Bible
Study: Ephesians 4, 1 to 6 and Luke 12, 54 to 59.
As
Christians, there is an essential unity that should exist among us and wherever
that unity is absent, it is a sign that we are yet to be fully converted. How
can we achieve this unity that is so lacking today among fellow Christians?
Both the first reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians and the Gospel
passage this morning, gives us some insights.
1. BEAR
WITH ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE.
Dear
friends in Christ, people are not perfect and the best way to have peace with
one another, is to be understanding and sympathetic of their weaknesses.
Sometimes, we expect too much from our fellow Christians, we rate them so high
as though they were gods but as long as we continue to live in this human
flesh, we remain subject to so many limitations. That is why we must bear with
each other.
2. TIME IS
ESSENTIAL, DO NOT LET THE SUN SET ON YOUR QUARREL.
In
relationships with fellow Christians, there are bound to be moments of
misunderstanding. As Jesus tells us in the Gospel passage, we must take every
advantage of the time available to us. Forgive as soon as a quarrel arises, the
best time to quench a fire is when there is only a spark not after the whole
building has been reduced to ashes. Have you wondered how a little quarrel over
an insignificant issue sometimes becomes so bad that it keeps people at
loggerheads for months, days, weeks and even years?
3. READ
THE SIGNS AND ACT EARLY.
Sometimes,
Christians quarrel without knowing where and how they started having difficulties
with one another. If for instance, you are used to greeting a particular person
and he or she always return your greetings, then all of a sudden, one day you
greet this same brother or sister and there is no response, do not assume that
he or she is angry with you. It may just be that the distance between you and
him was too much and he didn’t hear your greeting. It could also be that there
were too many issues disturbing him at that very moment, perhaps he is in
trouble and confused, perhaps somebody had just died in his family. Etc. you
never can tell. Such a simple issue is a sign, act immediately. Do not keep
silent, go and visit this brother or sister, sit down and talk. Do not go
telling other people “I greeted this brother yesterday oh, and can you imagine
that he did not even respond to me?” In this way, you are turning your friend
into an enemy and creating more enemies for your friend. When this brother gets
to hear what you are saying about him, he becomes even more confused because he
is so innocent, he did not even know where or how he offended you.
4.
REMEMBER THAT HEAVEN HAS NO BRANCHES.
Heaven is
one place, there are no separate departments in heaven, there are no branches
in heaven, there is no such thing as Catholic Heaven, Pentecostal Heaven or
Redeemed Heaven. It is the same Jesus Christ that we serve, there is no
Catholic Jesus as separate from Pentecostal Jesus. This is what St. Paul meant
by saying, it is one faith, one baptism and one Lord. There is a story of a man
who quarrelled with his fellow church member and they couldn’t reconcile till
both of them died. When they got to heaven, they both passed the test and were
granted admission, when the man noticed his friend in line entering into the
same heaven, he shouted: “No, if it means I will have to live in the same place
with this man in eternity, I would rather prefer to go to hell because what
this man did to me…. hmmmmm…. I will never forgive.”
Let us
pray:
Lord
Jesus, keep me united to you and to my fellow brothers and sisters. Amen.
Be Happy.
Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you.
Fr. Abu
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