Arguments and Facts do not result in Unity - Unity is found in the witness of a holy life…Such a life is next to impossible to ignore…And there rests our unity

Today at Holy Mass St John noted one of the last earthly requests that Jesus presented to us….That his people be united….”Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying: "Holy Father, I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me”…….The fact that even Catholics can not agree about certain aspects of the One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church is an absolute scandal never mind the rest of the unbelieving world disagreeing with us…..I have learned over the years “throwing facts” at people does little to bring people together….Only through God’s grace can the Catholic World be one…Only through God’s grace can the unbelieving world come to “see”…Which leads me to our task at hand…..Seeing is believing….Our world needs witnesses to the Truth…Its the only thing that can penetrate the hearts of men…Causing them to “think” or maybe better put “re-think” life choices…..This witness falls to us - YOU and ME…And this begins with building our interior life through daily prayer, fasting and living a Sacramental life…..This is why when you read about the lives of the saints, you read how people from all walks of life flock to the saints, who at times lived in remote parts of the world…Padre Pio is a good example of that….He lived in a remote part of Italy, yet because people SAW Christ in him, all walks of life came to this remote mountain town in Southern Italy to see for themselves this witness….Our unity rests in such a witness!…All people want to be happy and fulfilled - No one is excluded from that!…If they do not “see” Christ in us - Why would they ever want to be Catholic?….Our discontent and lack of unity can only be resolved through prayer, fasting and in living a Sacramental life…We are looking in the wrong places to resolve this issue…..Unity is not found in a “powerpoint presentation” or some parish initiative…Unity is found in an authentic witness, which convinces even the biggest of skeptics that God is real and that a holy life is possible for all

“I made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them."

Just this morning on my social media feed I read a short article from a Catholic intellectual who has been on my radio show who advocates for the Latin Mass…He is rather upset about a Bishop in North Carolina who has restricted the Latin Mass and the article he posted was basically saying to ignore the authority of this bishop…The article was indirectly saying, there is a need to “break” from the Church because of this issue…All I can say is - WHAT A MISTAKE!…..We MUST always stay connect to the apostolic succession of the Church because in it rests our ability to receive the Sacraments….Without the Sacraments we can do NOTHING!…..When ever I read about internal disputes in the Church, I always think of the words of the Gospel when a very wise man cautioned the Jewish authorities who were persecuting the early followers of Christ….

”But a Pharisee in the Sanhedrin named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all the people, stood up, ordered the men to be put outside for a short time, and said to them, “Fellow Israelites, be careful what you are about to do to these men. Some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone important, and about four hundred men joined him, but he was killed, and all those who were loyal to him were disbanded and came to nothing. After him came Judas the Galilean at the time of the census. He also drew people after him, but he too perished and all who were loyal to him were scattered. So now I tell you, have nothing to do with these men, and let them go. For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God.” They were persuaded by him…….”

Time has a way to “weed out” bad ideas…We must be patient and trust that the Lord will “work out” what needs to be worked out…In the mean time…We must STAY IN THE BOAT of St Peter……No matter who we are - We do not have “BETTER IDEAS” then God himself…But just saying that will not convince the world…People need to SEE Christ's life shine through us…..That is the only thing that will convince the world and bring about unity…Facts mean nothing to harden hearts…..However, SEEING is believing…Its hard to ignore the sun - So it is with the witness of a holy life…Such a life is next to impossible to ignore…And there rests our unity

“I will not leave you orphans, says the Lord. I will come back to you, and your hearts will rejoice”

Today St John at Mass reminds us of the importance of unity….Unity rests in obedience but sadly due to human weakness, we ALL possess a ”rebel spirit” which results in us not experiencing the fullness of what Christ has given to us in and through his Church….How do we “open the eyes” of the world to the one true God?….By the way we live our lives…..You see - No one wants to “die to themselves” - And it’s not until we do, that such a witness can be seen by the world - Our wills must bend until they break!….Why would anyone believe in what “you are selling” if they do not “see” it in you?……So what do we do?….We need to get serious and posting on social media is not going to cut it!……Daily prayer, weekly fasting and living a Sacramental life….Our unity as Catholics will ONLY be found in an authentic representation of what Jesus intended our Church to be to the world…So let the world see for itself!…..It’s hard to ignore the sun as you sweat from its heat….But such a Church requires us to get serious in the “business” of striving to be holy - That means YOU and ME….Arguments and Facts do not result in Unity - Unity is found in the witness of a holy life…Such a life is next to impossible to ignore…And there rests our unity