All are welcome

 ‘…Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.. (Matthew 10:40)

Matthew 10:40-42 (Year A: Trinity+2)

‘All are welcome’ is a common enough sign outside Church buildings and on public notices about church services. But are all welcome in practice?

The declaration that ‘anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me’ follows verses about discipleship in which the initial twelve disciples are called to follow Jesus and proclaim the kingdom of God.  The realities of leaving home, family and community and facing opposition and great danger are spelt out. Typically, the call to welcome those sent in this way is seen and interpreted – narrowly perhaps – as a call to respect, listen to and welcome the message of the pastor/priest/minister/preacher/evangelist sent specially in the name of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

But, there is another possible meaning to these words that complements the traditional one: the Holy Spirit is everywhere. She moves through all sorts of situations, people, events and relationships.  It is true that every person you or I meet carries something unique, something special, something non-repeatable. This ‘non-repeatability’ is a reflection of the light that is the Holy Spirit. Put another way, this means that every human being has something to teach me from their experience, perspective and life story so far.

Welcoming others and especially those different to me or us by virtue of tribal identity, politics, language, age, social class, religion, sexual orientation or any other badge that we place on ourselves or others is a challenging call. We fear this welcome because, perhaps, we are not entirely sure or comfortable in our self-imposed or other-imposed identity. Or, perhaps, we think that we might be swayed or undermined if we listen too much to another. We feel that we must hold on to our supposed and other-excluding precious thoughts, practices and beliefs lest we be contaminated or given up to doubt, confusion and drift.

The mystery is that in welcoming others who are different we are welcoming the One who welcomed us in the first place. We welcome because we were welcomed in the first place as we were and as we are. We should never forget that.

Costly discipleship

 ‘…Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.. (Matthew 10:32)

Matthew 10:26-33 (Year A: Trinity+1)

Standing up for what we believe in can take courage.  References to witness in the face of opposition as the early friends of Jesus went forth can bring out images of a major showdown in public as someone is forced to deny their faith and refuses to do so.  Sometimes, however, religious zealots confuse witness with making a public show of their opinions or piety and that in the context of showing others that they are ‘wrong’ because ‘I am right’.

The challenges of discipleship vary and can, in a great many cases, demand small daily examples of kindness, self-denial and courage rather than the mighty gestures of someone about to be condemned, hung, drawn and quartered (although that scenario is not unknown for followers of Jesus in many parts of the world even today).

We live in challenging times and many of us are called on to undergo much suffering for what we believe in and the values we live from (even if the two are not always in harmony). In many parts of the world to be a person of faith – faithful to the social gospel of true freedom may demand martyrdom (to which the root word in Greek is linked to witness). It is idle fantasy to try to imagine what we might do in this situation or that. It is enough to embrace the small trials and tribulations of each day. The most credible witness is to be true to ourselves even to the point of exclusion, ridicule and condemnation.  The one we follow met such and we cannot expect less. Discipleship costs and following the Risen Lord is costly as Dietrich Bonhoeffer experienced and wrote about.

John 3:16

 ‘…For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

From John 3:16-18 (Year A: Trinity)

My favourite passage from the scriptures …

And often cited on tee-shirts, billboards and the like. I suppose it strikes a chord with many people because the essence of the God/religion/Christianity thing is compassion and acceptance. If God so loved each of us – I mean the concrete you, me, him, her …. etc then that’s what we are called to do beginning with self-acceptance knowing that we are loved to such an extent that John 3:16 makes sense. It’s our final ‘bottom line’.

May God the creator, God the redeemer and God the life-giver lead each of us into a deeper communion. John 3:16 points the way.

'seolfaidh sé thú san áit nach toil leat' (Naomh Colmcille)

“Amen, Amen, a deirim leat. Nuair a bhí tú níos óige, chuirteá féin do chrios umat, agus shiúltá san áit ba thoil leat; ach nuair a thiocfaidh an aois ort sínfidh tú amach do lámha, agus cuirfidh duine eile do chrios umat, agus seolfaidh sé thú san áit nach toil leat’ (Eoin 21:18-19)

Tá baint ag ainm Colmcille lena lán áiteanna ar fud na hÉireann. Sord Cholmcille, Doire Chomcille seachas áiteanna eile. Luaitear Colmcille mar 'pátrún' in éindí le Pádraig agus Bríd mar príomh naoimh na nGael. Ach is le Íosa amháin an teideal 'Príomh Naomh'.  Lean daoine cosúil le Colmcille Íosa - a theagaisc agus a phátrún. Is é sin an dúshlán dúinn sa lá atá inniu ann - Iosa a leanúint cibé áit ina bhfuilimid ag dul.

Danger - Spirit is at large

 ‘…Peace be with you!’ (John 20:19-23)

From John 20:19-23 (Year A: Pentecost Sunday)

In this passage three ideas appear in quick succession: Fear, Peace, Sending-out.

Fear is present all throughout the time from Easter to Pentecost as the disciples huddle together – unsure, fearful of forces outside or fearful of what is to come.  Immediately and everywhere peace is the first and final gift of the risen Lord who stands in our midst among us. Sending out is the pressing task entrusted to the disciples. And to us today….

Battered, bruised, unsure, anxious – we are called out of those places of comfort and refuge.  Being sent out full of the Holy Spirit is not a facile evangelism characterised by emotionalism, preachiness and self-righteousness. It is about a quiet, strong, determined heart to bear witness to a treasure that is within each of us and is calling us out.

‘Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory’