Contemplating Today’s Culture through the Eyes of St. Francis & the Light of Christ
“On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; whereas our more respectable members do not need this.” I Corinthians 12:22-24
Gathered together in worship, we have been taught to honor each other. No one is above or below another person in how they should be treated. We understand this concept in our mind. However, in practice this is seldom the case. We tend to hang around those who are like us, and avoid those whom we do not understand. While we are not overtly hostile to others, we often avoid seeking new relationships.
The result is that some people, often without realizing it, find themselves in positions of being “above” others. This can be tantamount to relegating some people to positions that are “below.” We fool ourselves. Being “nice” (staying safe) is prioritized over being honestly engaged with those outside our familiar spheres within the faith community.
St. Paul may have encountered the same situation when writing to the church in Corinth. There seemed to be a hierarchy in terms of positions held in the church. Some positions were thought to hold more honor than others. The Corinthian church slipped into what is so common in our culture today, namely, arrogance. If you do not believe this, think of the number of oligarchs who attended the inauguration of the new president in the Capitol rotunda, while others were relegated to viewing the event from the hockey arena.
The demise of so many churches today is partially due to the isolation of one group of people from another. When a group feels that they have reached a position of being less respected or devalued, they frequently leave. Along with their departure goes the energy and resources required to do ministry.
St. Paul attempted to address this underlying dynamic. He called out the indispensable necessity of those who seemed to be weaker, or hold less honor, or less respect. His statements are based upon God’s love where all people are created with equal dignity, because we are all children of God. Other classifications are divisive, including that of one person having more social value than another.
With the season of Lent waiting in the wings, a time is created for all of us to look deep within ourselves as to why we avoid others in our communities. Usually, the reason is because we are afraid – afraid of those which we have not yet encountered, afraid of not successfully making a connection, afraid of rejection, afraid that God is not present enough to create or transform relationships. We fail to hear the words of God that recently echoed in Advent, “Fear not.”
Undoing our patterns of avoiding others takes strength – a trust in a God who wishes only the best for us. Remember that Interacting with another person is not totally about the other person. It is also about ourself. Interacting involves being a Christ-like “listener” where one is present and available to another person. Being fully present is not about saying the “right” thing. Simply stated, others need to be heard. They need to be heard as you and I listen to them. When we pray, we expect God to hear us. Why can we not then listen to others as God listens to us?
How do you and I connect with a person with whom we might have seen before, but have not engaged in conversation? You might try spilling coffee on them during coffee hour. However, I would not recommend that tactic. Instead, try introducing yourself with your name. Conversely, see if you have their full name.
Keep the conversation going, and attempt to find three things you have in common. You will find them. Where have they lived? What is their favorite sports team? What do they do in their spare time (if they have any)? Where would they like to travel? What excites them about worship services? What has been their denominational affiliation(s), and spiritual journey?
Connection begins in the nitty-gritty of life’s events. Theological talk will mostly fail. Those conversations may come later. Attempt to be an unconditional and nonjudgmental support for the other person, even if their experiences and outlook on the world may differ from your own.
God comes to all of us as a friend first, and an intimate partner later.
Prayers and Blessings,
Fr. John
