“Remember - Upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all”

“Hold firmly that our faith is identical with that of the ancients. Deny this, and you dissolve the unity of the Church” - Saint Thomas Aquinas

Gospel text (Jn 17,20-26):
Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying:
“I pray not only for these,
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.
And I have given them the glory you gave me,
so that they may be one, as we are one,
I in them and you in me,
that they may be brought to perfection as one,
that the world may know that you sent me,
and that you loved them even as you loved me.
Father, they are your gift to me.
I wish that where I am they also may be with me,
that they may see my glory that you gave me,
because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Righteous Father, the world also does not know you,
but I know you, and they know that you sent me.
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.”

Many worldly people, especially young people, are extremely naive about unity. They even think they can "make love" and make unity by their own power. They think they can make a marriage work without a commitment to the Lord, without the Church, and often without prayer. Most of these naive, worldy people are soon crushed in their broken relationships.

As brokenness and unfaithfulness become a pattern in their lives, they despair of love and unity and become cynical about even their possibility. Thus, when a crushed and broken person meets true love and unity, they can't believe it. They deny it and wait for it to unmask. However, if this marriage, family, church, or community is truly in love and in unity, the worldly person is strongly challenged to repent, forgive, and believe in Jesus who will baptize them in the Spirit of unity (see Mk 1:8). If they accept the Lord's salvation, these souls who are deeply loved by God then have a new Pentecost where barriers against communication are broken down (see Acts 2:6ff). They are baptized in one Spirit into one body (1 Cor 12:13). They are of one mind and heart with their brothers and sisters in Christ (Acts 4:32). They begin to be one as Jesus and the Father are one (Jn 17:21).

We have Pentecost when our love for the Lord and for people is stronger than our selfishness and fear (see Sg 8:6). Love is the catalyst leading us to die to self, build unity, and receive a new Pentecost. This, in turn, will greatly deepen our own love, leading to an authentic encounter with Christ, and unity with the Trinity.

Will you love enough to pray: "Come, Holy Spirit"?