We live in anxious times. Our attention here in Europe remains on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, now entering its fourth year. We hear the cries of suffering in Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Sudan, DR Congo, and Myanmar. With increased energy prices and food price inflation, we can no longer ignore the misadventures of a few and their impact on us all. We are waiting for Christ the Prince of Peace to break through the armed conflict and war and usher in God’s reign of peace and justice.
Lent is a season of prayer and reflection. My Lenten journey started with this invitation: “I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to observe a holy Lent: by self–examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self–denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s Holy Word.” During Lent we are called to act, maybe in special ways, during Lent, to prepare for the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. As we pray, fast, and read Scripture, God is renewing and strengthening us and readying us for a new future marked by peace, justice, and life.
My family lives in northern Ohio (USA) where wheat is planted in the autumn before the below-freezing temperatures and snow of winter. It appears to many that nothing is happening to the wheat during those winter months. Yet the little wheat seeds are sprouting below the soil and taking root, getting ready to burst forth from the earth with the first sun rays of spring. Even though we cannot see it, so much is happening just out of sight. So too is Lent. While we may not yet see God at work, God is nevertheless taking root and giving new life. God is preparing us to break forth with Christ from the tomb of death into salvation and life eternal and calling us to be co-workers in God’s mission of peace and justice.
Do not be afraid, God is with us and getting ready to embark on a new mission. As we wait on God this Lenten season, may we incline our ears to the suffering in our world as we pray and work for peace and justice.
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Praying for peace
Christians from across traditions gathered in the heart of Rome on Friday, March 20, 2026, for an ecumenical prayer vigil for peace, offering a quiet yet powerful witness amid a world marked by conflict and uncertainty.
The vigil was organized collaboratively by the the Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome (my office), the Anglican Centre in Rome, the Reformed Churches Ecumenical Office in Rome, and the Taizé Community. Archbishop Flavio Pace, secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, represented the Holy See, underscoring the significance of the gathering within the wider ecumenical movement.
I wrote an opening prayer for the service:
“Loving God, we come before you from different Christian confessions to pray for an end to armed conflict and war, the safe deliverance of all those in war zones, and peace in our world. In a fractured world in troubled times, may Christ be with us in our pain and suffering, strife and unrest, and fear and anxiety. Incline your ear, O God, and hear the cry of those who yearn for hope, healing, justice, and peace. Change the hearts of leaders who are intent on war and end suffering in our world. May your peace reign this day and forever. Amen.”
Read more about the ecumenical prayer vigil
“We are one! We already are!”
Pope Leo said in his sermon at the close of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, “we are one! We already are! Let us recognize it, experience it and make it visible!”
On Sunday, 25 January 2026, representatives from different churches prayed together for unity, witnessing to their common baptism and spiritual communion already shared in Christ, at the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome. I participated in the Vespers representing the worldwide Methodist family.
Dialogue and Encounters
In my ministry, I meet leaders, pilgrims, and groups visiting Rome. These are moments to share about the work of the Methodist Ecumenical Office, Methodist-Catholic relations, and theology of Christian unity. It is an opportunity to listen and learn about the lives and ministry of others and what God is doing in our world.
Learn about several encounters these past months:
- Visit with Methodist students studying at the World Council of Churches’ ecumenical institute – January 2026
- The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana Visits MEOR – February 2026
- European Methodist Deacons Learn About Methodist-Catholic Dialogue, MEOR’s Ministry – March 2026
- African Christian-Muslim Dialogue Leaders Meet Rev. Laferty – March 2026
United Methodist Committee on Faith and Order
In February, I attended a meeting of the Committee on Faith and Order of The United Methodist Church. I am also the committee’s secretary, having served on the committee for 10 years. We are currently revising an statement of UMC ecclesiology (theology of the church), studying sacramental practices in hybrid and digital faith communities, and developing a statement of Christian unity for the 21st century.
Celebrating my 40th birthday!
February brought my 40th birthday. I held four different birthday celebrations – one for each decade of life – to mark this milestone. It was a joy to be with friends and colleagues, giving thanks to God for a full and abundant life!
Matthew A. Laferty 
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