18/06/2026

Thursday Week 11 Ordinary Time

Most of the first Christians whose deeds and prayer-filled contemplation of the Life of Jesus were Jews and as such they were familiar with the Old Testament and the Spiritual Energy of the Prophets.

God knows that I cannot respond to today's first reading from Sirach with  anything like a coherent interpretation. "Wow" plus innumerable exclamation marks is my reaction. Do I have to understand it? 

"Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you" is Jesus own answer to this question. It is fundamental to accepting the completed revelation that he was during his lifetime. 

Eternal Son emptied himself to become as mortal as we are to show how each one of us can live without sin in this world by knowing that we are beings created by "Our Father", saved by "Son", and empowered by "Holy Spirit".

We are the spiritual heirs of the the Prophets and "Anonymous Hebrews" of the Old Testament Testament. We are not dependant on human testament as to our lineage. Jesus is not a hard master but he is just. He has revealed everything. 

Jesus is the Living Word and there can be nothing insignificant within his teaching. "Do not babble as the Gentiles do" seems to imply that not only he but also his Jewish listeners were familiar with pagan religious practises.

As for me, I am an open book to Our Lord and he knows how sometimes I am not even able to complete the Lord's Prayer the heart of today's Gospel reading and the spiritual structure around which we can elevate our hearts and minds to IAMFATHERSONHOLYSPIRIT in the certainty that our prayers are answered by the just and loving mercy that Jesus poured out to conclude the Old Testament and open way, truth and life in the Church built on Peter and in his New Holy Family.

"Woman behold your son. Son behold your mother."