Saint Peter & St.Paul

Friends in Christ,

On this Feast of Saint Peter & St.Paul we also remember the anniversary of the Anglican Catholic Church in Australia and the anniversary of the consecration of our Archbishop +John. We give thanks to God for the Church and +John's leadership and uphold him and the clergy and the people of the Anglican Catholic Church in Australia in our Holy Prayers.

At an opportune time Jesus tests his disciples with a crucial question: Who do men say that I am and who do you say that I am? He was widely recognized in Israel as a mighty man of God, even being compared with the greatest of the prophets, John the Baptist, Elijah, and Jeremiah. Peter, always quick to respond, exclaimed that he was the Christ, the Son of the living God. No mortal being could have revealed this to Peter; but only God. Jesus then confers on Peter authority to govern the church that Jesus would build, a church that no powers would overcome. Jesus plays on Peter's name which is the same word for "rock" in both Aramaic and Greek. To call someone a "rock" is one of the greatest of compliments. The ancient rabbis had a saying that when God saw Abraham, he exclaimed: "I have discovered a rock to found the world upon". Through Abraham God established a nation for himself. Through faith Peter grasped who Jesus truly was. He was the first apostle to recognize Jesus as the Anointed One (Messiah and Christ) and the only begotten Son of God. The New Testament describes the church as a spiritual house or temple with each member joined together as living stones (see 1 Peter 2:5). Faith in Jesus Christ makes us into rocks or spiritual stones. The Lord Jesus tests each of us personally with the same question: Who do you say that I am?
"Lord Jesus, I profess and believe that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. You are my Lord and my Savior. Make my faith strong like Peter's and give me boldness to speak of you to others that they may come to know you personally as Lord and Savior and grow in the knowledge of your love".

With every good wish in Christ,

Ed Bakker

Feria

Friends in Christ,

Mt 7:6, 12-14

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the Law and the Prophets.

“Enter through the narrow gate;
for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction,
and those who enter through it are many.
How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.
And those who find it are few.”

You’ve probably heard the expression, don’t put an ear-ring in a pig’s snout! Jesus' expression about "pearls before swine" is pretty similar. Jesus’ concern here is not with exclusivity, but with purity — the purity of the faith which has been entrusted to us by an all-loving and all-wise God. The early church referenced this expression with the Eucharist or the Lord’s Table. In the liturgy of the early church, a proclamation was given shortly before communion: Holy things to the holy. The Didache, a first century manual stated: Let no one eat or drink of your Eucharist except those baptised into the name of the Lord; for, as regards this, the Lord has said, `Give not that which is holy unto dogs.'" The Lord invites us to his table, but we must approach worthily.
The Lord also raised the standard of the law by showing us the perfection of love — seeking the good of others and giving them the best we can offer for their sake. It is not enough to simply avoid doing injury or harm. We must actually seek to do good to others for their sake. Jesus then quotes an expression common in the Old Testament: choosing between two ways or roads -- the way that leads to life rather than to destruction. The Book of Psalms begins: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked ..but his delight is in the law of the Lord (Psalm 1:1-2). When a path diverges, such as a fork in the road, each way leads to very different destinations. This is especially true when we encounter life’s crossroads where we must make a choice. The scriptures remind us of the choices we face: See, I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil. ...Therefore choose life that you and your descendants may live (Deut. 3:15-20). Choose this day whom you will serve (Joshua 24:15). Behold I set before you the way of life and the way of death (Jeremiah 21:8). Jesus confronts us with the same choice. Do you know which road you are walking down and is it leading you to the right destination?
Jesus concludes his discourse with the reminder that we must treat our neighbor in the same way we wish to be treated by God and by others. We must not just avoid doing harm to our neighbor, we must actively seek his or her welfare. In doing so, we fulfill the law and the prophets, namely what God requires of us -- loving God with all that we have and are and loving our neighbor as ourselves. The personal love we show to our neighbor is fueled by the love that God has poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). The Holy Spirit is every ready to transform our lives in Jesus’ way of love. Do you thirst for holiness and for the fire of God’s love?
"Let me love you, my Lord and my God, and see myself as I really am — a pilgrim in this world, a Christian called to respect and love all whose lives I touch, those in authority over me or those under my authority, my friends and my enemies. Help me to conquer anger with gentleness, greed by generosity, apathy by fervor. Help me to forget myself and reach out towards others." (Prayer attributed to Clement XI of Rome)

Christian greetings from ' down under '

Ed Bakker...

Feria

Friends in Christ,

Everybody is a critic, but nobody wants to be judged or condemned. Then why is judgementalism so rampant, even among Christians? "Thinking the best of other people" is necessary if we wish to grow in love. And kindliness in judgment is nothing less that a sacred duty. The Rabbis warned people: "He who judges his neighbor favorably will be judged favorably by God." How easy it is to misjudge and how difficult it is to be impartial in judgment. Our judgment of others is usually “off the mark” because we can’t see inside the person, or we don’t have access to all the facts, or we are swayed by instinct and unreasoning reactions to people. It is easier to find fault in others than in oneself. Jesus states a heavenly principle we can stake our lives on: what you give to others (and how you treat others) will return to you. The Lord knows our faults and he sees all, even the imperfections and sins of the heart which we cannot recognize in ourselves. Like a gentle father and a skillful doctor he patiently draws us to his seat of mercy and removes the cancer of sin which inhabits our hearts. Do you trust in God’s mercy and grace? Ask the Lord to flood your heart with his loving-kindness and mercy that you may only have room for charity and forbearance towards your neighbor.
"O Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorance, admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice, accepts rebuke. Help us always to praise rather than to criticize, to sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy, and to think of people at their best rather than at their worst. This we ask for thy name’s sake. (Prayer of William Barclay, 20th century)

On this Monday morning, may I wish you a blessed week.

