That They May Be One

Right off the bat, for those of you who check this blog with only one thing in mind, my subject title is not intended to announce an engagement.

Now that we've got that out of the way, maybe you all could help me in a little Biblical exegesis for this coming Sunday. You see, I am now an every week preacher and have yet to meet another pastor in the area, much less find a good text study. So, even if you don't have any idea what the word "exegesis" means (would my Greek speaking friends like to help here??), perhaps you'd like to enter into some conversation with me. A little word to the wise: try not to start a call to a new congregation during the season of Easter when all the gospel readings are from John...especially the "I am in the Father, the Father is in me, and I'm in you" part of John. It confuses me even on a good day.

John 17. It's just before Jesus' crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. He's given one last speech to his disciples and now he is praying to God, the Father. He says, "And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one." This chapter of John deals with the question of Christian unity. As I understand it, the deal is that Jesus has made God known to the disciples, and now the disciples are to make God known to the world. And here's how God was made known in Jesus: through love and through the Trinitarian nature of God, which is the unity between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Now Jesus calls the disciples to be "one," to be as united as the persons of the Trinity are, so that when the world sees their unity, the world will see God.

Nice idea. Not really working out so well, huh?

We all know that religion is one of the fundamental dividing lines between people. And we're not only talking about the dividing lines between the different world religions, but also divisions between Christians of different denominations or even within denominations. This is not news to anyone. For goodness sake, we don't even all celebrate Easter on the same day (and my dear Western and Eastern Rite friends, this is not the time to decide "whose" Easter is right...although I think the Eastern Rite folks would win that debate). I am quickly learning that the division between Roman Catholics and Protestants on this side of Chicago is pretty strong. So, how do we find Christian unity? Is it a matter of just ignoring our difference and trying to "get along?" Does it mean not debating or discussing our differences? Does it mean all trying to agree to a mutual set of "rules and regulations" that will unify us? Is it simply a matter of all passing through the same initiation rite, like baptism, and so being called Christian? Or is it something else -- something more?

Call me naive, but I think that somehow it all has to do with love. Not the mushy "whatever you think or do is fine, we love you anyway" love. But real love. Love like Jesus had for the disciples -- love that is willing to sacrifice itself for the other, even when the other does not understand where you are coming from. Love that stoops down to serve and wash the feet of the other. Love that empties itself of pride, even while insisting on doing what is right. The thing that makes us one is having Jesus love for one another. It seems like most of the time when we talk about Christian unity, we are trying to figure out who is right and who should be included or excluded. We might use the word "love" to just end the argument, "why can't we all just love one another?" But love needs to be more than a touchy-feely theory. It needs also to be something that we do. Because when we act in love toward the neighbor, that draws us into deeper unity and that is when God is made known.

You married people know this, I suppose. Sometimes you wonder how two such very different people manage to share a planet, much less a household. You do not need to become like each other in order to be together. You do not always need to agree. You sometimes debate and try to make your point. But what holds you together is love -- not just the lovey feelings that moved you from dating to making vows, but the acts of love that you do on behalf of the other...especially those acts of love that follow on the heels of an argument or difference of opinion.

That they may be one as we are one.

Thanks for letting me work that out. I'd love to hear your ideas.