Scripture:
Reflection:
In our first reading from Acts, we have the outcome from the meeting held in Jerusalem around the question whether Gentiles who had converted to Christianity had to become circumcised according to the Mosaic law observed by Jews. The apostles and elders discerned that the Gentile Christians did not have to be circumcised. In other words, the Gentile Christians did not have to be like Jews in order to be Christian
This account of a dispute in the early Church reminds us that conflicts can occur. And what is necessary to resolve such conflicts or debates is what we hear Jesus say at the beginning of our Gospel reading: “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.”
We are called to love as Jesus loves, and we have an indication of what that means: “No one has greater love than this. To lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” I don’t see doing what Jesus commands us to do as a condition for Jesus to love us. I believe Jesus loves us no matter what. I see it more as saying, “This is what you need if you truly love me and want to be in a relationship with me: do what I command you to do.”
Jesus also says: “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain…” We are called to go and bear fruit, not spend time passing judgments on others. However, we may resolve the disputes and conflicts that come up, even within the church, we are called to resolve them in love.
Fr. Phil Paxton, C.P., is the local superior of the Passionist Community in Birmingham, Alabama.