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Sign & sacrament

05 Oct 2014 - Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Who would prefer conflict to harmony and unity, violence and war to friendly coexistence, anxiety to inner calm? Not many. Scripture seems to agree. Jesus greets people with “peace be with you” and bids them farewell with “go in peace.” At the edge of this tranquility, though, lurk some not-so-peaceful things. The same Christ—the Prince of Peace—warned, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). Faith can bring different priorities, decisions, and loyalties, some of which might be in conflict with the old; ultimate peace comes from turning to God.

Faith Peace conflict

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The inner word

07 Sep 2014 - Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Jesus encourages us to resolve our differences at the lowest level possible, to avoid escalating the problem if at all possible. How do you handle differences with your friends or within your faith community? Are you carrying any unresolved disputes at the present time? Perhaps you can try putting the gospel directive into practice this week; it may bring a whole new level of meaning to the passage for you.

conflict

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Sign & sacrament

07 Sep 2014 - Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

It is estimated that in all of recorded history there have been only 230 years of worldwide peace. Sometimes it seems as though we will never learn to resolve our disagreements diplomatically. But before we get too depressed over the state of humanity, it is helpful to remember there are an infinite number of ways a conflict might be resolved. And in that infinity of ways there is at least one peaceful solution. This reality is captured in the saying “the moon is always full.” Even though we can’t always see it, the moon is always full. And although we might not be able to see it at first, a nonviolent solution to any dispute is always there.

Peace conflict

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Exploring the word

18 May 2014 - Fifth Sunday of Easter, Cycle A

Sometimes I dream of a weekend house party to which everyone I love is invited. Of course the plan hinges on the idea that all the people I love will also be wild about each other—which they most likely would not. If you've ever attended a reunion or rented a beach house and filled it with guests, you know that the likelihood of two people avoiding each other by the end of the first hour is 50-50. By the end of an entire weekend, some people may never be on speaking terms again! Fill a room with people, and you're inviting not only individuals but the very real possibility of conflict. Fill a world with people, and those chances multiply exponentially. Basically you get human history as we've known it so far: wars and rumors of wars, fights over resources, societies divided by who gets what, and haves and have-nots as far as memory serves. Even in the early church, a generation often mythologized as an era of perfection, Jewish-Christian widows got bigger portions than Gentile-Christian widows in the daily handouts. In a realm of limited resources, communities always seem willing to make distinctions about who's more deserving. Whether those distinctions are drawn by gender, race, age, ethnicity, religion, language, intelligence, perceived productivity, or perceived morality, the group drawing the shorter stick is surely headed for trouble. Now imagine a world that has unlimited resources: enough land, food, housing, employment, education, health care; everything that makes life good and whole and purposeful. If everyone can have all that he or she needs, does anyone have to go wanting? Simply put: Would people fight if there were nothing to fight over? Essentially that is the Big House concept Jesus describes for his followers on their last night together. He's heading out beyond them, and they're not clear on the particulars of that just yet, but he promises a magnificent reunion at a destination where there's room for everyone. His disciples have been a bit worried about placement, to be honest. Who will be first, who gets to sit where, what honors might be nailed down in advance of the coming Kingdom? Jesus assures them they don't have to be anxious: The resources are infinite, you might say eternal. But most certainly everyone who arrives there will not be disappointed. In the modern take on the Kingdom it's not some heavenly hereafter but a present reality dipping one wing into now, another into forever. If you anticipate a realm where there is no need and therefore no injustice, how do you prepare to inhabit such a reality? How do you remain in the land of limited resources yet make sure no one is left out in the cold while the rest have more than they need? Scripture links Shepherd: CCC 754; 764; 2158 Repentance in Acts: CCC 363; 1226; 1287; 1427-1429; 1433 Catechism links Chosen, royal, priestly, holy: CCC 709; 782; 901-903; 908-913; 931-933; 1141; 1268; 1546 Living stones: CCC 552; 756; 1179; 1268 Jesus is the way: CCC 459; 516; 661; 1025; 1698; 2466; 2614; 2795

