In order to shine a bit of light on the parallel I want to make with this video, I will start out with the words of Christ: “The glory which thou hast given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, as we also are one… and the world may know that thou hast sent me.” (Jn 17, 22-23)
Today’s video is an concrete example of how the expression of unity impacts, penetrates, touches, elevates, marvels and questions those who encounter it. Simply witnessing the expressions that pop up on their faces as they find themselves immersed in a beautiful and spontaneous moment of harmony is a probable sign that they are living an unforgettable moment.
Something happens, something marvelous and mysterious, when the Church is faithful to her vocation and takes the center stage. In a world broken and fractured by the hammers of division and the scars of individualism, the symphony of faith that is lived and shared can’t help but plow through the walls of indifference that today’s society has built for God.
If unity is a sign of God’s presence in the Church, then its contrasting division is most certainly a sign of the devil’s subterfuge. How tragic is it to see a divided Church! (especially in light of this beautiful call to unity). Sons and daughters of the Church who prefer to auto-denominate themselves as “liberals”, “traditionalists”, “progressists”, or “conservatives”, before Catholics, do not edify the Church. Because in the heart of Christ the factions, the parties, the lobbies always belonged to Ceasar, not God (Mt 22,21).
The world strays far from the Lord for many motives. We could speak of secularism, the instrumental rationality, hedonism, etc… All of these are certainly valid and go a long way in describing our contemporary reality; nevertheless, we must also add that the world wanders in the desert because we have fallen asleep. We have failed to respond to our Holy Father’s exhortation to get out of “comfort zones” and to dive into the outskirts of existence, stirring things up a bit… Perhaps one of the most delightful elements of the video is how the orchestra forms in a place totally unexpected, in the middle of the people. When have you ever seen an orchestra in the middle of a square? It’s something rare. But in the Church, it shouldn’t be! “For the Christian vocation by its very nature is also a vocation to the apostolate.” (AA 2) And the world has become used to seeing us as self-absorbed and distant, for we have reflected an image that we must transform now!
Finally, I ask myself: how can we start a little bit of commotion, a holy and evangelical ruckus, if we don’t strike together the same chord? It is impossible. In the same way, can an orchestra play a symphony as they do in the video, without a director? Impossible. Christ is the head of the Church! It is with the beating of His most Sacred Heart that we must synchronize! Still, aware of our weakness, God wanted to bestow upon us a great gift: “the perpetual and visible principle and foundation of unity of both the bishops and the faithful” (LG 23), that is, the Successor of Peter, before whom all useful “partismos” should be substituted for humble obedience and filial trust.
Only in love and obedience to the Church’s Magisterium and to the Vicar of Christ can we reach this unity that Christ so deeply desires for his Church. Only in becoming one like Christ and the Father, we will be able to effectively cooperation with God’s grace and transform the hearts of our brothers and sisters.
