Tension and Unity

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary offer reflection on the power of difference of religious opinion in the affairs of the world. The paradox which plays out daily is the pitched battles between groups in the name of religious traditions which profess some experience with Divine peace. The arrest of Paul in the Temple in Jerusalem is described in the passage from the Book of Acts where it seems that he uses the difference of belief in the resurrection of the dead between Sadducees and Pharisees to spark a riot and, according to Friar Jude Winkler, to proclaim the Resurrection of Jesus. The consequence of this discord is the dispatch of Paul to Rome where the Holy Spirit advises him that he will need the courage provided by God to bear witness in the capital city of the empire. The Gospel of John is noted by Friar Jude to present a very dualistic case about the choice and affiliation of people. Those who accept the Divinity of Jesus and follow Him are in intimate communion and "oneness" with the Father and Son. Those who reject the invitation, the world in John's terms, are aligned with the Evil One, the Prince of the World. The prayer of Jesus in the text is that the world will come to know Him and the Oneness with the Father through the selfless love and service of the ones given Him by the Father to share in the Word. Tension and dualism are defeated in selfless love and service. The contrast speaks to the evangelists of today about how to bring people to Christ.