The mystery of the mustard seed as a symbol of hope at the heart of secular society:
that’s the image that the president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity,
Cardinal Kurt Koch, has taken as the title for a new book exploring the thoughts and
theology of Pope Benedict XVI. In the book, released on Monday – the Pope’s 85th
birthday – the Swiss cardinal says the pontiff is often misunderstood and criticised
for his views on renewal of the Catholic Church. But in Benedict’s view, he says,
the Church is like the tiny mustard seed, acting as a leaven that starts with small
movements inspired by the Holy Spirit. Cardinal Koch says it’s a particularly fitting
image for a man who was born and baptised on one of the most significant days of the
liturgical year, the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday…..
Listen to
Philippa Hitchen's interview with Cardinal Kurt Koch:
"It's an image
that the Pope uses always.....to indicate that all that's important in the world and
in the Church began very small....and the Holy Father has interpreted this image that
the Church is always in between Good Friday and Easter...
I think what the
Holy Father said in Erfurt, in his meeting with the Evangelical Church in Germany,
is very important for his vision of ecumenism - that the question of God is the most
important issue facing our society....and the second thing is the Christocentric view
of the faith...when we can concentrate all our power and our testimony on the Risen
Lord... we can give human testimony of our faith and this is the deepest foundation
of ecumenism.
I don't know the answer of the Lefebvrian community but I hope
they can accept the Second Vatican Council because I don't see why we can be Catholic
without reception of the Council"