Shouting and Scratching

1 Corinthians 12:24-26 “God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”

Saint Bernardino was a Franciscan monk (1380-1444) from Siena in Northern Italy.  In his biography, The World of San Bernardino by Iris Origo, one chapter focuses on his sermons about 15th century Italian politics.  The two main political parties in Siena at that time were called Chiasso (“Shout”) and Graffio (“Scratch”).  Their chief function was to allow young men of the city to “indulge in the pleasures of street fighting”.  

Within the Church itself, for most of Bernardino’s life, there had been two and sometimes three Popes at the same time, with two or three Bishops in the same diocese, two or three superiors appointed to the same monastery.  In this environment, Bernardino preached:

“Political hatred, when not controlled in its early stages, grows like thistles in the fields, which at first has such tender spikes that you can put your foot on it without being pricked, but by August…becomes strong and hard”.

“Now tell me, what is a party?  It is division: this sundered from that.  And tell me what charity is?  It is the union of one man to another.”  He continues, “Men set up their arms and their party emblems even in the churches, and I have seen them even above the head of the Cross.  Then said I… the Devil is above you, and is pissing on your head.”

Bernardino wrote and preached over 600 years ago, yet his words could have been written yesterday.  I am convinced that a Christian should not belong to any political party, have candidates’ signs on our lawns, or even care a whit about one issue or another.  That is not to say we should not vote.  We are citizens of this country and have been given the gift of that freedom.  But when politicians talk about unity, they mean they want everyone to unify around them, around their position.  I believe Jesus met every single person he encountered right where they were, spiritually speaking.  But he never left them there.  He always encouraged growth or even challenged them to grow

What should drive our concerns and our daily lives is to follow Jesus’ “new command” - “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” We are citizens of Heaven. We are just passing through here.