Thursday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

A dying man speaks to his mother

 Lectionary: 488

We are the circumcision, 
we who worship through the Spirit of God,
who boast in Christ Jesus and do not put our confidence in flesh,
although I myself have grounds for confidence even in the flesh.

Many people in the Church feel uncertain of their right to belong. Converts often apologetically explain that they were not born Catholic and don't know the faith as well as most. (Although they're often better instructed!) 

Others apologize that they were away from the Church at some point in their lives. It may have been months, years, or decades of years. They don't feel as worthy as those (few) who never left missed a Sunday Mass. (I tell them, "Everyone has a past!") 

Still others entered the Church through a brief RCIA  --OCIA now requires two years -- and and drifted away afterward. They wanted only the merit badge of spirituality. It was not a life-changing event. 

Because Saint Paul introduced thousands of gentiles to the Jewish Messiah, he was very familiar with that anxiety. Newly-baptized gentile Christians didn't think they belonged with the Jews who had always practiced the same religion as Jesus. And some of those Jewish Christians shared that skeptical attitude. 

Paul insisted to every baptized person, "We are the circumcision!" It's not about surgery! It's about belonging heart and soul, body and mind to the Lord! 

Regardless of your nationality or religious training or sinful past, you and I and we belong to Him!

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendant, heirs according to the promise.

Personally, I find that it helps when you stop worrying about yourself, your place, rank, or right; and gaze upon Jesus. We find our place within his wounds.