Pass It On

Gospel: Matthew 9: 27-31

There are two ways of passing on faith to others.  The first way is the one in which we are accustomed, the ones that involve public testimonials and great spectacles.  They draw large crowds of people with their fantastic stories and exhibits.  They are also great fundraisers to fill the coffers of churches and ancillary cottage industries.  But this way is ultimately one of failure, for it is centered on ego and self, not on God at all.  Jesus time and again commanded us to tell no one, to not follow this path, but we never listen.

The second way is the one we do not choose, but the one Jesus commands of us.  It is to become an instrument of healing and nourishment and compassion in the world.  It is the path of direct encounter with those in need, not in some slick healing service but in engagement with others in the world in which they live.  It is to be an agent of healing, liberation, and nourishment in the world in the same way that Jesus was while on earth.

Christians are not called to wait passively for Jesus' second coming.  Christians are called to be the first coming of Jesus to many who have never had an encounter of love and mercy in their lives.  The idea of a second coming makes no sense to those who have no sense of Jesus ever coming at all into their lives.  It is for us to be that coming in the form of mercy, love, and compassion now and always.