Praying for Unity – Spiritual Ecumenism: Fr Lombardi
January 26, 2013: At the conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity this
year, Fr. Federico Lombardi, SJ, director of the Press Office of the Holy See, reflected
on “spiritual ecumenism” in his weekly editorial ‘Octava Dies’.
The annual
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is the high point of "spiritual” ecumenism which
gives meaning to and nourishes all of the other ecumenical initiatives of diverse
importance and character, whether theological or cultural, charitable or social. All
are necessary and valuable, but only from a deeper spirit that inspires all and connect
them directly to the great prayer of Jesus for unity of those who believe in him.
The
most recent image that most expresses this spiritual ecumenism seems, without a doubt,
to be the Prayer Vigil, which took place December 29. Tens of thousands of young people
converged on Rome for the 35th European meeting, organized by the Taizé Community,
and gathered around the Pope in St. Peter’s Square. Listening to the Word of God,
meditative chant, prolonged silence: an extraordinary intense silence! “Animated by
the fire of an ecumenism of holiness, Brother Roger encouraged all those who visit
Taizé to become seekers of communion.
We should listen to his ecumenism that
he lived spiritually from within and allow ourselves to be led… toward an ecumenism
that is truly interiorized and spiritualized.” This is how the Pope remembered the
origin of the gift of grace, which manifested itself that evening in such a convincing
and impressive way; it placed the immense square under a wave of lights and the palpable
presence of the Spirit. Who was concerned that evening about the various confessions
to which each of the young people belonged? They all belonged to the Spirit, given
by Christ, and they were on a journey together toward Christ to undertake, as Brother
Roger would say, “a pilgrimage of trust on Earth”. Let us continue to pray and hope
for unity.