Fr Alex Swain

Beloved in Christ,

The Church, being the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:15-17; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, 27) is divinely empowered by the grace of God. We—and all Christians—are ambassadors of the living God!

The Church is also a profoundly messy place. Because we humans are messy beings.

This combination of holy mess makes participation in the life of Christ through the Church incredibly exhilarating, and at times challenging and even painful.

The good(ish) news is: this has been the case since the earliest days—conflict, challenge, and mutual discernment were experienced in the Church since shortly after Christ’s ascension.

Early on, recorded in Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas come to Jerusalem to debate with the Apostles and other Christians about the need for the circumcision of gentiles—which Paul was vehemently against. “Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them…” (Acts 15:2).

Later, Paul and Barnabas get in an argument about whether to bring along an individual named John Mark. The disagreement gets so severe that Paul and Barnabas part ways (Acts 15:39).

One of the biggest arguments recorded in our Scriptures is between Paul and Peter (Galatians 2:11-14). Paul “opposed him (Peter) to his face” and rebuked him publicly for separating himself from Gentile believers for “fear of the circumcision faction.”

Disagreement. Argument. Rebuke. Dissension.

These are the products of human community—messy human community.

And, I suspect, there is something to be learned in them. There is something, dare I say, holy even in the midst of argument.

Through argument, when done “well,” the Spirit invites us to humble ourselves, to listen attentively to the other side, to discern the will of God.

And two of the biggest figures of Christian history—Saints Peter and Paul—are not exempt from this reality.

And neither are we—and that is good because argument creates opportunities for us to practice many of the spiritual virtues of our faith—compassion and love and listening—among many other virtues that we as Christians seek to develop (see 1 Cor. 13 for more on love!).

Today is the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. May we strive to model their faith and witness, their willingness to argue and reconcile, all for the great glory of God!

Saints Peter & Paul, pray for us to the Lord our God!

Yours in Christ,

—Fr Alex