Daily Reflection Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

In the first reading Paul is telling us that we are part of Christ and his church. We are not strangers to each other. We are one in Christ. Yet, throughout the history of the church there are many times when Christians did not follow Paul’s admonition. We have often been told that if we do not know our history, we are bound to repeat mistakes. Throughout church history exclusionary mistakes have been made: Native Americans, People of Color, the LGBTQ Community, Migrants, including also the aging population, teenagers, the poor.

    When we sit with Jesus and Paul to reflect deeply on Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, let us evaluate our own attitudes in connection with or in contrast to Paul’s words: “You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God.”

    As we celebrate St. Thomas today, let us remember his pain of separation. Earlier in the gospel, Thomas was willing to go to die with Christ. Yet, when Jesus’ crucifixion became a reality, Thomas had a hard time dealing with it. He wanted to remain alone in his sorrow, in order to understand what had happened to Jesus. Consequently, he was not with all the others when Jesus appeared to them. Jesus did not scold Thomas. He understood Thomas’ feelings and personality. Jesus accepted him as he was, and loved him. Both readings today encourage us to accept people for who they are and to respect them. The following story describes what happens when we don’t try to understand those who are different.

    Nasruddin became prime minister to the king. Once, while he wandered

   through the palace, he saw a royal falcon. Now Nasruddin had never seen

   this kind of a pigeon before. So, he got out a pair of scissors and trimmed the

   claws, the wings, and the beak of the falcon.

   “Now you look like a decent bird,” he said, “Your keeper had evidently

   been neglecting you.”

You’re different so there’s something wrong with you!

--Anthony DeMello, SJ (The Song of the Bird)