Growing up with all brothers, was a lot of fun. It was like having your own private, fraternity. Man, did I feel sorry for my Mom. People used to ask us if we wanted a sister, and the answer was always a resounding “no”. Why would we want “girl” things around? And you can’t have a sister without getting the “girl” things also. We worked together. We prayed together. We watched TV together. We ate together. But, of course, things were not always easy. Naturally, there were those inevitable times of conflict and argument. We argued over trucks: first the Tonka kind, and then over my father’s pickup trucks. We argued about work and chores, and who did the most. We argued over who got to sit where in the car, and mostly over who had to sit in the middle. We argued over girls, and sports, and whose fault it was why the lawnmower wouldn’t start. I love my brothers. They are great guys. And I am very proud to be related to each of them. But it wasn’t always easy being a family. And getting along as brothers, then and now, takes a lot of work.

Jesus is reminding us of the same message today in our first reading and in our Gospel. We have a responsibility to each other. As Christians we are all called to be brothers and sisters to one another. This is the essence of Church. And to be Church, take a lot of work. And yet, it is not an option. Else where in the Gospel Jesus teaches us that if we say that we love God, then we’ve got to be willing to love and care for one another. You can love God and NOT love and care about your brothers and sisters. We can’t do that because God loves everybody. Everybody is invited to be Church. Not just a few. Not just the perfect. Not just those who think and act like us. Everybody is called. And so we are called to love and care about everybody. It doesn’t matter how much money they have or don’t have. It doesn’t matter what color their skin is. It doesn’t matter if they like us back. It doesn’t matter where they live or what kind of car they drive. We have got to get this straight: All human beings are our brothers and sisters. We don’t get to pick and choose, any more than we got to pick and choose who our blood brothers or sisters are. This is why we have to care when there’s tsunami in Indonesia, or a stampede in Iraq, or a hurricane in Louisiana. Those are not just numbers. Those are people. Those are our brothers and sisters.

And just as we are to love and care for one another, so too we are to peacefully work out our problems and conflicts. Jesus is teaching us how to do this today. He says that we have to make the effort because they are our brothers and sisters, and because unity with the family, unity within the Church, is so important. The devil loves it when we are divided. It is satan’s favorite tool to get the Church arguing within Itself. And we’re so good at it. We play right into the devil’s hands all the time. The Church is constantly arguing over silly little things. And while we’re busy arguing with one another, the devil is having a great time. He’s the enemy. He’s the one who’s trying to get us to go to Hell. He’s the one trying to destroy God’s plan for our salvation. If we want to fight or argue with someone, we should be fighting the devil, not one another.

The Church is a powerful entity. When we work together, when we pray together, when we hang out together, the devil is not pleased. The Church is the unstoppable vehicle of the Holy Spirit. The Church is us! We are given a power when we’re together, that most of us can only begin to imagine. We’ve got to work more towards our unity. We’ve got to pray together more. There’s such a power in the prayer of the Church. And that’s what this Gospel is reminding us of, towards the end of the text. We need to pray with one another. God is in the midst of all of those who pray together, whether it’s a big group or small group. God is there. God is listening. And God will act.

We cannot ever lose the message that our relationship with others affects our relationship with God. God does care about how we treat each other. God does desire that we live together in peace. Sometimes, that just takes some work. It does in a family, even with all boys. And it does in a Church, even a Church like St. Maria Goretti. Let us follow God’s advice today. Let us work together to resolve all conflict and strife within our community. It can be done, you know. We just have to be willing to give it a try.

God bless us this day, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit… AMEN !!!

St. Maria Goretti … Pray for us !!!