Word to the Wise
Saturday, October 8, 2022 - Saturday in the 27th Week in Ordinary Time
[Gal 3:22-29 and Luke 11:27-28]For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. [Galatians]
These words of St. Paul in his impassioned Letter to the Galatians could be material for an examination of conscience on more than one level! The image of unity in Christ without discrimination through baptism leaves us with the question: Are we just one homogeneous group? Can there be differences that allow for discernment of skills necessary for the various tasks of community and communion-building? The answer to that comes from St. Paul himself when he speaks of the Body of Christ with its various members. Different members have different skills according to what God has given them [1 Cor 12:12-31]. One of the tasks of community life is the discernment of skills for the benefit of the entire community.
But there are other forms of discrimination that are not compatible with the gospel. These include race, economic status, gender, political beliefs, ethnic nationality - just to name some of the more common and prominent forms of human discrimination. These can creep into our faith and impact the commandment to love our neighbor, or even into our worship. Honest discernment should alert us to these forms of discrimination in how we live our everyday lives as Christians and in how we shape our faith communities. The Holy Spirit can aid us in this sometimes difficult process, but the Word of God today in Galatians is a good reminder. AMEN