God is King of all the earth.
Time and time again, men of violence have risen up, like Goliath of old, and have challenged the People of God. The Israelites were paralysed with fear. But David knew: 'The Lord will deliver me from the hand of the Philistine.' How often has the Church seen Goliath advancing upon her with sword and armour and overwhelming supremacy! Today too there is no shortage of tyrants, filled with proud confidence in their armoured divisions and atomic weapons. Today too those who challenge God fill us with terror. But God is King of all nations. He created them across the face of the earth.
Has anyone ever challenged God in the manner of a Goliath as Hitler did? How impressive it was to see him drawing up his plans, high up in his 'Eagle's Nest' with a view of the Alpine scenery as wide and splendid as that shown by Satan to Christ from the top of a great mountain. Did the Devil stand beside him there and whisper: 'All of this will I give you if you fall down and worship me?' But the visitor, wandering among the ruins of the Thousand-Year Reich a few years later, would wonder what had gone wrong with Hitler's plans. And the only answer he would find would be that of the Magnificat: 'He has shown might in his arm; He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their hearts; He has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the humble.' How often mankind has experienced this! Therefore we must not be discouraged by any danger, any threat of war, any onslaught against God's Kingdom on earth.
Once the immeasurable might of the Roman Empire confronted the the young Church. Blood flowed in streams. Murderers, henchmen and traitors were at work among the tiny flock. But it grew in spite of all tribulation. And all that remains of Imperial Rome is ruins. Since then the powers of darkness have joined forces against the Church time and time again. But she is invincible.
Fr. Werenfried van Straaten. (Feasts and Seasons, ACN, 1999)
This final Sunday of October is the Feast of Christ the King. Fr. Driver will offer a Low Mass at the usual time of 1.00 p.m. at St. Patrick's, Bradford. Confessions before Mass.
There will also be Masses for the feasts of All Saints and All Souls on Wednesday and Thursday at St. Patrick's.
Wednesday November 1st. All Saints 5.00 p.m.
Thursday November 2nd. All Souls 5.00 p.m.
Please don't forget that we return to GMT on Sunday Morning and that the clocks go back an hour as British Summer Time comes to an end. They will go forward again on Easter Sunday 2024. Advent will soon be upon us.
Ecce Lux Mundi! Ecce Christus Rex!