Ed Bakker

The Second Sunday after Trinity, 25 June 2006

Friends in Christ,

The Holy Gospel according to St.Luke, chapter 14, the verses 16 to 24 tell us:16
Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And
sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all
things are now ready. 18 And they all with one consent
began to make excuse.
The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go
and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five
yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I
pray thee have me excused. 20 And
another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21 So that
servant came, and showed his lord these things. Then the master of the house
being angry said to his
servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes
of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the
blind. 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet
there is room.
23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out unto the
highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24
For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my
supper.

Do you recall this news item? Aaron Barschak gatecrashed Prince William's 21st birthday party. Barschak, 36, a native Londoner and self-described "comedy terrorist" who is well-known on the comedy club circuit,
acknowledged his amazement at how easy it was for him to crash the bash. "The security was just non-existent," he told the Daily Mail. "I was carrying a bag which could have had a bomb in it. I was just yards away from the queen and Prince Charles. If I had been a real terrorist the entire royal
family would have been wiped out." Barschak said he gate-crashed the "Out of Africa" costume ball by scrambling over a five-meter (15-foot) wall, then acting like a tipsy guest to fool a palace contractor into leading him to
the festivities.Jesus had been invited for a meal at the home of a Pharisee. He had told the guests that they should not help themselves to the best places. He had told his host that he should not invite friends, relatives and
neighbours and hope to get an invite in return. Instead he should invite the disadvantaged.One of the guests then says to Jesus in a smug way "Blessed is the man who will eat of the feast of the kingdom of God." The Jews
believed that being with God would be like a sumptuous banquet. They thought that if they stuck to their religion their rules and regulations then they would be with God. Jesus blows this assumption apart with this parable.There are no gatecrashers in God's banquet! Those who are invited first are the Jews. In this culture there would be an initial invitation that would have been accepted, then messengers sent out to tell the guests when the
feast was ready. No watches or microwaves then !
See verse 18, all of them refused to come and used lame excuses. Now the host is angry and widens the invite to anyone, not just to those whom he had initially chosen. These are the instructions: Invite the outcasts, the
poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind. Go out unto the highways and hedges and compel them to come in so that his house may be filled. Those, who snubbed the invitation are replaced by outcasts. They will not have a second change. .See verse 24 ' For I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden shall taste my supper. The invitation of God in the Old Testament would be principally to the Jews, in the New Testaments it includes the Gentiles or non-Jews.
Would you not agree with me that we have a God who reaches out to people? Who invites them into His Presence through Jesus. . No-one can get to a banquet without an invite. No-one can come into God's presence
without responding to Jesus' invitation.An invitation demands a response. The invited guests rejected their invitation, they put other things first, material & relational pleasures are put before God. The Jews put their religion before their God. They crucified Jesus
because he challenged the religion that they held so dear.We cannot save ourselves, only Jesus can do that for us. We cannot gatecrash God's kingdom, invite ourselves or earn an invitation. But we can damn ourselves by
rejecting the invitation of God.The master said to the servant that he must compel people to come. The outcasts probably thought that the invitation was too good to be true, that they were not worthy to be invited to a
banquet, that they were not ready. The servant says "Come quickly, the food will get cold!" He describes to the outcasts the food that awaits them, the gorgeous smells wafting through the banqueting room.Jesus calls us
to share with others what it is like to enjoy his banquet. To persuade people who are spiritually starving to come and taste and see and to share in the riches that God has for them.Once we have accepted the invitation of
Jesus we can know the comfort, presence and hope of knowing him as our friend and our boss. We can know that our sins are forgiven, an inner peace, and a power to live for God. We can also look forward to being with
God in glory forever.If we saw a starving man and knew there was a soup kitchen round the corner we would tell him. We are surrounded by people who are starving spiritually. We must direct them to the banquet that God
has for them, through Jesus.
Amen

I wish you all a blessed Sunday.

Ed Bakker

Feria

Friends in Christ,

“Know the love of Christ that surpasses all knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:19)
We review our heavenly Father's plan for the salvation of His fallen, yet deeply beloved children. He created us to share in His glory by learning to live in His love and truth. The prophet Hosea speaks of the One Who would be His people's healer, though they would not recognize Him. Isaiah tells us that from our Savior we would draw from the springs of salvation. St. Paul prays that the Ephesians, through faith, would be imbued with God's life to see that Christ's love for us, in its depth, strength and unconditional steadfastness surpasses all knowledge.
Upon reflection, we see that these preliminary readings achieve fruition when the dead Christ's side is pierced by a soldier's lance. This final violence punctured His heart, creating a visible sign that God's love is still being poured out upon us, despite our great sin. Jesus is the channel through Whom we can receive God's genuine, self-giving love. The water may be thought to signify the cleansing action of Baptism, and His life's blood as the spiritual nourishment we receive in the Eucharist. Together these may be related to the "spring . . . welling up to eternal life" (John 4:14) that suggests the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit transforming us in the image of Christ.
Humanity becomes fully human only when imprinted anew with the image of our all holy God in which we were originally created. Our task is to cooperate with our Lord by being emptied of self and receiving within us the outpouring of His new life. And, filled to capacity, we must then allow the overflow of His love from us to draw others into His kingdom.
O Blessed Redeemer, help us see that apart from you we are but empty shells lying in the sand, devoid of life. Give us new life as we drink deeply from Your eternal spring. Amen.

May I wish you a blessed weekend!

