Diverse, yet One

By: Rick Hernandez

The early Church found its footing not only in the Jews who converted due to their witness of Christ and the testimony of the Apostles, but also in the many foreigners who lived on the land, foreigners who opened their hearts and minds to the teachings of Christ. The early Church was thus made of both Jews and Gentiles, united in Christ despite all their differences.
 
In the Acts of the Apostles, we read of a vibrant community of converts, Jews, and Gentiles who welcomed Saul. Saul, now known as Saint Paul of Tarsus, originally persecuted the Church but was converted by an encounter with the Glorified Christ. He, who was forgiven by the grace of God, launched himself then to build the Church, supported by the diverse many called to the Church. Whether they be Greeks, Hebrews, or Romans, these faithful Christians blessed and supported him on his first missionary journey and then three more. The Church was bold. It was, even that early in its history, to go over to the many nations and make Christ’s word known by their very lives. This is part of what it means for us to be the word in action.

‘Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”’ (Matthew 28:18-20)

​…of all nations. The word “nation” does not mean “country”. It means a people that share a common history, ethnicity, or background.  So, when Jesus calls people of all nations to himself, it is a call for people of all backgrounds, with all our stories. Christ’s word is for all of us. He calls all of us to himself.
 
That diversity of culture and customs that the early church was founded on, was partly what helped it thrive. The Church embraced this openness of the people bringing their gifts, gifts given to them by their openness to the Holy Spirit. When we bring our gifts, and specifically, who we are in Christ, we end up enriching one another, while united perfectly in our shared belief and faith in the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. That diversity strengthened the Church. There was a strong desire to reach out to those who were outside their local communities and share the light that had been discovered. Do we have this desire today?
 
The Church of Christ has never been, nor ever was intended to be, a homogenous tribe. We can see that Christ called people of different backgrounds to himself, even in his earliest and closest disciples. He called Simon Peter and Andrew, two Jewish fishermen without education, to let go of their trade so they could join the apostolate. He called Matthew, who was a Roman citizen and an educated tax collector, to let go of his life of riches and become an apostle, and we know he called Simon the Zealot, a Jewish nationalist, to abandon political intrigue and rebellion and become an apostle. There was Mary Magdalene, a woman of low station, who Jesus called, and who became an early disciple of Christ and the Apostle to the Apostles. We know the story of the Ethiopian Eunuch who was baptized by Philip, and then there is the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, a foreigner that Jesus ministered to and called to himself, and who is now known and venerated in the Eastern Catholic traditions as Saint Photini. There are so many different life stories and backgrounds to tell, too many to include here, but let us agree that it is meant to be like this. We are not all the same, yet we are all united in the One who loves us. We are diverse, yet one.

“As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:12-13)

Just like Saint Paul, we all have our own stories of how we were called to Christ, and there are as many stories as there are stars in the sky. This call that we share with our brothers and sisters is an important part of what makes us one in Christ. In the Eucharist, we are one. We are to remember this. We are stronger together, in what makes us different and in what unites us.

“You can do something I can’t do. I can do something you can’t do. Together, let us do something beautiful for God.” (Saint Teresa of Calcutta)

Let us pray: Lord, please open our eyes so that we may see your love towards your people. Let us cherish You in your diverse creation and in what makes us all one in You. Together in the Eucharist, let us adore You. Amen.

Rick Hernandez

Rick Hernandez is a commonsense Catholic, Lay Associate of the Blessed Sacrament, and a Director for Elisheba House. He lives in Trinity, Florida, with his wife Ivonne and their children. He also writes for the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament's Daily Eucharistic Reflections and for Catholicmom.com.