Vatican
City, 21 October 2013 (VIS) - “I look with a sense of profound
gratitude to Jesus Christ, at the many steps that have been taken in
the relations between Lutherans and Catholics in recent decades, and
not only through theological dialogue but also by means of brotherly
collaboration in many pastoral fields and, above all, in commitment
to progress in spiritual ecumenism” said the Pope, who this morning
received in audience a delegation of the Lutheran World Federation
and representatives from the Lutheran-Roman Catholic International
Commission on Unity.
It
is precisely this spiritual ecumenism that constitutes, in a certain
sense, “the spirit of our journey towards full communion, and
already allows us to reap certain fruit, even if it is still
imperfect; insofar as, in approaching, with a humble spirit, Our Lord
Jesus Christ, we are sure to move closer together, and insofar as by
invoking the Lord's gift of unity, we are sure that He will take us
by the hand and will be our guide”.
This
year marks fifty years of theological dialogue, and the anniversary
of the fifth centenary of the Reformation is approaching. The
Lutheran-Roman Catholic International Commission on Unity has
therefore published the text “From conflict to communion: the
Lutheran-Catholic interpretation of the Reformation in 2017”. The
Pope underlined the importance for all to “meet each other in
dialogue on the historical reality of the Reformation, on its
consequences and the responses that should be given to it. Catholics
and Lutherans can ask forgiveness for the harm they have done to each
other and for their guilt before God, and together rejoice for the
nostalgia for unity that the Lord has reawakened in our hearts, and
which makes us look ahead with hope”.
“In
the light of the journey through these recent decades, and of the
many examples of brotherly communion between Lutherans and Catholics
to which we are witnesses, and comforted by trust in the grace that
is bestowed upon us by the Lord Jesus Christ, I am sure that we will
be able to continue along our path of dialogue and communion”, he
continued, “also facing fundamental questions, as well as
divergences that arise in the anthropological and ethical fields.
Certainly, there are and there will be difficulties, which will
require further patience, dialogue, and mutual comprehension, but let
us not be afraid! We are well aware, as Benedict XVI reminded us many
times, that unity is not primarily the result of our efforts, but of
the action of the Holy Spirit, to which we must open our hearts with
trust in order that it might lead us along the paths to
reconciliation and communion”.
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