"one bread, one body"
"The temple of God is holy, and you are that temple." —1 Corinthians 3:17
Today we celebrate the anniversary of the dedication of the Lateran Basilica, which is considered the mother church of Christianity. Today we remember that there is only one Church because "there is but one body and one Spirit, just as there is but one hope given all of you by your call. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all" (Eph 4:4-6).
Jesus prayed "that all may be one as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; I pray that they may be [one] in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me" (Jn 17:21). God's plan of salvation is "to bring all things in the heavens and on earth into one under Christ's headship" (Eph 1:10).
Unity in Christ is necessary for the fulfillment of God's plan for world evangelization. We have grown accustomed to centuries of disunity, thousands of denominations, and a debilitated Christianity. Many Christians have forgotten that Jesus is praying for His family to be one. Many have ceased even to want to be Church by God's standards. We must repent, be reconciled, and be one as the Father and Son are One.
Prayer: Father, may we repent and accept the Holy Spirit of unity (Eph 4:3).
Promise: "No one can lay a foundation other than the one that has been laid, namely Jesus Christ." —1 Cor 3:11
Praise: St. John the Baptizer received the Holy Spirit while a six-month-old pre-born baby.
Reference: (For this coming Advent, begin to read the Bible daily. For encouragement, order any or all of these audio or video tapes: Ignorance of Scriptures is Ignorance of Christ, AV 82-1, V-82. How to Pray the Bible on AV 82-3 or on video V-82. How to Read the Bible on audio AV 46-3 or on video V-46. Principles of Bible Interpretation, audio AV 79-1, video V-79.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, April 6, 2006
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