“Encouraging spiritual convergence” for Christian unity, says Pope
In discussing his meetings of last year the Holy Father singled out his three encounters with Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch. In an “extraordinary event, we heard him speak at the Synod,” he said.
Equally “we shared in the pain the Moscow Patriarchate experienced with the passing of our dear brother in Christ, Aleksij,” the Pontiff said. “I continue to be in a communion of prayer with our brothers, who are going to elect the [new] patriarch of the venerated Church.”
According to Jesus’ prayer, the search for Christian unity is in the Pope’s words connected to the life and mission of the Church in the world since it makes “our faith credible” in ways the “world may believe.”
Unity Week is thus a “very precious spiritual initiative, [. . .] “spreading more and more among Christians in response to Jesus’ appeal to be one like the image of unity between Father and Son.”
“It is important that each Christian community become aware of the importance of unity, which is above all a gift of God,” which we must beseech “in tireless praying,” said the Pope.
In this year’s Unity Week the focus is on Ezekiel’s words about the kingdoms of Judah and Israel as two “sticks” that “shall be one in my [the Lord’s] hand,” a topic an ecumenical group from Korea chose. “The process of preparation was a very productive and stimulating exercise in real ecumenism,” he said.
In this verse Ezekiel said that the Lord himself took two sticks, which represents a divided Israel, and put them side by side so that they may become one in his hand.
“We can apply the prophet’s words to Christians,” said the Pope as he explained Ezekiel’s words about the union of tribes in a single kingdom.
“The Lord said ‘no longer shall they defile themselves with their idols [and] their abominations” for he wants “to deliver them from all their sins of apostasy, and cleanse them so that they may be my people and I may be their God” and “live by my statutes and carefully observe my decrees. . . . I will make with them a covenant of peace.”
It is a “particularly eloquent vision.” For Ezekiel the internal renewal of the entire people of God is necessary that only God can do because humans have learnt habits that are far from those “of God’s one people.”
Unity Week thus “becomes for us a stimulus to sincerely convert and listen to God’s Word” as well as an opportunity of thanksgiving for what has enabled Christians to be closer to one another.”
For its part, “with the strong conviction and rooted hope” the Catholic Church “has maintained its relationship with every Christian community.”
As for the Pauline Year “we cannot but go back to the writings he [Saint Paul] left us about Church unity,” the Pontiff said.
“[O]ne body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism,” the saint wrote in the Letter to the Ephesians.
Let us make Paul’s words our own. Following his example, including martyrdom, “let every community grow in its commitment to unity undertaking pastoral initiatives and joint prayers, more intense this week. [. . .] May the day of full communion come quickly so that all the disciples of the one Lord can celebrate the Eucharist together.”
Lastly the Pope mentioned the 6th World Family Meeting which ended in Mexico City on Sunday. Calling on the faithful to pray, he invited them to meet again next time in Milan (Italy) in 2012.
“May the Lord sustain every family with his grace so that the living faith, mutual respect, sincere love and mutual understanding may reign,” he said in his greetings in Spanish.
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