Jerusalem Churches at center of week of prayer for Christian unity

The annual week of prayer for Christian unity (January 18-25) got underway Tuesday with a series of reflections offered this year by leaders from the Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant churches in Jerusalem. They chose the theme from the Acts of the Apostles: “they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

The meditation calls Christians around the world to remember the time two thousand years ago when the Church was still one: the first Church in Jerusalem.

Citing the Pentecost, where Christ’s first disciples joined in unity as the body of Christ, the meditation reflects on the need for unity through spiritual renewal, the celebration of the Eucharist and prayer grounded in the experience of the early Church.

“It is not difficult to see how the situation of the first Christians in the Holy City mirrors that of the church in Jerusalem today” the message reads. “The current community experiences many of the joys and sorrows of the early church; its injustice and inequality, and its divisions, but also its faithful perseverance, and recognition of wider unity among Christians”

Christians everywhere are invited to make a journey of faith over the eight days, recalling all the while the Mother Church in Jerusalem, yesterday, today, and tomorrow:

Day 1 sets forth the background to the mother church of Jerusalem, making clear its continuity with the church throughout the world today. It reminds us of the courage of the early church as it boldly witnessed to the truth, just as we today need to work for justice in Jerusalem, and in the rest of the world.

Day 2 recalls that the first community united at Pentecost contained within itself many diverse origins, just as the church in Jerusalem today represents a rich diversity of Christian traditions. Our challenge today is to achieve greater visible unity in ways that embrace our differences and traditions.

Day 3 looks at the first essential element of unity; the Word of God delivered through the teaching of the apostles. The church in Jerusalem reminds us that, whatever our divisions, these teachings urge us to devote ourselves in love to each other, and in faithfulness to the one body which is the church.

Day 4 emphasises Sharing as the second expression of unity. Just as the early Christians held all things in common, the Church in Jerusalem calls upon all brothers and sisters in the church to share goods and burdens with glad and generous hearts, so that nobody stays in need.

Day 5 expresses the third element of unity; the Breaking of the Bread, which joins us in hope. Our unity goes beyond Holy Communion; it must include a right attitude towards ethical living, the human person and the whole community. The Jerusalem church urges Christians to unite in “the breaking of bread” today, because a divided church cannot speak out with authority on issues of Justice and Peace.

Day 6 presents the fourth mark of unity; with the church in Jerusalem, we draw strength from spending time in prayer. Specifically, the Lord’s Prayer calls all of us in Jerusalem and throughout the world, the weak and the mighty, to work together for justice, peace and unity that God’s Kingdom may come.

Day 7 takes us beyond the four elements of unity, as the Jerusalem church joyfully proclaims the Resurrection even while it bears the pain of the Cross. The Resurrection of Jesus is for Christians in Jerusalem today hope and strength that enables them to remain constant in their witness, working for freedom and peace in the City of Peace.

Day 8 concludes the journey with a call from the Jerusalem churches to the wider service of reconciliation. Even if Christians achieve unity among themselves, their work is not done, for they need to reconcile themselves with others. In the Jerusalem context this means Palestinian and Israeli; in other communities, Christians are challenged to seek justice and reconciliation in their own context.

Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic (Latin) Patriarchate of Jerusalem, William Shomali tells Philippa Hitchen that in the Holy City, every day this week of unity will be dedicated to one of the Churches in Jerusalem.

"Going every day to another church means more communion with the people with whom we pray," says Bishop Shomali. "And the people who come to pray every day are from many different churches. So (on a practical level), we are living a strong moment of communion and unity even before full union... it takes time, but it is a good start."

Listen to the interview and Tracey McClure's report: