Abide in Christ

"We are different from one another in so many ways but we have in common our abiding in Christ."

-  The Revd Ruth Gee, Assistant Secretary of the Conference and Connexional Ecumenical Officer, marks  this year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

In this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity we are invited to reflect on what it means to abide in Christ.

When the world is changing around us, as we are experiencing change and loss as divisions and injustice in society are exposed more clearly because of a virus which we cannot control: what does it mean to abide?

To be called to abide is to be called to stability and to an ordered way of life. To be called to abide in Christ is to be called to find that stability and order through following Christ. We are invited to abide in Christ, to find in Christ the stable and sure basis for life.

Christians abide in Christ. Daily we seek to follow his way in our varied places, with different cultural heritages, worshipping in a rich variety of ways. We are different from one another in so many ways but we have in common our abiding in Christ. When we recognise our common abiding then we can be enriched by the perspectives of others and then we can begin to learn from and truly respect one another.

Jesus said, “Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) Together, as those who abide in Christ, we can do so much more to share the love of God and to speak and act against intolerance, injustice and oppression.

This year, the daily reflection for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity has been produced by the sisters in a Benedictine Community. Stability or abiding is an important part of the Benedictine way of life, it is about being rooted and grounded in Christ, recognising the presence of Christ wherever you are and following his way. You can find the daily reflections here.

Why not join in now or use them at any time of the year?

Aros yng nGhrist

Abide in Christ.