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Prayer for the Unity of Christians

(Introductory Meditation) Our Lord Jesus Christ prayed that all of us might be one as He and the Father are one. And here we are. Allow me to propose that we begin to pray for the unity of the Faith and the unity of the faithful with particular fervor and not stop from this day onward. Let's pray that the Lord Jesus will take over this work since we cannot seem to get it right by ourselves.

Lord Jesus, You came to earth to break the bonds of death for us and to show us the Way to the Kingdom where You and the Father dwell. Send the Holy Spirit to us and let us see that Your Kingdom is within each of us to the extent that we let the Spirit in. Help each of us to see that there are others that You have called who are not of the particular flock that You have placed us in, but that they are our brothers and sisters nonetheless because they are Your followers just as we are. Grant us the grace to let the Holy Spirit heal the terrible wounds that we have all inflicted on Your Holy Body, the Church, just as we have inflicted the wounds on Your Physical Body by our sin, though we may be centuries in time removed from the time You suffered. Help us all to rise from the tombs we have constructed around ourselves that seal us in with our own self-righteousness and the Holy Spirit and our brothers and sisters out. Expand our vision and make our love so grow that we will see each one who calls himself your servant as our brother or sister rather than "one of them" that is "separate from us." Show us Your kindness and have patience with us and with the mess we have all made.

Lord, may each of us who calls himself Your servant take time today to remember that there are others You have placed in this world with theological and doctrinal positions that are directly opposite to what You have given us in the place where You placed us. Let us with Your Grace learn that these may also call themselves Your servants. Let us remember that we have no corner on You, Your Grace, Your Great Mercy, or Your Promises. Let us remember that we do have the same command from You, that we love one another as You have loved us. Help us to remember that Your commandment of love does not release us from living and preaching Your Good News as we have received it, but let us also remember that our brother who may be opposite to us has also been given the Good News even though we may not recognize it in the form he has received it. Shine into all hearts and let each one speak the Truth as he has received it and be charitable to others in listening to them speak. Grant to us the day when the Holy Spirit will cut through the Tower of Babel we have erected in Your Vineyard by our own sin. Let each one remember that his brother does not hold his understanding of the Truth as a heretic, but rather as one who has been placed in another place than oneself.

Grant all these things, Lord, so that the healing of Your Holy Body, the Church, may come quickly.

Through the prayers of the All-holy, Ever-Virgin, Mother of God, Mary, who is also our mother by Your gracious Gift from the Cross, through the intercessions of the holy apostles, saints, martyrs, and of all the blessed spirits You have gathered into Your Kingdom from every age, land, and culture, through the intercessions of the holy Choirs of angels who have one will in doing the Will of the Father, O Savior, save us all. AMEN.

Amen, amen, amen!

Whose is this?

I wrote this prayer.

BOB

Amen!

Let us not forget that sin was the cause of these divisions (and not only the sins on "their" side!), and only repentance will bring us the grace we need to be re-united.


Peace,
Deacon Richard

Sadly there was and is enough sin to go around for everyone. It should arouse us all to the tears of true and perfect repentance.

In Christ,

BOB

Regarding the Unity of Christians there are many ecumenical conferences, many books and words. In function of the place we are abide there are many cultural patterns and contexts, many styles of approach and methods, and we cannot be united if we do not humble our souls, throwing away the politics and focusing on common projects, as defending the life and family, for instance. As I see, the humankind is very divided and the human being is almost schizoid. It is so so sad to see that in the U.S.A. there are aloud voices that promote abnormalities, adoption of children by sick people, that the sin is promoted in media without shame. For no sin God sent fire, only for the abnormal matters God destroyed with deep fire two cities. In Europe the people's new religion is lust and consumerism. It is sad also to see that the Russian Orthodox Church behaves as a political bureau of Russia. There is a fragmentation and almost dissolution of the Christian values. WHO IS CHRISTIAN IN TRUTH?

Lord Jesus Christ, Son and Word of the Living God, enlighten our souls and minds to love each other, healing the wound of the past, building, taking care and defending Your Holy Church with dignity, humbleness, sacrifice, love, long-patience, defending It against all the madnesses of this modern world. Come, Most Sweet Lord Jesus Christ, and awake us.

Christ is Risen every day.

Marian+

Please let the day come when those things that divide us are reconized as the lies that they are.

As sickness is only the result of evil please heal the body by expelling those unholy practices accepted by the cultures we live in so that we may come together in steps toward world peace.

P.S. I really liked your prayer. I have put energy into a simular prayer since 1994.

Please remenber this prayer when you say our father...thy will be done on Earth as in Heaven, thy kingdom come...

Grant this, O Lord!

Here's an example of just one encouraging step in the right direction:

An ecumenical prayer service for Christian Unity is scheduled for 3 p.m. Jan. 20 at St. Andrew Ukrainian Catholic Church, 7700 Hoertz Road, Parma.

Bishop Robert Moskal of the Eparchy of St. Josaphat will lead the service along with clergy of the Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic faiths.

Started in 1908, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is celebrated each year in cities and towns across the country and around the world, and is coordinated by the Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Atonement.

May the Lord God, physician of souls and bodies, grant healing to his Churches, restoring the unity which is his will!

Thank you for posting this prayer!