Christian unity
YOUCAT Catechism + Catechism of the
Catholic Church Lesson 131
Ave Maria series
131 What must we to do for
the unity of Christians?
[820-822]
Working on Christian Unity: 2009 Participants in Ecumenism in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago, Chile, 2009. …..131
Christian unity is the business of all Christians,
regardless of how young or old they are.
Unity was one of Jesus’ most important concerns. He prayed to the Father, “that they may all
be one…so that the world may believe that you sent me” (John 17:21). Divisions are like wounds on the Body of
Christ; they hurt and fester. Divisions
lead to enmities and weaken the faith and credibility of Christians. Overcoming the scandal of separation requires
the conversion of all concerned but also the knowledge of one’s own faith
convictions, dialogues with others, and especially prayer in common, and
collaboration among Christians in serving mankind. Those in authority in the Church must not let
the theological dialogue be interrupted.
Ecumenism (from Greek
oikumene=the inhabited earth, the globe): efforts to unify divided Christians.
The Roman Catholic Church has, since the Second Vatican
Council, reached out to Christian bodies, seeking reconciliation to the
greatest degree possible.
[820-822]
THE CHURCH IS ONE
Toward unity
820 "Christ bestowed unity on his Church from the
beginning. This unity, we believe, subsists in the Catholic Church as something
she can never lose, and we hope that it will continue to increase until the end
of time."(Unitatis
redintegratio 4 § 3)277 Christ always gives his Church the gift of
unity, but the Church must always pray and work to maintain, reinforce, and
perfect the unity that Christ wills for her.
This is why Jesus himself prayed at the hour of his Passion, and does
not cease praying to his Father, for the unity of his disciples: "That
they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also
be one in us, . . . so that the world may know that you have sent
me."(John 17:21;
compare Hebrews 7:25)278 The desire to recover the unity of all Christians is a
gift of Christ and a call of the Holy Spirit.(compare Unitatis
redintegratio 1)279 –Catechism
of the Catholic Church, Second Edition
- a permanent renewal of the Church in greater fidelity
to her vocation; such renewal is the driving-force of the movement toward
unity;(compare Unitatis
redintegratio 6 )280
- conversion of heart as the faithful "try to live
holier lives according to the Gospel";(Unitatis
redintegratio 7 § 3)281 for it is the unfaithfulness of the members to Christ's
gift which causes divisions;
- prayer in common, because
"change of heart and holiness of life, along with public and private
prayer for the unity of Christians, should be regarded as the soul of the whole
ecumenical movement, and merits the name 'spiritual ecumenism;"'(Unitatis
redintegratio 8 § 1)282
- ecumenical formation of the faithful and especially of
priests;(compare Unitatis
redintegratio 10)284
- dialogue among theologians and meetings
among Christians of the different churches and communities;(compare Unitatis
redintegratio 4; 9; 11)285
- collaboration among Christians in various
areas of service to mankind.(compare Unitatis
redintegratio 12)286 "Human
service" is the idiomatic phrase.--CCC
822 Concern for achieving unity "involves the whole
Church, faithful and clergy alike."(Unitatis
redintegratio 5)287 But we must realize
"that this holy objective - the reconciliation of all Christians in the
unity of the one and only Church of Christ - transcends human powers and
gifts." That is why we place all our hope "in the prayer of Christ
for the Church, in the love of the Father for us, and in the power of the Holy
Spirit."(Unitatis
redintegratio 24 § 2)288 –CCC
ECUMENICAL TE DEUM
No comments:
Post a Comment