By Richard Charles Ofou (Charles Lwanga Jnr)
(Acts of the Apostles 17:55-60, John 17:20-26)
“I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:20-21).
My dear brethren in Christ, Peace and Love of Christ be with you. Today, we are being presented with the Priestly Prayer of Christ, committing the Christian Community (Church) into the hands of His Father that the Church be united as He and the Father, in an inseparable bond of love. It is in this unifying bond of love that the world would come to acknowledge Him and testify His sovereignty, His glory will be made manifest. A unity of faith (words and action), to transform the world even to offering our own ‘selves’ in order to win the world for the Lord.
Today, the reflection will be anchored on the gospel of John (John 17:20-26). The reflection of today will be split into two parts. The first, Christ made the special prayer of unity of the Church to the Father as the head, the Priest and Groom of the Church in order for the Church to find its true identity (Christ) in the world (John 17:20-23).
The second part, which is the concluding phase of the Prayer, Christ also requests that not only the Church being united in Love that even after their earthly sojourn may be with Him in all glory. Where He is, there shall the Church be because they are united in body and Spirit, He, Christ, becomes the center of the Unity of the Church (John 17:24-26).
Looking at the first part of the reflection, Christ’s prayer of unity of the Church, highlighting that importance of the Christian unity, unity forged in the fire of Love, made perfect as the One who calls her is Perfect (Matthew 5:48). Just as the glory of Christ was made manifest through His union with the Father, the Father in Him and Him in the Father, so also will the true glory of the Church be seen and made manifest through unity of faith (words and actions) and the world will come to know Him, the only Son of God.
Furthermore, in the concluding phase of the prayer, Christ points towards result of the life of unity, that where He is, there shall we also be. That we might behold Him from whom we find our essence and identity for all eternity. For we have known Him that comes in the name of the Lord, He who is united with the Father in an inseparable bond of love for us to come into the fullness of our knowledge of Him. It is an assurance that after our earthly sojourn, there is a place of eternal glory where we shall see Him face to face as He is (1 Corinthians 13:12) and be united with Him just as He is with the Father.
My dear brethren in Christ, this is a call to unity of body and spirit (our earthly and physical ambitions with our spiritual identity). That even in our daily living and dealing with one another, Christ remains the unifying factor through which we can find our place in this world. The unity of faith must go beyond religious affiliation and denomination, from sentiments of the intellect and tribal doctrination and traditions. The call of unity requires we submit ourselves entirely to Him (Christ ) who can do all things and at the center of our life because, surely, we can not achieve it on our own, for the world in which we live divides us more than it unites us, creating fractions in every aspect of earthly existence. But, true unity is only in Christ who before the world is united with the Father.
The journey to unity and making Christ known to the world and then to the Father, to be with Him for all eternity, requires that we also shall pass through the same path He passed. Through death, He was glorified. So, through death and self denial just as Stephen (the first Christian Martyr), we too will be glorified. We must be willing to give up that which is too dear to us even our won life for the glory which is to come, the glory of the Father in Christ (John 12:25-26).
However, if we must come to be where He is, then we must take the path He took, the path of the cross, of love and unity.
May the Peace and Love of God that surpasses all understanding rest and abide with us for all eternity. Amen.
(Published by The Southerner on Sunday, June 1, 2025)
