31/01/2022

David is in a bad way as it seems that Absalom will be the victor in this most bitter of civil wars. He has to abandon Jerusalem and is met with curses. He knows that his sin deserves misfortunes in this world but does not forget God. He is not a Christian and is certainly a king of this world. He probably does not think of eternal reward and damnation and expects to receive the favour or punishment of the Lord here and now. Accepting good or evil from the Lord he forbids the Benjamanite to be killed.

The evil controlling the man who lived in the tombs seems to decide its own fate and takes over the herd of pigs driving them to death by drowning. Jesus often comes face to face with Evil during his time on earth; most notably during the 40 days 40 nights.

 I know evil when all my good intentons come to nothing and I return to sin again. Outside of myself I am aware of great evil in our worldly normality. ButJesus protects us from coming face to face with the "Father of Lies"  for he has defeated Satan in our Baptism.

All of my sins come about through my cooperation with the temptations that afflict us all on a daily basis and the weaknes of my cooperation with the Lord.

Dear Lord lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil.

 30/01.2022

We are assured that the Lord knows us and that it is in this knowledge of us that we are loved. We are here to do our best, not to become prominent in any worldly sense but by knowing the Lord and loving his ways. Jesus' first sermon in his home town was somewhat of a disaster. But his time was not to be until another three years had passed. His words in that synagogue were unpalatable to the "Chosen People" and they have not been accepted until this day.

We too have  similar hard questions to face up today.  We know so much more about the workings of our Church and it seems to be  no more than an earthly institutions beset by all the problems that worry the managers of any organisation.

Jesus promised to be with us until the end of time and it has often been said that there is no salvation outside of the Church. The Western Church is as corrupt as any other multi- natiional and its international property dealings are a scandal to the faithful.

Could it be that there is only salvation outside the corporate body of Catholicism that the Church which is the Love in St Paul; the Love of those who did not flee from the Cross but remained with the dead body that was the ruler and life of all the Universe. I can be responsible for my own sins but the sins of the Church are beyond me just as living without sin is impossible for me. My hope is in "nothing is impossible for God".

Dear Lord may renewal come to us all and even though St Paul put away childish things let us be reminded that Jesus encourages us to call God "daddy" and to know that the simplicity and guilelessness of a child's heart is what he requires not gaudiness and rich vestments.

 29/01/2022

The Lords's words about the sign of Jonah are again put into question as the calming of the storm is immediately taken by the Jews in the boat with him as a sign to be wondered at. The sin of David is  shocking as it is so much against his previous fervour and deeds.

It is very human and all those with a power over others have to avoid the temptation to manipulate situations to benefit themselves. Our Church is not immune from these temptations which are not limited to the hierarchy only.

Simple Parish Priests can be captivated by the bright of a child's eyes and have to fight against the temptations this can bring. Collection money can easily be used to feed an illicit habit. Wrongdoing can be masked and countered by flattering a coitery of supporters.

As a parishioner I must never join those who warn "Don't let your boys on the altar".I must  report suspected criminal behaviour by a priest to the civil authorities for investigation. Covering up ill doing by clergy is a yeast that spreads throughout the whole dough. What can we do when we see incorrect cannonical behaviour that  is not criminal. Our Lord tells us that before we bring our gift to the altar we must reproach our sinful brother and then follow God's example by forgiving as he did with David.

Dear Lord may you be with me always and let the love of Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with me so that  I might live this day without sin and let me not be weakened by concern about your sinfull priests but let them know the protection of your blessed mother and all the saints.

 28/01/2022

The praise of wisdom does mean that anyone who has it mut not forget that it is the Lord's gift that any one may have. The world that I live in is full of technological marvels. I am using one right now. All of these marvels seemingly made by man are in fact nothing compared to the Creation in which they are found. Everything known to man and built by him is built on knowledge of creation and not a creation out of nothing.

Famous scientists and engineers were not born  with the understanding that they use to develop ideas and techniques to manipulate matter. All human knowledge is an accumultion of the thinking and experience of our forefathers.

Jesus is different in his humanity than any other. For he knows that the real purpose of the creation that is so manipulated today is to return the love with which it was created for he is the Word who is in the beginning. We can admire the works of man and their deeds but we must not venerate their work more than God. Preventing birth or changing sex is a marvel but  one that leads to sinfulness that is in opposition to love. Understanding the make up of creatures we cannot even see is beyond wonderment but we can go too far and in our arrogance damage the very matteer of life. 

The mistakes made by man in his politcal development will be as nothing if Wisdom does not stop the meddling of manknd with God's creation. God asks us to hold back willingly for "anyone who exhalts himself will be humbled and anyone who humbles himself will be exhalted."

