Jesus prays at the Last Supper not just for those gathered there, but for us, for His Church, for the community of believers throughout history in every land and nation.
“I pray not only for these, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world might believe that you sent me.” (Jn 17:20-21). Unity in love – that is what Jesus prays for. We are called to be a community – “cum unio” – united with one another. This is the work of God’s love, the work of the Holy Spirit.
Unfortunately, we as Catholics and all groups of Christians can act as the various Jewish religious groups did in Jesus’ day: Each considering the others as opponents who are perverting their religion. The Sadducees held only to the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures. They considered the law and temple worship to be what Judaism was about, and talk of prophets, angels and resurrection were innovations that corrupted what Moses gave to the chosen people. The Pharisees, on the other hand, accepted the prophets and what we call the wisdom literature and the historical books. There they found reason to believe in angels, in resurrection and in enhancements of the law. Then there were the Essenes, who practiced purity rituals and awaited two Messiahs – a priestly one and a ruling one.
How sad it is when Catholics focus on just one part of the Church’s social teaching – or just one way of piety, or one way of liturgical celebration, or one stream of spirituality, or one way of understanding the Scriptures – and condemn or look down on others as being bad Catholics or lax Catholics or even heretics. How can the world believe, if it sees such divisions among those called to love one another? Should we not see one another as the Body of Christ, with different parts having different functions? Some are devoted to certain kinds of prayer, while others care for the homeless or those in prisons. Others work against abortion and to give pregnant women options. Others visit the sick and bring them Communion. Others teach children or work with immigrants and refugees. Others work against climate change or against racism and sexism. Others create safe, good-paying jobs, while others help the poor to get justice. Others work for reconciliation in families and in society, care for the elderly or work for the common good. The list could go on and on.
We should see the Church not as a place of competing interests, but as the Body of Christ at work in the world. As St. Paul tells us in I Corinthians 12, each part of the body needs the other parts if God’s love is to be brought into the world. All of the parts are needed. All are equally loved by God, and all are called to grow up in maturity into Christ. Building on the image given by St. Augustine, we can look on the Christian community as a flower garden where there is room for violets and daisies, as well as roses and lilies.
As a gardener, I like to imagine the Church as a vegetable garden filled with many kinds of nourishment. Some like kale and others romaine; some like tomatoes and others broccoli; some enjoy zucchini and others sweet potatoes. Together they nourish us, and we praise God for the bounty of the earth. As a Church may we grow in love so that a hungry world might be nourished and the Word might go out to all the world. Together, when each responds in love to the myriad actions of grace, we will bring both nourishment and beauty to the world. In this way, united with Jesus and the Father in love, we will invite the world to believe.
Jesuit Father John Michalowski is the parochial vicar of St. Peter Church in Charlotte.