Get Used to Different

Dear Our Lady of Ransom Family:

“Well that was different.” That’s what I said to myself while collapsing into my chair after celebrating the Easter Vigil in an empty church. I’ve been saying that a lot. In so short of a period of time, there is much that is different. We hope that some of the differences will be temporary, disappearing as the pandemic dissipates and the machinery of the modern world roars (or whimpers) back into action. I suspect, however, that some of these differences will remain with us, changing the way we move through our society. This will be a challenge for many, because to live in a world wounded by original sin means to live in a world that loves so-called progress, but runs from difference.

There is a joke among pastors where during a fiery and inspiring homily, the pastor asked his congregation, “Now, who wants to make a difference,” and all of the Church jumped up, with arms raised, yelling their passionate affirmation. Inspired by this energy, he continued, “And who wants to  be different,” and the whole place sat there sullen-eyed and silent. This joke usually elicits smiles from pastors of any denomination. Why? Because there is a universal truth – we don’t like different.

Frankly, neither did the apostles.

The apostles struggled with relating to others in a  different  way, prompting Jesus to rebuke them when they wanted to call down fire upon Samaritans who wouldn’t welcome Jesus (Luke 9:51-55). Peter couldn’t conceive of a Messiah  different  from the one he expected, causing Jesus to call him Satan as he tried to stand in the way of the crucifixion (Matthew 16:24-28). In one of my favorite moments in scripture, as the Risen Lord stands before them ready to ascend into heaven, the apostles ask, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6) After everything they had seen, they still couldn’t understand a  different  type of kingdom, a far greater kingdom, than their limited experience prepared them for. Imagine that! Since the moment Jesus entered their lives, the apostles were already living a radically different life. Yet even they struggled with how uncontrollable and unexpected that difference was.

To be a follower of Jesus Christ, to be a disciple that has dropped his net to follow the strange preacher into the unknown, to be someone who is living in the peace and joy that only the Holy Spirit can bring – all of that,  all of that, means to embrace something different. Why?

Because, brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ is really, truly, and bodily Risen from the dead. And that means  everything is different! The Resurrection has and continues to change the world. It is not a static event trapped in the confines of a space and time far different from our own. No! It continues to push into our world,  our families, and our lives. A disciple of Jesus Christ must embrace different, because a disciple of Jesus Christ embraces the grace of Resurrection. To be a Christian is to boldly and unapologetically embrace being different.

Recently, I have come across a fantastic multi-season television series on the life of Jesus. It is written and produced by evangelical protestants and beautifully communicates the power of the Gospel. I’d encourage you to take a look at it  here. In the short clip that you can see below, Jesus is inviting the tax collector Matthew to follow him (Matthew 9:9-13). Peter expresses his concern, objecting that the unworthiness of the tax collector was of a different magnitude than Peter's own and, therefore, was a little  too different. To that, Jesus replies, “Get used to different.” For we who are striving, who are longing to be missionary disciples, that should become our motto: Get used to different. It is in that difference that we find true freedom, unshakable peace, and lasting joy. It is in that difference that the Holy Spirit can empower us to live a life of the supernatural, to perform signs and wonders no less real than those done by Jesus. It is in that difference that we find the very meaning of our lives – intimate and everlasting union with our God.

Get used to different? Yep. Why? Because….

He is Risen!
He is Risen Indeed!

And that makes all the difference.

Fr. Matt Bozovsky
Pastor
Our Lady of Ransom Catholic Church