General Audience: “divisions between Christians wound
Christ”
Vatican City, 8 October 2014 (VIS) – This morning, punctual as always, the
Holy Father entered St. Peter's Square in an open-top Jeep to greet the
faithful in attendance at this Wednesday's general audience. He dedicated his
catechesis to the “many brothers who share with us our faith in Christ, but who
belong to other confessions or to traditions different to our own”. He
emphasised that even today the relations between Christians of different
confessions are not always characterised by respect and cordiality, and asked,
“What is our current attitude to this situation? Are we indifferent or do we
firmly believe that we can and must walk towards reconciliation and full
communion?”.
The Pope emphasised that the divisions between Christians wound the
Church and Christ, and remarked that Jesus wanted his disciples to remain
united in His love. This unity was already under threat in Jesus' time,
explained Pope Francis, and He urged his disciples to speak unanimously, so “by
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that
there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and
the same purpose”.
The bishop of Rome also mentioned that throughout history the devil has
tempted the Church with the intention of dividing her. Unfortunately, the
Church has been marked by serious and painful divisions that have at times been
long-lasting, continuing until the present day. For this reason, “it is very
difficult to reconstruct the reasons and, above all, to find possible
solutions. … What is certain is that, in one way or another, behind all these
lacerations there is always arrogance and selfishness, which are the cause of
every disagreement and which make us intolerant, incapable of listening and of
accepting those who have a vision or a position different from our own”.
“Now, faced with this, is there anything that we as members of the Holy
Mother Church, can and should do? Without doubt there must be no lack of
prayer, in continuity and in communion with Jesus. And together with prayer,
the Lord asks of us a renewed openness: He asks us not to close ourselves
against dialogue and encounter, but rather to accept all that is valid and
positive that is offered to us even from those who think differently to us or
who adopt different positions. Let us not focus on what divides us, but rather
on that which unites us, seeking to know and love Christ better and to share
the richness of His love. …
We are divided against ourselves. However, we all have something in
common: we believe in Jesus Christ, the Lord … in the Father, the Son and the
Holy Spirit. We walk together, we are on the same path … let us help each
other! Let us receive communion on the way. This is spiritual ecumenism:
walking the path of life together in our faith in Jesus Christ the Lord”.
Continuing on the theme of communion, the Holy Father told the faithful
present that today he is very thankful to the Lord, since it is seventy years
since his first communion. “Receiving the First Communion means entering into
communion with others, with our brothers in our Church, and also with all those
who belong to different communities but who believe in Jesus”.
Francis concluded by encouraging all to walk together towards full
unity. “History has separated us, but we are on the path to reconciliation and
communion. And when it seems that our goal is too distant or we are
discouraged, we may be comforted by the idea that God cannot cover His ears to
the voice of His own Son, and cannot fail to respond to His prayer and ours,
that all Christians are truly one”.
© VIS, Vatican Information Service
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