We love you Don Bosco!

Don Bosco, 
a giant of an inspiration
even today, amidst times so changed,
he remains a challenge and an invitation
to offer our lives for others, absolutely for others,
without counting the cost, given till its last breath, as a sacrifice!

WORD 2day: 30th January, 2017

Who is your Hero?

Monday, 4th week in Ordinary Time

Heb 11:32-40; Mk 5:1-20

The Letter to the Hebrews lists today a set of heroes, heroes of valour and vigour, heroes in history on whom the people pinned their hopes! But they were all gone in the way of their fathers. Today we too have our own heroes - persons or role models or absolute values or needs or priorities - heroes of various kind. It is important to ask ourselves who is our hero? 

With what Jesus did to the people of Gerasenes, they should have made him their hero. Jesus solved their years of problem in a moment. He just sent the legion of demons away from their living quarters...but was Jesus their hero? No! They asked Jesus to leave - may be because they felt their loss (of the swines) was too much! No, they had some other things as their hero. The question is back: who is your hero?

NOVENA TO DON BOSCO - DAY 9

30th January, 2017: Don Bosco - A Man who lives on in his holiness 

Our Challenge: That we come to understand our special calling from the Lord, live our life to the full and march ahead towards sanctity

Our Prayer:

Lord God, thank you for Don Bosco, a man who lives on even today in his holiness, even after over two centuries. You gave him the grace to realise his special calling and dedicate his entire life for the salvation of the young. Grant that we may be attentive to the Spirit that we may understand our calling, feel your inspiration and march with determination towards sanctity, by serving those to whom you send us. We make this prayer through Christ Our Lord. Amen

Being HIS People

Humility, Integrity and Sincerity

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time: 29th January, 2017

Zeph 2:3, 3:12-13; 1 Cor 1:26-31; Mt 5:1-12

Once again we have the beatitudes to reflect upon, a splendid description of a true people of God, the real people of the Reign, the people who can belong to God and make present God here and now!

Seek the Lord, Seek humility, Seek Integrity...Zephaniah summarises the entire message of today in those words. Being poor in spirit, peace makers, humble of heart, vulnerable in spirit - those are the true characteristics of a person of the Reign... and today we can put them all into one single call - the call to be HIS people...to be Humble, Integral and Sincere people!

Humble: Humility is to attribute praises to God from one's heart! We are today living in a context where people claim to be almost gods, or greater than even God. There are people living with us who are regular visitors to heaven (according to their claim) or even form part of the council of saints there! Jesus when he lived on earth, though he could have claimed credit for everything he did or said, he declared: 'All that I speak, I do not speak on my own; all that I do, I do not do it all on my own!' That was the Son of God.

Integral: Integrity is to have no discrepancy whatsoever between one's words and one's life! We see today people who live in total divided selves. They seem to be crying bitterly, but rejoicing in their hearts; they seem to be slogging for the good of others, but actually plotting against everyone to make their own way up.

Sincere: Sincerity is to accepting what one is and putting on no appearances! It is to be what one is and manifest just that to everyone around. There are people who have two or three lives lived simultaneously. They do anything that they can to make people believe their false selves. What do they gain by it - except that they end up never living their lives. 

We are called to be HIS people, humble, integral and sincere people, people of the beatitudes, people of the Reign!

NOVENA TO DON BOSCO - DAY 8

29th January, 2017: Don Bosco - A Man with Divine qualities 

Our Challenge: That we as youth ministers can see through the hearts of the youth to accompany them and as youth to be open to the divine guidance.

Our Prayer:

Lord God, thank you for Don Bosco, a man who could see through the hearts of the youth in order that he could accompany them. May our love for the young, be as strong as his, that we may see, hear and understand the exact needs of the young, leading them to the salvation you have prepared. Grant us the grace to be sensitive to every one around us bringing them to feel your tender loving care. We make this prayer through Christ Our Lord. Amen

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

Keep Calm; Keep Faith

Celebrating St.   Thomas Aquinas -28th  Jan, 2017 

Heb 11: 1-2,8-19; Mk 4: 34-41

One of the clearest signs of faith in a person is given today: Keeping calm! To keep calm when everything is under control is no great feat, though even that is getting into the list of rarities. Keeping calm under pressure situations and situations of trouble is the true test of faith. 

The Saint we celebrate today was a great exponent of Christian faith and a person who loved the Lord and grew in that love without ceasing. We are called to grow in our faith, In our way of feeling connected to God, In our consciousness of the presence of God with us. 

