Becoming the Body of Christ

Dear Friend,

Listening to members of the community here at the Mission, I hear surprising stories that make the love of Jesus Christ become real for me. 

Here’s what I heard this week. It’s in line with the Body of Christ we celebrate as the bread of compassion and it’s from one of our most faithful lay ministers. Like many others assisting with Sunday liturgy, she’s doing ministry in the community, which I had no clue about.

She begins: “I belong to a women’s activist knitting group.” (Surprise #1: never knew such a thing existed!) “One of our members is an immigrant from Burma-Myanmar. She said that there was a high mortality rate among babies born to tribes in the jungle hills. One of the problems is that the traditional women fear mid-wives and won’t visit them.

“She suggested that we knit infant hats so they might be distributed to the midwives, who in turn might give them to women who become patients. Maybe there’s a chance the hats might become a status symbol (reward?) drawing other women into a new way of seeing the mid-wives. The hats might spark a change in a long-standing mind-set.”

She concludes: “Act, speak up, be courageous! A baby hat can save a life.” 

Okay, I would add -- and be creative. Try a few maybe cock-eyed schemes and course correct as needed. Corpus Christi - becoming the Body of Christ – means all of it, most importantly the babies, the mothers, the mid-wives, plus, the global reach and the desire to serve. “Do this in remembrance of me,” writes Paul quoting the life-giving tradition handed on to him.  And a community of disciples carried the bread and cup out into the world.  

What’s your story?  Let me know, I’d like to pass it on!

Gratefully,

Father Dan ofm