Divisions among Christians exist today as they did in St. Paul's time
and there continues to be a single source of healing – repenting and
turning to Christ – said the Pope on Sunday.
As he did the week prior at the general audience, Pope Benedict XVI
again took up the theme of Christian unity during his Jan. 23 address
before the Angelus prayer.
The subject is pertinent as the annual, global celebration of the
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity continued.
Observed from Jan. 18-25,
this year's Christian unity week focuses on the Acts of the Apostles and
the very first Christian community in Jerusalem.
The Geneva, Switzerland-based World Council of Churches (WCC) and the
Vatican Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity partnered with the
churches of Jerusalem to come up with the theme and materials to be
used during the week.
In his address, Pope Benedict said its origins in Jerusalem is
"meaningful."
The service of Christians in the Holy Land and the Middle
East amid their trials, he said, is "even more precious" considering
their testimony which has marked by the sacrifice of human lives.
In this context, the "cues for reflection" offered by the Christian
communities there are received with "joyfully," while they offer the
world an opportunity join together with them as a sign of communion, he
said.
The Pope went on to say that Christians must base their lives on the
four elements that make them a "sign and instrument of the intimate
union with God and of unity among men in the world."
These four are listening to the God's Word transmitted through the
strong Tradition of the Church, fraternal communion, the Eucharist and
prayer.
According to the materials for study and prayer offered by the WCC
and the Vatican's council for Christian unity, they are "the pillars of
the life of the church, and of its unity."
Pope Benedict explained that only by "remaining firmly united to
Christ, can the Church fulfill her mission effectively, despite the
limits and the faults of her members, in spite of division."
He pointed out that Christian division was already evident in the
first century when St. Paul saw discord in the Christian community of
the Corinthians. The second reading on Sunday is a reminder to this, he
said.
Paul wrote to them, "I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be
no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in
the same purpose."
Knowing of the community's problems, he asked them rhetorically, "Is Christ divided?"
In doing so, said Pope Benedict, Paul "asserts that every division in
the Church is an offense to Christ; and, at the same time, that it is
always in Him, the only Chief and Lord, that we can unite ourselves
again, because of the inexhaustible force of his grace."
This is where the call, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand," from Sunday's Gospel comes in, said the Pope.
"The serious commitment of conversion to Christ is the way that leads
the Church ... to full visible unity," he said. He pointed to the
increasing number of ecumenical encounters as a sign of this.
There were ecumenical delegations present in Romet
as well as theological dialogue between the
Catholic and Ancient Oriental Churches, he added.
Before praying the Angelus, he prayed that Mary, "Mother of the Church, always accompany us on this path."
The Pope concluded the observation of the Week of Prayer with
vespers at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside-the-walls on the feast of
St. Paul's conversion on Jan. 25.
SIC: CNA/INT'L