Word to the Wise
Thursday, May 8, 2008 - Thursday in the Seventh Week of Easter
[Acts 22:30; 23:6-11 and John 17:20-26]I pray not only for these, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.
It is very comforting to know that Jesus is praying not just for me but for those to whom I preach! The occasional feedback that I get from this online preaching as well as preaching in pulpit and retreat situations tells me that somehow the Holy Spirit is managing to make sense of my words in the minds and hearts of my listeners. It's my job to make the Spirit's job easier to do! But the continuing question of Christian unity, let alone global unity in faith, reminds all of us that "unity" is still a long ways from accomplishment. Some believe that such a "unity" is another word for "uniformity" and do not want it. Yet, even in the Catholic church, we have considerable diversity while professing the same truth but using different expressions. There are 22 liturgical rites in the church- some of which would surely baffle us Latin Rite Catholics. The unity comes from a willingness to recognize a central teaching authority that is able to draw a line when it is necessary to draw a line. Again. some might argue that we have no right to confine God in doctrinal formulations as if that is the only way God could speak! Our own tradition points to Jesus' commission to Peter to do exactly that task. At the same time, as Jesus reminds Peter in the last chapter of the Gospel of John, that Peter should mind his own business and do the job he has been given, without questioning what Jesus might do in regard to someone else (namely the disciple whom Jesus loved). In short, we must proclaim the gospel as it has been given to us and leave the rest to God. As noted in today's gospel scripture, Jesus will be praying for the preachers and the listeners both. AMEN
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