All your people may be gathered into one flock

All your people may be gathered into one flock

I wonder if everyone being gathered into one flock is a real possibility in the near future. I had a look on Wikipedia to see if there might be a list of all the Christian denominations — there is, and there are a lot!. And if you factor in the number of other faiths there are, we can see that we’re an incredibly splintered flock at present. And, on the face of it, it looks as though it’s unlikely we’ll ever reach that happy ideal of being gathered into one flock.

But God can, and does, do amazing things. We don’t know what might happen tomorrow, next week, next year, or at some other point in our future, that will bring about just what’s being prayed for in this Collect. If enough of us can be taught to hear Christ’s voice, and to follow his command, then we just might suddenly realize that we are actually all one flock, following one Way.

It’s quite a thought to think, to hope for, that so many differences might one day be set aside, and we might be able to worship with our brothers and sisters around the world again. I think it’s more likely to happen from the grass-roots level up, rather than our denominational leaders bringing about unity. Our leaders can’t even agree within the Anglican Communion, so what hope between denominations, or even faiths. But at grass-roots level, people of various denominations and faiths do work and worship together; and don’t worry overly much about our differences.

I will never forget one funeral I went to where Buddhists were invited to take an active part in a Christian funeral, in a Christian Church. It was an amazing experience. But, most importantly, it was right for the wonderful person who’s funeral it was.

Unity can happen; it does happen; and with God’s help it can grow.

Risen Christ,
faithful shepherd of your Father’s sheep:
teach us to hear your voice
and to follow your command,
that all your people may be gathered into one flock,
to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Additional Collect for The Fourth Sunday of Easter
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council