A note from Fr. Scott
It’s that time of year again. No, I don’t mean the Easter season (although
it is that); I mean allergy season.
A number of years ago, I went for allergy testing. I had had sinus issues for a long time and my
doctor suggested I get tested. So I
dutifully went and acted as a pin cushion as multiple pins were inserted into
my arms (each of the 4 inserts was a six-pack) in order to test for some common
allergies.
When my arms were surveyed after an appropriate timeframe,
it was discovered that I was allergic to
many things (including dust, some trees, some field grasses, chicken and
cats). “See how there’s a raised bump on
your arm here?” taught the nurse.
Frankly, I couldn’t see or even feel a raised bump most of the time, but
she was sure it showed I had an allergic reaction to many things.
And who knows what
else? I was only tested for 24 common
allergies—there must be hundreds more, probably thousands more that are
possible.
These many years later, I still have sinus issues at times
(despite daily medication), but I can honestly say that it all tends to be
mild. (I eat chicken a lot and breathe
outside a lot during tree and grass season and have no major problems.) I’m grateful for that. Others are not so fortunate.
When I look at the world, I’m in awe at how diverse people
are, at how diverse the world is. God
created every single person as a unique individual; the journey we take through
life is unique—no two people have the exact same journey, although there are
similarities. There are thousands of
different plants, thousands of different insects, thousands of different
animals (any to which one could be allergic).
All created for a purpose, even if we’re not quite sure what that
purpose is. (Mosquitos have never seemed
like a good idea to me, but there they are.
God knows best!)
Even within the Church, there is great diversity. Disciples of Jesus the Christ are both male
and female, both rich and poor, both young and old, both traditional and progressive. Diversity is not an absence of unity—we are
united in Christ Jesus the Lord, gifted with the Holy Spirit, in spite of our
many differences. There is room for all
under the wide umbrella we call the Church.
Unfortunately, we are not always as tolerant of one another
as we could be. Often that’s because we
think everyone ought to see things the same way we do (the correct way, of
course!), but, alas, they do not. Sometimes
we think unity means uniformity; it doesn’t.
“Unity in diversity” is a reality.
Let me use the example of prayer.
Not everyone prefers to pray in the same way. Some people like the Rosary or the Stations
of the Cross or the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
Others enjoy most the Mass or the Liturgy of the Hours (let me point out
that the Mass isn’t just another form of prayer; it’s a vital part of the life
of every Catholic, although some seem to gain greater benefits out of it than
do others). Some like to pray in front
of the Blessed Sacrament, others in the quiet of their homes (those would
probably be homes without children).
Some like to read Scripture and meditate on it, while others like to
just quietly be present to the Lord, no words needed. Others use Spiritual Reading to help them
pray. All are valid ways to pray, keeping
us connected with God. Unity in
diversity marks the way of the disciple of Jesus, not unity in
uniformity—although even that is fine at times.
If God wanted us all to be the same, would God have created
such a diverse world? No one ought to be
allergic to diversity!
Have a blessed week . . .
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