Make Us One

Make Us One: A Prayer

Jesus Christ—The Life of the World: A Worship Book for the Sixth Assembly of the World Council of Churches. Geneva: WCC, 1983. Pp. 66-67.


O Lord Jesus, stretch forth thy wounded hands
in blessing over thy people, to heal and to restore,
and to draw them to thyself
and to one another in love.

(Middle East)

O God, thou art one; make us one.

O God, forgive us for bringing this stumbling block for disunity
to a people who want to belong to one family.
The church for which our Saviour died is broken,
and people can scarcely believe that we hold
one faith and follow one Lord.
O Lord, bring about the unity which thou hast promised,
not tomorrow or the next day, but today.

(Africa)

O God, thou art one; make us one.

O Lord, forgive the sins of thy servants. May we banish
from our minds all disunion and strife;
may our souls be cleansed of all hatred and malice
towards others, and may we receive the fellowship
of the Holy Meal in oneness of mind and peace with one another.

(India)

O God, thou art one; make us one.

Just as the bread which we break was scattered over the earth.
was gathered in and became one,
bring us together from everywhere
into the kingdom of your peace.

(Epistle to Diognetus)

O God, thou art one; make us one.