Mediator Dei

Today's Gospel from Mark continues on the themes of becoming a Disciple, healing, and peace.  In Mediator Dei, the Church is seen as this great mother which gathers her children around her altar to be fed and nourished.  "She purifies and consoles the hearts that sin has wounded and soiled."  Of course the first one to sanctify the Church is Jesus Christ who is presented as the great High Priest, and shows us his communion with us, by being the priest, altar, and the Lamb of the sacrifice.

Sometimes because we experience the Church in its institutional form, with its rules and regulations, we forget to engage a relationship with God, and the faith community.  Over the weekend a woman in the parish had commented that she was happy that her oldest son was still making it to Mass, and was still active in the parish.  I had mentioned that his experience of the parish was one of friendships and relationships with others.

Jesus seems to be invited to the homes of many people for dinner.  Apostles have a relationship with Jesus and one another.  So there is a community here which allows folks to be part of Jesus' life, and are comfortable in having him in their homes.  If religion and faith are more about doing 'things' or meeting 'requirements' then the Church seems sort of strange and disconnected.  But when our faith seeps into our relationships, choices, response to others and the larger world, then we begin to live in a community of faith. 

Looking at families, the ones which seem to be the strongest, energetic, and vital, are those where there is a community in the household.  And More so that same community is based in a faith-life which allows reconciliation, forgiveness, healing, and comfort to be integral in the relations of the household.  These families can journey through all sort of yuck and gunk, since they are solidly connected to the Paschal Mystery.

Communites of faith, beginning with the family, are the best instances to discover Christ and all of his works and words.  Including Christ in our faith journey helps us understand the life and communion that the Church can offer us.  We need to ask often times where Jesus fits into our plans.