And I in them

Norah Summers June 03, 2022 0 0

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John 17: 20-26 (NRSVA)

20 ‘I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24 Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

25 ‘Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.’

The briefing note for today’s reflection just says’ Together’.

Here is Jesus talking very intimately about his relationship with his Father, and with his followers, earnestly desiring all to be one.

That would be new.

There were already sects and factions in the Jewish religious community, and the disciples themselves were sometimes embroiled in disputes about who was the greatest, who would be most favoured in the Kingdom to come.

As for the Church – how many fragments has it broken into, re-grouped, re-broken,

re-formed (pun intended), split again?

We humans are very diverse in almost every respect. Each individual person is unique, made and loved by God as such.

This is not about uniformity, all reduced to a mean. But unity in spirit, unity of purpose, unity in Christ –

Your Kingdom come, O God.

PRAYER:

God of the new,

God of the unexpected,

God who would have us as one,

give us hearts and minds that honour your purpose

of love, justice, reconciliation and peace.

For you can make all things new, even us.