Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
January 18-25, 2010

Biblical Text: Luke 24

Introduction to the theme:
"You Are Witnesses of these Things" (Luke 24:48)

In the ecumenical movement we have often meditated on Jesus' final discourse before his death. In this final testament the importance of the unity of Christ's disciples is emphasized: “That all may be one ... so that the world may believe.” (John 17:21)

This year the churches of Scotland have made the original choice of inviting us to listen to Christ's final discourse before his ascension, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:46-48). It is on these final words of Christ that we shall reflect each day.

During the 2010 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity we are invited to follow the whole of chapter 24 of Luke's gospel. Whether it be the terrified women at the tomb, the two discouraged disciples on the road to Emmaus or the eleven disciples overtaken by doubt and fear, all who together encounter the Risen Christ are sent on mission: “You are witness of these things”. This mission of the Church is given by Christ and cannot be appropriated by anyone. It is the community of those who have been reconciled with God and in God, and who can witness to the truth of the power of salvation in Jesus Christ.

We sense that Mary Magdalene, Peter or the two Emmaus disciples will not witness in the same way. Yet it will be the victory of Jesus over death that all will place at the heart of their witness. The personal encounter with the risen One has radically changed their lives and in its uniqueness for each one of them one thing becomes imperative: “You are witnesses of these things.” Their story will accentuate different things, sometimes dissent may arise between them about what faithfulness to Christ requires, and yet all will work to announce the Good News.

The Eight Days

During the 2010 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity we will reflect each day on chapter 24 of Luke's gospel stopping at the questions which it asks: Jesus' questions to his disciples; the questions the apostles ask of Christ.

Each of these questions allows us to highlight a particular way of witnessing to the Risen One. Each of them invites us to think about our situation of church division and about how, concretely, we can remedy that. We are already witnesses and we need to become better witnesses. How?

by praising the One who gives us the gift of life and resurrection (Day 1)
by knowing how to share the story of our faith with others (Day 2)
by recognizing that God is at work in our lives (Day 3)
by giving thanks for the faith we have received (Day 4)
by confessing Christ's victory over all suffering (Day 5)
by seeking to always be more faithful to the Word of God (Day 6)
by growing in faith, hope and love (Day 7)
by offering hospitality and knowing how to receive it when it is offered to us (Day 8)

Would our witness not be more faithful to the gospel of Christ in each of these eight aspects if we witnessed together?