“One
in Christ”
The devastation caused by natural disasters, the
suffering of those traumatized by war and famine, seeing the miserable plight
of children with swollen bellies due to hunger and disease on the nightly news overwhelms
our senses. It is painful to watch these tragedies unfold, for, the truth is,
our minds simply cannot grasp the horrific misery many of our brothers and
sisters in Christ are enduring at this very moment. Consider what the Syrian
people have experienced these many years. Imagine what it is like to lose
everything you own in an instant when a tornado rips through your home. St.
Paul tells us the reason we Christians feel the pain that others are
experiencing is because we believe that we are all part of the one Body of
Christ.
St. Paul recognized that we are intimately united
with one another through Christ. His experience while on his way to Damascus to
persecute those early followers of Christ helped formed this understanding. Recall
the events of the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 9 when Saul was blinded by a
bright light and fell to the ground. He heard a voice say, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me”?
When Saul asked who was speaking to him, he heard the response, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting”. Saul
must have felt confused. He was on a mission to put an end to the fledgling
body of Jesus’ followers, NOT Jesus, who was already dead. But after his
conversion experience, those same followers Saul intended to kill would help
him to become one of Christ’s greatest witnesses. And one of his many
contributions to our faith is this understanding of the Mystical Body of Christ
that we read today.
Because we Christians believe that we share this
mystical union with one another, all of us suffer any and each time someone
else suffers physically, mentally, or emotionally, whether the cause is natural
or the result of our own misguided activities. Yes, we are all aware of the
suffering and misery that thrives in our world today. And how are we as
Christians to respond to the afflictions of refugees, or the victims of war…AIDS…poverty…injustice,
etc. that ravage our brothers and sisters in Christ, all of whom we believe are
made in the image and likeness of God?
Certainly financial support is essential for food, medical supplies, and
disease control. These items are most essential. But also, we cannot overlook
our spiritual contributions – prayer, fasting, and time spent reflecting on how
the suffering of people around the world is bound up with Our Lord’s redemptive
suffering that frees us from death and restores us to everlasting life. In the
end we need both the material and the spiritual contributions to help alleviate
the suffering of so many of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Doing our small
part will help us better understand ourselves as the mystical body and provide
much needed assistance to those in need. And, therein lies tremendous hope for
our broken and troubled world.
Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom
Image:
http://religion-cults.com/metanoia/cristo-cuerp-m.jpg
No comments:
Post a Comment