Pope Benedict XVI’s Address to the Ecumenical Delegation of Finland’s Lutheran Church

(January 19, 2012) Pope Benedict XVI while welcoming the ecumenical delegation from Finland on Thursday in Rome on the feast of the Patron Saint Henrik, expressed his hope that this communion may continue to grow, bearing rich fruit among Catholics, Lutherans and all other Christians in their homeland. The Pontiff spoke about the recent ecumenical bilateral dialogue document in the Finnish-Swedish context which not only reflects a rapprochement between Catholics and Lutherans over the understanding of justification, but also urges Christians to renew their commitment to imitate Christ in life and action. This great step the Pope said is a call to a widespread renewal of holiness and public practice of Christian virtue, after the example of the great witnesses who have gone before us. Making a reference to the scripture reading for Thursday’s prayer for Christian unity from the Letter to the Hebrews, the Pope said it is the realization that God lovingly intervenes in our history teaches us not to place undue emphasis on what we can accomplish through our own efforts. Our longing for the full, visible unity of Christians requires patient and trustful waiting, not in a spirit of helplessness or passivity, but with deep trust that the unity of all Christians in one Church is truly God’s gift and not our own achievement. In recent times, Pope Benedict said that ethical questions have become one of the points of difference among Christians, especially with regard to the proper understanding of human nature and its dignity. There is a need for Christians to arrive at a profound agreement on matters of anthropology, which can then help society and politicians to make wise and just decisions regarding important questions in the area of human life, family and sexuality.