This week's Extraordinary Synod, a meeting of bishops around the world to discuss questions about marriage and family, might seem like a source of conflict among Catholics. After all, we read and hear about "conservatives" and "liberals" and their differing positions on the issues being discussed in Rome: communion for divorced, remarried Catholics, contraception, sexuality, and so forth. It can seem a bit like American politics: us versus them, where any conversations those on opposite sides of the aisle have devolve into power struggles.

 

But I think at this synod, Catholics are witnessing the world a different way of having conflict, a way of saying that even where they have theological disagreements and live lives that may look radically different from church teaching, the bishops noted earlier this week that we all share unity in recognizing that all of us are on a path toward following Christ. 

 

Today's readings articulate very strongly the need to focus on our unity even in the midst of disagreement. The setting of today’s first reading (Galatians 3:7-14) is much like that of our own day for the fact that a heated argument is occurring.  Christians – good, faithful Christians – wonder who is being most faithful to the gospel.  Is it the Jewish Christians who get circumcised because after all, God commanded Abraham and his followers to do so, or the Greek Christians whom Paul describes as having once been chained to pagan idols (see verse 4:8) and who are not necessarily in a position to speak about what is good?  Paul’s answer is to say first, to the Jewish Christians, that overemphasis and too much hope in the physical change of circumcision is an idol too.  We must be free to follow Christ and not make idols of our bodies, or the Law or anything else that impedes our primary call.  Second, Paul is beginning to suggest in this passage that the distinction between circumcised and uncircumcised is a false one.  The true children of Abraham are the ones with faith in Christ, regardless of whether they have been circumcised, or were once worshipping pagan idols.  The focus on circumcision is a red herring, and he will emphasize this more and more as we continue to read through this letter.
  

Today’s gospel is much more emphatic about unity.  Bystanders who see Jesus curing a demon suggest he is alternately the devil or they ask him for further signs.  As usual, Jesus sidesteps both groups by refusing to give either group a direct answer.  Rather he asks them to consider what it is that they see and experience.  If Jesus is from the devil, yet driving out devils, then they will see and experience chaos.  If they have faith that Jesus is doing these miracles in the name of God, then they will see and experience the fullness of the Kingdom of God.
        

Jesus’ most stern words admonish us: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather, scatters.”  Do we stand with Jesus and his disciples in unity?  Or do we scatter ourselves?
       

 It strikes me that in this world where there is clearly turmoil and disagreement, one of the best witnesses we can give to our belief in Jesus Christ is that we Catholics can show others how to have discussions and disagreements and still see each other as members of Christ’s body. Today, let us pray that all of us would recognize Christ in each other, and let us especially pray for the work of the synod.

-       Jana M. Bennett