Homily: Seventh Thursday of Easter
Seventh Thursday of Easter (John 17: 20-26) “The Body is One”
Jesus consistently prayed for his followers as he reached the end of his time on earth. It seems apropos that he prayed that all might be one. Unity was an important value for Jesus. We could speculate as to why this was the case.
Perhaps it was because he was always trying to keep the infant church together. What were some divisions among the Apostles? There were some who advocated for violent change and there were those who did not. There were those who followed Jesus that were part of the religious establishment and those that were not. Jesus had followers that were women and those that were men. We could go on from there.
As we look at the church today, we still see divisions. There are those who want a pre-Vatican II church and those who feel like we need to move in a more progressive way. There are those that believe that the church should advocate for migrants and those who feel like we should be suspicious of people who believe and look different than we do. There are multiple groups in the church that are in tension with one another.
Unity is certainly a value in the New Testament. Oneness of heart is also a sign that the Holy Spirit is at work. In Galatians 5 we hear that “out bursts of rage, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions” are signs that Christian groups are not listening to the promptings of the Spirit.
We could guess that Jesus would be appalled by the fact that there are so many Christian denominations. In the present moment in church history, it seems like whenever there is a serious argument in the church the easiest solution for people is that they leave and start their own denomination. Jesus would probably want us to stay and work through compromises rather have schism in the Church.
A sign of maturity is that we can talk through differences and accept that we might not get all of what want. A mature person does not leave a group when they don’t get there way, but they forgive, mend a quarrel, and move ahead.
Reflection Questions:
- Have I seen a religious group that has a disagreement and split apart? How did that make me feel?
- How do I know when I am committed to a group? Does it have something to do with accepting differences?
Dear Parishioners,
I received word today that the fencing for our building project will not be going up until Monday. Therefore, the East entrance will be available this weekend. You can still park by that door.
We have made two more handicapped parking spaces across the street from the main entrance of the church, and we have some cones and signs that will be place along 16th Street starting a week from Sunday during Masses. This will provide several more parking spots for those with mobility issues.
This is not ideal, but we will have to get by the next six months. I thank you for your patience.
May Our Lady of Peace pray for our violent world today.
Fr. Mark