Thursday, March 31, 2011

Unity

Every kingdom divided against itself is heading for ruin, and a household divided against itself collapses.
Lk.1:17


Jesus is answering the accusation that He is performing His healing miracles through the power of  Beelzebul.  He not only silences that opposition but highlights the importance of unity, a condition for the Church He prayed repeatedly for before His Passion and death.

If unity is so important in Jesus' eyes then it needs to be important for me.  The inference is that I'm not meant to be a "Lone Ranger" Christian, that I am meant meant be part of a greater body and that I'm meant to be unified with that body.  This is not easy.  My parish is full of people who I don't feel that unified with.

Saint Augustine showed a way to relate within the Church:

In essentials, unity
In non-essentials, tolerance
In all things, charity.


When I'm busy demanding that my view is the essential one, where is the charity?  I need more love in my relationships within the Church, starting with my parish.

Lord Jesus, I pray for a charitable heart that I may be a source of unity within Your Church.
Little Flower, please pray for me.

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