Hearts, Minds, and the Power of Unity

"The community of believers was of one heart and mind. . . . With great power the Apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 4:32-33).

Sister, imagine what we could do together.

Today's First Reading is often invoked for its later verses, with its laudable account of the early Christians holding their property in common and having no division within the community. But reading through it with fresh eyes, something different stood out to me this time: "one heart and mind."

What would our world look like today, in 2020, if Christians were of one heart and mind, as a community of believers? If the Catholic Church were united in love for our Savior and Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, and renowned for our unity and affection for our fellow brother or sister in the pew?

Can you imagine the power?

Can you picture the response to a call from our pastors for a campaign of prayer and fasting for a specific issue, when rather than grumblings about why some other issue weren't highlighted or indignant complaints positing our personal position in opposition of This Very Thing, we just . . . agreed.

Agreed and then drew together in God's presence—which He intimately promises to us—whenever two or more gather in His Name.

Imagine what the people in the Church could do during this time of COVID-19 and be as a united force bearing witness to the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

Can you think of anything our culture needs more during this challenging time? Can you think of any movement our culture and our world could more profoundly benefit from right now?

Me neither.

Sister, imagine what we could do together. // Jenny UebbingClick to tweet

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Lord Jesus, by the power of Your Resurrection and the gift of Your sacrifice of love on the Cross, inspire in our hearts a desire and an ability to be truly united to our fellow people.

Jenny Uebbing is a wife, mother to six, creator of the NFP community Off the Charts and author of the blog Mama Needs Coffee where she writes about sex, marriage, and the Catholic Church. She's a freelance writer, a speaker, and an espresso enthusiast. You can find out more about her here.