Posted on 01/27/2015 1:24:04 AM PST by Grateful2God
More than “theoretical discussions,” what unites Christians is encounter, and a willingness to “challenge one another,” said Pope Francis as he marked the conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
“Christian unity will not be the fruit of subtle theoretical discussions in which each party tries to convince the other of the soundness of their opinions,” the Pope said during vespers at Saint Paul Outside the Walls Basilica on Jan. 25.
“To plumb the depths of the mystery of God, we need one another, we need to encounter one another and to challenge one another under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who harmonizes diversities and overcomes conflicts,” he said. ...
...“So many past controversies between Christians can be overcome when we put aside all polemical or apologetic approaches, and seek instead to grasp more fully what unites us, namely, our call to share in the mystery of the Father’s love revealed to us by the Son through the Holy Spirit.” ...
(Excerpt) Read more at ewtnnews.com ...
Rn, Mom of 7, you must have to live the"patience and respect" mentioned above in taking care of patients and in raising a big family! You would want unity among your children, even though each is unique and has their own opinions! Yeah I'm sure they must argue, but as their Mom, don't you wish them to love one another, differences and all, when all is said and done? You have so much to be thankful for, having a vocation to take care of the sick-especially the kind with an illness that some would despise them for? You must have seen them as people, not "drunks" or you would not have been able to care for them! They are God's children, as are your kids, as we all are!
I took the time to post this article and invited both Catholics and non-Catholics to bring others in! Please, if you have not already done so, read the entire article! It isn’t long. It says a great deal. This is intended to be a peaceful discussion on the article, and what we have in common. Please read before posting! Thank you!
I hear you. What I posted in, I believe 38, was posted AFTER a couple of posts came attacking the Pope and the Catholic church.
It seems that every single thread, even one proposing a discussion of Christian unity morphs into contention.
I posted a link to the Schaeffer book “The Mark of a Christian” to see if coming at the same ideas from a non Catholic belief might engender at least civil discussion.
It was not my intention to create more ill will on this thread. But, I think that is impossible regardless of how carefully and sincerely one tries.
fwiw, I did not even understand the “caveman” comment.
The only common ground Rome wants is for us all to "come home" to Rome.. trent said it all..and nothing has changed
Thank YOU! And God bless you! Glad you enjoyed the post! I was really excited when I read it last night, it gave me a feeling of hope...
Things have not changed..that is still the position of Rome
Rome continues to deny the sufficiency of the cross.. I and most Evangelicals can find no unanimity with that position.. Either Christ is our Savior... or all he did was make making savable.. That my friend is not "good news"
“His (Jesus') example encourages us to seek a serene encounter with others. To understand one another, and to grow in charity and truth, we need to pause, to accept and listen to one another.” Many in the world feel that we are in the end times. When civilization as we know it gets levelled, we're going to need one another. We're going to have to coexist face-to-face, put aside our differences and love one another as God asks us to do!
Yes, the Peace Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi is good for that. His prayer does wonders "for getting my mind right" and my heart more in harmony with Him and His Plan.
It doesn't take a psych degree to see that we all are damaged, some much more so than others, and this damage, and the pain behind it, comes out in these discussions.
It's easy to see how Satan uses the openings this pain and damage have created within us to stir up antagonism, criticism, anger, mistrust, etc. among us and toward each other. None of those emotions are from God, nor do they follow Jesus' example or teachings.
Satan, otoh, knows his best hope is to keep the followers of Christ divided and at each other's throats.
Satan has thousands of years experience using our weakness, our human nature and the unforgiven hurt and damage the world has inflicted on each of us to keep us from following Christ.
Truly, we know the words, but the words don't know us, especially once Satan reminds us of our pain and then won't let us forget it nor forgive it.
No matter what many might say, Christian unity is not desired, unfortunately, by those who allow themselves to be lead by His enemy. By these fruits we know...
