25/11/2021

Daniel today demonstrates that God will not desert his people who in sincerity of heart of heart and with humility ask for his aid aganst the rulers of this world. Jesus words are a prophecy of the sacking of Jerusalem and less than 50 years after his resurrection this happened and Titus destroyed the Temple.

It is no wonder that the early Christians accepted the preaching of the Apostles and disciples. What about the Jewish priests and teachers of the scriptures? They were asked to reject all that they were and believe that what had happened on Calvary was an event planned by God. An event that had to replace Temple worship.

Jesus truly did bring division and not peace. This certainly is true of those first years long ago when there were witnesses to the resurrection still living on this earth. Each convert was faced with the imminent expectation of the return of Jesus. The Apostles knew their task and did wander from city to city in the known world first to bring the "Good News" and then to support the groups who had first believed. 

The political structures of their times were based on first Greek and then Roman power. Philosphers knew the teachings of their Greek predecessors. There was thought but wealth and power were the objects of all the states. Jesus too had recognised the power of the kings of this earth. He had divided the things of Caesar from the things of God and his first Disciples had been forced to recognise that his Kindom was not of this World by the events on Calvary. God was not Caesar but the Resurrection proved that God was ever greater. Darius learnt this but we are still learning.

Dear Lord let me remember throughout the length of this day and every day that may be left to me that you are ever greater than any human structure and that your Church on earth is your crucified but resurrected body not some human thing as it has become.

 24/11/2021

Daniel continues;  the hand writes; the king reads and Daniel interprets. We must not put our faith in kingdoms and empires. In Jesus' days on earth the Old Testamen recorded the rise and fall of Israel and Judah. There were other records of Chaldea and the Greeks and mysterios Empires in the east.Alexander is still remembered in central Asia.

Two thousand years later many other powers and kingdoms have risen and fallen. Our Church too has been through a long  period where our Bishops were part of the political structure of Europe and never willingly gave up sovereignty even as the Papal States dwindled. 

There is no doubt that Jesus told his disciples not to seek political office. Our Church today in its hierarchical structure owes more to the Roman Empire than it does to the carpenter of Nazareth. The Structure is the enemy of many who humbly try to understand the Word. Jesus never said anything about Artistic Heritage; beautiful buildings or spectacular liturgies in Foreign languages.

He gave his body as bread; his blood as drink;and his Word with the express commandment to remember him in the Mass. We only need the Sacraments all else is human frippery.

Dear Lord help me to put away all sinful acts and thoughts and let my words offered up in prayer be heard and corrected as needs be. Let my inner "pharisee" be silenced and let all my being strive to do the will of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

 23/11/2021

Jesus warns us against false prophets. Daniel tells the king that all political power will collapse for it is all built on clay. Jesus tells us that the Temple will be no more. Daniel tells us that the "stone" will not pass away and that God's Kingdom will last for ever.

If we take God's Kingdom to be another political system we are led into an undecipherable maze. Jesus saves us from that for his message is clear. "My kingom is not of this world". Jesus teaches us that all creation will continue as it is with all the events that happen then and now to continue for we "do not know the day or hour" of his coming.

Jesus teaches us that we must remain in his Love during our lifetimes. We do that by following his commands and we must never forget that his is the perfect Life. He is the Word of God. God's presence in our humanity. Tempted as we are but never sinning. Dying to rise again, Jesus the perfect man stands on feet that are roooted in Eternity. The perfect Love of Father, Son and Holy Spirit showing us that God in abandoning the Son to death cleanses us of our sins and offers us in the Resurrection supported by the Holy Spirit, the only way to Eternal Joy. Everything else in life is  built in the clay of creation and is totally insecure without the support of God.

Dear Lord again I turn to you to put myself in your hands. Thankfully I am aware of my own weakness but you who are conscious of everything know how much I need your grace to live in the way you want me to. Mary your mother is mother to all of us may she help those who do not think that Grace can be theirs.

 22/11/2021

I don't know what to make of the reading from Daniel .It is certainly history that is being told to illustrate the power of God's actions in this world. That comes later. At the present point of the story it is as it were a propaganda piece for vegetarianism. It is needed to prepare the way for the main points which leave us in no doubt that God guides his favoured ones. The Hebrews have sunk yet again to their lowest point and have been taken in captivity to Babylon. It is in these situations of abasement that the Lord shows his mighty hand and saves us from the results of our sins. 

