The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, May 8, 2008
Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter



Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Acts 22:30; 23:6-11
Psalm 16:1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11
John 17:20-26



A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

On the night before He died, Jesus prayed that all might be one—one in Him as He is in the Father and the Father is in Him.

Unity: that is the prayer of the obedient suffering servant, unity.

Sometimes when it seems impossible that unity will ever be accomplished, we need to remember that unity is not only something we long for, but what Christ longs for.

If it is the desire of His heart, do you think it will go unrealized? Do you think that God will fail to provide the world with what it needs to achieve unity?

What might be the catalysts that bring us all together as the Father, Son and Spirit are one? Could it be that even troublesome things like illness and famine and even weariness over war might be issues that galvanize people into unity?

Finally, what might our individual role be? Wouldn't you, if you could, help be the answer to Christ's prayer? Wouldn't you?

That they all may be one,
as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
that they also may be one in us. (see: John 17:21)

- Donna Nelson, OCDS | email: drn3rd (at) hughes (dot) net

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