Love without borders

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Like every year, between the feast of Pentecost and the feast of the Holy Trinity, the churches of the southern hemisphere will celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

This week commits each baptized Christian to pray and commit to the unity of the body of Christ, which is the Church. The Second Vatican Council taught: “This conversion of heart and holiness of life, together with private and public prayers for Christian unity, are to be regarded as the soul of the entire ecumenical movement, and may rightly be called spiritual ecumenism.” .

This year the theme of the week of prayer is taken from the Gospel of Luke: “You shall love the Lord your God… and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). The writing of the materials had been entrusted to an ecumenical team from Burkina Faso (West Africa), facilitated by the Chemin Neuf Community of that country.

Policy

Hard communication. The Church warned about extreme poverty and lack of assistance in the Milei era

The political and social situation in Burkina Faso is precarious and there are many threats to peace and social cohesion. The preparation of the texts helped the writing group to recognize that the love of Christ unites all Christians and is stronger than divisions. We must take into account the ethnic and religious diversity that this country has.

They selected the passage from Luke Luke 10:25-37, which begins with the provocative question that a doctor of the law asks Jesus: “And who is my neighbor?” Traditionally, this obligation was believed to extend to Israelites and resident foreigners. Jesus answers the question with a parable that shows a love that extends far beyond the limits expected by the doctor of the law.

Next, Jesus narrates as a metaphor the story of a man attacked by thieves, who rob him, wound him and leave him half dead. Only a foreigner, known as a “good Samaritan” has compassion for him, gets involved in his pain and assists him to the last consequences.

Policy

Criticism. The Church asked for “solidarity” for those who lose their jobs

Christians are called to act like Christ, loving like the Good Samaritan, showing mercy and compassion to those in need, regardless of their religious, ethnic or social identity.

May this message also be a beacon for our country, may it make the “May Pact” an opportunity that involves the most vulnerable in our society.

* Catholic priest. Member of the Interreligious Committee for Peace (Comipaz)