Thursday of the 7th Week of Easter
Acts 22:30,23:6-11
Jn 17:20-26
“May they all be one…may they be one in us, as you are in me and I am in you”.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus’ prayer to his Father is that we may all be one. As Christians, we all aspire to align ourselves with His will, but what does it truly mean for all to be one?
The concept of ‘one’ is multifaceted. It can be a number, an adjective, a noun, a pronoun and an adverb. Among its various definitions, ‘one’ can be used to describe ‘being of a single unit’ or ‘being the same in kind’, embodying both singularity and unity. Yet, achieving this unity is not always straightforward. Biblical teachings offer insights into the nature of unity.
In Genesis 2:24 marriage is depicted as a union that sees the deep intertwining of two individual lives becoming “one flesh”. In Acts 4:32, believers were described to be “one in heart and mind”, emphasising unity and singularity in purpose.
However, personal experiences often challenge this understanding of unity. If becoming one means becoming ‘the same in kind’, then wouldn’t all husbands and wives, through their union, share the same mind and think alike? I have been married for over 20 years, and I think we are anything but alike. Perhaps over time, we have worked out some of our differences and may have a common stance on certain issues, but we remain distinct individuals with our own perspectives and characteristics.
Another notion of achieving unity appears to be through ‘conformity’. After all, didn’t Jesus say in Matthew 12:30, “whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me scatters”?
I once encountered unspoken expectations of conformity at a workplace, under the guise of unity. To be one with the team meant not having differing views from the boss. In my attempts to fit in, I found myself struggling with my own identity and self-worth, and came to realise that the sense of unity within the team was not as it appeared to be. Genuine unity should be more than mere uniformity.
So how can we be ‘one’ as Jesus intended for us to be? Romans 12:4-5 offers some guidance: “For as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”
To be one is about accepting that we are all different, but are still part of the one body. It is not about conformity or losing your own identity as an expression of one-ness or unity. As we navigate our roles in ministries and workplaces, let us emulate the unity exemplified in Christ’s body. Let us remember to value everyone not just for their like-mindedness, but also for their differences. Brothers and sisters, becoming one takes time and effort – there is no quick solution. Let us take the time to appreciate the richness of diversity in the people around us as we grow in one-ness as the Lord willed for us to be.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Esther Leet)
Prayer: Lord Jesus, grant us the wisdom to embody true unity, to be one with our brothers and sisters, that we may be one with you and the Father.
Thanksgiving: Thank you, Lord, for showing us the way to draw closer to you and to the Father.
OXYGEN 
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