26th Sunday Ordinary Time (B) 29 September 2024 One in Christ
Today is Migrant and Refugee Sunday throughout the Church. We recall our pilgrim status as we journey through the ‘desert’ of this life striving to reach the Promised Land of Heaven.
We are right to be proud of our nation, of who we are and where we come from, but our identifying with Christ is our strongest point of identity.
I could be other than Australian but I cannot be other than Christ-ian.
As St Paul puts it: There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Ga 3,28). He has broken down the barriers between us.
We do not have to be the same in every way. Different cultures have different ways of doing things. But on certain fundamental points we are the same – such as striving for Heaven, trying to make this earth a slice of the heavenly Kingdom, where everyone is treated with justice and charity.
Whatever is different between us cannot be allowed to change the basic beliefs of our faith, and our identification with Christ.
Some have tried to do that with certain questions of morality, suggesting that what is forbidden in one culture might be allowable in another. For example, whether it is reasonable to insist on celibacy or chastity for people of all cultures.
With the major commands and creeds it has to be the same across the board.
This is no great difficulty if we unite ourselves with Christ. Whatever He wants we must want it too.
We find our peace in Him, and every other good quality, such as creativity, which we celebrate today.
Our cultural expressions should reflect God's goodness. Art, music and Literature sport, education, scientific research, medical care – all areas of importance would be purified and enriched by drawing from the infinite goodness of Jesus Christ.
God never stops helping us to get it right. Let us recall what He has done, as regards nationality.
God has been teaching us about all this since the day He called Abraham to begin a new race. Israel was supposed to be the vanguard, the cutting edge, showing forth what happens when people obey the one true God.
It worked sometimes but the Jews were too disobedient overall to be able to teach the other nations. So God adjusted the plan to go to the Gentiles instead - with the idea that the Jews would come back afterwards and all could be one (Rom 11,23).
Moses says (first reading): if only the whole people of the Lord were prophets… (Num 11,29)
Foreshadowing a new era when it will be normal for people to
interpret events in a religious framework, not just political and economic as
we have now.
As we discover God we acquire more of His gifts, and can use them to help each other.
God lets people find Him in various ways, always calling them to a deeper level.
How can we achieve justice and peace if others do not? There are many things we can do, but most of all if we live the way of Christ ourselves; that will at least give some direction to the surrounding society.
We have set our course for Heaven and will not be deflected from that straight course.
There is only one race of people in Heaven – the Redeemed, the People of God.
In the meantime we do everything we can to be like Christ as He opens His arms to all in need.
We pray for the day when all the people of the world are crossing the desert and no one is chasing them, because the ‘chasers’ are seeking salvation too!
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