Differences exist. We are all unique (and probably a little bit strange to others) and we have different viewpoints. However, what brings all of us Christians together is our love for and faith in Christ. When we come together for Mass, we leave all of our differences outside and we worship together as one body.
This is what I think we can take from this Sunday’s first reading from Acts:
“The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.”
If you’re like me, when we worship together, I am not looking at others for what our differences could be, I am in awe and inspired by our awesome community of faith. We are united.
Now how great would it be if we could take the unity that we experience together in worship and take it into our everyday lives? That is such a tall task.
So what is the key to doing this? Forgiveness. From today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us, “whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” So what sins are we holding onto right now or rather, what differences are we holding onto with friends and family?
Let’s take the unity that we experience in Mass and promote this in our external circles by breaking down the divisions that keep us from extending a hand of forgiveness to those with whom we disagree.