These are the qualities that can help us keep calm...as today's readings tell us. I can keep calm, if...

- I consider God someone close to me

- I am convinced that everything that is happening in my life is known to God

- it doesn't matter what's happening, I am convinced that God is in-charge! 

NOVENA TO DON BOSCO - DAY 7

28th January, 2017: Don Bosco - A lover of the young

Our Challenge: That we understand our call to love the young, those in our care, those who depend on our goodness 

Our Prayer:

Lord God, thank you for Don Bosco, a man who loved what the young loved, in order to make them love what they ought to love. Like Don Bosco, grant us the grace to place always the needs of the others, especially those who depend on us in some way, before any of our needs. May we be sacrificing enough to give up anything for their good and for their salvation. We make this prayer through Christ Our Lord. Amen

WORD 2day: 27th January, 2017

Do not draw back

Friday, 3rd week in Ordinary time
Heb 10: 32-39; Mk 4: 26-34

In a true struggle, in a sincere rethinking or in a serious growth process there sure is one rule that we need to take to heart:  do not draw back. Do not withdraw. Keep fighting even if you think you are buried... you will one day arise to shine!

NOVENA TO DON BOSCO - DAY 6

27th January, 2017: Don Bosco - Father and Friend of Youth

Our Challenge: That we understand our call to have a filial attachment to Don Bosco, as a man who had a special charism from God! 

Our Prayer:

Lord God, thank you for Don Bosco, a man who loved the young genuinely, with the heart of a father and friend. Grant us the grace of loving people with sincerity of heart. May we make a difference in the lives of those who are around us, that they may feel related to us - as father, or friend, or guide or companion! May our relationships be genuine and life changing that we may be efficacious agents of your Reign on earth. We make this prayer through Christ Our Lord. Amen

THE WORD AND THE SAINTS

From and To - Being apostles

Celebrating Timothy and Titus -26th Jan 2017

2 Tim 1:1-8 (or) Tit 1: 1-5; Mk 4: 21-25

Apart from a regular first reading today we have an alternative reading... when out of curiosity I went through both the readings, I found one thing in common between the two passages. From Paul to Timothy and From Paul to Titus. From and To... I tend to feel that's the message for today. Being apostles is to give from ourselves to others. From us to them... passing  on - it's  such an essential part of being apostles!

The Gospel reminds us of the same task in other words; that we pass the light on, that we give! Let us burn, and pass on the light. Let us give without measure, and be blessed without measure! Being apostles is to be burning lights and endless givers. We are all apostles, let us never forget that. 

This is from me to you... a loving and mutual reminder about being apostles!

NOVENA TO DON BOSCO - DAY 5

26th January, 2017: Don Bosco - A Spiritual Father

Our Challenge: That we understand our Catholic Spirituality and follow it in its depth. 

Our Prayer:

Lord God, thank you for Don Bosco, a man who promoted reverence to the Blessed Sacrament, love for Blessed Mother and loyalty to the Holy Father. He was a Spiritual Father to hundreds of youth and continues to be the same for millions of them today. Make us grateful for the Catholic faith we have and help us deepen our understanding and appreciation. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord.

NOVENA TO DON BOSCO - DAY 4

25th January, 2017: Don Bosco - A Father of a Family

Our Challenge: That we feel part of a family called to march towards sanctity

Our Prayer:

Lord God, thank you for Don Bosco, a man who initiated a movement, a family that marches hand in hand towards sanctity. May we inherit from this great person of God the sense of belonging to each other, specially to those who are suffering or in need. May we edify each other by our personal sanctity and journey together towards that eternal home of bliss that you have prepared for us. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. 

UNITY OCTAVE 2017 - DAY 8

The Love of Christ compels us

Reconciliation: 
Prayer for Unity in the Church, Jan18-Jan25

What if? What if the prophecies in the Bible actually came true? If the wars between people stopped and if life-giving things were to be made out of the weapons of war? What if God’s justice and peace reigned, a peace which was more than simply the absence of war? If all of humanity came together for a celebration in which not a single person was marginalized? What if there really was no more mourning, no more tears, and no more death? It would be the culmination of the reconciliation that God brought about in Jesus Christ. It would be heaven!

Psalms, canticles, and hymns sing of the day when the whole perfected creation finally arrives at its goal, the day when God will be “all in all”. They tell about the Christian hope for the fulfilment of God´s reign, when suffering will be transformed into joy. On that day, the Church will be revealed in her beauty and grace as the one body of Christ. Wherever we gather in the Spirit to sing together about the fulfilment of God’s promises, the heavens break open and we begin here and now to dance to the melody of eternity.

