WHAT’S IT LIKE
TO BE THE OTHER?
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this 4th Monday
after Easter is a question: “What’s It Like to Be the Other?”
Today’s readings trigger that question for me.
After Easter a lot of these first readings during the
week are all about these struggles in the Early Church about different groups –
becoming Christian and then the struggles with integration – circumcised with uncircumcised,
pork eaters and non-pork eaters, Gentiles and Jews.
I’m sure there were various other language struggles and
barriers – in all the different areas – around the Mediterranean Basin. I’m
sure various cultures and customs brought struggles into the growing Christian
community. In fact, that’s one good way
to read and listen to the New Testament: the Acts of the Apostles, The Letters
of Paul and others, as well as the Gospels.
And today’s gospel - John 10:
11-18 - has Jesus talking about sheep from other flocks – and the urge –
the hope for unity and mergers of flocks.
MODERN TIMES –
SOME QUESTIONS
Down through the centuries the Church had to deal with
these issues of differences – with nationalities, tribes, cultures, class
struggles, etc.
The title of my homily is, “What’s it like to be the
other?”
That’s a great opening generic question. It might be
helpful to be more specific with the question.
What’s it like to be in a wheelchair?
What’s it like to not be able to hear?
What’s it like to divorced?
What’s it like to have had an abortion?
What’s it like to be widowed?
What’s it like to stutter?
What would it be like to be parachuted into central Africa
or central China and be the only person who looks like what we look like?
What’s it like to have a son or daughter on drugs?
What’s it like to have a brother or a sister who is gay and someone is blasting those who are gay?
What’s it like to a first year or first teacher –
standing there in front of 28 first grade kids or senior high school kids?
CONCLUSION
Years and years ago, I remember my mother sitting there
in this big hall and a black priest I knew walked into the room. Spotting me he
walked up to my mom and started talking to her.
She was shocked. He might have been the first black person she ever met.
I remember my first assignment as a priest. Every guy in
the community was an old man. Most were probably around my age right now or
younger. It was the late 60’s and they were educated and trained before Vatican
II – and so they were quite different from me. The first evening I walked into
our common room to watch a ballgame on TV with them. Half were sleeping and
half were smoking horrible smelling cigars.
Welcome to a new world.
Welcome to life: isn’t it all about seeing, learning,
comparing, adapting, adjusting, compromising – and expansion of discovering
others are different.
Hint. Hint. God is different.
Hint. Hint. Others are different.
Imagine Christ – the Son of God – becoming human, born of
Mary, a teenage girl. It took time - but as Luke tells us, he grew in wisdom and age – with people who had no
idea who he was.
All this is called life – and Jesus gives lots and lots
of one liners on how to deal with life and others. For the sake of being
practical, let me just line up guess three secrets we have from Jesus on how to
deal with all this:
1)
Try the golden rule. Do unto others.
2)
Expect the Cross
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