There can be civility, there can be tolerance, there can be praise together of the God Who created us. I remember reading Anne Frank’s Diary in school. We were kids and focused on the everyday life and the feelings she had being hidden away. It wasn’t until I was in high school and we were shown a Nazi propaganda film boasting about what was being done that it hit me. People had to leave the room and it was in black and white. I stayed, but went home feeling sick and went straight to bed. I stayed home the next day, and am tearing even now. Anne Frank died in the concentration camp. I read it again, I even watched the movie that I had once turned the channel on. I still can’t fathom the horror! She had hope. Even stuck in an attic, behind a bookcase, the “Secret Annex”, she believed in people, in their basic goodness. If she could do so under so much tragedy, why can’t we? She had more wisdom than my years have given me. I think we all have something to learn. We can help or hinder, it’s our own choice.
And that pain is also a common denominator! Who can pick up a paper today, and not feel sick over the state of our Nation and our world? Who of us has not lost a loved one, or had health problems? People in this economy lose jobs. Can we not console one another, bind one another's wounds as did the Good Samaritan? He saw the bigger picture: someone needed help. Compassion. Charity.
Unity doesn't mean being of one mind on all the issues. It means that we find where we fit in the bigger picture. Embracing the person as God's creation... God bless you!
There are mysteries in the Bible which point to mysteries about God... which is why no two “Biblical literalists” will say the same exact things about every chapter and verse.
I pray someday that Christians and Jews will find their common ground. We share so much and I love to read about Judaism. JPII called them "our elder brothers in the Faith"...
God bless you, and Mary keep you!
I'm sorry it came across that way, for that was not the intent, but instead was also based as much upon the Gospel being itself being simple enough that neither the fool or the wayfaring stranger shall err therein, as prophetically foreshadowed in Isaiah 38:8 as that reads in KJV.
From there I admittedly did get a bit too loose when including from generally present-day U.S. culture, joking inclusion of reference to Geico auto insurance, caveman advertisement, "so simple even a caveman can do it" sort of thing.
The intent was agreement as towards the simplicity of the Gospel, not that you yourself necessarily were a cave man, not there there would be anything wrong with that...lol
For example, you could have taken that "slap in the face" as an opportunity to return the favor and given it back.
That sort of retaliation is one point of view and justified by the "truth" found while seeing the world from that point of view.
Another point of view is to forgive the "slap" and offer the other cheek.
The truth of this point of view is difficult, if not impossible, to see from the retaliation/revenge point of view.
However, if we choose to see things from the Lord's Prayer point of view, then we accept that in forgiving, we are forgiven.
From this point of view, we might then see each "slap" as an opportunity for a blessing instead of an opportunity to justify our anger and then justify our revenge.
I've learned the hard way that there is a moment between stimulus and response where we choose what our response will be.
No matter what the stimulus might be, no matter how painful or horrific it might be, that moment still exists and the choice of how to respond is ours to make.
Best to choose wisely.
Yes, I see what you mean. I saw at least a couple, and the one recommending the pope read the bible didn't set too well with myself either...and I almost responded to that to express how my own disagreement as for the appropriateness of the remark.
But thank you kindly for your reply.
Yes, I see for myself to have been intended some expression of agreement, while wrapped in semi-joking reference to a an auto insurance commercial from some years ago now, was far too obscure, and less than clear on my own part, so the responsibility for anyone much not "getting it" as that saying goes, for an admittedly strange mix of agreement & joshing around which was contained in the quip is truly enough my own. So my apologies.
Nevertheless, if you were baptized a Catholic, you are still a Catholic, just an inactive one.
Most fallen away Catholics will come back at a time of their choosing.
This article just has me so pumped up! It’s like a light-bulb moment for me! Then after I made a reply, a news blurb spoke about today being the 70 th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz! I thank God, praise Him, and am grateful to those who fought for their freedom: I actually have 2 WWII vets in the family. So much to be thankful for! :)
I have noticed that for a long time. I even read one comment which said everyone not Catholic was going to hell. Most have an unreal hatred for Protestants. I never knew how much until I started reading this site. I know I never knew much about them until recently. They really need prayers.
JMJ
For the love of Mary, please get a life.
And a Bible.
And read it.
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