One In Mind And Heart

Holiness is when God's will and our will become one. Holiness is when God's will and our will become one. Holiness is when God's will and our will become one. Period.

It is not simply about the way you go to Mass or the style of worship you prefer. Stop judging your brothers and sisters. Start focusing on what God calls you to do. He has given us many different expressions of worship, and that is okay. We are the Church. What unites us is not uniformity in every detail, but a unity of mind and heart in Christ. This was the prayer of St. Paul for the early Church (cf. Philippians 2:2; Acts 4:32), and it remains the prayer for us today: to be one in mind and heart.

But this unity and holiness begin in the smallest choices of our daily lives. What is the very first thing I go for when I wake up in the morning? Do I reach for my cell phone to check messages? Do I look up sports scores or the news as if the world has drastically changed in the 12 hours I was asleep? Or do I rise and immediately dedicate my heart and day to God in prayer?

If God is not the very first One I turn to, then it reveals where my heart is truly inclined. Holiness starts with that first glance of the heart each morning—turning not to distractions, but to the Lord who gives us breath and life.

And holiness also requires forgiveness. Think of family members not speaking to each other, friends who refuse to reconcile, or a husband and wife so upset they sleep in separate rooms and let silence grow. The longer it goes on, the more the devil slips his foot into the door—until eventually he pushes his way right in. I speak as someone who has been there too. The devil thrives on anger, bitterness, and division. He will stir people up and tempt them to say, “Don’t talk to them again. Cut them off forever.”

But the Spirit whispers differently: “Forgive. Let it go. It’s your family. It’s your friend. Give it to God.”

Even if the wound is deep, forgiveness is still possible. It doesn’t always mean the relationship will go back to what it was, but forgiveness from the heart is non-negotiable. Without it, unity with God and holiness of life cannot flourish. So forgive, let it go, and entrust it to the Lord. God will give you the grace, for His mercy is abundant.

St. John Chrysostom reminds us:

 “The person who forgives quickly, and without reserve, is the person who finds God dwelling in his heart. Anger hardens the heart, but forgiveness softens it and unites us to God and to one another.”

Lord, may my first thought each morning be of You. Unite my heart with Yours, so that my will may be one with Your will. Teach me to forgive as You forgive, to let go of grudges, and to seek unity in my family, friendships, and Church. Make me one with my brothers and sisters in love, that together we may be of one mind and one heart in Christ. Amen.