June 3. Also feast of the Uganda martyrs.  The gifts of Communion: Matt 2:11 “they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Reflect, share, act., The wise men who came to pay homage to the Christ-child opened their treasures, and offered the new-born king their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Our historical divisions, our wrong–headed fixation with rules and rituals, and preoccupation with worldly matters, have broken us apart. What gifts have we prepared to offer to the king who comes to illuminate our lives and lead us to the grace of unity? We know that God does not want our riches or burnt offerings, but rather that his power works through our poverty: “I have no silver or gold”. The Lord desires our beating and loving hearts: hearts full of love for Him and our brothers and sisters in Christ from whom we are separated; hearts flowing with acts of mercy; truly penitent and desiring change. Let us prepare the gift of a heart full of love. Kneeling in worship requires hearts that are contrite for the sin that divides us and obedient to the One we serve. This obedience revives, heals and reconciles everything that is broken or wounded in us, around us, and among us as Christians. Christ has already given the gift of unity to his Church. We grow in communion as we share the graces our different traditions have received, acknowledging that the source of all our gifts is the Lord.

The Uganda martyrs were young men and boys from different denominations burnt to death for the beliefs. St Kizito was the youngest, aged 14.

Pope Francis:   In the family we can rethink our habits of consumption and join in caring for the environment as our common home.   The family is the principal agent of an integral ecology, because it is the primary social subject which contains the two fundamental principles of human civilization on earth, the principle of communion and of fruitfulness. AL277. Pray the Prayer for Christian Unity.  Pray for Baptist/Pentecostal Churches