Imagine those who lived right after the time that Jesus walked on the earth. They tried to put the pieces of their lives together in the context of their faith. They were Jews and Gentiles and people from many regions of the area. They were introduced to Jesus either through His physical presence or through those who had witnessed His life, deeds and words. Jesus didn’t fit any of the pre-existing patterns of teachers and rabbis. He did things and said things that didn’t normally fit together. He called things wise that many people thought were foolish, and He encouraged a way of life that seemed to be extremely dangerous if not deadly. All thoughts of Jesus’ life making sense without reflection and inspiration simply didn’t work. We have evidence of that in the Gospel this weekend. “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me Philip?” Thomas says, “Master we do not know where you are going.” How could people spend so much time with Jesus and still not understand?

We could ask that question of ourselves today. After being disciples of Jesus, do we understand the way that leads to where He goes? Have we put together all of His teachings and followed all of His behaviors? The obvious answer for all of us is no. It’s difficult to examine each situation, choice and circumstance in the light of Jesus’ life and teaching and follow His way. We get into ruts, we develop habits and patterns, and we forget to think and examine what we are to do and say. We forget to ask Jesus to guide us through each day on the way. We forget that we are not the Creator. We are essential parts of the Body of Christ but we are not the head. How do we move from our way to His way?

There’s an example for us in the excerpt from the Acts of the Apostles. The early Church was growing and many disciples were added. We are also told that it isn’t a homogeneous group, coming from many places, backgrounds and regions. Any of us who are involved in community know that change is not easy. Welcoming people who are different than we are stretches our comfortability. We have our ways of doing things and we expect others to do it that way. How many of us have heard, “we don’t do it that way here.”

The conflict between the Hellenists and the Hebrews certainly had to do with language and cultural upbringing, but also some deeper divisions, which made inclusion so much more difficult. The early Church made a decision guided by the Holy Spirit. Instead of taking the apostles off their job of prayer and ministry of the word, they selected reputable members of the community to care for the needs of the widows who were Hellenists. As we have heard already in the Acts of the Apostles, those who were members of the community shared what they had in common and there was a daily distribution according to people’s needs. The widows were being neglected in that daily distribution.

Since we are that community of believers who are trying to follow the way that Jesus has set out for us, can you see anyone or any group of people left out in the daily distribution? How about in your family, in your parish, in your neighborhood, in our nation or in the world? Can you play a role in ministering to the neglected ones of our time, or are you held back by the differences you see?

Father Wester is pastor of All Saints Parish in St. Peters.

Editor’s note: Bishop Robert J. Hermann is taking a break from writing the Sunday Scriptures column.