Authors Alice Camille

Belonging Community kingdom conflict

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Exploring the word

23 Mar 2014 - Third Sunday of Lent, Cycle A

People can fight about religion, they can come to blows about race or language. They can scream bloody murder about politics, cross swords regarding gender differences. They can disagree about money—boy, can they ever. They can even fight about war: whether a war is being waged well, or is good to begin with, or if any war can be good. They can have pitched battles about resources, ownership, authority, ethics, law; the children, the elders; what happened in the past or should happen in the future. Where two or more are gathered the reasons for conflict are astronomical. Even the most amiable of spouses have a few choice differences of opinion, if you dig deeply enough. Meribah and Massah was the scene of epic conflict in the time of Moses. Later the dual name of the place becomes a metaphor for quarreling, testing, and rebellion that shows up in songs like Psalm 81, 95, and 106: However bad things get, let's not allow it to become Meribah and Massah, folks! It's not that blood was shed at Meribah or that lives were lost at Massah. Many scenes of great violence and death took place in the desert years; this wasn't one of those events. What made it such a memorable occasion was the hardness of hearts: It was the people vs. Moses and, in a larger sense, the people vs. God. Meribah and Massah was the place where a nation rescued from slavery and persecution actually turned on its redeemer and his representative in a remarkable rejection of trust and confidence. Fast-forward 1,200 years. The scene is a well. No one is calling this place Meribah and Massah, but there's still an atmosphere of conflict here, of hearts hardened against each other for ancient reasons. This is Samaria, after all, and a Samaritan-owned well. Some Jew wants a drink. There is no reason this should end well. Recall, too, that drawing water is woman's work, and so gender roles complicate the scene. She's got the bucket and the rights, but he's a man, which gives him a certain authority. Religious differences add fuel to the potential conflict. This woman's "five husbands" are, from a rabbinical perspective, the five tenets of Samaritan religion: belief in one God, in Moses as the one prophet, in the Torah as the only Book, in Mt. Gerizim as the one place of worship, and in final judgment. Three of these directly oppose Jewish belief in other prophets, other holy books, and Jerusalem as the only Temple. A collision course between this woman and this man seems inevitable. Instead truth brings their disparate hearts into resonance. This will not be a place of conflict but of hope. Related scripture links God provides: Exod. 14-15 (rescue); 16:1-15 (quail and bread); 19:1-20:17 (law); 40:34-38 (presence) Give us this day: Matt. 6:11; Luke 11:3 Someone else who was looking for Jesus: Luke 2:25-32 Catechism links Woman at the well: CCC 439; 544; 586; 606; 728; 1137; 1179; 2560; 2652 Waters of Meribah: CCC 694; 2119 Resurrection: CCC 988-1001

Authors Alice Camille

conflict

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The inner word

01 Sep 2013 - Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

From the talking heads of news programs to the endless strings of mindless “comments” online, the quality of conversation in our numerous forms of media seems to have hit a new low. The point these days is not to reach a common understanding but to sway others to your opinion—no matter how underinformed and superficial it may be—or at least knock down the opinion of another. To express yourself just for the sake of expressing yourself. “What’s on your mind?” we’re asked. “Who cares?” one might respond; what makes people think their every thought, however thoughtless, should be broadcast to the universe? Think of how many conflicts, bad ideas, and plain old evil deeds human beings would avoid if they assembled the facts first and then tried to reach a consensus. The reading from the Book of Sirach recommends just such humility when it comes to knowledge. It may appear to be only a dream, but it’s possible, and it can start with you today.

