Principles for Finding Reconciliation
“Reconciliation – The Love of Christ Compels Us” is the theme for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, January 18-25 (see 2 Corinthians 5:14-20). Of course, we need to pray and work for Christian unity throughout the year. The opportunities for becoming closer to our sisters and brothers of other Christian traditions are many and we need to take advantage of them.
2017 marks the 500th anniversary of the beginning of what is now known as the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther, a German monk, initiated the reform without intending to create a division. He made a list of 95 theses about teachings and practices which he felt were theologically unsound and/or abuses of power. Because of his concerns with such teachings and practices, he went so far as to question the Pope’s authority.
Just this fall Pope Francis went to Sweden and commemorated Luther’s call for reform. From Conflict to Communion, a Vatican document, elaborates upon the history of Catholic and Lutheran reconciliation, the failures and successes in dialogue, and in what direction the on-going dialogue needs to go. The document concludes with five imperatives. The first: [my bold] Catholics and Lutherans should always begin from the perspective of unity and not from the point of view of division in order to strengthen what is held in common even though the differences are more easily seen and experienced. The second: Lutherans and Catholics must let themselves continuously be transformed by the encounter with the other and by the mutual witness of faith. The third: Catholics and Lutherans should again commit themselves to seek visible unity, to elaborate together what this means in concrete steps, and to strive repeatedly toward this goal. The fourth: Lutherans and Catholics should jointly rediscover the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ for our time. The fifth: Catholics and Lutherans should witness together to the mercy of God in proclamation and service to the world.
As Pope Francis and other Catholic and Lutheran church leaders demonstrate wisdom, courage, and humility by meeting and speaking respectfully with each other, so they offer us an impressive example. The five imperatives contain within them the principles for finding reconciliation (see bold phrases) in any group or between two people. The history of struggle, division, and reconciliation is common, all too common. Let us make history this year in personal and family life. May the love of Christ compel you to reconcile!!!
Peace Fr. Andy