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A Message from Fr. Franco -
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The Unity of Christians
My dear Parishioners,
In a large store, a lady carrying a big bag of groceries out of the shop was helped to carry them to her car by a teenager, who happened to be wearing an earring. Her initial comment – He was such a kind boy for a fellow wearing an earring – was followed by the realization that there’s more to people than what they wear or how they adorn themselves. Respect means having another look, and when you do that, you see more about people and churches than you might think at first.
My regard also grows by remembering people of different churches whose lives highlight central aspects of the Gospel: figures like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a martyr and theologian of the Lutheran Church, Gordon Wilson of the Church of Ireland whose example of forgiveness touched the world. Valuing the people of every church and their way of life commands respect for each church.
Then, there is a matter of individual respect. So often we find ourselves surprised by the goodness of people we reject because of what they seem to be. We quickly apply labels to others, and, as a result, people suffer. Even Christians can use labels to one another. For many years I’ve realized that people from different persuasions have lived labelled lives. Respect for others may mean the difference between life and death.
I am thinking of this theme of unity because during this month of January we celebrate Church Unity Week but I must admit I get lost in such a lot of other ‘things’ that I forget how significant this week ought to be, because now more than ever with the Synod already printing out documents, we should respectfully revisit the theme of respect for those “not like ourselves.”
The disunity of Christians has caused much heartache in parishes, communities and families, so that our desire for unity should be an urgent prayer with enormous repercussions.
Respecting those who are different can seem threatening. If we respect the beliefs of another, we may appear to lose something we value ourselves, or perhaps, we may be jolted out of false securities. If we believe that we have something to learn from every person, then our attitude of respect will grow.
Respecting others will not take away what is essential to our Christianity – our following of Jesus, our prayer and our way of life, our search for the truth and our concern for the poor.
Our gift to God in this first month of the New Year is to do our bit towards reconciliation with others. This is what we promise when we pray Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven – forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. I hope we can resolve to do our bit, knowing that respect is the foundation of all institutional as well as personal
reconciliation.
God bless you.
In Mary Help of Christians,
Fr. Franco -
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