Living in unity is a grace that we must ask the Lord for every day. It is the foundation of a true mission, whose very substance is love. Without unity, mission is weakened; without love, it becomes empty.
As we strive each day to grow in this attitude, our perspective changes. We begin to look at others and at different situations through the eyes of faith, rather than according to our own criteria, prejudices or preferences. Then what is different and distinct ceases to be a threat and reveals itself as a source of richness. Our ability to work together grows, trust is strengthened and this precious unity is fostered.
It is worth making this clear: missionary unity is not uniformity. It does not mean that everyone must think in the same way, do the same thing or suppress what makes each person unique. True unity preserves diversity as a source of richness and complementarity. Saint Paul expressed this through the image of the body: many parts, each with its own function, and one Spirit who gives them life (cf. 1 Cor 12:12–27). No one is superfluous, no one is worth more than another, and we all need one another. In this way, we are united in diversity.
This is the beauty of a missionary Church: different charisms, different cultures, different stories, but one love. And it is this love, lived and shared, that makes the proclamation of the Gospel credible.
During this Mission Month, let us pray for those who proclaim Christ in the most distant places, and let us also ask for the grace of unity in our own environments: in our families, communities and workplaces.
Lord, make us one in Your name, without erasing what makes each of us unique. May Your love be the substance of our mission.
And you? Are you willing to look at others through the eyes of faith and discover in their diversity a source of richness for the mission?
Mission Month — Unity in Diversity: The Heart of Mission
