Stranger danger

In looking at ourselves as communities of faith, we believe that we are welcoming to the other.  If we were to look at ourselves from a totally different perspective, i.e. a Muslim woman, would we feel the same?  In looking at ourselves we perceive what we wish to see and sometimes we are blind to how we actually react to difference.  The same applies to any community to which we belong, if we perceive a threat in a person from outside, no matter what that threat may be, we often turn ourselves away.  We defend what we perceive to be our community.  In times when this occurs we need to turn to scripture to see how to manage as people of faith.  Paul is very firm in his first letter to the Corinthians (9.16-23) as he states that he ministers as if he were from the group.  For Christ it is a case on ministering to everyone irrespective in the same loving manner but taking an opportunity to withdraw (Mk 1.21-31).

Is either better. No.  It is a case here of what works best for our own communities.  Sometimes we need to set up and manage our ministry as Paul did.  That means that we have to be sufficiently open with ourselves and with others about who we are.  It means that we have to draw along side the other and find out who they are.  It means allowing the other into our lives as the other moves into ours.  In becoming as the other we are able to bring God's presence into their lives.  How?  By living as Christ within their midst as one of those whom we class as other.  This is incarnational ministry, a ministry that we need to practice in today's society so that those who are other can come to understand the message of Christ.  We mirror Christ's presence and live in his light whilst being ourselves and living as the other.  Only when we are totally accepted for who we are can we even start to minister as Christ.  This means that we need to be fully aware of ourselves as messengers of Christ. We can not come alongside someone who we detest in our thoughts and hearts.  Our pre-judgement of their lives will be lived out in our actions.  We will become rejected and move away from the opportunity God gave to us.  If we approach and come alongside with the love of God for all people we will be able to minister to those who are different by understanding their difficulties rather than apportioning blame, prejudice and hatred.

Do we offer the water of life or water poisoned by our own needs?

We have difficulty with incarnational ministry because it exposes our thoughts to those around us.  If we are quick to reveal our own prejudices then we are unable to come close to the other.  We then attempt to be as Christ to the multitude.  In this we also fail.  Why?  In our attempts to reach the many we open the community to outsiders and then complain when new changes appear in our midst. Or else we make the attempt on a superficial level and proclaim that we are doing so well.  In reality we are providing no more than a social service without the deeper and profounder interaction that Christ has with his people.  Christ heals those that come to him in our attempts we so often poison the wells of love with the corruption of our desire.  We form our own little kingdoms within which we rule to the detriment of all those who would stand by our side.  It takes time and effort to become as Christ to those around us and to those we serve.  That sometimes means that we retreat from the world but it does not mean that we give up.  Rather it is often time to move on to offer our gifts and the Christ light within us to others.  We cannot despair when this occurs but rather sing in joyous praise for the work of Christ in the lives of those around us.