Week of prayer for Christian unity

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Since the 1800s, Christian Churches have gathered for ecumenical prayer services, bible studies, and other community activities to encourage Christian unity. In most of the world these days of ecumenical focus take place in the octave between the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter (Jan. 18) to the Feast of the Conversion of St. Peter (Jan 25).

This year the theme is “The Transformative power of faith in Christ” taken from 1 Cor 15:51-58
Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.
The material for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was prepared by an ecumenical group in Poland. Because Poland is (historically) co-hosting the 2012 European Football Championship, the theme in part stems from a desire to properly understand winning and losing. As we read in Mark 9:35, whoever wants to be first must be last of all, which “speaks of victory through mutual service, helping, boosting the self-esteem of those who are ‘last’, forgotten, excluded.” (Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity)

We are to model ourselves on Christ who prayed that all would come to believe. We are called to pray for all Christians to serve God and neighbour. Unity requires that we let go of pride and competition – to be open to giving and receiving gifts with one another.

Christian unity is dependent on us remembering that there is room for everyone in God’s plan of salvation. “Whoever believes in Him may have eternal life.” (John 3:15)

Each of the eight days of prayer focuses on the transformative power of faith in various aspects of Christ as follows:
Day 1 Changed by the Servant Christ
Day 2 Changed by the patient waiting for the Lord
Day 3 Changed by the Suffering Servant
Day 4 Changed by the Lord’s victory over evil
Day 5 Changed by the peace of the Risen Lord
Day 6 Changed by God’s steadfast love
Day 7 Changed by the Good Shepherd
Day 8 Changed by the Reign of Christ

As an aside, I know the subject of ecumenism and even salvation (the Church being the only means of salvation, but salvation being available to all through God’s mercy... and a mystery of faith) can be a tricky one to come to grips with, and certainly is a difficult one to reach consensus on – evidenced by the more than 100 years of Prayer for Christian Unity. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is an invaluable tool for learning about Church teaching on nearly anything you have questions about. Check out the index for paragraphs dealing with Salvation and Ecumenism.

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