20/02/2026

Friday after Ash Wednesday

At the moment there is a lot of fuss being made in public about "fasting". Isaiah's message   in this morning's First reading warns the followers of IAMIAM that when they boast  about their devotion to following the Law of Moses i.e. "fasting", they have indeed "lost the plot".

The  relationship of our sun and moon in the material universe has brought it about that this year there is a coincidence between Ramadhan and Lent . I know that in the world there are millions of Moslems who have rejected the Resurrection and God's complete reset of our relationship with Him, by sincerely claiming that Mohammed is the final messenger of God. They are mistaken. Jesus warned us that this would happen.

The Church of Peter both in the West and the East, Rome and Byzantium became worldly organisations and took on political roles even before Constantine's Edict gave freedom to all religions in the Empire. They thus failed to honour Jesus' "My kingdom is not of this world" and generation after generation humanity continues in failing to "fast" of the things of this world and dutifully follow the way, the truth and the life that is Truth demonstrated by the  Incarnation, IAMFATHERSONHOLYSPIRIT himself living the life of any man.

On his Cross the bleeding corpse of the Son of God becomes the "loser" that is so much despised by the rich and powerful of my generation. On the third day he reveals to the whole world that there is "always something greater here" for the asking. Beyond physical death there is Eternal Life. God has always said this first to Adam, then to his chosen people and finalised his message at his trial and crucifixion.

"My kingdom is not of this world"   "Father forgive them for they know not what they do". "This day you will be with me in paradise" "Woman behold your son, Son behold your mother" "It is finished".

We have not been true to the teaching of Jesus just as his forefathers failed to listen to the prophets, even to the sublimity of Isaiah which is also "WORD OF THE LORD" Amen !

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice,  to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free

and to break every yoke?

7 

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them

    and not to hide yourself from your own kin?

8 

Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you;

    the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

9 

Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, “Here I am.” If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,

10 

if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.

11 

The Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your needs in parched places and make your bones strong, and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters never fail.

12 

Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach,  the restorer of streets to live in.