Prayers for Christian Unity Day 6

“They saw the child with Mary his mother, and they knelt down and paid him homage”

(Mt 2:11)

Gathered in worship around the One Lord

Readings

• Psalm 84 - How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!
• Mt 28:16-20 - When they saw him, they worshipped him.

Reflection

When the Magi from their far-away countries arrived at Bethlehem and saw the child with his mother, they worshipped him. In the presence of this revelation of God among us, eyes were cast down and knees bent. Similarly, when the disciples saw the risen Christ on the mountain in Galilee, they were amazed and troubled. Yet they worshipped him.

Do we see? Are we amazed? Are we truly worshipping? How many times do we remain blind to God’s presence? How can we worship in truth if we do not really see first? In our narrow vision, too often we see only our tangled disagreements, forgetting that God’s saving grace is to all, and that we share in the one Spirit who draws us into unity. Often in our pride we follow human laws and traditions, disregarding the love we are called to share as one people justified by Christ’s blood.

As communities enlivened by the Holy Spirit, we are called to walk together towards the Christ-Child, offering homage as one people. The Spirit of compassion guides us to each other and only by following this guide will we be able to “worship in spirit and truth”.

Prayer

Compassionate God,

in your mercy, remove the scales from our eyes

and lead us to repent and to worship you.

In the midst of our sorrow and despite the depth of our sin,

give us the capacity to love you with all our hearts.

As we journey together with one heart and mind,

may we glorify you in the Spirit’s fellowship,

and witness to those around us.

Amen.

Hymn Verse

Finish, then, Thy new creation;

Pure and spotless let us be;

Let us see Thy great salvation

Perfectly restored in Thee;

Changed from glory into glory,

Till in Heav'n we take our place,

Till we cast our crowns before Thee,

Lost in wonder, love, and praise.

Charles Wesley, 1747

Questions

• Global: What are you doing as part of your own pattern of worship to pray for the worldwide church?
• Local: Within your worship as a local Christian community what are the barriers you face to greater unity and how might they be overcome?
• Personal: Can you remember a time when you were able to worship “in spirit and in truth”? What was it like?

Go and Do

(see www.ctbi.org.uk/goanddo)

Global: Use the ecumenical prayer cycle to pray with communities across the global Church - https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle 

Local: Partner with churches in your area to participate in a biblical dialogue to learn with a church community across the world. Visit Just Scripture to find out more - https://www.christianaid.org.uk/pray/join-in/just-scripture 

Personal: Find and join an online service from a church of a different tradition. Join in this act of worship and reflect on what riches God has shown you through this different experience of worship together.