“Widen our love, good Spirit” is one of my favourite lines from J.R. Peacey’s hymn Filled with the Spirit’s Power. Perhaps you will sing it or hear it sung over the next week as we focus our prayer and conversation on Christian Unity. This annual week in January gives us a chance not to omit our concern for all peoples of faith and spirituality, but to settle into one of the pews of knowing God and seek deeper relationships. Those of us who gather as sisters and brothers in Christ, know that Christianity is only divided by the lines of separation that we humans make. As Sisters of St. Joseph we live with an underlining principle that all are one, so we keep trying to widen our tent of welcome and hospitality.
From January 18 – 25, wherever Christians gather in Canada, there will be services prepared by the Canadian Council of Churches, Canadian Centre for Ecumenism and the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism. These adapted materials from the World Council of Churches and the Pontifical Council for the Promoting of Christian Unity, this year develop the theme “They showed us unusual kindness.” (Acts 28:2) Scripture relates the story of hospitality shown by islanders to those who had been shipwrecked.
Hospitality usually entails not only reaching out to the other, but providing a safe place to listen to the life stories of each other, to share food and establish a rapport. Who will you meet this year? What gifts will you share? Will you let spirit widen your love?
https://www.hymnlyrics.org/lyricsf/filled_with_the_spirits_power.html
submitted by Sr. Loretta Manzara