Pope Francis presided over Vespers at the Basilica of St. Paul outside Rome at the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. In his homily, he urged all Christians to remain God-centered, to reflect on our mistakes and to change our human perspective.
(Vatican News Network)On January 25th, the Day of the Apostle’s Naturalization, Pope Francis presided over the Vespers at St. Paul’s Basilica outside Rome, thus ending the annual Christian Unity Week of Prayer. In his sermon, he called on all Christians, wherever they live, to take action once morest war, violence and injustice.
Reflecting on the readings of the day’s liturgy calling for change, the pope noted that “as brothers and sisters in Christ, we celebrate the joy of being together” in a day “full of tragedy and disturbing news reports”. “Since we are united in the name of Christ, we cannot fail to put his word at the center of things,” the pope said.
Referring to the theme of this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, “Learn to do good and seek justice”, the Pope explained that God warns us to forsake evil and urges us to change. He said that admonishment and change are the two focuses of reflection on the liturgical vespers that day.
The Pope pointed out that “when we claim to be his faithful people and put our own way of seeing things before him; when we follow the judgment of the world and not of heaven; God suffers and grieves when those whom God cares most remain indifferent”. “God grieves over our indifference and lack of compassion”.
“There is a second and more serious offense once morest the Most High, which is sacrilegious violence,” the Pope added. “We can imagine how much he must have suffered to witness what was committed by those who professed to be Christians.” war and violence.”
Then, the Pope said, “Today, I would like to emphasize once more that with our mature spirituality and theology we have no excuses.” Still, some seem to feel inspired or at least moved by their convictions. Encourage and support all kinds of narrow and violent nationalism, xenophobia and contempt, and even abuse of those who are different from themselves.
“Because we do not understand God and the violence that lurks within us, we cannot set ourselves free; without God, without his grace, our sins cannot be healed.” “God’s grace is the source of our change ( …); on our own we cannot succeed, but with God all things are possible. Alone we cannot succeed, but together we make it possible.”
Therefore, the Pope invites all Christians to open their hearts, change their prejudices, and rediscover “the communion of all believers in the world in the Holy Spirit, as St. John Chrysostom wrote: ‘He who lives in Rome knows that he who lives in India people are part of the same Olympic body'”.
Finally, the Pope thanked all the representatives of the different Christian communities who participated in this liturgy of unity and invited all present to grow through prayer, service, participation in dialogue and working together to achieve the full unity that Christ desires. “May we walk together on the path of unity and unity that the Lord has prepared for us,” the Pope said.
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Closing Ceremony of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
