the cost of disunity
"I will make them one nation upon the land, in the mountains of Israel, and there shall be one prince for them all." —Ezekiel 37:22
"United we stand, divided we fall." The Israelites were divided and were thereby conquered. When parents are not united, they fail to make their children disciples for Jesus, and their children are often defeated by the world, the flesh, and the devil. The Church, the body of Christ, is divided into many denominations and factions. Therefore, the body of Christ is broken, partially paralyzed, and greatly limited in the exercise of her God-given authority (see Mt 16:18-19). Thus, Satan and a few assistants are able to kill millions of babies in the womb, brainwash countless millions into living in and furthering the "culture of death," enslave our young people, disrupt and destroy family life, and dehumanize the majority of humanity. When we are not united, we are unable to lead others to the faith (Jn 17:21) which overcomes the world (1 Jn 5:5).
If we are to be free, we must be one. Jesus died to make us one (Jn 11:51-52). "It is He Who is our Peace, and Who made the two of us one by breaking down the barrier of hostility that kept us apart" (Eph 2:14). When we repent of doing our own thing and when we all obey the Lord, we will be one. "There is but one body and one Spirit, just as there is but one hope given all of you by your call. There is one Lord" (Eph 4:4-5).
Prayer: Jesus, do miracles in the next two months to unite the Catholics and the Orthodox.
Promise: "If we let Him go on like this, the whole world will believe in Him." —Jn 11:48
Praise: Isidore's family was united in the faith and bore great fruit. Isidore was a bishop, and two of his brothers and a sister were all canonized saints.
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, July 26, 1997
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, July 29, 1997