Wednesday, 6 May 2026

 06/05/2026

Wednesday Easter Week 5

"Abide" is a lovely word which speaks volumes of the peaceful continuity and the tranquility that comes from knowing we have been graced by the presence of God. At Emmaus the disciples recognised the source of the burning in their hearts when the stranger whom they had invited "to abide a while" was "breaking  bread".

I spend most of my time during the "these days" of 2026 following the events that are the domain of the "ruler of this world". The only good that it does for me is to keep on reminding me that "My kingdom is not of this world" and that I am a minor mortal being sharing with millions of others in a transitory reality which I am able to know because within me has been created in "image and likeness" an immortal soul able to know, love and serve.

Today the events of this world now and for the preceding 2000 years tell me that Jesus  declared fundamental TRUTH before Pilate. There has never been a place for HIM to rest his head in any of the kingdoms of this world. Those who claim to be doing His will in warfare press the thorns of his crown  further into his skull.

When we engross ourselves in the the things of this world we begin the process whereby our "true being" is choked off from the abiding presence of IAMFATHERSONHOLYSPIRIT. We are wheat choosing to grow in darnel.

There is nothing that we can do to give "Greater Glory to God" in this life than opening our hearts to accept the mercy that is the blood flowing from his side and avoiding what are the often disguised "things of this world" with which we fill our beings until the very last moment of our lives.

If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch, and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.’





Tuesday, 5 May 2026

 05/05/2026

Tuesday Easter Week 5

I am sure that there have been many times before today that I have been confused by the words of the New Testament. I have always, however, clung to the "know, love and serve" of the Penny Catechism for St Peter was absolutely right "Lord where could we go? You have the words of eternal life" and sorted out my confusion in the Light of Faith, Hope and Charity.

I cannot, however, remember ever coming to an understanding of : "I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.’ or even of thinking about it.

I have longtime been aware that I am more than an animal but I am still a created being and as are all of us conscious of my own being. This consciousness of being is made in "image and likeness" and thus is although infinitely smaller, a  replica of our Creator in that all human souls are free to choose to be either, to various degrees, tied and bound by the "flesh" or self-directed to the "kingdom that is not of this world".

Jesus is "True man and true God". 

JESUSSON experiences the same way of being human as do we. JESUSFATHERSONHOLYSPIRIT also is GOD and thus is aware of all reality either eternal or past, present or to come.

In the human real-time of two thousand years ago, Jesus told his disciples that the world  after "those days" would be bound by the "ruler of this world" i.e, the natural laws of creation but that he and by implication we his friends are free to live according to the Law of Divine Love.

The Incarnation has completely reset by perfection the Law of Moses. "My kingdom is not of this world", however,  has very rarely been taken at it face-value. 

Even though the words of today's gospel are also a preparation for that unequivocal declaration the Churches of both East and West very soon began to take on the worldly roles which have obscured "The Light of the World" and which have resulted in our continuing preference to ignore the Word of God.

Dear Lord, help me to remember my baptismal promises for they are much more than words being part of the sacrament you created by unquestioningly accepting the Father's will to give another chance to the peoples of the world. Let my prayers join those of Mary our spiritual mother given to us on Calvary and let the Holy Souls and we Sinners on Earth understand the injustice that we have done and are still doing to IAMFATHERSONHOLYSPIRIT who creates only with Joy and Love. Amen


Monday, 4 May 2026

 04/05/2026

The English Martyrs

We can only avoid hatred of others by knowing that IAMFATHERSONHOLYSPIRIT has created each one of us to come into his presence at the end of our lives to see, be seen and judged. He died on the cross, was resurrected and is "the way, truth and the life".

Jesus told us that we are not Jew and Gentile but have to know ourselves to be his brothers and sisters as an integral part of "knowing, loving and serving" in this life. To enable us to do this he created during his death the mystical Church of Love, the New Holy Family by sharing his Mother with us.

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

Today's feast celebrated by the Roman Church in England remembers the heroic deaths undergone by men and women who refused to change their religion when subjected to "dungeon, fire and sword". 

I wonder what the souls of such as Thomas More and Margaret Clitheroe felt when their lives were so unfairly ended at the hands of other men.

As our souls come face to face with God it seems to me that there, in my case, have got to be many regrets for my sins, but the Merciful welcome into our permanent room or forgiving fire has got to totally fill our awareness of being with thanks for the inconceivable magnanimity of Our Saviour's Love to the extent that in St Thomas' and St Margaret's case excluded all the negative emotions that had been part of the real-time of their last moments on Earth.

There are many other English Martyrs than the two that I have named. The two Thomases Cromwell and Cramer were burnt at the stake. They were Protestants but before that they were men who would not give up their Faith in Jesus when threatened by the power of the state.

