“We saw the star in the East, and we came to worship him” is the theme for the 2022 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. (Mt 2:1-12)
It is interesting that this passage of Scripture, chosen as this year’s theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, comes from the story of the Magi because it tells of the star that led them to the stable where Christ was born. Today, as we recall that star, its light also leads us to Christ, who is the light of the world.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Jan. 18-25, has a history of over 100 years in which Christians around the world have taken part in an octave of prayer for visible Christian unity. By annually observing the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Christians move toward the fulfillment of Jesus' prayer at the Last Supper “that they all may be one.”
We learn of the importance of this week of prayer through the words of Pope Francis who called upon the Holy Spirit’s gifts of wisdom and consolation to guide us, “I pray that the Spirit of love will overcome every form of resistance and make us builders of communion.” The pope also reminds us that tenderness and kindness are not virtues of the weak but rather a sign of strength of spirit and a capacity for concern, compassion and genuine openness to others.
As we celebrate this 2022 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, let us be strong in our common Christian faith and work diligently for the day when the Lord’s Prayer for our complete unity with him will be answered by all of us.