Message for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
My Dear Brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ! We are gathering together to pray for Unity. At least once a year, Christians are reminded of Jesus’ prayer for his disciples that “they may be one so that the world may believe” (see John 17.21). Hearts are touched and Christians come together to pray for their unity. Congregations and parishes all over the world exchange preachers or arrange special ecumenical celebrations and prayer services. The event that touches off this special experience is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Christians all over the world is gathering together in different parts of the world in this week to pray
together and to share their spiritual treasures. Traditionally the week of prayer is celebrated between 18-25 January, between the feasts of St Peter and St Paul. This year the theme for the week of prayer for Christian Unity, "Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue ..." is inspired by Deuteronomy 16:18-20.
We’re stronger together as we encourage one another on. The unity of believers through the power of Jesus Christ, is a force that can’t be reckoned with.
For it’s hard to tear apart a cord of three strands, which can’t be easily broken. Let’s choose to set aside our differences and look to the greater purpose in this life. To honor Christ as King. Let’s choose to live out the Truth that says, “Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14). All that you do. All that you say. All that you stand for. Let’s do it with love. For perfect love, which comes from Christ, casts out all fear. And that is what gives us power to move forward, propelled with His strength, surrounded in peace, eyes on the One who gives us breath each day, filled with greater unity among the churches and in our land. And the Love will lead us to Justice, and vice versa. And where there is perfect love there is ultimate justice. May God bless us with His peace and unite us in his Love, in the Spirit which is the source of our unity. Let our hands be joined together for prayer, towards the ultimate aim of oneness in Christ. Let our prayer be the prayer of our Lord. “That we may be one as the Father and he are one”. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of us.
Mar Joseph Perumthottam
Chairman CBCI office for Dialogue and Desk for Ecumenism.