May they all be one.
Father, may they be one in us,
as you are in me and I am in you,
so that the world may believe it was you who sent me.
I have given them the glory that you gave to me,
that they may be one as we are one.
With me in them and you in me,
may they be so completely one
that the world will realise that it was you who sent me
and that I have loved them as much as you loved me.

John 17:21-23

 

Pope Benedict XVI: 'Help us to be servants of unity!'

During the homily at his inaugural Mass on 24th April 2005, Pope Benedict XVI spoke of Christian Unity. Shortly before the Pallium, made of pure wool as a symbol of his role as shepherd, was placed on his shoulders and the Fisherman's Ring on his finger he said:

' ... both the image of the shepherd and that of the fisherman issue an explicit call to unity. “I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must lead them too, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd” (Jn 10:16); these are the words of Jesus at the end of his discourse on the Good Shepherd. And the account of the 153 large fish ends with the joyful statement: “although there were so many, the net was not torn” (Jn 21:11). Alas, beloved Lord, with sorrow we must now acknowledge that it has been torn! But no – we must not be sad! Let us rejoice because of your promise, which does not disappoint, and let us do all we can to pursue the path towards the unity you have promised. Let us remember it in our prayer to the Lord, as we plead with him: yes, Lord, remember your promise. Grant that we may be one flock and one shepherd! Do not allow your net to be torn, help us to be servants of unity!'

Prayer for Christian Unity

Almighty and eternal God,
you keep together those you have united.
Look kindly on all who follow Jesus your Son.
We are all consecrated to you by our common baptism;
make us one in the fullness of faith
and keep us one in the fellowship of love.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

(Opening Prayer: Mass for the Unity of Christians)

Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul - 25th January

The Conversion of Saint Paul on the road to Damascus
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1573-1610)
Santa Maria del Populo, Rome.

Acts of the Apostles - 9:1-22, 22:3-16