Ed Bakker

Saint Alban, English Martyr 304

fr Martin Ganeri finds no answer to the problem of suffering, but perhaps a solution.
Some years back, just a few weeks after being ordained a priest, I found myself chaplain for a month at one of the London hospitals. One day I was called to the bedside of a young boy dying of cancer. His parents were there and we all sat together for the last few hours of his life.
At one point the mother asked, 'Why does God let this happen?' An obvious question, a natural question, but still the kind you dread. And really the only thing that I could say was that I did not know. I had no answer that could satisfy the bewilderment that a mother feels as she watches her son die, let alone soothe the pain. All I could do was to be with them in those hours, to offer the sacraments, to pray with and for them.
Two years later I too found myself asking that same question, 'Why does God let this happen?' This time it was my father who was dying of cancer. Though perhaps more easily in the face of old age comes the answer that this is only natural, the way our bodies are, still it did not satisfy the questions I had about why it had to happen to him, why he had to be the one to suffer that fate, satisfy the deeper yearning that I had for more time, for his company for longer. So all that I could do in those last few hours in his presence was to be there with my bother and sister and later with them perform the funeral rites.
In the passage for today from the book of Job, God is said to give Job an answer as he asks, 'Why does God let this happen?' Throughout the many chapters of that book many others have tried to find an answer that will meet Job's bewilderment, his anger and his pain. Job has lost everything, his family and his possessions. He has lost his health and reputation. Why had God let this happen to him, when he has done nothing wrong? None of the answers others give can satisfy him. Perhaps God, however, will explain why he has done this to Job, why he lets it happen.
And yet God's answer when it comes is more a barrage of questions that challenge Job himself to account for his impudence in calling God to account. Is Job on a level with God the creator either in power or knowledge, so that God should explain himself to Job? The wisdom and justice of creation and of the fate of each being within it is understood by God, yet it remains beyond the reach of men and women.
In the end Job receives no straightforward answer to his questions, but is reduced to silence in the awesome presence of God. The questions he kept on asking and the answers he searched for, are themselves transcended in this great theophany, in this experience of the divine.
Well, we might think, that is our experience too, though without the comfort -- if that is what it is -- of such a display of divine presence. Job is reduced to silence and we are reduced to silence, without answers to our bewilderment and pain.
And yet, if not an answer, we do find here the beginnings of a solution. God is the creator and there is a wisdom and justice in his creation even if this lies outside our comprehension. God is also not absent from the bewilderment and pain of those who suffer in his creation. Instead God reaches into his creation to be present with those who suffer and finally to release them from their sufferings.
This point is made by the link between the different passages forming the readings for today. The God revealed in Job as the one who alone controlled the mighty waters in creation is the same God praised in the psalm as the one who stills the seas when sailors cry out to him in their distress. It is the same God who present as the man Jesus calms the storm when the disciples in their distress implore him: 'Teacher, do you not care if we perish?'
Do you not care? Why do you let this happen? The same question once again.
The solution these passages give is that God is present with us in our sufferings. As Paul tells us in the passage from Corinthians, ultimately God in Jesus suffers with us in his presence, bringing about a new creation:
For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. And he died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
The solution Jesus offers us is his own suffering, a suffering which finally will mean the end of all our suffering, which finally will mean a new life in God's new creation. This is not an answer in any straightforward sense and the many attempts to explain the Passion of Christ in the New Testament or in the Church's tradition can never fully satisfy us if we ask why God let it happen.
We are faced not by an answer, but by a solution. A solution we might ponder in silence, even share with others in silence.

fr. Martin Robindra Ganeri is Catholic Chaplain to the University of Edinburgh and the Edinburgh College of Art.

Translation of S.Edward, English King and Martyr,978

Friends in Christ,

Touching this Wednesday morning on Saint Matthew 6:1-6,16-19, in which Jesus warns His disciples against strivingfor personal gain. 'The last will be the first and the least is the greatest.What is our motivation for doing certain things?Are our intentions pure?
Do you go to Mass regularly to receive the Body and Blood of Christ, or do you attend to be seen by others in the community where we live and work, or do we want to look good in the eyes of the Priest?Do you show off when you make a donation to charity, or do you do it in private to aid God's poor?Do you announce your fasting in an effort to gain pity, or to strenghten your prayer life and grow closer to our Lord?
We must be constantly vigilant to assure our intentions are pure and our goal is in sight - to grow closer to Him. Pray for this today and I must do the same.
Amen.

Have a good day...Ed Bakker

Connect with God and his people!

Feria

Friends in Christ,

Matthew 5:38-42

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. (Matthew 5:38)
That equation sounds vindictive and gruesome to our modern ears, doesn’t it? But in early Israel, this law was actually considered radically progressive and gentler than the commonly accepted way of dealing with injustices. In fact, it was one of the greatest contributions that the Old Testament law made to the culture of the Middle East.
Among many ancient civilizations, it was common, even expected, to avenge an injury or injustice—and often with a vengeance that exceeded the original crime. So when excessive forms of retribution threatened to tear society apart, the law of retaliation—known in Latin as lex talionis—developed. The Mesopotamian Code of Hammurabi and Mosaic laws such as those in Exodus 21:18-25 and Leviticus 24:17-21 reflected the principle of proportionate justice. These laws allowed for a kind of vengeance, but they also set restrictions so that no punishment could exceed the crime.
Jesus confronted head-on the mentality that misused and abused this law. Overruling those who reasoned, “If someone knocks out your teeth, knock his out to even the score,” he introduced a new standard of behavior that surpassed the strict justice of the Old Testament: Jesus’ followers are to live under the reign of God, showing to all—even antagonists and enemies—goodness and love.
Like any good first-century rabbi, Jesus made his point through over-statement when he taught, “If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also” (Matthew 5:39). He doesn’t expect a woman in an abusive relationship to passively endure her husband’s beatings. But neither does he want her to beat up her husband in return. Rather, Jesus offers each of us grace so that we can deal with the challenges we face—whether great or small—and the daily demands of life with a spirit of charity and a heart of generosity. It’s when we go out of our way to run an errand for an irritating neighbor, forgive an injury without getting back at the offender, give generously to those in need, refuse to snipe back at the co-worker who is provoking us—that’s when we reflect the glory of Jesus and the light of his kingdom to everyone around us.
“Jesus, reign as Lord over my heart and all my actions. Give me your grace so that I can live by your kingdom standards.”
1 Kings 21:1-16; Psalm 5:2-7

