Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err,
that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace;
and he that putteth not into their mouths,
they even prepare war against him.
Micah 3:5
"When a group of German Christians was asked in 2014 to prepare materials for the 2017 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, their choice of a “wall” as a symbol of sin, evil and division explicitly referred to the Berlin Wall.The German reflections on the power of prayer to bring down walls and the Gospel call to
“The image of the wall is very current today — now more than when they wrote the reflection,” said Fr. Anthony Currer, who coordinates the Vatican contribution to the week of prayer.
The theme for 2017 is: “Reconciliation — The love of Christ compels us.”
The long lead time gives Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans and Protestants around the world time to translate and adapt the materials to their own local situations, cultures and styles of worship.
The German group was chosen to write the reflections for 2017 because this year marks the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, an event that tore apart the Christian community in the West.
But, Fr. Currer said, “this commemoration of the Reformation acknowledges very much that our history is not just a history of conflict; from the Second Vatican Council and the last 50 years of ecumenical dialogue, it is also a story of coming back together in communion.” CatholicSun
