One?

I in them and You in Me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that You have sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.---Jesus, (John 17:23)

 

Are we one? Christians are splintered, separated by pride, fear, shallowness, laziness, ego, deception, opinion, and heresy. How will the world ever see this love Jesus prayed about?! We must all look in the mirror and ask one simple question, 'Why are we not one?' No wonder the world is lost and running further and further away from the God Who loves all souls madly! Look at our broken, dismembered, and bickering Christianity! 33,000 denominations and growing by the day, and each with its own interpretation of scripture. Martin Luther said on his death bed that he regretted turning people away from the Magisterium of the Church; he said, "There are now as many interpretations of scripture as there are heads." There are "christians" today who do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God, or that He is fully God and fully man. There are "christians" today who think that abortion is a choice. There are arguments about baptism, the need for baptism, free-will versus predestination, works verses faith, and on and on and on. Someone has to be correct, someone has to be in error. Jesus did not say to Peter, 'You are Peter, and on this Rock I will build many churches that will disagree on most everything.' Protestants still protest what they do not know, and many Catholics do not know the basic mind blowing, beautiful tenants of the 2000 year old, never changing, Truth of the Catholic Church. We are too lazy when it comes to seeking. We are easily offended by the tough realities of the Narrow Way. We must humble ourselves and fall on our knees before our loving Father and cry, MERCY! Have mercy on us Lord, bring all who call on the Holy Name of Jesus together at Your Alter where we can share the One True Meal and Sacrifice that unifies and strengthens our hearts, souls, and minds in the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then the world know Him Who You have sent. St. Paul said there is one Lord, one baptism, one offering for sins, and one table of the Lord, one. When you read the early Church Fathers, you find their concern for unity priority number 1. They often died to protect this unity. From the very beginning of the Church, there has been an evil spirit of division trying to destroy the unity so needed if we are to be to the world what Jesus prayed we would be. But it seems for the past 500 years, the Christian world has allowed and vigorously accepted this evil spirit that keeps us apart. Why are babies being killed in their mother's wombs by the millions in this "christian country", might it indirectly be one horrid consequence of our division?! God have mercy on us all!

 

wkm