Throughout its history the Church founded on St Peter has too often been led by its hierarchy into entanglements with the politics of this world that paradoxically have enabled some of us e.g.  today's Martyrs, to reveal human heroism in the face of violent persecutions.

In today's Gospel Jesus warns his friends that they will suffer initially at the hands of their fellow Jews. 

Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.

Dear Lord, forgive us for perpetuating the cycle of "persecution and revenge" that is still today being enacted in Palestine and is still so obviously against your will. Amen

Sunday, 3 May 2026

 03/05/2026

                It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.

Some months or so prior to his Crucifixion, Jesus had responded to Martha's complaint that Mary was not doing her share of the work needed to prepare the meal for their guests by telling her that "Mary had chosen the better part".

We interpret this to mean that praying is the most important work that we can do in this life and that nothing  should interrupt our awareness of being in the presence of God.

In today's reading from the Acts, the Apostles had come to the realisation that they were not able to pray, lead worship and simultaneously take on responsibility for the physical needs of their commune which met in the Portico of Solomon and in the Upper Room.

Their solution to the problem was to ordain "deacons". Thus began the hierarchical structure of the Church within which the Holy Spirit has often been excluded by the worldly ambitions and jealousy of clergy. We are all "friends" of Jesus even though the "imposition of hands" designates "authority". 

On the night of his betrayal Jesus scandalised his Apostles by performing the action of a slave and washed their feet. The "true man" that is Jesus told us that "true prayer" has to be in the heart and unseen except by "Our Father who art in heaven" and in this world it is by our deeds that we show that we keep close to the Father in our hearts.

Dear Lord, help me know the peace that comes from your words "Let not your hearts be troubled" it is easy to trust in God and trust in you but I seem to beset by all sorts of stupidities and am greatly troubled that the perfect beginning you gave to Your Church has not been matched by subsequent events. It is incredible that 2000 years after your Resurrection such savagery still engulfs what was your home in this world and not one leader has emerged to right the wrong that has been done to the Arabs of Palestine. You know that I believe with my whole heart that all evil is the result of our disobedience and all weapons are brought into use by the will of individuals but why oh why are so many innocents in these days being slaughtered before they have the chance to "do your will on Earth?" The Apostles expected your imminent return and prayed "Maranatha" today I repeat that prayer and plead with you to return and complete the judgement ordained by FATHERSONHOLYSPIRIT even though as you already do know I am not yet ready to see you face to face. Lord have Mercy and let me find rest within the household you share with John and Mary, the Church of Love, The New Holy Family. Amen!

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






Saturday, 2 May 2026

 02/05/2026

Saturday Easter Week 4

 ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it.’

Dear Lord, Today I pray that everything that passes through my head onto this screen is the truth as far as I am capable of knowing and repeating.

God knows that I am a very limited human being who is trying to complete my life within the guidance of  the scriptures chosen to be read at the daily public liturgies of the Roman Church.

The Mass is an event that is unique in this world for the Sacrament is IAMFATHERSONHOLYSPIRIT, His gift of himself that happened in real-time over the 34 years that INCARNATESON lived in Palestine.

It was Jesus himself who supervised the formation undergone by the Apostles who became the first priests of the New Dispensation and in today's Gospel St John recalls the declaration, an answer made in mild exasperation to Philip's request, that he and the FATHER are ONE. 

This is further confirmation of the being of IAMIAM made to Mary at the Annunciation in our time of the beginning of the Jesus event that has been ever present in the Infinity created/known by IAMFATHERSONHOLYSPIRIT.

The Synagogue at Perga knew that there was something happening within the Jewish community that was spread throughout the Empire and so they had asked "Saul", who was known to be a disciple of Gamaliel, to talk to them about his interpretation of these disturbances.

What they heard shocked them to their very core and they attacked Paul and Barnabas. Jesus had recommended that the 12 Apostles shake off the dust of unbelieving households during the first directed missions to the people of Galilee and Judea. Paul and Barnabas did the same here and continued to walk on to Iconium.  

Two thousand years have been lived by millions of us since "that time". The growth of the Institutional Church founded on St Peter can be followed in the built environment of this world where many Churches, Cathedral and Basilicas pay tribute to the Faith of our Fathers. Vast libraries hold collections of millions of texts produced in every generation of the Christian Centuries.

It is very easy to become distracted by the prolific records of Christianity and focus on trying to reproduce how previous generations have responded in this world to the reset of Faith that INCARNATESON preached during his 34 years in Palestine.

