Please join the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement at the Holy Mountain Retreat Center for a

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Service

in observation of the 2025 Week of Prayer

Friday, January 24, 2025
4 PM Eastern

Holy Mountain Retreat Center
40 Franciscan Way
Garrison, NY 10524

The 2025 theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is “Do you believe?” (John 11:26): the theme honors the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, at which the question of common belief was upheld as a paramount pillar for church integrity, while also drawing us into the gospel episode of the resurrection of Lazarus, offering a promise of hope in times of communal fragmentation and death-dealing power. For more information about the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the 2025 theme, or materials to aid in observing the WPCU in your home community, visit geii.org/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity.

“It is my hope that you will join us for these opportunities to pray, in the spirit of our Founders, that Christ’s prayer ‘That all may be one’ will be realized.” – V. Rev. Fr. Emil Tomaskovic

Daily Scripture and Prayer Guide

Day 7 – Baptism into the Death and Resurrection of the Lord

Scripture Readings
Micah 7:18-19
Psalm 51:1, 7, 10, 12
Matthew 28:16-20

Meditation

Such is the power of faith in Christ, such the excess of his grace: As the element of fire, when it meets with ore from the mine, straightaway of earth makes it gold, even so and much more baptism makes those who are washed to be of gold instead of clay. The Spirit at that time falling like fire into our souls, burning up the “image of the earthly”, and producing “the image of the heavenly,” fresh coined, bright and glittering, as from the furnace-mold. – John Chrysostom (c. 350-407), Homily on the Gospel of John, X:2.

Christians are baptized into the death and resurrection of Christ. What does your baptism mean to you today? Sin disfigures us in various ways. Through baptism, God liberates us from this humiliation. In spite of different church traditions and practices, how does confessing “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5) affect our relationships with other Christians?

Prayer

God our Father, we praise you and bless your name. Accept our thanksgiving for the unity Christians already enjoy in the confession of Jesus as Lord. Hasten the day, we beg you, of the full mutual recognition of our churches in the communion that you desire, and for which your Son prayed. We ask this in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

For more daily prayers visit the Daily Scripture and Prayer Guide at geii.org.