What might he say?

Without in the least trivializing the splendid readings for this last Sunday of the Easter season, let me share that decades ago, I began my business career by selling cars and trucks.  When my father categorically refused the idea of my going into a business career, I did this in sort of a rebel mode, but also because I just loved cars and trucks and thought that with a liberal arts education, I could get into business using this as “my back door”.  I did fairly well.  This was a time when very few women sold cars.  Almost none sold trucks.  Actually, very few went into buy vehicles, and if they did, many were accompanied by their husband, father or perhaps a brother or male friend.  I loved it!  I felt very isolated though and ostracized by most of my co-workers.  

How odd that I thought back to those days as I began thinking about this Sunday’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles. (Acts 15: 1-2, 22-29)  

Clearly, our early Church also struggled mightily with diversity and acceptance as they spread throughout the world and into new cultures filled with different traditions.  And then I wondered whether if we were blessed today on this wonderful sixth Sunday of Easter with the second coming of Christ what He might have to say to us about the things going on in our world.  Would he even recognize his Church, his people, the diversity in our pews?  

I suspect many of us – certainly myself included – would be put in our place and chastised for allowing injustices to happen to others on such a routine basis throughout the world . . . in our own neighborhoods and parishes, for that matter.  Just as those early leaders were so confused as they tried to accommodate all the new traditions and diversity into their greater church, here we are today with such challenges.  Challenges to accept others that are “different” while our government attempts to seemingly work on dismissing and abandoning citizens and residents who are our neighbors, in some cases the neediest.  Pope Francis has taken the Catholic among this leadership to task reminding them their theology and faith is flawed.

And while I merely shake my head at things being said and done, I do nothing, but if they come for me, who will be left to stand and protect?  Because yes, I too am now part of a less than desirable demographic as I am no longer particularly productive.  I need that Social Security and military retirement income.

The entire Easter season gives us time to reflect on the message of Christ’s ministry to support the least, the last, and the lost.  There were no parameters, disclaimers, ifs, or exceptions put under the mission He laid out for us, His followers.  How this is now being corrupted is worrisome beyond the keen. 

Where is there hope for us, direction?  In the Gospel we hear this weekend! - - there is hope!  In Christ’s ministry! - - there is hope!  Today’s Gospel sums up the Easter message for us and our mission as we move back to Ordinary Time.  (John 14:23-29)  Grab a Bible when you have a moment of calm.  It will give you peace and motivation for doing “something” and just imagine if we all did something and truly became missionaries for Christ on this earth?  

Today's Readings