This past Wednesday concluded the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity this year is “We will all be changed by the Victory of our Lord Jesus Christ,” a reference to 1 Corinthians 15:51-58: “Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall all indeed rise again but we shall not all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall rise again incorruptible and we shall be changed. For this corruptible body must put on incorruption and this mortal body must put on immortality. And when this mortal body has put on immortality then shall it come to pass the saying,’ Death is swallowed up in victory, O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ Now the sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved children be steadfast and unmoved, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
This year’s theme was chosen and materials prepared by representatives of the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, Old Catholic and Protestant churches in Poland. Pope Benedict XVI said, “In effect, Poland has known a long history of courageous struggle against many different adversities and has repeatedly given proof of great determination, animated by faith.” He went on to say, “Through the course of centuries, Polish Christians have spontaneously intuited a spiritual dimension in their desire for freedom and they have understood that the true victory can be achieved only if it is accompanied by a profound interior transformation.”
Speaking to thousands gathered in the Paul IV Audience Hall at the beginning ceremony of the week of prayer, Pope Benedict said the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity invites all the Lord’s followers to implore the gift of unity. He explained that the quest for Christian unity is “the responsibility of the entire church and of all the baptized, who must augment the partial communion that already exists among Christians until achieving full communion in truth and charity. Praying for Christian unity must then be an integral part of the prayer life of all Christians, in all times and places, especially when people from different traditions come together to work for victory in Christ over sin, evil, injustice and the violation of human dignity.”
Pope Benedict went on to explain that Jesus Christ by his teaching, example, death and resurrection has shown us the way to a victory obtained not by power but by love and concern for those in need. Our prayer for Christian unity must accompany the living out of our Christian duty to seek interior conversion, both individual and communal. “We are called to contemplate the victory of Christ over sin and death, that his resurrection is an event that transforms those who believe in him and opens up to them an incorruptible and immortal life,” said Pope Benedict. He added that the “visible unity,” of all Christians “is always a work that comes from above, from God, by asking for the humility to recognize our weakness and to accept the gift (of unity).”
Each day of the week of prayer, the baptized are called upon to meditate on various daily themes. This year we are called to meditate on the following themes: Changed by the Servant Christ; Changed through patient waiting for the Lord; Changed by the Suffering Servant; Changed by the Lord’s Victory over Evil; Changed by the peace of the Risen Lord; Changed by God’s Steadfast Love; Changed by the Good Shepherd and United in the Reign of Christ. What wonderful themes for Christians to contemplate as we beg the Lord to bring us to greater unity and to change our hearts and minds.
We can join our prayers with all our Christian brothers and sisters on a daily basis imploring the Lord to help us restore unity to his church. Pope Benedict concluded his remarks last week on the theme of Christian unity by reminding us all that as St. Paul says, “We will all be changed by the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us renew our prayer for the unity of all of Christ’s followers and deepen our resolve to be one in him.” May we recognize and accept the transforming power of grace that comes to us through our common baptism as we seek full visible unity in Christ!
Father Joseph D. Wallace is coordinator, Ecumenical and Inter-religious Affairs, Diocese of Camden.
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