Focolare Movement

Father Pasquale Foresi. The Prayer for Unity

Jul 20, 2014

Unity is a word of Jesus that was revived in the twentieth century by the spirituality and witness of Chiara Lubich. We offer the following commentary by Pasquale Foresi, on the prayer for unity, which can be helpful for anyone following the path of Chiara’s communitarian spirituality .

20140714_2The prayer for unity is found in the seventeenth chapter of St John’s Gospel. Chiara Lubich saw the words of that prayer as her mission in life, which she immediately shared with her first companions. We present a 1979 commentary by Fr Pasquale Foresi. “That they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (Jn 17:21). “That they may all be one.” This phrase is the continuation of a previous one in which Jesus also prays for those who would believe him through the words of the apostles. It is the Word that makes us one, and of one mind through the unifying power of the Word that is Christ. The Word of God will continue, down through the centuries, through diverse cultures, continuing to make those who accept it one. Another feature of the unity brought about by the Word is this: Whereas in any school of philosophy the disciple must never stray from the fundamental intuitions of the master, Christian unity is a vital activity. It is unity of mind and heart, it is family. That all may be one. This word “all” points to the most absolute and widest universality with no exceptions [. . .]. In this verse, the word “all” is linked to the word “one”. These are the two striking features of the Church: universality (catholicity) and unity. Paul affirms this Christian calling to unity when he writes to the Ephesians: “One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all” (Eph 4:3-6). Pasquale Foresi, Luce che si incarna. Commento ai 12 punti della spiritualità dell’unità, (Rome: Città Nuova Editrice, 2014) 131.

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to Newsletter

Thought of the day

Related post

Living the Gospel: from seed to fruit

Living the Gospel: from seed to fruit

The Word of God is like a seed which bears fruit when received with an open heart and perseverance and when with it, we manage to overcome difficulties. Jesus invites us not only to listen to it and understand it, but above all to live it concretely every day. By living His Word, we allow Christ to transform the way we think and act, making our lives and the lives of others, fruitful.

Gen Movement: 60 years of life

Gen Movement: 60 years of life

“Young people of the world, unite”: this is the invitation that Chiara Lubich extended to the younger generations 60 years ago, so that each one could answer God’s call to live for unity in a practical way

What’s UP? Let’s get started!

What’s UP? Let’s get started!

Welcome to What’s UP?, a new format offered by the Focolare Movement that brings us closer together and makes us feel more and more like a family.