPIRIT and we too have to continue to listen to St Paul and the other Jews including Jesus who proclaimed the final revelation that is the Resurrection.

The Scriptures were written for our instruction. Jesus submitted to the Law of Moses and accepted the tortures  perpetrated by his own people so that the Gentiles can know that the Scriptures are the TRUTH that comes from our ever-truthful God.

The Jewishness of the Jews of our generation is exhibited in the State of Israel and has largely lost the "Godliness" of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and has never accepted that of Jesus. The wonder of their being without God is a truly frightening and inhuman thing but no more so than kingdom of this world from which the Church founded on St Peter has still made no serious effort to disentangled itself.

In the Garden, God taught his beloved Adam and Eve that they were free to return to him the Love with which they were created. It is that first refusal that God allows each individual to make for himself that brings sin into the world.

It is my own choice to sit here getting, colder and colder trying to respond to the WORD this Second Sunday of Advent 2025 for I too am a free being and only ever become sinful because I choose to ignore the teaching of Scripture and the Love of the New Holy Family which brings the Grace of the Crucifixion into my heart.

May the Lord help me to know love and serve ! Amen