"That they may all be one"
3rd Sunday C,
Cobh
26 January 2025
My friends,
One of the side effects of the Russian invasion of the Ukraine is our growing awareness of the intertwined long history of both peoples. Not just that but also our growing awareness of the development of the church among them.
The Russian Orthodox Church with special roots in Kiev has been the dominant religious tradition. A minority church community of Greek Catholic Ukrainians has prevailed through the centuries since the great divide in 1054 AD between the Orthodox East with its centre in Constantinople – modern day Istanbul and the Catholic West with its centre in Rome under the Roman Pontiff.
This past week January 18th – 25th has been marked annually as Church Unity Week. Its intention is to celebrate our shared faith in Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour. It is also intended to acknowledge the scandal of the division between Christian faith communities. As Catholics we tend to take for granted the profoundly radical shifts that took place at the Vatican Council when the Catholic Church formally accepted all those of other Christian Churches as brothers & sisters in Christ through our common baptism – the foundational sacrament of our life in Christ.
The efforts to develop better relations between the Churches, namely the Ecumenical Movement has ebbed and flowed over the years and is likely to continue in that pattern simply because politics and geography tend to intrude in the process of reconciliation.
These observations come to mind as we are invited today to focus on the place and role of the Word of God on our faith journey, individually and as a community. You’ll notice that both the Old Testament readings from Nehemiah and the Gospel from St. Luke speak of settings where the “Word” is proclaimed, and comment is made on its impact on the people. In both instances you will take note of examples of interpretation and explanation – by Ezra and by Jesus, “translating and giving the sense, so that the people understood what was said.”
The key point for this Sunday dedicated to the ‘Word of God” is the central place of the inspired word of scripture – it calls for reverence and attentive listening on our part. A second element in regard to the role of the word is that it be proclaimed and listened to together – gathered together in a spirit of faith and trust. That’s why our commitment to come together is crucial to the life of the parish, to the life of faith and practice. It is a duty of faith to one another – to support one another by our presence – thereby saying symbolically my being here is important for you and for me.
The division of Christian Churches is sad. It has had some very tragic consequences. What’s important that it is the power and inspiration of the Word of God that speaks to our hearts. Much reconciliation has taken place in Ireland much more is needed.
Our experience of division and separation makes us conscious and concerned for the deep division that prevails between the churches in Eastern Europe. We remember them in prayer – that their search for peace will find a new impetus; that they will be blessed with peace makers who will rescue them from the horrors of war.
That we may all be one in Christ.
