CALLED TO BE ONE

III SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - 1 Corinthians 1:10-13,17

We are in the middle of the Unity Week, a week dedicated to ecumenism, in which we reflect about the divisions in the Church and pray for unity. 

Reconciliation: For the love of Christ urges us on - is the theme for this year’s week of prayer; and 2 Cor 5:14-20 is the basis of our reflections. The Church, as the body of Christ, is called to unity and Jesus himself prayed for the unity of all those who believe in him (Jn 17:20-21). However, we are divided; and the divisions are so obvious and the groups so many that they have become a stumbling block for many. The different churches that we find are not a sign of diversity, but of opposition in which the ones who claim faithfulness accuse the others of betrayal and apostasy. Many times, the different churches compete with each other and attack each other, as if they are enemies.

Reading the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians or even reading the Acts of the Apostles and the letters of John, we can see that divisions in the Church have been there since the beginning, as if they are a part of the Church. Many times, we forget that the Church as the community of believers, is made up of human beings, who are sinners, dominated by selfishness and pride, which lead to envy and jealousy, causing endless divisions. 

Through out history, there were many divisions, some of which have perdured through generations. There are still  Nestorian churches, which left the church after the council of Ephesus (431); and there are the Monophysite churches, who rejected the council of Chalcedon (451), present mainly in Egypt, Ethiopia and Syria. Then there was the great division between Catholic and Orthodox, which took place in 1054, due more to mistrust and to political reasons than to differences of faith. Then, in 1517, Luther initiated what is called Reformation with his ninety-five theses criticising Church doctrine and practice. What started as an attempt to reform the Church became an open revolt which tore apart the unity of the Latin Church and led to endless divisions. 

In this year of 2017, the beginning of the Reformation is being celebrated, but it has to be celebrated by all in an attitude of repentance and an effort of reconciliation.

In order to reconcile, we must recognise that Jesus is the Head, being therefore the only point of reference and the only way that we must follow. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul stresses this: 

“I appeal to you, brothers, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, to make up the differences between you, and instead of disagreeing among yourselves, to be united again in your belief and practice.” (1 Cor 1:10)

Calling the Corinthians unity, Paul puts forward the gospel of the Crucified Christ. He is the one who died for us, so that we may be reconciled with God and with each other. Being baptised in his name, we were grafted in him, being one with him. Let us go back to Christ, trying by all means to be his disciples, walking on his footsteps.  If all of us walk through the same path, we will be able to recognise each other so that we make the journey together, guided only by Christ.