COOPERATORES VERITATIS
POPE:
ADVANCE IN WAYS OF ECUMENISM AND COOPERATE IN SERVICE OF MORE JUST AND
FRATERNAL SOCIETY
Pope Benedict XVI
Vatican
City, 17 January 2013 (VIS) – Today the Pope received in audience an
ecumenical delegation from the Lutheran Church of Finland during their annual
pilgrimage to Rome on the occasion of the feast of Saint Henry of Uppsala,
patron saint of Finland.
The Holy Father once again showed his pleasure in receiving the
delegates on this traditional visit, observing that it was also fitting that
the meeting took place on the eve of the celebrations to take place during the
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The theme for this year's ecumenical Week
of Prayer, "What does God require of us?", is taken from a passage in
the book of the prophet Micah.
"The Prophet," said the Pope, "makes clear, of
course, what the Lord requires of us. It is 'to do justice, to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with our God'. The Christmas season that we have just
celebrated reminds us that it is God who from the beginning has walked with us
and who, in the fullness of time, took flesh in order to save us from our sins
and to guide our steps in the way of holiness, justice and peace."
"Walking humbly in the presence of the Lord, in obedience to
his saving word and with trust in his gracious plan, serves as an eloquent
image not only of the life of faith, but also of our ecumenical journey on the
path towards the full and visible unity of all Christians. On this path of
discipleship, we are called to advance together along the narrow road of
fidelity to God’s sovereign will in facing whatever difficulties or obstacles
we may eventually encounter."
Therefore, "to advance in the ways of ecumenical
communion," the pontiff emphasized, "demands that we become ever more
united in prayer, ever more committed to the pursuit of holiness, and ever more
engaged in the areas of theological research and cooperation in the service of
a just and fraternal society. Along this way of spiritual ecumenism, we truly
walk with God and with one another in justice and love, for, as the Joint
Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification affirms: 'We are accepted by God
and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping and calling
us to good works'."
The Pope concluded his address expressing the desire that the
Finnish delegation's visit to Rome "will help to strengthen ecumenical
relations between all Christians in Finland. Let us thank God for all that has
been achieved so far and let us pray that the Spirit of truth will guide
Christ’s followers in your country towards ever greater love and unity as they
strive to live in the light of the Gospel and to bring that light to the great
moral issues facing our societies today. By walking together in humility along
the path of justice, mercy and righteousness which the Lord has pointed out to
us, Christians will not only dwell in the truth, but also be beacons of joy and
hope to all those who are looking for a sure point of reference in our rapidly
changing world."
source: V.I. S. - Vatican Information Service - www.visnews.org
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