In A Spirit Of Fellowship

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John XXIII, Bishop of Rome, Reformer, 1963 - Commemoration

Today's Readings:
[ Gal 2:1-10; Ps 122; Jn 17:9b-11, 14-19 ]

“I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word.” (John 17:20, NRSVA)

Today the Church commemorates John XXIII, Bishop of Rome and reformer, remembered most especially for convening the Second Vatican Council and inviting the Church to open its windows to the fresh movement of the Holy Spirit. His legacy was not one of abandoning tradition, but of trusting that God's living Word still has the power to speak anew in every age.

The readings appointed for today highlight that spirit. In Galatians, Paul recounts his meeting with the leaders of the Jerusalem church. Though their ministries differed, they recognized the grace given to one another and extended “the right hand of fellowship”. Unity did not require uniformity. The Church remained one body precisely because its members learned to recognize Christ's work in places they did not expect.

Psalm 122 celebrates Jerusalem as the city “to which the tribes go up”, a place where God's people gather despite their differences. Likewise, in John's Gospel, Jesus prays for his disciples as they remain in the world. He does not ask that they be removed from conflict or diversity, but that they be protected in God's name and sanctified in the truth.

From a Franciscan perspective, these readings remind us that unity begins with humility. St. Francis sought not to dominate but to listen, not to conquer but to reconcile. He understood that every person bears the image of God and that peace grows when we approach one another with reverence rather than suspicion.

John XXIII embodied something of that same spirit. He trusted that the Holy Spirit was still at work among God's people and that the Church could grow deeper in faith by listening carefully to one another.

As we remember him today, may we pray for the grace to be builders of communion in a divided world, extending the right hand of fellowship wherever we encounter the work of Christ. For wherever God's people gather in humility, truth, and love, there the prayer of Jesus continues to be answered.

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