Unite to Resolve Conflicts

Wednesday, 5th week in Eastertide 

2nd May, 2018: Acts 15: 1-6; Jn 15: 1-8

The responsorial psalm invites one to go to Jerusalem with rejoicing and we see two people going there in today's first reading: Paul and Barnabas. However, not with rejoicing but they go with a crisis. A noble fact is that they are insistent that they wouldn't burden the people unnecessarily. The forward thinking, right priorities and empathy for the believers are a few of the salient qualities that stand out in this passage. 

Apart from the crisis and the solution that they sought, the clear cut lesson is to understand the method of facing and resolving a crisis in 'Christ'ian terms. Banners and posters, anonymous letters and abusive posts, indecent demonstrations and political insinuations...none of these were used when the crisis arose. They simply got together. They united in the Lord, to find out what the Lord willed for them as one family of God. 

There is another thing that comes to my mind thinking of 'crisis' or lack of agreement or possibility of misunderstanding. These days I have gotten out of atleast four or five facebook groups because there were so many Christians - Catholics versus Non Catholics - getting into so many unnecessary arguments and fights. Dialogue and Conversation are fine, provided they are for further understanding and unity building. Not for the sake of mudslinging, finger-pointing and sheep stealing! It disgusts! 

One thing we are called to remember: we cannot bear fruit apart from the Lord; we cannot bear much of them without uniting as one heart and one mind in the Lord! That readiness to unite gave a moral authority to the Early Christian Community and made them true and attractive witnesses (cf. Acts 2:47). Are we ready to unite? Or are we fighting to prove each other wrong?