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Daily Meditation – Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

“I am the vine you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit…As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you.” John 15:5-9

The 2021 theme for Week of Christian Unity – Abide in my love and you shall bear much fruit (John 15:5-9) – calls us to pray and to work for reconciliation and unity in the church, with our human family, and with all of creation. Drawing on the Gospel image of vine and branches, it invites us to nourish unity with God and with one another through contemplative silence, prayer, and common action. Grafted into Christ the vine as many diverse branches, may we bear rich fruit and create new ways of living, with respect for and communion with all of creation.

God knows the presence of hate, grievance, fear, discrimination, and division is widespread in our day. For people of faith, the divine imperative is not controversial: perfect love casts out fear; love is stronger than hate. Love your neighbour.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is designed to remind Christians to connect with other Christians, to respond to Christ’s call for unity, to act together through dialogue, prayer, and witnessing to the good news of love. It is a chance to remind ourselves of our shared responsibility to take action for justice and cultivate peace in community. An ecumenical celebration is not possible this year, so let us pray in our communities and in our homes for unity and peace, for the good of all creation. Let us hold up all paths to the divine in love. God’s voice rings throughout all creation, through all its variety and many ways of being. We are only one of the branches on the tree of life.

Questions for Reflection
1. Each Christian tradition endeavours to bring us closer to God, through Christ, in the
Spirit. Paul warns us not to use divisions as a way to separate Christ; indeed, Christ has
not been divided. How can our differences strengthen our faithfulness?

2. The imagery in John 15:5 of a vine and branches is a powerful one. Take some time to
reflect on what that vine-and-branches imagery might look like in or for your community.
Is it different across communities?

3. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the interconnectedness of our lives – for
example, the crucial importance of migrant farm workers, workers in food delivery and
grocery stores, and other food industry workers, for our safety and well-being. How do
our choices affect the lives of others

This year the international resources for Week of Christian Unity were prepared by the Monastic Community of Grandchamp in Switzerland, a group of religious sisters from different church traditions brought together by a common vocation of prayer, community life and hospitality and by their commitment to Christian unity. This following prayer is recited daily by the sisters:

Pray and work that God may reign.
Throughout your day let the Word of God breathe life into work and rest.
Maintain inner silence in all things so as to dwell in Christ.
Be filled with the spirit of the Beatitudes: joy, simplicity, mercy.

I invite you personalize it and make this your daily prayer:

I pray and work for Your love to show me the way.
Throughout my day let Your word breathe life,
into my work and rest.
Give me inner silence in all things,
So, I may dwell in Christ.
Fill me with the spirit of the Beatitudes: joy, simplicity, mercy.
Amen