In XC

Ed Bakker

Feria

The reading of the Holy Gospel

Friends in Christ,

When Jesus spoke about God’s law, he did something no one had done before. He gave a new standard based not just on the requirements of righteousness (i.e. giving each his due), but based on the law of grace and love. Jesus knew the law and its intention better than any jurist or legal expert could imagine. He quoted from the oldest law in the world: If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe (Exodus 21:23-25). Such a law today seems cruel, but it was meant to limit vengeance as a first step towards mercy. This law was not normally taken literally but served as a guide for a judge in a law court for assessing punishment and penalty (see Deuteronomy 19:18). The Old Testament is full of references to the command that we must be merciful: You shall not take vengeance or bear any grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD (Leviticus 19:18). If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink (Proverbs 25:21). Do not say, "I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done" (Proverbs 24:29). Let him give his cheek to the smiter, and be filled with insults Lamentations 3:30). Jesus does something quite remarkable and unheard of. He transforms the law of mercy with grace and loving-kindness. Jesus also makes clear that there is no room for retaliation. We must not only avoid returning evil for evil,
but we must seek the good of those who wish us ill. Do you accept insults, as Jesus did, with no resentment or malice? When you are compelled by others to do more than you think you deserve, do you insist on your rights, or do you respond with grace and cheerfulness?
What makes a Christian different from everyone else? What makes Christianity distinct from any other religion? It is grace — treating others, not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated — with loving-kindness and mercy. Only the cross of Jesus Christ can free us from the tyranny of malice, hatred, revenge, and resentment and gives us the courage to return evil with good. Such love and grace has power to heal and to save from destruction. Do you know the power of Christ’s redeeming love and mercy?
“O merciful God, fill our hearts, we pray, with the graces of your Holy Spirit; with love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. Teach us to love those who hate us; to pray for those who despitefully use us; that we may be the children of your love, our Father, who makes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. In adversity grant us grace to be patient; in prosperity keep us humble; may we guard the door of our lips; may we lightly esteem the pleasures of this world, and thirst after heavenly things; through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Prayer of Anselm, 1033-1109)

Thanks be to God.

Ed Bakker....

The First Sunday after Trinity

Love & Compassion

Friends in Christ,

Love & Compassion feature in the Epistle and Holy Gospel for this First Sunday after Trinity. In the Epistle, which comes from Blessed Saint John, his first letter, chapter 4, beginning at verse 7...we are urged to love one another as Christ loves us and in the Holy Gospel from Saint Luke 16, beginning at verse 19, we get to hear the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, who never had compassion and found it was all too late when he ended up in hell. To love one another, we get an opportunity to put this into practice every day, in our own situation of well-being, do we have compassion with those, who have not? This message of love and compassion is preached from the pulpit by our Parish Priests, who, by Apostolic Succession, follow in the footsteps of Christ. Let us take note of this message, because one day it might just be too late for us.

Have a good week,

Ed Bakker

Feria

Friends in Christ,

How forceful are honest words! (Job 6:25)

Jesus addressed the issue of honesty and truthfulness in one’s conduct and speech. What does it mean to be true to one’s word? To be true to oneself and to others requires character. Unfortunately many people today miserably fail here. No wonder we don’t trust many in positions of leadership and influence. God is the source of all truth and there is nothing false or deceitful in him. His word is truth and his law is truth. His truth liberates us from illusion, deceit, and hypocrisy. Jesus told his disciples that the truth will make you free (John 8:32). Why is it so hard to be true and to speak the truth? Truth demands commitment -- that we live our lives according to it and be faithful witnesses of the truth. Jesus teaches his disciples the unconditional love of truth. He speaks against bearing false witness and all forms of untruthfulness and swearing unnecessary oaths to God. A disciple's word should be capable of being trusted without verbal rituals to give it validity. Christ’s disciple must speak truthfully without “stretching” the truth by adding to it or by compromising the truth by speaking untruth or by leaving out what is necessary to convey what is truthful. Thomas Aquinas said: People could not live with one another if there were not mutual confidence that they were being truthful to one another. ..(In justice) as a matter of honor, one person owes it to another to manifest the truth. Are you true — to God, to yourself, and to others? And do you allow God’s word of truth to penetrate your mind and heart and to form your conscience?"Set a watch, Lord, upon my tongue, that I may never speak the cruel word which is not true; or being true, is not the whole truth; or being wholly true, is merciless; for the love of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Thanks be to God & have a blessed weekend,

