The reason for this closeness is twofold: first, because
the theme of the week (celebrated January 18 to 25) "is a passage from
Acts, which summarizes in a few words the life of the early Christian
community in Jerusalem : 'United in the teaching of the Apostles, , fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer' (Acts 2:42). "
The second reason is that the issue has been proposed by
the same Churches and ecclesial communities (Protestant communities) in
Jerusalem.
"We know - said the Pope - how many trials our brothers and sisters of the Holy Land and the Middle East must face. Their service is therefore more precious, confirmed by a witness that, in some cases, even arrives at the sacrifice of life. So
while we welcome with joy the insights offered by the communities
living in Jerusalem, we gather around them, and this becomes for all an
additional factor of communion. "
"Even today - he continued - to be sign and instrument of
intimate union with God and unity among men in the world, we Christians
must base our lives on these four 'pillars': listening to the Word of
God transmitted in the living Tradition of the Church, fraternal communion, the Eucharist and prayer. Only
in this way, remaining firmly united to Christ, can the Church
effectively carry out its mission, despite the limitations and failings
of its members, despite the divisions. "
"Each division in the Church is an insult to Christ," the pontiff said. At
the same time it "is always in Him, the only Head and Lord, that we may
find ourselves together, through the inexhaustible power of his grace."
Benedict XVI, taking up a theme of the Gospel in Sunday's
Mass, then invited all to conversion: "The serious commitment to
conversion to Christ is the way that leads the Church, in God’s time, to
full visible unity. The ecumenical meetings which these days are multiplying around the world are a sign of this. "
SIC: AN/INT'L