22/04/2026

In the northern temperate latitudes of this world, Spring is bringing the usual promises of the good things that are to come. Everywhere trees and shrubs are blossoming and spring flowers are dying back to give way to the more luxuriant growth of summer.

In the Liturgy of the Church it is still Eastertide and in the Mass Readings we share the experiences of the Apostolic Church. St Luke records the first deeds of his friend St Paul who had made his first appearance in the story of our faith, the history of our Church, as the approver of the execution of St Stephen, "the blasphemer". In today's first reading. he has become much more than a bystander at a stoning but is actively harassing the followers of the the "Way".

All the worshippers in the Portico of Solomon and Upper Room are still Jews although divided linguistically and it is as apostate Jews, "blasphemers" they undergo the first persecution by the Orthodox Pharisees and Sadducees.

I have always been aware that the Church of Christ has often been unfaithful to his example and teaching when entangled within the things of this world. It seems that the "Christians" in Palestine did not participate in the Jewish Revolt that resulted in the destruction of the Temple. As a persecuted "blaspheming" minority they had fled to Pella across the Jordan before or during the original disturbances.

Christianity was so named first of all in Antioch and it was in Asia Minor and in Egyptian Alexandria that the Faith first grew and was codified and as the Church grew in temporal power so did she often depart as had  "Jewish Tempalism" before her, from the shared foundational Ten Commandments,  and the radical quintessential "turn the other cheek", "love your neighbour as yourself" "Father forgive them for they know not what they do" that characterises the revolutionary reset of Salvation completed by the final blood sacrifice made by the Son of God on Calvary.

Jesus taught us that we are all brothers/sisters and that claiming for ourselves moral virtues or privileges from our temporal parentage is as great a sin as the racism that condemns others for not being as we are.

Anti-Semitism and any form of Racism is a great sin and adds to the power of evil in this world but it is no greater a sin than the refusal to believe the words of IAMFATHERSONHOLYSPIRIT and know that it is each one of us  who by sinning adds to the pain of the atonement won for us on Calvary.

For this is the will of my Father,

that everyone who looks on the Son

and believes in him

should have eternal life,

and I will raise him up on the last day.’