Indian Christians all set to pray for nation

New Delhi, 28 Nov 2013: In a massive show of unity, tens of thousands of Christians across the country will come together to pray for the nation on November 30. The first-ever such ecumenical ‘United Christian Prayer for India’ meet will be held simultaneously at more than 1,000 venues spread across state capitals and important districts from 3pm to 8 pm on Saturday, Archbishop Emeritus Vincent Concessao told a press conference in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The archbishop said that the faithful have always prayed for the nation. “Every Sunday, and sometimes round- the-clock. This is in fact is a culmination of earlier meetings. We prayed for the nation specifically on Pentecost day May 19 and Gandhi Jayanti on October 2. But this is for the first time that all denominations are coming together.”
The prelate, who heads the National Committee for United Christian Prayer for India, said that Christians “feel a clarion call to seek God’s intervention at a time when the country is ridden with corruption, scandals, crime against women, communal violence and a general lack of moral values and ethics.”

“Lack of morals and ethics is clearly evident among the politicians, judiciary, media and even in the Church and other religious organizations. Moral decadence is deeply entrenched. It is a time for introspection and for seeking divine intervention,” he added.

Noting that Christians have expressed their love for the country through their immense contribution in the fields of education, healthcare and empowerment of the poor, he said, “If we as a Church humble ourselves, repent of our sins and …. pray, God will hear us and heal our land.”
Archbishop Anil Joseph Couto of Delhi said that “Unless we as a Christian community take up this great task of bringing about healing in our nation we will not be fulfilling our Christian mission.”

He said the idea behind this mass ecumenical prayer is that India may be rid of so many maladies that hinder the nation’s proper governance, unity and development leading to increasing poverty and inequities.
The prelate, who is the chairperson of the local organizing committee, said the ecumenical community in Delhi – the various church leaders, especially Archbishop Concessao, decided to hold the prayer meet and display Christian unity.

The prayer is focused on the three arms of our democracy – the judiciary, the legislature and the executive. “We pray for the president, the prime minister, the chief justices and all judges and politicians,” he said. If the maiden ecumenical prayer meet is successful, it will be made an annual feature. Other religions will be invited to make it an inter-religious affair, he added.

Giving details about the Delhi prayer meeting, Archbishop Couto said more than 100,000 people are expected to take part in the prayer meet. Source: mattersindia