As we can already experience this presence of heaven, let us celebrate together. We may be inspired to share images, poems and songs from our particular traditions. These materials can open up spaces for us to experience our common faith in and hope for God’s Kingdom.

THEME FOR DAY 8: RECONCILED TO GOD (2 Cor 5:20)

REFERENCES:

Micah 4:1-5	In the last days justice will reign
Psalm 87	Glorious things are spoken of God
Revelation 21:1-5a	God will make a new heaven and a new earth
John 20:11-18	Meeting the risen Christ leads to personal mission

PRAYER FOR THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH God of all, we pray as one, that we may be one, just as the Lord Jesus prayed we may be one in Him. Your son Jesus compels us to be reconciled to one another. May our spirits be joined to your Holy Spirit, that we may witness to the visible unity of the Church. May we all recognise that we are truly one with you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and grow together in peace. We ask this in the name of Jesus our Lord Amen.

NOVENA TO DON BOSCO - DAY 3

24th January, 2017: Don Bosco - A Beloved Son of Mary 

Our Challenge: That we true sons of the Blessed Mother, who carried out God's will diligently. 

Our Prayer:

Lord God, thank you for Don Bosco, a man who identified himself as a beloved son of Mary. In every stage of his life and in every one of his endeavours he felt the maternal presence of the Blessed Mother. Grant that we may recommend ourselves totally to our Heavenly Mother, that we may be guided, protected and directed towards doing your will with utmost diligence. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. 

UNITY OCTAVE 2017 - DAY 7

The Love of Christ compels us

Reconciliation: 
Prayer for Unity in the Church, Jan18-Jan25

Reconciliation between God and human beings is the key reality of our Christian faith. Paul was convinced that the love of Christ compels us to bring God’s reconciliation to bear in all aspects of our life. Today this leads us to examine our consciences in relation to our divisions. As the story of Joseph demonstrates, God always gives the grace needed for the healing of broken relationships.

The great reformers such as Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli and John Calvin, as well as many who remained Catholics, such as Ignatius of Loyola, Francis de Sales and Charles Borromeo, sought to bring about renewal in the Western church. However, what should have been a story of God’s grace was also marred by human sinfulness and became a story of the rending of the unity of God’s people. Compounded by sin and warfare, mutual hostility and suspicion deepened over the centuries.

The ministry of reconciliation includes the work of overcoming divisions within Christianity. Today, many Christian churches work together in mutual trust and respect. One positive example of ecumenical reconciliation is the dialogue between the Lutheran World Federation and the Mennonite World Conference. After the dialogue results were published in the document “Healing Memories: Reconciling in Christ”, the two organizations held a penitential service together in 2010 followed by further reconciliation services throughout Germany and in many other countries.

THEME FOR DAY 7: THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION (2 Cor 5:18,19)

REFERENCES:

Genesis 50:15-21	Joseph is reconciled with his brothers
Psalm 72	God’s kingdom brings righteousness and peace
1 John 3:16b-21	God’s love compels us to love one another
John 17:20-26	Jesus prays for the unity of his church

PRAYER FOR THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH God of all, we pray as one, that we may be one, just as the Lord Jesus prayed we may be one in Him. Your son Jesus compels us to be reconciled to one another. May our spirits be joined to your Holy Spirit, that we may witness to the visible unity of the Church. May we all recognise that we are truly one with you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and grow together in peace. We ask this in the name of Jesus our Lord Amen.

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

What you call 'formalities'...

Celebrating St. Francis de Sales - 24th Jan, 2017

Heb 10: 1-10; Mk 3:31-35

I remember, quite some time back, when I got to know a new person in life... it was a strange experience. The person would apologise for even a small or simple fault. The person would endlessly go on giving explanations and justifications for some thing that happened or something that did not happen - at times to the extent of wearying me. However, I was totally aware those were 'necessary formalities' of politeness, the relationship being at the initial stages. The readings today seem to speak of a similar experience of what you call 'formalities' with God! When our relationship with God has still not set off on its way to maturity, we would weary God with our formalities of rituals, rites and legalities. But when we build a true and personal relationship with God, we would mind nothing more than a bonding - like mother-child, like brother-brother, like brother-sister, like friends and so on! 

St. Francis of Sales, is known to be a person of such material: gentle, God-loving and intimately related to God, a person of sweet and deep spirituality. He could attract people with his sweetness, direct them to the same, everything in a deep relationship with the Lord. The challenge that he poses us today is to grow out of 'formalities' with God as soon as possible and concentrate on, listening to God's words and living it everyday.

NOVENA TO DON BOSCO - DAY 2

23rd January, 2017: Don Bosco - A Shepherd of the Young 

Our Challenge: That we become shepherds in our own way, to the young and to our peers.

Our Prayer:

Lord God, thank you for Don Bosco, a man who was capable of leading the young to their divine Shepherd. Grant us the grace to lead the young towards the fullness of life. May we never become a scandal to others, especially to the young. May we become an inspiration to our peers and all those who are around us. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. 

UNITY OCTAVE 2017 - DAY 6

The Love of Christ compels us

Reconciliation: 
Prayer for Unity in the Church, Jan18-Jan25

Reconciliation has two sides: it is fascinating and terrifying at the same time. It draws us in so that we desire it: within ourselves, with one another, and between our different confessional traditions. We see the price and it scares us. For reconciliation means renouncing our desire for power and recognition. In Christ God graciously reconciles us to himself even though we have turned away from him. God's action goes beyond even this: God reconciles not only humanity, but the whole of creation to himself.

In the Old Testament God was faithful and merciful to the people of Israel, with whom he established a covenant. This covenant remains: “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Rom 11:29). Jesus, who inaugurated the new covenant in his blood, was a son of Israel. Too often in history our churches have failed to honor this. After the Holocaust, it is the distinctive task of the German churches to combat antisemitism. Similarly all churches are called to bring forth reconciliation in their communities and resist all forms of human discrimination, for we are all part of God’s covenant.

THEME FOR DAY 6: GOD HAS RECONCILED US TO HIMSELF (2 Cor 5:18)

References: Genesis 17:1-8	God makes a covenant with Abraham
Psalm 98	The world has seen the victory of God
Romans 5:6-11	God reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ
Luke 2:8-14	Proclamation of the good news

PRAYER FOR THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH God of all, we pray as one, that we may be one, just as the Lord Jesus prayed we may be one in Him. Your son Jesus compels us to be reconciled to one another. May our spirits be joined to your Holy Spirit, that we may witness to the visible unity of the Church. May we all recognise that we are truly one with you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and grow together in peace. We ask this in the name of Jesus our Lord Amen.

WORD 2day: 23rd January, 2017

The Promise of the New Covenant

Monday, 3rd week in Ordinary Time

Heb 9:15, 24-28; Mk 3: 22-30

Jesus' promise of the New Covenant is a promise of eternal salvation. The Word affirms that this salvation is given to all, by that sacrifice once and for all, on Calvary. Every one is promised forgiveness and salvation, but every person has to claim that salvation for oneself. There can be three blocks that can prevent a person from personalising this salvation. The first is the social block - that the background and experience handed down does not allow one to experience this salvation. This can be overcome by a new experience that can change the entire life of a person. The second is the personal block - that the weaknesses within us, the limitations that we personally experience keeps us away from God. But this can be worked out of, with the grace of God. The third is a psuedo block because of which I deliberately keep myself away from God. It is my lack of openness and unspiritual bias that takes me far from the promise of the New Covenant. 

NOVENA TO DON BOSCO - DAY 1

22nd January, 2017: Don Bosco - A Man for Others 

Our Challenge: That we live for others, forgetting our own selves and our own needs.

Our Prayer:

Lord God, thank you for Don Bosco, a man who lived totally for others; his life till its last breath was for the young. Grant us the grace to rise above our personal likes and dislikes, grow beyond our selfish interests and open our eyes and our arms wide for others, especially those who are in need. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. 

UNITY OCTAVE 2017- DAY 5

The Love of Christ compels us

Reconciliation: 
Prayer for Unity in the Church, Jan18-Jan25

Commemoration of the 500^th Anniversary of the Reformation

The churches in Germany decided to commemorate this anniversary as a Christusfest (an ecumenical celebration of Christ). The Reformation was the occasion of a renewed focus on salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We rejoice in God’s salvation centered on the cross of Christ, who overcomes division and draws us together. This worship openly confesses and asks forgiveness for the sins of division which followed the Reformation. The service will celebrate Christ and his act of reconciliation, which moves the hearts of divided Christians to become ambassadors for Christ as ministers of reconciliation.

The theme “Reconciliation – the Love of Christ Compels Us” celebrates the irrevocable reconciliation that we have received through faith in Jesus Christ. Christ's love becomes the driving force that moves us beyond our division toward acts of reconciliation.

