My Thoughts 18/01/2022

Today is first day of the Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity, and for this year’s Octave of Prayer, the Christians of the Middle East have chosen the theme : ‘We Saw His Star in the East’.

In the Orthodox Church, they celebrate the feast of the Epiphany tomorrow, 19th January. This is the principal feast for many Eastern Christians. In the next 8 days we are encouraged in our prayer and liturgy to focus on the revelation of Christ our Saviour to the world.

In their introduction to the theme they say,

“The Magi reveal to us the unity of all nations desired by God. They travel from far-off countries, and represent diverse cultures, yet they are driven by the same hunger to see and know the new-born king, and are gathered into the little house in Bethlehem in the simple act of giving homage and offering gifts.”

We Christians today are called to be a sign, to the world of God, bringing about the unity for which Jesus prayed. Drawn from different cultures, races and languages, Christians share in a common search for Christ and a common desire to worship him. The mission of the Christian people, therefore, is to be a sign like the star, to guide humanity in its hunger for God, to lead all to Christ, and to be the means by which God is bringing about the unity of all peoples.

Here is the suggested prayer for this first day :

Lord God, illumine our path by the light of Christ who moves before us and leads us.
Enlighten us and dwell within us.
Guide us to discover a small manger in our hearts where a great light still sleeps.
Creator of light, we thank you for the gift of that unfading Star, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
May he be a beacon for our pilgrimage.
Heal our divisions and draw us closer to the Light that we may find our unity in him.
Amen.