READINGS: Acts 15:1-2,22-29; Psalm 67:2-3,5-6,8; Apoc. 21:10-14,22-23; Jon 14:23-29
THEME: NOT WHO YOU ARE BUT WHAT YOU DO!
1. IS SALVATION ONLY FOR THE CIRCUMCISED IN THE FLESH?
Today’s first reading presents the first problem of the first converts and the Christian community and the first council – the council of Jerusalem (49-50 A.D.), where the apostles met in order to have a dialogue and resolve the problem within the early Christian community.
But then what was the problem? CIRCUMCISION. Some Judeo-Christians were teaching that there is no salvation for an uncircumcised. Hence, for them, there is no salvation for uncircumcised (pagan) nations unless they become circumcised.
What was the implication of such teaching?
Let us first of us see what circumcision is and how it came to be known as identity for the people of Israel. Circumcision is presented in Genesis as the sign of the covenant between God and Abraham and Abraham’s offspring (Gen 17:10-14).
In fact, circumcision became Abraham’s and his offspring’s bearing of the covenant with God in their flesh (cf Gen 17:13).
The Jews see themselves as the descendants of Abraham (cf John 8:33). Since the circumcision is given to Abraham as a sign of his covenant with God, and Abraham is the father of the Jewish nation, it means that for every man to be recognized as a Jew, he must be circumcised. Hence, circumcision becomes an entry door into the Jewish people, into Abrahamic descendants.
This circumcision became an identity of the Jewish people so much so that they were referring to other non-Jewish nations as ‘uncircumcised nations.’
Bringing this to the discussion in the first reading, for some men from Judaea to say that there is no salvation for one who is uncircumcised, they were saying that there is no salvation for a non-Jewish man.
If circumcision makes one a Jew, saying that unless one is circumcised, he cannot be saved, is a subtle way of saying that ‘unless one abandons his identity and becomes a Jew in the flesh, he cannot be saved.’ The implication of this teaching is that the salvation brought by Jesus Christ can only be attained by those who are either Jews or who allow themselves to be made Jews.
2. NO! THE UNCIRCUMCISED CAN ALSO BE SAVED!
At the council in Jerusalem, Peter spoke up and corrected the position and the conviction of some of the Judeo-Christians.
Peter reminded the entire council that it was neither circumcision nor the law which saved them but the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and this same grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is the salvific instrument also for the gentiles (cf Acts
15:11).
At the end, the council, through James (probably the leader of the council) decided that what
guarantees salvation is not what one is but what one does. It is not important to be circumcised or uncircumcised in the flesh but to live in the spirit of Christ.
Instead of “be a circumcised and be saved” the apostles and the elders of the council said “avoid these [food sacrificed to idols, blood, meat of strangled animals, and fornication] and you shall do well (you shall be fine).
This means that one can be circumcised in the flesh, adopting the old formular of the chosen people of God, but if he does not avoid the things that render the soul uncircumcised, he is not regarded among those saved. Christ came both for the circumcised Jews and for the uncircumcised pagans.
We must therefore be careful when we place people under conditions. We must not force people to abandon their identity and embrace ours before we can do good to them. We should not relate with people based on who they are but on what they do, how they live their lives.
3. THE ONE WHO LOVES IS THE ONE WHO KEEPS CHRIST’S WORD
In the gospel, Jesus speaks of love as the only requirement for him and his Father to make their home in someone.
While some people in the first reading were presenting circumcision as the requirement for one to be counted among God’s people, Jesus speaks of loving him which is manifested in keeping his word (cf John 14:23).
This means that one is not loved by
Christ nor by his Father because of where he/she comes from, but because of what he/she does with Christ’s words.
4. THE SPIRIT TEACHES THE WORD OF CHRIST
To love Christ is to keep his word. But the question is, “how does one know the word or the teaching of Christ or accept it as Christ’s teaching?”
For this, Christ promises the gift of the Holy Spirit, who will teach us and remind us of all that Christ has taught. For us therefore to be able to know and keep the word of Christ, we must first make home for the Spirit of Christ in us.
Keeping the word of Christ can sometimes be difficult. Sometimes, it can be very difficult to accept some of the truth of our faith or to hear the voice of Christ in the difficult situations of our lives.
Christ knows this and that is why he promises us the Holy Spirit. Christ knows that left alone, we will not be able to live up to his word and teachings, but with the presence of the Holy Spirit as our Paraclete, we will not only know and remember Christ’s word but also have the strength to live by the word.
Dear friends, salvation of Christ is for all men, and no one should be denied access to this salvation because of who he is or where he belongs to.
One needs not to belong to a particular sect or organization before he or she can have access to the salvation of Christ or before he or she can be counted worthy of our association.
Whatever we are is not because of where we come from but because of the grace of God. Christ demands not circumcision but love that is expressed by our obedience to his word.
We can be baptized but unless we love Christ, keeping his word, we will be lacking the Trinitarian indwelling.
Fr. Henry Chukwuezugo Nnamah
Catholic Diocese of Aguleri