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What do we expect when we say we want unity? At least there could be two meanings and two expectations when we say that we want unity. Firstly, it can mean that we want everybody to be similar. For example, something like a school uniform. When girls or boys in a school wear the school uniform they look alike. Often when we say we want unity we expect others to be like us.

Actually this is not really unity but uniformity. This kind of thing is possible up to a certain extent in communities where people speak the same language, believe in the same religion and are involved in the same trade or work.

But today in our societies, in the context of people becoming increasingly diverse in many ways such as culturally, linguistically and religiously, this kind of uniformity has become almost impossible. In fact, as Christians, we are not expected to be uniform. God is not uniform, he is a unity. He is a unity in trinity. He is a unity in diversity. Yet he remains One. The nature of God is the best example of unity in diversity.

To explain this unity in diversity St. Paul has used the metaphor of the human body. Where Christian unity is concerned he has stressed three important points. Firstly, to have unity he has said we must acknowledge that we are different. We are different from each other in many ways, just as the human body comprises many parts such as hands, legs and ears. Secondly, he has mentioned that although we are different we must realise that we depend on each other or we are interdependent. For example, if I want to take hold of something I must use my brain, hand and legs. Thirdly, he has said that we have common dependence on Christ as the head, just as our head controls our whole body.

How can we achieve this unity? This is the most important question. In this regard, we in Sri Lanka have learnt two important things from our Buddhist brethren.

Actually these two things are half-forgotten Christian legacies. Do you remember the prayer of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane where he said ‘Father, take this cup away from me, but not my will but your will be done’? Here Jesus renounced himself in favour of the will of the Father. That is how God the Father and God the Son remain as one. Because the Son always fulfils the will of the Father and the Father glorifies the Son.

The second aspect is impermanence. In our day-to-day life, the idea of impermanence sounds negative and pessimistic. But think carefully: that is the nature of our life. We are ever-changing. Just now I am here. In the new moment, I am not here: because I have changed. Do you remember one of the things that Jesus said before His death? He said that a seed has to die for it to become a tree and bear fruit. A seed must change in order for it to produce fruit.

Therefore as Christians, it is necessary to renounce our life for the growth of others. As Jesus said, if we want to gain our life we must lose it and if we lose it for Christ’s sake we gain life.

If we don’t understand the impermanence of human life we will keep on craving for things as though we can live forever. If we really understand these two things this will help us to promote unity and harmony in human society.

Let us ask God to give us His grace to understand these truths so as to make our lives meaningful for others and for us in society and to live in unity and peace.