Through psalms and songs we gather in Jesus’ name in praise of God’s wondrous deeds. We confess our sins of division and make our plea for forgiveness. The proclamation of the Word highlights the reconciling action of Christ as “One who died for all” (v. 14). The faithful respond to this good news by accepting the call to be ministers of reconciliation .

THEME FOR DAY 5: EVERYTHING HAS BECOME NEW (2 Cor 5:17)

References:

Ezekiel 36:25-27     - Receiving a new heart from God
Psalm 126               - Being filled with joy
Colossians 3: 9-17 - Being renewed in Christ
John 3:1-8              - Being born in the Spirit

PRAYER FOR THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH God of all, we pray as one, that we may be one, just as the Lord Jesus prayed we may be one in Him. Your son Jesus compels us to be reconciled to one another. May our spirits be joined to your Holy Spirit, that we may witness to the visible unity of the Church. May we all recognise that we are truly one with you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and grow together in peace. We ask this in the name of Jesus our Lord Amen.

REIGN - DO IT YOURSELF

Perceive, Identify and Challenge

22nd January, 2017: 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Is 8:23 - 9:3; 1 Cor 1:10-13, 17; Mt 4: 12-23

Christians divided among themselves is a terrible scandal to the rest of the world. We are in the midst of the Unity Octave or the Prayer week for Unity among Christians and today the readings seem to point to an application of the same to our day to day Christian living! It is easier to brush aside the message saying it is impractical, than to take it seriously and examine our situation - personally, and in our immediate context.

There is a great witness of the power of unity that is going on in our city these days - the youth protest at Marina. Let us not consider these young minds so trifle to be fighting so hard for a simple game with the bull. They are uniting for a greater cause and that cause is fundamentally unity! Unity is strength, unity is divine, unity is Christ-ian.

The Readings have a practical logic that they follow: they present a problem, they indicate the cause and then propose the challenge! The Problem: Darkness, gloom and hatred in the world. Cause: Divisions among persons, for whatever reason it be! Challenge: Repent and Accept the Reign of God. The readings taken together seem to present to us a Do-it-yourself guide towards making the Reign of God present amidst us.

Step 1: Perceive the Problem: the darkness, the gloom and the hatred that surrounds today. Killings, wars, provocative political policies, inhuman oppressive practices, social unrest, economic exploitations, manipulation of the powerless and the suppression of the voiceless - today it looks like the world is a dangerous place to live in and it seems to get worse by the day! Isaiah speaks from such a context in the first reading, as explains Matthew in the Gospel: people who sit in darkness and land overshadowed by death! The world is such, yes; but how is it around you and me! The first step the readings suggest today is to take note of our situation: look around...it could be your family, or your parish, or your locality - identify the darkness, the shadow of death that hovers, anything that does not allow you and those around you to live your life to the full.

Step 2: Identify the Cause: self-centered vision and egocentric outlook on life. Divisions on the basis of various categories - be it economic, social, religious, traditional or whatever - are opposed to the Gospel message. How sad it is to see a Christian community divided on the basis of caste! How painful it is to see a Christian community where there are still people who have absolutely nothing to live on, while there are others who can spend lavishly on unreasonable luxuries! How scandalous to see a Christian community that comes together on the Sunday, celebrates together the sacraments and goes back unaffected by each other! How contradicting to see a Christian family divide within - for the sake of property or money, due to ego clashes or owing to years of hatred! The second reading pleads that we identify the cause of those situations that does not allow us to live our Christian life fully!

Step 3: Accept the Challenge of the Reign: to repent and be the change! We want the world to change, but we are not ready to be the change. We are scared to be taken advantage of, we do not want to take any risks. We preach peace and pray for prosperity in the world, but what do we do for it in practice? Are we ready to forgive without hesitation, love without calculation, help without expectation, contribute without remuneration? Are we ready to just leave everything and follow Christ as the disciples did? Follow Christ, to preach the Reign, by first of all, living ourselves as the people of the Reign? If we are ready...then, the people who sit in darkness will see a light; those dwelling in the land overshadowed by death will see a light. Let us repent, be the change, and spread peace, love and life!

STRENNA 2017

UNITY OCTAVE 2017 - DAY 4

The Love of Christ compels us

Reconciliation: Prayer for Unity in the Church

Jan 18 - Jan 25

The love of Christ compels us to pray, but also to move beyond our prayers for unity among Christians. Congregations and churches need the gift of God's reconciliation as a wellspring of life. But above all, they need it for their common witness to the world: “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:21).

