From the Word of the Day
“David seized his garments and rent them, and all the men who were with him did likewise.”
2 Samuel 1: 11
How should we live this Word
David mourns the death of Saul and of his son, as for two dearest friends. Beyond the problems Saul caused, he is able to see the greatness of this man. He never stopped recognizing the mark of the divine
anointing that made him the chosen one of the Lord. Saul always remained the anointed of the Lord for David.
So too, the Church of Christ, so human and at the same time so divine, carries in itself the scandal of its divisions along with the imprint of the Spirit that shapes it and illumines it. It is this Spirit that urges us and moves us toward unity. It is this Spirit that asks us to purify our memory and to look at all the good present in the various Christian confessions. The knots still present in relations among the Christian Churches may be seen as the differences in beauty of a bouquet of field flowers. However, we need pure eyes and a compassionate heart to recognize this beauty, like the eyes of David.
Today in my pause for silent contemplation, I will visualize myself beside God who looks with benevolence on each of His children. They are all different, each is unique, but they are all beautiful!
Lord, illumine us with Your Holy Spirit so that we may never be an obstacle, with our severe judgments, to your full justice. Help us to recognize Your wisdom and Your love in all things.
The voice of the Ecumenical Movement
The unity for which we pray is not merely a comfortable idea of friendship and collaboration. It demands the will to avoid all competition among ourselves. We must open ourselves to each other, offer and receive each other’s gifts in order to truly enter into new life in Christ, which is the only true victory.
