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CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – Pope John Paul II was the great evangelist. He visited 129 countries.
Something curious happened during a pilgrimage to Africa. John Paul was the honored guest of a primitive tribe. Missionaries had reached them, and the tribal leader converted to Christianity. And now the Pope was present, celebrating the newest members of Christ’s flock.
There was a great celebration, but it also became apparent that these were Christians like we had never seen before. Their tribal ceremonial dances paid homage to their ancestors and the great animal spirits. None of them had read the bible or prayed the rosary. Their old ways were very much still present in their worship.
And yet John Paul warmly welcomed them into the faith and celebrated communion with them. This was a moment of profound wisdom from the Holy Father. Not all of us will worship the same way. Our understanding of the faith will grow, and change, the more we immerse ourselves in it. There are a few basic things that bind us together as Christians. Among them: the triune God; Father, Son and Holy Ghost. That Jesus is His only Son, who shed his blood for the forgiveness of our sins. The Bible, God’s revelation to us and his instructions in the ways of righteousness. If we have just those things in common, you and I are brothers and sisters in Christ. The smaller details will work themselves out over time.
Consider the ancient churches that were founded by the apostles. St. Peter’s church in Rome would have had a completely different faith tradition than the Church at Corinth, 800 miles away. Surely the church at Thessalonica, populated entirely by Gentiles, would have been different than the churches of Jerusalem, made up of Jews who believed Jesus was the Messiah. If you were able to travel from one church to another, you might wonder if they even practiced the same faith. They were tied together only by their belief in Jesus.
I rejoice that God’s church is growing in places like Asia and Africa and among natives in the furthest reaches of the earth. Their practices will be different than mine. I don’t care. The blood of Christ binds us together. God will take care of the rest.
Chris Conley
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