1 Corinthians 10:1-5
1 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness.
…and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink.
Today is the first day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which is observed by all the member denominations of the World Council of Churches. The week runs from the Festival of the Confession of Peter through the Festival of the Conversion of Paul, with Martin Luther King Day included as well.
This year, the theme for the week is “I Believe” because we are celebrating the 1700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed. This statement of belief, which was created at the Council of Nicaea, affirms those things which the whole Church believes in common.
This common statement of faith is more important than ever during these times when Christians often seem to be at odds with each other about everything. This week, we will celebrate our unity in our shared confession that Jesus Is Lord.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is also important because it reminds us that, no matter how divided the visible Church is, the invisible Church (the One Church of Jesus Christ with many expressions) remains strong and secure.
Prayer: Lord Jesus: We pray for the visible unity of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, as we celebrate the beautiful diversity of all its expressions. AMEN