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Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. (Luke 11:23)

Every Sunday, Catholics around world make their profession of faith, “I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.” (The Nicene Creed). This loaded statement summarizes the four marks of the Catholic Church, also known as the Attributes of the Church in which unity and holiness are found. When Jesus says, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” (Luke 11:23) He warns us that one of the worst evils that can overtake the Church is disunity (division) among Christian believers. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, "‘Christ bestowed unity on his Church from the beginning. This unity, we believe, subsists in the Catholic Church as something she can never lose, and we hope that it will continue to increase until the end of time.’ Christ always gives his Church the gift of unity, but the Church must always pray and work to maintain, reinforce, and perfect the unity that Christ wills for her. This is why Jesus himself prayed at the hour of his Passion, and does not cease praying to his Father, for the unity of his disciples: ‘That they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be one in us, . . . so that the world may know that you have sent me.’ The desire to recover the unity of all Christians is a gift of Christ and a call of the Holy Spirit. (CCC 820) As the devil is trying so hard to separate us from Christ and the Church by leading us into temptations and sins, we are called daily to be holy and faithful to God by avoiding all source of evil allurements and cultivating virtues. “For I, the LORD, am your God. You shall make and keep yourselves holy, because I am holy.” (Leviticus 11: 44) “‘United with Christ, the Church is sanctified by him; through him and with him she becomes sanctifying.’ All the activities of the Church are directed, as toward their end, to the sanctification of men in Christ and the glorification of God. ‘It is in the Church that "the fullness of the means of salvation’ has been deposited. It is in her that ‘by the grace of God we acquire holiness.’” (CCC 824) We need both unity and holiness to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ. Unity is easy if you don't care about holiness. Holiness is quite easy if you don't care about unity among community. It's doing the two of them together that's the real trick.

What causes division in your life, family, society, and the Church?
What is your concrete effort in promoting unity?
Looking into your live at this time, can you name areas of potential growth in holiness?

St. Augustine's Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love only what is holy.
Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy.
Guard me so, O Holy Spirit, that I may always be holy.

Over the centuries, the Church has turned to Mary in time of crisis. Today it is the crisis of disunity, we turn to her, follow her example, and beg her to obtain from Jesus for us the gift of unity and holiness. Hail Mary full of grace…

Peace in Christ,
Father Vincent-Vuong Nguyen