When we are lowest it is as if humility is forced upon us and if we accept our situation and turn to the Lord for the very littlest of comfort he can provide for us, then he wil listen. The world, however, is always the same as when Jesus was asked whether the tower fell and killed the 18 because they were more sinful than the other people in Jerusalem. Were the Jews more sinful than the rest of mankind or was more asked of them because more had been given?

The poor widow was destitute but was able to offer her all to the Temple, that treasure house of Wordly and Heavenly riches. The widow is well known throughout the world but we know nothing about her except this act. The Gospels are full of people about whom we know nothing but they and we are all known to God.

Dear Lord let me listen to your scripture with an open mind and heart and find your truth in the most unlikely places. We are so far from your time on Earth and hampered by possessions and knowledge help me to obey your rules for life and know that the widow is with you in the Glory of Heaven known to you as only a faithful soul can be.

 21/11/2021

Wondering about Daniel's vision I notice that he looks "into it" which seems to show that he was outside of the vision which would mean that it was not like a waking dream, happening only inside his head. Jesus confirms that he reveals truth to us by his witness. Jesus repeatedly tells us that his Kingdom is not of this world and reveals it by accepting death at the hands of the Romans although it was  his own people who delivered him up to them. 

The People of God, Israel had had an expectation of God sending to them a leader, the Messiah who would lead them to glory in this world. Daniel's vision is not of an Empire of this world but of an Eternal Sovereignty. Not only does Daniel look into the vision but his conscious mind also tries to interpret it. The One looking "like a son of man" is to become the almighty ruler of our Universe. We know him as "Christ the King".

Dear Lord help me to join your Church in celebration of your Almighty power. Let these words be your truth and let there be no swerving from your truth by neither me nor Your Church.

 20/112021

The teaching about heaven with which Jesus responds to the casuistry of the Sadducees tells us that our future in heaven will be different from how we live our being here on Earth, He tells us that we will be as the Angels are. Jesus  showed himself as the first fruits of the resurrection not as a reanimated corpse but with a glorified body unchained by the laws of our physical universe. He tells us that "to God all men are alive"which asks us more than it answers. The asking, however, is compatible with the totality of his teaching for "My Kingdom is not of this world"

God is portrayed as taking an active part in the history of Israel. Antiochus' downfall is attributed to his sacking of Jerusalem and profanation of the Temple. If we try to find God as a support of our social and political systems we are faced with numerous paradoxes. God promised that he would always be with our Church and here too paradoxes abound. Today we are a remnant of disunity even within the Church with the Keys. What we are witnessing in these times can be witnessed by all of us. In the past the wickedness of the clergy within our institutional church was not instantly apparent. 

Off the cuff remarks by the popes were known only to confidants but now we are having to constantly respond to Twitter and the never ending streams of corruption within the ranks of those called by Jesus to feed us the sheep. "Don't look, don't read" is not good advice for the unsavory events that are happening today . Jesus did not call us to be ostriches but to be his sheep led by the "Good Shepherd".

Dear Lord, please accept my wish to worship you and become a faithful servant. Help me to care for those in my family who do not know you and let me find the  way to be absolved of my sins leading to truth and Life.

 19/11/2021

Jesus offers no words of comfort to those who desecrate the Temple. Doing business with the symbol of Mamon always results in some form of dishonesty and to do that money-making in the one place dedicated to God brings anger to the one who has only preached love of God and love of neighbour. Finding anger in God faces us with a problem for in God there can be no fault. Not caring for the House of God is such a grave error that Jesus, who is God and  knows everything, lets himself show to the World that he will not tolerate corruption in His Temple then and now.

Our Church has grown so huge and rich over the centuries that "den of thieves"comes readily to mind. All over our world the word of God is being preached and contemplated by us the Body of Christ on Earth . In Eternity Mary and all the saints worship the Lord as he truly is. Only there, in Heaven, can we be sure whether we have made a sacrifice, a worship, worthy of the Lord for here on Earth we cannot be sure. 

There is a contrast between the preaching and the doing. There are many who enjoy a life now that is incompatible with your calling of them to "feed my sheep"we too are called to live holy lives on Earth and we know that you will be  always with us. Are you channeling your Grace through the corrupters whom you drove out of the Temple? Is it really true that sinful clergy truly fulfill your command and that there is a Sacramental true Being of you on the altars of sinful priests?

Dear Father, my being is prostrate before your Glory; fill my heart with the fire of your Holy Spirit that I may become less confused and receive the Son, Jesus once more in Holy Communion worthly confected by a Holy Church.