Care for migrants at heart of
2020 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
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| Migrants at a reception centre in Malta (Vatican Media) |
The annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity takes place
from 18 to 25 January. It sees representatives of all Christian denominations
gather in the Vatican to pray and reflect on the theme chosen for 2020.
By Linda Bordoni
Leaders of Christian communities throughout the world gather
each year in the Vatican for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Pope
Francis traditionally concludes the initiative presiding over Vespers
at the Basilica of Saint Paul outside the Walls.
The theme for 2020, chosen and prepared by a group of
representatives from the Christian Churches in Malta, is from the Acts of the
Apostles: “They Showed Us Unusual Kindness”.
The working texts were finalized during a meeting of the
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, the International Committee
of the Faith and the Order Commission of the World Council of Churches.
Archbishop Ian Ernest, director of the Anglican
Center in Rome and personal representative of the Archbishop of Canterbury to
the Holy See, spoke to Vatican Radio about the poignant relevance of the chosen
theme.
“It is indeed relevant to pray that we Christians may act –
as the themes says - with "unusual kindness", when it comes to those,
who because of the realities and the harshness of life where they are, arrive
on our shores,” he said.
Prayer and action
The Archbishop expressed his belief that it is very
important that Christians, “not only pray together, but act together so that we
can set the example before the world of a loving community that welcomes
foreigners, cares for them and that gives them the dignity to which they are
entitled as human beings.”
He goes on to reflect on the need for concrete ecumenical
action in order to help change a perspective and narrative which sees migrants
and refugees as strangers rather than as our brothers and sisters in need.
Archbishop Ernest recalls that before his death, Jesus
prayed that we all One, “because the Father and He are one, and this is a
mandate He gave us, that we be together, to witness together to His love.
Therefore, it is particularly important, he said, that “in
times of hardship, in times of persecution, in times where people have no place
to go, that we welcome them.”
“We have a God who has come down to us to welcome us where
we are, and it is important - and I am glad – that today Christians are able to
see each other, to pray with each other. And it is not only to pray with each
other that is important, but what do we do from there?” he asked.
Pope Francis
Ernest expressed his appreciation for the fact that we have
Church leaders, like Pope Francis, who “are truly at the forefront of that
struggle of going to the other, taking the hand of the other...”
So, he said, this theme is really appropriate because there
should be a new way of life, a transformational way that we can bring about in
the world in which we live.
Noting that he is new on the job (he has been in Rome only
for 3 months), Archbishop Ernest said that while this year he will be
participating in various events and initiatives, he is hopeful and confident
that next year the Anglican Center in Rome will be able to open its own doors
for some significant events.
Appeal
Archbishop Ernest concluded with an appeal to all those who
profess to be Christians to act with ‘unusual kindness’ as it is said in the
Acts of the Apostles, noting that “if there is ‘unusual kindness’, there will
be great hope for a change of mindset in the world in which we live.
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