The Power Of Unity And Oneness

Speaker: Archbishop Loren Thomas Hines

June 02, 2025

in Spritual Growth

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June 01, 2025:
Readings: 1 Samuel 12:19-24
Acts: 16:16-34
John 17:20-26
7th Sunday of Easter 2026 Homily – Abp. Hines

Today is the 7th Sunday of Easter. The center of our lives should be all around Easter and the message that Christ has given to us. But a large percentage of humankind still cannot comprehend the fullness of God’s love for us. Scriptures tell us that we are to be like Him as we have been blessed by from the very beginning.

After Christ came back and ministered to the disciples, He now assigns them to catch “fish,” and He was of course referring to catching “man.” Christ says to the Father, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.” Jesus prays for their unity and purity as they go out into the world to minister. It is the same unity He has with the Father that Jesus speaks of. But sadly, we don’t see this in Christianity today. We see instead, different religions attacking each other. Our goals should be one and the same- which is to bring mankind to Him. Unfortunately, we don’t see the religions coming together as one, but each goes in different directions. Adam and Eve failed by disobeying one law. The one law that forbids them from partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. What about us today? Are we obeying His laws? God’s provisions are to bring us joy and peace. His character is love. And yet the enemy has deceived us into listening to other voices. Christ came to sum up all things. For a lack of knowledge, we are still struggling. We criticize ourselves and put ourselves down. We say we can’t. But God has put a new heart in us. In so doing, He has actually established unity. Christianity should be demonstrating oneness. We may not necessarily have the same opinions and ideas, but we are not to criticize each other. The standard of Christianity is Christ and God the Father. This should he the pattern we follow, our commitment to Christ. We should have the same attitude as Christ who will always strive to please the Father.

God the Father is the one who sets our lives. Christ the Son always pleased the Father. We should be like Him, and yet we have violated this principle. Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” What is the will of God? It is for us to multiply, subdue the earth and rule. 1 John 4:16-17 “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.” As He is, so also are we in this world. Christ’s work has been done. He has forgiven all of mankind. He does not exempt anyone. “The glory that you have given to me, I now give to them, that they may be one.”

Things may not be going in our favor at the moment, but watch how God will cause all things to turn to good. What is happening today is that AI is taking over in all different realms. But Christ us in control. He is praying for us. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He will teach us all things.