It is a distinctive feature of the Christian faith to love, forgive and to be reconciled to others. In the Pauline epistle today, we hear the words of the Apostle Paul, “be reconciled to God.” What does this mean? If we look up the dictionary definition of being “reconciled” it means to - restore friendly relations. Often, we use this word in the context of our relationship with others, but St. Paul uses it in our relationship with God. So, then, why do we have to be reconciled to God? Why is that necessary?

In the Pauline epistle today, we hear the words of the Apostle Paul when he speaks about his friendship with his companions: “I am glad about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for what was lacking on your part they supplied. For they “refreshed” my spirit and yours.” (1 Cor. 16:17-18) In Paul’s letter to Timothy (1 Tim. 1:16) he makes mention of Onesiphorus and how he often “refreshed” him. The word “refreshed” is used on both occasions. It means to live again. It also means to make something better or to make it like what it was before. We may have heard it used in the context of drinking a glass of water: “Could you please refresh my drink?” It means to make it new or refill it with juice, soda or ice. After taking a shower, we might say: “I feel refreshed.” This means that we feel rejuvenated. So, here, we can say that the friends/companions that Paul mentions made him feel “alive” again and rejuvenated. This is how we as Christians in the Church, particularly in the parish, should behave toward each other. We should be refreshing to each other.

The circumcision of the man was a way that God established his relationship with the Jewish people in a tangible way. (Genesis 17: 10-12) It signified the difference between the Jewish people and the gentiles. It was not however a permanent rule because God in his divine providence knew that in order to reconcile mankind to Himself, he would have to send his Son to the world to become a man and die for our sins. Just as Christ became “sin” for us through his death and resurrection, (2 Cor. 5:21) so also, he became “circumcision” for us. So, no longer was it necessary for a man to have circumcision as an outwardly sign of a relationship with God; it was now only necessary that the heart of a person be made right with God and through the heart there would be a development of a strong relationship with God, leading to life a of prayer, fasting, love for others, peace, joy, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control and devotion to the Sacraments. (Galatians 5: 22-23)

There once was a man who wanted to get his clothes dry cleaned for an occasion the next day. Unfortunately, all the dry-cleaning places he went to could not fulfill that order within one day. He did, however, remember that there was a one-hour dry cleaning establishment further from his home. He went there and gave his clothes. When the owner told him that he could pick up his clothes in three days, the man was confused. He asked, “No, I need it tomorrow.” The owner said, “O, we can’t do that…that would be too soon.” The man asked, “But, then why does your sign say, “One-hour dry cleaning?” The owner replied, “O that’s just our sign, we actually don’t do that…” The theme of the story and how it is connected to my message is this: our Christianity is often a label, sort of like the advertisement. We are known as Christians. We have the baptismal certificate to prove it. We have our church membership. All of this is necessary. But if Christ visits our life (spiritually), like the man visited the dry-cleaner, what do we have to show as proof of our Christianity. If Christ says to us, “You advertised that you are Christian, so can you show me your prayer life, your parish attendance, your fasting, your giving to the poor, your forgiveness toward others who have offended you.” What would we have to show? Most of us, like that owner, may have to be honest and say that “It is a sign that we have but we don’t really practice what the sign says.”