Becoming One
Jesus prayed fervently that we would be one, as much as He and the Father are one. Not only has that oneness eluded the church for two millennia, a look at the history of the church indicates that we are much more adept at division than unity.
Sunday’s Gospel lesson comes from Jesus’ “High Priestly Prayer,” so called because it was Jesus last major prayer with the disciples and functions as a kind of locker room prayer, a summary of what Jesus considered most important as He prepares the disciples to undertake His work.
Click here for Jesus’ whole prayer, John 17.
Or click here for the portion we will read on Sunday.
I don’t think I need to convince anyone that oneness is a good thing, especially in the life and work of the church. But how to get there? That’s a whole other problem!
One thing to realize is that the unity Jesus prayed for is not sameness. Clearly we have different gifts and skills, and different callings in life. Oneness does not mean that we are cookie cutter Christians.
I think the essential thing that is required is humility. If I have to prove myself right and you wrong, we will never find unity. If I have to be more special, gifted, important, successful, etc., then we will never find unity. Only when we all value one another as the truly special gifts from God that we are can we even think about unity. Only when we truly celebrate and relish one another’s blessings and truly bear one another’s burdens in pain and loss can we actually more toward unity.
I must set aside my ego and seek the best for the other. This doesn’t mean that I am nothing — I am created and loved by God and each one has a vital and beloved role to play. But my role is not more important, or special, or valued than another’s.
When this becomes embedded in our character, then unity begins, and we won’t even have to work at it. It will be a gift!
Where might your ego be getting in the way of oneness?
This column appeared in the May 29, 2022 edition of St. John’s eNews. Click here for the complete issue.
If you are reading this at a different time, you may click here for the current eNews.