Dear Lord how your creation has been built is a sources of wonder to all who look at the night sky. We can know it but not use that knowledge for illicit purposes. Dear Lord protect all of us from the natural and unatural viruses that are capable of destroting all human life and guard us against the sinful arrogance that ignores Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You are the only God.

 27/01/2022

The teaching in  St Mark seems to be paradoxical when compared to the Sermon on the Mount. It is also true of the world economy during this pandemic. It has  also been taken to heart by some Christians who consider their own riches to be a sign of their favour before God. In their minds, the problems involved in getting a camel through the narrrow gate does not realy mean what it says about them.

David's people will enjoy the favour of God in this world. The comfortable way in which I live my own life here on earth without the riches that I see all around me would be a mark of wealth in the the first century. My longevity would also be a visible mark of God's favour.

My life is a gift of God but I must live it for God. My freedom is not curtailed in any way but I must chose to serve God. The Incarnation brought the Eternal Father, Son and Holy Spirit to teach all the world the will of God and we the descendants of the Apostles must continue their worship and love of Jesus.

"From the man who has not, even the little that he has will be taken away" is one of Jesus' hard sayings that we must ask the holy Spirit to interpret for us in our hearts.

Dear Lord what it is that is best for me and the whole world is known only to you. Hear the prayer of your Holy Mother and the Saints and share their graces with us the Church that we may remain sinless throughout the struggles of our daily lives.

 26/01/2022

Mark who certainly has been told about Jesus' teaching by the Apostles even if he did not witness it himself, reveals that the parables were told to the people and sometimes explained to the Apostles and very close disciples. This is not done with the intent of creating an inner core of devotees in possession of a hidden knowledge. Jesus guides all of us for it is his intent not to lose any of us given to him by the Father. 

Imperial Rome was full of mystery cults so much so that the river of Antioch, the Orontes, was flowing into the Tiber according to one of the Classical Roman authors. Rome, where Paul was held under house arrest was a huge building site with the still extant ruins visible to this day, was also a centre of learning along with Antioch and Alexandria. 

Paul's teaching of  Jesus was already with a form of structure and meetings of the Apostles recorded by Luke had established among other things questions of dietary laws and even basic liturgy before the Church had moved on from the Synagogue. Prayer was guided by the the Psalms of David and by the reenactment of the "Last Supper" which had confirmed the priesthood of the Apostles explained by the teaching of John.

All of our Bishops who read or hear today's Scriptures can be assured that Paul is still supporting and encouraging them as he did Timothy and Titus.  They must not lose sight of their only purpose, guiding the flocks along the right paths behind the Good Shephed, and they must avoid the lure of power and riches of this world which choke out the Grace that comes from God and allow them to produce nothing, Zero Zilch!

Dear Lord I too need to keep in mind your words especially "otherwise they may be forgiven" which is beyond my understanding of the Love which is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Let me live this day in peace let your Holy Motther and all your Saints support us in this world as they share your Glory  in Eternity.

 25/01/2022

The strength of St Paul is a spiritual strength reinforced by visions and direct communication with the Lord. The story of his complete conversion in the Acts is one of God / Father, Son and Holy Spirit/eternity touching our world directly to reinforce the teaching/ example of the Son and to found the organisation that is the Church.

It is not easy to believe that God put so much trust in one man. Paul had the whole Roman Empire to convert and each day he must have been aware of the Holy Spirit supporting him in his mission first to the Synagogues and then directly to the Pagans. Of course the other Apostles were doing the same but their preaching is largly unrecorded as in preserving the Scriptures the four evangelists had precedence with the letters written by Paul preserved for his teaching and the strength of his encouragement.

The people who heard the Good News must have had many different reactions to it. Basically these Jews from Palestine were telling them that the Son of their God had been living as a man and teaching a new form of their traditional belief and this had caused the priests of their only Temple to instigate a case against him. After his Crucifixion the dead and buried Son had resurrected in a new form of body, (it was definitely a body but not controlled by the laws of our physical universe) and continued to teach and inspire them to pray to his Father and live according to his example. To give them the spiritual strength to live his way he had left his body in the form of bread and wine to be created and consumed during a ceremony that was a meeting of believers with love for another.

Paul's teaching is still an inspiration but where are the signs and wonders promised? There are some Evangelical groups who claim that these signs are still with them but I have never seen them. St Thomas did not believe until he saw and touched.

Dear Lord in my mind I can think thoughts of you in Palestine, walking and teaching the crowds who flocked to see the miracles you performed but in this moment you seem to be far away and my soul an insignificant blob of chemicals in the vastness of a universe. I believe that you the creator made not only the universe but also all atoms that make up my body. And I believe that the unseen world of spirit is also in your care. Thank God for the wonder of my being and for the Love that I have done nothing to deserve. Protect us all this day and inspire me to the Faith that can sincerely Hope in your Love.