"What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation." Jn 11:47
The Gospel today demands we ask ourselves a simple but important questions. What do we do when someone we don't like or trust suggests a strategy that makes sense? Too often, I'm afraid, because we been trained to be black and white thinkers, we resist the insights of others with whom we disagree. Surely, that is what happening in our nation these days. The numbers are numbing. A Pew study suggests that 40% of Democrats and 40% of Republicans belong to their party, not because they endorese their own parties polices and programs, because they don't like the other party! (1)
The same is true, I'm afraid, in the church. Those favoring the directives of Vatican II oppose more traditional believers and their preference for the Latin mass not because they love everything about the liturgy as we celebrate it in most parishes, but because they don't like or trust Catholics with more conservative views.
Oppostion to other people or systems doesn't get us very far. The Gospel demands we embrace Jesus and his message, and live a transparent Gospel life if we want to build a community of faith that is diverse and universal, and this is no easy task.
Today, listen to someone with whom you disagree without attempting to answer them or prove them wrong.
How can we build a community of faith that reflects the power of the Gospel?
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