When We Stop Dividing We Start Multiplying !

2018년 5월 6일

There is an old joke that says if three Koreans are in a room, they will soon form four political parties. Funny, but the sad truth is, this can be said about Italians, Hispanics and just about any nationality. It’s in our nature to break up into rivaling groups. But the results can be devastating.

        The United States has not been this divided since the Civil War. Even the Roman Catholic Church seems split between conservatives and progressions, with one side openly criticizing Pope Francis and the other side discarding any traditions they dislike. Even our parish has not escaped divisions over the years. But these divisions are not healthy, and they are not the work of God.

Then who? “The devil made me do it” was a way for people to avoid taking responsibility for their bad actions. But there is some truth in this, when it comes to dividing people. The word “devil” comes from the Greek word “diabolo” which originally meant “one who divides or separates.” The devil’s goal was to separate us from one another, and then ultimately separate us from God. When we see people as different or “other” it makes them easier to hate, to ignore, and to kill.

The power of the Gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit is the exact opposite: to knock down walls and barriers (physical or cultural) that divide us and to bring us together as one race —the human race. In today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Peter overcomes the separation between Jews and Gentiles, thus allowing the Church to go out to all people. Even the Responsorial Psalm proclaims: “The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.” And the gospel passage from John follows Jesus’ sublime prayer for unity among his followers. To make it simple (if not easy), from now on Jesus gives us just one commandment: “Love one another.”

Let us ask God for the humility to admit our mistakes, the patience to listen to one another; the grace to forgive others —and ourselves— the strength to resist dividing people; and the wisdom to recognize all everyone as a precious child of God. Then instead of letting the devil divide and conquer us, we will let God multiply the members of our faith community.

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