Ed Bakker

Feria

Friends in Christ,

Matthew 5:20-26

You can almost hear the groans of the disciples—their righteousness has to surpass that of the Pharisees and scribes! Not only do they have to obey the command not to kill, they aren’t even allowed to harbor anger!
We may feel the same way. How can Jesus expect so much from me? It’s hard enough to try to keep the Ten Commandments; why does he have to expand upon them? But when we think this way, we miss out on one of the most hopeful and freeing parts of the gospel: Jesus is concerned with our hearts. Jesus wants to fill us with love for him and for our neighbors. Why? Because he knows that this love will make us want to keep his commandments. It will fill us with a desire not just to obey the letter of the law but also to avoid even those things that may lead us down the path of disobedience.
The life Jesus came to give us is so much better than we often think. He is looking for brothers and sisters upon whom he can shower his love, not just a group of obedient, docile drones. Where is the freedom in a slavish obedience? Aren’t we made for much more than that? Aren’t we made for conformity to Christ—a conformity fueled by love and not fear?
Because Jesus looks at our hearts, he gives us the grace of reconciliation and repentance. Through his cross, we can experience a change of heart that not only forgives us but empowers us to sin no more! So when you examine your conscience on the way to the altar, be sure you are turning from lack of love, not just seeking pardon for individual transgressions. You’ll be amazed at how much more grace you will receive as you do.
Brothers and sisters, let’s rejoice that Jesus expects a better “righteousness” from us! It is a righteousness that comes from the freedom he won for us by his death and resurrection. It is a righteousness that is reflected in the longing of our hearts and is rooted in love. And best of all, it is a righteousness that he empowers us to fulfill!
“Thank you, Lord, for your mercy! Thank you that you do not keep a list of my failings but look at my heart. Come, Spirit, and transform me. Give me the power to love!”
1 Kings 18:41-46; Psalm 65:10-13

Thanks be to God.

Ed Bakker

Corpus Christi

Friends in Christ,

Why did Jesus offer himself as "food and drink"? Jesus chose the time of Passover to fulfill what he had announced at Capernaum– giving his disciples his body and his blood (John 6:51-58). Jesus’ passing over to his Father by his death and resurrection, the new Passover, is anticipated in the Last Supper and celebrated in the Eucharist or Lord's Supper, which fulfills the Jewish Passover and anticipates the final Passover of the church in the glory of God’s kingdom. This is the most significant meal of Jesus and the most important occasion of his breaking of bread. In this meal Jesus identifies the bread as his body and the cup as his blood. When the Lord Jesus commands his disciples to eat his flesh and drink his blood, he invites us to take his life into the very center of our being (John 6:53). That life which he offers is the very life of God himself. Jesus' death on the cross, his gift of his body and blood in the Supper, and his promise to dine again with his disciples when the kingdom of God comes in all its fulness are inseparably linked. Jesus instructed his disciples to "do this in remembrance of me". These words establish every Lord's Supper or Eucharist as a "remembrance" of Jesus' atoning death, his resurrection, and his promise to return again. "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes" (1 Cor. 11:26). Our celebration of the Lord's Supper anticipates the final day when the Lord Jesus will feast anew with his disciples in the heavenly marriage feast of the Lamb and his Bride. Do you know the joy of the drinking Christ's cup and tasting the bread of his Table in sincerity?
Mark ties the last supper meal with Jesus' death and the coming of God's kingdom. Jesus transforms the passover of the old covenant into the meal of the "new
covenant in my blood". In the Old Covenant bread and wine were offered in sacrifice as a sign of grateful acknowledgment to their Creator. Melchizedek’s offering of bread and wine, who was both priest and king (Genesis 14:18), prefigured the offering made by Jesus, our high priest and king. The unleavened bread at Passover and the miraculous manna in the desert are the pledge of God's faithfulness to his promises. The "cup of blessing" at the end of the Jewish passover meal points to the messianic expectation of the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Jesus gave a new and definitive meaning to the blessing of the bread and the cup when he instituted the "Lord's Supper" or "Eucharist". He speaks of the presence of his body and blood in this new meal. When at the Last Supper Jesus described his blood “poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28), he was explaining his coming crucifixion as a sacrifice for sins. His death on the cross fulfilled the sacrifice of the paschal lamb. That is why John the Baptist called him the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” Jesus made himself an offering and sacrifice, a gift that was truly pleasing to the Father. He “offered himself without blemish to God” (Hebrews 9:14) and “gave himself as a sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2). This meal was a memorial of his death and resurrection. Do you hunger for the bread of life?
"Lord Jesus, you nourish and sustain us with your very own presence and life. You are the "Bread of Life" and the "Cup of Salvation". May I always hunger for you and be satisfied in you alone."

May I wish you a glorious feast of Corpus Christi,

Ed Bakker

Saint Basil, Bishop of Caesarea & Doctor of the Church

Friends in Christ,

Jesus used ordinary images, such as salt and light, to convey extraordinary truths. What does salt and light have to teach us about God and his reign on earth? Salt was a valuable commodity in the ancient world. People traded with it, like we trade with gold and stock. Salt also served a very useful purpose in hot climates before the invention of electricity and refrigeration. Salt not only gave food flavor, it also preserved meat from spoiling. Jesus used the image of salt to describe how his disciples are to live in the world. As salt purifies, preserves, and penetrates, so the disciple must be as salt in the world of human society to purify, preserve, and penetrate that society for the kingdom of God and of his righteousness and peace.
Jesus also used the image of light and a lamp to further his illustration. Lamps in the ancient world served a vital function, much like they do today. They enable people to see and work in the dark and to avoid stumbling. The Jews also understood “light” as an expression of the inner beauty, truth, and goodness of God. In his light we see light ( Psalm 36:9). His word is a lamp that guides our steps (Psalm 119:105). God’s grace not only illumines the darkness in our lives, but it also fills us with spiritual light, joy, and peace. Jesus used the image of a lamp to describe how his disciples are to live in the light of his truth and love. Just as natural light illumines the darkness and enables one to see visually, so the light of Christ shines in the hearts of believers and enables us to see the heavenly reality of God’s kingdom. In fact, our mission is to be light-bearers of Christ so that others may see the truth of the gospel and be freed from the blindness of sin and deception.
Jesus remarks that nothing can remain hidden or secret. We can try to hide things from others, from ourselves, and from God. How tempting to shut our eyes from the consequences of our sinful ways and bad habits, even when we know what those consequences are. And how tempting to hide them form others and even from God. But, nonetheless, everything is known to God who sees all. There is great freedom and joy for those who live in God’s light and who seek this truth. Those who listen to God and heed his voice will receive more from him. Do you know the joy and freedom of living in God’s light?
“Lord, you guide me by the light of your saving truth. Fill my heart and mind with your light and truth and free me from the blindness of sin and deception that I may see your ways clearly and understand your will for my life. May I radiate your light and truth to others in word and deed”.

