Looking at the Second Reading today it strikes me as significant that St Paul, with a great range of issues in mind, including the nature of the Lord's Supper and the Resurrection, elected to deal with division in the church as his first issue to be addressed. Division, schism and apostasy are toxic to ecclesial life. People do not like to worship in a divided community and will sooner walk away that put up with all of the conflict. Often the only ones left are those who, pushed by pride, fight on in an ever more bitter civil war in which no one is the winner. That is why we should all be mindful of how each of us uses actions and words both inside and outside the liturgy or church building. Is it to foster unity and communion or is it to bring scandal, disunity and conflict. We must never forget that the Church, as much as it is the People of God, is also the mystical Body of Christ. Just as cancer destroys a biological body internal conflict ruins churches. I encourage all parishioners to be mindful of their obligation to treat Church authorities with respect especially Pope Francis.
P.S. This is my last contribution to the Sunday bulletin in Whanganui. I am grateful for the privilege of being able to use this forum to share matters of faith and Scripture. Feedback has always been appreciated. I will continue to write when I am in Hastings and those reflections will be posted, as they are now, on my blog: My Weekly Blurb - Scripture for Today at marcusfrancis.blogspot.com
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