“That They May Be One”

📖 Readings – Seventh Sunday of Easter 

  • Acts 1:15–17, 20a, 20c–26 – Matthias is chosen to replace Judas.

  • Psalm 103:1–2, 11–12, 19–20 – “The Lord has set His throne in heaven.”

  • 1 John 4:11–16 – “If we love one another, God lives in us.”

  • John 17:11b–19 – Jesus prays to the Father: “That they may be one, as we are one.”


We stand today in the in-between space—between Ascension and Pentecost, between the Lord’s going and the Spirit’s coming. What do we find Jesus doing in this moment of transition? He prays.

And what does He pray for?

“That they may be one, as we are one.”

This is not a passive wish. It is a powerful plea for unity in truth, in love, and in mission.

🧍🏾‍♂️🧍🏽‍♀️🧍🏿 The First Community After the Ascension

In the first reading, we see the early Church already at work. Peter and the disciples gather—not to grieve, but to prepare. They choose someone to take Judas’s place, not to cover up failure, but to restore the body of Christ. God’s mission continues—even through human weakness.

❤️ “God Lives in Us”

In his letter, St John reminds us: “God is love… and whoever abides in love abides in God.” Our unity is not built on uniformity, but on love. A Church that loves is a Church where God lives and breathes—across languages, cultures, and communities, even in South Africa’s wounds and hopes.

🙏🏾 “I Am Praying for Them”

In the Gospel, Jesus doesn't just teach unity—He prays for it. He prays for us. We are not forgotten. Even now, Christ intercedes for us before the Father, praying that we be:

  • Protected from evil

  • Sanctified in truth

  • Sent into the world

We are not spectators in this world—we are a missionary people, set apart but not separated, in the world but not of the world.

🤔 Reflection Questions

  • Do I allow Jesus’ prayer to shape my heart?

  • Am I an agent of unity or a cause of division?

  • How can I be set apart for others, not above them?

🔥 Eucharistic Connection

At the altar, we do not just remember Jesus’ prayer—we become its answer. United around one table, across every difference, we are made one body, one spirit in Christ.

🇿🇦 A South African Touch

In our land, unity often feels fragile. Political divisions, racial wounds, economic inequality threaten our oneness. But Jesus prayed for us—and that prayer still stands. As Pilgrims of Hope, we must not just desire unity—we must live it.

🕊️ Conclusion & Prayer

Let us take courage:
Christ prays for us.
The Holy Spirit will soon be poured out upon us.
And we are called to walk forward—not in fear, but in faith and unity.

Let us pray:
Lord Jesus, You prayed that we may be one.
Make me an instrument of unity,
a witness of truth,
and a servant in the world.
Until all Your children are one, as You are one with the Father.
Amen.

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