The world needs ministers of reconciliation, who will break down barriers, build bridges, make peace, and open doors to new ways of life in the name of the one who reconciled us to God, Jesus Christ. His Holy Spirit leads the way on the path to reconciliation in his name.

As this text was being written in 2015, many people and churches in Germany were practising reconciliation by offering hospitality to the numerous refugees arriving from Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea, as well as countries of the Western Balkans, in search of protection and a new life. This opportunity has not reduced even a bit today, and the people who need our touch of peace will always be there. Can we put behind ourselves all bias and prejudices and reach out to people in real need?

THEME FOR DAY 4: EVERYTHING OLD HAS PASSED AWAY (2 Cor 5:17)

References:

Genesis 19:15-26 Don’t look back Psalm 77: 5-15 God is always faithful Philippians 3: 7-14 Forgetting what lies behind Luke 9:57-62 Keep your hand on the plough
PRAYER FOR THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH God of all, we pray as one, that we may be one, just as the Lord Jesus prayed we may be one in Him. Your son Jesus compels us to be reconciled to one another. May our spirits be joined to your Holy Spirit, that we may witness to the visible unity of the Church. May we all recognise that we are truly one with you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and grow together in peace. We ask this in the name of Jesus our Lord Amen.

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

Holy of Holies 

Celebrating Agnes - the Spouse of the Lord

Heb 9: 2-3,11-14; Mk 3: 20-21

Jesus is compared to the Jewish high priests who alone are allowed to enter the Holy of Holies, and even that, only once a year. Jesus has entered and has come from a place holier than the Holy of holies, infact he is the Sanctuary, the Altar, the Sacrifice and the High Priest. There is none who can be paralleled to him. But even Jesus could not reveal this without struggles - he was mocked at, he was criticised, he was called even a lunatic by his own people. Such was his dedication and consecration to the mission entrusted to him.

The same dedication and consecration we see in the young girl whom we celebrate today. St. Agnes, did not live more than 13 years of her life, but consecrated herself to the Lord and considered her life and her body totally belonging to the Lord. She stood against anything that could deviate her from the Lord and gave up even her life for the simple belief that "the Lord is my Spouse". 

Struggles, criticism, insults, misunderstandings, persecution, desertion, nothing should move us from belonging to the Lord. If they do, we would lose not merely our opportunity to enter the holy of holies, but the grace of living there forever!

UNITY OCTAVE 2017 - DAY 3

The Love of Christ compels us

Reconciliation: Prayer for Unity in the Church

Jan 18 - Jan 25

In 1993, the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity issued the Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms of Ecumenism and explicitly encouraged participation in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. So today the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity belongs to all Christians who are sincerely interested in the fulfillment of Christ’s prayer “that all may be one.” When he discusses prayer in common in his A Handbook of Spiritual Ecumenism, Cardinal Walter Kasper specifically mentions that “the celebration of the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity world-wide is an initiative of singular importance to be encouraged and further developed.”

It is sponsored by the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches and the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity. On a national basis, materials for the celebration of the Week of Prayer are the work of Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute in collaboration with the Commission on Faith and Order of the National Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Bishops’ Commission for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs.

The 2017 theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity revolves around the occasion of the 500th anniversary year of the beginnings of the Reformation. The theme: “Reconciliation – The Love of Christ Compels Us” (2 Corinthians 5:14-20) has two accents: reflection upon the main concerns of the churches marked by Martin Luther’s Reformation and secondly recognizing the pain of the subsequent deep divisions which afflicted the unity of the Church. In selecting this theme, it is viewed as an opportunity to take steps toward reconciliation.

THEME FOR DAY 3: WE REGARD NO ONE FROM THE HUMAN POINT OF VIEW(2 Cor 5:16)

References:

1 Samuel 16:1. 6-7	The Lord looks not at outward appearances but at the heart
Psalm 19:7-13	The commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes
Acts 9:1-19	Saul becomes Paul
Matthew 5:1-12	The Beatitudes

PRAYER FOR THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH

God of all, we pray as one,

that we may be one,

just as the Lord Jesus prayed

we may be one in Him.

Your son Jesus compels us

to be reconciled to one another.

May our spirits be joined

to your Holy Spirit,

that we may witness to

the visible unity of the Church.

May we all recognise

that we are truly one with you,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit and

grow together in peace.

We ask this in the name of Jesus our Lord

Amen.