O God, our Creator,
who gave us all that we are and have:
release us from self-love,
to be able to share
what we are,
what we know,
what we have,
with one another
and in the world which you love.
In the name of Christ, who makes this a
possibility.
Christian Conference of Asia
THIS prayer challenges us to acknowledge our human
interconnectedness and mutual dependence, and was first used at the
ecumenical eighth Assembly of the Christian Conference of Asia in
Seoul in 1985.
The first two lines remind us that everything we
regard as our own is ultimately a gift from God, to be used for the
good of others as well as ourselves. Then, "release us from
self-love" is a powerful phrase, and sometimes we do need to be
jolted out of an inward-looking mindset, whether personally or in
the Church, so that we will listen more attentively to others, and
share our resources more readily.
There are, of course, dangers in seeing ourselves as
Lord and Lady Bountiful. Sharing involves both giving and
receiving, whether at a material level or in the context of
friendship, hospitality, and the richness of different cultures. To
be released from self-love is not just about giving more (although
that may be exactly right): it is also a matter of recognising the
gifts that others can offer us, and being freed from the assumption
that we are superior.
It is clear from the Gospels that following Jesus
means being radically generous, in terms of both possessions and
attitudes. Fortunately, we are not required to give and serve in
our own strengthalone. As this prayer reminds us,we need to ask for
the grace toshare everything "in the name of Christ who makes this
a possibility".
There is also the tricky question of balancing our
own needs with our vocation to serve others. Conscientious people
can easily become burnt out, and it is not selfish to pay attention
to our own basic concerns, such as decent food, a comfortable home,
our children's education, and the need for enough space and time in
which to rest and be renewed in body, mind, and spirit.
Paradoxically, we have to establish boundaries in
order to be able to give and share in the best way, joyfully and
whole-heartedly.
This prayer, written by our brothers and sisters in
Asia, is not about grim duty or tedious obligation, but about love,
in a world which God loved first, as the closing lines remind us.
We do not know the names of those who composed this prayer, but we
are connected with them as fellow-members of the Body of Christ
whenever we use their words.
Part of the sharing about which this prayer speaks is
our work of intercession. God's love is always pouring out towards
the world, and we are called to hold individuals and situations in
that love, offering ourselves as channels of divine blessing.
We are not trying to persuade God to act, or giving
God information or instructions, but seeking to be more Christlike.
Both intercessory prayer and practical action are part of our
single response to Jesus's call to follow him on the way of
self-giving love.
Angela Ashwin lives in Southwell. Her books
include Faith in the Fool: Risk and delight in the Christian
adventure (DLT, 2009)