3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)
Isaiah 8:23-9:3 | Psalm 26(27):1,4,13-14 | 1 Corinthians 1:10-13,17 | Matthew 4:12-23
What I mean are all these slogans that you have, like: ‘I am for Paul’, ‘I am for Apollos’, ‘I am for Cephas’, ‘I am for Christ.’ Has Christ been parcelled out? Was it Paul that was crucified for you? Were you baptised in the name of Paul? (1 Corinthians 1:12-13)
This passage reminds me uncomfortably that we will soon have a “changing of the guard” at our parish, and most other parishes in Singapore. Already, I hear rumblings like “aiyah, the incoming priest is terrible, everything also banned one!” and “never mind, Singapore so small, I will follow Fr. X to his new parish!”
That sounds dangerously close to the kind of schism that St. Paul warns us against – “I am for Andrew”, “I am for Terrence”, “I am for J.P.”
Granted, our priests have markedly different temperaments and preferences. If a by-the-book shepherd replaces an easy-going one, or vice versa, there will surely be discontent.
There will be likely be changes in how we celebrate the sacred mysteries, some subtle, others in-your-face.
Inevitably, there will be conflict.
But if we all, priest and parishoners, are willing to work together, to find common ground, to achieve a shared understanding of the community spirit in our parish, such differences can be overcome.
We just need to remember that God is for us. He sent Jesus to die for our sake; He can’t possibly be against us.
So why should we set ourselves against one another?
Amen.