5th Sunday after Pentecost 13.7.14 Achieving Unity
The Mass is the offering of the sacrifice of Christ in atonement for the sins of the world, especially our own sins.
The congregation gathered for the Mass seeks to offer their own hearts and minds in union with the offering of Christ.
This in turn depends on the faith and general disposition of each person at the Mass.
The Gospel today highlights the importance of the congregation being totally as one in the offering. If there is discord in the congregation the purity of the offering will be compromised.
The sacrifice of Christ Himself is always perfect insofar as He offers Himself, but our joining onto His sacrifice can be more or less successful depending on the state of our hearts and minds.
So, one thing that is happening at Mass is that we are praying for our contribution to be as perfect as it can be. Orate, fratres… that my and your sacrifice may be acceptable to God the Father Almighty.
We are not sure of our own inner dispositions. In any case we always need divine help to be in the proper state of mind and heart.
Disunity is an impediment to the effectiveness of our offering. We should be in union since we are all doing the very same thing: worshipping the same God, offering the same sacrifice. How could we not be at one with each other?
The necessity of loving one another is reaffirmed everywhere in the New Testament: For example: If any one says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. (1 Jn 4, 20) And, even more strongly: Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. (1 Jn 3, 15)
What we think of the others is an indication of how much we love God.
If I love God I would be of one heart and mind with Him and I would love my neighbour because He loves that same person.
And we know that God loves even those who do not love Him. We find this part very difficult but it will come to us as we grow closer to God. The closer we come to the furnace the warmer we become.
The Gospel says that we should not come to offer sacrifice unless first reconciled with our brother. In practice we make this a little easier. One can come to Mass even if unreconciled but we can use the Mass as a chance to pray for reconciliation.
I pray for whatever I have to change and whatever the other person needs to change.
We can be in a state of sin or weakness and come to be strengthened. Even if unable to take Holy Communion we can still benefit from being here.
If we seek His love we will find it here and it will help us change. Doors will open; things that need to happen will happen.
All this and more is happening at each Mass. How necessary it is that we do not see the Mass as simply a mechanical ritual that is there to be got over with!
There is so much that needs to happen in each individual and in each community.
We owe it to each other to bring our very best attitude (Sunday best), seeking deeper union with God, and from that with each other.
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