The Nation’s Sacred Need The Church: One Body or We Fail.

My Dear Friends and Parishioners:

In our readings appointed for this coming Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, we hear those words from St. Paul to the people at Corinth regarding the ‘body of Christ’, that is, “As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ.”

We know that the human body is amazing. Each part depends on the other parts. We have all experienced how something as simple as a toothache can affect other parts of the body. While every part has an important role to play, no part is independent of the other. All parts must work together so that the body can function well as a whole. So, it is no surprise that St. Paul often describes the Church as Christ’s body.

We, as followers of Jesus, are interrelated with every other person in the body of Christ. Though each believer may be unique, each believer is also dependent on the rest. Like interrelated body parts, church members must work together in unity and oneness of purpose to help bring about the coming of God’s kingdom. Sometimes members of the church have a hard time becoming part of the body. By nature we resist being dependent on others or having others depend on us. But Paul states clearly that just as “the eye cannot say to the hand, ?I don’t need you!'” neither can anyone in the body of Christ say that to a fellow church member.

This past week, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, the spiritual leader of the Washington DC Episcopal Diocese, is under heavy scrutiny for lovingly and gently pleading with President Trump to show mercy to the nation’s most vulnerable. Trump and his allies quickly criticized the bishop’s remarks, and Trump demanded an apology. We even witnessed one Republican congressman stating that the American-born Budde should be “added to the deportation list.” Despite the backlash, Budde told the news outlets that her remarks were sincere, and she did not have any regrets in bringing them to the president’s attention.  “I don’t hate the president, and I pray for him,” Budde said. “I don’t feel there’s a need to apologize for a request for mercy.”

Budde’s entreaty came just a day after Trump rolled out a series of executive orders to make good on some of his most controversial campaign promises that harm the most vulnerable among us. He is systematically removing protections for anyone who is not rich, white or powerful. Trump retorted that Bishop Budde, ‘ a so-called bishop’ (his words, not mine) “She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart.” I think she is to be applauded for standing up to the Gospel imperative and for joining many of us in solidarity with the nation’s scared.

Trump, in his comments, not only denigrated yet another woman, but he has removed the sanctity of the Church as a Sanctuary, as well. He has ordered that ICE agents and other Federal police officials have free rein to enter all spaces once deemed off limits to arrest or detain or remove ‘illegals’. I will simply state that I may end up going to jail this year. No one will violate the sanctity of our parish and I will not fear giving refuge to anyone who needs it at Saint Miriam. We remain a Sanctuary Parish!

“For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.” Those words of Paul are followed by the Gospel’s powerful narrative from Luke, stating clearly,

“He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”

God has equipped each individual member with gifts and talents for the building up of the body and this is why we find the separation and rhetoric from our nation’s leadership so repulsive: everyone, every single person, is made by God and valued and loved; not just those who are rich and white and connected. We are all connected: We are The Church and each is one in Christ. As members of the church, we are called to serve Christ, love and value each other, and the world around us.

Jesus in the Gospel ended with, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” I cannot help but sadly look around and wonder if we have all failed Him, and one another.

Pray with me: Blessed Lord, Jesus, your body, the Church, is wonderfully made and its diversity speaks to your loving providence. We praise you for making each one of us a part of your body. May we be a blessing to your church and to your world and may you protect us and those who are most in need and from those who wish to undermine the sanctity of your created ones. Amen.

Monsignor Jim