Eph 4: 1-6
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Called to Work Toward Unity
Throughout Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he writes of our calling and being chosen. Today is no different. The first reading is an exhortation to live my life rooted in the fact that I am called by Christ. This is a tall order for me. In my estimation, humility calls me to live as the person I was created to be, gentleness calls me to respect others, patience and bearing with one another in love calls me to remain in relationship with those who may or may not share my values, my political persuasion, my outlook on life and how I chose to live it. More than this, we are to make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. In today’s fractured world, this is no easy task. I hear the jagged political discourse, see the ravages of the war in Ukraine, mourn the mistreatment of refugees and migrants fleeing to the U.S. and fear the growing violence in so many of our cities.
In the end, I turn and lay this at the feet of God who is Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. I work for that unity, but God brings it to fruition.
How will I work for that unity so badly needed in our world today?
—Tom Drexler is a graduate of Marquette University High School and Creighton University, and works in advancement with the Midwest Jesuits.
Prayer
Lord, when everything seems hopeless or bigger than I can influence, let me cry out to you for help. I know that I cannot do everything, but, guided by your spirit, may I do my part to bring greater unity to the people I encounter, and the communities of which I am a part. Use me in your service. Amen.
—Jesuit Prayer team