Acts 1:15-17, 20a, 20c-26
1 Jn 4:11-16
Jn 17:11b-19

Unity

This is the last Sunday of the Easter season. The opening words of the gospel set the theme for the liturgy for today –  ”Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying: ‘Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one.’” Oneness or unity is in the mind and heart of Jesus because he knows that he will soon face death. He wants his closest followers to be united, to have a oneness or unity among them as they face a new future without his physical presence.

Jesus’ prayer confirms the close and complete union between Jesus and the Father so he also asks that the unity experienced between him and the Father be extended to all who believe in him. We must remember that he prays that we, too, be in union with each other, with him, and with the Father. The basis for this belief is that it is through Christ that we are all united with each other.

The sad thing is that unity or oneness in our world today is sorely lacking. Unity is missing in many families, neighborhoods, cities and countries. The war in Ukraine is a horrific example of the absence of unity or oneness between nations. Racism, political feuding, prejudices of all kinds are among many signs of disunity in our country. The cure for this lack of unity is love. In the last words of Jesus’ prayer, he prays for love: “…that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” Love must be the foundation for unity. We are reminded in other parts of the gospels that we are to love God and love others as we love ourselves. Where a genuine love is, there is God.  And where God is, goodness will be found. May that goodness bring unity so that we all are one!

Are there any examples of disunity in your life? How can you eliminate it?

How can you contribute to unity in your family, neighborhood and city?