In the Church Christ is revealed to the people
One of the most significant elements that characterized the work of Vatican II is undoubtedly recall the fundamental unity of the human family (cf. eg. GS, ch. II). To which
universalism?
'This generation ... has seen the collapse or shrinking distances and barriers that separate men and nations, thanks to a heightened sense of the universality, to a clearer awareness of the unity of mankind and the acceptance of mutual dependence in genuine solidarity and thanks, finally, the desire - and ability - to come in contact with their brothers and sisters beyond the artificial divisions created by geography or national borders or race "(Dives in misericordia, n. 10).
the threshold of the third millennium, humanity is committed to a universalism cultural, ideological, technological ... than ever before. But what he means at its disposal to achieve this dream? You experience many methods that have a more or less of truth and effectiveness, but they raise many problems. You must use the strength? But the experience of great empires based on violence, warns against it. Must rely on the universal consciousness of work and technique? But the principles of law, culture, etc.. on which it is based on the unification of the world are really the deepest? Do not deliberately neglect an irreducible element, ie, the person? And the Christian? Does not have its word to say? The first man who believed in universalism is according to Scripture, Abraham, the father of nations. God promised that they would one day be reunited in his descendants, and the patriarch's believed he was the first act of faith made by a man.
Nations shall walk by your light
Israel was given the mission to bring together all peoples in the descendants of Abraham to realize the promise of universalism. Israel believed to form this unit with the implementation of a number of practical details: the law, the Sabbath, circumcision ... In contrast, only the faith of Abraham would be able to bring unity to all peoples.
The announcement of a new people of God, a universal dimension, prefigured and prepared the Chosen People, is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, in which converges and summarizes the whole plan of God (Eph 1:9-10). In him everything that had divided the unit found (second reading).
The coming of the Magi from the East marks the beginning of the unity of the whole human family, to be perfectly fulfilled when faith in Jesus Christ will bring down the barriers between men, and faith in the unity of all God's children will feel equally redeemed and brothers to each other (Gospel).
This new people is the Church, the community of believers through the ages it produces and bears witness to the universal call to salvation of all men for unifying the work of Christ. E 'means the final vision of the New Testament (Rev 7.4 to 12, 15, 04.03, 21.24 to 26): a multitude of races, peoples and languages, which greet the King of the nations in God, and living in New Jerusalem where humanity will regain its unity and definitive.
There is always a star in heaven
Easily every speech on 'unity' in any field, is likely to be misunderstood. We often pretend to drive a flat uniformity: the cancellation of any individual difference, a total leveling. It opens as a system of easy labels easy and ostracism. Who does not adapt to the media is branded as reactionary or extremist or as a heretic. Yet the diversity and variety of the characters of nations are the wealth of mankind. The fact that the Church is not a universal rule that can coexist within it "different ways "to live the one faith. For too long the Church has been linked to the Western cultural world and the white man to drop Christianity into molds and mental categories typically European, but the Church of Christ can not be black or white or yellow as it can not be proletarian or bourgeois or capitalism: its doors are open to all. The Christian can not reject a priori the novelty or originality in themselves, they must first examine whether they may not be a new dimension of faith in Christ. Many current experiences, that sometimes shocked the guardians of uniformity (no unit), are a sign of the exuberance of life of the Church. Christ gives us the measure of all things: Love God with all thy heart, love one another as I have loved (cf. Mk 12.30, Jn 13.34). This is the star to follow, to come to our authentic and unique focus of unity, "the mystery of which (the Father) made us share" (Prayer after Communion).
The Lord has shown the world its salvation
From a sermon by Saint Leo the Great, pope
(Sermon for Epiphany 3, 1-3. 5, PL 54, 240-244)
merciful Providence, having recently decided to rescue the world was in ruins, ruled that the salvation of all peoples might be fulfilled in Christ.
She had been promised Abraham an innumerable progeny that would be generated not after the flesh, but in the fruitfulness of faith: it was compared to the multitude of stars as the father of all nations are not waiting for a race on earth, but heavenly.
Enter, then enter the family patriarchs of the great mass of people, and children receive the blessing of the promise as the stock of Abraham, and to renounce this the children of his blood. All peoples, represented by the three wise men, worship the Creator of the universe, and God is known not only in Judea, but throughout the land, because everywhere in Israel is great his name (cf. Ps 75, 2).
beloved sons, taught by these mysteries of grace God, we celebrate the joy of the spirit on the day of our birth and the beginning of the call to faith of all nations. We thank the merciful God who, as the Apostle says, "has put us in a position to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. And 'he who has freed us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of his beloved Son "(Col. 1: 12-13). The Isaiah announced: The people of the Gentiles, who sat in darkness saw great light and those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone (see Isaiah 9, 1). Of these Isaiah also says the Lord: People who do not know you I call, and they ignore the people who will flock to you (cf. Is 55, 5).
"Abraham saw that day and rejoiced "(Jn 8, 56). Rejoiced when he met the sons of his faith would be blessed in his seed, that is in Christ, and when he saw that his faith would be the father of all peoples. He gave glory to God, fully convinced that what the Lord had promised he would put in place (Rom 4: 20-21). This day was singing the Psalms David said, "All the people who have created will come and worship before thee, O Lord, to give glory to your name" (Ps. 85, 9), and again: "The Lord has made known his salvation to the nations he has revealed his righteousness "(Ps 97, 2).
All this, I know it was achieved when the three wise men, called away from their countries, were led by a star to know and worship the King of heaven and earth. This star urges us to imitate the very service that it lent in the sense that we must follow, with all our strength, the grace that invites all to Christ. In this effort, my dear, you must all help each other. Shine as children of light in the kingdom of God, where they lead to sound faith and good works. Through our Lord Jesus Christ with God the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
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