Today, on 18 January, the celebration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins, which in 2023 has the motto “Do good; seek justice”, a quote taken from Isaiah 1,17.
For some years now, the Ecumenical Council of Churches and the Department for Promoting Christian Unity have commissioned prayer materials from various Churches and confessional communities in some geographical region.
For this year’s Week of Prayer, which will be celebrated until January 25, the Solemnity of the Conversion of Saint Paul, the material has been prepared by the Minnesota Council of Churches (United States).
The Department for the Promotion of Christian Unity points out that “the context in which these texts were written is that of the extrajudicial execution of George Floyd and the trial of the policeman responsible for his death.”
“As the Christian communities of Minnesota sought to respond to the anguish of these events, they also recognized their own complicity. The Church is called to be a sign and instrument of the unity that God wants for all of his creation (cf. Lumen gentium , 1), but division among Christians weakens its effectiveness. Christians must repent of their divisions and work together to be a source of reconciliation and unity in the world.”
For each day, a topic for reflection is suggested, accompanied by a biblical quote:
Day 1: “Learn to do good”. Readings: Is 1,12-18: Learn to do good, make just decisions, restore the oppressed, do justice to the orphan, defend the cause of the widow. Lk 10,25-36: he asked Jesus: “And who is my neighbor?”
Day 2: “When justice is done…”. Readings: Prov 21,13-15: When the law is fulfilled, the just rejoice and the wrongdoers start to tremble. Mt 23,23-25: They do not care about the most important thing in the law, which is justice, mercy and faith.
Day 3: “Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly.” Readings: Mic 6, 6-8: What the Lord requires of you, being a mortal, is only to respect the law, practice mercy with love and walk humbly with your God. Mc 10,17-31: Good Master, what must I do to attain eternal life?
Day 4: “There is the cry of the oppressed”. Readings: Ecl 4,1-5: I once again considered all the oppressions that are committed under the sun. There is the cry of the oppressed, and they find no comfort! strength in the hands of their oppressors, and they find no comfort Mt 5,1-8: Happy are those who are sad, for God himself will comfort them.
Day 5: “Songs of Zion in a strange land”. Readings: Ps 137,1-4: Those who deported us asked us for songs, joy those who were oppressing us: “Sing us a song of Zion!” Lk 23,27-31 Women of Jerusalem, do not cry for me, cry rather for yourselves and for your children.
Day 6: “What you did to one of my little ones… you did it to me.” Readings: Ez 34, 15-20: I will search for the lost sheep and bring back those that stray; I will bandage the wounds and strengthen them. to the weak Mt 25, 31-40: I assure you that everything you have done in favor of the least of my brothers, you have done to me.
Day 7: “What is now does not have to continue to be that way”. Readings: Job 5,11-16: Thus the destitute lives with hope, because evil closes his mouth from him. Lk 1,46-55: He brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
Day 8: “Justice restores communion”. Readings: Ps 82,1-4: Do justice to the orphan and the poor, defend the humble and the needy. Lk 18,1-8: Will God not do justice to his chosen ones? Who cry out to Him day and night?
Within the framework of these celebrations, Pope Francis will preside over the prayer of Vespers in the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, in Rome, on Wednesday, January 25, the day on which the Solemnity of the Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle is also celebrated.