Above: The birth of Jesus is depicted in a stained-glass window at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Cape May, N.J. The feast of the Nativity of the Lord is celebrated Dec. 25. (CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz)
"We saw the star in the East, and we came to worship Him." - Matthew 2:2
The theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in 2022 was selected by the Middle East Council of Churches and originates from the churches in Lebanon. Present times in Lebanon are extremely difficult and economically disastrous. All this combined with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have made the situation quite stressful. The power of prayer in solidarity with those who suffer is a demonstration of Christian unity and a sign of communion.
The theme, taken from the second chapter of the Gospel according to Matthew, is the Epiphany. Each year in January, the Church recalls the visit of the Magi to Bethlehem, highlighting God’s invitation to all of humanity to a new covenant in the Incarnation of Christ. In the Eastern Churches, Epiphany is joined to the mystery of the Baptism of Christ, a baptism all Christians hold in common as testimony to their faith in the Son of God.
(from the website of the Graymoor Ecumenical and Interreligious Institute)
Prayers and resources from the USCCB
Papal Encyclical (John Paul II): UT UNUM SINT: On commitment to Ecumenism