Short, Quick Thought: Prayer for Unity


This prayer has been on my mind and heart for a long while. I thought it time to post it with a few very short reflections:
O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior, the Prince of Peace: Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions; take away all hatred and prejudice, and whatever else may hinder us from godly union and concord; that, as there is but one Body and one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and one mouth glorify thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
It appears this prayer has roots that go as far back as 1714. It is found in the 1928 and 1979 Book of Common Prayer.

Give us grace to lay to heart: It is the Spirit of God who gifts his church with unity (Ephesians 4.1-3), and so our dependence is on him to place this on our hearts to make it our aim.

The dangers of our unhappy divisions: whether locally, denominationally, or universally, these divisions are "unhappy" and dangerous. They make us vulnerable to the whims of Satan or the thuggery of Society.

Take away...: In my experience, this has been where most divisions are spawned, "hatred and prejudice", but there are other sources as well, "whatever else may hinder us from...".

Godly union and concord ( . . . ) one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and charity: The aim is for both, the purity and peace of the church. Not one over the other, but both sought out in tandem.

Oremus (let us prayer).....

Mike

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