Father Simone’s Word of the Week

“Don’t bring division here, but if you do, leave it at the altar.”  One of the greatest words that belongs to God, that only He can make of us is “ONE.” One of Jesus greatest desires is that we may be ONE in Him, as He is one with the Father.  (John 17:20-22)  I think I can be bold enough to say for His sake “Don’t bring division here, but if you do, leave it at the altar.”  If life, friendships, family and church family were a fairy tale where everyone hugged and got along perfectly, we might forget this isn’t heaven.  If every relationship was smooth and easy, we might forget Jesus is our Savior and theirs.  However, more than any place else, we come to Church, to Mass to experience a glimpse of heaven: when we are who we are, side by side, looking to God together.  We come to Jesus bringing our needs, our hearts, our wounds and our struggles, looking for that peace that is beyond all these things.  So we come to let things go, not to hold onto them.  If we look to Jesus, but wouldn’t look at another, that is a distance we are keeping Him from.  So do we come to the altar desiring to reconcile with one another, even if we don’t know how?  Do we place our hope in Him, not them or us?  In His work in these relationships, not ours?  If yes, are we willing to co-operate?  Reconciliation begins in the heart, the will and prayer.  Fruits come later, in His will and His timing. 

If we do face God and come to Mass with hearts desiring this bond among us, do we hold onto divisions within Church itself?  Perhaps against some in the Church we will never meet?  Or against a belief of the Church we have already decided we can’t reconcile with?  Even if no one else sees these divisions in our heart, Jesus does.  If our “Amen” to Him in Communion is divided against the communion with His Body the Church, it wounds Him and all.  Until heaven and earth are one, we have the Church.  We have Jesus in the Eucharist as strength in our weakness and strength in our numbers.  On our part, I believe patience is the glue and buffer that keeps us together.  Patience with ourselves and one another gives Him the space to do His work.  “Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. (Matthew 5:23-24)  Whether we have wronged someone or we are holding their wrong against them, may we get over ourselves and seek to be reconciled, so we can be free to offer ourselves fully to Him.  But if we can’t through words, bring it to the altar and leave it there.