DAILY REFLECTION

Liturgical readings are available here.

The first missionary journey of Paul made it clear right the way where the future of the church would be: stepping outside of the Jewish circle and opening for new peoples. This fundamental decision must have brought a lot of questions with it: how far is the Mosaic Law binding?

While the Jews could not imagine belonging to the covenant with God without observing the ritual prescriptions and cultic norms of the Old Testament, many of these must have been completely unintelligible for non-Jews. Although the whole debate about circumcision seems obsolete from our perspective, the whole issue brings up a more important question: what should the church look like at any time and who is to set the tone?

The whole matter was sent to the apostles in Jerusalem, recognizing the need of an authoritative voice that would come from the apostles. Debate and discussion are helpful and even needed, but the final decision must be made by the person with competences and knowledge. No decision will please every singular person and that is a burden placed on everyone’s shoulders: the person making the decision, as well as the one accepting it.

Failing this challenge results in denying the person with competences and instead making one’s idea, or desires into the norm. Absolute relativism!