Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

The Vision of Vatican II
From January 18 until January 25, 2005, the Church will observe the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
This is an opportunity for all people who profess faith in Jesus Christ to pray that the divisions which exist within Christianity will be mended and that “there will be one flock, one shepherd” (Jn 10: 16).
The Ecumenical Movement has a long tradition in the Church, dating back to 1908 when the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement at Graymoor in Garrison, New York, established the “Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity.” The results of these days of prayer for unity among Christians were gradual, yet fruitful.
In more recent decades, however, we have witnessed a more visible surge in efforts among Christians of all denominations to come together in mutual respect and understanding.
Acknowledging the signs of the times, particularly mindful of the warming climate of dialogue among Christians of varying denominations, Pope Blessed John XXIII chose January 25, 1959, the concluding day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, to announce the convocation of the Second Vatican Council.
It was the intention of that far-seeing Pontiff to allow ample space in the Council for promoting the restoration of full unity among Christians.
Thus, the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council, conscious of the painful wound inflicted on the Body of Christ due to the divisions among Christians, emphasized the significance of Ecumenism.
The Decree on Ecumenism, Unitatis Redintegratio, clearly expresses this emphasis: “The restoration of unity among Christians is one of the principal concerns of the Second Vatican Council. ... Certainly such division [among Christians] openly contradicts the will of Christ, scandalizes the world, and damages that most holy cause, the preaching of the Gospel to every creature. The Lord of Ages ... has begun to bestow more generously upon divided Christians remorse over their divisions and longing for unity” (no. 1).

Interior Conversion and Prayer
History shows that attitudes steeped in suspicion, mistrust and resentment had kept dim any hope of unity. These attitudes only give rise to hatred, violence and bloodshed.
It is in humility, honesty and love that the Gospel message is most convincingly proclaimed. That Gospel message, uttered in prayer by Jesus during the Last Supper, quite simply is: “that all may be one” (Jn 17: 21).
Vatican II’s Decree on Ecumenism states quite firmly: “There can be no ecumenism worthy of the name without interior conversion. For it is from newness of attitudes of mind, from self-denial and unstinted love, that desires of unity take their rise and develop in a mature way. We should therefore pray to the Holy Spirit for the grace to be genuinely self-denying, humble, gentle in the service of others and to have an attitude of brotherly generosity toward them” (no. 7).
The same decree teaches that “change of heart and holiness of life, along with public and private prayer for the unity of Christians, should be regarded as the soul of the ecumenical movement, and merits the name, ‘spiritual ecumenism’” (no. 8).
Motivated by a renewed heart — a heart unencumbered by insecurities and suspicions — and nurtured by that prayer which is the life breath for every Christian, we engage in honest and charitable dialogue with our Christian brothers and sisters.
Through dialogue, we come to understand each other better as we build on what we hold in common. Dialogue remains a significant tool for working toward Christian unity.
However, dialogue must never be allowed to supersede or replace prayer. Prayer, both private and public, and conversion of heart remain the primary means by which the hope for Christian unity is sustained.
The Catholic Church as a whole is deeply committed to efforts directed toward Christian unity. At Mass, we pray for unity and peace. During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we offer special General Intercessions which reflect our desire for oneness.
While our communion with Christians of other denominations is imperfect, we remain aware of and grateful for the bond which we have with our Christian brothers and sisters through our common Baptism, as well as in our reverence for and love of God’s Word. In these common bonds, we see God’s Providence, which goads us on to seek greater understanding and mutual love.
Ecumenism also leads us to discover another matter which will benefit from the unity of Christians.
In our contemporary world, we observe a ceaseless assault on what we Christians recognize as demands of the moral order, exigencies of the laws of God.
Attacks on the sanctity of life, a disregard for the dignity of the marriage bond, a weakening of the traditional family as the foundation of society, racism, oppression of the poor, domestic and neighborhood violence, and the abuse of children all cry out for a common voice, a unified effort to uphold moral tenets. Authentic dialogue among Christians necessarily requires that increased time must be given for reflection on the immutable truths of the moral order. One in mind and heart, Christians have the ability to transform society for the better.

The example of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, there will be a number of opportunities for Christians to come together for prayer, dialogue and service. Among these, on Wednesday, January 19, I will participate in a prayer service to commemorate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The example of Dr. King, as well as his life’s desire for freedom, harmony and brotherhood among people of all races, demonstrates the common commitment of Christians and their work toward what is beneficial for human dignity. We see his legacy in so much that has been accomplished for civil rights for all people.
Nonetheless, we know that we have much more to contribute toward the fulfillment of Dr. King’s dream.
During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the prayers which we offer, the dialogue in which we engage, and the service which we render are directed toward healing whatever wounds, weakens or destroys life.
The unity of Christians is extremely important, for in unity will be our strength as we cooperate unhesitatingly in joining our prayer to the Prayer of Jesus: “I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me” (Jn 17: 20-21).