Introduction
It has been my deep spiritual hope ever since I became a priest of the Diocese of Sindhudurg that the community must grow in unity. Bishop is the centre of the Church of Sindhudurg. He is the symbol of Christian unity in the land where we live in the absolute minority that comprises less than 1% of the entire population of the district; there is urgent need to give witness of Christ. Jesus, our master himself calls us to be His witnesses … to the ends of the earth (CFR. Acts 1:8). But we are also equally responsible for it. I do not doubt the effects of charitable services rendered by various institutes in our diocese through different apostolates. However, we run the risk of giving witness if we are not united in Christ. St. Paul who was a powerful witness of Christ to the early Christians tells us that living together in harmony is the most authentic witness of Christ (Cfr. Col. 3:14). What is the value of all the charitable works we do but are not united in Christ? Jesus is calling us today to introspect our Christian living so as to bear the witness of Jesus to the world which has not known him as the saviour of the world.
Unity is the Essence of the Church
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that the Church is the place where humanity must discover its unity and salvation (CCC 845). We, the members of the Most Holy Mother Church profess in the Creed that the Church of Christ is one, holy, catholic and apostolic (LG 8). Jesus Christ, our Lord has endowed his church with these essential features through the Holy Spirit. Each of the features forms the principles of our Catholic faith. I would like to draw your attention to the first feature that is oneness or unity. The church is one because of her divine source. It springs forth from the Triune God (UR 2, 5). Jesus Christ, the founder of the Church became man, died on the cross and rose again for the restoration of unity of the entire human race. He himself prayed at the hour of his passion and does not cease praying to his Father for the unity of his disciples. He prayed, “Father! … that they may all be one. As you Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also may be one in us… so that the world may know that you have sent me (Jn. 17:21; Cfr. 7:25). The account of the institution of the Church reminds us that it is the Holy Spirit who is the soul of the church and it brought together the disheartened Disciples of Christ. Even today the same Spirit of Christ brings us in communion with the Risen Lord. Hence, unity is the essence of the Church (CCC 813). We need to admire the unity of the Church which is seen at all the levels in the Church. Let us recall the words of St. Clement of Alexandria who admires the church in the following words, “What an astonishing mystery! There is one Father of the universe, one Logos of the universe, and also one Holy Spirit, everywhere one and the same, there is also one virgin became woman, and I should like to call her church”.
A call to unity in the midst of wounds
Though the church of Christ is one, there exists a great diversity which comes from the variety of gifts of God. This richness of variety is not opposed to the Church’s unity. Yet at times our differences of opinions, conditions, and ways of life constantly threaten the gift of unity. It is the sin of disunity that brings division, schism, heresies and disputes among us. It makes deep wounds on the body of Christ, the church. The church has repeatedly claimed that it is the one and only church of God which was built on the Apostles’ faith. The same apostles have exhorted Christians to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3). For many centuries, we have maintained this gift of unity through the visible bonds of communion in the profession of faith, a celebration of sacraments (especially the Most Holy Sacrament of Eucharist) and through the Apostolic Succession through the sacrament of Holy orders (CIC can. 205).
The Responsibility of every Parish Community towards the Unity
Christ has given his church the gift of unity but the church must always strive to maintain, reinforce and perfect that gift of unity. Vatican II calls each and every one of us, the whole church, the faithful and clergy to work together to achieve this holy objective (UR 5). As a bishop, the successor of the Apostles, pastor of the church, teacher of the doctrine and minister of the governance in the diocese, it is his primary duty to maintain the unity within the universal church (CIC can. 392). On the other hand, as a collaborator of bishops, every faithful in the diocese has a special role in his ministry. The cathedral parish community is the mother of the diocese. It plays the vital role of giving witness to the rest of the communities in the diocese. It has the privilege of having a church of the bishop which is known as the cathedral of the diocese. The cathedral, the seat of the bishop is a symbol of authority of a diocesan bishop; hence, it becomes the symbol of unity to the rest of the diocese. The bishop shares a unique relationship with the cathedral parish community. Similarly, it is with the other parishes, priests, religious and the lay faithful. Every Christian community must strive to do it.
Conclusion
It is so important that we work hard for greater unity in the parish and in the diocese at large. Pope Francis says, “Surrender yourself to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. If we let ourselves be led by the Spirit, richness, variety and diversity will never create conflict, because the Spirit spurs us to experience variety in the communion of the Church. (Turkistan, Homily on 29th Nov 2014). Let us allow the Spirit to guide us to reflect on our respective roles individually and collectively. Let us hear the call of Christ to unity forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. Let the appeal of St. Paul to the people of Ephesians be our inspiration. He says, “I urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:1-4). Let us come together to worship our God as one family of God. Let us not forget our blessed Mother who constantly keeps us under her protection. She was the pillar of strength and hope to the disciples of Jesus when they were disheartened after the death of Jesus. She was present with the apostles on the day of Pentecost praying unceasingly and continues to do the same even today. May our Blessed Mother intercede for us in the holy work of restoring peace and unity in our parish communities
