June 17, 2001

Astronaut Russell Schweikert made an observation when his Apollo spacecraft circled the moon. He looked back at the earth and noticed the absence of frames or boundaries anywhere on the planet. He said: "I wish more people could see the earth from this perspective and take note of that reality!" The celebration of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ calls to mind the extensiveness of God's family, especially it's absence of frames or boundaries.

A well known preacher whose name I forget (oops!) once described a phenomenon common to frequent fliers. He spoke of the inevitability of sitting next to a total stranger. Invariably, you will exchange pleasantries and sometimes that leads to interesting conversation, and that can lead to the development of a casual relationship. When that happens, you can bet that before the plane lands, the two will open their wallets and exchange snapshots of the wife, the husband, the children, the dog, and all who compose of their family. Holding that image before his congregation, the preacher then proposed that while we are "snapshot oriented," God is calling us to be global. Our circle for love and thought is narrowly defined, but God is calling us to extend our thoughts and love beyond the confines of the little world in our snapshots.

This famous preacher's point, whose name I have forgotten, is well taken and certainly well made for this feast. When we use the term "BODY OF CHRIST," we are not just referring to the bread upon the altar. We are referring to each and every human being that happens to occupy this planet. We are members of the Body of Christ. We share a kinship with the whole human race. We can no longer look at the world in terms of frames and boundaries. We can no longer be "snapshot oriented." Since we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, we must be global in our orientation and care.

SO THE QUESTION: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT CAN BE RAISED IF WE REALLY BEGIN TO ACT AND CARE IN GLOBAL TERMS?

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