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Pope Benedict XVI - World Youth Day 2008 |
"The
Ecumenical Movement Has Reached a Critical Juncture"
Address at Ecumenical Meeting
His Holiness Benedict XVI
Sydney, Australia
July 18, 2007
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I give heartfelt thanks to God for this opportunity to meet and pray
with all of you who have come here representing various Christian
communities in Australia. Grateful for Bishop Forsyth's and Cardinal
Pell's words of welcome, I joyfully greet you in the name of the
Lord Jesus, the "cornerstone" of the "household of God" (Eph
2:19-20).
I would like to offer a particular greeting to Cardinal Edward
Cassidy, former President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting
Christian Unity, who, due to ill health, could not be with us today.
I recall with gratitude his steadfast dedication to improving mutual
understanding among all Christians, and I would ask all of you to
join me in praying for his speedy recovery.
Australia is a country marked by much ethnic and religious
diversity. Immigrants arrive on the shores of this majestic land
hoping to find happiness and opportunities for employment. Yours,
too, is a nation which recognizes the importance of religious
freedom. This is a fundamental right which, when respected, allows
citizens to act upon values which are rooted in their deepest
beliefs, contributing thus to the well-being of society. In this
way, Christians cooperate, together with members of other religions,
for the promotion of human dignity and for fellowship among all
nations. Australians cherish cordial and frank discussion. This has
served the ecumenical movement well. An example would be the
Covenant signed in 2004 by the members of the National Council of
Churches in Australia. This document recognizes a common commitment,
sets out goals, and acknowledges points of convergence without
glossing over differences.
Such an approach demonstrates not only the possibility of
formulating concrete resolutions for fruitful cooperation in the
present day, but also the need to continue patient discussion on
theological points of difference. May your ongoing deliberations in
the Council of Churches and in other local forums be sustained by
what you have already achieved.
This year we celebrate the two thousandth anniversary of the birth
of Saint Paul, a tireless worker for unity in the early Church. In
the scripture passage we have just heard, Paul reminds us of the
tremendous grace we have received in becoming members of Christ's
body through baptism. This sacrament, the entryway to the Church and
the "bond of unity" for everyone reborn through it (cf. Unitatis
Redintegratio, 22), is accordingly the point of departure for the
entire ecumenical movement. Yet it is not the final destination. The
road of ecumenism ultimately points towards a common celebration of
the Eucharist (cf. Ut Unum Sint, 23-24; 45), which Christ entrusted
to his Apostles as the sacrament of the Church's unity par
excellence. Although there are still obstacles to be overcome, we
can be sure that a common Eucharist one day would only strengthen
our resolve to love and serve one another in imitation of our Lord:
for Jesus' commandment to "do this in memory of me" (Lk 22:19) is
intrinsically ordered to his admonition to "wash one another's feet"
(Jn 13:14). For this reason, a candid dialogue concerning the place
of the Eucharist - stimulated by a renewed and attentive study of
scripture, patristic writings, and documents from across the two
millennia of Christian history (cf. Ut Unum Sint, 69-70) - will
undoubtedly help to advance the ecumenical movement and unify our
witness to the world.
Dear friends in Christ, I think you would agree that the ecumenical
movement has reached a critical juncture. To move forward, we must
continually ask God to renew our minds with the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom
12:2), who speaks to us through the scriptures and guides us into
all truth (cf. 2 Pet 1:20-21; Jn 16:13). We must guard against any
temptation to view doctrine as divisive and hence an impediment to
the seemingly more pressing and immediate task of improving the
world in which we live. In fact, the history of the Church
demonstrates that praxis is not only inseparable from, but actually
flows out of didache or teaching. The more closely we strive for a
deeper understanding of the divine mysteries, the more eloquently
our works of charity will speak of God's bountiful goodness and love
towards all. Saint Augustine expressed the nexus between the gift of
understanding and the virtue of charity when he wrote that the mind
returns to God by love (cf. De Moribus Ecclesiae Catholicae, XII,
21), and that wherever one sees charity, one sees the Trinity (De
Trinitate, 8, 8, 12).
For this reason, ecumenical dialogue advances not only through an
exchange of ideas but by a sharing in mutually enriching gifts (cf.
Ut Unum Sint, 28; 57). An "idea" aims at truth; a "gift" expresses
love. Both are essential to dialogue. Opening ourselves to accept
spiritual gifts from other Christians quickens our ability to
perceive the light of truth which comes from the Holy Spirit. Saint
Paul teaches that it is within the koinonia of the Church that we
have access to and the means of safeguarding the truth of the
Gospel, for the Church is "built upon the foundation of the apostles
and prophets" with Jesus himself as the cornerstone (Eph 2:20).
In this light, perhaps we might consider the complementary biblical
images of "body" and "temple" used to describe the Church. By
employing the image of a body (cf. 1 Cor 12:12-31), Paul draws
attention to the organic unity and diversity that allows the Church
to breathe and grow. Equally significant, however, is the image of a
solid, well-structured temple composed of living stones rising on
its sure foundation. Jesus himself brings together in perfect unity
these images of "temple" and "body" (cf. Jn 2:21-22; Lk 23:45; Rev
21:22).
Every element of the Church's structure is important, yet all of
them would falter and crumble without the cornerstone who is Christ.
As "fellow citizens" of the "household of God", Christians must work
together to ensure that the edifice stands strong so that others
will be attracted to enter and discover the abundant treasures of
grace within. As we promote Christian values, we must not neglect to
proclaim their source by giving a common witness to Jesus Christ the
Lord. It is he who commissioned the apostles, he whom the prophets
preached, and he whom we offer to the world. Dear friends, your
presence fills me with the ardent hope that as we pursue together
the path to full unity, we will have the courage to give common
witness to Christ. Paul speaks of the importance of the prophets in
the early Church; we too have received a prophetic calling through
our baptism. I am confident that the Spirit will open our eyes to
see the gifts of others, our hearts to receive his power, and our
minds to perceive the light of Christ's truth. I express heartfelt
thanks to all of you for the time, scholarship and talent which you
have invested for the sake of the "one body and one spirit" (Eph
4:4; cf. 1 Cor 12:13) which the Lord willed for his people and for
which he gave his very life. All glory and power be to him for ever
and ever. Amen!
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