How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! – Psalm 133:1
We are at the close of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This Sunday is the celebration of Pentecost. Our focus will be on the coming of the Spirit of God to the first believers and how out of this gift the Church was born. The gift of the Spirit unified the first community of believers.
Over the past week, I have been deeply moved by expressions of desire and hope to better express our unity in Christ. On several occasions, including two that were not specifically linked to the Week of Prayer, unity has been a key theme.
The opening verse of Psalm 133, a psalm of assent, describes the worshippers of old who looked beyond themselves in anticipation of being together in worship. This was not a negotiated unity, but rather a natural organic unity born out of a common purpose. In such moments differences do not matter. What is embraced and celebrated is all that holds people together.
Cardinal Mykola Bychok was the keynote speaker at the Victorian Christian Communities Dinner held this week. Several times in the evening it was noted that the dinner, hosted by the Victorian Government, happened to occur in the middle of the Week of Prayer.
Cardinal Bychok, when reflecting on unity said: ‘suspicion of the other is a choice we make, and so is unity’. I am continuing to ponder the choice of unity and what we let go of when we make such a choice.
To choose unity is to decide to build deep relationships of respect and trust. It is intentional. Our being connected to the other becomes more important than what we want for ourselves.
In this life of friendship, we are together a strong witness to Christ, and a living answer to his prayer that ‘they might be one’. In unity we are stronger, we are welcoming of difference and affirming of the many ways that God is present in the life of the people of Jesus.
We choose to pray and live for unity and experience the blessing of each other.
Rev John Gilmore
President, NCCA