Unity and Christian Life!

Thursday, June 5, 2025

Acts 22:30; 23:6-11; Jn 17:20-26

We continue to reflect on Jesus’ prayer today. 

Jesus’ prayer shifts to all future believers who will come to accept the Gospel when disciples undertake evangelization at a future time. 

When Jesus prays for unity among the believers, he considers it as a reflection of his love with his Father in heaven. In other words, it is because God is communal in nature that the believers are called to reflect the same as people created in Imago Dei.

Hence, communion or unity is not something optional. A love that manifests itself in strong and inseparable union is the very rubric of Christian life.  

Unity cannot be reduced to its ‘institutional value’ as something that enables us to run or manage the show. Instead, it forms the very core of the Christian community that is called to participate in God’s nature and life. 

This unity is missional too, as it is linked to the credibility of the Gospel we proclaim. As such, a divided Church undermines the Gospel witness. 

Thus, Jesus’ prayer helps us discover the meaning and relevance of unity for Christian life and witnessing. 

Let us pray that we may live out unity as our very Christian identity. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar