Answers to the really big questions of life can be found in the teaching of Jesus Christ.

In last Sunday’s gospel we find the following;

“But from the beginning of creation God made them male and female.

This is why a man must leave father and mother, and the two become one body.”

(Mark 10:1-19)

In this reading the Pharisees, the Jewish leaders, asked Jesus if it was right for a couple to get divorced. The question must have provoked great interest as Jews were permitted to divorce. Jesus asks, “What did Moses command you?” ‘“Moses allowed us,” they said, ‘to draw up a writ of dismissal and so to divorce.”’ “It was because you were so unteachable that he wrote this commandment for you,” Jesus replies, and Jesus quotes our opening verse which comes from Genesis 2: 18 – 24 which is the first of the Sunday readings at Mass.

Once formal consent is given (validly) and the marriage consummated it cannot be dissolved the church teaches. Marriage is for life.

So when a couple say, “I do” at the altar in front of witnesses including the priest who is there to witness on behalf of the Church because the couple confer the sacrament on one another, they begin this amazing journey with all its ups and downs joys and sorrows. It is total permanent and exclusive giving which is open to children and family life. Family life of this quality is God’s plan for our happiness and is the bedrock of society and the continuation of human life. Children are meant to grow up in a loving caring and secure setting to become all that God has planned for them and achieve their full potential and play their part – their unique and indispensable part – in God’s creation.

What a wonderful vocation and for Christians and God will be ever present to guide them in their roles as mother and father to this end.

Society should nurture and protect family life socially, economically and politically because the health, wholeness and wellbeing of individuals depends upon it and thereby all of humanity collectively.

But couples need support and things don’t always work out. Organisations like ‘Marriage Encounter’ and ‘Care for the family’ are among many which can offer this, and ‘Marriage Care’ when relationship ‘first aid’ is needed.

Marriage is for life and a spouse who is elderly or suffering from a serious ailment of even terminally ill is most likely to wish to stay the course so as to go on feeling the love that surrounds them from a loving partner and be with family for as long as possible. It would be cruel to make them feel a burden which is what assisted suicide may leave them feeling.

Life is sacred and love is for life.

“Master, we saw a man who is not one of us casting out devils in your name; and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him.” (Mark 9: 38)

So begins the gospel reading for this Sunday’s Mass.

Jesus replies, “You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.” (Mark 9: 39 – 40)

Do we make others outsiders? When we strive to collaborate with others intent on good, whoever they  are, much can be achieved. That is, those who work for justice, freedom, and who show mercy and kindness.

Those who love in the true sense of the word.

Traditionally Catholics fast this week and donate the money saved to CAFOD (Catholic Fund for Overseas Development); a charity which brings together people of good will to alleviate poverty.

Dear Jesus, forgive me for not welcoming others and for treating others as outsiders when you love everyone equally. May I be more willing to work with others who are different so as to build a more just and fair world.

In the Sunday Gospel at Mass this week Jesus speaks of service when he hears that the apostles had been arguing about who is the greatest. Instead, Jesus says, if anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all. (Mark.9: 30 – 37)

This stands in stark contrast to what we see around us especially perhaps, in politics and Government.

Seeing and wanting what is best for others involve empathy, having a listening ear and a listening heart.

This text begins with Jesus prophesying his death. Jesus gave his life so that all might live. Elsewhere, he invites his followers to take up their cross and follow him. (Matthew 16: 24 – 26)

We take a lead whether in small acts of love or in government for the sake of others. This invariably involves sacrifice even suffering. Yet as we do this we become more and more immersed in God’s love which is why we are here rather than to control, dominate and put ourselves first.

This is true stature in the eyes of God who will welcome those who have trodden this path in the footsteps of Jesus who, by the cross, has won salvation for those who call on his name.

What does it profit a man who gains the whole world but loses his soul. (Matthew 16: 26)

When we get up in the morning our first question might be, “who can I serve today.”   

This quote from the prophet Hosea chapter 8; 7 which was the first reading in Catholic churches today, refers to the Godless actions of the people of Israel. God is a God of mercy, but, mercy can only be received by repentant hearts. God is not a permissive God. Those who transgress the immutable laws of nature – the way we are made and God’s plan for our happiness, will face consequences for their sins.

This applies to those responsible for the carnage and killing of the innocent by those engaged in unlawful immoral and unjust warfare; those who campaign for the right to kill the weakest and most vulnerable – the unborn and those who allow their immoral predilections to split their families leaving their children in a void of lovelessness.

‘So by the help of your God, return, – come back to me. Hosea 12.6

On Tuesday 28 November 2023, Labour MPs Dame Diana Johnson and Stella Creasy tabled amendments NC1 and NC2 respectively to the Government’s Criminal Justice Bill. Both amendments would decriminalise abortion.

On 25 January 2024, these amendments were debated at Committee stage and withdrawn. Now, Diana Johnson has tabled a very similar amendment, in the hope that it will be debated by MPs at Report stage. The earliest this can happen is 4th March.

What does the amendment do?

The text of Diana Johnson’s amendment, New Clause 1, is:

To move the following Clause—

“Removal of women from the criminal law related to abortion.

For the purposes of sections 58 and 59 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 and the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929, no offence is committed by a woman acting in relation to her own pregnancy.”

This would mean a woman could carry out her own abortion at any time, for any reason. While the explanatory note claims that the amendment “would not change any law regarding the provision of abortion services within a healthcare setting, including but not limited to the time limit”, more than half of abortions are now carried out by a woman in her own home, under the pills by post policy. A woman who took abortion pills at home at any stage of pregnancy, even just before natural birth, and so ended the life of a full term baby, would not commit any offence.

