Scripture
Isaiah 55:6-9, Seek the Lord while he may be found.
Psalms 34, I sought the Lord, and he answered me.
1 Thessalonians 5:12a, 13b-18, Pray without ceasing.
Luke 18:1-8, To pray always and not to lose heart.
Meditation
Paul writes “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all
circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” His epistle
is written to a faithful community that is anxious about death. Paul assures
them that the dead will be raised with the living and exhorts them to “pray
without ceasing.” What does it mean to pray without ceasing? We find insights to
answer this question in today's readings.
In the midst of the Exile, when all seemed hopeless, the prophet Isaiah proclaims, “Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near.” Even in exile, the Lord is near and urging his people to turn to him in prayer. Psalm 34 affirms the prophetic conviction that the Lord will answer those who call upon him, and adds praise to the call to pray without ceasing.
In Luke's gospel, Jesus teaches his disciples with the parable of the widow seeking justice from a judge who feared neither God nor respected people. The story serves as a reminder of the need for constant prayer — “to pray always and not to lose heart” — and for confidence that prayer is answered: “will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night?”
As Christians in search of unity, we reflect on these readings to find Athe will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Our call to pray without ceasing becomes part of his eternal intercession to the Father: “that all may be one, ... that the world may believe ... ” The unity we seek is unity ‘as Christ wills' and the ‘octave' observance of Christian prayer for unity reflects the biblical notion of completion, that some day our prayer will be answered.
Unity is a God-given gift to the church. It is also a call of Christians to live out this gift. Prayer for Christian unity is the source from which flow all human endeavors to manifest full visible unity. Many are the fruits of one hundred years of an octave of prayer for Christian unity. Many are also the barriers which still divide Christians and their churches. If we are not to lose heart, we must be steadfast in prayer so that we may seek the Lord and his will in all we do and all we are.
Prayer
Lord of unity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we pray without ceasing that we may
be one, as you are one. Father, hear us as we seek you. Christ, draw us to the
unity which is your will for us. Spirit, may we never lose heart. Amen.