Twenty-Fourth Monday in Ordinary Time

For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, "This is my Body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my Blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

There is always the temptation to exclude people or to join with one faction or another. However, this is not what Jesus did in his life. He was welcoming and open to others, sinners, saints, and even his enemies. He handed down the Eucharist to us so we might be united as one in His Body, the Church. He sought to bring us together, male and female, rich and poor, through the sharing of His Body and Blood. Yes, there are people we don't like or don't connect with, but this doesn't mean we can look down on them or exclude them from our faith lives. This isn't what Jesus would have done and so it isn't what we should do, either. Instead, we should be understanding, charitable, and merciful, not judging others, but rather loving them as best we can.

Are there people we are excluding from our lives unfairly? How can we reconcile ourselves with them and welcome them into our lives? In what ways can we bring those around us together?

O Lord, help us to be united in you.

Amen.