Fifth Friday of Easter (Acts: 15:12-17) “Being Zealous is not Always Good.”
Fifth Friday of Easter (Acts: 15:12-17) “Being Zealous is not Always Good.”
Compromise is kind of a dirty word in the world in which we live. We hear about the political parties in our country that are constantly at odds with each other. When a new governor or president is elected, they usually speak of working across the aisle, but after the election the bickering usually begins. People stake out their position and there is no meeting in the middle.
Many times, people are so zealous about the direction they believe an organization should go in they would rather destroy the organization then find a workable solution. Zealots refuse to be pragmatic. They can cause progress to come to a screeching halt.
Fortunately, early church leaders were able to work together and listen to the Spirit and come up with solutions that all sides could potentially accept. It was that way with the great debates that took place over whether gentiles should be allowed into the church. In the end they were allowed in, but there were some requirements.
What were the requirements? We could simplify them and say there were two. One thing they were asked not to do was to eat meat sacrificed to idols. If a person ate meat offered in a pagan sacrifice it was thought to be a participation in the worship of false Gods. This could never be tolerated in the Judeo-Christian value system.
The other thing that gentile Christians were asked to do was to live chastely. Chastity was not a high value in Greco-Roman culture, but there were many who longed for moral guidance in this area of their lives.
The early church wanted to make sure that Christians held themselves to a higher moral standard. It was important for the Christian church to be a virtuous church. This was something that would not be compromised.
Reflection Questions:
- Have I ever met someone I would describe as a zealot? Who were they and how did they act?
- Am I able to listen and to compromise? When have I done that and how did it feel?
Dear Parishioners,
Jeannine Day’s funeral is today. Jeannine has been a loyal member of our church and a super volunteer. She was on our parish council when I first arrived here. She also worked in the Blessings Gift shop and was a Eucharistic minister. Whenever there was a volunteer need Jeannine was ready to step in.
Jeannine was a small thin person, but she had a heart as big as herself. She was always ready with a positive comment. She could also give constructive criticism. Let’s pray for this great Sacred Heart volunteer and her family.
May Our Lady and all the Angels and Saints watch over you today.
Fr. Mark