Acts 22:30; 23:6-11 / John
17:20-26
Jesus
continues to pray: “May I live in them as you live in me.”
Christians
are four things. First, they’re a body in which Christ lives. Paul writes, “I
live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me.” Galatians 2.20
Second,
they’re a mind through which Christ thinks. Paul writes, “Let this mind be in
you, which was also in Christ Jesus. ” Phiiippians 2:5 (Kjv)
Third,
they’re a voice through which Christ speaks. Jesus said, “Whoever listens to
you listens to me.” Luke 10:16
Fourth,
they’re a heart through which Christ loves. Jesus said, “Whatever you did for
one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40
****
To
what extent are we the body, mind, voice, and heart of Jesus?
Christ
has no hands but ours, no feet but ours, no voice but ours, no heart but ours.
****
There
are a few definitions of the concept of unity. Unity can be defined as a whole
or totality combining all its parts into one. Or it can be defined as the state
or fact of being united or combined into one, as of the parts of a whole. Seen
from another angle, it is the absence of diversity and having an unvaried or
uniform character.
But
unity is always tested by diversity and by various other factors. More so when
this unity is about people, as each seem to have his own opinion about things
and hence keeping unity can be very challenging.
The
1st reading exposed the fragility of the unity of the Sanhedrin, and the crack
lines were taken advantage of by Paul when he worked on the sympathies of the
Pharisee section of the Sanhedrin.
What Paul did to the Sanhedrin which eventually broke their unity, others
will also want to do to the Church.
What makes it more alarming is that these "others" may not just
be outsiders but from within the ranks of the Church.
What Jesus prayed for in the gospel is that we will all be united as one.
But the unity is not in some kind of structure or doctrine or practice.
The foundation of this unity is founded on the unity between Jesus and
the Father - "Father, may they be one in us, as you are in me and I am in
you."
Unless we are united in and by the heart of Jesus, there will be threats
to the unity of the Church and the crack lines will appear.
Let us pray that we, the Church,
will be united as one, and may it begin with a unity of minds and hearts. May
Jesus be the foundation of our unity as Church. May He be in us just as He is
in the Father.
