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Ephesians 2: 19-22; Luke 6: 12-16 In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, if you were an Irishman in America and you greeted a fellow Irishman on the street, it was common to shake hands with a familiar greeting: "Shake the hand that shook the hand of John L. Sullivan." John L. Sullivan was an Irish American boxer who had much success in the ring and was the "pride" of the Irish community. People would find comfort and familiarity in associating each other with the "handshake succession." Today's Gospel reminds us that we have an even greater succession. It's apostolic, and because of it we are able to shake the hand that shook the hand (that shook the hand...) of Jesus. In the calling of the Apostles, Jesus sets into motion an unbreakable chain that connects us to Him. In this way we are able to take part in the many things that He instituted, as He instituted them from His own hands: the sacraments, healing, teachings, the Eucharist. Our pope, cardinals, bishops and priests are simply men, like the Apostles, yet they represent and realistically impart a token of life with our Savior. This chain of timelessness extends a physical connection between us and Christ. We are never so far away from Him that we cannot shake the hand that shook the hand that gave us the Rock (the Church), that sent the Advocate, and that feeds us from the Heavenly Banquet. So, if you think about it today, pray for the men who are part of this succession, may they remain faithful to the chain that was set into motion 2000 years ago. |
