Stop fighting among yourselves!

One of the signs of contradiction is the number of different Christian denominations that seek to proclaim Christ to the world. It seems as though if we really believe that we are One in Christ Jesus much of our effort should be focussed on looking at unity rather than division. As one person said to me, "If you cannot get your act together why should anyone follow you!" In recent years the hard work of ecumenism seems to have stalled and in fact, many denominations seemed to be consumed in internal disputes about who Jesus is but more importantly how he wants us to live. Each person seems to have their own version of what Jesus would do and what Jesus would say! No wonder we struggle to build a world which allows people to encounter Jesus rather than just encountering us. He is not our own personal possession but rather a person who draws us to consider what God is drawing to us in our current age. His Word and His Life have never been more important than in our own.

The Gospel for this coming weekend directly addresses the signs of Jesus' presence in our midst. This is not just in the words we speak but in the actions which seek to provide refreshment and hope to those with whom we live. This calls for a twofold reflection. The first part of this is a humble acknowledgement of when we have been promoting ourselves rather than Christ. It means that we need to stay close to His Word and to the living tradition of how that Word is made manifest both in the life of our Church communities and in our own lives. This means that we need to recognise how we miss the mark through our own frailty. It also helps us to acknowledge how the material goods entrusted to us have to be used justly and not to just leave us feeling comfortable. Jesus' life should leave us feeling uncomfortable not out of worry or fear or guilt but rather out of a deeper desire to allow his living presence to be at the heart of our own.

The second part of the reflection is how we encourage other Christians to be faithful in their life and ministry. Too often we become caught up in theological debates or rhetorical arguments which prove that I am right and that you are wrong. These often arise out of a deep disturbance of the spirit which seeks to put us at the centre of the universe rather than God. If we believe that the Holy Spirit is at work in the life of our communities we can acknowledge the signs of His presence through the fruits that He produces. This calls us to be people of prayer and discernment who listen before we speak. We need to walk with a person as they seek to make sense of where God is speaking to them in our current age. This builds on the lived experience of the person which can draw them into the rich treasury of the lived experience of the Church. If we just teach from a text or from a book it can often be a dead letter which falls heavily on a person's heart. Yet when we listen to the experience and help them to discover the rich heritage of saints and thinkers over the ages we start to discover a God who is always faithful and speaks the Word in many ages and many languages. As the Ecumenical movement has discovered by much hard work, this act of listening calls us to be vulnerable to the work of the Holy Spirit and an openness to distinguish between innovation and novelty. The Word will always be seen in what brings faith, hope and love. In allowing people the freedom to discover Jesus who is at the heart of our lives. As the Psalm says the precepts of the Lord bring joy to the heart.