So Much to Share

If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe,

How will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?

Jesus’ words to Nicodemus, a teacher and leader of the Jews.

To help him understand, or accept, the need to be reborn.

Born from above, born in the Spirit.

This understanding of earthly things and heavenly things,

Is possible only through that awakening, that rebirth.

And as with all of Scripture,

True understanding is rooted in the fundamentals Jesus taught us:

The Good News that God loves us and offers us eternal life.

And the two great commandments for our response to that love—

Love God, and love your neighbor as yourself.

That community of believers we hear about in Acts did understand.

They were of one heart and one mind.

Like Barnabas, they shared all they had.

Laying it at the feet of the Apostles for redistribution.

There was no needy person among them.

What happened to that utopian community?

Why wasn’t that model universally embraced,

And replicated throughout the whole world?

Clearly, it’s hard to bring a group to that level of sharing and selflessness.

And even harder to maintain that commitment over time.

Devoted parents might be that committed to their children.

Devoted friends might be that committed to each other.

But we seem to hit a definite limit to loving our neighbors as ourselves.

When we try to scale up to larger groups it’s even harder.

The whole system can be brought down by just one  who won’t comply.

Many have tried to describe or create an ideal society.

Thomas More, Karl Marx, the Shakers, many others

But no utopia has taken hold in this world.

And there’s one basic reason they all fail—

Our collective inability to love our neighbors as ourselves.

That failure is all too apparent in our world and our country today.

We’re definitely not of one heart and mind.

We’re deeply and bitterly divided on many issues.

As demonstrated by the incivility of our political arguments 
And nasty campaigns.

There’s anger over inequality, anger at the 1%.

Many of the wealthy and powerful greedily grab for more.

Many in the middle are similarly callous toward the poor.

Many want us to turn our backs on refugees and immigrants.

We can’t achieve utopia.

But surely we can do better than this.

As those reborn of the Spirit, we’re called to improve this world.

To demonstrate that love of God and neighbor.

To expand the Kingdom of God on earth.

But realistically, how much impact can we expect to have?

That will depend upon our time, talent and treasure.

And how much of that we’re willing to lay at the feet of Jesus.

Tuesday 2nd Week of Easter

Jn 3:7-15   Acts 4:32-37     Read this Scripture @usccb.org