We are called to be “Pilgrims of Hope” during this Jubilee Year 2025. Considering that pilgrims often journey collectively, incorporating the theme of unity into this experience is appropriate. Unity, however, has become a misunderstood concept in our times, often misused. While many contexts align with our Christian worldview, others represent ideological movements contrary to our values. How do we reclaim the term “unity” in its purest form, a state of oneness without demanding sameness? In this article, we will explore oneness over sameness, how our differences matter, and find hope in unity through the example of the Holy Family as a model.
Oneness is not sameness
One of the oldest questions in Western philosophy is known as the problem of the “one and the many.” Starting with the ancient Greeks and later explored theologically by St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, we accept that there is one reality (God) underlying everything and we “the many” find our relation to the One. The great Spanish Carmelite mystic, St. John of the Cross, described God as “todo y nada,” or everything and nothing. This is part of the mystery that ultimately draws us together in pursuit of understanding where we fit in it all. For some sameness might seem desirable, but sameness eliminates the need for relationship and dialog about the things that make us unique. Our cultural, experiential, gifts, and hopes are what draw us toward a oneness larger than anything we could create on our own.
Differences matter
Approximately a decade ago, I was invited to join an anniversary trip of the Civil Rights Heritage Tour in Alabama. Living in Atlanta at the time, I was invited by Black clergy friends I met through a Religion and Race project in partnership with Emory University. Our journey included stops in and between Birmingham and Montgomery over four days. One stop was in Selma, Alabama, on the anniversary of the deadly 1965 “Bloody Sunday” march. I knew the historical significance of this effort to secure voting rights. My friends allowed me to absorb the stories from survivors and colleagues of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As we began a ceremonial march across the bridge, I was overwhelmed by the emotions of the estimated 5,000 attendees. One of the clergy walking with me was a retired Methodist bishop. During our walk, I asked him a seemingly simple question: “Bishop, can you help me understand why … ?” He abruptly interrupted, stating, “It is not my job to help you understand, son, and it was not our job back then.” Through this “tough love” encounter, I began to grasp what oneness over sameness truly meant. We are not the same, and unity is not about achieving uniformity. Unity is about a shared experience and reality that we are all created and loved by God. Starting from this premise, we can embark on the journey together to be unified with Him.
The Holy Family as guide
The Holy Family serves as the perfect model of journeying together. February, dedicated to the Holy Family in our Catholic tradition, offers much to consider on the topic of unity. From the beginning, our Blessed Mother and St. Joseph faced the challenge of being one as God intended for married couples. They instead found perfect unity in the One who entrusted them with the greatest of tasks. Even the joy of welcoming a new child was challenged by homelessness when no room was available in the inn. Just as they were settling into their new home and receiving visitors from afar, they were displaced once again, becoming refugees in a foreign land. Despite these challenges, the Holy Family remained unified in the promise and hope of their special child, the One Himself. They give us Hope in Unity for all seeking something greater today.
The age-old problem of the “one and the many” has been pondered by philosophers and theologians for millennia. Humankind flourishes when we seek unity and relationship, yet we often fall short amid our differences. Perhaps within our differences lies the opportunity! Unity is not about sameness; it is about oneness, achieved by trusting in the constant reality of God’s love for each person. For me, understanding unity did not come from someone else’s explanation, but from a “tough love” encounter and reminder that we are all created in the image of God. Regardless of our birth circumstances, skin color, culture, status, or credentials, true unity and hope emerge when we seek to unite with the One unchanging reality: the Love of God for all.
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