Thursday - 7th Week of Easter

Gospel – John 17:20-26

That WE May Be One

Basilica of Annunciation, Nazareth

For the past 5 years or so, the Archdiocese of Chicago has been going through a period of ‘renewal’, a time of re-organizing its physical makeup and number of churches in order to better serve the needs of the people, particularly with the limited number of priests available to ‘pastor’ a parish.  Some parishes have physically merged into a new parish with a new name.  In some (many) cases, some parish churches have been permanently closed.

It has been and continues to be a painful, heart-wrenching experience as, for many, the church where one was educated, baptized or married has been shuttered.  The process has not been an easy one.  In some cases, the renewal has devolved into an ‘us and them’ mentality.  You closed my church and theirs stayed open.  Many parishoners are angry, hurt, confused, even resentful, as they see their spiritual home for generations disappear.  We have become divided, at odds and fractured.

Which takes us to today’s very remarkable Gospel reading:

“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.”

Let that sink in a bit!  These are Jesus’ final words to His disciples at the Last Supper, the final verses of Chapter 17.  Jesus is facing His betrayal, arrest, torture, denial and death on the cross. And yet His entire focus is on His disciples gathered with Him at the Last Supper.  His final words are a prayer to His Father for unity!  But look at His words!  It is a prayer for not only His Apostles but for all of us, every single one of us.  Can you imagine that?  Jesus, at the Last Supper, was praying for us!  For me!  For you!  For all who believe in Him!  He is praying for those who have believed in Him and for those who WILL!  He is praying for us, not just some of us, ALL of us! And He prays that we may be one!  How much more personal can you get?  

We all have fond memories of the church where we were confirmed, where we received our First Communion and where we said goodbye to our dear family members!  Nothing can ever take those memories away.  Jesus is speaking directly to us today!  He prays that we set aside our differences and focus on what we have in common – our faith!  He prays that we look past “me and them” arguments and appreciate the ‘us’!  He prays for our unity!  Our parish church building, whether it still exists or not, holds our past, our dear memories of Baptisms and Weddings and Funerals. But our faith?  Our faith holds our future!

 

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