Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist

I, a prisoner for the Lord, 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: one Body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

God wants us to be one with Him and all His children. He wants us to be united in our one faith through one baptism, living in a manner worthy of the call to be Christ-like. He wants us to be united in our humility before Him and gentleness with each other. He wants us to be united in patience and love and strive to live in peace with one another. It is through the One Body of Christ and the One Holy Spirit that we are united with our One Heavenly Father and our spiritual brothers and sisters. It is through our confession of one faith, our experience of one baptism, and our shared communion with God and each other that we are united in one Holy Family. And it is in this unity we find our fulfillment not only as unique individuals, but as one living Body of Christ.

Are we united to God and others in our faith lives? How can we become more unified with our faith community? What can we do in our lives to bring people together in the one Body and Spirit of our God?

O Lord, unite us.

Amen.