‘They may all be one’  

In the Gospel of St. John 17:21 we read Jesus praying “That they may all be one.” This week is dedicated for a week of prayer for Christian Unity.

Last Saturday, the ministerial association organized an ecumenical gathering at St. John Church hall. Breakfast and talk by former pastor of Methodist church, Shannon Boaz, expressed our Christian unity. She asked everyone in the group to share a few words of appreciation about others. She reminded us the letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians chapter 12 ‘One Body, Many Parts.’

 St. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth seeing the seed of division. In 1Cor. 12:10 Paul makes an appeal to the Corinthians “that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose.” Here he is not demanding uniformity, but does make a clear appeal that the Christians remain together. He wants them to be united in mind and purpose.

The last five years of my experience in Carroll County Ministerial Association is very uplifting. I have many friends from all local churches who consider me as their brother. There is always a sense of unity in all of our projects.

Christ extended his miraculous power to all. He didn’t show any animosity or partiality to anyone in the name of religion or caste. Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians 4:4-5, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.” Christ is one and we are one in him.

 We are called to unity not to a union. We are called to collaborate not to contradict. We are called to a communion not to criticize.

Let this week of Prayer of Christian unity help us to grow more in the love of Christ through our unity, collaboration and communion.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is a positive way of beginning to heal some of those divisions. Jesus prayed in John 17:21 “that they may all be one.” Let us also pray and work for the same.

We can work together at the local church level. We have a great opportunity in our community because there are many denominations working together through the Ministerial Association to try to break down the walls of division.

Father Kavungal Davy, CMI, is pastor of St. John’s Catholic Church in Carrollton. He is a member of the Carroll County Ministerial Association.