An community planned for holiness

The plan of God for building a community of believers is theme from the texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary. The Church commemorates the apostles Saints Simon and Jude today. The calling of the Twelve from the Gospel of Luke is a link to those followers of Jesus who lived with Him. Friar Jude Winkler comments that Luke emphasizes the Plan of God which will be executed. Stoic thought, with which Luke was acquainted, promoted obedience to the Divine Plan which may have seemed illogical in the type of persons chosen through prayer to be so close to Jesus. The letter to the Ephesians invites them to accept Christ’s invitation that they be built into a Temple of God’s people. The unity under Christ of Jews and Gentiles is our heritage which Friar Jude reminds is entrusted to the care of the present day Church. The reflection of Edward Morse that he belongs to something bigger than himself is a foundational experience through which we can address the great enemy of Christian community, our selfishness. The grin and bear it philosophy of the Stoics, which is mentioned by  Fr. George W. Rutler, was at home with obedience and discipline. The Life with Christ brings inclusion and joy as we praise God for the invitation to walk toward holiness singing with the psalmist as we bring the message of Life to all the earth.