Friday 23 October 2026
St John of Capistrano
Ephesians 4:1-6. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face – Ps 23(24):1-6. Luke 12:54-59.
Guiding light of charity
The work of unity we are called to in our first reading from Ephesians is not an easy thing. Unity in the face of inevitable disagreements, frustrations and so forth requires careful safeguarding. We see this writ large in the Catholic ‘personalities’ and camps which have come to prominence online. All too often even basic charity is discarded, with insults traded and mobs formed. We must resist this impulse in ourselves and avoid voices that fail in this regard.
Charity must be a guiding light in approaching disagreements, from the parish tea group to global discourse. Interpreting the words and actions of others in the best possible light is a serious spiritual discipline. Gentleness and patience in the way we think and speak allows for genuine engagement across even serious divides. We must remember that whatever we say about a fellow Catholic, we say about a part of Christ’s body.
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