May they be one in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given
them the glory you have given me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you
in me. Thus they shall reach perfection in unity; and the world shall know that you have sent
me, and that I have loved them, just as you loved me. Father, since you have given them to
me, I want them to be with me where I am, and see the glory you gave me, for you loved me
before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I have
known you, and these have known that you have sent me. As I revealed your name to them,
so will I continue to reveal it, so that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and
I also may be in them.”

Reflect

“God so loved the world.” Jesus had already included us in his priestly prayer even if we
were not there to directly hear his word. When Jesus prayed at that time, he also prayed
for us. He particularly prayed that we may all be one as the Father and Jesus are one.
Jesus clearly prayed for our unity. Jesus knew that division and discord would be part of
our serious difficulty as his followers. Hence, he sincerely prayed for our oneness.
Moreover, this unity is patterned after Jesus’ unity with the Father, which is a holy unity.
Our present societies are often characterized by what we may call unholy alliances. At face
value, unholy alliances might be confused with true unity. We should set things straight
in this regard. When people appear to unite themselves to advance each of their selfish
agenda – that is neither holy nor unitive. It is merely a going together for convenience.
It is an unholy alliance. True unity is generated by selfless people coming together for a
vision to make better the world. Jesus and the Father are one in saving the world because
God so loved the world (cf. Jn. 3:16). This is the oneness for which we are called.

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