We find the words, “…so that they may all be one….” in today’s reading, John 17:20-26. These words might lead us to believe all denominations, all churches and parishes, all Christians are to understand, believe, and worship in exactly the same ways. Yet, history tells us that this rarely happened, even before institutionalized Christianity.
So, if we aren’t one in our interpretations of Scripture, in the choice of Bible version, in the methods of worship, how might we be one? The words of the song, THEY’LL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE may well be the answer: “…we are one in the spirit….”. If we are one in the spirit, we will show our oneness through our love, as the song also tells us. We will, as Jesus taught, “love one another’, even amid our differences.