This week’s service has been prepared by the brothers and sisters of the Community’s ecumenical team.
Reflection text
« Peace be with you »
A Meditation by Brother Matthew, Prior of the Taize Community, given during the 48th European meeting of young people in Paris on December 31st, 2025.
https://www.taize.fr/en/daily-meditations-by-brother-matthew
This evening, we heard the Gospel which speaks to us about the meeting between Mary Magdalene and Jesus after his resurrection. The friends of Jesus were troubled after his death and were afraid of presecution. Early in the morning on the first day of the week, Mary goes to the tomb of Jesus. Her sorrow is great : the stone which closed the entrance has been removed and the body of Jesus is no longer there.
The coming of Jesus is preceded by a meeting with the messengers of God who ask her about her tears. He also asks her ; « Woman, why are you weeping ? », but he adds : « Who are you looking for ? ». Not understanding who he is, Mary in turn questions him, thinking that he is the gardener.
But when Jesus addresses Mary by her name, she recognises him and the personal relationship which she thought was utterly broken is reestablished. Surprise and joy overwhelm her. Jesus does not want her to possess him or monopolise him, but that she lives through him for others. He sends her as an apostle to the apostles to announce the good news that God has raised him from the dead. The communion between Jesus and his Father becomes open also to those men and women who love him.
Peace returns to Mary in this relationship with the risen Christ. The « What are you looking for ? » at the start of Saint John’s Gospel becomes « Who are you looking for ? ». And a little later, the first words of Jesus to his friends who are still trapped in their fear, will be : « Peace be with you! »
Even if, like Mary Magdalene, we do not recognise the Christ as Risen, he stays by our side. When we are afraid, he makes himself close to us and offers his peace. And he entrusts a mission to all of us : not simply to keep this peace to ourselves, but to pursue his work of reconciliation, to become pilgrims of peace. Will we be men and women who do everything to live out the peace of Christ for others ? This is how hope will be reborn in our continent of Europe and in the world.
Intercessions
To be adapted or modified according to the place and circumstance
On January 21st, Metropolitan Job of Pisidia (Ecumenical Patriarch) spoke with Cardinal Kurt Koch after a public conference in Rrome on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the lifting of mutual excommunications by Patriarch Athenagoras the First and Pope Paul the 6th.
Lord, we thank you for these prophetic signs pointing to the reconciliation of Christians. Help us at our own level to be sowers of peace and reconciliation between our Churches.
The plans for the summer sessions led by the Community are in the process of being presented in different forms of publicity. People of all ages, single or married or as a family are going to live some strong experiences with you this summer.
Lord, we pray to you for the teams preparing the sessions, for all the men and women who are going to sign up. Open each person’s heart to receive your word of Life.
On account of the arrival of numerous English people in the north Brittany department of Cotes-d’Amor, ecumenical initiatives are growing to encourage meeting up. Shared celebrations, shared formation, theological cafe’s….
Lord, we thank you for the creativity of your Spirit who knows how to make the most of opportunities to meet up; and so teach human beings how to weave fraternity. Come and bless all these steps.
Prayer for Christian unity
Lord Jesus, who prayed that we might all be one,
we pray to you for the unity of Christians,
according to your will,
according to your means.
May your Spirit enable us
to experience the suffering caused by division,
to see our sin
and to hope beyond all hope.
Amen.
(Prayer written by members of the Chemin Neuf Community
inspired by a prayer of Father Paul Couturier)