Church Unity Octave

We are well into the annual week of prayer for Church unity, known as the Church Unity Octave. It began on January 18 and will end on January, 25, The Conversion of St. Paul. This year's theme is taken from 1 Corinthians 15: 51-58: "We will all be changed by the vistory of our Lord Jesus Christ." St, Paul speaks of the resurrection as the victory over sin and death, that we who have been baptized in Christ will share also in his resurrection. All Christians have this goal, it is what unites us and it is what should encourage us to avoid competition, disdain or jealousy. It is truly scandalous for Christians to be arguing or fighting among each other, as it is to be condescending or simply tolerant. Our energies should be directed toward loving harmony with one another, and if there be any belligerence, let it be directed toward the Evil One and his minions. In our reflections this week we might find in our hearts traces of elements which divide rather than unite. For these let us ask pardon and seek to remove them by asking God to transform us into the "new man (or woman)" who came to be at our baptism. Unity taking place within us and then within our immediate community, will have global repercussions. Let us pray with Jesus, "that all may be one." (Jn 17:20)