Unity in love is an infallible sign of God's presence. Paul urged his followers to live and work in the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. Divisions and factions are not from God. There is one faith, Spirit, baptism, body, Lord, and God - and God holds everything together. When we live and walk in love, we continue God's work; when we promote disunity, hatred, and dissension, we undo God's work - pure and simple! The choice is up to us - do we want to work for God or against God?

Some people are good at reading the weather and the sky - they know what to expect from nature. Jesus insists that we should be able to read the signs of the times in the same way. When we read the newspaper or see the news, often we just get angry or depressed. Jesus urges us to discern how the Spirit of God should be brought to bear on the situation and what our role should be. It should call us to deeper faith and greater commitment to service. Part of continuing God's work is forgiving one another - settling our problems among ourselves and refusing to bear grudges and hatreds. We have incredible power - we can heal relationships, communities, families, and even the world by our acts of forgiveness and love. Each day we are given opportunities to put this into practice. Let us be vigilant and attentive so that we will not miss them.