Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

January 18-25

DAY 8

Growing into Christ 

Verse for the day 

The gifts he gave were for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ (cf. Eph 4:13). 

Additional Scripture passages 

Proverbs 9:10-12 

Psalm 119:97-104 

John 17:3-7 

Reflection 

In Ephesians 4:13 the apostle Paul summarizes the vision of the Body of Christ in three key areas: unity in faith, maturity in knowledge, and fullness in Christ. Maturity comes through an ever-deepening knowledge of Jesus Christ. This is life-changing knowledge that leads us to renew our minds and put it into practice in actions rather than just intellectual comprehension. We resemble him more and more as we get to know him better. To gain this knowledge, one must both study his teachings and live them in obedience daily. The “full stature of Christ” is the goal of Christian maturity. It means becoming more like Jesus in every way: loving as he loves, serving as he serves, and reflecting his character. We are called to evaluate our spiritual journey, seeking unity with each other, growing in our knowledge of the Son of God, and striving for his fullness in us. 

A question to consider 

How are we growing in our knowledge of Christ and allowing that knowledge to shape our actions, thoughts and relationships?  

Prayer 

O Christ, True Light of the world,  

make my soul worthy to see the light of your glory  

with joy on the day of my calling, 

and to rest with the hope of good things  

in the house of the righteous, 

until the day of your great coming. 

Have mercy upon your creation, 

and on me, a great sinner. 

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. 

Now and always and unto the ages of ages.  

Amen. 

At least once a year, Christians are reminded of Jesus’ prayer for his disciples that “they may be one so that the world may believe” (see John 17.21). Hearts are touched and Christians come together to pray for their unity. Congregations and parishes all over the world exchange preachers or arrange special ecumenical celebrations and prayer services. The event that touches off this special experience is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

WHEN: Traditionally the week of prayer is celebrated between 18-25 January, between the feasts of St Peter and St Paul. In the southern hemisphere, where January is a vacation time, churches often find other days to celebrate it, for example around Pentecost, which is also a symbolic date for unity.

In order to prepare for the annual celebration, ecumenical partners in a particular region are invited to produce a basic liturgical text on a biblical theme. Then an international editorial team of WCC and Roman Catholic representatives refines this text to ensure that it can be prayed throughout the world, and to link it with the search for the visible unity of the church.

Ephesians 4:1 13

I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spi rit in the bond of peace: there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it is said, “When he ascended on high, he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his

(When it says, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) He himself granted that some are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry, f or building up the Body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.

New Revised Standard Version