Endless Throng?

October 10

An Endless Throng
When we take the body and blood of Christ into our own bodies, we say Amen to our relationships with our brothers and sisters: the least, the forgotten, the ones we love and the ones about whom we are ambivalent.*

A few days ago Fr. Dan Crowley gave me an article to read about all of God’s people. All those we see everyday. Some people we notice and some we do not. Who are the people we notice? The ones going to Church? The ones who are pleasant or well-dressed? Or, perhaps young children in cute outfits? Do we also take notice of the needy and poor? Unwed mothers? Others who are nasty and ill-mannered? Of these when we do take notice, is it a positive or negative experience? While we are of the body of Christ we must remember this includes all the people of the Earth… not just the ones who are so-called “acceptable” to society:

When we are born into this world, we are each born into a body that already reflects God. No matter what he looks like or the color of his skin, no matter the country of her birth or the language of the first lullaby she hears, it does not matter to God. This is a child of God, and we are called to love that child no matter when they show up in our lives. There is no way to mince the command: Love your neighbor as yourself.*

This week let us all remember that we are of the Body of Christ and let us welcome all those who may feel unwanted or unwelcome in society and show them Christ’s love…

Small things launch first steps:
Pray for those with whom you struggle. Carry their names in your wallet. Recognize your blindness. Begin the hard work of letting go of resentment and anger. Cross a boundary Sit in another place in church. Greet those around you. Go to a different Mass. Learn something about someone you avoid. Listen to a new language. Eat food of another culture. Invite someone new to din- net Listen to a new story Ask about people’s lives. Learn about an opposing view. Practice love. Recognize that all are children of God loved by the same Creator who brought us all into being.*

The body of Christ is streaming toward us all, just outside our windows.*

God Bless, Holly Clark

* “The Streaming Throng” by Denise Simeone
Celebration, October 2010