Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2011 • 7th Day

Today is the seventh day of this year's week of prayer for Christian Unity. The Church Unity Octave, a forerunner of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, was developed by Father Paul Wattson, SA, at Graymoor in Garrison, New York, and was first observed at Graymoor from January 18-25, 1908. Today, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity invites the whole Christian community throughout the world to pray in communion with the prayer of Jesus “that they all may be one” (John 17:21).

In 1966, the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches and the Vatican Secretariat (now Council) for Promoting Christian Unity began collaborating as a common international text for worldwide usage. Since 1968 these international texts, which are based on themes proposed by ecumenical groups around the world, have been developed, adapted and published for use in the United States by the Graymoor Ecumenical and Interreligious Institute.

The chosen theme for the 2011 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is One in the Apostles’ Teaching, Fellowship, Breaking of Bread and Prayer (Acts 2:42). In Taylorsville, our sister parish, All Saints, is in covenant with Taylorsville United Methodist Church and Christian Church of Taylorsville. On the Sunday of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity the covenant churches have a pulpit exchange.  On January 23rd, Pastor Bill Dunning from First Christian of Taylorsville preached at All Saints Catholic Church. Deacon Gerry Mattingly from All Saints preached at Taylorsville United Methodist, and Pastor Marco Ballesteros from Taylorsville United Methodist Church preached at First Christian of Taylorsville.
The World Council of Churches publishes materials for Biblical reflections and prayers for the 8 days of the Week of Prayer. Even though, we have no covenant or formal celebration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity at Saint Francis Xavier, I encourage everyone to participate with our Christian brothers and sisters throughout the world with the daily reflections and prayers posted here.

Deacon Gerry

Day 7 - Living in Resurrection Faith

Reading:
Isaiah 60: 1-3 . 18-22 You shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates, Praise
Psalm: 118:1. 5-17 I shall not die, but I shall live
Roman 6: 3-11 …we have been buried with Christ by baptism into death...so we too
might walk in newness of life
Matthew 28:1-10 Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid...

Commentary:
The first Christians’ devotion to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of the bread and the
prayers was made possible, above all, by the living power of the Risen Jesus. This power is living
still, and today’s Jerusalem Christians witness to this. Whatever the difficulties of the present
situation in which they find themselves - however much it feels like Gethsemane and Golgotha -
they know in faith that all is made new by the truth of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.
The light and hope of the Resurrection changes everything. As Isaiah prophesies, it is the
transformation of darkness into light; it is an enlightening for all peoples. The power of the
Resurrection shines out from Jerusalem, the place of the Lord’s Passion, and draws all nations to
its brightness. This is a new life, in which violence is put aside, and security found in salvation
and praise.

In the Psalm we are given words to celebrate the central Christian experience of passing from
death to life. This is the abiding sign of God’s steadfast love. This passing from the terrors of
death into new life is the defining reality of all Christians. For, as St. Paul teaches, we have, in
baptism, entered into the tomb with Christ, and been raised with Him. We have died with Christ,
and live to share his risen life. And so we can see the world differently - with compassion,
patience, love and hope; for, in Christ the present struggles can never be the whole story. Even as
divided Christians, we know that the baptism that unites us is a bearing of the Cross in the light of
the Resurrection.

For the Christian Gospel this resurrection life is not some mere concept or helpful idea; it is
rooted in a vivid event in time and space. It is this event we hear recounted in the Gospel reading
with great humanity and drama. From Jerusalem the Risen Lord sends greetings to His disciples
across the ages, calling us to follow Him without fear. He goes ahead of us.

Prayer:
God, Protector of the widow, the orphan and the stranger - in a world where many know despair,
you raised your Son Jesus to give hope for humanity and renewal to the earth. Continue to
strengthen and unify your Church in its struggles against the forces of death in the world, where
violence against creation and humanity obscures the hope of the new life you offer. This we pray
in the name of the Risen Lord, in the power of His Spirit. Amen.