Together for a just and fraternal society. Week of prayer for Unity.

The Pope to the Ecumenical Delegation of Finland

Together for a just and fraternal society

“To advance in the ways of ecumenical communion thus demands that we become ever more united in prayer, ever more committed to the pursuit of holiness, and ever more engaged in the areas of theological research and cooperation in the service of a just and fraternal society”. The Pope said this to the Ecumenical Delegation of Finland received in audience on Thursday morning, 17 January for the Feast of St Henrik.

Commenting on the theme of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity  —  “What does God require of us”, taken this year from the Book of Micah  —  the Pope underlined how the Prophet explains “to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God”. And “walking humbly in the presence of the Lord, in obedience to his saving word and with trust in his gracious plan”, represents for Benedict XVI “an eloquent image not only of the life of faith, but also of our ecumenical journey on the path towards the full and visible unity of all Christians”. An itinerary, he added, in which “we are called to advance together along the narrow road of fidelity to God’s sovereign will in facing whatever difficulties or obstacles we may eventually encounter”.