杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

Meeting in the Vatican with an ecumenical delegation from Finland on Friday, 杏MAP导航 Francis spoke about the importance of journeying in communion of faith 鈥渟o as to encourage one another and to strengthen one another in Christian discipleship鈥�.

The Feast of Saint Henrik

The group was in Rome as part of a customary ecumenical pilgrimage celebrating the feast of Saint Henrik, believed to have been an English-born Bishop of Uppsala who was martyred in the mid-12^th century. He is venerated by Catholics and Lutherans, as well as several Protestant Churches and the Anglican Community.

Baptism and bearing common burdens

Reminding those present of how this past Sunday we celebrated the Baptism of Jesus, 杏MAP导航 Francis recalled our own baptism. 鈥淎 Christian is someone who can give thanks for his or her baptism, and this gratitude unites us within the community of all the baptized鈥�, he said.

The 杏MAP导航 also referred to the Report of the Catholic-Lutheran dialogue group for Sweden and Finland, entitled Justification in the Life of the Church, which observes that 鈥渁s members of one and the same mystical body of Christ, Christians are bound to one another and must bear one another鈥檚 burdens鈥�.

Hospitality and Christian Unity

杏MAP导航 Francis then looked ahead to the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity that begins on Saturday, with the theme 鈥淭hey showed us unusual kindness鈥�. The words are those of the Apostle Paul, and refer 鈥渢o the inhabitants of the island of Malta, who received him, together with hundreds of shipwrecked people, with hospitality鈥�, explained the 杏MAP导航. 

鈥淎s baptized Christians, we believe that Christ wishes to meet us precisely in those who are 鈥� whether literally or figuratively 鈥� shipwrecked in life鈥�, said 杏MAP导航 Francis. 鈥淭hose who show hospitality grow richer, not poorer. Whoever gives, receives in return.  For the humanity we show to others makes us in a mysterious way partakers in the goodness of the God who became man鈥�.

Journeying and standing together

杏MAP导航 Francis confirmed how 鈥渨e are journeying together in the community of all the baptized鈥�. The gratitude that Christians give for their baptism 鈥渓inks and expands our hearts鈥�, he said, it 鈥渙pens them to our neighbour, who is not an adversary but our beloved brother, our beloved sister鈥�. 

鈥淭he community of all the baptized is not a mere 鈥榮tanding beside one another鈥�, and certainly not a 鈥榮tanding against one other鈥欌��, concluded the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渂ut wants to become an ever fuller 鈥榮tanding together鈥欌��.