When I pray that everything that passes through my head onto this screen is "true", I mean to declare that I do believe "everything that comes from the mouth of God" and hope to have understood that the way to the  TRUTH that is Eternal life was completed by the Resurrection and that the one source of the Grace that leads to Eternal Life is WORD that at Jesus' trial before Pilate declared "My kingdom is not of this world" and confirmed this by the creation of a specifically spiritual Church of Love, the New Holy Family to be the ever certain source of Divine Creative Love and Safety for our souls on Earth.

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



    




  


Friday, 1 May 2026

 01/05/2026

It must have been difficult for the first century Chosen People and those who had joined with them to become "God fearers", worshippers of IAMIAM, to face up to and absorb the real-time events with which IAMIAM perfected his revelations that had first been made solely to the descendants of Abraham but were now to be broadcast to all the nations of the world.

In Jerusalem and Galilee, most of the leaders, priests, lawyers and scholars although they had witnessed many "signs" were so frustrated by the incomparable wonder of this uneducated wandering rabbi, who could not be bested in argument but did not boast of his powers, that they had to kill him for his very being revealed their weaknesses.

Their excuse to justify the death sentence to their rulers, the Romans that, "He would be King" is transformed by Jesus into the warning which subsequent centuries have largely ignored 

                                                        "My kingdom is not of this world".

There was no internet in the first century but in the Empire the roads enabled reports of events in far off places to travel incredibly quickly. The Synagogue in Psidian Antioch heard the news from Jerusalem almost as quickly as did the Galileans so they were not hearing the story of the crucifixion of Our Lord, out of the blue, for the first time.

It must have been, however, exceedingly difficult for them to hear that Paul now knew Jesus to be the Son of God. and also knew that they had all been called to become  likewise "children of the Most High".

In today's Gospel reading "that time" is the "Last Supper" when John and the other Apostles became gifted by FATHERSONHOLYSPIRIT with the spiritual knowledge and right intentions to become able to confect the Blessed Sacrament in the New Liturgy that would  replace Temple Worship in the era of our New Testament.

Without any trepidation, bluff St Thomas speaks directly to Jesus:

‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ 

and Jesus answers in an equally direct manner 

 ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’

Even though institutional Churches have very often scandalised to the extent that we have to doubt the presence of Jesus within them, we know that he will be with us until the end of time for even if "The Church" fails, he, in his dying breath, assured us of his forever presence in the New Holy Family which is the "Church of Love" the safe haven for our souls during our lifetimes when we are beset by the "things of this world" .

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




Thursday, 30 April 2026

 30/04/2026

The places mentioned in today's mass readings are still there although much changed in appearance. I have lived through much of the acceleration that characterizes most  of those changes in modern times

When I first visited Cyprus more than fifty years ago the site of St Paul's scourging was pretty dominant in Lower Paphos, but now it is lost within the "developments" of Jet-age" tourism.

Perga too is an Archaeological attraction site in the tourist destination that is Antalya in modern Turkiye. Psidian Antioch can still be found in the Isparta Province also in Turkiye. Jerusalem is not named but is the place where all the events of the Gospel took place. It too is much changed.

All the things of this "world" are subject to "time" which we "know" but never see. St Paul speaks to the Synagogue of Perga about the history he and all God's "Chosen People" share and all is well until he begins to proclaim the Resurrection as the visible sign of the Reset of Salvation that Jesus, God Incarnate had recently completed in Jerusalem.

I am writing this 2000 years after the events and know that I am a sinful man, certainly an executioner of Christ but also "a lost sheep" that IAMFATHERSONHOLYSPIRIT, the GOOD SHEPHERD, never gives up on and it is always from Scripture that I will receive "rod and staff" to guide me.

On the night before he was betrayed Jesus took bread and broke it to become a new way of being, the Sacrament of HIMSELF that would be entrusted to his friends in this world to be the guardians thereof. He founded his Church on Peter but before so doing he told us all that we should never put our own self before any other person, He lived selflessly and so must we. 

St Paul could remind his listeners that IAMIAM had directly supported his people Israel many times over many centuries. At his trial before Pilate Jesus declared "My kingdom is not of this world". 

This tells us that after the Resurrection it is only in our souls, our being that is not of this world, that IAMFATHERSONHOLYSPIRIT reveals his purpose for mankind and that there is no longer a "\This Worldly Chosen People". 

The "Things of this world," are not part of the Kingdom of God revealed by INCARNATE SON in the Roman Province of Palestine 2000 years ago.

To live according to the Will of the Father, it is each individual that has to cherish  the WORD, Jesus, who teaches us how to live a life of service and prayer by humbly "washing the feet of others" and being  open to the SPIRIT, the Love that is revealed as the New Holy Family, the Church of Love, in the mission of mutual care entrusted to Mary and John on Calvary.

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

 

 






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