May I wish you a blessed day,

Ed Bakker

Feria

Friends in Christ,

What is the good life, and the ultimate end or purpose of life? Is it not happiness, which is none other than the complete good, the sum of all goods, leaving nothing more to be desired? Jesus addresses this question in his sermon on the mount. The word beatitude literally means "happiness" or "blessedness". What is the significance of Jesus' beatitudes, and why are they so central to his teaching? The beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness that God has placed in every heart. They teach us the final end to which God calls us, namely the coming of God's kingdom (Matt. 4:17), the vision of God (Matt. 5:8; 1 John 2;1), entering into the joy of the Lord (Matt. 25:21-23) and into his rest (Hebrews 4:7-11). Jesus' beatitudes also confront us with decisive choices concerning the life we pursue here on earth and the use we make of the goods he puts at our disposal. God alone satisfies. Do you seek the highest good, the total good, which is above all else?
The beatitudes which Jesus offers us are a sign of contradiction to the world's understanding of happiness and joy. How can one possibly find happiness in poverty, hunger, mourning, and persecution? Poverty of spirit finds ample room and joy in possessing God as the greatest treasure possible. Hunger of the spirit seeks nourishment and strength in God's word and Spirit. Sorrow and mourning over wasted life and sin leads to joyful freedom from the burden of guilt and spiritual oppression. God reveals to the humble of heart the true source of abundant life and happiness. Jesus promises his disciples that the joys of heaven will more than compensate for the troubles and hardships they can expect in this world. Thomas Aquinas said: No one can live without joy. That is why a person deprived of spiritual joy goes after carnal pleasures. Do you know the happiness of hungering and thirsting for God alone?
"Lord, increase my hunger for you and show me the way that leads to everlasting peace and happiness. May I desire you above all else and find perfect joy in doing your will".

God bless... Ed

For Trinity Sunday, 11 June 2006

Friends in Christ,

+In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.Amen.

When the eleven disciples were summoned by Jesus to the mountain in Galilee to meet him, in Galilee where he had begun his public ministry, they were acting under obedience. The Jesus they met was the glorified Jesus eternally in the presence of God. The passage of Matthew's Gospel (28:16-20) has been described as the climax to the entire Gospel -- a majestic pronouncement and commissioning. And rightly so because it comes from the risen Lord to whom 'all authority' has been given.
The prayer, or formula, in which they were to baptize comes from Jesus's self-understanding as Risen Lord. It is a revelation to us from him of the inner life of the Godhead about which we would know nothing except through his utterly gratuitous gift to us. It expresses a dynamic life understood in John's Gospel as a 'movement', a 'procession'.
The Father has sent his Son and, through the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit which is given to us at baptism. We are literally 'marked', sealed in the Trinitarian life of God.
Through the Spirit we can 'return' with Jesus to the Father. Through the Spirit we are intimately united in Christ and with him can call God our Father. In today's Gospel we are to baptize, teach and observe. The Church has received its credentials from the Risen Jesus. Because he is risen and glorified all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him and has been given to us through him.
This is simply a delegated power. Having been baptized in the name of the Trinity, we become a new creation, carrying within ourselves the word of God to transform our world. The authority which Jesus has received in heaven has been given to us on earth to make disciples of all nations.
Matthew seems to recognise that this is an awesome task and gives us the reaction of the disciples to the commission which has been given to them. First they worshipped him and then they doubted. Do doubt and worship taken together seem an odd reaction in these circumstances? Is it not natural that the disciples would be in a state of shock and confusion at all the events that they had been through?
Shock and confusion express very well the ambivalence of human response in time of crisis. They hardly knew what was going to happen next and they needed reassurance. This reassurance was given to them by Jesus in the form of a promise, 'and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age'.
This promise addressed to the disciples is also addressed to the whole Church, for what is the Church commissioned to teach other than the Resurrection which has such consequences for humanity and for the world. It points to the triumph over death. The Ascension in which Jesus is glorified (and our glorification which will follow), and the sending of the Holy Spirit which forms the Church in the mystical Body of Christ, make us one people in the one Spirit of Christ. In the words of 1 Peter, we become living stones and a temple of the Holy Spirit. These are difficult truths to express and live in a society that is not simply hostile, but worse, indifferent to the Gospel as an irrelevance.
Jesus has anticipated all this when he tells his disciples to 'teach' them and to 'observe' everything. The Gospel message has to be preached in its entirety and not watered down. We are perhaps to reflect here on the compromises we can make and the failures in truth because of human respect and sometimes even cowardice.
But the promise of Jesus to be with us until the end of time is a promise of hope. In a shattered and fragmented world who could not fail to be 'tried' by what is happening in our world? When we think of Israel and Palestine and of Iraq -- suffering caused by human pride and folly -- and when we think of natural disasters that have ravaged whole peoples, we need the hope of the promise of Christ to be present with us.
The virtue of hope is not some vague idea that everything will be all right in the long run. It is the theological virtue that comes to us direct from God at baptism which tells us that God will bring to fulfilment everything he has promised. This promise of hope was made to a handful of 'doubting' and frightened disciples. It is made also to us, as well often doubting and frightened, to teach us that the Church can only continue as a consequence of the presence of Christ and of our dependence upon him.

Thanks be to God.

Ed Bakker

Feria

Friends in Christ,

Turn to Blessed St.Paul's first letter to the Corinthians for a moment, chapter 15, verse 33

Be not deceived : evil communications corrupt good manners.

