May 15 2024 4 mins
Thursday 7th week of Easter "Jn 17:20-26" "I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me...Father, I desire that they also, whom thou hast given me, may be with me where I am." It fills me with confidence to know that You, Lord, prayed for me to the Father. Because I'm one of those who believed in You "through their word." Over the years, in the Church, the faith has been transmitted by witnesses who received it and passed on faithfully what they were given. As Easter comes to an end, we commemorate the moment in which You, Lord, gave the last push to Your Church to keep moving steadily forward: we hear Your prayer for unity in Your Church, 'that we may be one.' The Church will be effective as long as it is united, as happens with a football team. We have one Manager (the Father), one Founder (Christ), one Coach (the Holy Spirit), one Captain (the Pope), one goal (the salvation of everyone). If we are united there is no enemy that could be a threat. Nothing is impossible if we are really 'united'. The rock band U2's hit single 'One' had the following lyrics: "We're one, but we're not the same." In the Church we are also many and all of us are different from each other, just as in the football team all the players have different positions, different skills and different roles. It would be ridiculous to have 11 goalkeepers on the field! An old man gave his grandson a tiny stick and asked him to break it. He broke it easily. Next he gave him ten sticks all stuck together; the boy couldn't break the bundle. Then he explained, "This is like the family: you can't break it if we are together." And that's what the Church is - our big family. You, Mary, Mother of the Church, are the Mother of this family of ours. I pray today with your Son for the unity of the Church. That we may learn to play together as a team, all in different positions, following the instructions of the Coach (Paraclete) and playing together with the Captain (Pope). Holy Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us... and actually, also 'play' for us!