Humility conflicts

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In other words

18 Aug 2013 - Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

I’ve come to start a fire on this earth—how I wish it were blazing right now! I’ve come to change everything, turn everything right-side up—how I long for it to be finished! Do you think I came to smooth things over and make everything nice? Not so. I’ve come to disrupt and confront! From now on, when you find five in a house, it will be— Three against two, and two against three; Father against son, and son against father; Mother against daughter, and daughter against mother; Mother-in-law against bride; and bride against mother-in-law” (from Luke 12). From A New Message 4 Next Week (actapublications.com/newmessage4nextweek) based on The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition by Eugene Peterson (ACTA Publications, 2013).

conflict fire

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Homily themes

18 Aug 2013 - Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

Themes of conflict and power run through the lectionary readings this weekend. In the midst of a siege, Jeremiah drew the wrath of the city’s leaders for advising the population to leave. He ends up in the mud, only to be lifted up. Jesus, the Letter to the Hebrews tells us, endured the powerlessness of the cross in order to be raised to the heights of God’s throne. Jesus himself brings conflict in the gospel, suggesting that neither family ties nor fear of submitting to rejection and persecution should stand in the way of salvation.

conflict

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Exploring the word

12 Sep 2010 - Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

HAVE YOU EVER refused an invitation to a gathering because of who else was going to be there? Whether it's a wedding or funeral, a family reunion or Thanksgiving dinner, often there's someone else coming we just don't want to confront, forgive, make nice with, or sit next to. I've even been to parties where the host and hostess aren't speaking to each other! It makes for an unsettling experience for everyone when folks can't resolve their differences, or at least surrender them, for the length of a holiday get-together or the time it takes to bury Dad. In the absence of the spirit of peace, just staying away may seem like the most reasonable option. How can we lay down our grievances when it's time to gather and unite? Families fractured by divorce often face untold agonies when the marriage of their children brings divided spouses back in the same room. The ghosts of the unhealed past are there, too, bidden or not. And what about the other elements that strain or sever family relations: the gay son who wants to bring his partner home at Christmas? The sister who married across the acceptable lines of religion, race, or politics? Or the family member who has simply made choices for his or her life that confound everyone and cause bitter arguments whenever they arise? Because it's hard to get the whole family together in the same room these days, we can sympathize with the tension in the concluding scene of the parable about the prodigal son. The father is quite ready to reconcile with his wandering boy. All is forgiven: His willingness to run out and embrace his son, contrary to the etiquette between elders and youth of that culture, demonstrates that he holds no grudge and seeks no apologies for the past. Communicating his abiding love and acceptance is more important to the father than extracting contrition from his admittedly negligent son. Yet the boy's presence is everything. His return tells the father all he needs to know. But it's not enough for the older brother. What makes the difference? This brother has spent the intervening season mulling over the injustice, the money squandered, the self-indulgence and carelessness of his little brother. While his father had love and loss on his mind, the brother had grievance and indignation on his. Perhaps, too, he envied the freedom of the younger brother to sin a bit, to get out from under their father's expectations. The loving response is not something we can drum up in the hour of reunion. What we harbor in our hearts and rehearse in our thoughts is what we have to give each other. Related scripture links Moses is not a patient man: Exod. 2:11-12, 17:4, 32:19-29; Num. 11:11-15 Moses is not patient with God: Exod. 5:22-23; Num. 20:7-12 God's compassion revealed: Gen. 3:21, 4:15; 1 Kings 19:1-8; Jon. 4:1-11 Prayers for mercy: Pss. 6, 22, 32, 40, 51, 56, 57, 69, 70, 80, 86, 102, 130 They know not what they do: Luke 23:34 Catechism links Mercy: CCC 545; 589; 1423; 1439; 1443; 1829; 1846-1848; 2447; 2839

Authors Alice Camille

conflict Unity Community family

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The inner word

09 May 2010 - Sixth Sunday of Easter, Cycle C

In a way, this weekend’s readings speak of the ideal and the real. Conflict hits the community in Acts, and responsible persons step forward to try to resolve it. Revelation describes a place of faith, the new Jerusalem. And Jesus says he must go, and warns of trouble, but also promises help and ultimate peace. How do you deal with conflict—with coworkers in ministry, the community, “higher-ups,” and the larger church? How can you engage conflicts constructively and help to bring about the best outcomes? Where do you encounter the “new Jerusalem”—where does the deep satisfaction and joy of being a Christian open up the most for you? Mindful of the presence of the Holy Spirit, how do you continue to be “taught”? Where do you find good “reminders” about what is important in your life and work?

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