Scripture Readings: Isaiah 8:23-9:3; I Corinthians 1:10-13,17; Matthew 4:12-23
“I urge you,” says St. Paul today to the people of Corinth, “that there be no divisions among you.” Paul was not saying this to the people as a teaching to be remembered for the future. Rather Paul was saying, the division among you at the present time, must end.
And sadly, we are all quite aware of the divisions that continue in our Church, in our Diocese, in our Parish.
Paul wanted the people of Corinth; Paul wants the people of 2014; and the people of St. Mary’s, Crescent to remember that if your faith is centered in Jesus Christ (and it should be) your faith must be centered in love. For as St. Paul shares: Christ died on the cross so that we would love one another.
The cross the great sign of love, the great sign of sacrifice.
And from the time of the Jesus’ Apostles till our time, men and women have lived and died that we may know and love Jesus…
For to know and love Jesus is to know and love and be one with those God loves which is everyone.
The point: true love of God and others leads to unity, to cooperation, to communion, to community and certainly not to division and all that denies the love for God for us and for all people.
There is no doubt that Paul’s concern, Paul’s admonition to the people of Corinth, is also appropriate to us…at least at times. We cannot foster division, gossip, tearing apart the good name and efforts of others – if we are People of Faith. For faith, is not just a word; faith is meant to be lived daily.
How do we step up to our call by Jesus to follow him?
Often, living our faith is not too far away.
It may be as close as spending time with the family…
It may be as close as praying as a family…
It may be as close as supporting a fellow student or co-worker…
If may be as close as getting involved in your Parish or in our community…
It may be as close as seeing the good in others…how’s that phrase go?
“Accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative.”
It may be as close as saying – YES to the invitation to join, to be involved, to help out.
You know, we are a better family, a better community, a better school, a better work place, a better Parish…when we:
- Truly love others, as our brothers and sisters
- See Christ in one another
- Live the love we speak
In a few moments we will again gather around the table…we will pray that we will grow in unity, we will share in the Sacrament of life and love and unity – The Eucharist – Communion.
May this Sacrament strengthen us in our efforts, as disciples of the Lord in 2014, to come together, to encourage others to join us as a community of faith centered in Jesus Christ and His Gospel message, and nothing less, as we go out into the world to illumine others with a living love that is of God; unconditional and ever present.