What We Could Do – IF

In the gospel named for John it is recorded that Jesus prayed

“that they all might be one”.

Was it Jesus’ wish that everyone should be the same? That our behaviors and our belief systems should be identical? This is certainly the way that some have interpreted this passage. I am not really sure that this was or is the intent.

Barriers

Last night I sat in a room with a number of other people, each of us representing different churches and organizations. We were there because we all respond to requests for help in our community. Those requests are for help with food or rent or oil or electricity but underlying this is the issue of poverty. For the most part our responses have been done independently. A few months ago several of us thought that it might be more beneficial for everyone if the organizations in our community who do outreach came together, communicated more openly with one another and discerned together ways that we might help and support one another. The sad part is that it seems almost impossible for us to come together at the same table. We allow the differences in our faith traditions and understandings to serve as barriers to working as a unit.

I think that perhaps the intent of Jesus’ prayer was not that we be the same but that we might learn how to walk in solidarity with one another and work for the common good. Regardless of our theological interpretations or the reasons that inspire us to reach out to others, we are trying to do the same things and address the same issues.

What We Could Do – IF

In our small community of Truro and surrounding area

there are approximately 40 Christian churches,
several other communities of faith,
there is a transition house,
several organizations that respond to sexual abuse, mental health,
there is the Department of Community Services,
the homeless shelter
and others that I don’t even know about.

Imagine what we could do if we combined talents and resources!!

So today I echo the prayer of Jesus that we might be one and come to a place of unity.

Blessings
Valerie

© 2016 Rev Valerie Peyton Kingsbury. All rights reserved.