+ Our readings today are about unity
and community. Jesus
makes it very clear that a disciple of
his must remain entirely and wholly attached to him like a branch on a vine.
A branch cannot live apart from the vine;
and even if it could, its fruit would be of a strange variety – being
dissociated from the species of which it is meant to be a part.
And so, we must remain in Christ so that our fruit is godly
fruit, our works are “meritorious” for our salvation, and our loving is pure
and self-sacrificial. There are many in this day and age who are semi-rooted to
the vine, or so they think; but the truth is either you are or you aren’t
connected to it: either you have the Christ-life flowing through your spiritual
veins or you have the world’s: and if it is the worlds’ then it can never be
entirely true, beautiful or just!
In
the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Paul
and Barnabas in order to stay rooted on
the vine – which is the Mystical Body
of Christ, the Church, as it was just beginning to take form in the world –
decide to go to Jerusalem to consult with
the apostles and presbyters there about the matter of circumcision of Gentile
converts. They did not simply act on their own, but wanted to find out – by
the working of the Holy Spirit – in consultation with the others who
received the same Spirit at their ordinations – what is to be held or not held
in this particular case in the day to day operations of the Church. This is how
the Church was set up on Pentecost – it would be guided and informed by the
Spirit – and this is how it still operates today. The community is protected,
the gathering of personally united persons is guaranteed freedom from error,
when acting collegially, and together with the Successor of Peter as their
head.
And so today, we thank God for
joining us to him, for remaining with us and for joining us to one another in a
communion of holiness, fraternity and peace – and this in particular for
everyone, everywhere as we learn how to adapt, to change, to grow and to help others
who need our prayer, our good thoughts, our virtual and long distance emotional
and psychological support. For, we all are continuing this day together to go to the house of the Lord, to live with
him and love with him forever! Amen. Alleluia!
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