"The parish is the presence of the church in any given territory, and environment for hearing God’s word, for growth in Christian life for dialogue, proclamation, charitable outreach, worship and celebration." These are the words of Pope Francis. It is extremely accurate when we become a blessing to communicate the face of Christ. If love is the other word to denote Christ, the same word is also appropriate to denote the church. Love has the greatest power for the transformation of reality because it pulls down the walls of selfishness and fills the ditches that keep us apart.
"Unity happens when we walk together." Koinonia (unity) is the characteristic of the church. Unity does not imply uniformity; it does not necessarily mean doing everything together or thinking in the same way. It involves the joyful recognition and acceptance of the various gifts which the Holy Spirit gives to each one and the placing of these gifts at the service of all members of the Church. It means knowing how to listen, to accept differences, and having the freedom to think differently and express oneself with complete respect towards the other who is my brother or sister. Let us pray,
"Lord Jesus, make us capable of loving as you love."
