One of the most successful
movements ever started which has been able to help people get their lives back
together is the group known as Alcoholics Anonymous or AA. By now there
are also many other ‘twelve step’ groups, as they are called, such as Narcotics
Anonymous, Workaholics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, and others. The
interesting thing is that the twelve step program on which they are based, is
basically a summary of the Christian life. The twelve steps involve
admitting that you are powerless over your problem, whatever it might be; that
your life is unmanageable, that only God (as you understand God) can help you
and so you must turn to him; also that you need to atone for the hurt and
damage that you may have caused others. But the main reason why these
groups have helped so many people is because they are based on the idea that we
need the support of like minded people if we are to be able to live any kind of
way of life.
Our coming to mass on a Sunday
has a very similar thinking behind it. We come together primarily to
worship the Lord, but also because we need the support of like minded people
who also believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Holy One of God. This was
exactly why the early Christians began to come together in each other’s houses,
so that they could share their faith together, listen to the Word of God,
receive the Lord Jesus in the Eucharist and be encouraged by each other’s presence
and witness.
Today we do the same thing but
in a more organised way. But the reason we still come together is not
just because it’s Sunday and we have to go to mass, but because we need the
support of others who believe as we do.
We come to give of ourselves to
God, to worship God because everything we have comes from him and then we also
receive so much in each mass. We need to listen to God’s word for guidance and
inspiration, so that we can learn how God wants us to live and most importantly
to receive Jesus in the Eucharist. We are nourished by Jesus himself when we
receive him in Holy Communion and are intimately united with him in the most
extraordinary way. The Eucharist is not
just a symbol or something that reminds us of Jesus, but really and truly the
body and blood of Jesus. We receive Jesus himself into our bodies. What greater
gift could we ask for than this? The Lord knows much better than we do how much
we need this kind of strength and support and that is why he has set it up for
us this way. All of this is for our benefit, because we need this kind of
support.
In the second reading St. John
says that what the Lord asks of us is this: to believe in the name of Jesus
Christ, that He is the Son of God, and to love one another. If we can do
that much we are doing a lot.
More and more in our society
it becomes obvious that we don’t all believe in the same thing and that is
alright, there is room for everyone. But if we are to survive, we need
the support of each other and to know that we are not on our own. We also
need to look out for each other, because that is the practical way of living
out our faith. It is not easy to live as a Christian, but it never has
been. In the Gospel Jesus says, ‘Cut off from me you can do
nothing.’
If we are serious about
following this way of life, then we must recognise what it is we need.
Just as with someone suffering from an alcohol or drug addiction, if they want
to get well, they need to work the twelve step program, it is the same for
us. If we hope to survive as Christians, we need to stay close to Jesus,
to listen to his word, to receive him in the Eucharist and to love one another.
Jesus is our source of life in every sense. If we wish to remain alive as
Christians we must be rooted in him. No one else will give us life as He does.
‘I am the
vine, you are the branches... cut off from me you can do nothing.’
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