Yesterday’s second reading was St. Paul’s plea for unity among the people of Corinth. Christ has come to bring people together. For Christ’s name to become a source of division is a sort of blasphemy. In the gospel for today in a very different context Jesus speaks of the importance of unity. If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. History buffs will recognize in that quote a famous speech given by Abraham Lincoln saying that the nation cannot remain half-slave and half-free. In politics and even in the church today there is a great deal of division. The challenge that we face is to learn the line between what is legitimate diversity and what is unholy division. The key marker will be charity. Do we presume that those we disagree with are as honest and sincere as we are.? Do we follow the advice of St. Francis and seek to understand more than to be understood? God’s house has many rooms some of which might not be decorated in the style which I like!
