杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

Although everyone faces moments of despair or know people who have lost hope, 鈥渢he Gospel tells us that Jesus always restores hope,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis said Saturday evening at the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls. 鈥淗e continually raises us up from the ashes of death and gives us the strength to go on, to begin anew.鈥�

In his homily for the feast of the Conversion of St Paul 鈥� which also marks the conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis reflected on the Gospel account of Jesus鈥� encounter with Martha after the death of her brother, Lazarus. In response to Martha鈥檚 profession of faith in the resurrection of the dead at the end of time, Jesus assured her that He Himself is the resurrection and the life, and asks of her, 鈥淒o you believe this?鈥�

This Gospel passage provided the theme for this year鈥檚 Week of Prayer, and teaches us, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渢hat even in times of deep desolation, we are not alone and we can continue to hope.鈥�

And this is important not just in our own lives, but also 鈥渇or the life of Christian communities, our churches, and our ecumenical relationships,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said. If at times we feel overwhelmed or discouraged, Jesus nonetheless comes to us. 鈥淒o we believe this?鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis asked. 鈥淒o we believe that He is the resurrection and the life?鈥�

The Holy Father that the Gospel鈥檚 message of hope 鈥渋s at the heart鈥� of the Jubilee Year. This hope, which comes from the Holy Spirit, is likewise the foundation of the ecumenical journey.

杏MAP导航 Francis noted, too, that 2025 will see the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, the first of the great Ecumenical Councils, which produced the Nicene Creed. This creed, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渋s a common profession of faith that transcends all the divisions that have riven the Body of Christ over the centuries鈥�; and the anniversary of its proclamation, 鈥渁n opportunity for all Christians who recite the same Creed and believe in the same God.鈥�

鈥淟et us rediscover the common roots of the faith,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 exclaimed. 鈥淟et us preserve unity!鈥�

Finally, 杏MAP导航 Francis took the occasion to renew his appeal that Christians might work together 鈥渢o take a decisive step forward towards unity around a common date for Easter,鈥� as he noted that this year, Easter falls on the same date for both the Julian and Gregorian calendars.

Concluding his reflections, 杏MAP导航 Francis insisted, 鈥淚n Jesus, hope is always possible,鈥� and it is Jesus 鈥渨ho sustains our hope as we journey towards Him in unity.鈥� Returning to Jesus鈥� question to Martha, 杏MAP导航 Francis asked, 鈥淒o you believe this? Do we believe in communion with one another?鈥�

And he ended his homily with the exhortation, 鈥淒ear brothers and sisters, this is the time to confirm our profession of faith in the one God and to find in Christ Jesus the way to unity鈥� let us never grow tired of bearing witness, before all peoples, to the only-begotten Son of God, the source of all our hope.鈥