Pope says uniting Christianity requires conversion

cna ^ | January 18, 2012 | David Kerr

[NYer]

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates Mass for the Feast of the Epiphany in St. Peter's Basilica on Jan. 6, 2012

Vatican City, Jan 18, 2012 / 02:15 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict XVI said today that achieving Christian unity requires more than “cordiality and cooperation” and that it must be accompanied by interior conversion.

“Faith in Christ and interior conversion, both individual and communal, must constantly accompany our prayer for Christian unity,” said the Pope to over 8,000 pilgrims gathered in the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall on Jan. 18.

The Pope’s comments mark the start of the 2012 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity that runs until Jan. 25. It will be observed by over 300 Christian churches and ecclesial communities around the globe. 

The Pope asked for “the Lord in a particular way to strengthen the faith of all Christians, to change our hearts and to enable us to bear united witness to the Gospel.”

In this way, he said, they “will contribute to the new evangelization and respond ever more fully to the spiritual hunger of the men and women of our time.”

The Pope explained that the concept of a week of prayer for Christian unity was initiated in 1908 by Paul Wattson, an Episcopalian minister from Maryland. One year later, he became a Catholic and was subsequently ordained to the priesthood.

Pope Benedict recalled how the initiative was supported by his predecessors Pope St. Pius X and Pope Benedict XV.  It was then “developed and perfected” in the 1930s by the Frenchman Abbé Paul Couturier, who promoted prayer “for the unity of the Church as Christ wishes and according to the means he wills.”

The mandate for the week of prayer, the Pope underscored, comes from the wish of Christ himself at the Last Supper “that they may all be one.” He observed that this mission was given a particular impetus by the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) but added that “the unity we strive for cannot result merely from our own efforts.” Rather,  “it is a gift we receive and must constantly invoke from on high.”  

The theme for 2012 Week of Prayer – “All shall be changed by the victory of Jesus Christ our Lord” – was crafted by the Polish Ecumenical Council. Pope Benedict said it reflects “their own experience as a nation,” which stayed faithful to Christ “in the midst of trials and upheavals,” including years of occupation by the Nazis and later the Communists.

The Pope tied the victory the Polish people experienced over their oppressors to overcoming the disunity that marks Christians.

He said that the “unity for which we pray requires inner conversion, both shared and individual,” and it cannot be “limited to cordiality and cooperation.” Instead, Christians must accept “all the elements of unity which God has conserved for us.”

Ecumenism, the Pope stated, is not an optional extra for Catholics but is “the responsibility of the entire Church and of all the baptized.” Christians, he said, must make praying for unity an “integral part” of their prayer life, “especially when people from different traditions come together to work for victory in Christ over sin, evil, injustice and the violation of human dignity.”

Pope Benedict then touched on the lack of unity in the Christian community, which he said “hinders the effective announcement of the Gospel and endangers our credibility.” Evangelizing formerly Christian countries and spreading the Gospel to new places will be “more fruitful if all Christians together announce the truth of the Gospel and Jesus Christ, and give a joint response to the spiritual thirst of our times,” he explained.

The Pope concluded his comments with the hope that this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will lead to “increased shared witness, solidarity and collaboration among Christians, in expectation of that glorious day when together we will all be able to celebrate the Sacraments and profess the faith transmitted by the Apostles.”

The general audience finished with Pope Benedict addressing pilgrims in various languages, including  greeting a group of men and women from the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, before leading the crowd in the Our Father and imparting his apostolic blessing.

[Jvette]

****Well, hello, even Catholicism teaches that. No? ****

Yet, protestants say Catholics must earn their salvation, when the truth is, that one’s faith is seen in one’s behavior and actions. If you agree with that, then you must agree that we don’t earn our salvation, it is our faith that does, but our faith is evident in our lives.

****Yeah, it can be, if they’re really saved.****

Here is the contradiction then. It is said, faith alone, but what is faith? Is is merely lip service, a simple profession? Or is it action? A Catholic believes it is action, that one is moved to action by genuine faith.

It is synergistic in that one is moved to action out of faith and one’s actions strengthen one’s faith.

That is different from avoiding sin, but the closer one feels to Jesus, the more they will try to avoid sin.

****All anyone needs is faith the size or a mustard seed because it’s not how great our faith is but how great the God we put that faith in is.****

But what is Jesus telling them here? What does He say next? In Matthew, He speaks of being able to move mountains and in Mark, He speaks of the bush which grows from the seed that is sown.

I agree, it is our great God who does great things through us because of our faith, but the key is we are expected to DO something with our faith. God will bless our work when we do those works out of love for Him and love for others.

In all things we see the union of the divine with the human and it is no different with what protestants like to call works. And these works needn’t be on a grand scale, what is important is that we are motivated out of love. And that love comes from faith.

***Jesus read Scripture and endorses it. He teaches that error comes in from not knowing Scripture.***

Okay, I am splitting hairs here, but only because it is what protestants do when parsing Scripture. Jesus never says one MUST read Scripture and neither do the Apostles.
One can KNOW Scripture without ever reading it.

*****Matthew 22:29 But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.****

Who is Jesus addressing here? The Saduccees. Are you saying that the Saduccees did not read Scripture?

Jesus is saying here that they don’t KNOW Scripture, yet we know that the Saduccees did indeed read Scripture. Was Jesus mistaken then? NO, He pointed out that have knowledge of what Scripture says is not the same as knowing what it means, what the heart of it is.

As for the rest of the quotes, all very nice verses, all speaking of knowing the word of God, following the word of God but not one which says one must READ the word of God.

What if one cannot read, or see or does not have the resources to own a Bible?

