By Jonathan Camiolo

 

I stopped by the local supermarket the other day to get some dog food for my 5 month old golden retriever puppy.  As I parked my car I noticed a group of young men, 8th graders and freshman that were walking toward my car.  I knew 3 of the 6 and as I got out of the car said “hi”.  One of the boys looked confused – he knew me but just did not know how.  You know that confused look?  I have that happen all the time where I recognize a face but simply cannot figure out where from.  It was one of those.  Then all of a sudden he said, “Oh yeah, you’re the CCD guy!” and he came closer.  He and his friends immediately laughed and started to talk to me.

 

As the conversation continued about sports, life and church, one of the boys that I did not know said, “I am so happy I am only a Christian, it’s so much easier.  We don’t have to go to CCD.”  One of the other boys said to him, “but Catholics are Christians”.  I was proud that the young man from our parish recognized that and was not ashamed to say it.  We are all Christians, followers of Christ.  Somehow we have been confused and so many young people do not understand that we are one in our faith in Jesus Christ, even though our denominations are different.  Those differences should not be ignored of course, but we should also not be divided and have any negativity toward one another.  

 

In the second reading, there is confusion because people are saying that they follow this apostle or that apostle.  Saint Paul is quick to write that Christ’s desire is for us to be one and unified.  When Christ walked along the beach like in the Gospel this week and called Peter and Andrew and the other apostles He said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  He called them to build the Church, to be His disciples for a few years and then to entrust to them leading and building the Church.  Only over the last few hundred years have so many Christian denominations started, and so we seem so divided.  I think Christ would love for us one day to be one again, united in creed and practice, but until then, lets build each other up and learn from one another.  May we all truly be “fishers of men”, bringing all we know to find a relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ.  Think. Pray.  Decide. Change.

 

Have a wonderful week and remember – GOD LOVES YOU and has called you to be his disciple and a “fisher of men”.