CATHOLIC

In an article written by Fr. Ron Rolheiser, O.M.I., entitled, “Honoring an Abundant and Prodigal God,” he writes, “There’s a disturbing trend within our churches today. Simply put, we are seeing the embrace of our churches become less-and-less inclusive. More and more, our churches are demanding a purity and exclusivity not demanded by Jesus in Gospels.

What does it mean to be inclusive? We can begin with the word “Catholic”: The opposite of being “Catholic” is not being “Protestant.” The opposite of being “Catholic” is being narrow, exclusive, and overly selective in our embrace. The opposite of “Catholic” is to define our faith-family too narrowly.”

“Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord,” (Acts 9:1) goes to the high priest seeking a letter giving him permission to bring those practicing the Way back to Jerusalem in chains. Saul is respected as a staunch defender of the Jewish faith and the Law. So, he’s on a mission to silence those who would vary from its proper practice, to follow, what appears to be, a deviant practice drawing good Jews away from the God of their fathers. Let us not forget, Gentiles, Samaritans and other such groups weren’t included in the Jewish faith-family at this time either.

Paul’s Damascus encounter with Jesus has clearly opened his perspective. it changed him from persecutor to promoter of the Way. His epiphany was marked by encounter, darkness, an intervention by a Christian disciple, and his decision to be baptized: all elements common in the discernment of would-be converts and catechumens.

Today’s Gospel reading further develops Jesus’ insistence that he is the real Bread come down from heaven. John is underscoring the contrast between bread (lower case “b”) and Bread (capital “B”). The crowd wants bread to feed the body; Jesus offers himself as Bread to feed the soul. Eating his flesh and drinking his blood imply that one accepts Jesus as the nourishment of their life. Bread, flesh and blood: these equal Jesus, these equal life, for “Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood remains in me and I in him.” (Jn 6:56) which comes with the charge to be like Jesus.

“Catholic” means wide, universal. It means incarnating the embrace of an abundant and prodigal God whose sun (or “Son”) shines on all indiscriminately, the bad as well as the good. God’s heart is wide, abundant, prodigal, and universally embracing, a heart that takes care to pray for those “other sheep who are not of this fold.” (Jn 10:16)

To be “Catholic” is to imitate that.