Jesus' Disciples As One

What does that look like?

This is one of the most passionate and beautiful prayers we have from Jesus. It seems to really show the heart of his desire for his disciples, the Church. We often use it to talk about the unity of the Church. But might it be different to be “one” than it is to be “unified”?

What does it mean for him to pray that “[God’s] love for [Jesus] will be in them”?

Too often of late (like, perhaps the last 400 years, or 1000 years, or even 2000 years), the effort has been to unify in the things of doctrine and confessional belief. Might Christ’s disciples be one in other, more active ways? What if the Church, forgetting differences both of culture and even politics, were to come together to serve the community in particular ways? Could we do it?

John 17:20-26

“I’m not praying only for them but also for those who believe in me because of their word. I pray they will be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. I pray that they also will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me. I’ve given them the glory that you gave me so that they can be one just as we are one. I’m in them and you are in me so that they will be made perfectly one. Then the world will know that you sent me and that you have loved them just as you loved me.

“Father, I want those you gave me to be with me where I am. Then they can see my glory, which you gave me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

“Righteous Father, even the world didn’t know you, but I’ve known you, and these believers know that you sent me. I’ve made your name known to them and will continue to make it known so that your love for me will be in them, and I myself will be in them.”

Prayer

God,

Draw me nearer to my brothers & sisters in Christ. I’ve been so taught to understand differences that often I neglect our call to oneness for a presumed uniformity. Wrap us together in your love which both transcends differences and binds together.

Yet I understand that not all things are within your Kingdom. So give me a wisdom and discernment, empowered by your love and desire for the Church to be one.

By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.