Will you invite someone with a criminal record to sit at your table and break bread with you? While we may like to talk about being kind and loving, being authentic is neither simple nor easy. Talk is cheap. I once attended a church service in California that spent a long time praying about immigrants with the most inclusive language possible; but when the service ended no one bothered even to say hi to me! I have found this to be so true about churches in general. The language spoken is wonderfully inclusive, the actions are a different story.
This last Saturday an attendee of our Saturday Community Meal shared his experience about how churches which ought to be all about healing the broken are often about feeling good about their own social clubs. It is a sad truth. But before we offer our own judgement, it is worth asking why it is so. Is it because we feel more comfortable with the people who look like us, be it social, economic, moral, racial, language background, etc.; or is it that we desire to do the good that we speak about but lack the courage to practice it?
Jesus had his last supper with the person who was about to betray him to his death. He knew what was about to happen. He was not happy about this situation; and yet, he did not exclude him. Authentic love takes a lot of courage. The salvation Jesus offers us is that his resurrection is the confirmation that our worst fear – the fear of death – no longer has the final word. In Christ, that is the freedom we receive. We receive the freedom to no longer fear the worst that can be done to us – death. This freedom allows us to love with courage and live authentically.
I urge you my brothers and sisters to live authentically and love courageously – as you are already doing.