****If someone does not have a desire to read God’s word and find out for himself what God has to say to him about Himself, then yes, I’d question that person’s salvation.****

How does that square with faith alone? The desire to know God and what He has to say about Himself is an action, a result of faith. And again, what if one cannot read and must depend on hearing the word from someone else?

****How can someone have a relationship with someone else when they won’t get to know him?****

Where is it said that the only way to know God is through reading Scripture?

****Scripture is garbage? Expecting people to live out what they profess is garbage?****

LOL, just like a good little protestant. Not what I said, but typical when one is challenged and shown to be wrong.

[Jvette]

Oh I read them. ‘nuf, said.

[Jvette]

Oh I read them. ‘nuf, said.

[MarkBsnr]

I do believe your challenge to me was "show me where any translation says it like that, I'll bet you can't". I showed you a few that used the word "pillar and buttress". So what that the KJV uses a different word, it still means the same thing and the "church" is not called the "basis" of the truth as you stated. I met your challenge. What? No gold star? ;o)

[Jvette]

I know it is the protestant’s desire to think this is what the Church teaches, but it is not. In regards to that passage from the catechism which is used to support that claim, as usual, the protestants are wrong in their understanding.

[Lera]

It's telling me that if they can get people to believe it all came from them, then they have all the authority in the world to "edit" it, in addition to making it say whatever they want it to say. Whereas, if God is really who gave it to us, then he is who has the authority, not them, and his Holy Spirit does his job to illuminate God's truth from those Scriptures to all those who have surrendered themselves to his perfect will. I found this great article that addresses this point. It's called "Just Trust us on this one...wink, wink".

It reeks of prIde .Remind you of someone who said ?
Isa 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

[presently no screen name]

Seems to me the only ‘spirit’ you’ve exhibited here is one of anger

Projecting!! Beggars are envious.

your content is the same: nonsense and pompous insults.

Projecting!! Read your comments that 'try' to insult with 'haughty and holier than thou' in beggar like fashion.

Discussion about what? That you can't handle me being a Holy Spirit child of The Most High God who has assurance of eternal life and that I have a personal relationship with The Lord? That grates you as your posts show.

[metmom]

By adding to it and changing what in essence they are saying is the same old question - Did God really say ?

IOW, God didn't really say.

God's word is settled in heaven, not subject to change at the whims of mere men.

[smvoice]

mm & boatbums: with your posts 1195 & 1198 you have gotten to the very crux of the problem. Both posts say it all. And if the RCC can infallibly declare themselves to be infallible, they can NEVER be wrong. On ANY account. From editing, interpreting, adding, or taking from God's Word. We have all been saying in so many words and Scriptures what you two put together so succinctly and brilliantly.

"THAT THERE'S THE PROBLEM" with Catholicism. In a nutshell. Thanks to both of you!

[D-fendr]

you can't handle me being a Holy Spirit child

In your own mind, puffer fish.

Christ's Church has always had enemies; today She faces threats from Islam, burning Her Churches, bombing and shooting worshipers, radical secularism across the globe, China using the power of state to name bishops, the US regime threatening freedom of conscience and the sanctity of life, etc...Christ has promised that these enemies and worse will not prevail against His Church.

As enemies go, you're quite small, a mere sideliner, whose only real threat is your absence. When you puff yourself up on an anonymous internet forum the true value is entertainment. Cute and funny.

Thanks again.

[D-fendr]

Why yes, of course!

Each individual knows that each individual’s interpretation of Holy Scripture is infallible.

Just ask ‘em.

[presently no screen name]

Another one of your anger posts, I see. Pictures and all, this time! I hit the right buttons. Thanks for the confirmation.

[mitch5501]

Thanks for the link BB.

[D-fendr]

No problemo, PF, anytime..

[Lera]

I know it is the protestant’s desire to think this is what the Church teaches, but it is not. In regards to that passage from the catechism which is used to support that claim, as usual, the protestants are wrong in their understanding.

Well then maybe you should talk to your Pope .



(BTW he also went into the little blue dome to pray with them)

Some interesting tidbits from the Vatican written by Benedict himself
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/homilies/2007/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20070106_epifania_en.html
Who then are the "Magi" of today, and what point has their "journey" and our "journey" reached? Dear brothers and sisters, let us return to that special moment of grace, the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council on 8 December 1965, when the Council Fathers addressed certain "Messages" to all humanity.

The first was addressed "To Rulers" and the second, "To Men of Thought and Science". These are two categories of people who, in a certain way, we can see portrayed in the evangelical figures of the Magi.

I would then like to add a third category, to which the Council did not address a message but which was very present in its attention in the conciliar Decree Nostra Aetate. I am referring to the spiritual leaders of the great non-Christian religions. Two thousand years later, we can thus recognize in the figures of the Magi a sort of prefiguration of these three constitutive dimensions of modern humanism: the political, scientific and religious dimensions.


Does this man even read the Bible at all ? Lookie lookie at what he says here in the same letter

The need to work out a new world political and economic order was emerging but, at the same time and above all, one that would be both spiritual and cultural, that is, a renewed humanism.

This observation became more and more obvious: a new world economic and political order cannot work unless there is a spiritual renewal, unless we can once again draw close to God and find God in our midst.

From his very mouth he states he wants a NEW WORLD ORDER ... a HUMANIST one at that .... just what kind of spirit does this man have ?

[D-fendr]

Either you didn’t read the linked homily or you read it and got the point upside down.

Hopeless...

[Lera]

[Lera]

[D-fendr]

You’re absolutely hopeless.

Study the history of the Church and Islam, from the beginning up to the Church martyrs on the front lines today.

What is your church doing?

[Lera]

There is a whole lot of born again Christians witnessing to muslims ... you don’t see them bowing down and kissing their book or walking into their mosque to pray with them .