The search for Christian unity has not been easy, but it already has drawn Christians closer to one another and made Christianity more attractive to those who do not believe, Pope Benedict XVI said.
A sense of brotherhood among Christians “is the most tangible sign of unity, especially for those outside” the Christian community, the pope said Jan. 19 during his weekly general audience. As he does each year at his audience during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Pope Benedict dedicated his talk to explaining the theme chosen by the Vatican and the World Council of Churches for the week. The theme for 2011 was: “One in the Apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer.” Pope Benedict said the theme, drawn from the Acts of the Apostles, contains the four characteristics that made the early church community in Jerusalem “a place of unity and love.”
The first, essential characteristic, he said, is that Christians remain faithful to the Gospel and the teaching of the Apostles, which is the foundation of Christian faith. Second, he said, there is fellowship and fraternity, the experience of each person sharing and caring for one another. “The history of the ecumenical movement is marked by difficulties and uncertainties, but it also is a story of brotherhood and cooperation, of spiritual and human sharing, which has significantly changed relations between believers in the Lord Jesus. All of us are committed to continuing on this path.”
VATICAN CITY (CNS)