Dwelling together in unity

"Behold now, what is so good or so pleasant as for brothers (and sisters) to dwell together in unity?" (Ps. 132:1)

This morning's Hierarchichal Divine Liturgy at St Steven's Serbian Orthodox Cathedral was an example of the above Psalm. Greeks, Russians, Serbians, Antiochians, and ...? praying and worshipping together. It is a great reminder of the shared Faith that we hold in common as Orthodox. Where else in this fragmented and divided world can those of various cultural and linguistic backgrounds come together as one? The answer is...only in the Church, the body of Christ. Our Lord came to unite all to Himself and to one another, not through some imaginary bond of good will or peace, but through His precious Body and Blood. This is mankind's only hope.

Let us continue to be peacemakers among all people and do what we can where we are, but let us remember that it is only in and through Christ that true unity is to be found and experienced.

May our Orthodox Church in this great country of America continue to work towards this unity and thus be a witness to the dying world around us of the unity to be found in the Church, and thus in Christ.

To God be the glory,
Fr Stephen