Connected deep down

A family farmed in a vast open land. They had a well that supplied all their water. Many miles away a tanker overturned. It was carrying purple dye, which emptied out and flowed into a nearby well. Soon the family found their own water had turned purple, and they discovered that all their neighbours across the countryside had purple water also. Things gradually returned to normal, but they had all learnt that their water supply was connected deep down in the ground.

We human beings are similarly connected to each other in our deepest being, our spirits. My actions influence the lives of everyone, and vice versa. We can see this on the level of our emotions and intellects. Look how the supporters of one football team will share the same thoughts and feelings. But on the spiritual level it is far more profound, even though we are usually unaware of it. It is because it is so profound that we are unaware.

We were made in the image and likeness of God, who is a Trinity of persons so perfectly bonded in love that they are unity; they are one. That same profound drive for unity is integral to our human nature made in God’s image. The problem is that it has been weakened by our sin. It is fracturedness that we experience more than unity. But we are made to be united at the very deepest level, love. We know well how the disunity shows itself and proliferates. How can the unity be restored?

Restoring human communion

It is the Christ who is the restorer of unity. His Spirit is the life-force that penetrates the spirits of those who are open to God, or at least to goodness when the presence of Christ is obscured. The more a person opens to Christ, the more they become restorers of human unity. How does this work?

Firstly, it is important to say how it does not work. Christ does not work through human engineering of society. True, we have an obligation to work for a just society in which the well-being of all is sought. And God gives many graces to people who work for the good of society. But Jesus said “my Kingdom is not of this world” (John 18: 36). He shows us that building an earthly kingdom is the wrong way round. What Jesus did was to connect spiritually with all mankind, and he works from within us.

During his life on earth, his humanity developed at such a phenomenal rate that, by the time of his passion, he had drawn all humanity into his heart, and his brilliant mind knew us all. This process was not simply one of studying us intellectually; it was one of love. He was the divine lover seeking to ‘know’ his beloved brothers and sisters. He was falling in love with each of us.

Lovers give their beloved power to break their hearts, and the on the cross Jesus experienced the heartbreak of all mankind. He not only knew our every struggle and pain, but experienced them all as personally as we do. Why did he drink this dreadful chalice? Because he knew that only the Father could draw out the poison of our woundedness and heal us. Someone needed to open it all up to the Father for healing.

He knew that he needed to make one gigantic act of trust. It was the for-all-time cry of mankind for the saving mercy of the Father. No one else could make such an unimaginably gigantic sacrifice of self. We all give up so easily. As he hung on the cross, he must have wondered if it would ever end, but, finally, he said “It is finished”, and, with a loud cry, breathed forth his spirit to his Father. He had joined earth to heaven once more.

‘It is finished’ - the New Creation went into operation.

This whole process of identifying himself with all people had started at his conception in the womb of Mary, and had taken a huge step forward when he was baptised at the Jordan.

Jesus’ choice to be baptised, and so to join himself to our sin, drew from his Father the cry “This is my Son that I love; I am so pleased with him!” (Matthew 3: 17). [2] Here is no stern, demanding parent, but one who is entirely wrapped up in the elder brother’s brave struggle of love for all the rest of his children. It was never about punishment; it is all about our healing. St Augustine said: “Our Lord came first as medicine, not as judge”

After Jesus died the earth stood dark and silent for a while. Then, to prove he was dead, a soldier pierced his heart with his spear. Out poured blood and water. The Church has always understood that that is the water of baptism to birth humanity into the family of God, and the blood is the Eucharist to feed his new people on their journey into God.

Another ancient understanding of the piercing of Jesus’ side is that just as Adam’s bride, Eve, was formed from his side while he slept, so the Church, the bride of Christ, was formed from his side as he slept in death. The old world, stained by sin, began its transformation into The New Creation.

The second body of Christ

The death of Jesus was followed by his awesome resurrection, and 42 days of wonderful intimacy with the disciples before he ascended to heaven. At Pentecost nine days later, he returned in and through the Holy Spirit, and drew the disciples into the wondrous unity of his new body, his Church.

On that Pentecost day a great sign was given. Thousands of foreign pilgrims to Jerusalem had rushed to hear the tumult caused by the disturbance of nature and the Spirit-filled disciples going wild with the joy of God. Although the disciples were all Hebrew, each of their hearers heard their words in their own language. The curse of Babel was removed. At Babel mankind had united in an attempt to build their own way to heaven. Their prideful plan fell to pieces and so did their unity. Pentecost was the great sign that God is now restoring human unity. Only it is not the outward unity which we attempt to engineer. We have a special name for it: communion.

The Holy Spirit is drawing people into a new cohesive body, which is none other than the Mystical Body of Jesus, the Church. That is the true Kingdom of God which Jesus announced was arriving. It had now arrived.