21.01.2019
Christians Called to Form United Witness for Justice – Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2019 opened in Dublin & Glendalough on Friday evening (January 18) with an ecumenical service in the Church of St John the Baptist in Clontarf. The service, which was led by Archbishop Michael Jackson, took the theme ‘Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue’ [Deuteronomy 16:18–20]. This theme is being adopted by Christians all over the world this week and was chosen by the churches of Indonesia.
During the service members of the congregation wrote a personal commitment each could make to justice. Their commitments, written on coloured cards, were collected and offered to God. Dublin Council of Churches, who organise the service annually, will take time to consider these commitments to see how they can enable churches in the city to pursue them.
The sermon was given by Fr Fachtna McCarthy, Adm of St Mary’s Haddington Road, who said that this week Christians were being called to form a united witness for justice. He added that the demand for justice was central to the mission of the Church.
He said that Christians formed a tiny minority in Indonesia where the people have lived by the principle of ‘gotong royong’ which is to live in solidarity and by collaboration, regarding all Indonesians as brothers and sisters. Sadly the reality is different and there is economic injustice, poverty and division.
Injustice in society has fed poor relationships among Indonesia’s churches, Fr Fachtna said and there were also divisions among Christians. “The call to the path of unity seems ever more urgent to them. That picture resonates with us also. This week we pray with the Indonesian churches for unity… We believe in the reconciling power of Christ. This year our prayers for Christian unity are offered against this background of divisions and inequalities in society, resulting in divisions in the Churches and impinging on our life together,” he said.
He commended the spirit of fellowship among Dublin Council of Churches members and warned that unless Churches healed their divisions they would be poor advocates for justice. “When we pray for visible unity, we celebrate the rich diversity of the Church. We pray that the world may become a happy and peaceful home for the whole Christian family,” he concluded.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity runs from January 18 to 25 each year. There are many ecumenical services and events taking place in Dublin & Glendalough – check locally for details.