Vatican
City, 25 September 2013 (VIS) – The unity of the Church, dispersed
around the world, was the theme chosen by Pope Francis for his
catechesis during today's general audience in which over 40,000
people participated. “In the Creed”, he said, “we profess our
faith in the Church, which is one, and this Church is in itself unity
… even though it spreads across all the continents”.
Unity
in faith, in hope, in charity, in the sacraments and the ministry,
are “like the pillars that support and hold together the single
great edifice of the Church. Wherever we go, even in the smallest
parish, in the furthest corners of this earth, there is the One
Church; we are at home, we are with our family, we are brothers and
sisters. And this is a great gift from God! The Church is One for
all. There is not one Church for Europeans, one for Africans, one for
Americans, one for Asians, one for those who live in Oceania, but she
is the same everywhere. And the Church is just like a family: the
members may be far away, spread around the world, but the strong
bonds that unite us all hold firm regardless of the distance”.
The
Pope recalled that during the recent World Youth Day in Rio de
Janeiro, which brought together so many cultures and languages, from
so many places of origin, there was nonetheless a “profound unity,
which formed a single Church, in whom all were united, and this could
be felt”. “Let each one of us ask: do I feel this unity? Do I
live this unity? Or am I not interested, am I one of those who would
'privatise' the Church for their own group, their own nation, their
own friends? It is sad to encounter a privatised Church, as this form
of selfishness indicates a lack of faith. Do we pray for each other?
I wonder how many of you you pray for persecuted Christians, for
those brothers or those sisters who suffer as a consequence of their
faith? It is important to look over one's own fence, to feel part of
the Church, of the single family of God”.
Francis
then went on to ask whether there were any casualties of this unity,
whether it could inflict harm, since “at times there arise
misunderstandings, conflicts, tensions and divisions, which cause
harm and then the Church does not have the face we would like, she
does not manifest her charity, as God would want. We create those
lacerations! And if we look at the divisions that still exist between
Christians - Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants – we become aware of
the effort that it takes to make this unity fully visible”. The
Pope explained that although “God gives us unity”, we sometimes
find it difficult to manifest it in our lives. “It is necessary to
seek, to build communion, to educate in communion, to overcome
misunderstandings and divisions. … Our world needs unity,
reconciliation and communion, and the Church is the Home of
Communion”.
Quoting
St. Paul to the Ephesians, the Pope reiterated that in order to
conserve unity it is necessary to have “humility, gentleness,
magnanimity and love”, but this is not primarily the result of our
consent or efforts, but rather comes from the Holy Spirit, which
continually recreates the Church and creates “unity in diversity,
which is harmony”. The Holy Father concluded by asking the Lord, as
in the prayer of St. Francis, to help us never to become instruments
of division, but rather to bring love where there is hate,
forgiveness where there is injury and union where there is discord.