As we begin the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, here are some thoughts that may help us to realize that the Lord constantly calls us to leave our comfort zones and to dare to experience something new.
During this coming week, the Church is encouraged to pray together for the grace of unity, especially among Christians. Every year, this week reminds us of a time when all those who worship Jesus as Christ (the anointed one) were united in our beliefs and in our gathering around the table of the Eucharist. This week also reminds us of the frailty and humanity of our Church because the unity that we enjoyed for the first millennium of our existence was disrupted because of conflicts that could not be resolved. Ever since that time, we have been working toward re-establishing the unity that once existed.
In our search for unity, it is helpful to remember that whether we pray according to the Roman Catholic or other Christian traditions , whether we gather with other Christians who follow the Western liturgy or the Eastern one, we share a common past for we are all striving to live according to the example and teaching of Jesus of Nazareth, the man who walked along the Sea of Galilee and saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea (Mk 1:16). This same Jesus also saw James ... and his brother John ... mending their nets (Mk 1:19). In both cases, Jesus invited them to follow him, and they left their old lives behind and followed him (cf Mk 1:18, 20).
When Jesus saw these four men on the beach that day, he invited them to change their ways, to risk letting go of a lifestyle that they knew and to set out on a new adventure. Jesus challenged them to go into uncharted territory. I think that those four fishermen were very brave because not everyone would be able to give up the security of an established way of life and to set out in search of something new, yet they were willing. And what about us? Are we courageous enough to set out with Jesus on a new adventure? Are we willing to embrace a new beginning in a few weeks’ time when all Catholics in Elliot Lake will begin to gather under one roof?
Long before the disciples set out on this adventure, there were others who had been invited to do the same. Today’s first reading recounts the story of Jonah who heard the word of the Lord saying: Get up, go to Nineveh ... and proclaim to it the message that I will tell you (Jonah 3:2). Throughout the history of God’s relationship with his beloved people, he has constantly invited us to get up from the places and activities that we know best, to allow ourselves to be shaken out of our complacency so that we can be awakened to new encounters. We never know where or when our God will need us to proclaim the message that he reveals to us, and we never know the effect that our words may have on the hearts and souls of those who hear them.
Saint Paul’s words addressed to the young Christian community at Corinth reveal a belief on his part that appointed time when Jesus would return had grown short (1 Cor 7:29). Two millennia have gone by since Paul wrote those words, but we still do not know for sure when Jesus will return, so should we not strive to live as though that time were sooner rather than later? Now is the time for us to do what we can to recognize the hurts that have resulted in separations: not only among our fellow Christians but also among our own families and friends. Now is the time for us to pray for the grace of healing and to resist the temptation to wait for others to make the first move. If we took the initiative to begin the process of reconciliation, perhaps there would be less turmoil among our friends and families, perhaps there might even be a chance for promoting unity among Christians who still long to see the day when we will gather around the same Eucharistic table to pray and to break bread again.
Our common call
During this coming week, the Church is encouraged to pray together for the grace of unity, especially among Christians. Every year, this week reminds us of a time when all those who worship Jesus as Christ (the anointed one) were united in our beliefs and in our gathering around the table of the Eucharist. This week also reminds us of the frailty and humanity of our Church because the unity that we enjoyed for the first millennium of our existence was disrupted because of conflicts that could not be resolved. Ever since that time, we have been working toward re-establishing the unity that once existed.
In our search for unity, it is helpful to remember that whether we pray according to the Roman Catholic or other Christian traditions , whether we gather with other Christians who follow the Western liturgy or the Eastern one, we share a common past for we are all striving to live according to the example and teaching of Jesus of Nazareth, the man who walked along the Sea of Galilee and saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea (Mk 1:16). This same Jesus also saw James ... and his brother John ... mending their nets (Mk 1:19). In both cases, Jesus invited them to follow him, and they left their old lives behind and followed him (cf Mk 1:18, 20).
When Jesus saw these four men on the beach that day, he invited them to change their ways, to risk letting go of a lifestyle that they knew and to set out on a new adventure. Jesus challenged them to go into uncharted territory. I think that those four fishermen were very brave because not everyone would be able to give up the security of an established way of life and to set out in search of something new, yet they were willing. And what about us? Are we courageous enough to set out with Jesus on a new adventure? Are we willing to embrace a new beginning in a few weeks’ time when all Catholics in Elliot Lake will begin to gather under one roof?
Long before the disciples set out on this adventure, there were others who had been invited to do the same. Today’s first reading recounts the story of Jonah who heard the word of the Lord saying: Get up, go to Nineveh ... and proclaim to it the message that I will tell you (Jonah 3:2). Throughout the history of God’s relationship with his beloved people, he has constantly invited us to get up from the places and activities that we know best, to allow ourselves to be shaken out of our complacency so that we can be awakened to new encounters. We never know where or when our God will need us to proclaim the message that he reveals to us, and we never know the effect that our words may have on the hearts and souls of those who hear them.