There is a Latin proverb which says: ' If you always live with those who are lame, you will yourself learn to limp'

Reading this today reminded me of my time as a Manager with the ANZ Bank in Melbourne, in the Information Technology department. We had open plan offices, so the whole day I was exposed to my Senior Manager swearing and cursing and using other foul language. It got so bad that at one stage when I was annoyed with something I resorted to use one of these words. It did shock me and I had to pray for forgiveness. Then I went to see the General Manager of the Project and I explained that I had difficulty with the language of my Senior Manager. Finally something was being done about it. So... as a committed Catholic Christian there is this enormous challenge to be Holy, no matter in which company you will find yourself. You cannot do this alone, this is a matter of solid Prayer.

So may we pray:' Lord make me Holy, as Thou art Holy.

May the Lord bless you today,

Ed Bakker

Feria - Emberday

Friends in Christ,

Today there is a contrast between the Superiority of the Heavenly Food of Christ's Body and Blood and the material food from which we meant to be abstaining by fasting. In the Holy Gospel for today, which comes from Blessed Saint John, chapter 6, the verses 44-52, Jesus reminds us that He is the Bread of Life, which has come down from Heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he shall live for ever. It also underlines the importance to come to Mass and parttake in His Body and His Blood and also to be part of the Body of Christ, being his Church. You cannot be a Catholic Christian by staying at home and just saying your prayers. By receiving this Heavenly Sacrament time and time again, we implore the Mercy of Christ, so that what we fullfill in this life, we may also posess in a Happy Eternity.

May I wish you a blessed day,

Ed Bakker

Postulant TAC New Zealand

Feria

Building Your Prayer Time Quiet Yourself From DistractionsLet us fix our eyes on Jesus; let us throw off everything that distracts us (Hebrews 12:1-2).

Morning tends to be a better time to pray for most people; choose a quiet place - in your home, at work, outdoors, in a church

.Examine Your ConscienceRepent of your sins; ask for forgiveness; believe your sins are forgiven; repent at the Penitential Rite during the liturgy; receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation whenever possible; let God free your conscience (Hebrews 9:14).Enter Into the Presence of GodDwell on the Love Jesus has for us; recite the following truths from the Nicene Creed:a) God is our Father/Creator;b) Jesus is our Loving Savior; c) The Holy Spirit comforts us; d.) The church is one with Jesus; e.) Jesus intercedes for us in heaven. f.) Jesus will come again in glory!Praise God–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit • Fix your eyes on the Father; tell the Father you love him; call him “Abba” (Father); thank him for this wonderful Creation and for all the good.• Fix your eyes on Jesus; tell him how grateful you are for his death and his Resurrection; tell him how grateful you are for everything he has done.• Fix your eyes on the Holy Spirit; ask the Holy Spirit to teach you about your sins and how to consecrate your life to Jesus more each day.Let God Move YouTake a phrase such as “Holy Jesus” and softly repeat it without thinking or distraction. Try to give the Holy Spirit the freedom to show you God’s perspective on “Holy Jesus.” You may find yourself in the presence of One Who Is Holy. You may discover new avenues of love toward God.Ask Questions (Matthew 7:7-11)Go to God and ask him; try to learn how to listen to him and enjoy his presence; try to sense what he might be saying in your heart as you pray and read the Scriptures.Bring Your Petitions to The LordPray for your family’s needs; intercede for the sick; pray for the whole Church; ask God for his blessing for you and your family; ask him to give you and your family spiritual protection to do good and to say “no” to evil and sin.Journal Your Prayer TimeA prayer journal will help us recall what we sense God has expressed to us, what we have prayed for, and it will help us carry Jesus through our day.

Have a blessed evening...Ed

St.Boniface, Bishop & Martyr

The Fruits of the Spirit
You need to determine to source of any teaching, doctrine, or instruction.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit which confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit which does not confess Jesus is not of God. This is the spirit of Antichrist, of which you heard that it was coming, and now it is in the world already. (1 John 4:1-3) There is another way; look at the results of that teaching, doctrine, or instruction. Especially look at the life of the people involved. Do their lives show a witness to Christ?
[Christ speaking] "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. [...]" (Matthew. 7:15-16)
The fruit of the Spirit will show in the life of a teacher or community. (See 1 Corinthians 13) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
If we live in Christ, our lives will bear fruit for him, so that God may be glorified. [Christ speaking] "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me." (John 15:4) "By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples." (John 15:8)
Thanks be to God.
Have a blessed week....Ed

Pentecost - for Sunday 4 June 2006

+In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.AMEN.

