Vimal Kumar A. csc –
Readings: Acts 22: 30, 23: 6-11; Jn 17: 20-26
‘That they may all be one’, is a striking phrase from today’s gospel helping us to bind our life in union with God and with one another.
Jesus’s prayer is unique in today’s gospel expressing the communion of love and bond of unity among the Trinitarian God and his Apostles.
Christ sets an example of Trinitarian unity for us to live in harmony and communion with one another. The world in which we live differentiates based on ethnicity, language, politics, socio-economic factors, etc.
But, we are dependent on each other like the Trinitarian God: Father in Christ, Christ in the Father, and Spirit in Christ from the Father. Jesus extends his invitation to cast out our prejudice, misunderstanding, discrimination, socio-economic inequality, etc., in order to embrace God in communion with our fellow brothers and sisters in the community, society, and the world.
We are called to be one with Jesus no matter how much we are privileged, or who we are or what we hold in power. It only matters how much we can extend our hearts in love, respect, and reverence for others.
Fr. Moreau emphasized this Trinitarian love as an example for community life: “That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you.” We all are called and chosen to be in a single and indivisible brotherhood and sisterhood to love one another in the community and share our fellowship in communion with others. This enables us to highlight the real meaning of Christian unity. Our Christian life is a communitarian one. We are all dignified members to be in union with the Lord and the world.