Day Six. Laudato si’ Week and Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Friday, 22 May 2026. Acts 25:13b-21; Jn 21:15-19. Let the Holy Spirit take hold of everything

Laudato Si’ 222. “Christian spirituality proposes an alternative understanding of the quality of life and encourages a prophetic and contemplative lifestyle, one capable of deep enjoyment free of the obsession with consumption. We need to take up an ancient lesson found in different religious traditions and also in the Bible. It is the conviction that less is more. A constant flood of new consumer goods can baffle the heart and prevent us from cherishing each thing and each moment. Christian spirituality proposes a growth marked by moderation and the capacity to be happy with little.”

Reflection: The family constitutes the basic unit of every society. Families need to revive active participation in all efforts of uniting people and rehabilitating the environment. It is in the family where first the ‘seeds of hope’ need to be sown and from hope to action will begin. Families rooted in the Scriptures are the hope of a society free of manipulation, suffering, consumerism and greed.

This foundational truth calls the Church to embody and live out unity, rooted in the shared belief in one true God who is the Father of all believers. “All” signifies that every person created in God’s image falls under God’s authority. Worshiping one God creates a strong bond of unity among Christians. Just as family members find common ground through their love for a parent, Christians are called to be united in their devotion to the same Father.

St Francis of Assisi attested to a revolution against social ills, like Paul, who attests that Jesus who was dead and now is alive, what is cast down has been restored, the outcast brought in, strangers find welcome. Jesus commands Peter to “Feed my lambs, tend my sheep”, an action of love in the Holy Spirit. The family of the Church is the all-embracing vision of a Mother who tends and feeds the flock of God’s creation. Laudato Si’ encourages unity of all families to participate in “Care for our Common Home” as its title states.

A question to consider: In what ways can the image of God as the loving and caring Father of all be integrated into the mission and ministry of our different church communities so as to promote a more unified Christian witness in the world? 

The power is not in perfection. The power is in participation.

Prayer for Families and Ecological Life: Blessed Trinity, Father and Spirit of love, in Jesus and Mary, you showed us the meaning of hospitality, recognizing the divine presence in all living creatures. Help us to become a family that welcomes those who feel abandoned and lost, building a home where all are welcome. Through Mary, may we come closer to one another and experience your unconditional love. This we ask through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.