It is 23rd October 2020. We celebrate the memorial of St John of Capistrano, priest.
The readings are from Ephesians 4:1-6; and the Gospel from Luke 12:54-59.
Unity is not uniformity. The fruit of the unity is peace.
Do we have peace in our hearts, homes, and homelands?
A person who experiences the unity of mind and body promotes the same beyond any strings attached. Community cannot survive without unity. Unnecessary arguments, divisions, radical and fanatical teachings threaten the unity in our communities. Maturity in all levels cannot be achieved without certain amount of unity. Our dialogue and readiness in listening to the others in patience and respect is the key to experience unity.
Unity does not require words and actions to demonstrate its intensity and validity rather it requires a mindset that resonates the spirit of peace, truth, and respect for the other without crushing the spirit of freedom and liberation.
St. Paul summarizes our vocation in the first reading. “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.” (Eph.4:6).
The responsorial Psalm acclaims, “Lord, such are the people who long to see your face.” (Ps.24:6).
There is so much of a struggle in connecting with the other due to lack of unity of mind and heart that overflows to the rest. We like to talk about the weather, the politics, the religion but rarely about the person. As soon as a child comes out of a hectic e-learning, we tend to ask our children what they learned rather than how did they feel and what is going on in them as persons.
In the Gospel, Jesus points out that we are clever, and expert in interpreting and discussing about so many things but not the struggles of individuals. We are afraid to talk about the reality and here-and-now. Jesus challenges us not to spend all our resources in predicting and interpreting the direction of the market, religion, and economy but to recognising and acknowledging the presence of God in others. Signs of God needs to be noticed before we notice the other. Facing the inevitable head-on is better than running away and dragging out feet in dealing with the challenging issues of life and relationships. May we be prudent enough to observe the signs of the times with the awareness of God’s presence in our life. Have a lovely day. God bless you.