26 October 2018
Friday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
What is the call which Christians as servants have received? To bear the fruit of unity in their lives. Having given up their own selfish demands, having abandoned being their own lords, they are to be united with Christ and with one another in their faithful acknowledgement of Christ as Lord, of God as their Father. Hearers of today’s first reading may think that the Ephesians were having a bit of a struggle with unity since St. Paul encourages them by pointing to realities that are “one” no fewer than seven times in the space of three short verses. (Ephesians 4:4-6) Why did they find it so hard to be unified? Perhaps it was because they had lost sight of the Body of Christ, the Spirit of Christ, the hope of their call, the Lord, the faith, the baptism, the God and Father of all, “who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6) all of which are the causes of unity to which we still need to turn today!
Today as we hear these words proclaimed to us, as we hear them declared to be the Word of the Lord, let us show our gratitude for their proclamation not solely with our verbal response of “Thanks be to God.” Rather, let us show the truth of those words of thanks by striving to rid ourselves of divisions from our fellow Christians. Let us live with all humility with those to whom we might otherwise compare ourselves and than whom we might judge ourselves better. Let us respond with gentleness to those whose words provoke anger. Let us be true disciples of our Lord and follow His example of patience. As we see divisions all around growing more and more vehement, let us read those signs of the times, and recognize that such divisions are not an invitation from the Lord to greater pride, cynicism or impatient alienation from others. Rather, let us live in a manner worthy of the call we have received. Let us heed the voice of the Lord who calls. Let us pray that our wills be conformed as St. Paul’s will was conformed to the will of Christ who desires that we all be one in His humble and merciful heart.