The participants of the Synod attended an ecumenical vigil in the Vatican, with liturgical services provided by fraternal representatives of the Taizé community and other churches. In his speech, the Pope reiterated the need for a common witness, such as the “ecumenical movement of blood” that unfortunately has been experienced in many parts of the world This is more powerful than words any
(Vatican News Network)Pope Francis and the participants of the Synod of Bishops attended an ecumenical prayer vigil in the Early Martyrs’ Square in the Vatican on the evening of October 11. That day is the feast day of Saint John XXIII and the anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council on October 11, 1962. The Second Vatican Council marked the official launch of the ecumenical movement in the Catholic Church. At this time, Pope Francis declared again that he wanted perfect unity with all the Christian churches. Among those who served at the liturgy were members of the Taizé community, several fraternal representatives of the Synod of Bishops, and brothers and sisters from other churches.
candlelight procession
When the sun went down, the attendees held candles from the Paul VI Hall in the Vatican to the Square of the Early Martyrs and gathered in front of the Cross of Saint Damian. At the head of the procession was a woman with a Gospel book, followed by four girls. The youth of the Taizé group would sing in low voices, creating a simple and spiritual atmosphere.
Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Congregation for the Promotion of Christian Ecumenism, first delivered an opening speech, referring to the Vatican II documents “Ecclesiastical Constitution” and “Ecumenical Order” published 60 years ago. The hymns and prayers that night were taken from these two documents and given to members of various Christian churches and ecumenical movements to read, including: Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate, Baptist Church, Anglican Church, Orthodox Greek Church , Lutheran, Pentecostal, Methodist, Armenian Apostolic, Mennonite, Coptic, and many others.
The scriptures read that night are selected from the Book of Isaiah, Psalm 122, and the Gospel of John. They all pray with one accord that they may be “one” in Christ (John 17:21). This gospel passage was read by five women in five languages: Chinese, Portuguese, Swahili, Arabic and Malayalam.
The Christian Separation Scandal is sickening
In a message delivered to those present at the ceremony, the Pope called “not one witness to the Lord Jesus” which was a scandal, and the fathers of Vatican II firmly believed that the This scandal supports the call of the Gospel.
“This Assembly is an opportunity for us to do our best to overcome the barriers that still stand between us.
The movement of ecumenical blood is more powerful than any words
The Lord Jesus struggled with the temptation of separation and gave his life to save the world. The Pope pointed out that Christians from many different traditions also gave witness that was completely in the style of Jesus.
“Together they gave their lives and lived in the ecumenical movement of the blood because of their faith in Jesus Christ. Their testimony is more powerful than any words, because unity comes from the Lord’s cross.”
Unity is an invisible grace
It is God’s Holy Spirit who always leads Christians to a more perfect society. The Pope emphasized that unity is a gift from heaven, not a product from the earth. Although human will and effort are essential, unity is far greater than these. In short, unity is a grace for which we must pray “according to the will of Christ and according to his way.”
“We cannot predict the time and the way in which this grace will come in. As Vatican II further clarifies, we must receive grace “without creating obstacles -any obstacle to the wise arrangements of God and not to affect the direction of the Holy Spirit in the future.”
the journey of unity
The vision of Pope Francis is always dynamic. He proposed another principle of unity from the process of walking together, namely: “Alphabet in motion and open the way.”
“Christian society grows and matures ‘according to God’s rhythm’ on a common journey, like the travelers of Emmaus who were with the Risen Lord Jesus.”
Unity is not the result of compromise or trade
The Pope encourages everyone not to stop moving forward when problems arise on the journey of the ecumenical movement. There are always challenges, but among them is also the presence of the Holy Spirit, who “promotes unity in the midst of diversity”.
“The Synod helps us to rediscover the beauty of the diversity of the faces of the Church. Therefore, unity is not unity or compromise or trade.”
At the end of the vigil, the Pope led all those present in reciting the Our Father and giving blessings.
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2024-10-12 09:48:00
