WelCom May 2022
Te Wiki o ngā Īnoinga mō te Kotahitanga o te Hunga Karaitiana
“We saw the star in the East…”
– Matthew 2:2
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2022 takes place in New Zealand during the week leading up to Pentecost Sunday – Sunday 29 May to Sunday 5 June.
Every year, Christians from a different host country choose the theme and prepare materials for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. In 2022, these have been prepared by the Middle East Council of Churches based in Beirut, Lebanon where present times are difficult economically combined with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The power of prayer in solidarity with those who suffer is a demonstration of Christian unity and a sign of communion.
The theme, ‘We saw the star in the east and came to worship Him,’ is taken from the second chapter of the Gospel according to Matthew. It has to do with Epiphany, coming together and worshipping.
The story of the Magi visiting the Holy Family in Bethlehem is very familiar to us. The Magi have sometimes been seen as a symbol of the world’s diversity – different religions and cultures – that comes to pay homage to the Christ-child. The story might therefore represent the unity of all created that God desires.
Each year in January, the Church recalls the visit of the Magi to Bethlehem, highlighting God’s invitation to all of humanity to a new covenant in the Incarnation of Christ. In the Eastern Churches, Epiphany is joined to the mystery of the Baptism of Christ, a baptism all Christians hold in common as testimony to their faith in the Son of God.
Global Christianity celebrates the gift of unity under the revelation of the star and the Good News that came to us from that day forward.
Commemorate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in your community from 29 May–5 June 2022. ‘That they all may be one.’
Resources for the Week of Prayer have been sent to dioceses and parishes and are available on www.catholic.org.nz. The resources include an Order of Worship for an ecumenical service, and the Eight Days of Prayer, which are very suitable for individual use.
Click here for the full resources: https://www.catholic.org.nz/resources/wpcu2022/