The Begging of the Apostle

I therefore, (Paul), a prisoner for the Lord,
beg you
to lead a life
worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
with all lowliness and meekness,
with patience, forbearing one another in love,
eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace.

These words from today’s first reading too often fall on deaf ears in our Christian communities today.

For any community to thrive, there must be a strong concern both for the common good and for individual needs. This must be even more so for any community that wishes to call itself Christian.

Sad to say, too many people in Church communities are too often concerned not with the common good of the Church and the needs of its members, but with their own interests and their own selfish desires.

Clergy and laity, parish groups and diocesan organizations, dioceses and national conferences, international movements and high officials – all of us, each of us, should always remember to open our hearts and to listen to the begging of St. Paul.