“Abide in my love…” (John 15:5)
"... and you shall bear much fruit.” From 18 to 25 January 2021, we are invited to pray and celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. For this, there is nothing better than to be grounded in the words of Jesus himself, ‘Abide in my love... and you will bear fruit in abundance’ (John 15:5). Being united with him, with his love, we overcome the tensions and divisions among those who bear the name of Christ. The 15th chapter of St. John’s Gospel is proposed for our meditation for this year.
In the era of inter-religious dialogue, should we still invest in the promotion of ecumenism? Certainly! It is a matter of credibility for the Christian presence in the world. Every year, at the end of January, Christians of various denominations are more united, first of all, through prayer. While gatherings may not be appropriate in this time of pandemic, we can, each and every one of us, pray this prayer proposed by the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity.
In peace let us pray to the Lord:
Lord, you are the vinedresser who cares for us with love.
You call on us to see the beauty of each branch united to the vine,
the beauty of each person.
And yet, too often the differences in others make us afraid.
We withdraw into ourselves.
Our trust in you is forsaken.
Enmity develops between us.
Come and direct our hearts toward you once again.
Grant us to live from your forgiveness so that we may
be together and praise your name.
Amen.
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