Today’s Saint - Josaphat - was an important figure in church history. Though his lived 500 years later, he was very much involved in mending the schism that occurred in the church in the year 1054 - when the Church of the East, split from the Church of the West.
He was a bishop in the Eastern Church - in the Ukraine - but he fought tirelessly for reunion of the two Churches. He had both sympathisizers and opponents to deal with. In the end the opponents overpowered the sympathisizers and Josaphat was martyred. He is quoted as saying: “I came to you as a shepherd. You know I would be happy to give my life for you. I am ready to die for union of the Church under Saint Peter and his successor, the Pope.” Amidst cries of: “Kill the papist!” the bishop was beaten with a stick, then an axe and finally shot through the head. His bloody body was dragged to the river and thrown in along with a dog who had tried to protect him!
Bishop Josaphat was all about using the grace that God gives us to do our task in building up the body of Christ - especially when that body remains wounded and in need of healing and reconciliation. Not only does the schism between East and West still exist today, but the entire Protestant revolution is a scandal to the unity of the body of Christ! We must all use the spiritual graces and tools God gives us to do our part in bringing about unity and peace!
The responsorial refrain we read today was: Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. It was because Josaphat had unswerving hope in God that he could have done what he did! That same hope is available to us to help us do what we are called to do! All we need to is to pray for it.
The gospel passage is from Jesus’ Priestly Prayer - spoken after the Last Supper. He was praying for his Apostles and for those who would hear the words of Truth from them - that ALL MAY BE ONE! so that all might see the glory of God which is so magnificent and wonderful - the glory that Jesus wants so much to share with EVERYONE! This is a glory that was born of LOVE - the love the Father had for the Son; the love the Son had for each and every one of us!
Thank you, God, for loving us so! Thank you for being our hope! Thank you for being the strength we need to live our days always seeking and doing only that which will bring about unity and peace - unity and peace that will last for ever for those who are faithful and responsive to LOVE!
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