Rome, 27 January 2014: Pope Francis presided over evening Vespers at Saint Paul’s
Outside the Walls Basilica in Rome, to conclude week of prayer for Christian Unity
on Saturday. Members of the many different Christian Churches joined in the event
among whom were Metropolitan Gennadios, the representative of the Ecumenical Patriarch,
and David Moxon, the personal representative in Rome of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Saturday’s celebrations coincide with the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul.
While
reflecting on the theme of this year’s week of prayer for Christian unity, that is,
“Has Christ been divided?”, Pope Francis said that it was chosen by a group of our
fellow Christians in Canada.
The Apostle was grieved to learn that the Christians
of Corinth had split into different factions, said the Pope, adding the particular
experience of each individual, or an attachment to certain significant persons in
the community, had become a yardstick for judging the faith of others.
Amid
this divisiveness, Paul appeals to the Christians of Corinth “by the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ” to be in agreement. The communion for which the Apostle pleads, however,
cannot be the fruit of human strategies, said the Pope, adding it can only come from
looking to the mind and heart of Christ Jesus. Christ alone can be the principle,
the cause and the driving force behind our unity, affirmed Pope Francis.
Pope
Francis recalled the great works done by Blessed John XXIII and Blessed John Paul
II. Pope John blazed new trails which earlier would have been almost unthinkable.
Pope John Paul held up ecumenical dialogue as an ordinary and indispensable aspect
of the life of each Particular Church. He also recalled Pope Paul VI, saying we are
commemorating the 50th anniversary of his historic embrace with the Patriarch
Athenagoras of Constantinople.
Pope Francis concluded his homily inviting
all to ask Jesus, to keep us deeply united to him, to help us overcome our conflicts,
our divisions and our self-seeking, and to be united to one another by the power of
love which the Holy Spirit pours into our hearts.Source: VR Sedoc