A new beginning ( Saint John 14, the verses 15-16, 23b-26
How often do we make the sign of the Cross on a daily basis?Before and after the meal, perhaps with your your Morning or Evening Prayers?When we make the sign of the Cross, the following words come to our minds:'Father, Son and Holy Ghost.'On this Vigil of Pentecost and on the Sunday of Pentecost our attention is focussed on that third person, the Holy Ghost.
Throughhou the years, on the feast of Pentecost, you would like to point to that mystery of God. We believe that God has come closer to us in ourlives, so it must possible to get to know the workings of the Holy Ghost.
Can I ask you a couple of questions:
Are you sometimes bad-tempered, you know those moments, when you dont want to face the work that has to be done, or you dont feel like honouring an appointment with some-one, which you have made. Where does this bad temper come from ?
In a conversation with people, have you noticed moments that the atmosphere goes into the wrong direction?One makes a remark, which causes the other ones to be annoyed. A pleasant conversation turns into a diseaster zone. Have you come across those moments when you try to say something and the other misunderstands you. Or the other way around. In a Marriage these situations can be fatal , indeed quite often.
There is an old saying:' The Spirit is out of the bottle'. You cannot control it, it slips away. But... if one of those present in a group can say something really meaningful and good, which will mean that the trouble makers can suddenly resist to make trouble, then we can suddenly see a change.
Courses of bad temper? I did not sleep well, trouble in the workplace, trouble with my children's schooling, a traffic ticket, illness in the family etc etc. That is why I wont to go a step further. Blessed St.Paul says it in this way:' What I want to do, I dont do and what I dont wat to do, I do. What a lot of misery, you want to do good, you want to make the best of things, but you just do the opposite and then this happens not only once, but repeatedly. Blessed St.Paul calls that Sin. You do know what God requires of you, but you dont do it. That is really Sin. He calls that the greatest misery.
Just imagine that God leaves us to our own devices. The world as such it is, is our responsibility, God has enthrusted us with it and we have all the possibilities to turn it into a paradise, but we dont succeed. What do we have instead? The lack of forgiving others, the lack of trusting others, the lack of tolerating others, no room to create the opposite. Yet we have as human beings so many possibilities, our knowledge, our technology, our ability to learn, what is then really missing ?
You do understand it:' The Holy Ghost.'
What then? How do you receive the Holy Ghost? Is that not the reason why you come to Mass?You can come for the music in Church, which caninspire you, you can come for the silence, the meditation, which can calm down your spirit. But all these are like the entree's of a meal, you do miss the main course!
In every celebration of the Mass, we focus on the Holy Ghost. During the Mass we confess our sins, because we dont always live according to God's Holy Spirit.We hear the Holy Gospel, full of the workings of the Holy Spirit. We pray in the Spirit and turn to God. We ask the Holy Spirit to bless the gifts of bread and wine. We take part of a spiritual meal, why?
To supplement of which we are short, to replace our weaknesses with strenght, to soften the hardness in our hearts, to fill the space that is empty, to restore love, to increase hope and to renew our trust in God.
And then things change, sometimes only a few times, at other times a lot longer. We do understand what the other wants to say to us, we see a better meaning than the words and deeds, which dont come acrosss to us too well. We have patience with the other and we ourselves, we become more tolerant and wiser.
In the Eucharist we are fed and we find this too at home in our moments of Holy Prayer. The Holy Spirit teaches us to set the right priorities, so that we can identify what is the most important and what needs to be given priority. So the question is not how God gives us space to live, but if we give space to the Holy Spirit in our lives.
I pray that this feast of Pentecost may bring us endless joy, so that we are not burdened by our weaknesses, but that God comes to our aid with His Holy Spirit. Now is the hope and trust alive that God's Kingdom of Love will become a reality.
Thanks be to God.

I take this opportunity to wish you and all those you love and pray for every Blessing on this feast of Pentecost.

Ed BakkerPostulant

TAC New Zealand

St.Charles Lwanaga & Companions, Martyrs of Uganda

"What Concern Is It of Yours; You Follow Me."
How often do we look upon another as, say, something like, "What has he or she done to earn such favors from God?" Or, "Why can't I have things like that?"
Jesus says to us today, "What concern is it of yours? You follow me." That is, these things we allow to trouble us are temptations against His grace. We need not concern ourselves with the hows and the whys of who is beloved of God. In fact, in one way or another, we are all resting our heads on Christ, some at different times, some in different ways. People look at us too and say, "Why does he or she have that special gift?"
God graces us with what we need and what we can use. For some it is a gift of hospitality, for some a gift of prayer, for still others a gift for expressing love. It is not our concern to worry about the distribution of gifts, but rather to follow Jesus every step of the way.

With every good wish in Christ,

Ed Bakker.....

St.Marcellinus and Peter - Martyrs

+In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.

Amen.

Friends in Christ,

Today the Church remembers two martyrs, namely St.Marcellinus and Peter. They... likemany martyrs lost their lives, because of their Faith in Christ Crucified. The Church rejoyces in their merits,but the legacy they leave us goes a lot deeper then that. Can I and can you be inflamed by their exemples?How far are we prepared to go for our Faith in Christ Crucified? There are a number of Psalms, which give us a lot of encouragement if we are to be tormented because of our Catholic Faith. Psalm 33, verse 18 tells us:Roused by the cry of the innocent, the Lord sets them free from all their afflictions.The book of Wisdomchapter 3, verses 1,2,3 - The souls of the just are in God's hands , beyond the reach of their tormentor's malice.Fools account them dead, but all is well with them. You will find that if you stand up for Christ Crucified and for the Catholic Faith your tormentors are waiting for you as well,but today receive these comfortable words: ' He that endureth.... He shall be saved.'

Thanks be to God.

Ed Bakker

Saint Justin, Martyr

There are times in life when we wonder who we really are. This is especially true in the late teen years, and for many again in mid-life. In fact we sometimes refer to it as a “mid-life crisis.” But for most of us, the question only surfaces from time to time. It is a healthy question to ask and to think through as best we can. In John 17:20-26, Christ answers that question for us for all time. He states, "Father, they are your gift to me."
Have you ever thought of yourself as a gift for Christ, presented by the Father to Him? What a difference it would make in peoples' lives if they knew that, in the ways they respect themselves in all ways. How would they speak, dress, choose their leisure, spend their very lives? If that wasn't enough of an awesome statement, Christ went on in His prayer to say, “I wish that where I am they also may be with me.” (see John 17:20-26) What reassuring words for us to hear in the gospel! This is no distant, cold, figure in history. Christ loves each of us as His special gift from the Father, and He wants us with Him. Do we consider Christ our special gift to us from the Father?
Do our lives reflect that same love that He has for each of us?
May I wish you a good day ! Here is an invitation to join God and His people by visiting my website...... you are welcome!
In Christ,
Ed Bakker