Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles
While reading today’s Scriptures passages I was reminded of our Parish theme for this year—“Being the Body of Christ”. The idea of being “set apart” is central to both the Gospel and the first reading from the Letter to the Ephesians. It occurred to me that this being “set apart” is something most of us must grow into gradually. Like most everything in the spiritual life, we are always “on the way”. As a member of the Body of Christ, I am aware that my thinking does not always reflect this membership. It is often a struggle to think like Christ in daily life. On the other hand, when I have experienced the grace to think spiritually, as Jesus did, the world seems to be a completely different place. Things that were so important no longer seem to matter and other things I missed are suddenly apparent. It is then that I realize my way of thinking is not God’s way of thinking.
In today’s passage from Ephesians, St. Paul says “You are no longer strangers…but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God…” (Eph 2:19). So how does thinking spiritually express itself in my day to day living? And how is it related to being a member of the Body of Christ? Today’s Gospel reading relates to us what Jesus did before choosing his Apostles. He went up the mountain and spent the night in prayer. Even the Son of God made decisions only after bringing the matter before his Abba (Lk 6:12). How much more necessary is it for me to do the same? Living in this broken and battered world, bombarded by human reasoning, I am constantly tempted to rely on my own thinking…my human thinking. When I find myself in the position of having to make a decision of any gravity, my first response is likely to be influenced by what is easiest, most obvious, or beneficial for me. A fine example of this is choosing people in my faith community to work together on a ministry project. It makes sense from a human perspective to choose people who are familiar, easy to work with, and reliable. But if I bring this decision before God and truly ask for his thinking on the matter, I may be surprised at the group he assembles for me. I suspect it will strongly resemble that group of apostles chosen by Jesus—unlearned, outcast, poor, and certainly unlikely. Not only this, but somehow He will accomplish much more with his plan and his way than I could ever imagine.
The evidence of this is clear when I look at what that unlikely band of Apostles accomplished. When I begin to think spiritually, not only do I approach decision making in a different manner. Everything else in my world changes dramatically. For one thing, it is no longer “my” world; it is God’s world and I am just a small part of that world. Encounters with other people become more compassionate and less judgmental. I notice I am more open to opinions different than my own and I am interested in people I would normally pass by.
Thinking spiritually as a Christian leads us to discover that what really matters is the common bond of human brokenness we share with one another. We differ in our God given gifts, but we share the same sorrows, weaknesses, pain, and burdens. By identifying with one another on this level we may find ourselves surprised by the bonds that unify us. No longer will we be deluded by our own thinking which tends toward division and judgment. No longer do we feel the need to protect ourselves from brothers and sisters. It will become reflexive for us to promote unity and inclusion within our community. It is at that point that we, as the Body of Christ, can turn together to Christ, the “capstone”, our one and only Savior and source of our redemption in pure and humble adoration. If, by the grace of God, we are able to think spiritually—“put on the mind of Christ”—it is surely more likely we can truly to fulfill our special purpose within the Body of Christ precisely as God desires.
O Holy Creator God,
I bring to you my mind
and every thought I have this day.
Change my thinking that it may worthy
of being a member of the Body of Christ.
Grant me the grace to think as you do,
to see the world and my brothers and sisters as you do.
With the intercession of Mary
Through Jesus Christ. Amen
-Gail Lyman