One says, “I belong to Paul.” Another says, “I belong to Apollos.” Does not that show that you have the spirit of this world? (1 Cor 3:4)

Unity in Christ’s Church has never meant uniformity, but instead a ‘layer cake’ of interlocking ministries and groupings. This is true at any level – from the local to the eternal. God did not make us all the same; he gave us all unique gifts, and our responsibility to Him is to be good custodians of those gifts and use them for the building up of the Kingdom.

You and I will find that Christ’s Church in heaven is much the same. In all their diversity, the saints have one thing in common: they “follow the Lamb wherever He goes” (Rev. 14:4). They are not focused on themselves, nor on each other, but on Him. For this reason “they need neither lamplight not sunlight, because the Lord God will shine upon them.” (Rev. 22:5)

It is not possible to create heaven on earth – and many have failed in the trying. But it is possible to try to live the values of the kingdom in the ‘here and now,’ so that we might be better accustomed to the kind of inward vision needed for our life in heaven. A lot of that involves not just enduring suffering, but leaning into it.

So things aren’t going your way? Lean into it. You’re frustrated at work? Lean into it. Your kids don’t practice the Faith? Lean into it. Instead of griping, let’s view these little obstacles for what they really are – the training ground of sanctity. With one or two exceptions, the great saints are not those who have never struggled: they are those who have endured to the end. Minor difficulties or annoyances are by no means unjust. God never said life would be easy.

Here in Georgetown we have had a lot of change in a short period of time. In the end, it does not really matter whether your loyalty is to one grouping or another. We are united regardless of any administrative divisions put in place to better organize the Church. We are no less united with our friends at Our Lady of Fatima, or St. Mary’s in Ridgefield, because they are in different parishes, are we? Not at all!

However, we have to keep the lights on and keep the roof over our head, and that is all of our business, including me, your Rector. I do not ask you to do anything I am not prepared to do myself, so being mindful of where to apply your generous giving is not a sign of preferring one over another. We are one, because in the end we belong not to Paul, nor to Apollos, but to Christ.

I planted the seed. Apollos put water on the seed. But God made the seed grow. (1 Cor 3:6)