“one” spirit
“I pray that they may be [one] in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” —John 17:21
God created man and woman to be one flesh, crafting a supernatural unity (Gn 2:24). Adam and Eve sinned against God, and with their fallen nature, humanity inherited a tendency to fracture into disunity. Before long, mankind was so wicked (Gn 6:5) that God wiped them out in the flood (Gn 7:23).
So God started over again with Noah’s family, and again the human race began with unity (Gn 8:16). Before long, man’s pride again resulted in a false unity, as men joined together to glorify themselves rather than God (Gn 11:4ff). So God decided to bring division (cf Lk 12:51), through different languages and physical dispersion.
After many years, God sent His Son “to gather into one all the dispersed children of God” (Jn 11:52). Jesus did this by ascending into heaven and, with the Father, sending forth the Holy Spirit. At Pentecost, the Spirit started over again and reversed man’s disunity. The apostles and disciples “were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to express themselves in foreign tongues” (Acts 2:4). Dispersed people heard and understood the Gospel in their own language (Acts 2:11).
Our fallen human nature tends toward disunity. Only the Spirit can unite us. “Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn 20:22). Come, Holy Spirit of unity! (Eph 4:3)
Prayer: Holy Spirit, pour out the love of God in my heart (Rm 5:5). Give me Your heart for Christian unity.
Promise: “You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in Your presence, the delights at Your right hand forever.” —Ps 16:11
Praise: St. Boniface was consumed by a zeal to spread the Word of God to foreign lands. He was martyred at the age of 79 while preparing new converts for the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Reference: (This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)
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