You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all.
                                                                                                                                                                                                      (Acts 10:36 NRSV)   Reflections by Keith Funk

If we are honest, contention fueled by suspicion has become the Modis Operandi among many today. An increasing number of people are embracing contention as the core of their identity and defining themselves by who or what they are opposed to.

I lament that anger is fueling many today. There is heightened contention in our government, media, and educational institutions. I see this anger present in many families. Certainly, I witness this anger in many segments in the Church at large. Of course, there will ever be disagreements on various points. But disagreements are turning into growing divisiveness unchecked. Because of this, we are losing sight of ourselves. When this happens in families, it is intensely grievous. When it happens in the Church, we court blasphemy. I will say this strongly, we are standing in danger of losing sight of not only who we are, but whose we are. If we lose sight of whose we are, it is inevitable that we will lose sight of what we are about and why we are here. This is tragic!

Let’s take a moment to reflect on the story of Peter and Cornelius from the book of Acts. A short time has passed since our Lord’s resurrection and ascension. The Church is on the move. From Jerusalem and Judea, the good news was announced and received in Samaria. In Acts 10, Peter is called through a vision to go with some messengers to meet with a Roman centurion named Cornelius. Cornelius had received a vision from God, and through an angel was told to bring Peter to his house. What happened then was extraordinary. Cornelius welcomed Peter and Peter received the hospitality of Cornelius. Why extraordinary? Because a gentile, and a Roman one at that, welcomed a Jew and the Jew received the welcome of the Roman. Now this is but an outline of the larger story from Acts 10. I would encourage you to read it. But from this story we read of Cornelius, his household and friends having received the good news, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Many read this as a testimony of how the gospel of Jesus and the Church was on the move. Certainly, this is what Luke wants his readers to see. But there is also something about this that is a bit more nuanced. The good news of Jesus is God’s peace plan for the world. In Jesus, God was not only “reconciling the world to himself through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:19), but God was and is also reconciling us to one another.

In this season of the resurrection of Jesus, where life has prevailed, may we embrace this life in response to all about us. May the good news of Jesus Christ be the cause of our welcoming and receiving one another in God’s ways and means of peace.

Peace be with you.