The week of prayer for Christian unity is postponed to the time of Pentecost

The week of prayer for Christian unity, in the Church of Jerusalem, should have taken place this year on January 23 - 31, 2021, around the theme “Remain in my love and you will bear fruit in abundance” (cf. Jn 15,5-9). Due to the pandemic and the confinement, the week has been postponed to the time of Pentecost. Symbolically, we publish a prayer for unity, composed by the community of Grandchamp who committed to prepare the prayer book for the week of unity, this year, in the universal church. The monastic Community of Grandchamp brings together sisters of different Churches and nationalities. Founded in the first half of the 20th century, they established, from the start, close links with the community of Taizé and with Fr Paul Couturier, one of the founding figures of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The community is known in Israel because some of its Sisters lived for many years in the moshav Even Sappir.

Here is the prayer:

Lord, you the vinedresser who cares for our lives with love, you call us to see the beauty of each branch that remains united to the vine, the beauty of each person. And yet, too often, we are suddenly caught by fear when we face the difference of the other. We withdraw into ourselves, lose confidence in you, and enmity grows between us. Come and orient again our heart towards you, grant us to live from your forgiveness and be together to the glory of your Name.