"Behold the Lamb of God" – John the Baptist points out Jesus to Saint Andrew (John 1:35ff). Painting by Ottavio Vannini. CHURCH
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity – Biblical reflections Day 1 We bring you the first in a series of Biblical reflections for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which has been jointly prepared by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches.
DAY 1: CALLED BY GOD
“You did not choose me but I chose you”
(Jn 15:16a)
Gen 12:1-4 – The call of Abraham
Jn 1:35 – 51 – The call of the first disciples
Meditation
The start of the journey is an encounter between a human being and God, between the created and the Creator, between time and eternity.
Abraham heard the call: “Go to the land I will show you”. Like Abraham we are called to leave that which is familiar and go to the place that God has prepared in the depths of our hearts. Along the way, we become more and more ourselves, the people God has wanted us to be from the beginning. And by following the call that is addressed to us, we become a blessing for our loved ones, our neighbours, and the world.
The love of God seeks us. God became human in Jesus, in whom we encounter the gaze of God. In our lives, as in the Gospel of John, God’s call is heard in different ways. Touched by his love, we set out. In this encounter, we walk a path of transformation — the bright beginning of a relationship of love that is always started anew.
One day you understood that, without your being aware of it, a yes had already been inscribed in your innermost depths. And so you chose to go forward in the footsteps of Christ….
In silence in the presence of Christ, you heard him say, “Come, follow me; I will give you a place to rest your heart.”
The Sources of Taizé (2000) p. 52
Prayer
Jesus Christ,
you seek us, you wish to offer us your friendship
and lead us to a life that is ever more complete.
Grant us the confidence to answer your call
so that we may be transformed
and become witnesses of your tenderness for the world.
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18 January 2021, 12:56
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