Pastor's Corner: Unity, not uniformity

Some 2,000-plus years ago an event took place that changed the course of humanity. The event I refer to is the Incarnation - God coming to earth, becoming human and living among us. This event was meant to change the way humanity related to God. It was meant to restore a broken relationship that existed between God and the people he loved. The Son of God was born and given the name Jesus.

We all know the story; how he was baptized and through the power of the Holy Spirit began a ministry that healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, raised the dead, provided food for the hungry, healed the lame and forgave sins. Jesus also proclaimed that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand - because God walked among us Heaven had indeed come to earth. Jesus gathered a group of disciples that he traveled with, prayed with and lived with for three years until he was killed by the very people he had come to save. But wait there is more.

Three days after his death and burial Jesus was raised from the dead. By his death he took all the sin of the world - past, present and future - into the grave with him. He left all that sin there and took its ability to effect humanity away from it. Jesus promised to send an advocate to empower us to live life free from sin and we have indeed received that advocate - the Holy Spirit, God with us in an even more intimate way than in the incarnation GOD IN US.

With the gift of the Holy Spirit the disciples formed a church to assist them in the spreading of the Good News of Jesus' passion, death and resurrection and the gift of his Holy Spirit. For the next 1,500 years or so the church grew. While this church was empowered by the Holy Spirit it is important to remember that humanity still carries the free will to choose to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit or to reject that guidance and enter into sin again.

Because the church is an organization of human beings, that first 1,500 years was filled with many conflicts and controversies which culminated in the Protestant Reformation. This led to the development of new Christian traditions which continue to bring the light of Jesus to all of humanity to this very day.

I have always felt that when the church (the people of God) splits into factions the effectiveness of the church is compromised, and the Good News is not proclaimed as effectively as God intends. Come to find out, I am not the only one who believes this.

In 1908, The Week of Prayer for Christians was initiated by most of the Christian churches of the world in an effort to promote a way to unite the church and thus increase our ability to effectively proclaim the Good News. Traditionally, the third full week of January is when this prayer takes place.

Here in Havre, we have just completed this week of prayer. From Sunday, Jan. 16, through Saturday, Jan. 22, most of the Christian churches in Havre have gathered to share a meal together and to pray together and celebrate that which we hold in common - that Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

Each of us is created by God and for God. We are naturally searching for God's presence in our lives and the "Perfect light of Christ" lifts us and empowers us to return to God. Day 1.

As Jesus came into this world as an infant in a poor family; we as the family of Christ are to live humble lives filled with love, in the same way Jesus' humble leadership breaks down walls which divide and builds up community with love. Day 2.

Jesus' coming into the world and the mission of leading humanity in reconciling with one another and with God seemed to be contrary to the way of the world then as it is now. Much of the world is greatly disturbed with the message of Jesus and wants to silence it. The message for Day 3 calls us to unite and let Jesus light shine upon us so we may glorify God in the service of one another.

Like the rest of humanity, the Church realizes that we are sinful and that our choice to break into factions within the church weakens the message of unity that Jesus proclaimed. Jesus continues to call us to be one flock and to recognize that while individually we are small and weak, but together we "lack nothing" of what is needed to proclaim and help build the Kingdom of God here and now. Day 4.

As people of separate churches, it is important for us to remember that we are "Guided by the One Lord" and that it is the same Holy Spirit with all of us uniting us to proclaim with our lives that God is with us. Day 5.

Day 6. "Gathered in worship around the one Lord." When the Magi found the baby Jesus they knelt in amazement and worshiped him. I wonder, are we truly amazed to see the light of Jesus shining in the faces of other Christians or are we more concerned about the ways we are different or better than they are in the way we pray and worship? This day of prayer calls us to examine how we must repent to be a community united under the leadership of Jesus.

The Magi brought gifts to the Christ Child. What gifts do we bring to the Christian community and are we willing to use them to build up the entire Body of Christ, or are we limited in our vision and blinded by our jealousy? The greatest gifts we have been given are faith in Jesus, love for God and our neighbor are we willing to give these gifts away so that our divisions may be healed. Day 7.

So ends the Week of Prayer for Christian unity - or does it?

Prayer does not change the mind and heart of God, but when we truly and earnestly pray to God for unity our hearts and minds will be open to God's will and desire for us. God loves great diversity. Not one of us is created the same. We are not uniform but God does call us to use our individual gifts and talents to proclaim the Good News to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in working together to be the People of God.

Do I hear an AMEN?

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Deacon Tim Maroney

St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church