Reflection text
This week, the Office for Unity was prepared by the brothers and sisters of Hautecombe.
« Unity doesn’t come for glue »
Excerpts from Pope Francis’s message on Jn 17, May 21, 2015
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/fr/cotidie/2015/documents/papa-francesco-cotidie_20150521_l-unite-ne-se-fait-pas-avec-de-la-colle.html
Reading the day’s passage from the Gospel according to John (17:20-26), Pope Francis gave particular emphasis to the comfort which comes from hearing the words: “Father, ‘I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word’. (…) At that moment Jesus prays to the Father for the disciples but he “also prays for us” (…) “Jesus prayed for me”, and this “is precisely the source of faith”. (…) Jesus is well aware, explained Francis, that “the spirit of the world, which is really the spirit of the father of division, is a spirit of divisiveness, of war, of envy, of jealousy”. It is also present “in families, even in religious families, even in dioceses, even in the Church as a whole: it is the great temptation. For this reason, “the great prayer of Jesus” is to become like the Father: “as thou, Father, art in me and I in thee”, in the “unity which He has with the Father”. (…)
“The Church has such need, so much need of this prayer for unity, not only the prayer of Jesus; we too must join in this prayer”. (…) Above all one needs to realize that we cannot achieve unity on our own: indeed, “it is a grace”. That is why, Pope Francis pointed out, Jesus prays for the Church, and He prayed for me, for the Church, and for me to take this path”, towards a unity [which] “is not put together with glue”. (…) There is no such thing as a “Church built with glue”: the Church is made one by the Spirit. Thus, “we have to make room for the Spirit to transform us, as the Father is in the Son, one single thing”. To accomplish this objective, Francis added, Jesus himself gives this advice: “Abide in me”. This word too is a grace.
Intercessions
To be adapted or modified according to the place and the circumstances
At Hautecombe Abbey, around thirty young people from all over the world and from different Christian denominations are set to spend a week dedicated to ecumenism at the Hautecombe Discipleship School.Lord, grant that each one may experience the joys and challenges of working for unity amongst our churches. Awaken in them a passion for reconciliation and for reaching out to others.
Hautecombe is a place that attracts young people from all walks of life, of all faiths and from all nations, to share in our community life and to serve others.Thank you, Lord, for the richness this brings us, and for the way our fraternal life touches the young people who pass through here. May the tensions that diversity can give rise to bear fruit.Grant that we may welcome everyone just as they are, and purify the witness of our community life so that others may come to experience the joy of brotherly love.
27 October marked the 40th anniversary of the Assisi Peace Meeting, which brought together leaders of the world’s major religions to gather and pray for peace. Benedict XVI would say of that day that ‘religion can only be a force for peace’.Lord, we ask you, at a time when religion is a source of so many conflicts around the world, to transform our hearts and the way we live out our faith, so that we may be true workers for peace and unity. We entrust to you, in particular, the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Prayer for Christian unity
Seigneur Jésus,
Qui as prié pour que tous soient un,
Nous te prions pour l’unité des chrétiens,
Telle que tu la veux,
Par les moyens que tu veux.
Que ton Esprit nous donne d’éprouver la souffrance de la séparation,
De voir notre péché,
Et d’espérer au-delà de toute espérance.
Amen !
(Prayer written by members of the Chemin Neuf Community
inspired by a prayer of Father Paul Couturier)