Together at Last

We are surely individuals—distinct persons—separate, living carbon units. Your skin is the border of the territory that is you in this expanding universe. It is the same for the boundaries of my territory: from my body-center, outward to my skin is me. Beyond that is frontier. Alas, we are separate entities. I have never lived one day of what we call your life and you have lived none of mine. Whether we are keeping a distance apart or are close, we are always separate, because we are individuals.

Despite the literal reality, we sense and speak of aspects of unity that we choose to apply to life. They are categories of belonging, cognitive constructs of classification. You might think of yourself as a proud Texan, one of the many. Our nation uses a motto, “Out of many, one.” We visualize a union, and each of us is part of it. In a team competition, a coach might stress the importance of athletes playing as a team, though obviously, each member has a distinct assignment.

Yes, working together, talking together, interacting, people come to see themselves as connected in unity. Consider for a moment the match of Daddy Warbucks and Annie in the story of the musical. Warbucks, the successful venture capitalist, seems to have everything; alas, we realize that he is missing a lot. Annie, the little orphan looks as though she has nothing, but people discover the extraordinary things she has to offer. Despite the madness of many obstacles, these two are eventually put together and the song and dance number that celebrates the union is a great delight:

Together at last; Together forever
We're tying a knot They never can sever
And what's the title of the dream that just came true?
I don't need anything, anything, anything.
I don't need anything but you!

They are still individuals, but they have willed to be a family, and discover the unity that brings fulfillment to their lives.

In the whole economy of salvation through Christ, something has happened to turn a vast multitude, too many to number, into a body. “And what’s the title of the dream” that makes that true? It is the communion of saints, the body under one Head, Jesus Christ. Notice how God is identified in the opening prayer for this Sunday; it is the first line of the Collect of the Day: Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord.

We cannot get around the fact that we are all separate individuals who don’t find unity easily, even on our best day. We all know that when four people get together to discuss something, eight opinions emerge. With humans it is impossible, but with God, all things are possible. What wondrous knitting! Our Almighty God has knit us together into one communion. The grace of God affords the energy to dissolve impossible barriers. This, of course, does not dismiss the requirement of our efforts. The prayer continues to ask that God’s grace aid us in cultivating virtue and godliness, following the example of the saints, so that we might come to our complete fulfillment: “Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you.”

We strive and God works the miracles of transformation as we do our part. In our own time and through the centuries there are models of faith, mentors for holiness of life. These fellow believers inspire us. We then choose to work hard to support and inspire others. Look at this marvelous vision of St. John in the Book of Revelation and get a sense of where this takes us. The Voice of the apocalyptic vision announces that things are to be made new and that God and those scattered believers will be brought together as one:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
"See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them as their God;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes… “
And the one who was seated on the throne said,
"See, I am making all things new."
(Revelation 21:3-5)

Knit one, purl two—blessed be the tie that binds. You need not worry that you will ever lose the uniqueness of you as an individual, but think of it: separate no longer, by the saving life of Christ, we will be together at last.