Reeves: understanding unity

Saturday, July 9, 2011
Meditation:
    For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
    —1 Corinthians 12:13 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Whatever may be our differences of colour, culture, and class, the unity that is ours in Christ is given visible expression at every Synod. Here we all gather around the one Altar, here we all share in shaping the policy of the Church in this diocese; here we all take part in making provision for carrying on the work of the Church during the coming year. At this time, year by year, we are specially conscious of our unity in Christ, and are made aware afresh that we are members of this new race of human beings which is made up of all those of every ethnic group who have been added to Christ. We are members of that Kingdom in which all human antagonisms are transcended. Yet we shall not interpret aright this unity which is ours in Christ Jesus unless we continually remind ourselves that it has its origin in His death and resurrection. The Church springs out of the deeds of Jesus done in the flesh, and we can only fulfil our destiny in the Church as we learn that we are utterly dependent upon the whole Body of Christ.
    ... Ambrose Reeves (1899-1980), Bishop of Johannesburg [1956], in Church and Race in South Africa, David M. Paton, London: SCM Press, 1958, p. 30-31 (see the book)
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, drive all obstacles to unity away from within me. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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