The body is held up by the backbone or the spine. Any misalignment of the vertebrae can cause pain and if one is severely misplaced it can cause paralysis. Anyone who suffers from a bad back will tell you how difficult it can be to walk, drive or bend without suffering discomfort.
In the same way some people are the “backbone” of the church. They may or may not be well-recognised people; perhaps a lot of the good they do is done quietly and discreetly. Nonetheless they carry a substantial load and keep the church upright and able to move forward. Jesus was the cornerstone or keystone on which the church was built. Jesus also renamed Simon as Peter (the rock) on which he chose to build, in a tradition which is brought to mind by the recent election of another Pope.
If your role is one of the vertebrae – are you well aligned with the rest to form a strong, straight and well-connected pillar to hold up the church? Or do you find yourself out of line and causing pain and suffering to the whole body?
Lord, keep us aligned with your righteousness and truth and in step with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen.
Dave MacLellan
(originally published in 2005)
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