Building Bridges, Not Walls: Navigating Christian Division

Yesterday morning, as I walked, a particular scripture verse kept echoing in my mind: Mark 9:38-42. John tells Jesus they forbade someone casting out demons in His name because he "was not following us." But Jesus responds, "Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is for us." This passage felt incredibly fitting, especially as today marked the Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, bringing my morning's reflection full circle.

This wisdom resonated deeply with me as I reflected on recent social media posts and comments from family members, critiquing and even mocking Catholic beliefs – from the new Pope to our veneration of Mary and the Saints. Those posts and comments stir up so many complex feelings, but mostly profound frustration. My immediate reaction is that responding in kind isn't productive, yet I also feel a responsibility to use the opportunity to share my faith, to offer more context and understanding.

As I pondered how I should engage, a central question formed: Why is there so much of an "us versus them" mentality within Christianity? And how is mocking each other's beliefs truly getting us closer to Christ? How does that demonstrate the love and humility Christ Himself showed? If we all believe in Christ and strive to answer His call, why the animosity?

By fostering such animosity and driving division, we are playing right into Satan's hands. His age-old strategy is to "divide and conquer." So, how do we bridge this gap? How do we start celebrating all the things we do agree on, and humbly discuss what we understand to be true, without judgment?

For me, the answer became clear through personal reflection: to have these difficult conversations, you need to know the person. You need to be in a relationship with them and understand the journey they’ve taken to get to where they are. This realization means I am not likely to reply to social media posts; instead, I'll take online comments as a cue for how to approach someone in person, where a true relationship can be built.

I'm still very much learning how to navigate this. The more I learn about our faith, the more I find myself talking about it, engaging in conversations I never would have before – the Holy Spirit is truly at work. But I will admit, judgment comes fast, and at times, I am guilty of it myself. In the moment, judgment creeps in when I feel attacked or unseen. I often wonder how St. Catherine of Siena did it; she spoke with such conviction, calling many to refocus on God and turn away from sin.

Over the past few years, the Holy Spirit has been profoundly changing how I see and respond to this. I've realized that I need to let the hurt feelings go and offer those emotions up to God during these conversations. Allowing the Holy Spirit to guide me, I've begun to see the person in a different light – as someone who might be genuinely looking for truth, who simply hasn't learned or experienced things I have. Their view and perspective are just different. And if I want to change hearts, or simply to love someone well, I have to see them as they are, love them as they are, and if the opportunity arises, allow the Holy Spirit to take control and let God do what He will.

Are we building bridges or walls in our pursuit of Christ? How can we embody His unity and love more fully today?