Prayers and Themes for the Week of Christian Unity

Matthew Harrison

Thursday, January 15, 2009

As heard on Zoom, this Sunday marks the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The overall theme is "That they may become one in your hand," Ezekiel 37:17. Interestingly, according to a note from the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity the reflection and prayers for the week are: "rooted in the experience of the churches in Korea. In their context of national division the churches have turned for inspiration to the prophet Ezekiel, who also lived in a tragically divided nation and longed for the unity of his people".

Each day of the week also has different themes, or ideas to focus our prayer intentions. They are:

18 January: Christian communities face to face with old and new divisions.
19 January: Christians face to face with war and violence.
20 January: Christians face to face with economic injustice and poverty.
21 January: Christians face to face with ecological crisis.
22 January: Christians face to face with discrimination and social prejudice.
23 January: Christians face to face with disease and suffering.
24 January: Christians face to face with a plurality of religions.
25 January: Christian proclamation of hope in a world of separation.

For a PDF document outlining different prayers, reflection, and liturgical resources prepared by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches click HERE.

Finally, Pope Benedict XVI will preside over Vespers in the basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls Sunday, January 25th, the Feast of the Conversion of the Apostle Paul, to close the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.