Pope Benedict XVI appeals to the whole Catholic community to pray for him during his coming pilgrimage to the Holy Land and nearby territories from May 8-15. He says, "I go as a pilgrim of peace. As you are well aware, for more than sixty years, this region - the land of our Lord's birth, death and Resurrection; a sacred place for the world's three great monotheistic religions - has been plagued by violence and injustice. This has led to a general atmosphere of mistrust, uncertainty and fear - often pitting neighbour against neighbour, brother against brother. As I prepare for this significant journey, I ask in a special way that you join me in prayer for all the peoples of the Holy Land and the region. May they receive the gifts of reconciliation, hope and peace."As I reflect on his words, connecting it to the beginnings of our faith being narrated in the daily liturgy of this Easter season, I noticed how little has really changed from that time until now. Even between the early followers of Jesus in Galilee and Jerusalem and the succeeding generations of Jesus’ disciples in Syrian Antioch, where the name “Christian” was first used (see Acts 11:26), there was already a lot of tension. Interestingly, according to one commentary, the word “Christian” was first applied to the members of the non-Jewish or Gentile community at Antioch because the Gentile members of the community enable it to stand out clearly from Judaism. In other words, “Christian” is already an initial label to distinguish Jews and non-Jews, even if both are considered Jesus’ disciples.
This is just to say that even in the beginning, the Jewish followers of Jesus were not convinced that non-Jews should be part of their movement. Ethnicity is so strong… stronger than the marvelous work of God in Jesus Christ!
But no one could stop the Spirit of the Lord: sooner or later, s/he attracts open-minded persons to launch to new territories and bring the movement to a new dynamic growth. The commentary continues, “the Jewish Christian antipathy to the mixed community was reflected by the early missionaries generally. The few among them who entertained a different view succeeded in introducing Gentiles into the community at Antioch (in Syria). When the disconcerted Jerusalem community sent Barnabas to investigate, he was so favorably impressed by what he observed that he persuaded his friend Saul (Paul) to participate in the Antioch mission.” Thanks to these two “liberal-minded” missionaries, “Christians” reached every part of the world.
Now the challenge is how to continue “getting out” of the “Christian” prejudices where we have consciously or unconsciously fallen into from one generation to the next.
Let me share here a message that I got yesterday by email which helped me make an examen of consciousness regarding my being a “Christian”:
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'."
I'm whispering "I was lost,
Now I'm found and forgiven."
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And need His strength to carry on.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
Who received God's good grace,
somehow!
