Seventh Sunday in Easter (C) 05/08/2016
When Orson Wells transmits across the air waves the fictional, War of the Worlds, he is not fully prepared for the reaction of fear and panic that envelop many of his listeners. Fear and panic are not new. They appear to be part of our DNA… much like cattle and other animals who stampede when they are frightened. Maybe it is a technique that we (and animals) have learned so as to give us a better chance of survival.
Stampedes, schools of fish, and flocks of birds make it difficult for predators to focus on an individual. It is the unity and the group acting as one that gives the individuals in the group a better chance to survive.
The unity of which Jesus speaks in today’s Gospel from John, however, isn’t about surviving or protection. It is about living and being a source of life for others. Most often the life-giving characteristic of which Jesus speaks, is considered a feminine trait, or the feminine side of God.
Pope Francis, in a recent weekday homily says: The Church is not a bureaucratic organization. No, it’s a love story. The disciples did not make the Church. No, they were the messengers sent by Jesus; and Christ was sent by [God]. Pope Francis continues, ‘The Church begins in the heart of the God, who had this idea of love. So this love story is one that has gone on for so long, and is not yet ended. We, the women and men of the Church, are in the middle of this love story: each one of us is a link in this chain of love.’
The unity to which we are called then isn’t uniformity or conformity; it isn’t blind obedience, going wherever the group goes in order to survive or be protected. It isn’t standing against another people, nor is it fortifying ourselves against a common enemy. The unity to which we are called is found in love. That is, God is the source of our lives so that we can be the source of life for others.
We are created not for our own personal gain. That isn’t love, nor is it life-giving. Rather, God creates us to be of service to each other. The willingness to be of service to others comes naturally to many youngsters and teenagers. They thrive whenever they are helping others. Then, unfortunately, we too often get lost as we grapple with jobs, advancements, and reputations.
Many of us as a result, lose sight of the willingness to be of service to others. Our focus becomes my salvation; my individual relationship with Jesus or God; my finding ways to enjoy what I have earned; my religion; my country. When we get caught in this trap, we stop building bridges and look to erect walls. We stop sharing, and are constantly seeking ways to protect what we have and to survive in order to enjoy it. We become hoarders, and lose our freedom.
The unity into which we are created gives us authenticity. It is the authority that comes from experiencing God as the source of our life; and knowing that only way that we can receive life from God is by remaining open.
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