“So Loved,” a painting by Glendora Naden showing Christian unity (The groups on the side of the painting represent the people of the world showing all different countries. The top of the painting is the heavenly realm where God is, and a much anticipated place for all believers.) Source: https://www.eternitynews.com.au/good-news/indigneous-art-book-our-mob-gods-story-wins-australian-christian-book-of-the-year/
In 2017, a painting by Indigenous Artist Glendora Naden was published in the award-winning book, ‘Our Mob, God’s Story.’ Naden named the art-piece “So Loved” in reference to her favourite Sunday School verse, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16). The dazzling Aboriginal styled art-piece shows groups of people representing different countries of the world united beneath the heavenly realm where God is located. Naden’s painting is a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice that unites people under the Father’s eternal love.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was established in 1908 with the dates proposed by Franciscan Friar Paul Wattson to be from the 18th – 25th of January in the Northern Hemisphere. In Australia, this week of prayer is observed between the Feast of the Ascension and Pentecost.
The Columban Fathers commemorate this week as a time to quietly reflect on the faith that unites Christians as the Body of Christ.
The 2025 theme for The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is “Do you believe?”[1] and is taken from the Gospel of John, where Martha addresses Jesus about the death of her brother Lazarus. Martha’s grief was expressed in her statement of reproach to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Yet she follows this by professing her belief in Jesus, “But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” (Jn 11:21)
Jesus responds that Lazarus will rise again, and is immediately answered by Martha, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
This heart-breaking exchange between Martha and Jesus is a classic description of our own experience with Christ when we are caught up in our grief and frustration in search for answers to life’s devasting moments. The sorrowful and troubled Martha believed that Jesus could save her brother Lazarus, only for Jesus to arrive four days after his passing. Grief-stricken Martha was not listening to hear what Jesus had to say, she was listening to respond. And in her haste, misinterpreted the weight of Jesus’ reply when he said, “Your brother will rise again.”
So, Jesus patiently reminds Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Martha, realising the immensity of the moment and that Jesus had just questioned her belief in him, immediately confesses, “Yes Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
“Do you believe this?” is both a personal and confronting question to be asked by Jesus and over the course of two millenniums since his time, Jesus’ identity as Messiah and the Son of God has been greatly contested and caused division amongst the faithful.
The Council of Nicaea (325CE) for example, brought together Bishops of differing views to resolve a theological dispute over the nature of Christ, resulting in the Nicene Creed which affirmed Christ as both human and divine, while also defining foundational doctrines of the Christian faith. Theological disputes and disagreements have indeed caused divide across the centuries with different denominations established as a result.
In today’s modern world, the answer to Jesus’ question of “Do you believe this?” can often be drowned out by a globalised world steeped in technology, social media, and information. Many Christians even lose their faith when the Church uses its power and authority to harm the vulnerable or fall silent in the face of injustice.
Yet, God’s love has the ability to persist through life’s trials and tribulations that weigh down the human spirit. Just like Martha, we are united in the experience of human grief, whether that be the loss of a loved one, dealing with illness, struggling with mental illness, or surviving in a war-torn country. And still, Jesus’ words echo through history, “Do you believe?” That He is the resurrection and the life who not only united us back to God but united us to one another as believers.
In Naden’s “So Loved” painting, the heavenly realm centres around the cross and seems to be entering down into creation where the different groups of people have gathered. It is a depiction of an empty cross uniting humanity to the Divine, just as Lazarus’ empty tomb would reunite him into the loving arms of his sister Martha.
During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, believers around the world are called to be united in prayer through faith in the Lord, who not only raised Lazarus from the grave but raised apostles, prophets, evangelists, priests, and teachers to equip people for works of service so that His body (the Church) can be built up in unity to attain the full measure of Christ Jesus (Eph 4:11-13).
The Columban Fathers acknowledge the rich Christian traditions of prayer and liturgies celebrated across diverse social, cultural, and denominational contexts. As missionary priests to communities in South America, Asia, Europe, and Oceania, practising Christian unity is a daily source of joy and hope for the Columban Fathers whose actions are fuelled by their belief in Christ and unity with God’s people.
Related links
- Read more from the current Columban eBulletin
