This is the ninth in a ten part guest series by Beth Turner, the wife of Barrett Turner. Beth and Barrett were received into full communion at Easter 2010 and live in Virginia with their four children. Beth’s story of her journey into the Catholic Church can be found at Saved by Love: A Seminary Wife’s Journey.

Pray Unceasingly

“Friend, lend me three loaves!” (Luke 11:5-10)

“But prayers acquire their greatest efficacy in obtaining God’s assistance when offered publicly, by large numbers, constantly, and unanimously, so as to form as it were a single chorus of supplication; as those words of the Acts of the Apostles clearly declare wherein the disciples of Christ, awaiting the coming of the Holy Ghost, are said to have been ‘persevering with one mind in prayer’ (Acts 1:14).” (Augustissimae Virginis Mariae 7)

This Christian unity, which we so ardently desire (or did at one point in the past, perhaps), must be asked of God often, by large numbers of people, with constant attention and devotion. If you are a Protestant, you can pray for such an intention with your Bible study, small group or prayer group. If you are a Catholic, you can pray the Rosary with your family to ask for Mary’s guidance for all her children. If you are either, you might consider asking your pastor to add a prayer for Christian unity to the prayer intentions for your parish or church on Sundays. If you are alone and feel a twinge of longing for unity, send up a quiet prayer that it may be accomplished.

If we do not ask for Christian unity, we will not receive it (Matthew 7:7).

Part 8 of this series is available here.