Catholic Outlook Magazine Ordinary Time Winter Edition 2022

Pentecost – accepting variety
and difference
STORY DR LAURIE WOODS
The earliest Christians had to consider whether
they would impose restrictions on their new faith
as followers of Christ. Who could join? Dr Laurie
Woods considers the lessons they learned in the
context of today.
Pentecost represents the fulfilment of Christ’s
work. His band of disciples had quickly grown into
a community of dedicated followers committed to
living out the values of the Master. Christians do
not always demonstrate awareness that nearly all
of these people were Jewish and were, in reality, a
sect of Judaism. They were still praying at the temple
in Jerusalem and kept faith with the customs and
religious practices of Judaism.
The Eastertide readings from the Acts of the Apostles
give us a glimpse of the trials and decisions that
these early Jesus people had to face as their
numbers grew. One of the chief matters of concern
was the qualification for membership. Who should
be allowed to join? Should there be any restrictions?
Were non-Jews welcome? And if so, should they be
obliged to follow Jewish laws and customs?
We know from his letters that Paul was opposed
to any policy that might require newly baptised
gentile members to follow Jewish laws and customs
that insisted on male circumcision, observance of
food regulations and ritual cleanliness customs.
He maintained that it was only necessary that new
members commit in faith to Jesus Christ and his
values. Acts and the Pauline letters also reveal
factions who opposed each other quite strongly on
some of these issues. In time, the leading Apostles
agreed that non-Jewish converts did not have to go
to Christ through the doorway of Judaism.
The difficulties the early Jesus people had to deal
with have their counterparts in our Church and
society today. How well do we accept difference?
Can we learn from the almost infinite diversity
in nature that our God is the maker of variety
and difference?
Jesus was a model of living with difference and being
comfortable with all kinds of people. He was good
at accepting individuals where they were at. He was
criticised by the self-righteous for mixing with tax
collectors and sinners, but then he saw the potential
in every human being and never wrote anyone off.
Jesus reminded Simon the Pharisee how unfair he
was in passing judgment on the woman who wept at
his feet. He refused to condemn the woman accused
of adultery but he pointed out to her that what
she was doing was no way to live, no way to grow
to wholeness.
He touched the untouchables and restored them as
much with his compassion as with healing power.
He challenged the rich man to follow him but did not
love him any less when the man could not make the
leap to discipleship. He did not pass judgement but
accepted that the man was not ready.
Pentecost can prompt us to reflect on the broadminded
thinking of Jesus who relished variety and
difference in everyone he met. As he said, “The Spirit
moves where it wills,” and it is up to us to look for
the Spirit in the events and people that come into our
life. Seeing the good and the potential in others is to
imitate the attitude of Jesus as well as being a mark
of sound mental health.
Dr Laurie Woods is a retired senior lecturer in Biblical
Studies from the Australian Catholic University and currently
conducts teacher inservice sessions and parish reflection
days. He lives in the Diocese of Parramatta and is a member
of Our Lady of the Nativity Parish, Lawson.
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