Fr. Paul Campbell’s Article for June 12
Ex 19:2-6 Rom 5: 6-11 Mt 9: 36-10:8
In the midst of the challenges our Church faces it might be tempting to wish for the good old days when the early church was united and focused on the mission of Jesus. After reading various translations of Jesus’ calling his disciples I haven’t been able to find one that ended “They lived happily ever after”. The reality of the early church was in many ways similar to ours today. Peter and Paul disagreed on whether the Gentile Christians would share the same status as the Jewish Christians. They were disagreements on how the marginalized of the communities should be treated. There were moments when the apostles, the future leaders, understood clearly the mission of Jesus and other times when they didn’t have a clue. The apostles wanted Jesus to call down fire from above to punish those who disagreed with them. Jesus must have scratched his head and wondered if they were asleep when he spoke of mercy and compassion. As he walked toward Jerusalem and his death, his chosen argued who would get the best places in his kingdom. They had a good time at the Last Supper but they didn’t know it was the Last Supper. They believed the meal and the camaraderie would always be there. They had to be confused when the one who fulfilled the prophecy of a Messiah was murdered by crucifixion. Their commitment finally made sense at the Resurrection when they saw Jesus in his glory. Yet, Jesus ascended and left them starring into the sky. Their faith was then strengthened through the Pentecost event. In many ways the faith journey of the apostles was the faith journey of all who walk with Jesus. There are times when we see those moments of unity and clarity and there are times when we cry out in the darkness for understanding. What are some of the qualities that the apostles of Jesus had and that we need to cultivate? The first quality of a disciple is perseverance. Although the journey did not make sense at certain times they continued to show up. They did not walk away. They always tried to find meaning in their journey. They were the originators of the question “what is God trying to teach me at this particular moment?’. Secondly the disciples of Jesus took Paul’s’ words to the Romans seriously when he wrote “God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us”. God’s love for us was free, we did not earn it and so the disciples did not expect to be rewarded. We should spend some time thinking about those who so kindly loved us when we were the most unlovable. We should not place conditions on our love. As Matthew tells his community “Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give”. One of the most humbling examples of the disciples love is the many women and men who have ministered for years in our parishes. As disciples we should remember God’s words to the Israelites when he told them “You shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people”. In the midst of our moments of crisis it is important for us to realize that we are special to God. As the child once said, “God made me and God doesn’t make junk!” Jesus’ disciples find meaning in life by reaching out to the marginalized. He sent them to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel to proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is at hand”. If you want to find meaning as a follower of Jesus reach to those in your life who you take for granted, love them with an unconditional love and the Catholic Church today will continue to do the work of Jesus.