Every day we hear of someone who brutally attacks and kills another person.  I wonder what prompts people to be so vicious in their interpersonal relationships! Yes, untreated mental illness is the cause of some people’s viciousness. Then I wonder how many murderers were cradled in physical or emotional violence, never experiencing what it means to be loved. I returned to this pattern of thinking when I read today’s Scripture. There were frictions and arguments among the church members during Paul’s time. So, he is encouraging the members and us “to put on Christ.” We need to support each other instead of judging rashly and maligning one another. 

    In yesterday’s gospel reading, Jesus called 12 special disciples to be his apostles. He is now teaching them what the nitty gritty, day to day following Jesus means. So, he is asking us to inventory our actions, our thoughts, our dispositions. Blessed are the poor in spirit: accepting our humanity, our brokenness. Blessed are the hungry: deepening our relationship with God, yearning to bring out the good in those of our family, in our workplace, our parish, our neighborhood. Blessed are those who weep: discomfort and sadness at injustices and sins against others. Blessed are you when people hate you: turn hard, hateful feelings into positive, non-violent actions. 

     In Paul’s time, sin was destroying and dividing the world and the church. Because of mass media, we know and experience sin dividing our world today. Jesus asks us what we do with our riches; what we do with our poverty. Both Paul’s letter and Luke’s writing challenge us to assess our own lifestyles. 

    We are celebrating the year of the Eucharist. When we participate in Sunday and daily Mass, do we evaluate how we allow Jesus to change us by receiving his body and blood? We need to dig deep down into our hearts, notice our thought patterns and actions, and see where and when we are not following what Jesus is teaching us in the gospel today. 

    We always return to that eternal theme: God loves each one of us unconditionally. St. John Chrysostom, whom we remember today preached,

“Suppose that a believer who once was pleasing to God becomes full of wickedness and commits grievous sins that exclude him from the kingdom. I will not allow even a person like that to despair, although he may have grown old practicing his unspeakable wickedness.” Our simple acts of justice, kindness, and understanding may not seem much in our universe. Yet, through the beatitudes, Jesus promises us peace. The challenge—given to us in Baptism—is ours to take up in our daily thoughts and actions.

    I suggest that we take a few minutes to listen to Marty Haugen’s “We Are Many Parts” on You-Tube and reflect on the message of our relationship with other people. 

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