From the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child SPUC

If this amendment is accepted a baby in the womb is not protected by law in the UK if the Criminal Justice Bill is passed at any stage. So a women can end the life her child immediately before birth but a few days later when the child is born if she takes the life of her child it would be infanticide, she would have killed her child unlawfully. Surely this is nonsense by any reckoning. Pro-abortionists are bent on hi jacking legislation to push forward their ideology that the woman has the right to do as she wishes with her own body. But common sense and medicine cannot reconcile this. The baby has only half the mother’s genes. Twenty three chromosomes from the father and 23 from the mother make up the embryo. The father gets no say and genes are passed down through the generations. The baby is a separate human being albeit nourished in the womb by the mother.

Moreover, the proabortion ideology speaks of the mother’s right to choose and ignores the most basic human right which is the right to life. The baby is human from conception and has this right. Medical science tells us this. Yet the facts are ignored in the face of ideology. This is another reminder of how ideology distorts reality and is de humanising.

I pray that this amendment is rejected. Many lives of innocent human beings could be saved and many mothers saved from years of regret.

In this Sunday’s Gospel, the third Sunday of Lent, we hear about how Jesus drove the money changers out of the Temple with the words, “Take all this out of here and stop turning my Father’s house into a market.” When challenged by the Jews and asked for a sign to justify this, Jesus says “Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up.” “But Jesus was speaking of the sanctuary that was his body, and when Jesus rose from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this…”

(John 2: 13 – 25)

Pause for thought

“I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.” Matthew 25: 40

Today Lent begins where there is special emphasis on prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

For those with no relationship with our loving heavenly Father and Jesus, the only begotten Son sent into the world to save us, prayer is not possible – for those desiring such a relationship, our first prayer might be “speak Lord your servant is listening” or “Jesus I need you.”

Going without food, luxuries, or enjoyment for the sake of others and to discipline ourselves and focus on what really matters in life- loving God and our neighbour above ourselves.

Almsgiving to those in need building fraternity, mutuality, especially when it hurts us.

The opposite of the true spirit of Lent is what is happening in areas of conflict taking place today shown regularly in the news; killing and carnage and depriving others including non combatants- men women and children, of the basic necessities of life.

This can never be in God’s name.

So in Lent we are reminded to be who we truly are as daughters and sons of God made in His image, each of us with an eternal destiny which begins right here and right now.   

When our life in this world is over, what will be our thoughts?

I wish I had done this or that better?

Why did I do so and so?

For those with children. ” I could have loved them more… lived the moment better…”

OR

“so glad I did that?”

“I made a difference to this or that..”

But could it be its who we are that counts. To grow.. to be the best we can be.

The old Catholic catechism says the purpose of our life is to know love and serve God in this world and to be happy with him in the next. That’s why we are here?

So as we lay on our death bed rejoice that we know God and will soon be with him – for ever.

The poof of the Resurrection is inescapable. The gospels encapsulate and proclaim this reality.

When all other explanations for the empty tomb run aground, all that is left is the truth of what happened. Jesus really did rise from the dead after three days. The seminal book “Who move the stone,” by Frank Morison explains all – see it on Amazon.

The Christian faith is based upon this reality. “If our hope for Christ is for this life only, we are the most unfortunate of all people,” says St Paul. I Cor.15.14

So why does the secular world not accept this reality?

“And indeed, everybody who does wrong hates the light and avoids it, for fear his actions should be exposed; but the man who lives by the truth comes out into the light, so that it may be plainly seen that what he does is done in God.” John 3. 20 – 21

And in Matthew 4. 15 – 16 where Isaiah is quoted in relation to Christ, “The people who lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned.”

Again in the words of St. Paul – at the sound of the last trumpet, “the dead will be raised, imperishable.”

I Cor. 15.52

Our heavenly Father longs to share this new life with all, “Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life.” John 3. 16

Christians live this new life in the here and now and are resident aliens in the world. Christians celebrate this new life each Sunday and especially this Sunday, Easter Sunday, the day when Jesus really did rise from then dead.

The trumpet shall sound

Jesus is Lord – now and forever!

Today is Palm Sunday. The account of the last hours of Jesus are read in churches the world over. The significance of the death of Jesus by crucifixion was not understood by anyone at the time, even the apostles did not fully understand. But Jesus’ sacrifice of his life changed everything for humanity forever and the crucifix became the most recognised and revered symbol of any since the dawn of time. The greatest sign of love the world would ever know.

By Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross the way was opened for all to be reconciled with our loving Father God and to come into his kingdom in the here and now and forever. We hear that the veil of the Temple in Jerusalem which only the high priest could enter to make sacrifice for sin on behalf of the people was torn in two as Jesus died. From now on everyone could come into the presence of God, for the sacrifice has been made by Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son the Lamb of God.

The Easter eggs custom fuelled by chocolate manufacturers and super markets is a reminder of the new life which is celebrated by Christians the world over But at the start of Holy week we recognise the suffering and agony of Jesus Son of God who made this new life possible.

Think of someone who gave their life for another. Pause and take stock. Such a sacrifice is the height of goodness latent in every human being.

As Martin Luther King said “Love is creative, understanding goodwill for all men. It is the refusal to defeat any individual. When you rise to the level of love, of its great beauty and power, you seek only to defeat evil systems. Individuals who happen to be caught up in that system, you love, but you seek to defeat the system.”

“As we welcome Jesus on Palm Sunday may we have hope, strength and courage to face life’s challenges.”