Choosing Unity: a Gift and a Call

Unity is at the heart of our Christian faith. Gathered around the altar, our prayers remind us that God’s deepest desire is communion – with God and one another (Mt 22:34-40). In our third Eucharistic Prayer, we ask God to “gather to yourself all your children scattered throughout the world.” In the second Eucharistic Prayer, we pray that, “partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ, we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.”

Unity is not just a nice idea. It is Jesus’ will for His Church. In John 17, Jesus prays for us: “that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:21). For Jesus, the credibility of the Gospel depends on the unity of His followers. Our love for one another and willingness to serve one another – both inside and outside of our Mass communities – makes Jesus visible in the world.

Unity does not erase diversity – nor does it erase identity. The Catholic Church is living proof. Across the globe, we worship in thousands of languages, cultures, and styles, yet profess the same creed, break the same bread, and share the same mission. Unity and diversity enrich one another. Like many parts of the body making up the whole (cf. 1 Corinthians 12), our parish is strongest when each Mass community, each ministry, and each parishioner contributes their gifts.

But unity is not automatic. God does not force communion; God invites it. Perhaps the image of the man in the flood is helpful. As the waters rise, he climbs onto his roof and prays, “God, save me!” A boat comes by, but he refuses, saying, “No, God will save me.” After the third boat, the flood overtakes him. In heaven he asks, “Why didn’t you save me?” God replies, “I sent you three boats.”

Sometimes we are like that man. We pray for God to act in our lives and parish. And God does act – but not always as we expect or desire. Often God’s answer is in the ordinary: the invitation to serve, the opportunity to listen, the challenge to let go of personal preference for the sake of the greater good. Unity is one of those “boats.” God offers us the chance to climb aboard and move together.

At this time in our parish, I believe God is offering us precisely this invitation. We can hold tightly to independence – “my Mass time,” “my way of doing things,” “my community apart from others” – or we can accept the grace of unity, which may stretch us but ultimately makes us stronger. Unity is not uniformity. It does not erase what is unique and beautiful about each community. But it does mean recognising that we belong to one another – that my flourishing is tied to yours, and yours to mine, and that together we bear Christ’s light in ways we never could alone.

As we gather around the Lord’s table, let us remember the prayer we hear at every Mass: “Remember, Lord, your Church, spread throughout the world, and bring her to the fullness of charity.” May we choose unity, not as a burden but as a gift – the very gift Christ prayed for on the night before He died. May we not let His prayer go unanswered in our parish.

Peace and love, Fr Josh