Pope Francis meets new president of Lutheran World
Federation
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met on Thursday with the
new president of the Lutheran World Federation, Nigerian Archbishop
Musa Panti Filibus, focusing on common prayer as the key to Christian
unity.
Recalling his own visit to the Swedish cities of Lund and Malmo last
year for the shared commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the
Reformation, the pope said praying together purifies, strengthens and
lights our way forward. Prayer, he insisted, is the fuel for our ecumenical
journey.
Through prayer, the pope continued, we are able to see the
painful divisions of past ceneturies in a new light, abandoning our prejudices,
purifying our memories and looking to the future with confidence. Through
prayer, he said, we are called to recognize the gifts of our different
traditions and receive them as our shared Christian heritage.
Reformation anniversary 'a turning point'
In his words to Pope Francis, Archbishop Musa also gave
thanks for the past 50 years of progress ‘from conflict to communion’,
acknowledging in a special way the importance of praying together to
commemorate the Reformation anniversary.
“Your presence and participation in the Joint
Commemoration of the Reformation in Lund was a precious gift for us. It marked
the significant turning point at which Catholics and Lutherans are today”.
Concrete steps to unity
Before praying the Our Father together, Pope Francis urged
the Lutheran delegation, including the seven regional vice-presidents, to
continue on the road to full unity, never giving in to the temptations to
become tired, lazy or fearful. Good ideas are not enough, he said, but instead
we must take concrete steps and hold out hour hands, working together to
support the poorest and most needy as we witness together to the presence of
God in our world.
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