Saint Paul’s words addressed to the young Christian community at Corinth reveal a belief on his part that appointed time when Jesus would return had grown short (1 Cor 7:29). Two millennia have gone by since Paul wrote those words, but we still do not know for sure when Jesus will return, so should we not strive to live as though that time were sooner rather than later? Now is the time for us to do what we can to recognize the hurts that have resulted in separations: not only among our fellow Christians but also among our own families and friends. Now is the time for us to pray for the grace of healing and to resist the temptation to wait for others to make the first move. If we took the initiative to begin the process of reconciliation, perhaps there would be less turmoil among our friends and families, perhaps there might even be a chance for promoting unity among Christians who still long to see the day when we will gather around the same Eucharistic table to pray and to break bread again.
Invité à le suivre
Au cours de la semaine à venir, nous sommes tous et toutes encouragés à prier pour la grâce de l’unité, en particulier parmi les chrétiens. Chaque année, cette semaine de prière pour l’unité des chrétiens nous rappelle le fait qu’il y a eu un temps où toute personne qui reconnaît Jésus Christ était unie dans nos croyances et que nous avons partagé la même table de l’eucharistie. Cette semaine nous rappele également la fragilité et l’humanité de l’Église, car nous étions unis pendant le premier millénaire de notre existence, mais cette unité a été perturbée à cause de conflits qui n’ont pû être résolus. Depuis lors, nous travaillons à rétablir l’unité qui existait autrefois.
Nous qui sommes à la recherche de l’unité devons nous rappeler que peut importe si nous prions selon la tradition des catholiques romains, ou d’autres églises chrétiennes, peut importe si nous nous trouvons en compagnie des autres chrétiens qui suivent la liturgie occidentale ou celle de l’orient, nous partageons tous un passé commun, car nous cherchons tous à vivre selon l’exemple et les renseignements de Jésus de Nazareth, lui qui passa le long de la mer de Galilée et vit Simon et André son frère en train de jeter les filets dans la mer (Mc 1,16). Ce même Jésus vit aussi Jacques ... et son frère Jean ... qui réparaient les filets (Mc 1,19). Jésus les a appelés et les a invités à le suivre, et ils ont tous laissé leurs vieilles vies et sont partis à sa suite (cf Mc 1,18, 20).
Quand Jésus a vu ces quatre hommes sur la plage ce jour-là, il les a invité a changer de comportement, a accepter le risque d’abandonner un style de vie qu’ils connaissaient et de se lancer dans une nouvelle aventure. Jésus les a mis au défi d’explorer un territoire qui leur était inconnu. Je pense que ces quatre pêcheurs étaient très courageux, car ce n’est pas tout le monde qui serait capable d’abandonner la sécurité d’une vie établie pour partir à la recherche de quelque chose de nouveau, pourtant ils acceptaient le défi. Et nous? Sommes-nous assez courageux pour partir avec Jésus dans une nouvelle aventure? Sommes-nous prêts à embrasser un nouveau départ d’ici quelques semaines lorsque tous les catholiques d’Elliot Lake commenceront à se rassembler sous un même toit?
Bien avant que les disciples ne partent à l’aventure, il y en avait d’autres qui avaient été invités à faire de même. La première lecture que nous avons entendue aujourd’hui nous raconte l’histoire de Jonas qui a entendu la parole du Seigneur: Lève-toi, va à Ninive ... et proclame le message que je te donne (Jonas 3,2). Tout au long de l’histoire de la relation que Dieu a partagée avec son peuple, il nous a constamment invités à nous lever des lieux et des activités que nous connaissons le mieux, à nous laisser sortir de notre complaisance pour nous éveiller à de nouvelles rencontres. Nous ne savons jamais ni où ni quand notre Seigneur n’aura besoin de nous pour proclamer le message qu’il nous révèle, et nous ne connaissons jamais l’effet que nos paroles peuvent avoir sur les coeurs et les âmes de ceux qui les entendent.
Les paroles que Saint Paul a adressées à la jeune communauté chrétienne de Corinthe nous révèlent une croyance de sa part selon laquelle le moment où Jésus reviendrait est limité (1 Cor 7,29). Deux millénaires se sont écoulés depuis que Paul a écrit ces paroles, mais nous ne savons toujours pas avec certitude quand Jésus reviendra, alors ne devrions-nous pas nous efforcer de vivre comme si ce temps était plus tôt que de plus tard? Il est maintenant le temps pour nous de faire ce que nous pouvons pour reconnaître les blessures qui ont entraîné des séparations: non seulement parmi les membres de la famille des chrétiens et chrétiennes mais aussi parmi nos propres familles et nos amis. Il est maintenant le temps pour nous de prier, de demander la grâce de la guérison et de résister à la tentation d’attendre que des autres fasse le premier pas. Si nous prenions l’initiative d’entamer le processus de la réconciliation, il y aura peut-être moins de chicanes parmi nos amis et dans nos familles, peut-être y aura-t-il une occasion pour promouvoir l’unité entre des chrétiens et chrétiennes qui attendent encore le jour où nous nous réunirons autour de la table de l’Eucharistie afin de prier ensemble de nouveau et de rompre le pain.
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