Unity in diversity

It was quite well established in the Old Testament that every prophetic call came from God. And while the community itself played an important role in determining this ministry, it could never be expected that it would influence the activity of God's Spirit. Hence the oft mentioned assertion that "the Spirit blows where it wills!" The community was challenged to be faithful to its religious tradition, while at the same time open to new ways by which God provided for the people.

Like Moses in the first reading of today, Jesus challenged a rigid understanding of ministerial legitimacy. He pointed to the commitment to the service of others in his name as a valid criterion for ministry understood in a wide sense, insisting that "whoever is not against us, is with us". Circumstances, in other words, can sometimes change the criteria for judging authenticity and suitability. Community authority here is also upheld, while the need to be open to new ways in which God may be calling other witnesses is here also upheld and placed firmly before us.

The second part of today's Gospel is a warning against 'giving scandal'. The original Greek word, translated in Mark as 'causing to sin', really means 'causing to stumble'. While many commentators believe that the 'little ones' of whom Jesus speaks here are the children, quite a few maintain that since the entire passage speaks about following Jesus, the reference here is to disciples in general they are after all "children of God". And a little further in this same Gospel Jesus does call his disciples 'children'. Whatever the reference, Jesus warns against causing another to stumble or be scandalised.

Just what is the scandal in the context of ministry in the Church today? Is it that people who do not conform to customary patterns are disregarding the authority of tradition and are audaciously stepping forward? Is it that members of the Church, both those who are in official capacity and those who are not, are insensitive to the prompting of the Spirit and therefore insist that the Church must continue to do things the way they have always been done? Or might it be a bit of both?

This point has in fact been officially referred to by Vatican II in its Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, which states that "the body of the faithful as a whole, anointed as they are by the Holy One, cannot err in matters of belief. Thanks to a supernatural sense of the faith (sensus fidei), which characterises the people as a whole, it manifests this unerring quality when, from the bishops down to the last member of the laity, it shows universal agreement in matters of faith and morals" (Lumen Gentium, 12).

In the light of today's Gospel, as well as of the teaching of Vatican II, we have just quoted, we must always as a community discover how the needs of the people of God can best be served, being always faithful to the authentic tradition of the Church and to the mysterious ever-present Spirit of God.

Here come to mind the marvellous statement made by nonetheless than the Blessed Pope John XXIII of happy memory when referring to Church unity: "Unity in necessary matters, freedom in doubtful ones, and charity in all things". Endowed with such wisdom and love for unity, the Holy Spirit could not have inspired any other one than the holy Pope John to initiate Vatican II, to which our Church owes so much today.