“Together in prayer for peace and unity.” It was the theme of our prayer vigil and peace walk last weekend. We demonstrated through prayer and action our ardent desire for peace and unity in our country, world, and communities.
It’s the earnest desire of Jesus that we become united in mind and heart and live in peace.
It’s because he knows our constant efforts to fight his enemy, whose ultimate mission is to divide us, to break relationships in marriages, families, society, and governments.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus prays to the Father, saying:
“Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me so that they may be one as we are one.”
In our pluralistic society, the words of Jesus are not just about tolerance and peaceful co-existence. They involve the challenging works of empathy, mutual understanding, respect, and willingness to enter into dialogue with others despite our differences.
Never before have we been most challenged as this past year’s election and pandemic, to work for peace and unity.
It’s “how we know that we remain in him and he in us, that he has given us his Spirit,” this Sunday’s Second Reading (1 John 4:11-16) tells us. In other words, the way that we know that Holy Spirit is alive in us is through our love for one another and our life of unity and peace.
“This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another,” Jesus reminded his disciples before being crucified.
God calls each one of us—young and old—to this ministry of love, peace, and unity. He is sending us into the world to sow these seeds of the Gospel. Now, some people would come at midnight to sow “weeds among wheat” to disturb our lives and destroy all our efforts. And so, we must be vigilant.
Judas allowed Satan to use him to turn away from Jesus. We cannot let ourselves be like him. We must be faithful to Jesus and the mission that he entrusted to us.
Our weapon is prayer, and our fellow prayer warriors are Mary, Joseph, and all the Saints. So I close with the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel:
St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the malice and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do you, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the divine power, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who prowl about the world, seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
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The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
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Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.
