Papal mania is sweeping the country. Pope Francis is coming! Pope Francis is coming! And these breathless notices filling my inbox come not only from church-affiliated organizations. They’re being sent by interfaith groups and environmental coalitions and anti-poverty activists and human rights workers. Everyone (except maybe the Koch brothers…) is excited about Pope Francis’ visit. He will speak the truth about what matters – financial inequities, environmental destruction, intolerance, war-mongering, all of it. And people will hear it, and all that is wrong will be put right.
It is gratifying to see a Christian leader generating such excitement from such a wide range of people. In his humility and authenticity and commitment to the Gospel that Jesus actually preached, Francis can do much to restore the tarnished image of Christianity. I see in the outpouring of welcome for him a shade of what Jesus said to his disciples after they complained that someone outside their group was attempting to work miracles in his name:
“Whoever is not against us is for us. For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.”
Many churches feel increasingly isolated from their communities as efforts to attract people to worship services are met with so little success. And it is true that what institutional religion is selling does not seem to be of great interest to many in today’s Western societies. Where churches can expand is by inviting people to join them in works of service. That is a most natural way to share faith, working alongside people who are not part of our congregations, making space for them to bring “cups of water” to us and those with whom we work to address needs and change structures. From inviting people to help us serve meals in soup kitchens to promoting my bishop's online course on gun violence prevention, there are many access points that might appeal to the un- or de-churched.
What works of service or advocacy are you involved in? Who from beyond your congregation might you invite to join you? How might you lift up the gifts of such people, making them full partners in your work? How might you communicate that your commitment to this work is rooted in your relationship with Christ, that you work in his name?
Put another way: Who around us is offering us cups of water because we bear the name of Christ, affirming our work and our commitments? By all means, let’s take the water and drink it, and build on the friendship from there. We know a little something about the water of life.
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